Movie Reviews

People don't like to watch movies with me because I am an analyzer.  I notice things such as the portrayal of gender and social roles, race and class discrimination, and weird interpretations of culture.  I can't help it, I am fascinated. 
I mentioned that I am doing this review of the latest Robin Hood film and I am having so much fun learning about legends, English culture, and changes through the years.  I think I will have to write up a brief summary of what I have discovered because I doubt you all want to read all seven pages :)  I also think I shall start doing more research on films I watch especially historic ones.  I think it is important to know what is true and what Hollywood has exaggerated to add to the dramatic flair.  Keep your eyes out for more to come!

These are a few of my favorite things...

I think it is good to every once in a while to make a list of some of my favorite things in life.  It is fun to look back at these and see what I enjoyed so much during a time in my life :)  It is kinda like putting in an old mix tape and I can totally tell what faze in life I was in at the time...  Anyway, my list for today!

1. Regular phone calls from the love of my life.
2. A warm cup of coffee.
3. Cupcakes
4. Friends that I can stay up all night talking to.
5. Pandora
6. The new Thompson Square CD.
7. Current technology. AKA Laptops which save me from hand-written papers!
8. Sunshine
9. Flowers
10. Calm in the midst of the storm.

What is your favorite thing today?

cupcake giveaway!

One of my new Army wife friends over at Guinn and Bare It is doing a cupcake giveaway!  Check it out because it looks super yummy!

Progress

You know it is the end of the term when papers are falling out of your binders, assignments are everywhere, and you are nearly missing deadlines.  Well that is the point of the term which I have reached.  I feel like my brain is in twenty places at once.
This is why I got very excited today when I made significant progress.  Bible study this morning, followed with a paper, class, gym, and research.  All in a day, I say we did good.  2.5 weeks left in the term and I can't wait to be done, 19 credits is too much!
One of my remaining assignments is for my Archaeology in Film class and I had to chose one film and analyze it's historical, archaeological, and anthropological accuracy and portrayals.  I have chosen to look at the 2010 Robin Hood movie with Russel Crow.  I have been having fun learning about the original Robin Hood legend and seeing the various ways Hollywood has chosen display the story.  Makes you think twice about what we take for reality simply because media portrays it one way or another.  Anyway, those are the thoughts from today's studying...

Hannah's 8th Birthday

Yesterday Hannah helped me make her birthday cake!  It is fun to get back into the cake decorating a little bit.  Hannah was having a great time mixing colors and sneaking licks of frosting.  Hopefully it will taste as good as it looks!

My ACU Quilt

I finished my quilt this weekend.  It has been keeping my warm all day.  I like feeling like I have a piece of my husband close by me during this long deployment.  

encouragement for the wives

To all those military wives out there looking for some daily encouragement while your husband, fiancé, or boyfriend is deployed here is a boy I have really enjoyed.  In the short chapters it discuses some of the challenges we face and how to keep your chin up during the hard times.

Training Update

I know we are not suppose to be prideful people, but I must say I am super proud of myself today.  I got my paper done early today so I had some time to dedicate to sweat and tears at the gym.  Wearing some new underarmour shorts that make me feel sexy and one of my husbands army shirts, I mounted the treadmill and started running.  I was so proud of myself because in between running and walking I was able to go for five miles!  This is half of the distance I will have to go for my race and I know today I could have gone farther but I just get so bored.  I mean seriously, how long am I suppose to stay on a treadmill?  Guarantied, if I had moved my legs a little faster maybe it would not have taken so long.... Anyway, work in progress I guess.

To celebrate I took myself down to Sports Authority to get some much needed new running shoes!  So excited about my new Asics!  Trying them out tomorrow before work.

Apple Oat Muffins

Here is the recipe for those who wanted it.  I hope you enjoy!

Apple Oat Muffins

• 1 cup of buttermilk (I substituted for one cup of slightly watered down fat-free yogurt)
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of raisins or walnuts
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1 apple grated

 Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Baking as Therapy

I think my husband thought I was crazy the first time he watched me start making a batch of muffins at 10pm.  Baking at night is just one of the most relaxing things for me :)  Anyway, the past few weeks and namely today have been increasingly busy and I feel like I never have time to do any decent cooking.  So tonight when I got back from the gym I decided to try out a new recipe for Apple Oat Muffins.  Sooooo yummy and healthy to boot!  Made with fat-free yogurt, whole wheat flour, and honey. MMMmmmm.  Need to do this more often!

Recycling 101

So I have had this idea for a while, but have only just begun to put it into action :)  When I came back from Texas I brought back some ACU pant legs Michael had cut off when he converted some old pants into shorts.  We come from a hippy town... We are all about recycling!  Anyway, I saw great potential in the fabric of those pant legs.  I have had this idea to make a throw quilt with some of the ACUs so that I can have it when ever I am missing my man :)  I finally got around to making my weekly trip to Joann's and with my mom's help I found some adorable fabric to pair with the Army greens.  I through a little bit of pink in there for good measure.  This is as far as I have come...

Obviously there is still quite a bit to do but I love the way it is turning out!  I am planning on framing it with two or three colors and most likely backing it with pink.  It is always fun to see what can happen with some old pieces of fabric.  I will post more pictures of the progress when I get time to work on it again! 

The First Six

Yesterday was our six month anniversary.  I feel so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man!  Unfortunately this special day was celebrated by us on opposite sides of the world.  I wish I could fast-forward the next four months just so I could kiss him again.  The countdown is on!

In the meantime I am running around like a crazy person trying to keep up with my life.  I have been doing good with my working out even if it means getting up early on my days off!  I shall persevere, I shall achieve my goals!

I have decided that good motivation for me would be new running shoes :)  I do love these shoes.

Maybe, just maybe.  First I should get through this crazy weekend of homework!  Three midterms this next week and over 30 pages to write.  Praying for motivation and drive these next few days!

Oh, the crazy ideas!

So I have been known to come up with some crazy ideas once in a while :)  I like this, it keeps my life interesting.  Anyways.  My mom suggested a while back that we should walk the Pear Blossom 10 miler.  I decided that if I were to walk 10 miles it would take me all day, so I decided to run/walk it.  The downside of this crazy idea is that I actually have to learn how to run again.  Now running isn't necessarily a pastime that I enjoy.  I love just about every sport from swimming to bowling, but running was never really my thing.  Anyway, I have been running... well run/walking.  I must say I am very impressed with my progress.  I tend to get sore very easily, but that must mean that I am getting stronger right?  Our gym recently brought in two manual treadmills which I love and am willing to fight for :)  I must say they make you work!

So this has been my goal recently and I hope to have the motivation to last til the end of April.  I pulled out my favorite pair of running shoes again, but I think they are about ready to die on me.  Guess this means I get to treat myself to a new pair of shoes!

 The biggest thing for me with this training thing is going to simply find the time.  Tonight I spent 42 minutes on the treadmill doing my best attempt at running - ok there was a lot of walking too.  42 minutes at an average pace of 12mpm.  I was happy with that.  I hope to do race day in 10 minute miles :)  Here goes nothing!