Blame the vampires.

So, I basically spent the entire month of March submerged in the “Twilight” world. I hadn’t read the book, despite reading about it on several blogs (crafty mommy blogs, mind you), nor did I see the movie when it came out. I was planning on reading the book at some point, but the library waiting list was outrageous.

THEN, my girlfriend invited me over to watch the DVD, and after a bit of wavering, wondering if I should be seeing the movie first, before reading the book, I decided to go ahead. Kristen Stewart’s acting bothered me a bit, but all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed it. So my girlfriend lent me her book, and I started it the next day. I ended up blowing through the entire series in 17 days. I’ve never read so much in my life. I stayed up MANY nights until 4, 5, 6, 7 AM. One morning I even went to bed at 8. Needless to say, I needed a rest when I was finally done. I needed to recover, both physically and mentally. I didn’t quite know what to do with myself, which I’ve learned is common among “Twilighters”. Even though, I guess technically, I AM a “Twimom”, I will NOT be calling myself that, thank you very much.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Disappointments

Apparently both of the movies I’ve been excited to see are total duds. That sucks! I might just go see “The Other Boleyn Girl” for the costumes and accents.

I got my clothes from Delia’s and Alloy today, and as I feared, the dress was big. What did I expect, ordering a “small”? I knew it would be a bit big, but hoped it wouldn’t look too bad. I’ll have to see how it looks with a long-sleeve tee underneath, and maybe some tights or leggings. Leggings? What am I talking about, I don’t even own any. The denim top makes me look pregnant! The dress too, a little bit. Totally looks like a maternity dress on me. Geez. When will I learn I shouldn’t order clothes online? Nothing ever fits me right… I’m the type that has to try everything on. You obviously can’t do that when you order online! Another disappointment is not being able to return these items to a store. The nearest Delia’s is in Texas! But even if I had one nearby, they don’t accept catalog returns. Again, I knew about all this before ordering, but I’m stubborn. I just can’t help it when the clothes are so cute and inexpensive. I think this will be my last try, though. In the immortal words of Tim Gunn, I will just have to “make it work”.

*Image from tv.com

I wanna go to the movies!

I don’t go to the movies often at all, but does any housewife? The last movies I saw at the theater were “Enchanted”, and “Hairspray”. I took both girls to see “Enchanted”, and only big sis to see “Hairspray”. Anyhoo, I can’t wait to go see “Penelope”! Her nose kinda freaks me out, but I hope I’ll like it anyway. I would also like to see “The Other Boleyn Girl”. I freakin’ love period films, especially if there are British accents involved. Swoon. Anybody wanna go with me?

*Image from yahoo.com

*Image from sonypictures.com

My favorite TV shows

The 2 little ones and I have been sick these past 2 days, so we haven’t left the house. Not even to pick up big sis from school. I have absolutely nothing to share! I could show more things I love at Etsy, but I’d be afraid someone would buy them! I know, I’m a freak. So instead, I’m going to list my favorite TV shows.

Old absolute favorites:

1. Alias
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
3. Cheers
4. Friends
5. Martha Stewart Living
6. The X-Files
7. Twin Peaks

Old regular favorites:

1. Angel
2. Gilmore Girls
3. Will & Grace

Currently scheduled on my DVR:

1. Chuck
2. Desperate Housewives
3. ER
4. Grey’s Anatomy
5. Medium
6. Prison Break

Shows I love, but only watch when I catch them:

1. Barefoot Contessa
2. Clean Sweep
3. CSI
4. Design on a Dime
5. Divine Design
6. Everyday Italian
7. Flip That House
8. Law & Order: Criminal Intent
9. Project Runway
10. Property Ladder
11. Jon & Kate Plus 8

I wish they would air more of the BBC’s “What Not to Wear” and “How Clean is Your House?”. I hate the American “What Not to Wear”, and I don’t like the new hosts of the British one. I want Trinny and Susannah back!

*Image from dailymail.co.uk

Chicken soup, anyone?

This is what I recommend if you’re not feeling so great on a Sunday afternoon:

1) Have your husband make chicken soup from scratch.

2) Sit yourself on the couch, and enjoy every bite of diced potato, carrot, celery, zucchini, peas, leftover rotisserie chicken from Costco (mmm, chemicals!), and orzo, with a few mini toasts thrown in for fun.

3) Watch a recorded episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. One starring Mr. Big, as opposed to Vincent D’Onofrio, even though you like him better in it.

4) Take a nap with your baby boy.

Ahem…

Sorry for the depressing, self-pitying post yesterday. Now on to more pleasant things:

I got my dutch oven today. Cue angelic chorus: “Aaaaaaaahhh…”

It’s the 7-quart round, looks like just the perfect size for our growing family. Not growing as in we’re having more kids, mind you – growing as in the kids are growing. Sheesh.

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My 3rd Etsy purchase, and probably my last (until I start working?), courtesy of my mother-in-law’s Christmas money:

*Photo taken by Jessica Rose

I bought the pattern, which she sends as a PDF. Only $8.50! I don’t crochet, but my girlfriend does, and she’s agreed to make them for my birthday next month. Whoo hoo!

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A quote I like, and have placed in the frame of my magnetic dry-erase board in the living room:

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”
-William Morris

My source? A Pottery Barn catalog! Can you tell I like symmetry? Oh, that’s my sister + mom in the picture, at my wedding. Probably the only picture I have of either of them flashing a genuine smile.

By the bye, did anyone catch “Inside the Actors Studio” with John Cusack? It was on at 1 in the morning. I like John Cusack. A name caught my eye as I was forwarding through the credits, so I rewound it, and it was the credit for “original music”: Angelo Badalamenti! Man, I haven’t seen that name since the days of Twin Peaks. I actually bought the soundtrack, and I’m pretty sure I still have it. On tape, of course!

Favorites from last year

There are a few songs I love from last year:

“Hey There Delilah” by The Plain White T’s (my then-3-year-old learned a few words, and would sing them every time the song came on… “oh, what you dooo meee”!)
*I thought the singer would be a cute, slightly geeky, “alternative” brunette, but turns out, not so cute.

“Apologize” by One Republic (I first heard the Timbaland remix, and that’s the one I fell in love with, but really, both the original and remix are awesome)
*Again, I heard the vocals and imagined an “alternative” looking handsome brunette, but then I saw the video, and man! I wasn’t prepared to see a blond, GQ looking cutie. Whoa.

“No One” by Alicia Keys (my 4-year-old asked this evening, on our way home: “Mommy, what is this song name called?” I said, “No One”, and she said, “No, what is its name?” I guess that would be confusing for a toddler!)
*Love the beat and her vocals toward the end. Amazing.

There are a few movies I watched that I have to recommend:

“Waitress” with Keri Russell
“The Painted Veil” with Naomi Watts
“King Creole” with Elvis Presley
“Volver” with Penelope Cruz
“Everything is Illuminated” with Elijah Wood
“The Illusionist” with Edward Norton
“Little Miss Sunshine” with Toni Collette

Yes, I realize some of those are way old. Watch them anyway!

Obsessing

Hello, people. I’ve been waiting to post until I learn how to post with pictures, but since that hasn’t happened, I’m deciding to forge on. I have to share my current obsession. It’s the song that plays toward the end of The Painted Veil. Even though I speak Spanish, and have learned Italian and French, I never taught any of my children any foreign language. Maybe a word here or there, but that’s it. Everyone in my extended family always shames me for not teaching my children Spanish. I always thought I would, when I was younger and hadn’t had any kids yet, but then I had them, and it just didn’t flow out of me naturally. I can’t explain it. Maybe because I’m not Mexican, I don’t know. Anyway, now I really wish I had given them that gift. Because I think it’s so much easier to learn foreign language when you already speak one. But back to the movie… I was all ready to rate it “3 stars” on Netflix (a “liked it”), as opposed to 4 or 5 (“really liked it” and “loved it”), until the end. I heard this song (if you haven’t seen the movie, don’t watch! just listen) and thought, “Oh, that’s it. I have to teach the girls French”. I immediately fell in love. It was sad, sweet, beautiful, enchanting. I really wish they had included it in the soundtrack, the version with the Beijing children’s choir. Oh, so sweet. It’s actually a French children’s folksong, and I’ve been singing it for the past 2 days. My son, who’s 16 months old, even started singing along with me. So cute! I play it for him on the computer, and he sings “aaah”, in his falsetto baby voice, and sways from side to side. Is there anything sweeter or cuter?! Egads.

So I think I’ll give it 4 stars. Not just because of the song, but because Naomi Watts’ character redeems herself in the end. And I “really liked” that.