Judy Hopps is my Soul Sister

I know that we're a little late to the game, but on Friday night my family and I finally watched Zootopia. A movie about a determined bunny, rookie cop named Judy Hopps and her unlikely partner, a con artist fox named Nicholas Wilde, who work to uncover a conspiracy ailing the city of Zootopia.

As a parent, I loved this movie for my kids. Of course it was cute, funny, and full of teachable moments, but more than anything it was inspiring. It showed humanity in the form of animals, and was incredibly honest. The movie ends with Judy saying, "Life's a little bit messy. We all make mistakes. No matter what type of animal you are, change starts with you."

And this I love.

There are two major themes I took away from this movie.

The first...

I want my kids to know that yes, they may only be one person, but they have a voice and it should be used for good. They should speak up for those that cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:8), and never forget that they have to power to be courageous. We live in a world that is full of negativity and evilness, but yet in spite of that there are still good things here. Still beautiful moments and people and experiences, and we each have the opportunity to be a light in the darkness...to embrace who we are and soar.

(It's honestly a little difficult to believe the words above in light of this weekend's events in Orlando, Florida. On Friday, a beautiful, young, talented singer named Christina Grimmie was murdered after performing at her concert, and then on Sunday morning 50 innocent lives were stolen at the hands of an Islamic terrorist. It's unfathomable how so much harm was done in such a short amount of time, especially all in the same city! I'm absolutely sick over these vicious attacks...I just don't understand. I know that my God is bigger than this evilness and the only thing I find peace in is knowing that He is in control, and He is a just God, and those responsible for these horrific acts will face justice one way or another.)   

The second...

Another theme in this movie is sweet Judy and her "I can be anything!" attitude. Now, as someone that tries and fails often, I admired seeing a character so determined and full of gumption. (For the record, this may be my favorite word, as it literally means "shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness", and that my friend is me in a nutshell. Gumption doesn't mean you always succeed, but it means you try.)

Anyway, while Judy is determined to become a cop (the first bunny cop!), her parents have a different way of looking at things.

In case you didn't watch the video, here's the just of it:

Bonnie Hopps: Of course, it is okay to have dreams.

Stu Hopps: Just as long as you don't believe too much in them.

While Stu and Bonnie Hopps mean well, they are straight up dream killers. It's perfectly fine to be realistic and share your concerns with someone, but to spew negativity stating how you just know something will not work out, or that it's definitely not a good idea is just foolish. Because here's the thing -- these people don't know how things will turn out. Just because they don't believe it can happen doesn't mean it can't.

I know many people just like Judy's parents who eagerly share how awful my plan/dreams/goals sounds. And considering that I have many interests and goals and sometimes go overboard in executing them, I somewhat understand the concern...but why not offer support or encouragement? Why not have faith and believe in that person, or why not simply keep your lips zipped?

I don't know what my future holds, but I know that if animated movies like Zootopia give me goosebumps and inspire me to keep going, then that's enough for me. I'm so thankful for movies like Zootopia and hope that my children grow up to be as determined and persistent as sweet Judy Hopps. 

Weekend End Wrap-Up

This past weekend was one filled with tears (the good kind), exploring, resting, and relaxing.

On Friday, Keith and I headed out on an early date and saw the movie that I've been looking forward to for months, Me Before You. Having read the book, I knew what I was getting myself into, but that didn't stop me from sobbing the last 30 minutes of the film. This story is one of love and loss and is hauntingly beautiful, and I highly recommend watching it. However, maybe check it out on a Sunday afternoon instead of on a big Friday night. After the movie, Keith and I went out to dinner and both felt a bit exhausted and heavy after watching the ever delightful Louisa Clark and the handsome Will Traynor.

Silently sobbing makes for a good swollen face :)

We awoke on Saturday to a bright and sunny day, and decided to take the kids out and explore a bit of Charleston. While we always say that we live in Charleston, we actually live 20 minutes from downtown and don't venture out as often as we'd like. One of our favorite places, Cypress Gardens, was damaged during last year's massive flood and has yet to re-open, so we're always looking for new places to go with the kids.

Keith mentioned heading to Fort Moultrie, which is located in Sullivan's Island about 40 minutes from our house, and I hesitantly agreed. The only time we visited was years ago during the winter and we froze our butts off. However, this time around we had the most wonderful experience!

Arabella has been taking very unpredictable naps and ended up sleeping for most of the time, so she missed out on exploring the fort and checking out the cannons. We ended up wandering around the front of the fort and discovered a path to Sullivan's Beach!

Our little Bella Reese woke up to see one of favorite places (if not her favorite!) and loved hanging out in the water. After spending time at Ft. Moultire, we stopped for lunch and ice cream, Toys R Us, and headed home to relax for the rest of the evening.

On Sunday, I woke up feeling a bit sore and had a pretty intense backache. I think the combination of walking a little too much and riding in Keith's lifted truck made this happen, but I was still feeling okay. Then, my sweet Gavin tried to give me a kiss and accidentally head-butted me in the nose. Now, as a mom I've been head-butted plenty of times before, but this time was incredibly painful. I immediately burst into tears and checked for blood, because I was sure that my nose was broken. Luckily, there was no blood and if anything my nose is only bruised, but the headache it caused lasted for most of the day. :( Gavin felt horrible but I assured him that it was okay, but I was pretty much useless the rest of the day. We did get to watch Djokovic win the French Open (GO DJOK!!!!) and that was awesome.

I also watched the Miss USA pageant and really enjoyed seeing how diverse and intelligent this year's contestant were. Pageants get a lot of heat for being just "beauty pageants", and yes these women are beautiful, but they are also strong and intelligent and fearless. I follow a lot of the contestants and pageant sites on Instagram and my favorites going in to the competition were South Carolina, South Dakota, and Hawaii. After the initial introductions, I was also rooting for D.C. to win because I admire her service in the Army. 

District of Columbia, Hawaii, South Carolina, and South Dakota

All of my favorites made it to the Top 10, except South Carolina who made it to the Top 15. Each year I watch this and it is clear that you must have confidence and poise to make it to the interview, but if you bomb said interview then you're toast! Alabama and California were fan favorites and doing so well, and then their answers were lacking and a bit painful to watch and they did not move forward. 

It does seem a bit convenient that the military contestant was asked a question about the government allowing women to fight in combat, while Hawaii was asked who she was going to vote for (Clinton vs. Trump...really????). Both contestants handled the questions well, but I do think Hawaii had an unfair advantage that may have cost her the crown. 

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and I am so thankful that I get to do life with these people!

How was your weekend? 

What did you do?

Relaxing on this Miscellany Monday

Source: flickr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Good morning, sweet readers. How are y'all doing today? I'm feeling great! Keith and I just finished the last of our assignments and are officially on Fall Break for one week. YAY! Anyway, Happy Monday y'all! I'm full of miscellaneous, so that's what I'll be writing about today. 

* I know it's only Monday, but I am beyond pumped for Friday because....Keith and I are finally going on a date! :) It's been months since our last one and this quality time is much over due. Plus, I'm totally pumped to get dolled up and explore Charleston with my man. :D

 Our first Charleston date, January 2009

* So, my Yanks are in the playoffs, but it is so hard to be happy when Jeter is out with a broken bone in his ankle. He is without a doubt my favorite ballplayer and it just doesn't feel right seeing someone else play shortstop. The Wall Street Journal posted an article yesterday called Without Jeter, These Playoffs Feel Like a Funeral and boy are they right. I'm praying this injury doesn't end his career. I'm praying that he is back next year and playing like himself again.

It may sound silly, but if this is it for him...if he doesn't come back, I will truly be heartbroken. Besides the fact that he's The Captain and is just a damn good player, I am hoping he's okay, selfishly, so that I can see him play in person. I've yet to do that, but it hasn't been without trying. (Remember my honeymoon?) My logic is this -- it's like living in the era of DiMaggio and never making time to get to NYC and watch the greatness in action. Especially now that Gav is here, I just really want to share the experience with him. *sigh* Sorry to ramble, but this is important to me.

* I don't know what the weather has been like everywhere else, but here in South Carolina it has been bliss. Anywhere from the 60's to 70's and sunny. We've also had hotter days and rainy days, but man have those sunny fall days been wonderful. Gav and I have been going on walks and I am really just thankful for these days.

* After one month of avoiding fast food, I decided to splurge yesterday on a Whopper combo from Burger King to celebrate Fall Break. Let's just say I deeply regret this decision. I was so nauseated and felt terrible. Almost like I had food poisoning. Blah. I guess we really are what we eat! I don't want to say too much yet (don't wanna jinx myself) but over the past 5 weeks I've lost a considerable amount of weight (we're talking double digits!) and I am 1 pound from reaching my pre-baby weight. Thank God! (I'm going to write about my results once I reach my goal.) Eating that awful BK meal yesterday was definitely poor judgment, but I'd like to note this experience for the next time I am tempted to eat fried, processed, food...DON'T DO IT LADY!!! (Also, is anyone on My Fitness Pal? If you are, send me your username! I'd love to have more accountability and offer up some encouragement.)

Well, that's all the rambling I have for now. I'll be spending today with Gav and relaxing without feeling guilty. I've been wanting to have an Audrey Hepburn marathon, and I think that's exactly what I'll do. On the lineup? Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and Breakfast at Tiffany's. :)

Happy Monday, readers! 

Moments of Impact

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Well, I know what the husband and I are doing on February 14th! The movie The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum opens that day (but I've also seen February 10 as the opening day!) and we will definitely be out on a V-Day date! 

So what's it about? 

A newlywed couple recovers from a car accident that puts the wife in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, her husband endeavors to win her heart again.

Okay, okay I know it's a bit cliché, but I am an absolute sucker for these kinds of movies. Plus, this one in particular looks wonderful. Rachel McAdams is one of my favorite actresses and I can't wait to see her in this film. 

Oh, what a tearjerker! And the song Enchanted by Taylor Swift is just perfect for this trailer! 

Happy Friday lovelies,

I hope you enjoy the weekend!

(pictures/synopsis from here)

Holiday Favorites Link-Up: Holiday Movies

Today I'm linking up with Michelle and Lyndsay to share my favorite holiday movies!

Now, there are (what I consider) the classics:

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I adore each and every one of these movies, but these aren't the ones I am going to focus on today. While I could practically recite the five listed above, there are two newer movies that have a special place in my heart.

1. The Family Stone 

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The trailer for this movie made it out to be a comedy -- guy brings home girl, family doesn't like girl, the comedic chaos begins. But, this movie was much more than that. It was real. It wasn't a sugarcoated Christmas movie where everyone lives happily ever after. It's a story of a dysfunctional family dealing with real life issues. And I loved it. Growing up in my own dysfunctional family, I have much appreciation for movies like this...movies where the last scene leaves me with goosebumps and tears. If you haven't seen it yet, then I highly recommend it. You'll laugh and you'll cry...but it's a good one. 

2. The Holiday

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Love. this. movie.  Once again, it's not your typical Christmas movie, but oh is it ever wonderful! The first time I saw this was actually an accident. I had just unsubscribed from Blockbuster's version of Netflix, and this movie had already shipped before I cancelled. When it arrived I figured I might as well watch it and then send it on its merry way. Well, let me just say that any sadness/loneliness I was feeling before had completely vanished after watching this movie. I was filled with hope and happiness. This movie is wonderful to watch around the holidays, or anytime for that matter. 

Stop by Michelle or Lyndsay's blog to join in on the fun! 

The Greatest Show on Earth

Thanks to my little sister's change of plans, we decided to take a trip to the movies last night and see Water for Elephants. I finished reading the book last weekend and was very anxious to watch this story come to life. After my disappointment with Something Borrowed, I had pretty low expectations that this movie would do the book any justice.

Well, I was wrong.

This movie was absolutely superb. Yes, a few things were different but ultimately it stayed on track with the storyline. It was breathtaking. The actors, the setting, the wardrobe, the animals...all of it came to life in a way that made my heart flutter. 

Recently I have been reading a lot, and it all started when I laid my hands on Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. I breezed through that novel, went on the Something Blue and continued with Emily's three other novels. After that I began Water for Elephants and am now reading Twilight. (Regardless of anyone's opinion of the Twilight series, I am loving the book.) The one thing that ties these books (other than EG's other three) together is the fact that they have been made into movies. I am completely captivated by the fact that a story can be created by an author and then come to life on the big screen. 

For me personally, another thing that these novels have in common is their ability to hook the reader. With the exception of WFE's slow start, I have not been able to put any of these books down. Seriously. When I'm hooked, I'm hooked. I read during my lunch breaks, when I get home from work, while I bathe, and before bed. Heck, I'd read at work if I knew it was acceptable. :)

As someone who loves to write, these books and movies inspire me tremendously. I was talking to my Grandmother this morning and she was telling me about a book that had her hooked. My grandmother is 84 years old and barely ever reads (apparently by the time she gets to the end, she won't remember the beginning) but read this book in one day because she was captivated. This book made her heart soar. I sincerely hope to write a book like that one day. By all means it does not have to be made into a movie, but a book that makes the reader literally want to jump in is a book worth writing.

So here's my question...which books have you been completely and utterly enchanted by? Jodie from Bursting at the Seams recommended the book The Help, and I actually saw a preview for this movie last night. Let me just say this movie looks amazing, and I can't wait to get my hands on the book! :) Thanks Jodie!

*picture from here

My Miscellany Monday

* I don't know about you guys, but today is dragging. by. so. slowly. Blah! I always feel this way after having a pretty great weekend though. My husband (Keith, KC, sweet boy, etc.) travels every week for his job, (He meets me Mondays for lunch and then I don't see him again until Friday evening! Wahhh!) so the weekends tend to always be wonderful, but are always short lived. :/ This weekend we went with our friends Chad and Melissa, and the bro/sis-in-law Stephen and Ivey to the zoo. 

Me and Keith

 Elephant!

Beautiful Zebra

 Sleeping gorilla scratching it's armpit...bahahah

Gorillas have huge hands!

 Pretty little Tucan

 

Pretty pink flamingos! 

Gotta love penguins! :) 

Group shot after we had to literally haul booty through the rain!

Chad, Melissa, Ivey, Stephen, Keith, and me

* Over the weekend I finished reading Water for Elephants and I have to say that I was extremely impressed. This was such a fantastic novel! It was a slow start for me, but once I reached the middle I was seriously hooked. I could not put that book down! Going to the zoo while reading this book sort of changed my perspective about the animals there. I have no reason to think that these animals are getting abused, but  my heart has definitely softened for animals after reading WFE. I am planning on going solo to the movies tomorrow night to see the movie, but I just hope that it does the book justice! :)

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* If you haven't already, don't forget to enter my giveaway! Friday (around 12pm EST) is the last day to enter before I announce the winner at 1:30!! So what's up for grabs? An item from the darling, lovely Tiffany & Co.!!! :) 

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Click here for more information, or you can also click the picture on the right-hand side of my blog! Good luck to everyone who entered! :) 

* I'd like to send a very big congratulations to Chloe and her hubby Josiah over at Tryin' to Throw My Arms Around the World!!! They welcomed a baby boy into the world on Friday and I am just so happy for them! :) 

That's all for today. I hope this Monday is treating you well!

Life and a Weekly Health Update no. 5

Hello dears. :) I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! (And a Happy late Mother's Day to all of the moms out there!) My weekend, as always, went by way too quickly but it was delightful. It was the first school-free weekend for me and the hubs and we thoroughly enjoyed it. 

On Friday night I went with my co-worker/friend Karie to see Something Borrowed and I have to say that I was a little disappointed. Overall I did like the movie, but my expectations may have been a bit too high. The storyline stayed pretty true to the book, but I thought that there were some very important things that were left out, and a few added items that were unnecessary. I guess this is what happens when you take an amazing book and condense it into a 2 hour movie. BUT, I'd definitely see it again, I'll probably buy the DVD, and you can bet I am still a huge Emily Giffin fan. :)

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Fitness

Let's face it -- I have completely slacked off of my "a whole new healthy me!" regimen. The reason? I have lost any and all motivation. Sure, working out and eating better makes me feel better, but sometimes I feel like I am fighting a battle against laziness/procrastination and I am losing badly. Last week I failed to write this update, and even though I have nothing good to report I must keep posting because the accountability is priceless. 

I didn't work out last week at all, so there's really nothing to update.

Nutrition

I have been doing an okay job at eating healthy, but I'm still refusing to count calories. I know it's a necessary evil but I just can't stick with it. I do have somewhat promising news -- last week I ordered Keith and I each a Weight Watchers member's starter kit. While this will still be sort of like counting calories, I think I'll feel a lot better by having a point system and keeping track of everything. A year ago Keith and I did WW for a few weeks...he lost 10 pounds, I lost 5. (Don't you just love how quickly men lose weight?) 

Next Week's Motivating Picture

 

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Jennifer Hudson - Because losing weight and being healthy IS possible. She's gorgeous. :)

Weight/Measurements

I still have not stepped a foot on the scale since the last time, so I have no clue how much I'm weighing. I can guarantee I haven't lost any further weight just by the way my pants are fitting. As for measurements, there's really no improvement. I mean come on, you can't stop working out and eating good and expect results. 

Wrap-Up

While I feel like a borderline failure, I am hopeful. My challenge of posting a bathing suit picture of myself on July 30th still stands, so I better get my butt in gear or prepare for embarrassment. Wish me luck! 

To the ladies that started their own regime, how are y'all doing? Any advice?

*Read about the start of this journey here. You can also see my past weeks progress here. Thanks for stopping by!

Fiiiiinally!!!

Tonight I will be here

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Eating this

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Drinking one of these

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While watching this!

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I.can't.wait. :))))))

Have a wonderful weekend lovelies!

(Oh, and I get to pick this stud up at the airport after the movie.)

Life is good great.

Wee Bit on a Wednesday

{one} have you ever fainted?Sort of. When I was around 18 I was struggling with Endometriosis and would sometimes pass out from the pain. SO happy that I no longer have that type of pain!

{two} what is your favorite casino game?I've only been to a casino one time and I played the slots. Booooring. 

{three} do you have a good sense of direction?Not so much. In Louisiana everything was either West towards Lake Charles or East towards New Orleans. Now, everything is everywhere here in Charleston and I never know which way I'm going! :)

{four} laptop or desktop?Laptop all the way. I am way too mobile to have a computer in one location.

{five} what is your go-to hair style when having a bad hair day?Ponytails are my thing. Lately it's all I do, but I am working up the courage to get a nice chop (I'm thinking 5"-10" off!)

{six} do you read the newspaper on a daily basis?Not the newspaper, but I do read the news online each day.

{seven} do you have a favorite celebrity chef?Does Buddy Valastro count? I absolutely love the Mr. Cake Boss and watching his new cooking show! :) Buddy rocks. {eight} what tv show would you like to make a guest appearance on?Chuck! Hands down. I would love to go on a mission with Chuck and Sarah, or maybe be John Casey's partner. Hahaha

{nine} do you have satellite radio in your car?I don't. Right now I'm listening to my Rosetta Stone CD and T-Swift's Speak Now.

{ten} what was the last movie that made you cry?Okay, don't laugh, but I cried at the end of Tangled. If you've seen the movie, I think you know what I'm talking about at the end. Ohhh it made my heart so sad, and then so happy! I absolutely love this movie!

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 I would like to wish a very big Happy Birthday to my Mom!  

  Happy Birthday Sandra Dee, I love you!
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**Things have been so crazy busy for me this week! I have tried to write a few posts, but they all end of being saved as drafts! I'm hoping to post tomorrow. Happy Wednesday girls! :)

 

It's Monday Y'all!

Got my dreams, got my life, got my love
Got my friends, got the sunshine above
Why am I making this hard on myself?
When there's so many beautiful reasons I have to be happy.

* I know I'm a little late, but I finally watched Black Swan! I've been wanting to see this for the longest time, especially since it's on my movie list, but I have to say that I'm a bit indifferent. Yes, it was a good movie and I liked it, but it was severely "messed up" on so many levels. I don't want to give anything away, so I wont say too much. I'm a romcom type of girl and this just wasn't up my alley. I do see why Natalie Portman won the Academy Award for Best Actress...wow was she great! 

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* We've had our kittens, Torre and Abigail, for a little over a week now and I think they are finally starting to feel comfortable in our home. So comfortable in fact that one of them decided to jump into the toilet! Usually we have all bathroom doors closed, but apparently we forgot to shut one. All of a sudden we heard a big splash, and out walked a soaked kitty. :) I am hoping this does not happen often. 

* I found this picture the other day on We Heart It and just fell in love.

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Isn't it lovely?

* Thank you guys for the support I received on yesterday's post! It was my first health update and I am just so encouraged by all of you! :)

* Last week I was craving pasta salad, so I began to just throw a bunch of ingredients together. To my surprise it turned out great! This may already be a recipe somewhere, but here's the recipe to what I did.

1 - Box of Tri-Color Rotini Pasta

1 - Large cucumber, diced
4 - Roma tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup - Feta Cheese crumbles
1/2 cup - pepperonis, diced
3/4 cup - Fat Free Italian Dressing
Salt and Tony's to taste 

- Boil noodles until cooked. Rinse with cold water, set aside.
- Combine all ingredients into bowl with noodles.
- Chill for about an hour.

That's it!!! It was so easy and was so delicious! The only really unhealthy thing in this recipe is the noodles, but in moderation it's perfect. :)

Happy Monday darlings!

What I'm Loving...

1. I'm loving that I am blogging today. Life has been super crazy lately, and I've been slacking on my blogging. While I miss writing, it's kind of nice spending time doing other things. :)

2. I am loving that I get to report that my amazing husband has a brand spanking new job!!!! HE GOT THE JOB!!!! YAY!!!!!! He interviewed a few weeks back, and we got the call on Monday. Praise God! Keith has been working in sales at his brother's company, but thanks to the economy the company has taken somewhat of a hit. (Not to mention that working with family is never a good idea) His new job will also be in sales and will require a little bit of travel. We are SO excited and thankful for this new opportunity. I can't wait to see what the future holds!

 I am so proud of you baby!!!

3. I'm loving the book that I just finished reading called Something Borrowed. 

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This book has been adapted into a movie (starring Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin) and I saw the trailer for it over the weekend. I was so intrigued that I went out on Sunday, bought the book, and was finished reading it by Tuesday! (Keep in mind that I work full-time and am a full-time student) While the story line is a bit scandalous, it was such a great read and I cannot waiiiiit to see the movie! 

4. I am loving this picture of my hubs and my nephew, Baby Joe. 

Is this not the cutest fist bump you've ever seen? :)

5. I'm loving that I will be in Colorado in 4 days! Even though I'm there on business, I love to travel and am super exited to see the Rocky Mountains!

Have a wonderful Wednesday sweet readers!