Reviews

This song has been out for a while, and I still love it!

I'm really loving this new song from Ed Sheeran too. He also has another new song out, I love the tune of it, as in for dancing and working out, but it's just not a very clean  song. Why do artists feel they need to make songs like that?

We might go to a Jeremy Camp concert and this man is opening for him. I love this song!

You know I have to add some Shawn Mendes! I think my kids' friends think I'm some crazy older woman in love with this teenage heart throb. (OK, maybe they don't think he's a heart throb) But, I am not. (Crazy or in love with him) I do, however, love all his songs!

OK enough of my favorite songs for now.

How about some movies?

This is one of my all-time favorites to watch at Christmas. You do know, that these Hallmark-type movies that are on at Christmas time, actually have nothing to do with Christmas, right? They are just love stories that happen around Christmas time. I love Hallmark-type movies. I love them because there's no guessing, there's no stress, just watch 2 people fall in love and get your happy ending.

We do  not have TV. We just stream Netflix and rent movies. SO, that means no Hallmark channel. You can watch Hallmark movies via YouTube but, the picture is just not as clear this way. I found something new this year, it's called "Feeln". It's an app I signed up for via the computer to be streamed to our TV.

For only $2.99/month I am able to watch a ton of Hallmark-type movies! All year long!!

So far, we, as in the girls and I, are loving Feeln.  Go HERE and check it out! (I think the price is now $3.99/month though, which is still an excellent price)

Tom and I watched this movie this past fall. I made a note to review it because it was such a good movie! Based on a true story. (I love those kind)

I don't really care for Matthew McConaughey, so I wasn't that excited to see this.

He really is a good actor though.

I don't  know, there are so many new actors out there, I just thought

it wouldn't be believable with such a popular actor, but he nailed it.

OK, back to Hallmark.

This show, we, as in, the girls and I, loved this!!

The first 2 seasons are on Netflix streaming.

Season 3 we had to order via Netflix

(you know, get the DVD's via the mail)

Good, clean, wholesome, love stories.

 Tom and I finished up Major Crimes via Netflix. We loved this show. It is a spinoff from the show The Closer. So if you are a fan of The Closer (we were) you'll love this one!

 This one is a favorite. What a  perfect role for James Spader. Seriously, he's the guy you hate to love. But you will love him. He's her dad. He has to be. This is another Netflix show we watch. I wanted to keep up with this season though and not wait a whole year for it to come to Netflix, so I'm watching current episodes via NBC.com on the computer. With my headphones on. Late at night.

 This show goes down as one of my all-time favorites. Not only do I love this actor, who is actually Australian, playing American roles, but I loved this show! This one is another show that is DVD only, so Netflix would send this to you.

Tom and I just started watching this one.

We just started season 3

I really like it for the cases they have. I like it for the look into the life of lawyers.

But, it's a little scandalous...there's affairs and just not much of happy.

I like happy.

What do you watch?

Are there any good "couple" shows that guys like to watch too?

I just think it's slim pickin's these days.

OK, if you are still with me, I've got a scarf review:

 OK, so I saw this scarf at Walgreens, you know, walking through the whole store to the back to pick up prescriptions, because the drive-thru line was too long. They sucked me in, I bought this scarf. I thought it was so pretty and I thought, "it's so pretty, I can pull this off, I can wear a scarf and look cool."

Well, I put it on and my kids kept looking at me funny all morning. They laughed and told me I'm not a "scarf person". What's a "scarf person"?

 What if I wear it like this? Lots of people wear scarfs like this. "Who mom?" I guess no one wears scarfs like this. I think they should. I think it looks pretty. My kids don't. They laughed.

 This is my review of the scarf. I'm not wearing it. But it  is a pretty scarf, isn't it? Waste of money.

I have no sense of fashion.

My husband  Santa bought me a pretty pearl necklace and my first thought was,

"What about  my medal?"

I wear a Miraculous Medal every day.

No big deal, I just decided to add a medal to my necklace.

It looks OK, doesn't it?

See? I can be stylish by wearing jewelry (not scarves)

and still wear my medal, right?

Alright, songs, movies, TV shows, fashion (haha!)

I think we're done.

Anyone want a scarf?

(I apologize blogger kept switching from left margin to centering my paragraphs. Left margin was my goal)

Time for Movie Reviews!

 Time for reviews.

Or, well, my opinion anyway.

I don't really review them,

because I don't want to give anything away!

 

Turnaround Jake was watched via Netflix.

I liked it

It had a Christian theme,

without it being in your face fake overload
(I'll explain that comment later)

 

 This was a pleasant surprise.

This is about a marriage that's failing.

I loved that they actually love each other and

if you know my reviews, you know that I only like movies

with happy endings..

(OK, I gave that one away,

but you'd get that from reading the description of the movie anyway!)

Another "Christian" movie, but not in your face overload.

 

I like how there was another man there, to, I guess tempt her

into leaving her husband,

but they made him just as nice as her husband.

It really was up to her to decide to fight or give up.
 

It had Gerald McRaney in it.

I really like him



You remember him from this show, don't you?

And he's married to Delta Burke!

Aren't they just the cutest couple?

The Song

Another "work on our marriage" movie!

The main character is Alan Powell, from the music group Anthem Lights!

(See HERE)

I really liked this movie, it took me on a roller coaster ride,

happy, sad, mad, happy...



 Heaven is Waiting

Another Christian move, but not in your face Christian.
(I'll explain that now)
 

What I mean by that, is that, it's just in the movie like it's the norm.

Like it should be.
 

I've really loved seeing this in these movies.

 

I really liked this movie.

A little slow, but really good.

 

 This one was very good also.

Another Christian movie.

This one we let our oldest watch with us,

but it does deal with the subject of suicide

and is, we feel, more for older kids 

 (our oldest is 15, which was a good age)

 

Really good movie about a teen that loses his father

and all he goes through afterward. 

 

 

 This one, had some pretty famous stars in it, like

Ashley Judd, Seth Green, and Ray Liotta.

I really liked how Ray Liotta was in this, he did a really good job.

Actually, so did Ashley Judd.

 

This movie was really corney though.

Because the main actor plays a twin to a famous singer,

who they made seem kind of like Elvis...but not Elvis.

They even mention Elvis in it at one point. 

Other than that, it was a pretty good movie.

(I had a hard time getting past the part that he was kind of like Elvis,

even looking like him)

I think this movie would have been better if they would not have

done that, but had a different actor and made his songs just a different type.

(they were not Elvis songs just songs like Elvis had)

 

This also was a Christian movie, but not in your face,

just the way it was naturally.

The Good Lie

 This was a really good movie!

This was based on a true story.

It really really makes you think about how we treat refugees

and if we are really helping them or not.

 Now, onto some bad ones.

I was excited to see this movie, The Best of Me.

It sure looks like a "Jamie Movie" from the cover, right?

Well, it was OK

I didn't like, and I'm going to give some things away here,

that they did NOT work on the marriage that was broken.

The woman has an affair

with the man that the viewer is supposed to want her to,

I guess.

I was just disappointed. 

That ruined it for me.

 

This movie, I actually saw before the above movies

where the couples actually worked on their marriages,

which is what made them so refreshing.

 Tom and I started watching this show via Netflix.

We made it through maybe 5 or 6

It seemed like it was going to be really good.

And, hey, I really like seeing Kevin Bacon in a regular show,

but it was just so dark and so, ummm, not happy-endingish.

 

If you know what I mean.
 

We got tired of everyone turning out to be bad in it.

So, and many might disagree with me on this one,

I give this thumbs down.

This one is in the middle for me.

 

I like these actors in this kind of movie.

It had bad things in it though.

Like, of course they sleep together.
And they talk about it.
 

But it was also kind of funny.

 

I feel guilty saying it, but I actually kind of liked it,

Oh, gosh sakes!

 Tom and I LOVE Blue Bloods!!

Now this show is really really good!

It has happy endings every single show

(we are on the 2nd season)

They have a problem and solve it every episode.

 

This is about a Catholic family

and they show Catholic things just in the normal every day life,

like eating a meal together every week as a family and praying before they eat.

 

(I do have one complaint, though, it bugs the crap out of me that

they do not pray the prayer before meals right.  I mean, if you are going to

make them a Catholic family and put it in there on purpose, get it right)

 

Tom Selleck

I love seeing him in the "Dad" role.

I wanted to see what he was doing now and if he was actually Catholic in real life.

I found out that he likes playing a role in a family that shows their faith.

(his soul is drawn to that holiness, the soul knows, I tell you, the soul knows)

But
 he said that he is not "religious" himself.
 

 

Since there was a "but" there,

let's all pray for him, OK?

 

 My kids are loving this show.

Yes, it's corney.

Yes, if there is a woman in the show, he will kiss her.

But it's clean and good!

 

 My 2 oldest girls are loving Doctor Who.

I think it's so stupid.

 

Cinderella

Oh, how I loved this movie!

We saw this a couple weeks ago, while our home had an open house.

It's out of the theaters now.

This one is a buying one.

As in, we have to own this one.

 

I won't tell you what she says at the end to her stepmother,

but it's beautiful. And probably my favorite part.

 

Well, the dance with the Prince has to be my favorite too...

it was really really good and flowy and it just made you want to be a princess.

Like we all are.

And, I love how he takes her breath away when he touches her back,
when they start to dance...and continues to take her breath away.
There was one point where she took his away too...loved that.
I loved that they showed that.

You can actually watch it on Youtube HERE
(don't know how long that link will work though, because I don't think
they are supposed to do that) 

I'll leave you with my new favorite song.

I think Steven Tyler looks really good and healthy

and I love the words to this.
You can see him HERE

 

 

Now if you've seen any of these, let me know your opinion!!

 



Let's Clean!

 OK, I admit, I like to clean.

I don't really like to clean like a madwoman every time we have a showing.

But I like it when our home is clean.

I like leaving it like that.

This is one thing I will enjoy when my kiddos leave home

A clean house.

(Oh, gosh, I'll miss everything else!)

OK,  maybe not everything! (click the link)

My cousin Jana and I, when we were young, used to talk about

how we'd make our beds and want it to stay that way all day. 

I'm the same way today.

So in a perfect world, I'm a neat freak.

But I have kids, and they are not.  (neat freaks)

I've just found these past couple months of massive cleaning 

some really awesome products.

I'm going to start with this Orange Glow wood polish product.

It smells really nice when using and brings all wood back to life.

I love it!

I ended up polishing all our cupboards, doors, dressers, coffee/end tables,

anything wood!

 Look how the cupboards shine!

A friend stopped over to pick up her girls and noticed our doors!

She said, "Wow, these doors are really nice!"

I'd just shined them up!

 This stuff!! 

Found at Wal-mart!

I admit, I never even knew there was a "polish"

I've tried Murphy's Oil Soap among other "wood floor cleaners"

but none shined it up.

Well, duh!

 Here is "BEFORE"

 Here is "AFTER"

This is 3 coats

Wish I knew about this stuff like years ago!!

I asked online and my friend Dwija sugested this Holloway House product.
She said it was AWESOME and it is.

Several others

gave some great suggestions, but Wal-mart had this one,

so this is what I tried!



 With 4 house showings and an open house these past 9 days,

I am loving the Swifter Sweeper, with the extra spendy sheets.

Such a quick way to mop up while the kids are waiting outside to leave.

 Now this was amazing!!

We painted almost everything, but some things we did not.

Like our closet.

It had marks on it's white walls, some, I think were there when we moved in!

(almost 8 years ago)

I scrubbed with these cool little things and all marks came off!

We have 2 white rooms, I painted a couple years ago,

our school room and the toyroom.

Basically they still looked good, except a few scuffs and marks.

Used this Magic Eraser and BOOM!! 

Gone.

White and Clean!

I have to at least give an "honorable mention" to these next 2 products

because they make a home selling cleaning fanatic's life so much easier!

Bleach Wipes....I love you.

Seriously, for quick cleaning toilet seats...counters, door knobs,

ANYTHING! 

 Windex, how I love you too!

You clean my windows, patio doors, glass top coffee table,

the outside of my microwave....my mirrors...and you do it so quickly.

I only wish you could clean my Stainless Steel appliances.

 That's OK, I have this product.

I got it at Wal-mart.

This is kind of a spray foam kind of product,

I spray it on and polish it in the grain of the steel, til it's shiny and

fingerprint free.

Yes, I use it a lot.

I noticed this in my images when looking for an image of the polish.

I wonder if it does as good of a job?

Might have to try it out!

Now, I know these products all have fragances and will probably give us cancer.

But good ol' vinegar

 (which is what I usually use for our floors and more)

just doesn't smell that great. 

One more product, though not a "cleaning product"

I think it's a  house seller.

We've been baking these at a lower temp,

turning the oven off right before we leave,

and letting them stay in the oven while we are gone.

Heavenly smell.

If you like brownies that is.

And they make a great treat for when we come home!

I can't believe I'm going to say this,

I am getting a little tired of brownies though.

But

that heavenly smell will hopefully

make someone think,

"Yes!  I want to live here because it reminds me of home!"



Reviews and Special Prayers

 Trying to get a good blog header photo in the sun

 

The sound of the ocean and the sunrise from this morning

for Barbara!

 I thought this was funny.

It, for some reason bugs me when people all over the internet

post pictures of their ashes.

I don't know why.

Probably because it seems like bragging or something.

"Look at my ashes!"

Prayer is more of a private thing for me.

(that's why I have a blog--haha!)

When I think about it though, after wondering why it bugs me,

it is actually a really good thing.

Seeing other people making it a "normal" thing to do,

go to Mass, get ashes, pray and sacrifice for Lent.

It's actually a really good thing to do.

 

 We have TV down here!

We've been watching American Idol.

We haven't watched in like 3 years.

I really like how they do it now,

it's focused more on the talented and not the untalented.

Now that Simon Cowell is not on anymore,

it's not so negative, comments are not made for attention.

All these judges are sincere and really nice.

We don't have TV back home, just Netflix,

so this show will be missed.

 A couple of the girls and I saw this movie here on the Island.

I hesitate to review it, I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Remember, I love happy endings.

This doesn't really end like that,

it kind of shows what happens after the "happy ending"

 

It is a musical, so if you don't like musicals, you won't like it.

The funniest scene I thought, was the song "Agony" with 2 of the princes:

 

 

I loved Meryl Streep as the wicked witch.

If anything, see it for that.

I didn't care for the way some of the characters

were portrayed, after their "happy ending",

I think the writers could have had them go a different bad way.

Or better yet, just a different way.

 

OH, and Johnny Depp?

He was the big bad wolf!

His part was short, and awesome and kind of creepy.

And kind of funny.

That's kind of what we expect from Johnny Depp though, isn't it?

 

 I am really going to miss Texas Salsa.

There's something different about it, it's just better.

It's not as thick and it tastes fresher.

 

 If you love pickles (I do)

they also have the best pickles down here in Texas!

These are the best.  I think I could eat a whole jar!

 

 We've I've been using a Swifter Sweeper here in the condo we are staying in.

My review for this is:

It just seems so wasteful!

I miss my old mop.

You know, it's a sponge mop

and you use it and use and use it over and over again and again.

It only costs you the price of the mop.

 

With Swifter Sweeper, sure it's easy,

(so it's perfect for renting a condo)

but those sheets are very spendy, like 12 bucks for 24 sheets.

That's 50 cents each and we I use at least 6-8 each time I mop.

 

What do you think?

 

 Farmer's Market Lettuce.

Nothing like it.

I love it, I crave it.

This is the spicy mix, but I also love the mild mix.

(it's clean and lasts all week)

I will really miss seeing the people that sell this.

Lauren is the owner's daughter and she's a real sweetheart.

Here's their farm

 I also got some of this yummy drink!

Here's a description

I love their purple beans too!

They turn bright green when they are cooked...veggie suppers, delicious! 

 Another fun product we've found

(maybe MN has this now too, I don't know)

It's really good, and addictive. 

 

This is Sarah.

She is a close friend of my friend Becky.

Becky is trying to raise money for Sarah.

Here are Becky's words:

 

"My friend Sarah, who has been fighting cancer for five years now, was just told a couple weeks ago that there are no other treatments for her. The cancer is moving extremely fast and he gave her less than six months. He doubts she will make it to June.

She is not religious but I think she would like to be. She has always been "interested" in the Catholic faith but never has taken the leap to commit to it.

I am more worried for her spiritually than I am for her physically. My brother and I set up a Go Fund Me account with her permission, and there have only been four donors---which one of them is me. It is depressing.

Her husband wants her to go see the Eiffel Tower, as this has always been her dream. I understand that to her, this is a distraction and a way of using her time rather than sit around waiting to die. But in the meantime, my brother and I have something in the works---we are going to also send them to Lourdes since they will already be in France. I think she would be open to it, especially since basically people are paying her to go...

My brother actually has everything lined up for her to go (including her family.) Do you have any idea how happy they will be to go together? Right now, they don't think it's possible for even Sarah to go. This could be her last chance, I so much want her to experience Lourdes. I went there and loved it. She needs healing. If not a physical healing then a spiritual one. She needs graces to get through this without trying to avoid it by using distractions. She needs to face God once and for all."

Sarah and her beautiful family

 

 

Will you please pray for Sarah and her family?

If you feel motivated by the Holy Spirit, donate HERE

Thank you so much.

 

 

Our time is dwindling down.

We leave for home in 5 days.