Cyber Monday, Naked Blogs and Two Movie Reviews

I have so many blog posts swimming around in the few brain cells I have left after this loooong weekend that I think I just need to purge a bit. Won't you come along for this random ride?

First of all, this weekend was awesome. Not only did we get tons of family time in but I also got to hang out with friends, too, which always makes me happy. And Miles was in a rock-star good mood for most of it. Most of it until he decided to turn into a pint-sized Godzilla yesterday and be a huge pill. But that's typical for him after being cooped up with us for a long time. I go stir-crazy, too. So, Monday and his new daycare friends came just in time. Whew!

Happy Cyber Monday everyone! Black Friday is not my cup of tea. Cyber Monday is definitely more my style. No waiting in lines, no screaming kids (and I mean my own), no crabby store workers, no chicken-fights for parking spots, ... I just get to sit on my ass and push buttons. Cyber Monday is the lazy woman's Black Friday. Amazon.com here I come.

I must excuse my obscenely naked blogs. It's vulgar, really. I promise to clothe them very soon. We (as in myself and my fabulous bloggy friend who is doing my dirty work for me) will reveal the new blog looks shortly!

SO, I have seen two movies this week. I know, how is that possible?? I have gone months and months without so much as stepping foot in a theater and now I have been there twice in one week. Making up for lost time, I guess?

New Moon: Loved it. Two thumbs up. Better than the first one. And guess what? I am temporarily on Team Jacob until, of course, Eclipse comes out. Those of us who have read the books know how it ends, and in the grand scheme of things I am Team Edward. But for right now I have jumped on the Team Jacob bandwagon because ... well, I just love him. And not because of his 6-pack abs and the fact that he spends most of the film shirtless. No, those things did not sway me (that much). It's the fact that he is so protective, so in love with Bella. He is so friggin' sweet to her. C'mon, you can't tell me that isn't endearing and sexy all at the same time. Edward isn't in this one much and when he is in a scene he is doing that brooding, unsmiling bit that kinda drives me batty. The books were good at revealing the other sides of this personality, like his wit and sense of humor. But the movies are void of much of that, which is too bad. You sometimes wonder if Bella and Edward ever just have a good laugh together, don't you? Anyway, Jacob's character steals the show, IMHO. There were some scenes that were laughably cheesy and I didn't really like the Volturi casting, especially little Dakota Fanning as Jane. She couldn't scare a bunny out of its hole. Seriously. But otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed it and am plotting to see it again before it leaves the theaters.

Seeing The Blind Side was a spontaneous event. Yes, I said spontaneous. (I haven't heard, said or even thought that word in so long I had to look up how to spell it.) A couple of friends (also with small children) called me at 8 p.m. Friday night and asked me if I would like to come to a late movie with them. HELL YES. So, thanks to two husbands who were willing to play along (the kids were sleeping, it's not that hard!) I ventured out way past my bedtime to see The Blind Side. Totally worth it! I didn't feel as emotionally connected to the characters as I thought I might so I used less tissues than I anticipated. But it was still an excellent film. I obviously could relate to many of the major themes of the movie (adoption, racism, trans-racial families) so I appreciated the messages for what they were--powerful and at times gut-wrenching portraits of what families have to go through and sacrifice for the love of their children. Adopted or not. I have been reading some reviews like this one and have taken those to heart, too. But overall I tend to think that The Blind Side is worth a viewing if you have time!