Movie Review: The Switch!

I'd been wanting to see this movie since the day it came out... and finally today my husband told me that I could pick the movie for us to go see. Obviously it came to this one. I have been an Anniston fan since the 'Friends' days... and used to have the haircut in high school as well. (I know, I'm a dork).

I do have to say that this movie didn't disappoint. The underlying theme in the movie is a single woman getting semen donated from a man to have a baby. She's come to a point in her life where she decided that she didn't want to wait any longer and she didn't need a 'man' in her life to make her happy. She needed a baby. So she threw a party, got a donor, and then her best friend "hijacked her pregnancy". Yes, it's true.

Well, he didn't mean to. But he did, and over all the movie was sweet, funny, and adorable all at the same time! I loved the connection between Anniston and Jason Bateman - what a good combo... and the kid who plays their son is absolutely fabulous! (In a way he reminds me of the smart kid from the movie Martian Child). I had a few favorite scenes, and I don't want to give too much away, but they are the lice scene and the aftermath of the kid fight Sebastian gets into.

I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommended it to all mothers and future mothers! It's a good wholesome movie - not too much bad language in it, but still a cute movie!

Here is the trailer:

I've restarted One Tree Hill!

I'm a little weird when it comes to watching television on DVD - I tend to watch them over and over again, and I start with the first episode and go to the last. I think I have watched all seasons of Dawson's Creek all the way through about 7 times since I bought them! I also have Charmed, CSI, Laguna Beach, The Hills, Supernatural, and more. There are some I am still working on collecting.


But I started this post to go back to the beginning of One Tree Hill. I started re-watching season one a few days ago and again I am reminded while I love this show! I had forgotten about how things go down between Brooke/Lucas/Peyton in the beginning of things. It breaks my heart still to see Sophia Bush cry - and I tend to cry with her!

I was also reminded how much I miss the voice overs that OTH used to have! I wish they still did these because they really are touching and meaningful! One that has stuck with me all week was this one...

“E.E. Cummings once wrote, "To be nobody but yourself, in a world which is doing its best, day and night, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle, which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.”

It really touched me and makes me think about my past and where it's all taken me. To see where I am today, and as much as I hated all that I've been through, I'm glad to have gone through it. It has taught me many lessons and has even brought me closer again to the people that I love and have missed out on over the past few years. They know who we are.

Excited for Fall 2010 TV! (:

I'm super excited about One Tree Hill starting back up - along with a few other favorite shows like CSI and America's Next Top Model! Look for all your favorites to start back up in September!

JustJared: Austin Nichols & Sophia Bush Protect The Waters

Austin Nichols and Sophia Bush show off their “Servo Aequora” shirts in this brand new shot.

The couple teamed up with Veritas to create a fashion forward shirt that served a purpose, too – $15 from every shirt purchase will go toward Gulf Coast cleanup efforts!

via Just Jared.

6 Facebook Safety Tips

By Clara Haneberg
Woman's Day, on Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:14pm



Connecting with friends on Facebook and other social media sites is a popular and fun pastime, but do you know how to protect your privacy online? In March of this year, Facebook came under scrutiny for changing its privacy settings, which made many users question the site’s safety. In response, Facebook stepped up its game. “Facebook has a lot of tools in place designed to allow you to keep some information private to the public, but available to your closest friends,” says Adam Pash, editor-in-chief of the technology site LifeHacker.com. To help keep your online safety levels up to snuff, we asked Pash, along with social media strategist Jamie Ginsberg of SonicAllStar.com, for helpful suggestions. Read on to get their valuable tips for creating a secure social network.

1. Share with Caution
You can share pictures and information on your profile, but it’s important to take precautions to prevent outsiders from viewing what you post. Facebook’s general settings allow non-friends to view your information. As a general rule, Ginsberg advises allowing “Everybody” to find you in search and to message you, but only “Friends of Friends” should be able to see your pictures and videos. Your wall and other settings should also be set to “Friends Only.” To do this, click “Account” on your profile’s homepage, select “Privacy Settings” and tab through the sub-pages to update.

2. Know Your Friends
Be selective when accepting friend requests. If you don’t recognize the name or picture, decline the friend request. “Why would you want to connect with this person you don’t know?” Ginsberg asks. “If you can’t come up with an answer quickly, then you shouldn’t.” It’s also a good idea to weed out your network once a year. “You should only have 10 percent ‘fat’ in your network—the people you don’t know, but want to get to know better,” Ginsberg says. “Just like you would prune a tree to make it grow stronger, prune your network to keep it growing.”

3. Consider Obscuring Your Identity
Altering your online identity has become a trend among college graduates and job seekers, especially for those users who post unprofessional content or haven’t secured their network. To do this, simply use a different name or switch your last name to your middle name under “Account Settings.” However, changing your name will reduce your connections, as people will not be able to find you under your legal name. On the other hand, Pash says, “If your profile contains information you’re not comfortable with a prospective employer seeing, then by all means, obscure it.” Obscured or not, Ginsberg encourages users to monitor their content. “I always advise people to run one profile really well. You should never have a profile that is not professional—period,” he says.

4. Pare Down Your Personal Information
Sure, your birth date isn’t your Social Security number, but “the more identifying information you add, the easier it’s going to be for someone to use it to gain access to your identity” says Pash. Only list the date of your birthday—not the year—and an email address; skip any phone numbers or addresses. “If someone you know needs your address, they can email you to get it,” Ginsberg says.

5. Filter Your Photos
Review every photo for appropriateness and good taste. Decide what you’re trying to communicate through your online profile and immediately untag yourself in any photos that make you feel uncomfortable. If you have children, be cautious when posting pictures of them. Ginsberg stresses the importance of a secure network when posting family photos. The easiest way to keep things simple and safe is to narrow the circle of people who can see your photos and videos; select “Friends Only” for all media and delete any connections you’re not close with.

6. Check in with Your Children
Social media usage is becoming more popular by the day—Facebook reached 500 million users this July—so it’s important to talk to your kids about the importance of privacy. “Make sure they understand what information is safe for them to share,” Pash says. Help your kids set up their profiles (or check their settings if they already have one). If you don’t have a profile, set one up and “friend” your children. “Parents should definitely connect with their kids and engage in social media with them,” Ginsberg says. By regularly signing into their network, parents can monitor their young ones’ activity. Ginsberg also encourages parents to connect with their kids’ friends. “If parents make the effort to connect with these kids online, they will be able to connect with them in the real world as well,” he says.

Wordless Wednesday - My Lovlies! (:

Haircut, Miley, Grandparents and Tiramisu!

This weekend was again jam-packed with fun things to do! On Friday night after work, I stopped by the salon to get my hair cut. Thank God for Jessie - she's a savor and I love my hair! (: Then I went over to Marlena's to watch The Last Song. I had already seen it, but she hadn't. I think she enjoyed it! I enjoyed seeing it again!



Saturday, I got to sleep in a little bit but then had to head to the store to get my week's groceries! Being the dummy that I am, I forgot my debit card at home. (I had gotten gas the night before and stuck it in the back pocket of my blue jeans). I caught it before I got to the register, so I didn't look too dumb! I called Wesley to bring me his debit card, I got checked out and the car loaded. As I was driving home, I realized how stupid this whole thing really was, I had the checkbook in my wallet - I could have just written a check. Stupid girl. Oh well.

That afternoon, I went to a bridal shower for an old friend, Tiffani Haun. Her sister Tammie and I have been friends since the Girl Scout days... it was good to see them all and spend time reminiscing over the past. I left the party and sent Mom & my sisters back home just in time to see my grandparents after they arrived at my house. (They came to stay the weekend with us). We took them to the Lighthouse in Milner for dinner - seafood bar. It was yummy! I even tried something new!

Sunday morning, we got up and took Gram & Gramps to church at Rock Springs with us. They enjoyed the service - Governor Sonny Perdue was there. It was Pastor Benny Tate's 20th anniversary preaching there at Rock Springs. Casey Cagle was also in attendance. It's nice to know our Pastor is well connected in the community! After church we had sandwiches at the house, while we waited for Ms. Polly to arrive.

Ms. Polly came over to do a Pampered Chef demonstration in my kitchen, she cooked an Italian Lasagna for us - with sausage instead of beef. It was really yummy, but the best part was dessert - tiramisu bites! I have the recipes for both and can't wait to make them myself! Everyone ordered a thing or two - and the menfolk had a good time visiting with each other while the woman talked about cooking and baking.

After everyone was gone, we spent the rest of the day relaxing on the couch before I sent Wesley to pick up some pizza for dinner! We caught up on a few episodes of Bones - I love that show! Monday I stayed at home with a stomach bug and lost about eight pounds! It's been a crazy weekend! I hope to make some more updates soon!

Hellcats = Tree Hill Ravens!

For some reason, while I was looking around the CW show times for Fall 2010 I located some photos from the new show Hellcats. Even though it has OTH people in it like Robbie Jones (Quentin) and Matt Barr (Psycho Derek)... I think that the tone will be a lot like Season One OTH - but all about the cheerleaders and less about the boys!

Aly Michalka plays Marti - but in this photo she looks a little like Peyton...



I find that kind of funny... but as long as the show does great I guess... and also Ashley Tisdale is brunette - reminds me a tad bit of Brooke Davis! (:



I don't know.. maybe I am going crazy but that's my conclusion! I'm still debating whether to watch the show or not. I am a minor Ashley Tisdale fan - and Matt Barr is HAWT! (: I also just read that Tom Welling (Superman on Smallville) is one of the producers of this new show! Interesting!

Mondays are the death of me!

Hi ho, Hi ho, it's back to work I go! (:

The weekend went off without a hitch! I had a great time hanging out with all my friends... Friday night was spent at home getting things ready for Erica's bridal shower on Saturday night. Marlena came over and helped me get the food prepared and the favors too! We had a blast getting things ready and having some girl talk!

Saturday went well too. It started with a cookout for lunch at my parent's house for Wesley's birthday. My hubby is 32! We ate some grilled hamburgers, swam in the pool, and had some ice cream cake! It was funny trying to watch the dogs get along, Larson chased Jenny and Morgan all over the house! After his cookout, I trekked my way to Milner to pick up the cake for Erica's party! It was perfect - the top of a corset in black/white. So great and yummy too!

Erica's party went well, we had a good time, and good food! Also, we had some great laughs! She had a good time and took home so really cute loot! (: On Sunday I went to hang out with Marlena while Wesley had all the boys over for his birthday!

Now it's Monday and I'm back to work! I hate it - but that's life! Gotta work hard for my money! Anyways... this week is going to be LONG! I can't help but feel that way, but the weather today is a little rainy and I always feel like things go slower when it's rainy!

Hope you all have a great day!

A dress makes no sense unless it inspires men to want to take it off you!

Clothes have always been just that for me... cloth that covers my body to keep private things private. Their main purpose is to keep your body comfortable, protect it from the sun and weather. There are many people in this world that take clothes seriously and there are some that just don't care. I'm a little in the middle!

When I'm at home, I'm probably wearing sweats or yoga pants and a tank - something comfortable and easy to lounge in. When I'm at work, it's a little more business casual - pants and a top or a cute sun dress that doesn't show too much skin. (I work at a trucking company... so I have to keep covered!)

Being a single woman - this thought never even occurred to me. In high school and in college I always dressed in what was comfortable and affordable and what wouldn't get me made fun of in those environments.

Now that I am a married woman, I find myself shopping for new clothes and not thinking about what would be comfortable or what suits a certain occasion. I find myself looking for clothes that my husband would find flattering... and ones that would make him think of me in the way that I want him to. I guess it's my little naughty way of thinking to keep him from straying and to keep him coming home to me!

So, if the only thing you get from reading this little blurb - just know that clothing is suggestive, and the best part about buying a cute new dress is the act of inspiring your significant other to take it off! I'm ready for my next shopping trip - time for a new dress! (:

Wordless Wednesday!

Grape juice and crackers!

I kind of felt like I was in kindergarten again getting grape juice and crackers as a snack today at work... but I got them for a good reason. Today, we had our wellness checkup at work. It's part of a new Wellness Program that our company is trying to put together. This contractor company, On Site Health Solutions, came in to help do these tests on all employees willing. They check blood pressure, height, weight and do a blood profile for glucose and cholesterol levels.

The best part is that they won't show any of this information to the company - all the results will be mailed straight to my house! Granted, they will send the company an over all profile of percentages on all employees who participated - so they can talk about things to do for the company and around the campus to promote a more healthy lifestyle for all employees!

I'm very grateful for the company I work for, and my 6 year anniversary for employment here is on Sunday August 15th! I'm so proud of this company and everything we've been through this past year with the economy not doing so well - we were driven in all attempts to keep a float amiss all the companies that were failing due to the lows in transportation!

In other news, I am praying that all my results from this wellness check come back positive and then I can move forward with my healthier self! I have already taken myself off of cokes and caffeine for the long haul, and I plan to keep it that way! Also, I had a dentist appointment on Monday and found out I have some very small cavities to get filled to keep my teeth in good shape... so I have that to look forward to! Not really though, I have a tooth that is a little broken, although the filling is still in place. I might have to get a crown on it and I'm not too excited about that at all, or the out-of-pocket money it's going to cost me!

OTH Season EIGHT! (:

CW has a new season 8 promo up! I’ll update the post when it’s on YouTube.

Check it out here for now!

If you didn’t catch it:

• Police tell Brooke she’s under arrest
• Alex asks a guy (Chase?) if he wants to boss her around in TRIC
• Julian says something to Brooke about seeing her in the shower as they lay in bed
• Mia asks Chase if he had sex with Alex
• Nathan says “Holy cow!”
• Haley says, “I’m pregnant”

This week on "The Addison's"...

Life at the Addison house is normal. Quiet. Just the way that I like it. This weekend will mark the first year in our relationship and I'm happy for the minor milestone. (Really looking forward to the One Year Anniversary in March too!) I've told my husband that I wanted to be taken out on a proper date - guess we will see what he comes up with. I have also told him where I want to go, although I'm not sure we should because of money being a little tight right now.

There are some parties coming up in my future. On August 14th I'm throwing a Lingerie Shower for a really good friend who's getting married in September and on August 22nd I'm having a Pampered Chef party at my house! (: But the most important thing, above anything else, is my husband's BIRTHDAY! He'll be thirty two and I am so happy to celebrate another birthday with him! On Saturday the 14th we are having a lunchtime cookout at my parent's house to celebrate with family - burgers and swimming! Sunday, his actual birthday, will be spent in my house surrounded by all his friends playing games - cards and rock band! (I will be elsewhere!) I hope that he has a great time and I look forward to spending many more birthdays with him!!

We are also working on trying to train our "pupalupamous" - that means we are crate training him again because it wasn't very successful the first time I did it! (Things will be so much easier when we get a fenced in area for him, and when I'm no longer working full time.) Anyways - I took back the guest bathroom by force and will have to bleach the floors to get it clean again! He's now confined to a crate during the day and I hope to get him calmed down enough to let him sleep with us again. I don't know if it will work, but we are trying anyways. Like I said, it will be easier once I'm home a lot more.

There's not a lot of "new" things going on at all. Just a lot of fun experiences lately.

On Wednesday evening, I took my five year old niece to see the "Ramona & Beezus" movie. I have to admit that I actually really enjoyed it. (Even though I'm not a huge Selena Gomez fan). The plot/storyline was easy enough for a kid to understand, but there was an overlying adult story line too that worked well with the kid one. It was a good family movie and really clean in language and content. Sophie enjoyed it as much as I did! It's nights like that one that will stay in my memory forever.

On the way to the theater, she had her two My Little Ponies in the car - one was a unicorn and one had wings. I was talking to her about what their names were. She told me the unicorn's name (which at this moment I can't remember) and then I asked what the flying horse's name was. She said it's name was Wings because she had wings. I laughed at her. She then continued telling me a story about how the unicorn can use the cone on her head to unlock doors, that you don't need keys. But that she can also get people out of jail. It was the funniest thing!

During the movie, there is a moment when Ramona hugs her Dad real tight around the neck, Sophie admitted that "She loves her Daddy like I love my Daddy." It was the sweetest thing I have ever heard that little girl say and it made my heart hurt for her because right now her Daddy is working out of town. Once we got back to the house, she told me that Uncle Wesley and I needed to make out house bigger (they renovated in the movie). She said we needed to get older and get more money and add a room. It was so funny! We spent about thirty minutes coloring before my sister-in-law came to pick her up. She wasn't ready to go, and teared up but I promised another night soon she could stay with me all night! She loves sleepovers!

I'm so glad that my sister-in-law and I get along so well. She is a new best friend to me and I love her dearly! I would do anything for her, and for my in-laws! Wesley's family has welcomed me with open arms and every day I am so thankful! Speaking of which - Gail has some more tests next week and the doc thinks she might have more blockages, so if you pray, please say a little prayer for her! (:

I just finished reading the first book in another Charlaine Harris book, Grave Sight. The book itself took a little while to get into. She had to cover a lot of back story at the beginning of the book, but once it got into the juiciness of the plot, I was HOOKED! I just started the second book and I can't wait to read more! I was on the edge of my seat yesterday finishing book one because it was so intriguing and the plot fell into place in the last few chapters. She had me guessing how it would end the whole time and I LOVE books like that!

Basically the book is about this 26 or 27 year old female, named Harper. She was struck by lightening as a small girl and now has the ability to locate dead people. It's kind of a creepy trait, but she doesn't use it to exploit people. She uses it to help them gain closure. When she locates a dead body, or stands over a grave, she can envision the last few moments of the deceased's life, and how they did. It's a very helpful trait if someone wanted to make sure the coroner listed their family member's death correctly. Harper travels the country with her step-brother and helps solve crimes, or at least figure out how to help someone solve the crime. It's a very interesting take on a psychic trait. I would recommend it to anyone that likes that kind of thing. (:

That's about it for now... hope that everyone is doing well. I will write again soon! Oh, and by the way, I entered my short story into a second contest. I hope that one of them takes - I would love to be published! But I'm still writing other short stories, so I hope to have more to enter soon! (:
Much love to all! Here is something to make you smile before I go!

“Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves.
After marriage, the ‘Y’ becomes silent!”

Movie Review!

Brothers:
I enjoyed most of this movie! The plot was interesting enough to captivate me, but I was glad that she never really did anything more than just kiss her husband's brother - but at the time, she had already buried him, so she wasn't really cheating anyways. I didn't expect some of the plot that came through - the POW stuff. But I get now why the movie was written the way that it was. It was extremely emotional and I felt for this family and for Sam and what he had been through. Also, I understood his feelings about not wanting to tell anyone the truth because no one would have understood!

I hated the end though - there was no resolution. I watched it with my sister-in-law and she came up with a much more intriguing ending! She decided that Sam (Toby Mcguire) divorced his wife and stayed in the hospital - and she ended up with his brother, Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal). (: