"Best Motion Picture of the Year" Week 1

The nominees for "Best Motion Picture of the Year" week 1 are:

• Hancock
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
• Iron Man
• Kung Fu Panda
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
• The Dark Knight
• Twilight
• WALL-E

Please post or email us what order you think these movies should be in. Although it is preferable that you list as many as you can, any number of votes will work. These 8 movies are taken from the top 8 box office movies for 2008 for domestic sales.

Quick Update on Jareds Job

Just a quick note to tell everyone that Jared was laid off today.  His company did a 10% cut back in workforce, and Jared was one of the casualties.  He has severance until the end of March.  So that will help.  In the meantime, keep us in your prayers.

Meet my New Best Friend from HELL

This is my new best friend/worst enemy:

It is called an Epilator.  This particular one is the Braun Silk epil Epilator (the best one I could find, after MANY hours of research).  And for those of you who don't know what an epilator is, let me elaborate.  It is like a million tiny tweezer ripping your hair out all at once.  You use it instead of shaving.  Still don't get the idea?  Well, let me tell you a story.

READER BEWARE:  This is a LONG and hopefully humorous story that will give you an insight into the EVILS of epilating.  

Getting my Epilator:

I had this product recommended to use instead of a razor for shaving.  The person recommending it said that they didn't have to shave for THREE WEEKS after they used this.  That it left their skin sooo soft and sooo smooth.  They were in LOVE with this product.

I began to wonder, could it really be as magical as described.  I wanted to try, but didn't want to pay the roughly $75 bucks for it.  Then came my brilliant idea.  Since I couldn't spend that much on myself, I would get my husband to buy it for me for Christmas.  A few not so subtle hints, a gift card, and a very specific, "You can get it at this place for this much" hinting to my husband, I got my epilator.

Week One:

Excited to try it, but knowing it would hurt, I take my Ibuprofen 800 left from my Oral Surgery; after all, pain and I do NOT get along.  I sit down in the living room, with something amusing to watch on TV, take a deep breath and begin the MOST AGONIZING, PAINFUL hour of my life.

As I began ripping my hairs out of my leg one by one, fighting back the tears welling in my eyes, I turn to my husband and say "!)(#$*(#)$*(#$*)@#*"  But in words children can hear "dear sweet husband, this is your idea of a gift?!?"  

By this point I was ready to throw this EVIL contraption out the door.  NO ONE could really do this to themselves, right?  I mean what type of sick, twisted individual would recommend causing this much pain and anguish to poor unsuspecting victims such as myself.  Certainly it HAD to be a joke.  Or the Devil himself trying to cause the mighty to fall.

Taking another deep breath and look down to see how much I have completed on my leg.  1" x 1 1/2".  Huh.  So not very much.  At this point, I realize that every review I read mentioned that you HAVE to get past the first time in order to appreciate the benefits.  

I reach down and flip the switch to on.  The whirring of the blades sounds like nails on a chalkboard.  My ENTIRE body tenses with anticipation.  As I placed this tiny, and seemingly innocent contraption on my legs; "!!&*()$#(#$(*&@#*$()"  Words I had never even heard before were coming in a steady stream out of my mouth as I moved this torture device up my leg.

Ready to kill anyone and anything who even looks at me wrong, my dear husband says "Are you alright Heidi."  To which I reply "IF YOU EVER LOOK AT ME AGAIN I WILL KILL YOU."  Realizing I was just lashing out due to the immense pain I was causing myself in the name of beauty, my husband quietly backs away into a corner.

With eyes glowing red with anger the epilator rears its teeth into my delicate skin and continues ripping hair out in masses.  Realizing that the Ibuprofen is doing NOTHING for the pain, I realize I must push through it.  Grabbing a wooden spoon and shoving into the tense hole I call my mouth, I bite down with all the effort of a college student smashing a beer can against his forehead.  Another strip of my leg is done.

Repeating the above mentioned process, over and over again, through out the course of one hour is what I call torture.  I only managed to get as far as my legs and half an armpit before I was shaking to violently to continue.

Week Two:

A little surprised at the fact that my legs (and half an armpit) were still silky smooth, I brave the thought of starting on my bikini line.  Now, most of you know that whatever you feel on the leg, the bikini line feels TEN TIMES more.  So, this time I took two Ibuprofen 800's.  A little over the top, but NOTHING hurt worse that epilating my legs (and half an armpit).  I was asked by my hubby at this point which was worse, childbirth or epilating.  To which I reply, without hesitation, "Epilating; because with childbirth you get the epidural."

Staring the epilator in the face I declare "You WILL NOT get the best of me.  I am woman, HEAR ME ROAR." (which really is more like moaning in agony).  I begin by touching up my legs, and amazingly, it wasn't too bad.  Was it the two Ibuprofens kicking in?  Who knows, but it was nice.

I brave the armpits again.  "@@)(#$UI)(#$*(@$#*)("  Apparently the pain pills were doing nothing.  So the first time really was the worst.  Realizing this gave me renewed vigor.

"I will conquer" I exclaimed as I take the jaws of the very devil himself and place them on my ever so sensitive bikini line.  "@#)($&#*$&@*(#)@&#*$&)#&$@*)#$(*&#)"  and "! @# $*(!@ #*$(@#( @$*)"  a.k.a. Oh yeah!  It feels sooo good.  (Think James Bond, in Casino Royale where he is being tortured in the chair, butt naked, repeatedly kicked in the sensitive spots of a man).

Bleeding, swelling and pain ensues.  Cursing.  Words I didn't even know were once again coming out of my mouth at a rate that would shame Niagara Falls.  Is it possible this device was indeed Satan himself.  At that moment in time, I sure thought so.  But DETERMINED to get past the awful first session, I pressed on.

One hour later, exhausted, and weak I come out victorious.  I had finished my bikini line.  Limping in agony into the bathroom, I decide a soak in the tub is MANDATORY.  As I slink into the steamy water I again SCREAM in agony.  

It turns out that my pores aren't used to water coming into them.  But, who am I to judge.  If I were a hair follicle I wouldn't want water drowning the life out of me either.

Week Three:

By this time, I had finished all my hair covered parts once, and surprisingly, I was still silky smooth.  Determined not to let my previous wars be forgotten, or in vain, I decide weekly maintenance is a MUST.

I sit down with a good movie, and begin.  This time, NO PAIN PILLS.  And although I was fairly smooth all ready, nothing can quite prepare your body to have hairs ripped out of your skin.

However, once that initial shock was over, the rest of the session was relatively quick and painless.  I had no major "episodes" of obscenities.  It only took maybe 15-20 minutes to touch-up my entire body, and everything was back to silky smooth (which really it still was).  Impressive.

Week Four:

My husband decided we need to go swimming as a family.  I initially begin to say "No" (because a woman's natural reaction to this is, "Sorry, we can't.  I haven't shaved in three weeks.")  Then realize, though I haven't shaved in three weeks, my bikini line, legs and armpits are still silky smooth.  "OK" I say.  Of we went skipping down the yellow brick road.

Week Five:

So, here I am.  Beginning week 5 of my little adventure.  I am still completely smooth and silky.  There are a few hairs beginning to grow back, but this weeks epilating session will get them.  Was the pain worth it.  I say yes.  So much so, I want to share the excitement and thrills of being perfectly smooth and silky all the time with everyone.  Pondering of who could benefit from being hairless, and so smooth I grab my wonderful, new best friend my epilator and call out "Oh Jared...."

The Academy Awards

The Academy Awards are kind of stupid. I used to be really into them when I was younger, but as each new year brought a set of movies I had never seen or didn't care about, I stopped watching the show.

Recently the nominations for the different categories were released, and it has to be the worst selection of movies I've ever seen. The category I want to pick on the most (along with countless others) is "Best Motion Picture of the Year".

Now I don't know about the rest of you, but with a title like "Best Motion Picture of the Year" I would assume that the movies selected where, you know, watched... So I headed over to boxofficemojo.com to see where the five movies where in the overall sales ranking of last year (domestic), and here it is:

22. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - $104,388,850
62. Slumdog Millionaire - $44,711,799
111. Milk - $20,655,400
145. Frost/Nixon - $8,888,701
148. The Reader - $8,061,851

I guess that would explain why I've never heard of most of the list of movies. It's amazing that combined, they would only come to a total gross of $186,706,601 which would put them at 7th on the list overall. I know that sales aren't everything for the artistic style of a movie and all that, but to have a title like "Best Motion Picture of the Year", you would at least think that the movies did somewhat better than that.

So what I want to do, for the fun of it, is have our own little show down for "Best Motion Picture of the Year". Here is how it will work, I will post 8 movies from the top 8 domestic box off gross, you just select what order you think the movies belong in. You don't have to do all 8, I will average out the points over the other titles not selected. You just tell me what title is number 1, number 2, etc. I will post the list next Friday (January 30th). We will do it in several round each Friday and have the winner on February 20th. You can feel free to email me or Heidi your list if you would rather not post it.

I'm going to Disneyland - Post 1 of 3

It has been a while since I updated, so I apologize, but you get three posts in one day.  So be sure to check out ALL THREE!  

First of all, I am going to Disneyland!  Since Jared works for Disney we get into the theme parks for free (a total of 4 people a day).  Last year we didn't get to go at ALL!  So this year I decided to plan trips.  It turns out the cheapest time to go is in February, so I convinced my sister (who is in law school) that during her spring break we needed to go.  She hesitantly said yes (because she has to do a HUGE paper that week).  I wouldn't be surprised if she backs out, but I think I will still go anyway (with my Mom.  She also agreed to go).  

So just us girls and Xander will be going on February.  I am so excited that Xander and I made a countdown chain (he LOVED the one we made for Christmas)

Then Xander wanted to take my picture.  It took like 10 tries, but here are the best two:

I am very excited to go to Disneyland, and hope Emily doesn't back out.  But either way it will be fun.  Then we are going again in March as a family (with Jared this time).  It is going to ROCK!  Watch out Disneyland, here we come!

My Young Women - Post 2 of 3

I needed to get some group shots of my Young Women for a DVD I am making for New Beginnings.  And they turned out sooo cute that I had to post them:

I sure love these girls.  They are sooo AWESOME!

Sisters Pictures - Post 3 of 3

This past weekend we had a family party at my house, and all my sisters were able to come.  Leisa has a bunch more fun pictures on her blog, so be sure to check those out (I especially love the one of Xander under the table with Cordie); but these are the really cute sister pictures that I got:

Thanks everyone who came.  The food was yummy, and the company was better!

Welcome Blogstalkers

You know who you are.  The friend of a friend (of a friend of a friend).  The neighbor from 5+ years ago.  The cousin, who I don't keep in contact with much anymore.  To each of you I give you a good ol' welcome.

Blogstalking is something I do, and I know a lot of people do.  Some people think it is creepy, and thus make their blogs private (I hate all you people who do this).  It is not creepy.  It is just old friends who feel awkward saying they are curious how you are doing.  But want to keep in touch.

So to all of you out there, who randomly check my blog, welcome.  I LOVE that you want to know how I am doing.  I don't mind the fact you may have never even met me.  My blog is open to all.  Come and enjoy!

Now, that being said, feel free to post a comment and tell me who you are.  But if we have never met, tell me who's blog you linked through, just so I can make the connection.  

There have been many peoples blogs out their who's posts have touched me, and I want to tell all blogstalkers out there that my blog is a safe haven.  You are welcome to come and cuddle up by the monitor, and read all about my life.  Enjoy the story.  Take peace in knowing, you can come anytime.  The site will always be open.

Xander is in Sunbeams

Can it be true?  Is my child that old already?  Well, it turns out he is.  Sunday was Xander's first day of Sunbeams.  He was soo excited to be in the big kid primary, where he got to "sing songs" and go to class.

I had to document the day with a photo before we left the house:

Man does time go by fast.

New Years Eve Party

Our New Years Eve Party turned out AWESOME!!!  I was a little concerned because the only people who said they could come where my parents and my aunt and uncle.  I wasn't sure how lame that would be, but it actually was REALLY fun.  My sister Crystal also came, and Leisa and Wally came (around 10:30 pm).

We made homemade rootbeer:

We played Ultimate Band (the game Jared's company did):

Grandpa played with Cole:

The girls played games and the boys watched a movie (Hellboy II.  And note I emphasize WATCHED and not listened to.  I don't think they caught a word of it over us girls chatting away).

And Lulu and Wally:

I also should have taken a picture of all the food we had.  Just for Jared I got a shrimp platter.  Then we had a pasta salad, veggie trays, meat and cheese platter, banana bread and candies of all sorts.  Thanks to all who came, it truly was a blast!

Let me think...

I saw this on KSL tonight (the local news channel).  I had to take a quick screen shot of it and post it on the blog (I cropped down the adds etc.).  But I swear this isn't altered other than that.  This really is how these two stories appeared (one right after the other) on ksl.com.

I wonder if they caught the connection...

I cried a little as I took my tree down...

OK, not really, but I did get a little sad realizing that this super fun holiday was already over.  Where did the time go?  I'm going to have to get back to real life, the laundry that needs done, the house that needs a thorough cleaning, and Jared going back to work.  Sigh.  I wish it could be Christmas all year round.

On a positive note, Happy New Year.  No New Years resolutions here.  I am just going to continue doing what I have been doing, and hope to continue getting by.  I don't like to set New Years resolutions knowing I am not going to keep them, I just get depressed that I couldn't achieve my goal (which is always overly ambitious).  So this year, no resolutions, and you know what, I am feeling pretty darn good about that.  So there.

No new pictures of my super fun New Years Eve party.  Mostly because Jared has commandeered my computer to play World of Warcrap.  So until he goes back to work, and I can get my computer back, those pictures will sit on my camera, longing to be posted on this freakin' awesome blog!