Movies and Music. Suggestions post #5

Movie Suggestions/Ratings:
Sherlock Holmes (2009 w/ Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams) - 4.25 out of 5 stars (read my huge review of this film HERE)
The Lady Eve (1941 w/ Barbara Stanwyck & Henry Fonda) - 3 out of 5 stars
Rebel Without a Cause (1955 w/ James Dean & Natalie Wood) - 3.25 out of 5 stars
Midnight Clear (2007 w/ Stephen Baldwin) - 2 out of 5 stars
Christmas Child (2003 w/ William R. Moses, Steven Curtis Chapman, Megan Follows) - 3 out of 5 stars
The Tunnel of Love ( 1958 w/ Richard Widmark, Doris Day, ) - 2.5 out of 5 stars
Christmas With The Kranks (2004 w/ Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis) - 3 out of 5 stars
Imitation of Life (1934 w/ Claudette Colbert, Warren William) - 2.75 out of 5 stars
Shall We Dance (1937 w/ Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers) - 2.75 out of 5 stars


10 Things I Hate About You (1999 w/ Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt) - 3 out of 5 stars : Was fashion really worse than as I remembered it to be as it showed in the film? goodness I was 15/16 in 1999 and thought this film was better back then. I also always had a thing for Joseph Gordon-Levitt - who got cuter and cuter over the years. . and Andrew Keegan for some reason-now who I think is very unattractive (both were on my bedroom walls when I was 11-14!) Oh and funny thing I noticed while watching this again is that in a scene Julia Stiles was reading The Bell Jar and now she is going to be in a film version of the book (in the process of being casted and such so far).

Then again this was what I looked like in 1999 when Rob first noticed me (wearing my huge overalls and my first vintage garment - my disco shirt). . .but I was called "weird" for what I wore. I was annoyed in this picture. haha.

(500) Days of Summer (2009 w/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Zooey Deschanel) - 3.5 out of 5 stars
The way they produced the plot of this story was beautiful. I loved the artsy-fartsy bits of it. The romantic tale was a bit depressing at times. I am very glad there wasn't any nudity in this film. Oh Joseph Gordon-Levitt has grown up a lot since he was on 3rd Rock From the Sun and 10 Things I Hate About You. He is 2 years older than me but just seemed to really grow out of that baby-face he had. That's something I don't think many child stars do too well.
Zooey Deschanel of course sings in this film (She & Him's new album is coming out soon!!!). Although this was a nice film, it didn't leave me wanting more or thinking about it like other films tend to do. Of course I was left wanting all of her clothes throughout the film. I think that's what I thought of most in watching it haha. Granted Rob wanted all of his clothes too!! haha. Weird thing in watching this movie together is that Rob knew I had "the hots" for Joseph Gordon-Levitt and I knew he had "the hots" for Zooey Deschanel. That's awkward.
Rob said the most he got out of this film was when they do an interview of "why" characters were drawn to the person of their dreams or something. One guy said how he dated his girl since middle school and that although she is not perfect, she became his dream girl. It made Rob melt and he told me that he explained us right there. haha. Of course Rob's actual type was all throughout the screen so I still felt a little self conscious!

Music I've been Listening to Lately:
Christmas music still. Now I'm transitioning away from that so here are a couple songs at least

Fleet Foxes - Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
First Aid Kit - Hard Believer
And to mix it up with First Aid Kit and Fleet Foxes, I am posting this because I am charmed by harmonies big time and I HATE COVER SONGS WITH A PASSION but somehow this got me!!! Oh goodness! Listen to the original version first though. So here is First Aid Kit's version of Fleet Foxes' Tiger Mountain Peasant Song.

Giving to others

I recently read in Matthew 15 in The Bible about how Jesus multiplied the few small fish and the seven loaves of bread to feed thousands of people (4 thousand men, and the women and children weren't counted). Jesus gave thanks for the little that they had and what happened? Everyone ate and was filled. There was a lot left over. It is wonderful that the more we focus on doing things for the Lord and less on our own lives, the more He provides our needs and gives us more than we need.
I also love this verse:

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." - Matthew 6:2-4

Too many times people gloat about what they did for someone and they think of ways to please others so that their pride can puff up and that they will receive a pat on the back by their peers. I love the idea that when we give we should be quiet about it and just do it so that we don't realize even what we have done for someone who needs things.

Usually we should put thought into our choices but when we give to people who are in need. . .it seems like we shouldn't think at all. We should be so concerned all the time about doing things for everyone else that somehow our own needs will be provided for by Jesus because of that. I really want to encourage us to try to focus less on us and more on Jesus especially because Christmas just came around where we were all getting gifts and giving gifts. . .we should make sure we continue to give gifts for God's sake.

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A real New Jersey housewife. haha. (and I sweat a lot so that explains why I am wearing a sleeveless shirt. I was always a tank top all-year-round type of person.) This was me cooking dinner on Christmas Eve.

Great-Great and Greats

I recently posted a photo of my Great-Grandmother (from my dad's side).
Now moving on to my mother's side of the family I thought I'd post a few old photos.

There is something truly beautiful about vintage photography that I have ALWAYS found fascinating.

These are My Great-Great grandparents: The Morgans. Apparently they took this shot for laughs. I have seen one other photo of them together standing still but this one is perfect.

Their daughter Theresa (pronounced Tressa though)

She was 18 in this shot, my Great-Grandmother was one of the most wonderful people I had ever known. She was born in 1900 and I knew her until she died on my 7th birthday, I believe (she was 90). I loved her dearly and I cried a lot when she died (which I've only cried for 4 people's deaths out of many people I've seen go now).

She was a huge prayer warrior and her light shone brightly to everyone. She endured a lot, from having 9 kids, being cheated on for many years and being separated to care for all her kids alone in the depression years and she took back her husband lovingly after 11 years of their split. She was gold no matter how poorly anyone treated her. I'll always remember her voice and love given to me. She gave birth to my grandfather (poppy) but I never met him as he died in 1977.

This was taken shortly before she died. That's my mom with her dreadful perm and little me.

My other Great-Grandmother I never met (don't know when she was born or died)

She went through a VERY hard life - from seeing her husband sexually abuse all his daughters and impregnanting one, being beaten, and seeing her husband in jail (which may have been the best time of her life actually). Oh how the mysteries of her life intrigue me as to what she endured inside. I think she was beautiful (and I honestly think MOST of the people in my family are ugly so that's a high compliment). I think I have a couple of her features - which is good. I feel sorry for her. My mom loved her but doesn't have as man memories with her as the othe one.

Here is Ella.

The latest Human Trafficking thoughts

It has been a mighty long time since I've written against the horrific crime of human trafficking in my blog. I try to not go overboard on the issue, but is there really an overboard? I have had so many people over the past couple years tell me that I can't always focus on wanting there to be change and always looking around everywhere I go for signs that there might be someone being abused and forced into slavery against their will in my own neighborhood. Why can't I? I used to post tons of links every day in my facebook from the US and International news about the 27 million slaves around the world. Some of these links included people selling 3 month old babies to be used in prostitution. How disgusting is that in which I am supposed to tone it down and stop worrying so much about it?? How am I supposed to be still and not do something to help these children and adults who are put into the most brutal labor and hard lives that I can't believe would be done to another human? How can we just let this happen? Where is the justice of God that we are required to bring according to the prophet Micah in the Bible (yes this is why I named my son after him).
"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:8

Then to make matters worse I watched this yesterday which of course brought some new statistics that were worse than I've been giving for two years to everyone about how bad it is in our own country.



I am also tired of having to explain to people that slavery did not end after the Civil War, but got worse. I check this website all the time to see if there are new cases in my own area where people have been caught oppressing others. Slavery Map - yet I am so glad that I am able to help tell people about what i know. I am glad that I read so much about it but I am at a point in life where I am not satisfied with only spreading awareness, but want to do something about ending this madness. Of course when I inform people that I want to do more, they tell me there is no point because it will always be. At the same time it is one person who can make a huge difference and if I can help save one person out of something so horrific as slavery, then isn't that worth the effort? People have this "I don't care" attitude that has been driving me nutty for over two years since I became obsessed with fighting this issue - which I think is a healthy obsession.

Movies and Music. Suggestions post #4

This week has been a mediocre movie week. Most of the films were just good but I don't know how many I will rewatch ever or be able to go wild over. Usually if I rate something with 3 stars it means it was good but probably not something I'd watch again. 4 stars means I will watch it again because I thought it was wonderful and memorable. 5 stars is very rare to see from me. I am harsh in my movie ratings. It has to blow my mind away for me to see it over and over and love with intensity.

Movie Suggestions/Ratings
Elf 2003 (w/ Will Farrell & Zooey Deschanel) - 4 out of 5 stars
Invicible 2006 (w/ Mark Wahlberg) - 3 out of 5 stars
Punisher: War Zone 2008 (w/ Ray Stevenson) - 1 out of 5 stars (we gave this film about 20 minutes worth our time then turned it off it was sooo lame)
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir  1947 (w/ Gene Tierney & Rex Harrison) - 3.75 out of 5 stars
He's Just Not That Into You  2009 (w/ Gennifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, and many many others who aren't named Jennifer/Gennifer) - 3 out of 5 stars
Scrooged 1988 (w/ Bill Murray & Karen Allen) - 3.5 out of 5 stars
Cover Girl 1944 (w/ Rita Hayworth & Gene Kelly) - 3.5 out of 5 stars

Speaking of Cover Girl, While I was watching it I took some screen captures.
I loved the wonderful dresses and hairstyles in this scene epsecially. Tons of woman trying to get a modeling job. They focus on a few of them and I was in awe of how amazing the costumes were.

Rita Hayworth - Redheaded wonder!

The handsome and super talented Gene Kelly doing a dance along side himself. He has always been my favourite musical dancer. I also like his singing voice but not as much as his dances. Look how wonderful his outfit is!

And inspired by the movie I was working on my hair, but the problem is that my boys were eating as I was diong this so I did it in about 3 minutes and didn't fix it up before taking the photos. So here's some messy 40s up-do style!

Music Suggestions
Lately I've been listening to the following Christmas albums the most:
Relient K - Let it Snow Baby. . Let it Reindeer
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful Christmas
Happy Christmas vol. 1 (1998 various artists)
Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas (5 volumes collection)

I love this song a lot, give it a listening to:

Somewhere in Time ;)

This is my Great-Grandmother Louise Brooke whom people called Lulu. She came from Ireland. Unfortunately after she married my Great-Grandfather George Schieblein (who was the oldest of 20 children and came from France, pronounced Shy-Blen. . I have his photo too from this shoot), and had a few kids, she died. I can't remember right now what from (i have everything written down)

My Great-Grandparents were the richest couple in their NJ town due to him being the only plumber. He even owned the first car in the town. Too bad I couldn't receive a portion of his fortune at all haha. I decided to pay homage to dear Lulu.

Also I read Sherlock Holmes earlier in the year and the movie is coming out next week. I'm very excited about it. I love the fashion from that time period. I will enjoy seeing Rachel McAdams' wardrobe.

didn't feel like having my face shown

and I of course went to the Library with the family to get a couple books to read. So here I am getting ready to go. The Librarians kept smiling at me (I think deep down inside they thought it looked nice). Life is so much nicer in a Petticoat.

Movies and Music - Suggestion Post #3

This is 2 weeks worth of movies/music (sorry I haven't really had any time or internet connection in the past few days because whenever it snows or rains our cables outside get messed up). But to make up for it I am going to include photos of some of the films!!

Movie Suggestions/Ratings
The Philadelphia Story 1940 (w/ Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, & James Stewart) - 4 out of 5 stars
The Proposal 2009 (w/ Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds) - 3 out of 5 stars
Somewhere in Time 1980 (w/ Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour) - 3 out of 5 stars
Christmas in Connecticut 1945 (w/ Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan) - 3.5 out of 5 stars
Serenity 2005 (w/ Summer Glau) - 4 out of 5 stars
That Hamilton Woman 1941  (w/ Vivien Leigh & Lawrence Olivier) - 3 out of 5 stars
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Movie 1992 (w/ Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland) - 2 out of 5 stars
The Cat Returns 2002 (anime) - 4 out of 5 stars
Imitation of Life 1959 (w/ Lana Turner, John Gavin) - 4 out of 5 stars
League of Their Own 1992 (w/ Geena Davis, Tom Hanks) - 3.75 out of 5 stars
Little Women 1933 (w/ Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett) - 3 out of 5 stars
Ballet Shoes 2007 (w/ Emma Watson, Emilia Fox) - 2.75 out of 5 stars

I've always been fond of the original Christmas in Connecticut! It always makes me laugh.
While decorating our Christmas tree I had Rob and I watch this (he'd never seen it before).
Oh how I loved the hair in this film so very much!

I have seen the '59 version of Imitation of Life a few times, and I usually did so because I love Sandra Dee a lot and always wanted to wear all her clothes (the first vintage dress I bought was one that I thought looked like a Sandra Dee dress). The clothes in this film were spectacular, but unfortunately I couldn't find too many screen shots from the film online)

That Hamilton Woman was a little boring at times, but I have never seen a film with both Vivien Leigh and Lawrence Olivier together (they were married for a period of time). The wardrobe was amazing. They did modernize (for that time) a bit of the old periodical clothing of the time. . for instance there is a picture of the actual Hamilton Lady and Vivien Leigh. . You can see what I mean considering 1941's fashion too.

Of Course A League of Their Own makes me want all of their dresses all the time, and the hair was beautiful. Please let me invade their costumes from the film!!

Somewhere in Time was a very boring film. It was also so depressing. I didn't feel a connection to the characters but the hair and clothing: YES PLEASE take me back to 1912! haha.

Music Suggestions

Lately I've been listening to Christmas music. Here are just a couple that I suggest that I continually have been playing in my head too - more soon. . I just am running out of posting time!! sorry!

Louis Armstrong - 'Zat You Santa Claus

Bing Crosby & Doris Day - Baby It's Cold Outside

A Happy Vintage Dress and Failed Christmas Photos

Here are a couple FAILED Christmas shots I took of the boys. They are cute though! I had such a rough time trying to get photos of our family and individual shots of the boys that I am going to have to choose other photos I took to use for my Christmas Cards. I have no idea what I am going to do, but I hope to work on them later today if I get a chance to.  I wish Leto was looking a little more towards the camera in this shot and I just crack up laughing every time I look at the one of Micah yawning. haha. It's hilarious and I keep thinking of having a text bubble coming out of his mouth and making up things for him to say. ;)

Here are some photos of me in my favourite vintage dress that I got on Etsy from Vintage Rose Clothing.

Priorities and Plans

It seems like everyone around me has been going wild with thinking about themselves or telling me "what I want to do. . ." be it in the future careers, things they hope and dream of, or even their wants in comparison to their needs. This week in particular I've heard this from 5 different people. They don't want to do what they have been doing career-wise; They are worn out or feel they aren't living their own dreams. It seems I've repeated myself to all of these people. I have said, "What do you think GOD wants of you? What about God's plans for you?"

I think we get so caught up with ourselves. We think about our own desires constantly. We forget about God's desires and plans. I think about Job in the Bible. He had everything taken from him and that included his health. Instead of blaming God, he let out his cries of pain while accepting that things happened and he didn't want to do wrong so He sat in prayer so he wouldn't sin while in his great pain. "My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart." -Job 17:11. I'm tired of seeing people who are in pain take it out on people around them, or go to drugs or alcohol for an outlet. We blame God and others rather than trying to talk to Him to sort out our sorry mess of lives. We are so selfish that we forget or purposefully ignore God. Did we forget that We are God's workmanship created to do His work?

Now looking back on my own life I remember the guidance counsellor had is set for me to go to college. I knew what I wanted. College wasn't in my plans. Did I go to God about this? I don't believe I did. I told her, "I'm going to get married and be a housewife." Of course they would think me to be crazy. Who in today's world would successfully do such a thing since we are forced to become business oriented in a materialistic world? The difference is that with this I DID however go to the Lord in prayer. I knew I would get married to Rob (even if I was only 16, I can't describe what God placed in my heart - but at the same time I wanted to make sure it was God and not just my own desires so I prayed about it a lot while crying out to Him for guidance and truth to be revealed to me). Rob of course agreed to this. Did I sit around lazy-like in the process? Nope. I worked hard. I had worked up until I was 7 months pregnant with our first son. I was great at all the jobs I worked and was always goal oriented by making sure there was always something to do. Now that I am a mom at home with my boys every day trying to teach them, train them, and see them develop I am constantly seeking the Lord for what He wants to do with my life. Over and over I find that there is MORE for me. He revealed to me that I was to do what I am doing, but at the same time I know there is even more planned for me. I have told people this and they always tell me to focus on my kids. I focus much on them, but at the same time I feel my heart being tugged. I want to make sure that I can fellowship with people, continue in the Word. Then God reminds me that I am ministering to the youth kids, but still something in me tugs to do MORE and not for ME but for Jesus. I feel useless all the time like I am not living up to God's standards. It hurts me a lot because I feel so worthless or that I am not thinking enough about what I am doing for God.

At the same time it angers me when I see people who are comfortable or complaining about what they have or what they are doing when I see so many people pushing God aside to give into their own desires. I try so hard and when I see other people not doing the same and I know if I am not super close to these people I can't tell them, "Hey, why aren't you reading the Bible every day to seek God on this issue? Why can't you stop complaining and look around you at all the people who would dream to have even 10% of what you have?" It irritates me so much. I feel so useless again. again. again and again. . .but then peoples' laziness and priorities not being for the Lord BUGS ME big time. I hurt over that. Does that make sense?? I hear so many people decide on things so quickly. It's like they push God aside to say, "This is what I want, so stay out and let me do this." I see people who push God aside with the way they "live for Him". I see excuses made, I see people giving up, I see people get so soaked into everything else around them. What about giving our time to God? He is sitting there waiting and listens to us. Why do we expect Him to come to us when we want Him only to come and go as we please? Man, we are selfish (me too but I admit my faults publically so you can help me continue to try for The Lord). I see people who will sit for hours in front of a television or reading books or so consumed with politics that they forget to give a couple hours to Jesus. They think "I believe in Him and that's enough for me." Have we become so twisted that we will only bring God into our lives when we feel we need Him or when we have much taken away from us that it is a temporary fix to our problems until we go back to our day-to-day lives? People are so consumed with the world and so little in God. Am I so crazy that whenever I am around people all I want to do is bring up spiritual discussions with them? Am I so crazy that when people seem to not want to talk about God I just end up feeling sorry for them? Maybe I am, but I thought that was what Christians did and all around me I see Christians NOT wanting to discuss God, not wanting to help others out, not wanting to forgive people who have hurt them, not wanting to show love to people who are destitute, not wanting to do anything but think of themselves or their own little families because doing more than that and coming out of our comfort zones is just not THEIR thing. . .but what about God's thing?? Let's forget about US from time to time, PLEASE. I want to grow. I want more fellowship. I want to do more for God and less for ME. I want encouragement so I can do more.


In closing I want to say, I have found that the more I have in my own life focused on doing God's will over my own (and lived it out), the more He has seen the desires of my own heart and granted them. I don't do these things TO receive my own way, but it is just how it happens. Just like Psalm 20:4 says, "May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." and Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Classic style

Me and Micah
I like to play around with my hair. I do variations for fun and a couple weeks ago I did this one. I really am glad how it came out and wanted to share pictures of the same style in different angles. It looks different from every angle almost, so that's why I like it so much. hopefully I can share a video tutorial of it in the future. my hair is really messy though in these shots because I had run around all day before taking them (so these were taken at about 4PM).

Rob

Leto

I'll have another entry with more pictures from the day I did my hair that way coming soon. I have to catch up on things in my blog like crazy.