The Help

This was a really good movie.  It is about an aspiring writer in Jackson, Mississippi that wants to write a book from the opinion of "the help."  The movie was really funny and highly entertaining!  It was a movie that I thought was going to be a chick flick but after watching it I think Tim would like it too.  I don't want to give out too much information about the movie but I would recommend it and I encourage everyone to see it.  I also think I might eventually read the book!

No Air Conditioning = Hell on Earth

Some of you might think my title for this post is a little strong but that is honestly how I feel about not having air conditioning.  For those of you that haven't been to our house it is important for you to know that we keep our air conditioning at 67 degrees.  Being hot is something I absolutely hate!  So, after throwing a baby shower for my sister-in-law this weekend I walked into our lovely condo to find that it was 80 degrees.  Before completely freaking out I went outside and checked the line to make sure the unit wasn't frozen over.  It wasn't, so my next move was to call Tim and throw a baby fit.  After talking to Tim and somewhat calming down, I quickly realized that there wasn't going to be much we could do at 6 p.m. on a Saturday night.  Our night wasn't horrible but it wasn't fun (I did watch 2 hours of Big Brother and 3 hours of Bachelor Pad).  We ended up sleeping downstairs on the couch because our bedroom (which is upstairs) was just too hot.  The next morning, the first thing I did was start calling AC companies.  After calling about 5 companies that were in the yellow pages we decided to go with HEP (I am sure you have seen their stupid commercials).  They were the most reasonable and only cost $128 to come out to our house and then $15 every 15 minutes to diagnose your problem.  After the HEP man arrived and did some checking/looking/researching/probably sitting in his car checking his Facebook page, he delivered the news that threw me into my second baby fit for the weekend.  The news was that he couldn't fix it and that we need a completely new unit at the reasonable price of $4200.  Did I mention it cost us $143 to get that information?  OH THE JOYS OF HOME OWNERSHIP!  Our house got to 85 degrees today which I am sure is a record somewhere.  Tim has someone else coming to look at our unit tomorrow so let's hope he has some better news for us than HEP.  Until then, I just want to give out some advice for all of you sitting in your nice air conditioned house.......BE GLAD YOU HAVE AIR!

The Other Woman

I had never heard of this movie until I found it on Netflix.  It stars Natalie Portman (whom I love) so I figured I would watch it and give it a try.  It was really good and sad at the same time.  It is about a woman that falls in love with one of her married coworkers.  The two get married and she becomes the other woman.  As the movie continues, you watch her relationship develop with her stepson and the ex-wife.  There are some other twists in the movie which I won't mention but I thought it was worth watching.  I actually cried several times in this movie.  This is definitely a chick flick so I recommend watching one night when your man is out.  That is what I did and I really enjoyed watching.  Also, I think Natalie Portman is beautiful and is a great actress!!

Hall Pass

This movie was very predictable and kind of stupid.  Right when we started watching it we figured out exactly what was going to happen.  This movie is not believable at all.  Honestly, who lets their husband have a "hall pass" from marriage?  Sure it would be every guy's dream but realistically it just wouldn't happen.  Don't get me wrong, there were some funny parts in the movie but overall it really wasn't anything special.  I am SO GLAD we rented it.  I would only say watch this movie if you really have nothing else to watch.

Justified

Tim and I really love this show.  My dad had told me about it and so I figured we would check it out.  It is about a U.S. Marshal in Harlan County, Kentucky.  It is pretty awesome and we really like watching it.  The characters are great and the storyline is pretty believable.  Season three starts sometime this fall and we are very excited.  It comes on FX so I would definitely recommend that everyone check it out.  You won't be disappointed.

True Grit

A very good movie and worth watching.  I have never seen the first one and I would really like to see it after watching the remake.  I will admit that I am a huge Jeff Bridges fan.  Matt Damon was really good too and I almost didn't recognize him.  One thing that was pretty annoying was how grizzly Jeff Bridges talked because we (Tim and I) could hardly understand anything he said.  We were constantly having to turn up the volume on the TV, so if you do watch the movie make sure your volume is pretty high.  If you don't like westerns then don't watch this movie because it is a true western!  My parents thought the original version was much better (that one starred John Wayne) and from some other feed back I have been getting most older people liked the original better.  Maybe after I watch the first one I will write a comparison blog.  Until then, I would definitely recommend this version and I believe it is a movie that the whole family could watch together.      

Horrible Bosses

LOVED IT!  I was very excited about seeing this movie and I was not disappointed.  It was really, really good.  Both Tim and I thought it started off kind of slow but it picked up quickly.  Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis were great together.  There was one scene where I was literally horse laughing in my seat.  Who would have thought that a movie about killing your boss could be so good?  I do not think you will be disappointed with this movie and it was well worth the money to see it in the theater.  I will definitely be buying it when it comes out on blu ray.  I will warn that there is a lot of cursing in the movie but other than that it was great.  Definitely a must see!

The Company Men

This movie is about the corporate job world and America's downsizing economy.  It follows three men (Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones) who all have a big-wig corporate job and all get fired when the company downsizes.  It shows their struggle to maintain their lifestyle and how they are unable to find work.  This movie is fairly sad but I really enjoyed it.  It really puts things into perspective and shows how people can really live beyond their means.  I would say this is a renter and an enjoyable movie.

Bridesmaids

All the descriptions and reviews about this movie were not accurate.  I had heard that this movie was hilarious and that it was like The Hangover but for woman.  Well, I completely disagree.  I thought this movie was good but nothing like The Hangover.  It actually wasn't even that funny.  I definitely walked into this movie thinking that I would probably end up buying it when it came out on DVD.  Well, I was wrong.  I am glad I saw it but I definitely won't be buying it.  Actually, the more I think about it the more I realize that I am kind of disappointed.  I guess my expectations were a little too high.  I honestly thought the movie Just Go With It was a lot funnier.  Overall, I think this is a renter.  

On a different note, Wynnsong has a great movie deal that I must share with everyone.  Any movie that you go to between 4 and 5:30 is only $5.  This includes new releases and applies everyday.  I was very excited/shocked when I went to get my ticket and it was only $5.  I will definitely start going to this theater more often between 4 and 5:30.   

Breaking Bad

This is a great TV show.  It is about a high school chemistry teacher who finds out he has terminal lung cancer.  He is in his late forties, his wife is pregnant, and his son has cerebral palsy.  After doing a ride along with his brother-in-law who is a DEA agent, he realizes that there is a lot of money in making methamphetamine.  So, Walter White (the main character), hooks up with one of his old students and starts making meth to earn enough money so that he can leave his family well off when he dies.  The show is very entertaining and definitely worth watching.  There have been 3 seasons and season 4 is about to start in July.  I would honestly say that his show is as good as Sons of Anarchy.  Definitely check it out.  It comes on AMC.

The Roommate

This movie was pretty stupid.  I will admit that I was pretty excited about this movie because it looked like a scary thriller but it was predictable and dumb.  It is about a girl that starts college and ends up with a psycho roommate who tries to become her.  It reminded me of the movie Swim Fan which was also predictable.  I will say that I thought Swim Fan was actually better than this movie.  If you are bored and have nothing else to watch that is the only time I would recommend this movie.  Really though, don't waste your time!

Something Borrowed

This was a really cute movie.  It is not your typical chick flick.  This movie is about two best friends and how one of them is in love with the other ones fiance.  Throughout the movie you see flashbacks about how everything came about.  I thought the movie was entertaining and worth seeing.  I am pretty sure that your husband/boyfriend won't like this movie so don't take him to see it.  Go with a girlfriend.  On a fun note, if you do go see the movie look at the book the girl is reading when Rachel and Marcus are sitting in the park! :)  I will say that after watching the movie I do want to read the book.

The Patterson Garden

For those of you that don't know, gardening is something I truly enjoy.  I was super excited about planting vegetables this year.  Last year our garden was fairly small (3 tomato plants and 2 pepper plants).  This year, Tim requested that we have more peppers and do a salsa garden.  I planted three different types of tomatoes:  Big Beefy, Golden Boy, and Mr. Stripy.  Big Beefy is variety that produces a large, beefy tomato.  Golden Boy is a yellow tomato plant.  Yellow tomatoes are my favorite because they are less acidic than red tomatoes.  Mr. Stripy is a yellow/red tomato and produces a very meaty and juicy tomato.  For peppers, we planted 2 jalapenos, 1 hot banana, 2 cayennes, 3 habaneros, and 3 sweet bananas.  We also planted cilantro.  When we first planted the peppers we noticed that something was eating the leaves.  I had sprayed everything with Seven (which is a fruit and veggie spray) but whatever was eating my plants was not affected by this spray.  After doing some research, I realized that we had a slug and snail problem.  I tried some natural remedies: citrus peels and beer but finally I broke down and got some snail bait.  This worked wonders for our peppers and the leaves are finally starting to come back.  As for our cilantro, we totally killed it.  I had never grown an herb before but apparently cilantro does not take full sun.  When your cilantro plant starts growing straight up and blooms flowers, this is not a good sign.  I have since learned that cilantro only takes morning or afternoon sun.

Here are some things that I have learned from gardening this year:
1.  The potting soil you use really does matter.  Don't buy the stuff from Lowe's or Home Depot.  Go to an actual greenhouse/garden center and pay the extra money to get the good stuff.  If your potting soil looks like mulch then it sucks.
2.  Never pot anything in a clay pot (not even flowers).  Clay pots suck all the water from the plant/the soil and you have to water your flowers daily or more.
3.  Herbs are good to grow in window sills rather than outside.  If your cilantro sprouts flowers--this is a bad sign and your plant is dead.

Below are some pictures of our garden.  It is about a month and a half old and I have only fertilized it once.

The Garden

 The Pepper Plants

 The Tomato Plants

 Tomatoes on the Vine

Gerbera Daisies & Habaneros 

 Sweet Banana Peppers

 Dead Cilantro

P.F. Chang's at Home

The other day while I was at the grocery store I picked up one of those P.F. Chang's frozen dinner bags.  Tim and I were looking for something quick and easy to eat that night but we didn't want to go out so we decided to try one.  We got the sweet and sour chicken bag.  I also picked up two of the Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (brown rice not white).  The meal took all of 20 minutes to make and it was great.  The P.F. Chang's bag tasted just like we were at the restaurant.  The chicken was fresh and and the sweet and sour sauce cooked up wonderfully.  Also, the rice was very good as well.  I was worried about getting the quick microwave rice but it tasted just like I had cooked it on the stove.  Overall, it was a quick and great tasting dinner.  Another great thing about this meal was that we both were stuffed and it only cost us $12.  If you ever want a great tasting and quick meal definitely try one of the P.F. Chang's frozen bags!  You won't be disappointed.

The Hangover Part 2

Really, really funny!  I was pleasantly surprised by this sequel.  This movie was really funny and was a lot better than I thought it was going to be.  I will admit that it was not as great as the first one but for a sequel they did a great job.  There were a lot of parts where I was literally laughing out loud.  This movie has a ton of great quotes and the cast did a great job.  This one is definitely worth seeing in the theater and we will most likely buy it when it comes out on video.  Also, if you do see this movie in the theater, make sure you get there early to see the previews.  There were a ton of previews for movies coming out this summer that were hilarious!

The Way Back

This movie is slow.  This movie follows several men who are in a Siberian prison and plan to escape.  It takes place in 1940 during Stalin's reign.  The men escape and you follow their journey as they they try to reach friendly territory.  The movie is pretty sad and depressing.  You pretty much watch these men struggle to survive for 2 hours and 13 minutes.  I really only kept watching because I wanted to see if they would make it and they did (sorry for spoiling it).  They end up walking 4,000 miles to India.  The main stars of this movie are Ed Harris and Colin Farrell which is why I thought this movie would be good.   I suggest you skip this movie and only watch it if you really, really, really have nothing else to watch.  It is a big downer and pretty slow.      

No Strings Attached

This was a very funny movie.  It is your typical chick flick but has humor that even guys will enjoy.  I saw this movie in the theater when it came out but Tim hadn't seen it.  He thought there were a lot of funny parts.  This movie stars Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman and is about a couple that tries to just be friends with benefits without falling in love.  Of course this scenario never works and they do end up falling in love but the journey they take to get to that point is pretty funny and interesting to watch.  This movie does have some pretty surprising and quirky moments.  I will warn that there is a lot of sex/sexual references in this movie so I don't recommend watching it with your parents.  Overall, this is a funny movie and definitely worth renting.    

127 Hours

This movie is based on a true story and is about a guy named Aron Ralston.  In 2003, Ralston set out for a weekend trip to Utah and didn't tell anyone where he was going.  While hiking through a canyon a rock falls and traps his arm.  He is trapped in this canyon for 127 hours (hence the name of the movie) until he cuts his arm off.  This movie was pretty good.  I had already seen and heard about this guy before (on Oprah) so I knew what to expect throughout the whole movie.  This guys lifestyle was somewhat crazy in the fact that he went out and did all these dangerous activities alone.  I think this movie is a good example to everyone that crazy things can happen at anytime and that we should always tell the people around us how much we love and care for them.  This movie is definitely a renter and worth watching.  

Secretariat

This is a great, wholesome movie.  I am so glad we own it.  We have had this movie for a while but I had not been in the mood to watch it.  Tonight, when Tim suggested it, it just sounded perfect.  My dad came in town today too so he watched it with us (he has already seen it twice).  This movie is about the best racing horse that ever lived.  Secretariat, also named Big Red, won the triple crown in 1973.  The triple crown is a combination of three races: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes.  A horse gets one shot at winning the triple crown and can only race as a three year old.  The Kentucky Derby is the longest race that the horse has run up to that point.  The Preakness is the shortest race of the three and the Belmont Stakes is the longest race, totaling a mile and a half.  At the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat won by 31 lengths.  If you are wondering how I know so much about horse racing, it is because horse racing is something my family has followed since I was little.  Some of my best memories are going to the Kentucky Derby with my parents.  My dad has always loved the races.  Actually, my dad, mom and papaw were all at the Kentucky Derby when Secretariat won.  My dad was also at the Belmont Stakes when Secretariat won the triple crown.  According to my dad, when Secretariat pulled ahead everyone stood and cheered.  He said that everyone was looking for a hero in those days and that Secretariat became that hero.  I really enjoyed this movie and I feel like I was there after listening to the stories from my dad.  

Water for Elephants

Amazing!  I loved this movie and now I am definitely going to read the book.  This movie is about a young man who joins the circus.  He works as the circus veterinarian and discovers himself among the greatest circus disaster in 1931.  I really knew nothing about this movie, except that it was based off a book.  After seeing the movie, I can't wait to read the book.  The story was put together so nicely and the actors (Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon) did a wonderful job.  This movie is worth seeing in the theater.  It also makes me want to go to the circus really badly since I never got to go as a kid.  I will definitely be buying this movie when it comes out.  I already want to go see it again!