Movie Review- The Watchmen

I watched The Watchmen tonight, and I've gotta give it a big Thumbs Down. Maybe if I had been familiar with the "graphic novel" (comic book) I would have understood it better, but when comprehension is left to the movie alone, it's too random and unorganized to follow.

The movie is also very invasive when it comes to all things squeamish. For example, the elbow-breaking, head-slicing, blood and gore is so over the top and in-your-face, it crosses the line from unesessary to obnoxious. There is also a sex scene that lags waaaay too long and is also over-the-top. It gets to the point where the audienence can't help but to think "get a room".

Straight men who watch the movie wont appreciate the big blue guy's wang hanging out the entire time either.

On the bright side, the film has a good soundtrack, so at the very least you'll enjoy the music. But when it comes to the plot, I've gotta say it commands too much attention to detail to really enjoy unless you're totally invested, and it's three hours so that's asking a lot.

But hey, I'm a chick who hates both comic books and all the dumbass movies that spawn from them so, what do I know...

The Orchids

The only fight Danny and I ever had in our adult life together was in the very beginning and it was about how he needed to show me more appreciation. That night, Danny came over with a beautiful purple orchid and a CD he bought me and he swore he wouldn't take me for granted again. And he hasn't. This sort of started our tradition of "The Orchids".

Orchids are exotic plants that are finicky and hard to care for. They're picky about sunlight exposure and when they need water. So that combined with my black thumb means that my purple orchid didn't live very long. After I pronounced it dead, Danny came home with another one, this time white with purple dots. This one lasted about 3 whole months!
Today, a brand new awesome pink one sits atop my counter.

People have asked why we keep getting orchids when they keep dying, and the conclusion I've come to is that Danny really really really likes orchids and I'm convinced he now gets them for himself under the pretense that they're for me ;) He'll take pictures of the plant, comment on how pretty it is when he walks by, he said he wants orchids at our wedding one day, and is even picky about the plants' placement.
It's so cute because he's not a guy you would ever think would get into a flowery plant, but here we are with our orchids. Every time I see one, I will always think of Danny and how even after all these years, he still loves me make me happy. :)

The Cutest Baby Alive

My little Samurai... he just never ceases to amaze me. Motherhood is the most life changing thing to happen. No matter how frustrated you get or how tired you are, this little person has the ability to melt your heart with a single tear. I remember the day Sam got tears. He awoke from a nap crying and by the time I got in there they were streaming down his giant chipmunk cheeks. It was the wet eyelashes that did me in. This little person learns so much everyday, it's so cool to see him change and grow. Each day it seems like he comprehends a little more. His personality comes out more and more each day. So far, I think that Sam is a very laid back soul who is very particular. Tonight he cried and cried until we turned his swing off and he just stopped. He didn't want to swing at that moment. This was new, because he always loves to swing. Today was different- today he had a preference. He is cool and sometimes condescending, but sweet and cuddly. He doesn't always laugh. Sometimes he leaves you hangin', looking like an idiot. Other times he cracks up. He laughs when we're changing a diaper he's blown out off, and will laugh along when we do, almost as if he's pretending to get the joke. Sometimes he appears to hold back his smile, almost as if he's making us work for it. And he seems precocious. He has done everything on target or sooner. He tries to sit up by himself and is always trying to push up onto his legs when he's sitting on our lap. He never "discovered" his hands- he's always known their function... at 1 week old he began holding his pacifier to his mouth.
I'm just so proud of my little critter. More updates will come as they happen. Hopefully that's soon! :)

Tribute to Danny

Danny's birthday is fast approaching on July 27th, and I haven't the slightest clue what to do for him. He's turning 24 and the last time he had a birthday we didn't make a cake, but we did make a baby! Little Sammy baby was conceived on Danny's birthday, at least according to the conception calculator we used when we plugged in his due date. This will be his first birthday as a daddy, so its an important one.
Danny has always been so mature beyond his years, and although only 23 when we got pregnant, he has been such a magnificent father and partner. He is our rock- and I admit that he took to the parenting role much more naturally than I. He is a pro swaddler, a pro burper, and he got the first smile. Sam was born via C-Section so for the first week in the hospital I literally couldn't get out of bed to tend to Sam. Danny did everything, giving him a head start on this parenting thing, and I felt so lost when he had to return to work. He does so much for me; just carrying the carseat down the stairs and getting him in the car is such work.
I'm so lucky to have such a strong male figure for Sam to look up to. I know Danny will be his hero on day. He might even be mine... :)
Love you baby!

Fun things to do with Sam

I've compiled a list of things that I want to do with Sam when he gets a little older. I'm excited for when I can give him all these experiences!

Lovely photo with mom

• Go to Jump & Shout
• Swimming in pool
• First road trip
• Go to beach and play in sand
• Sit on Santa’s lap for first Christmas
• Play in snow
• Polar Express train ride to North Pole in Williams AZ in Dec 2010
• Play in fountains at Desert Ridge
• Play on playground at park
• Paint at As You Wish
• First Halloween costume and trick or treating
• Enroll in a baby/kids music class
• Join a sports team like a tot’s basketball team
• Trip to mall with mama
• Go watch fireworks
• Go to the Zoo
• Go to Sea World
• Trip to Michigan
• First plane ride

Bookmans Experience

As of late I've realized that my bookcase needs some refreshing. It's not cool to be 25 years old and have so many hot pink books (except my Sex & The City one- that one stays). So I busted out my roller-suitcase and started filling it with books and DVDs. I had Danny take it down the stairs (like my lazy ass was gonna do that) and put it in my trunk. Today, after work, I took it to Bookmans. (Bookmans is a place that trades books, CDs, DVDs, etc.) So I go in there looking ridiculous with my roller-suitcase and wait patiently for them to go through my suitcase and decide "what they can use." In other words, judge the worthiness of the precious books I liked enough to pay full price for.
After 20 minutes I walk up to see six SIX! books on the counter. That's all they "can use" which really means they're the books the hipster-chick clerk finds interesting. I bet if I went in there tomorrow with the same suitcase and a different clerk, they'd find 6 more!
So they offered me $22.oo in store credit or $5.00 cash. So insulting. Obviously I took the 22.00 store credit and with that bought Sam the DVD Monster House, and 2 books for me; "Velvet Elvis" and "She Works/He Works" (more on those titles later).
So that was my Bookmans experience. They do have a big selection though. Now I just have to look for other trade-in bookstores to peddle my roller-suitcase full of treasures. :)