Seen It, Heard It, Read It

Seen It

Extraordinary Measures

This was a sweet and touching movie, inspired by a true story about a father (and mother) doing absolutely everything in their power to help their sick children. Harrison Ford was a great addition to the cast of Brendan Fraser and Keri Russell.

Better Off Ted

Jenny suggested that we watch this when we were in Savannah. Heather and I hadn’t seen it before. We continued to watch it on instant Netflix during our roadtrip. It’s such a funny show and I’m so sad it’s no longer on. I love that the episodes are short, we’ve almost watched both seasons already.

Bridesmaids

I went into this movie expecting it to be the female counterpart to The Hangover. It was to some extent, but it was also a really great story. I could actually relate to Annie a little bit, which at some times was scary, haha.

Heard It

Nate Fowler: Wherever You Go

This was one of the cds on our roadtrip playlist. Besides hearing him open for Tyrone Wells I hadn’t heard him before. But when a couple of his songs came on I was able to identify them, weird!

Kate Nash: Made of Bricks

This takes me back to my California days. I hadn’t listened to it in a long time, but added it to the roadtrip playlist because I knew all of us would enjoy it. The music is so fun and the songs are unique and creative.

A Fine Frenzy: Bomb In A Birdcage

Heather and I listened to this a lot last summer while we were working. I love it. I love Alison Sudol. I can’t wait for more music from her. I won’t tell you about the time Landon Pigg opened for her (our second to last night in California) and we left before she even went on.

Rilo Kiley: Under The Blacklight

This will always and forever remind me of California (is there a theme here?), but more specifically the beach. I’d always bring my itouch along to the beach and sometimes I’d take out my headphones so we could all listen to music. This was a favorite and always fit the mood.

Finally, a different kind of heard it:

If you watched our video blog about our trip from Boise to Savannah, then you’ll know that getting from Atlanta to Savannah was our biggest challenge. We met a mom and daughter on the plane who were coming back from New York. Hannah, the daughter was a student at University of Alabama in Birmingham. She experienced the tornado there first hand and sadly lost a sorority sister to it. Her first hand account was moving and terrifying. She sent a text to her parents and brother telling them that they’d never know how much she loved them. She didn’t think she’d make it. I can’t begin to imagine.
If you would like to donate to help the tornado relief in Birmingham or Joplin you can do so HERE.

Read It

Forever Faithful Series
Waiting For Morning by Karen Kingsbury
Moment Of Weakness by Karen Kingsbury
Halfway To Forever by Karen Kingsbury

I started reading this series when I was waiting for new books from the library. Literally a sentence into the first book I remembered I’d read it before. I figured that I’d re-read them since it’d obviously been a long time. I was surprised at some things I didn’t remember from reading them the first time. The first two books of the series are separate stories and in the third book they cross over. They deal with hard issues. The first book is especially difficult because of the bitterness of one of the characters. It’s amazing though to see how God works in their lives and remains ever faithful.

Women of Faith/Timeless Love Series
A Time to Dance by Karen Kingsbury

I read this on my way to Savannah and finished it before we left on the roadtrip. It was really hard to read through the hurt and pain the characters were experiencing. It ended up being a beautiful story.

A Time to Embrace by Karen Kingsbury

I didn’t start this sequel until after I had got home from the trip. When I first started it (perhaps because I had been so tired) I totally forgot it was the sequel. I loved learning more about the characters from the first book and to see their faith continue to grow through the struggles and trials they faced.

Amanda’s Blog

My amazing friend Amanda started a blog in April. She is starting a new chapter in her life and is sharing her journey. Her blog is honest and she lets you see into her heart. Amanda is an incredible woman who has been through her share of struggle and pain. She wants the best out of life and she is going to change the world. She is truly an inspiration and I’m so proud of her. Read it HERE. Follow her on twitter HERE.

Seen It, Heard It, Read It

Seen It

Love and Other Drugs

I had heard some mixed reviews about this, but with all things I like to decide for myself. I thought it was a good story, but obviously didn't need all the sex. Like seriously, we get the point. But if you cut that out then the movie would only be an hour long, haha.

An Education

I really liked this movie. I think it might have been another one of Heather's great suggestions. It's a story about a girl growing up in London and how her life changes when she meets an older man. I found it to be heartbreaking, but such is life and learning lessons the hard way.

Mean Girls 2

Really I'm 15 and not 25. I thought it was a good sequel. It was nice that it had a different story line than the first, but it slso portrayed some of the same lessons. It was nice to see Meaghan Martin in a role other than a mean girl (re: Camp Rock). Note: Check out the Kind Campaign.

Bandslam

I wasn't sure what to expect (do I say that a lot?), but I really enjoyed this movie. The main character, Will, is an outcast and forms a friendship with a popular girl over their love of music. They put together a group to compete in the local battle of the bands contest. It had a great story and was pretty funny at times.

Never Let Me Go

I say again, didn't know what to expect, but I LOVED this movie! See Heather’s recent blog post about it. To sum it up, like Heather said, it was beautifully tragic. I might have to steal the book from her when she's done reading it. Side note: Andrew Garfield is HOT! ;)

White Oleander

Heather and I watched this on Lifetime [don't judge, haha] back during our sophomore year at SPU. Last weekend when my dad was still out of town Heather and I watched it again with our mom. The relationship between the mother [Ingrid] and daughter [Astrid] was bizarre. It was sad to watch how the mother's decision affected her daughter's entire life. As one review I read said, "while Ingrid's gift is to give Astrid the power to survive, Astrid's gift is to teach her Mother about love."

Red

I added this to our Netflix queue knowing that it would probably be a movie my dad would like, hello Bruce Willis action movie. We watched it last Wednesday night and my whole family loved it. It was a great mix of action and humor and has an interesting story. Mary Louise Parker is gorgeous and added a fun element to the storyline.

Heard It

JJ Heller: When I’m With You

My sweet friend Janelle sent Heather and I this cd and then next one [The Head and The Heart]. I've only listened to it a couple times so far, but I think I love it.

The Head and The Heart

I haven't listened to this as much as JJ Heller, but I'm excited to add it to our epic road trip playlist!

Maroon 5: Hands All Over

More than once in this past week I may have turned this up way too loud and danced around my house. I love it!! I also forced my mom to listen to it once saying, "You know the guy Adam from The Voice? This is his cd." Haha!

Katy Perry: Teenage Dream

Really, what can one say about this cd? I love it! There are so many fun [and funny - re: Peacock] songs. It'd be tough for me to pick a favorite. I mean, Teenage Dream, California Girls, Peacock, ET... I just wish I could see Katy when she's here at the end of July, but tickets are expensive AND it's the same night as Steve Martin. OMG, I sound like such a nerd.

Read It

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Um, what can I really say about this? It's hilarious. I think it can easily be summarized by one of the reviews on the book cover, "Once in a generation a woman comes along who changes everything. Tina Fey is not that woman, but she met that woman once and acted weird around her."

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

I always have a hard time with books turned movies. They're never going to be the same as each other, which is fine I guess. I usually try to read the book before I see the movie. I loved this story and it got me even more excited to see the movie. Have you seen it yet? I'm probably going to have to wait until it's on dvd. I was very excited to see hear Barcelona's song in the movie trailer!


Isn't it gorgeous?

Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal

Who else grew up reading Sweet Valley books? I didn't read a ton of them, but I always love a good "twin" story. I kind of want to go back and read them all. I may have a dozen or so on my book shelf. My mom recently told me that she hated when we'd read the books, because there was a "good" twin and an "evil" twin and I would always associate myself as the "evil" twin, haha. I don't remember this at ALL. Anyway, it was kind of fun to read this book from the perspective of ten years later. I had a hard time getting into it because of the infidelity and the fighting, but overall I thought it was a good story.

What have you seen, heard or read lately? Any suggestions for me?

Seen It, Heard It, Read It

Seen It

Private Lives of Pippa Lee

This was a movie that Heather had added to our Netflix. It's definitely a chick flick. It's a story of a middle aged woman and her older husband who recently moved into a retirement community. She reflects back on her life and how to got to where she is now. I'm glad Heather suggested it!

Catfish

This movie has been on my list FOREVER! I finally got it from the library on Friday. I knew it was some kind of documentary about social media, but I really had NO IDEA. It's a must-see! I don't want to give anything away but to summarize, as one review said, "Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue."

The Virgin Suicides

Heather and I had a relaxing weekend and watched a bunch of movies on our Netflix instant queue and this happened to be one of them. It's beautiful and understated, and ultimately heartbreaking as the title suggests.

Ramen Girl

I love this story. It's about a girl abandoned by her boyfriend in Tokyo and ends up finding her calling in a ramen house.

The King’s Speech

I finally got around to watching this last week. I had been disappointed that The Social Network hadn't won the Oscar for Best Picture, but after seeing this I understand why it won. It was inspirational!

Heard It

The Voice

Technically this could fit under "Seen It" but I think it fits here too. Does anyone else love this as much as I do? Move over American Idol! I love that it doesn't bother with the bad, crazy and embarrassing singers. There's some great singers on the show and I can't wait to see what they do. Side note: I was happy and surprised to see Dia from Meg and Dia on last week's episode.

Andrew Belle: The Ladder

You might have seen some of my previous blog posts about Andrew HERE and HERE. I love his music!

The Honeytrees: Cover of Moonriver

Heather shared this with me yesterday. I'm so lucky to have an awesome sister! Aren't they amazing? This video is absolutely gorgeous!

Jaymee Dee: Cover of ET by Katy Perry

I must admit that I've been following Jaymee Dee on twitter for at least a month [if not longer], but didn't listen to any of her music until yesterday. I'm a horrible person. Brian Wurzell posted this video on his facebook and I was compelled to watch it. If you have a chance you must check out more of her videos on Youtube!

Read It

Kardashian Konfidential

I saw this on the shelf when I was walking through the library the other day. I didn't read it cover to cover, but I did skim through it and enjoyed looking at the pictures. They had some fun stories about growing up and life in the spotlight, beauty and style secrets, wisdom from their late father and lessons learn from their mom about life and business.

Remember by Karen Kingsbury

In my last Seen It, Heard It, Read It post [see here] I mentioned I read the first book in this series. I read the next three books in the series, which are all amazing. I'm waiting for the last one at the library, but right now someone else has it checked out.

Return by Karen Kingsbury

Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury

Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury

While I was waiting for the other book at the library I read this one. It's an amazing story about making amends, forgiveness and redemption. Karen Kingsbury's Life-Changing Fiction trademark is serious business.

Seen It, Heard It, Read It

Seen It

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Seasons 4-7

Heather and I finally finished watching Buffy! I think I liked how the series ended, but I'm still in mourning that it's over. I'm almost tempted to start watching it again. How silly am I?

Date Night

I had to watch this in two separate sittings because our Netflix disc was scratched and we had to get a replacement. I thought it was hilarious! My parents really enjoyed it too! I wanted to watch it again, but it got sent back before I could.

Beyond A Reasonable Doubt

This was a movie Netflix had suggested for me. I figured I'd give it a shot based on the actors and besides that, it sounded kind of interesting. I can't believe how anxious and intriguing it was! It kept me on the edge of my seat and had it's share of twists. I'd definitely recommend it. It's on instant Netflix if you want to check it out.

Morning Glory

This was a pretty well rounded movie. Not just another chick flick. It's a great story about someone who is doing their best to achieve their goals. It had a great cast! I love Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford!

Heard It

Wicked Soundtrack

Surprise! You already knew this! Some of my favorite songs include: Popular, I'm Not That Girl, Defying Gravity, No Good Deed, For Good....so basically all of them!

Ray LaMontagne Station on Pandora

I love the Pandora app on my phone. I've been listening to this station while taking wonderful hot baths & reading. It's so relaxing!

Britney Spears: Femme Fatal

I got this cd from the library a couple weeks ago. It's addicting and catchy! I listened to it on repeat in my car while driving to and from work.

Tyrone & Elina: Different As Can Be

You know how there are some couples who are just like too cute? Meet Tyrone and Elina. They made this album together and it's great! There's a good mix of funny, sweet and serious songs. Elina sang with Tyrone when at his show last fall.

Read It

Extraordinary Faith by Sheila Walsh

I bought this book a couple months ago and got around to reading it this past week. It was everything I needed to hear. Sheila is honest, insightful and funny. She did a great job of bringing in Biblical references and relating them to her different stories.

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury

I've been wanting to read all of Karen Kingsbury's books and so I asked Heather where to start. She recommended the Redemption series. I finished the first book and have the other four on hold at the library. The series follows the Baxter family through trials and triumphs and ties in the relational teachings of Gary Smalley. I can't wait to read more!

Seen It, Heard It, Read It

Seen It

127 Hours

I've been waiting for a long time [see here] to see this movie. I was really impressed. It was about as hard to watch as it was to read the book. Overall it was great, but I almost like the book better because it's hard to translate some of what he went through [especially his thoughts] into the movie. If you're worried about it being graphic [like I was], it's not too bad. Obviously when he actually cuts off his arm it's pretty nasty, but please don't let it deter you from watching. You can always close your eyes.

Killers

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought it was a fun movie! It was funny and kept me wondering what was going to happen. Like I said on twitter, I wouldn't mind running into Ashton in France. Oh la la! Haha!

Romeo + Juliet

I don't know why I've never seen this version, but I remedied that this past week. Okay, who doesn't know the story of Romeo and Juliet? It was definitely a unique take on the story. It's kind of like whenever, I watch Titanic and hope the ship doesn't sink. If only Romeo would have gotten the letter. Sigh....

Heard It

Bruno Mars: Doo-Wop & Hooligans

I got this cd from the library last week and listened to it all weekend. I think all of the songs have merged together and gotten stuck in my head.

The Civil Wars: Barton Hollow

Heather has been DYING to get this cd, but the only place they sell it in Boise is at The Record Exchange. We were out shopping on Saturday and she was finally able to get it. I've only listened to it a couple times, but I think it's gonna be a new favorite.

Read It
I was able to read REAL BOOKS over my Spring Break last week! It was so nice!

An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

This was one of the books that Heather read recently. It was my first Steve Martin book. Like she said, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed it.

Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist

I won this book from Ryan Guard's blog. I randomly entered after he tweeted about it. I was thrilled to have won something, but had no idea what I was in for. I ate this book up! It's incredible. I want to share the synopsis so you can get a glimpse of how amazing it is. Thanks again Ryan!

"Cold Tangerines is a collection of stories that celebrate the extraordinary moments hidden in our everyday lives. It is about God, and about life, and about the thousands of daily ways in which an awareness of God changes and infuses everything. It is about spiritual life, and about all the things that we have called nonspiritual life that might be spiritual after all. It is the snapshots of a young woman making peace with herself and her life, and trying to craft a life that captures the energy and exuberance we long for in the midst of the fear and regret and envy we all carry with us. It is both a voice of challenge and song of comfort, calling us upward to the best possible life, and giving us room to breathe, to rest, to break down and break through. Cold Tangerines offers bright and varied glimpses of hope and redemption, in and among the heartbreak and boredom and broken glass."