You know you are the mother of boys...special edition

You know you are the mother of some Harry Potter freaks if.....

1) Your 2-year old says "Harry Potter" with an English accent. Okay it very well might be a toddler accent but there is a distinct non-rhotic "R" pronunciation in the "er" of Potter.

2) Drumsticks=Wands

3) Your five-year old yells, "alohomora" when opening his bedroom door and "lumos" when turning his light on and off.

4) You've watch Harry Potter no less than 20 times in 3 weeks. And read a book and a half.

5) Your five-year old officially declares his love for Hermoine Granger (the early years) and her big brain and big books.

Light on the Monsters, Heavy on the Star-crossed Lovers

I saw Twilight and I can't wait to see it again....

We're all about the monsters at our house.

Patrick announced that back when he was three years old he was afraid of the monsters in his room. Now that he is four, he isn't afraid anymore, he's tougher than the monsters.

Meanwhile, Keith makes every thing (including Baby Jesus) a monster.

Kevin worried that I wouldn't be able to sleep after the (scary) Vampire Movie. But that's the thing, these vampires aren't really scary. Just like Bella says: Not scared of you!

I loves me some monsters, especially the Cullen brand. I love these books in a jump in with both feet kind of a way. Let's be honest, the Twilight books are designed for a certain set (of females). I read somewhere that the audience is young girls and their grandmothers. I suppose I am meant to watch True Blood and shut up. But I really like the Twilight books. I like them in the surprising way that we all questioned adults reading Harry Potter and then got sucked into the series.

Here is why I think Twilight is so appealing to so many females (young, old and in between)... every girl has had a crush, flirtation, relationship or otherwise with a bad boy. It is the same reason women of a certain age still love Grease and Dirty Dancing...tough, dangerous, misunderstood boys with (choose one or more) a leather jacket, fangs, a fast car and/or a chip on his shoulder! There is also something exceedingly attractive about a man (or vampire) who protects his woman.

Twilight was super cheesy and the best movie I have seen in a long time. Momma doesn't get out much. I only watch action movies and only with Kevin because I don't have the patience to be bored (and irritated) by Hollywood's idea of a movie (cute blond, devilishly handsome man, silly premise, nice clothes, zippy soundtrack... thanks, I'll pass). Yet, I was at a full priced showing of Twilight! That is saying something.

So overall, this movie.... stunk to high heaven. But I loved it! If you are a Twilight devotee it is worth seeing the Cullens' first entrance into the cafeteria, Edward's initial reaction to Bella and the car crash....

Here is my problem with the movie (other than the cheesy acting): my head and heart still hurt from New Moon (the second book). I did not like Edward after that book and casting Cedric Diggory in the movie did not mend my hurt. Okay, I was enthralled in the initial moments of his unveiling but that was short-lived. And I was really trying too. Here is my advice if you are planning on seeing Twilight.

1. Read the first book. If you haven't read New Moon stop there, just go see the movie you will have a much more satisfying experience.
   
2. Pay attention to Emmett. I thought I would love Jacob,but instead I was enthralled with Edward's brother Emmett. The silly, hulking, overprotective vampire who is always itching for a fight. Umm...and he drives a Jeep Wrangler. He doesn't remind me of anyone.
3. If you can listen to Gavin Rossdale's song Love Remains that Same before and after the movie do it. I heard the song on the way home. Three times! Soundtrack of my Twilight.
4. If you aren't familiar with the books don't make any assumptions. It isn't True Blood, which is shockingly graphic and mostly gratuitous. The whole movie is quite tame. Although the Mommies who sat in front of us with their 8 year old could have probably chosen a little bit better.
   
5. Don't read any reviews from male movie reviewers writing this movie off as a film for young girls. Just enjoy it in all of its fluffy wonder.
   
6. Be prepared for some disappointing movie adaptations. I won't include any real spoilers but Edward's car... puh-lease. And the tree climbing... ugh.
7. And did I mention that I HEART EMMETT? Thank you Kellan Lutz for making this movie worth every moment and working this awesome tux in the InStyle photo shoot.
   

Like I said, the movie was both horrible and awesome. Just enjoy the ride.

How "Eat This Not That" changed our lives

A new series: How (fill-in the blank) changed our lives. Aren't you excited?!?! Some bloggers have passion lists, I have life change lists. Thrill a minute.

This morning as the Today Show ran a story about something relevant to a blog post I was thinking about, I was struck by the fact that so many of my blog posts either coincide or are "inspired" by what I see on the morning news (Really people it is a stretch. Let's agree to something closer to "Morning Fluff") shows. This post is no different.

Over the summer I was watching the Today Show or Regis and Kelly or The View (whatever) and they were featuring "Eat This, Not That" Summer Style. I was immediately hooked. The concept started with Men's Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko and Men's Health food and nutrition editor Matt Goulding. Men's Health....Who knew? I thought it was all protein shakes and push-ups. Anyway, they wrote the books as a sort of expose and public information resource. There is also this "Diet" concept that I am going to completely ignore.

The main book features an analysis of chain-restaurant menus with recommendations of what to eat and what not to eat. I don't know what else the book features because I don't own it. I do however frequent the website that features a lot of information including nutritional breakdowns for select items and usually at least three Eat This and three Not That items. This is the first reason I like Eat This, Not That, I can get most of what I need to know off the website.

The second reason this changed my life is that it really does change the way I eat at restaurants. At McDonalds you are better off ordering a Quarter Pounder without cheese than the Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich. A Chipotle Chicken Burrito has over 1,000 calories! The list goes on and on. Sometimes I will sit and read some of the more surprising comparisons to Kevin (our entertainment for the evening).

If you eat fast food you have to read this book and/or visit the website. If you eat at sit-down chains you are now morally obligated to read the book. These restaurants (that I don't visit because I have a 18-month old) have horrible nutritional offerings. Some of it is worse (yes worse) than McDonalds! Calories for the whole day in one sitting!

Since I have to be on the road so much I sometimes don't have a choice but to eat fast food. I like to think of my day trips as an excuse to eat fast food. Eat This, Not That has completely changed the way I eat out. I love the tray of In-N-Out fries but do I really want to eat 400 calories in fries? No, but I'll eat a couple and toss the rest. Or I can just order the fries and a light lemonade. An informed choice can still be a crazy choice. As long as I'm enjoying it, who can argue?

The best dollar I have spent in a long time

At Serenity, Scholastic book order time is serious business. Patrick and I agree upon a dollar amount to spend and begin the book ordering negotiations. I love books so it is exciting for me to see Patrick seriously considering how he will spend his $5, $20, or $39 (depending on what point I am trying to prove).

The last round of orders needed a bit more restraint. Patrick ordered every movie and cartoon book offered by Scholastic. Fortunately, I haven't been tortured with the tales of Kung Fu Panda (sorry Mom) because I am too busy reading the book I ordered for Keith....for a dollar. CORDUROY

In case you don't remember the story of Corduroy (1968).... Corduroy is a bear who lives in a department store. Nobody wants to buy him because he is missing a button. Lucky bear, Lisa comes to buy him anyway. She takes him home and fixes his button.

We have pretty much read our dollars worth and then some. I estimate that we are currently clocking in at 5 cents per reading. Patrick really enjoys a book with a storyline these days. Keith appreciates my accents (for Corduroy). I am glad it isn't the Transformers story. So we read it every night, some nights twice and the boys are rapt.

I suspect the concept of a bear who talks/thinks, rides the escalator and hopes some little girl will take him home is compelling for my imaginative four-year old. It is still kind of compelling to me.

Our nightly reading habit is the perfect end to almost everyday. Now Patrick wants to read Charlotte's Web. I don't know if he is ready for a chapter book but maybe we'll give it a shot in a couple of months.