15 Movies...

So, I was challenged to come up with a list of 15 movies that mean something to me.  Well for a movie lover like me, this really was a challenge.  Even moving away from just thinking about my favorite movies to movies that I had strong emotional ties to didn’t narrow the field much.  Apparently, I’m a tad over-emotional and I get emotionally invested far too easily.  That being said, I think I finally have a list (that has changed about a thousand times…and if I worked on it any longer would probably continue to change another thousand times).  So here you go, in no particular order:

Knotting Hill:  This is the first one that came to mind.  This is a movie that Kevin and I saw on a date pretty early on in our relationship.  And even though we hadn’t been together long, we both left that movie with the strongest feeling that we would be together forever. 

Willow:  Very fond childhood memories here.  My family always loved to watch movies together.  And we would watch them over and over.  While the quotes in this movie may not be very applicable to real life (there’s a peck here with an acorn pointing it at me), that sure didn’t stop us from remembering and repeating them.

Harry Potter (the whole series, really):  I know, I’m letting my nerd light shine a bit too bright right now, but I can’t help it.  I enjoy the movies almost as much as the books.  They’re all about friendship, good vs. evil, loyalty, overcoming your fears, hope, and so much more.  Lots of great quotes that actually do mean something and are applicable to real life (We have all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the power we choose to act on. That’s who we really are).  And being able to share them all with the kids has been awesome, too.

Armageddon:  This is one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time.  It’s got just about everything you could ever want in a movie:  action, tears, laughs, romance, tears, family, camaraderie, great music, tears, quotes, etc. If I ever come across it on TV, I will always watch it.  It’s amazing.

Forest Gump:  Another top 5 fave.  I love how it spans the decades.  You get to see how the characters grow and change, how the world around them changes and evolves, and you get to listen to all of the amazing music along the way.  You root for the underdog.  You root for love, kindness, and friendship.  And you walk away with a smile on your face.  Puffy eyes, maybe.  But a smile on your face.

Almost Famous and Rockstar:  These two movies are going to share a spot on this list for a couple of reasons.  1) because I needed to cheat a little bit, and 2) because they deliver similar themes and similar stories in two very different movies.  They both have amazing soundtracks and great stories.  Kevin and I saw them both in the theater before we were married, so they carry a lot of fond memories along with them, too.

Pirates of the Caribbean (the series):  These are not necessarily my favorites.  They would not make my top 10 in that regard.  But I enjoyed them.  The reason they made this list, though, is because I saw each of them in the theater with my baby brother…even the last one.  We made time when we were both visiting in Abilene to go see it.  After all, it was tradition, and it was one-on-one time together that we just never get any more.  So as far as I’m concerned, they can keep making the movies, just so we can keep the tradition alive.

Spaceballs:  One of the greatest and most ridiculous movies ever.  Again, great childhood memories with this one.  I remember happily watching it and quoting it with the family as a child.  Then I remember watching it with them in High School and actually understanding all of those things!  OMG.  This is one of the most quoted movies in my family…much to the chagrin of Cakes.

Mr. Holland’s Opus:  This movie came out when I was in the middle of marching band bliss.  In fact, when my friend Jenn and I saw it in the theater, our band directors were in the row behind us.  I have always had a huge love of music, and this move has a lot of it.  Like Forest Gump, it spans the decades and you get to see so much change and growth.  It has heart, humor, and music…3 of my favorite things.

Old School, Anchorman, and Wedding Crashers:  I’m cheating again.  But seeing as these three movies were released in 3 consecutive years and all three of them feature the comedic brilliance of Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn, I figured I could group them together pretty easily.  They have provided multitudes of laughs and quotes to Kevin and I, our friends, and our family.  Cakes and I saw each of them in the theater on dates after we got married:  the first while pregnant with Hannah, the second while pregnant with Mason, and the third while we had a baby and a toddler waiting for us at home. 

9 Months:  The 2^nd of what will be 3 Hugh Grant movies on this list.  It just reminds me of Mom.  Sure, it’s a pretty enjoyable movie to watch and can stand pretty well on its own.  But the birth scene at the end is just one of the funniest things to Mom and me.  We laugh so hard.  Then I laugh at how hard she is laughing, she laughs and how I’m laughing at her, and we just end up in tears.  It’s our thing.  And it’s greatness.

The Croods:  If you haven’t seen it, you should.  It may not be my favorite animated movie, but it definitely got me emotionally invested.  I sobbed when I saw it in the theater with the kids.  I cried when I watched it with them at home.  It’s a great little story about a girl and her family.  But the focus is on the changing dynamic of the girl and her father, and it really struck a chord with me.  And I’m pretty sure it struck a chord with my Dad, too.

Crazy, Stupid Love:  This was another one of the rare date night movies that Kevin and I have gotten over the years.  I laughed and I cried.  Kevin got his first man-crush.  I left the movie theater declaring that it had just become one of my favorite movies ever.  It is a great romantic comedy, but it’s not your typical rom-com either.  I thought it was very well done.  I just love it!

Love Actually:  While I enjoy most, if not all, of Hugh Grant’s romantic comedies I am putting this one on the list more for the fact that it’s one of the few movies with a giant ensemble cast that I think actually works.  It tells several different love stories and shows that you never quite know the impact you might have in someone else’s life.  It’s set at Christmas time, so it is one of my favorite Christmas movies, too.  Another movie that I watched with Cakes; this time on an at-home date.  It always makes me smile (Ok, smile and cry).

Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lion King:  My final entry, and my final cheat.  These were the best animated movies of my childhood.  They were my favorites then, and they are still among my favorites now (along with more recent additions like Nemo, Monster’s Inc., Up, etc.).  I can still sing every song from Little Mermaid, and most of the songs from the others as well.  They just don’t make movies like that anymore.  Literally.

 

...and one to grow on...

We Are Marshall, Invincible, Remember the Titans, Rudy, Friday Night Lights, and When the Game Stands Tall:  Because who doesn't love a good football movie?!  Hard hits, exciting plays, and comeback stories.  Especially when the movies have such positive messages about what it is to be a team, how you are more than what the scoreboard shows, the benefits of hard work and integrity, etc.  What's not to love.  The last of those movies, When the Game Stands Tall, is out in theaters now.  I recommend that everyone sees it.  Watching it today with Kevin and the kids (and Mason's friend) was great.  Mason said it is the best movie ever, and he even almost cried.  Great story.  Great football.  Great message.

It's Elementary...

Yes, it's Elementary...and it's over.  Well, it's over for Hannah anyway.  Today was the last day of school, which means it was Hannah's official last day of elementary school.  Ever.  Normally, this day might be a tear-filled day for mom's.  But luckily for me, Hannah wasn't at school today, so I wasn't hit with the full affect of the emotions.  She and Mason took an early vacation with Grandma and Grandpa to go to Georgia to visit my brother and his family.  It was still very bitter-sweet.  Hannah was very excited to be going on vacation, but a little sad that she had to miss all of the end of year festivities.  I am very proud of and excited for Hannah as she starts this new chapter in her life, but I'm also a little sad to see this chapter come to an end.

Hannah has grown and changed in so many ways since Kindergarten.  She has become this beautiful young lady that is full of spunk, is super talented, and has a wicked sense of humor.  Here's a little trip down memory lane:

 

 

Good Luck in Middle School, Hannah!!!

Spring Sports...

I've said many times that fall is my favorite season.  And fall sports are a big part of that.  But this spring season of sports in the Prickett house was the most successful and exciting season to date.

We had 3 sports going on:  volleyball for Hannah and baseball & 7-on-7 football for Mason.

Here's a little rundown of the awesomeness:

Volleyball
Hannah's team (6 girls that have been together for 4-5 seasons and 1 new girl who fit right in and caught on quickly), the Lady Devils, had an amazing season.  They all showed so much growth and improvement:  serving, setting, working the net, and communicating with each other.  Hannah had a super sweet serve, and her team went undefeated for the season.  Then came the playoffs.  Something happened that day...the girls were off their game.  They were making mistakes they hadn't made in months and just weren't the team we were used to seeing.  Somehow, though, they managed to keep it together enough to make it to the championship round.  They were going to be playing the winner of the game right after theirs, so they stuck around to watch.  And HOLY MOLY, those girls were big...and talented...and able to spike!  They demolished the team they were playing, something like 25-5 each round.  Us parents were worried, especially given how the girls had been playing that day.  But the Lady Devils rallied.  They got pumped up and started playing like they had been all season.  That other team was good, but that day, at that time, we were better.  It was a shut out.  Hannah's team won both sets and clinched the 1st place championship title!  Even though they were undefeated, they were the underdogs of that game...and they WON!  It was FANTASTIC!  They remained undefeated for the season, including playoffs.  We are SO proud.

7-on-7
This started out pretty slowly for us.  Mason's team lost their first game, we decided right away that it was boring to watch, and Mason even said that it was boring to play.  But I think it all just took some getting used to.  Coming from tackle football to touch football was a big change.  But as time went on, that first game was the only game they lost.  And as time went on, either the games got more exciting, or we knew more of what to expect...or both.  It was fun!  I guess touch football is still football, which by its very definition is AWESOME!  They ended their season undefeated...well, except for that first game.  They went to the playoffs and continued to kick everyone's butts until they won the championship!  Another champion in the Prickett house!  We are SO proud!

Baseball
Mason was playing baseball at the same time that he was playing 7-on-7.  It made for some hectic weeks getting the kids to and from practices and games each week, but it worked out pretty well.  This was his first season in kid-pitch, and he had it in his mind that he wanted to pitch.  We were a little unsure.  We knew how hard he always is on himself, and we just didn't know if he could handle to pressure.  But that kid would go out there and amaze us every single time he pitched.  He could shake off the bad pitches, block out the crowd, and do what needed to be done.  And when he wasn't pitching, he was playing short stop or second base.  We went from a low of 4th/5th place up to 2nd place by the time the playoffs came along.  We had two games to play that day.  We get there and the games are falling an hour behind.  So we wait.  Then, it's game time, and our boys play great!  There was great pitching, great catching, and great hitting.  Mason even hit a triple! (of course, he ignored the 3rd base coach's sign to stay on 2nd, but whatever)  We won that game, and we moved on to the championship game.  We were playing against a team that was made mostly of Mason's friends from school.  This was the first place team.  This was a team of great pitchers and big hitters.  This was also a team of good sports with parents who were good sports.  It was a heck of a game!  Mason pitched 3 1/2 innings, giving up only 3 runs.  When we were down 8-4, and the bases were loaded, Mason comes up to bat.  He let himself get a full count, and then...BAM!  He hit a GRAND SLAM and tied it up 8-8.  Then, the other team had last bat.  We made it so close, but alas, we lost.  But we couldn't have lost to a better team, and 2nd place ain't too shabby.  We're SO proud!!

To put it simply:  Hannah and Mason are amazing, and they've had the good fortune of playing on amazing teams with other amazing kids.  Sports.  Are.  Awesome....and We.  Are.  Proud.

Candy Bars and Movie Titles...

I'm sure a lot of us (especially those of us on Pinterest) have seen that "teacher's gift" made of candy bars.  It's a big thank you note with the names of different candy bars worked in as part of the message?  You know the one.  Well, that whole idea (while clever) is old hat.  I won't claim to be the creator if the idea, but it's one that I've done before:

• When Kevin and I were dating, I made him some sort of super lame anniversary gift telling the story of us in candy bars.  Now though, the only part of it I remember was using a Zero bar to signify our first date, which was at a club called Ground Zero.
• At my sister's movie-themed wedding shower, I made a shower game challenging the ladies to write their love story using only Movie Titles.  I don't have it anymore, but I do remember changing it from "When Harry Met Sally" to "When Jody Met Jaime".  And since they met at a bowling alley, I believe I worked "Kingpin" into the story.  It was a lot of fun.

Anyway, I thought I might do a post along those same lines. 

~So here's the candy version of my Spring Break:

• Finally, Spring Break was here.  It was time to Take 5!  The weather was lovely.  However, the 3 Musketeers (Hannah, Mason, and Mason's friend Ashton) decided they were Red Hots and needed to play in the sprinklers.  They had a lot of fun, and I heard tons of Snickers from them while they were at it.  They were playing, and I was doing Mounds of laundry and housework.  Didn't quite seem fair, but then what is?  Later, the kids and I played a little catch, and even though I was a bit of a Butterfinger we still enjoyed ourselves.  As I pouted about Hannah choosing to join Choir rather than Band, I reminisced about all of my fellow band-Nerds...those were such good times!  We went to the movies where we got to Crunch into some popcorn.  We played tetherball which let me listen to all of my joints Krackel and left me feeling sore.  We jammed out to a Symphony of awesome songs on our iPods.  It was a wonderful week spending lots of quality time with my little Goobers!

~And here's the movie version of the story of Cakes and Cakes:

• We met over some Mystic Pizza at Pizza Hut.  I was a waitress, and One Fine Day he came in to apply to be a Delivery Man.  I offered him a drink while he waited for his interview.  We were fast friends.  For a while, despite all of his efforts, I wanted to be Just Friends.  But finally I figured Something's Gotta Give, and I said yes.  We had our first Date Night at a club in town with 2 of his childhood friends.  We dated for a year and a half before we got engaged.  The Proposal may not have been the stuff that dreams are made of, but it worked for me.  After all, it was Love, Actually.  We were engaged for another year and a half before we got married.  We could Say Anything to each other, and we never failed to make each other laugh.  We took a Road Trip honeymoon, driving 4,000 miles, and we only fought Once.  You could say that it was Laughter in Paradise.  Since then, we've discovered Parenthood and now have more Friends With Kids than friends without.  We've seen each other through sicknesses and job losses.  Kevin even got the chance to be Mr. Mom for a while.  Sometimes our life makes us want to pull our hair out and throw our hands Up in the Air, but I can't imagine Waiting to see what else life has in store without him.  It may not be your typical Love Story, but this journey we're on will certainly be a Walk to Remember.

So now it's your turn.  Tell me a story with candy, movies, or even songs.  I'd LOVE to see what you can do!

Frequently Asked Questions...

This post is going to be dedicated to questions.  Questions that I find myself asking, and questions I find myself answering...over and OVER.

 

~When will we get there?

     This might be the question I hear most often...pretty much any and every time Mason is in the car with me.  Sometimes multiple times per drive.  And I'm sure every parent on the planet will have this as one of their FAQ's, too.  While Hannah would ask that question just to be annoying, Mason will ask it almost instinctively...like he doesn't even know he's doing it. It doesn't matter if we're going to Abilene or just going to the store, it'll come out like a fart he didn't know was coming.

 

~Where do I turn this in?

     Despite the fact that they've been turning their work in to the same place every day since August, I will still get asked this question by at least one of my students almost every day.  And my response is always the same, "Where do we always turn things in?"  Sheesh.

 

~How is it possible?

     How is it possible:  for us to always run out of spoons and cups, for Hannah to make such a big mess in her room in such a small amount of time, for Mason to never run out of questions, for me to take a giant grocery shopping trip just to add 3 more things to the list when I get home, that people don't like LOST, that we are so incredibly blessed?

 

~Why not?

     Every. Single. Time I say no to the kids.  About anything.  Ever.  I start out giving logical reasons why (it's almost supper time, it's bed time, you already have, etc.), but it doesn't take me long before the "because I said so's" start.  And I'm not ashamed to admit it.  Maybe take the hint and don't ask a question you know I'm going to say no to in the first place!

 

~What can I do?

     Despite the fact that Hannah and Mason both have more than they need in the way of toys, games, and things to keep them occupied, I still get this question from them.  Despite the fact that I've been teaching for almost 10 years, I still ask myself what I can do better.  Despite the fact that we are 6 months in to the school year, I still get kids asking this question when they are finished with their work.

 

~When did that happen?

     I ask myself this:  every time I see how grown up Hannah is getting, every time I hear Mason talk about how he likes reading (Percy Jackson books, anyway), and every time I look in the mirror.

 

 

What about you?  What are some of your most frequently asked questions?



I'm ________, Because...

I'm weird, because:

•  I can bend all of my fingers at the first knuckle at the same time.
•  I CAN'T STAND the feeling of wet, unfinished ceramic.  I cringe and shiver if I have to hand-wash a coffee cup.
• When I was a kid, I would play cards by myself.  Not just solitaire.  My favorite was Kings in a Corner.  I would play right hand vs. left hand.  And I wouldn't cheat.  (I like to blame this on my older brother and sister not wanting to play with me, but sadly, that's probably not the only reason.)
• SOMETIMES, if I notice myself stepping on a crack in the side walk (or something similar) with one foot, I will adjust my pace in order to assure that I will also step on one with the other foot  (I know that sounds very Jack Nicholson in "As Good as it Gets"...crazy.  But it's not a compulsion.  I don't HAVE to.  I just PREFER to.)
• I like to eat cereal more at night than I do in the morning.
• I cry at the drop of a hat.  Literally.  Try dropping a hat in front of me, and see what happens. (OK, maybe not literally, but I do at least tear up very easily and quite often).

I'm normal, because:

• I think Wolverine's the biggest and best bad-ass ever.  (A bit random, but we're watching his latest movie right now...it just needed to be said.)
• I think laundry and dishes are two of the worst chores, because they are never ending (we don't often sit around the house naked not eating or drinking anything for an extended period of time).
• I LOVE music.  It can change my mood, bring back a flood of memories, distract me, and inspire me.
• I am tired almost ALL of the time.  Aren't we all?

I'm nerdy, because:

• I was in band for 7 years and LOVED every minute of it!
• I like reading children's and young adult novels as much as, if not more than regular "grown-up" books.
• I prefer reading actual books as opposed to e-readers.
• I spent my college years: actually going to class, working full time, and hanging out with Kevin.  Thus, I have zero party stories. 

I'm awesome, because

• I was in band for 7 years and LOVED every minute of it!
• I come from a family loud, sarcastic, movie-quoting, fun-loving family.
• I can say that I have seen both Garth Brooks and Aerosmith in concert. 
• I am the mother of the 2 most awesome kids I know.
• I have a pretty wicked sense of humor.

I'm a bad friend, because:

• I'm not a huge fan of talking on the phone, and am terrible at returning phone calls.
• I'm great at making plans, but have a bad habit of letting life get in the way of following through with those plans.
• I'm terrible at remembering birthdays.
• I'm indecisive and am zero help in deciding where to eat.

I'm a good friend, because:

• I don't like to make decisions, so I'm typically delighted to go along with whatever the other person chooses.
• I bake.  And I share.   :)
• I pray for my friends every day, I'm loyal, and I'll be there when/if I'm needed.
• I LOVE to laugh.  A LOT.

I'm lazy, because:

• I am THE WORST about exercising.  In any way.  It just never happens.
• I don't go out and play with my kids nearly as often as I should.
• I've been known to settle for popcorn/cereal/whatever you can find for supper rather than cooking.
• I've been known to settle for a quick vacuum job rather than actually cleaning.

I'm energetic, because:

• I'm a teacher.
• I'm a mother.
• After all of that, I don't live in complete squalor.
• I spontaneously sing/dance while: cooking, cleaning, driving, conversing, walking, etc..

I'm sad, because:

• We don't get to see our family as often as I'd like, as often as we used to.
• My kids are growing up way too fast.  I think they are changing more with each day now, than they did when they were younger.  The things they say and do, and their mannerisms...my babies are not babies any more.
• The Cowboys have let yet another season go by without making it to the playoffs.   :)

I'm happy, because:

• As much as Hannah and Mason (and I) love babies, and as great as they are with them, it's a good thing they have a fair amount of babies (cousins and friends) to love on and spend time with.
• I have had a magnificent Christmas vacation!  It has been full of family, friends, fun, checking things off the to-do list, and plenty of lazy time.  I think 2 weeks is the perfect amount of time off.
• I'm finally getting around to blogging again.
• The phrase "I love you" is both said and heard frequently by all members of this family each and every day.
• I adore my parents.
• I have amazing in-laws.
• I am SO incredibly blessed!