Jun. 3, 2008 - Tuesday's Review

Tuesday's Review

When we went camping over Memorial Day Weekend, we went to see the new Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. DH and I grew up watching these movies and introduced them to DD. We had been eagerly awaiting the release of this new story of the epic adventures, since it was revealed filming of the movie had begun.

We weren't disappointed. We throughly enjoyed it. The Kingdom of the Crystal skull followed in the mold of the other movies. It was action packed with funny bits thrown in. There was the usual chase scenes and the big burly bad guys. The movie was set in 1957. This time instead of the Nazis as the bad guys, it was the communists from the USSR. The MacCarthy era was in full swing. People were seeing Reds around every corner. The mystique of Area 51 had begun and nuclear testing was being done. There was the usual sidekick, love story, and saving of hostages to be taken care of.  Although our favorite Indy movie is The Last Crusade, this one runs a close 3rd behind the very 1st made, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

DH and I discussed why this one has seemed to be received somewhat negatively by the critics. We believe that this movie was so highly anticipated that everyone expected to blown away by it. When they received a typical Indiana Jones movie, they were disappointed. If you enjoyed the others movies and this genre, I think you will enjoy and love this one. Don't expect it to be anything other than a typical Indiana Jones movie.

May. 20, 2008 - Tuesday's Review

Monday's Happenings

DD and I went to "PARTY CITY" to pick out all of the graduation decorations. I think we picked out very elegant decorations in our home school's color; green, yellow, and white. If I can get my MIL's camera, I will try to post pictures of the finished product.

The rest of the day, I spent piddling at different things. I embrodieried, set out flowers in pots, and folded up clothes. I started getting clothes ready for our camping trip this weekend. I worked on graduation invitations. I have 3 more to finish. I fixed pork roast, herb roasted potatoes, and a vegetable salad for supper.

It was another picture perfect day. I opened all of the windows. the breeze felt so nice and the house stayed cool. However, I started paying for it by night fall. My allergies are realy ramping up. Hay fields are growing nicely and are starting to be mowed. I am going to have to face the fact I can't open the windows anymore. You can't function well with swollen eyes.

Tuesday Review

We very rarely go see movies at the theater, but we do make exceptions for worthwhile movies. Movies that we know will have a good story, little sex and, unnecessary  gruesome violence. Sunday afternoon, we went to see Prince Caspian. We heard a review early that morning that wasn't very favorable. The critic said the movie flowed from one battle scene to the next. Their was no character developement. However, critics are rarely right.

Prince Caspian was an action packed, clean cut family movie. I thought the characters were develpoed in the first movie and that carried over into this movie. I also thought the director showed throughout the movie how they kids dealt with going back to England and becoming kids again. He also showed how they dealing with going back to Narnia. All of this was done in the scope of the movie and wasn't long and drawn out. The battle scenes weren't long ang drawn out. The movie flowed at a nice pace. The one thing I wish a little more time was spent on was exactly what had happened in Narnia after the kids went back through the wardrobe. DD said she didn't think the "romance" between Susan ansd Caspian needed to be in there. I replied it wasn't really a romance more of an awareness of each other. I highly recommend going and seeing this movie. It was as good as the first one, but still worthwhile supporting. We need more movies like this.   

For more Tuesday Reviews go to Homeschooling and Loving It.

Apr. 8, 2008 - Tuesday Review

Tuesday Review :   hosted by Homekeeping Heart

Mar. 25, 2008 - Tuesday Review

Tuesday Review-hosted by Homekeeping Heart.

I like to recommend books or movies to people. To do so on my blog, I will be joining Jennifer in her Tuesday Review. You can visit Jennifer's blog by clicking on Homekeeping Heart listed under my Favorite Websites. I created a link above to let everyone know what Tuesday Review is all about.

This Tuesday I will be reviewing a little gem of a book called, The Janitor: How an Unexpected Friendship Transformed a CEO and His Company, by Tood Hopkins and Ray Hilbert.

Although this book tells a story of a CEO and how he makes changes in his life and business with the advice from a janitor, it still has plenty advice that wives and moms can put into practice.

There is an underlying Christian theme to the book. It doesn't quote the Bible throughout, but the basis of leading a godly life is contained in it. The CEO's marriage is in trouble. He does enjoy going to work anymore. He feels his business is sucking him dry. A chance encounter with the night janitor gives he a new outlook on life.

The janitor gives the CEO 6 directives, his late wife had shared with him. They are as follows:

1. Recharge vs. discharge. At the end of the day, take a little time to do something you enjoy and that will relax you. You will be recharged to face the next day.

2. View family as a blessing not a responsibility. I think this doen't need explaining.

3.Pray, don't pout. Instead of brooding over a problem, pray about it. Ask for guidance from the Lord.

4.Pass it around. Share these directives with others. Give a little something of yourself to your co-workers, neighbors, etc. You will never know when that may make all the difference in the world.

5.Don't spend, invest. Don't focus just on one thing, look out for other opportunities.

6.Leave a legacy. Don't just take from the past. What would your tombstone say if there was room to put what happened between the dates, birth and death.

There are much more to the directives than my take on them. This book is an easy read. It can be read in an afternoon or 2 days. The story moves quickly and you get to see how the CEO's life changes as he puts the directives into practice. Enjoy.

Nov. 30, 2007 - The Bible, Other Books, and Movies

Oh, how sweet the day is when one spends time in the morning reading the Bible. The day goes so much smoother and so much more can be accomplished. If only I would do it every day, but I let things get in my way.

The talk around our small county is about the book and soon to be released movie The Golden Compass. I had read some things about this book on Crystal's blog at www.Biblicalwomanhood.com. She made mention that the author was a self-proclaimed devout atheist and that the sequels to this book became increasingly darker and heavier. I had never heard of the book before or that it was being made into a movie. To me it seems that this movie has appeared out of nowhere.

This past Sunday it was announced, from the pulpit at the church we have been attending, that this movie was not what it appeared to be and was not a movie we should take our kids to see. On that very Sunday, other announcements were made from other pulpits. The movie's producers and promoters are trying to sell it as a C.S. Lewis type movie, but it is most definitely isn't.

A parent in our county has challenged this book's place on our public school's library shelf at one of our local middle schools. I talked yesterday with the media center person at the local middle school I sub at and asked her for her opinion. She said she had finally got around to reading it and had pulled it from the school's library shelf. She told me it was a very good book but at the end it quotes verses from Genesis and adds words to it. For this reason and her personal convictions, she told the prinicipal she was going to pull the book. When she called the other media center person (from the school where it is being challenged) to inform that person, that person said "But, it is fiction." She said it doesn't matter. The Bible says you may not add or take away from it. She also told me she had read several interviews with this author. He had said he wrote those books to counter the influence of Lewis's work and to try to persuade kids not to believe in God. I thanked her for her input. I regard her opinion for I know she is a follower of Christ. She also tries to read every book recommended or purchased for the library before she puts it on the shelves for the kids to read.

I have picked up a series of books we purchased our DD for Christmas one year and have started reading them again. The series is The Elsie Dinsmore Books. They are such sweet, wonderful books. They set such a fine example of Christian girlhood and womanhood. They can be purchased at www.VisionForum.com. I am receiving a book from there as a Christmas present form DH. That book is Passionate Housewives Desperate For God.  I can't wait until I can read it.

DD is looking forward to going to see National Treasure:The Book of Secrets with a friend and 2 of her younger brothers, over Christmas break. We very rarely go to the movies. We may go to see 2 or 3 at the most at theaters a year. That usually occurs around Memorial Day Weekend, the 4th of July week, and the week of Christmas. We also are very picky and always have been about what our DD watches. Although DD is now 18, we still expect her to ask for our opinion before she sees a movie. DH and I are looking forward to a date night at the movies, because we want to see National Treasure: The Book of Secrets, too.

Aug. 3, 2007 - My Top 5 Favorite Books of All Time, Kinda Of

A while back I asked Yellow Rose this queston, What are your top 5 favorite books of all time? I asked her this question because she had been posted her answers to questions that came about from a Bible Study. Questions like what are your top 5 favorite resturants, and your top 5 favorite foods. So I decided to ask her my question to find out the favorite books of another avid reader. She posted her answers and stated it was hard to narrow the choices down with so many great books out there. The more I thought about it the more I realized how right she was. I had difficultly coming up with just 5. I told I would post my choices sometime and that time is now.

I decided to split my favorites into 2 categories; fiction and non-fiction.

Top 5 Favorite Fiction Books (Book Series)

1. Any Amish Series of books by Beverly Lewis
2. The Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oke
3. The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
4. Any Amish Series of books by Wanda Brunsetter
5. Little Women

Top 5 Favorite Non-Fiction Books

1. So Much More by the Botkin sister
2. Created To Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl
3. Fascinating Womanhood
4. Treasury of Vintage Homekeeping Skills
5. Any kind of cookbook

My next list would have been my top 5 picks 10 years ago. Although these books are full of secular views, feminist views, and contain worldly, mature material; the stories the authors wove are some of the best storytelling I have every read. Excellent enough that I have sought out copies to add to my book collection.

5 favorite secular books

1. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. Shanna by Kathleen Woodwiss
3. For Love of the Roses by Julia Garwood
4. Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor
5. Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

So there you have it, some of my favorites books.

I would like to add another very well written book that I enjoyed was The Da Vinci Code. I know, I know, this is a very controversial book. I would not recommend it to anyone that isn't very secure and mature in their Christian beliefs. It has the potential to be a very dangerous book. I can see it messing with someone's faith. We let DD read it but we discussed it before and after.

Books are a good thing!