Weekend Recap + Cookbook Winners

I work on Friday nights, and the restaurant was slow. I'm assuming most are saving their $$$ for this upcoming weekend in TN which is tax-free. I'm trying to enjoy these last few days before I start work on Friday. The summer has just flown by...

Honestly, I spent ALL day on Saturday watching Scandal on Netflix. It's been in my queue for awhile. The hubs started watching it with me when I was about 3 episodes in, and now, I'll have to wait on him to get home as we are in season 2 already. It's soooooooooooooo good! If you haven't watched it yet, get on it! :)


Saturday night, I went over my best friend's house for girls night. We just chilled and watched a movie, Endless Love <-----btw, totally do NOT watch this. post coming later.

Sunday, I volunteered at my local family history and genealogical library. I help others with genealogy if they want it, put up books, do my own research, collaborate with others. It's very fulfilling:) After my shift, we went to visit some friends. They have this really cool bar from Pottery Barn, and I'm wanting my handy-man husband to make it for us. I'm thinking it could go on the wall in our den and having this piece would "separate" our den and breakfast room. I'm thinking of having him paint it white to match our crown moulding and possibly distress it? Thoughts?

Used random.org to select winners Winner #1 for SL's Heirloom Recipes is comment 6---Carole Winner #2 for SL's Country Music's Greatest Eats  comment 5---Sarah

It's hereeeeeeeeeee! *finally*

PS-Last day to enter to win a Southern Living cookbook. Go here.
OMG! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've watched it like 3x already. I'm not sure how I feel about Dakota Johnson because to me she looks too old for this part. However, Jamie Dornan has definitely grown on me:)

Laters, baby! 

SB at the Movies: Divergent

Better late than never, right?

Divergent

3.5 out of 4 stars

Granted, I really enjoyed this book series, but I thought the movie was really good too. I think things left out from the book wasn't a complete game-changer. Felt it was a fair comparison. I think this was worth the $ we spend on an evening show. 

FYI- hey, you Downton Abbey fans, the guy who plays Four in Divergent is Mr. Pamuk! See for yourself: 

SB at the Movies: 300 Rise of an Empire

300 Rise of an Empire

** out of 4 stars

First, I must say I LOVED LOVED 300. I was so stoked when I saw the trailer for this. And, I hate to say this, but I was very disappointed. This isn't even a matinee movie imo; it's a renter for sure. 

SB at the Movies: Gravity

credit: here
SB's Movie Rating: 2.75/4 Summary from imdb:  A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.
The hubs and I decided to forego presents this year due to saving for IVF. So, we celebrated by dinner and a movie. We went to see Gravity. I think Sandra Bullock will be nominated for this role. I think she did fantastic. However, I think I was expecting more action than what it was. And the movie is actually a relatively short film at around 90 minutes. I understand now because what more could you do with the plot without killing the film [not killing it in a good way!]. I do recommend seeing it in 3-D and seeing it at a matinee. Just my opinion:)

5 on Friday...

My 5 on Friday

1. The Changeling. Last week, I watched this over at a friend's house. I remember when this movie came out. Coming from an English Lit background, when I think of a changeling, I think of an ugly or stupid child left by fairies in place of a pretty child. However, this movie didn't have fairies in it, but Christine (Angelina Jolie) ends up with a boy who has been substituted for her own child. I'm not going to say anymore because I don't want to give too much away. Evidently, it's based on a true story that happened in the 20s. I thought it was a good movie! But do know, it is kinda long. I think around 3 hours. Not to mention, Angelina looks beautiful in this movie. Sometimes, it's hard to hate her...

2. Zoo.  Last Saturday, my mom and I had a mother/daughter day and went to the zoo. It was perfect because it wasn't hot, but it wasn't cold. Therefore, the animals were out and very playful. I absolutely love the zoo! It's one of my favorite things to do in my city. 

I think I interrupted his lunch. He's like, "Must you stare at me while I eat!"

3. Adversity. On Wednesday, adversity met me at my doorstep. It was seriously one of the worst days I've had in a long time...it got progressively worse as the day went on. Yesterday, I woke up and was getting ready. I looked down and saw someone had already texted me at 6ish in the morning. It was the guidance counselor at our school. She sent me this verse, "Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye stand."  When I read that yesterday morning, I told adversity that it could screw itself. It WILL be a good day. And it was stressful, but it WAS BETTER than Wednesday. 

4. The Nutcracker. I simply am about to burst. I can barely contain my excitement! I've hinted around for two years now to my husband about the Nutcracker. And for two years, I have NOT been to the Nutcracker. It's my favorite Christmas story, and when we have children, I want to make it a family tradition of seeing it every year. Well, since my husband didn't take the hint(s), I just went ahead and bought tickets this year. It's a win-win situation for us. I get to see the Nutcracker, and my husband isn't in the doghouse for not "knowing" I wanted to go see it. It's two months away. I want time to fly by so I can see this!

5. BEST compliment I've ever received. I'm tearing up while I'm typing this sentence. I have a student who comes to see me every year, actually a few times a year. She was one of my students from my first year teaching. She's a good girl----good morals, good grades, smart, funny, beautiful inside and out, responsible, and an all around good kid. She now knows that they were my first year students AND she still comes to see me. I'm so happy that she flourished in my class, and that I didn't scar her for life. lol. Believe it or not, I have never seen the movie The Freedom Writers. I believe it came out right before I was student teaching, and I just never got around to seeing it. My former student has been on me for awhile about watching this movie. I kept telling her I'd get on Netflix but just hadn't found the time. She came to visit me a few weeks ago, and she brought me the dvd. She said now I had no excuse to not watch it. AND, she wanted me to watch it because she said felt the main character was a lot like me. When I watched this movie over fall break, I was floored, humbled, and astonished that anyone could compare me to a woman like Erin Gruwell. It was probably the best compliment I've ever received in my life. As I watched the film, I understood how maybe she thought of me as somewhat like the character in the film. I do dress somewhat conservatively, I always wear pearls, and I love my students. I feel that all my babies have the capacity to learn and grow. And for me, I expect the best from my kids, I push them, I challenge them, I LOVE them. I BELIEVE in them. 

SB's Netflix Queue: This is 40

This is 40

SB's rating: 2.75/4 

 This movie is pretty funny at times, and I feel it's a decent renter. I might not have been happy if I paid full price. And there were parts that being in my *almost* mid thirties that I could really relate to especially after being with my husband for 5 years (married for two). However, I don't think you'd quite "get it" as much if you were in your twenties.

5 on Friday

Here's the 5 things on my mind this week!

Lampshade Collection 1. I'm loving the new items in the Scentsy fall/winter catalog! Definitely check it out. LOTS of cool stuff:) There's even a new camo warmer!

credit Positive Vibes 2. Feeling blessed by all the positives coming my way! I helped facilitate an in-service at school with a friend of mine. We showed our co-workers some of the new things we learned during a cool workshop this summer. I was really nervous! It made my day to see one of my fellow teachers post and tag me on facebook saying it was interesting and informative. Totally made my night:))))) And, I had my SHG test done this week. The u/s tech said by the first look everything is normal, but she still has to manipulate the images so, I still have to wait for the official word, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I didn't have any problems like I did with the HSG and am very thankful the test went smoothly. 

Erin Condren teacher planner 3. This is the first time I've ordered a teacher planner from her. I definitely want to order one during her sale in May to have ready for the beginning of next school year. I like that it's big, the lamination is good, a list of all the holidays in the front!, stickers for teacher things like duty-IEP-holiday-testing-benchmark-observation-testing etc. I CANNOT wait to start writing in this thing this weekend. 

watching old school movies 4. Last Saturday, the Indiana Jones movies were on tv. We watched all of them. I LOVED these movies as a kid. LOVED is an understatement--Indiana Jones was my hero. Little tidbit for you new readers, when I was a kid I wanted to be an archaeologist. Then, a girl in my class was being really snotty one day and told me her mom told her that archaeologists work two jobs because they don't make money and it's not worth it. Talk about shattered dreams. If only I knew this girl would be a mean girl to me most of my life and that she was just jealous. Maybe, I would have chased my dream. C'est la vie...

50 shades of opinions 5. Dakota Johnson---put some mousy brown hair on her and minimal makeup, she could probably pass for Anastasia. FYI, she is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson.      Charlie Hunnam--didn't even know who this guy was. I don't hate it, but I still picture Christian Grey being played by Christian Bale. And if you're going to cast someone who's 33 to play Grey, why don't you just go ahead and up the age in the film adaptation and cast Bale. Bale would be THE perfect Christian Grey.      And that my friends, is my two cents;)

SB at the Movies: Frances Ha

A few weeks ago, I went with my MIL to see Frances Ha. Do I have a cool MIL or what??!?!?! ;)

Frances Ha rating: not an indie lover-rent it. indie lover-go see it men will not enjoy this movie unless they like indie, hipster-ish films just like going to the movies in general- matinee it. 
A story that follows a New York woman (who doesn't really have an apartment), apprentices for a dance company (though she's not really a dancer), and throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles. credit for picture and movie summary: here

SB at the Movie Theater

credit: here I thought this was a pretty good movie. I will say this is the first movie that has ever made me anxious. I felt like something was sitting on my chest the entire time. It was NOT scary. I think it was the combination of the music, noise in the film, and the clomid aka hormone x1000. I couldn't go to bed for like 2 hours when I got home just because I was so anxious. 
I will say Brad Pitt is beginning to look 50 years old. You can really tell in this movie.