Recap of Russia

We had our Russia reunion yesterday and it was so fun seeing my fellow travelers again.  I apologize to Bess for stealing her post but I thought it was so awesome that I could share it with all of you as well.

Check out this photo/video montage of my trip to Russia.  Our group leader created this and it was so great to reminisce.  You should be able to notice a few shots of me with my traveling companions enjoying the Russian experience.  Enjoy!

'Cause I Want It That Way!

Oh my goodness!!!!!  How could I have forgotten to tell you about my adventure to see NKOTBSB?  Let me just tell you, it was amazing.  I am sure I lost several cool points with some of you but I actually have way more cool points than any of you can count!  I turn into a 12 year old without even trying!  The lights went out and the smoke came on and I screamed and squealed like they were going to hear me above everyone else!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

New Kids on the Block

Backstreet Boys
They were like right there!
At one point Brian totally waved just to me!  Eye contact was made.

There was this little girl there that had a shirt on that said "I learned to walk by listening to Step by Step".  She had blond hair in pigtails and it was super cute.  But then there were these cougar ladies in front of us that were super dressed up like they were going to a cocktail party.  And then they left every 15 or so minutes so they could get more alcoholic drinks while I was screaming and belting out the songs and taking a hundred pictures.

All-in-all it was fantastic and if you don't get a chance to see them then I feel really sorry for you!

Movies I can't not watch!

So I was reading Pioneer Woman's website the other day and got the idea for this post by reading her Five Movies I'll Drop Everything to Watch.  By the end of this I am not sure how many movies I will have thought of so we'll go with it.  (Sorry Laura, it may not be a nice number but it is what it is.)  These are movies that I own or have seen a zillion times that I know it in my head!  I can't not watch/DVR to watch later these movies.  They are some of my all time favs!  I am pretty sure that if you know me you will be COMPLETELY SURPRISED by all of my movie choices!  Insert as much sarcasm into that statement as you can handle and let's go!

#1 - Titanic - Don't hate!!  I can't help but watch this movie any time it is on TV (regardless of what part it is) and sometimes I even plan to watch it on the VHS tapes that I own.  Sadly I have never upgraded to DVD but it is so awesome that I don't really care - but the DVDs might be a good gift I mean if you are ever short on ideas.  I am not really sure what I love most about it; history, love story, that I used to have a huge crush on Leo, great story, lost love, pretty clothes, Irish music and jigs, poor boy meets rich girl, old lady telling a story about a naked picture of herself, and the list goes on and on - just as my heart will go on!

#2 - Hook - I love the story of Peter Pan; the play version with Mary Martin (1960), Disney's animated version (1953), or this real-life "Peter Pan has grown up" version (1991).  There are so many great lines in the movie...the lost boys chanting "Ru-fi-o.  Ru-fi-o.  Ru-fi-ooooooooooo", the name calling session between Rufio and Peter - R: "You are fart factory, Slug-slimed, sack-of-rat-guts-in-cat-vomit, cheesy, scab-picked, pimple-squeezing finger bandage. A week old maggot burger with everything on it and flies on the side!"  P: "Rufio, if I'm a maggot burger why don't you eat me! You two-toned zebra-headed, slime-coated, pimple-farmin' paramecium brain, munchin' on your own mucus, suffering from Peter Pan envy!", or Smee and his craziness.  Classic!  So great!  Plus Maggie Smith is in it and I. LOVE. HER.  PS - it was on this weekend, I have it on the DVR and I am 1/3 of the way through it (and have it paused) and knew I had to write this blog.

#3 - A Walk to Remember - Oh my goodness!  Who does not love this movie?  If you don't, we can't be friends, PERIOD and EXCLAMATION POINT.!  The soundtrack is fantastic, the story line is great, ahhhh Shane West!  I remember watching this movie for the first time in the theater and basically crying through the whole thing.  I also can recall reading the book in high school, late at night (on a school night), in my room bawling my eyes out.  It was a sad cry but a good cry.  Such a sweet story.  OH!  By the way, I was in a shop in tiny little Suzdal, Russia this summer, minding my own business, shopping for souvenirs when I hear about 5 seconds of "Cry" that Mandy Moore sings for the movie and turn around and see the movie on the TV, dubbed in Russian!  Unfortunately I couldn't watch much because my traveling buddies were ready to head out but I still thought it was pretty cool.  WARNING: Do not watch this movie with me if it bothers you when people quote movies word-for-word.

#4 - Three Ninjas -  Oh the '90's.  Weren't they fantastic?  I could place this movie in the same category as Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, Richie Rich, all of the Mighty Ducks movies, Adventures in Babysitting, Camp Nowhere, and Heavyweights.  There are probably way more that I left off of this list but they are so great in their awesomeness that I can't list them all here or I will lose focus.  OK back on track.  So, who doesn't love a grandpa that teaches his grandsons to be ninjas and gives them ninja names and then those grandsons have to use their ninja skills to save said grandpa?  Oh plus - favorite line - "Rocky loves Emily!  Rocky loves Emily!"  haha LOVE. IT.

#5 - Borrowed Hearts - One of my favorite made-for-tv Christmas movies!  I have lots of favorite Christmas movies but this one just has a sweet story and little Zoe and her hopes for a house just like her doll house.  It just leaves you warm and happy inside.  It comes on for "Christmas in July" specials, "Falalala Lifetime" or "Countdown to Christmas" and I can't miss it.  One Christmas morning I woke up to find this movie under the tree just for me (thanks Mom) so now I can watch it whenever I want!

  

#6 - He's Just Not That Into You - What did I do before this movie came out?  It has been my go-to movie as a single 20-something.  Justin Long is so cute.  Jennifer Aniston and Ben Afleck - LOVE IT!  "I want you to stop being nice to me."  "This feels like a trick."  "Do not be nice to me unless you are going to marry me."  Except for the Jennifer Connelly/Bradley Cooper/Scarlett Johansson story line, I pretty much love everything about this movie.  Practical advice, awkwardly funny moments that make me cover my face every time I watch it, many happy endings - really, what's not to like?

#7 - Remember the Titans - Also another great movie with a great soundtrack!  This is probably my favorite sports movie EVER.  Great inspiration and characters and actors and DENZEL!  Dancing and chanting football players struggling to bust through the trials and tribulations of racial desegregation in America.  This is history people!

#8 - Beauty and the Beast - Of course there would be at least one Disney movie on this list and why not this one?  I mean I am totally Belle - nose stuck in a book, wanting to travel to far off places (even if they are only in books), singing and dancing around all the time, hottest guy in town after me constantly wanting to marry me - totally me.  Well at least part of that is true.  Again, FANTASTIC soundtrack.  And also, don't watch this with me unless you are comfortable with my singing and line-by-line replay!


Ok well 8 isn't a horrible number and I could probably think of 2 more movies to make it a nice 10 but hey it's still summertime and I am on vacation.  I'll follow those crazy rules in about 3 weeks thank you very much!  Enjoy!  I would love to hear your top movie choices - I am always up for a new movie.


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BTW - IMDB and Google are AWESOME!