Movie Review: Remember Me

Warning: Contains Spoilers

Adam found some free redbox codes on his deals website and thought he would surprise me by getting a 'chick flick' for me to enjoy while he was at work on a Friday evening. He picked up Remember Me starring Robert Pattinson (of Twilight fame) and Emile De Ravin (Claire from Lost). A love story.

"In the film, Pattinson plays Tyler, a troubled NYU student who lives in a grungy Manhattan apartment despite coming from an affluent home. He is coping with the loss of his older brother, who committed suicide, and when he meets a fellow student named Ally (de Ravin), who saw her mother gunned down by a mugger when she was 11, he finds an equally damaged soulmate. The two both have family issues to contend with -- her overprotective cop father, his emotionally estranged lawyer father) -- as well as the fact Tyler dated Ally initially on a mean-spirited dare from an obnoxious friend (which blows up in his face when he actually falls for her).

By the climax of the film, a lot of family bonding has ensued, and the two lovers have started to heal the rift between them. Then, when Tyler is waiting for his father in his law office (on their own way to making amends), we see him looking out of the window, hopefully. The camera cranes back, and we see that Tyler's standing in one of The World Trade Center's Twin Towers. It's then spelled out -- literally, on a chalkboard in his little sister's classroom -- that the date is Sept. 11, 2001, and it's obvious what's going to happen next. When the devastation comes, it is implied rather than graphically depicted."-Bryan Reesman

Although the twist ending is done very tastefully I found myself once again with the depressed, fearful, agonizing pit in my stomach that I felt on that day, one month before my 16th birthday. Long after the credits were rolling I found myself sobbing. Not because Rob Patt dies and the movie is sad because Rob and Emilie can't be together, but because the feelings from that day are regurgitating over and over.

I sometimes don't think September 11th effected me as much as it did until something reminds me and it makes me almost ill. I regret watching this movie.

Ah ha moment!

While reading Becoming Lovely I came across this quote by Miri:

"We are meant to experience life, not capture it."

She talked about the fluidity of life and how people come and go in our lives. I really appreciated it. It is a great blog. Read it, and enter into their contest!

Book Review: The Book of Mormon

And it shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret combinations and the works of darkness.Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be denied, and churches become defiled and be lifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches.
Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands; And there shall also be heard of wars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers place.
Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be murders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold such at the last day. But wo unto such, for they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.
Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins.
O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get gain? Why have ye transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled.
Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.
Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.
- Mormon 8:27-35

This post will be a bit different from my previous book reviews. Last month in church while listening to several women bare their testimonies I made a goal to become a better person, specifically a better mother. This goal is constantly on my mind as I have been very humbled since becoming a mother. I made a list of things that I needed to accomplish and one of them was reading the Book of Mormon before Hannah's first birthday. Adam and I were just starting Alma together at the time and I decided I'd start over for my personal study. 50 days 531 pages. I've read the Book of Mormon about 5 or 6 times previously, each time proved to be a very unique experience depending on my life's circumstance. I've read it in different countries, different stages of life, and each time I read it, my testimony grows in a very specific and unique way. There have been three times particularly that have stood out in my mind

1) The first time I read it. I was in Jr. High. My dad and I read it together at 5:30 every morning. We'd each read every other verse out loud. After several months when we finally completed it, my dad told me to go and pray about it. He encouraged me to find out if it was true or not. After praying and studying and deliberating, I received a spiritual confirmation that it was indeed true.
2) 2005- President Hinkley's challenge: I read as a college student--who had been asked to marry her boyfriend (unofficially) several times. I didn't know what to do and I was lost. As I finished the scriptures, I once again prayed for confirmation to know that God was there and he loves me.
3) 2006- I read searching for references to Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. Fun Fact: Some 101 appellations for Jesus are found in the 3,925 references to Christ in the Book of Mormon's 6,607 verses

This time around I didn't have a specific purpose, other than to help bring that special spirit into our home. I did find however, that because my goal was focused around Hannah and since I am a fairly recent mother I noticed how many times they talked about family, parenting, and children.

Reading it this time has been such a testament to me that the Book of Mormon was written for OUR DAY ABSOLUTELY! With all the dysfunctional families (Laman and Lemuel) wars and distentions, cunning and malice and amid all the heart ache and deceit the Lord protects His people, those who obey. He provides comfort and peace and the FAITH of these people in a Christ that had not even been born yet is so uplifting to me. I chose to quote Mormon 8:27-35 because I think it describes perfectly the world in which we live today.

I mourned at the destruction of the Nephites. For a book that begins with such a righteous prophet and ends with the wickedness of an entire nation that is his posterity is truly tragic. On the other hand, it also begins with Nephi's wicked brothers and we get to see the change of heart as the missionaries teach the Lamanites against the foolish traditions of their fathers and they accept Jesus Christ. It has taught me hope for those who have hardened their hearts against Christ that they may be changed. It has taught me to take care of my testimony and the testimony of my family because we are never safe from Satan and his power.

I know that the Book of Mormon is absolutely the word of God. That Moroni hid the plates and that Joseph Smith was led to them, that he translated the ancient record and that through mighty miracles the Church of Jesus Christ was restored on the earth.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

{Hannah Timeline} 400th Post!

Family Pictures 2010

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Here are some more family pictures taken by the wonderful Chelsea Mann. She was so awesome to do these for us and I personally think she did a great job capturing Hannah's personality and did a good job making the rest of us look good ;) Oh...and that picture of Hannah innocently sucking on my chin--as if...she is in a biting phase and I am her sole victim.

I love this lady...

As I was browsing my book blogs I came across THIS lovely blogger. Her name is K. Marie Criddle and she has the most entertaining blog done almost entirely in the sketches she does. She is a Childrens/YA writer and I hope to see some of her books very soon.

If only we could have as much passion as this guy...

Book Review: Three Cups of Tea

"Educate a boy, and your educate and individual. Educate a girl, and you educate a community. African proverb via Greg Mortensen "

"Once you educate the boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities, but the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they’ve learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls."

Life.Changing. Mind. Altering.

One day in 1993, high up in the world's most inhospitable mountains, Greg Mortenson wandered lost and alone, broken in body and spirit, after a failed attempt to climb K2, the world's deadliest peak. When the people of an impoverished village in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya took him in and nursed him back to health, Mortenson made an impulsive promise: He would return one day and build them a school. Although he was a homeless "climbing bum" living out of his aging Buick in Berkeley, California, Mortenson sold what few possessions he had to launch one of the most remarkable humanitarian campaigns of our time." "Three Cups of Tea traces Mortenson's decade-long odyssey to build schools, especially for girls, throughout the region that gave birth to the Taliban and sanctuary to Al Qaeda.

I loved Three Cups of Tea. It was given to my by Adam who read it first and then implored me to read it. Like the description says, it is about one mans mission to bring education to the remote villages of Pakistan.

There were two parts that absolutely floored me that I would like to share:

1) While building the first school, men came to the village threatening to destroy the school unless the village offered up 12 rams (which are described as the first born child, prized cow, and family pet all rolled in to one). The chief of the village had the boys fetch the rams and deliver them up. The boys were crying (it was the most sacred duty given to the boys to care for the rams) and upset as they gave the rams over. Greg felt devastated. The chief spoke to his people and said "Don't be sad. Long after those rams are dead and eaten this school will stand. Haji Mehdi has food today. Now our children have education forever.

2) The other part that really hit me was that Greg was in Pakistan building schools on September 11th 2001. He was awoken by one of his friends who told him "a village called New York has been bombed. That night they had a ceremony and this man spoke. "We share in the sorrow as people weep and suffer in America today as we inaugurate this school. those who have committed this evil act against the innocent, the women and children, to create thousands of widows and orphans, do not do so in the name of Islam. By the grace of Allah the Almighty, may justice be served upon them. For this tragedy, I humbly ask Mr. George and Dr. Greg for their forgiveness. All of you, my brethren: Protect and embrace these two American brothers in our midst. Let no harm come to them. Share all you have to make their mission successful.

This book is filled with moments like these I have shared. Adam is starting the Pennies for Peace program in his classroom so he will be reading the book and giving his students an opportunity to serve and help contribute to the cause.

Book Review: And Then There Were None

"If this had been an old house, with creak­ing wood, and dark shad­ows, and heav­ily pan­elled walls, there might have been an eerie feel­ing. But this house was the essence of moder­ni­ty. There were no dark corners - ​no pos­si­ble slid­ing pan­els - it was flood­ed with elec­tric light - every­thing was new and bright and shining. There was noth­ing hid­den in this house, noth­ing con­cealed. It had no at­mo­sphere about it. Some­how, that was the most fright­en­ing thing of all."

This is the first Agatha Christie book I have attempted. When I was a teen I would read Mary Higgins Clark books and they were quite good, very intense, but after a while I stopped reading mysteries.

Adam bought me this book because it was one of the highest rated on Goodreads and he is always looking for something that I would enjoy. I was certainly not disappointed.

First, there were ten - a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal - and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder, and one by one they begin to fall prey to an unseen hand. As the only people on the island, unable to leave and unable to call for help, they know that the only possible suspects are among their number. And only the dead are above suspicion.

I have to admit I am a big dork. When the guests started dying off I wrote down a list of all the names. Then, I put two stars next to the people I most suspected. One star next to a couple I somewhat suspected, no star if I didn't suspect them at all and next to one name I wrote INNOCENT. I knew for a fact that person was absolutely, without a doubt innocent.

Well, it turns out my suspicions were completely wrong. My above all suspicion, completely innocent party guest was the GUILTY ONE! AHHHH! I did NOT see it coming.

I loved the book. It was creepy, it was fantastic.

The thing I didn't like about the book was that Christie would introduce the person speaking before typing the dialogue. In more contemporary writing someone would write "blah blah blah," he said. In this book it always began Soandso Said "blah blah blah." It got a little distracting but once I was past that then I could really enjoy.

I rented the movie from 1945. Don't rent it. It has a very VERY different (happy) ending. I thought it ended perfectly and they shouldn't have changed it.

{Almost Time}

{Exceptional}

I'm taking a moment to be prideful. My child is a genius.

Yep. I'm becoming one of those parents.

Today Adam got Hannah out of bed, I bathed her, and he took her in to dress her. Her clothes are arranged by type in her drawers which can sometime overwhelm Adam, since they are not arranged by outfit (socks/shoes/bows in the top drawer, Tops in the next, jumpers next, etc.) He dressed her in a cute top with some mismatched strange bottoms. We both had a good laugh and I vowed to change her outfit when I had a minute, possibly at her first diaper change. We fed her, Adam left for work, and I began to do my "chores." When I started on the bathrooms I put Hannah in her room so she wouldn't get sick with all the chemicals swirling around. I went to check on her a few minutes later and she had pulled out all her bottoms from the "bottom drawer" and had identified the skirt that matches the shirt she was wearing. She walked over to me with it and I laughed at the irony that she would pull that particular skirt out.

She then followed me back into the bathroom...and down the stairs...and up the stairs, all the while holding the skirt up making little anxious noises as if begging me to dress her properly. So I finally did and she went back to her books to play in peace.

This is not the first time Hannah has shown us that she understands more than we give her credit for.

~ We hand her books, dvds, pictures, upside down and she turns them right side up.
~ She claps when she sees the word "CLAP"
~ She cleans up after herself after dumping toys, etc. out
~ Once batteries fell out of a remote, she placed them back in and tried to cover the back of the remote back up.

Another funny thing that she did, My dad has a "slight of hand" type Magic trick which he has used to dazzle many children over the years. He picks an object then makes it "vanish" and pulls it out of the air or blows it off into an oblivion. He tried to do this with Hannah and she immediately pointed to the hand which contained the object. He tried this several more times, each time Hannah insisted she knew where it was (and was correct) never being fooled. This time, it was Grandpa's turn to be dazzled. He said never in all the years and years of doing that with nieces, nephews, primary kids, and his own kids, NEVER EVER has a child figured out where the object was.

She is a great communicator and is always able to convey what she wants without crying or getting fussy.

She has always been exceptionally strong, even though she was in the 103 percentile for weight she rolled at 3 months, crawled at five months, stood up at six months, and walked by herself at nine months.

Whew...now that is off my chest and my mind, I can go on to be a humble normal person. I figure that I can brag about my kids every once in a while, after all, I don't take ANY of the credit, she is just a wonderful kid :)

Preview:

We had family Pictures done yesterday. Here is a little preview:

Shark Reef

Last year we discovered we could go to shark reef for free!

Last year it was fun....

...but this year it was magical!

Utah Trip: 2010

Can I just say what a BLAST Hannah and I had on our trip! We did so much that I thought I'd just do a quick recap of the highlights:

*This is the Place Heritage Park: Hannah rode a pony, a train, and saw several animals. I got to see my cousins working at the John and Sarah home.
* Laura and Nate's wedding/reception fiasco (which was pulled off with a miracle)
* Laying in the grass for HOURS talking with my sister after Hannah goes to sleep
* Texting/calling Janelle/Rosalie for 13 hours between the minute her water broke and the moment Hunter was born
* Pleasant View Founders Day: Hannah's first parade, winning an electric toothbrush, Salmon bake with Crouches/Fowlers, Hanging out with Cait and Rich, Fireworks (Hannah was only slighly amused lol)
*Sandalwood Beige
*Driving to the Cabin
*Driving around Island Park with Grandparents
* Doing things VERY uncharacteristic of me: Bridge Jumping, skinny dipping...yeah thats right...I went skinny dipping in Yellowstone.
*Boat Float
*Wave Running
*West Yellowstone/Yellowstone
*Seven Brides at the Playmill
*Staying up and talking with the cousins
* Hannah floating in a tube
* Hannah seeing animals and getting so excited
* The Rodeo
* Little girls loving Hannah/taking care of her
*Spicy chicken sandwich
*Rexburg
*Skype with Adam

We had a blast but I'm excited to arrive in Las Vegas early this evening. I'm always happy to come home, especially when I'm with my hubby.

Cabin 2010: Pt 3

Cabin 2010: Pt 2

Cabin 2010: Pt 1