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Friends, Downton Abbey and Christmas

June 25, 2012

The past weekend was one of the best and busiest I’ve had in a long time…summer has taken off with a bang.

I FINALLY took action with my unruly yard. It’s sad~ my gardening skills have gotten worse over the years instead of better. I can’t tell you how many perennials I’ve tried in our garden beds. Sigh. My garden at my first house was so cute and colorful. Now I have a huge yard and it’s like pulling teeth to get things to flourish. We dug up a ton, moved things around…it was a family affair. One flower bed looks fantastic; the others still have to be finished. Any tips on VERY HARDY plants for zone 4?

Friday night, I spent time with my girls Courtney, Tosha and Halima…hang with just one of them and hilarity ensues, but put the four of us in a room together and it’s, well…I don’t even have a word for it. Suffice it to say, I am still laughing a few days later. I love these women and thank God for true friends.

My dear friend, Amy, from college days, was in town and we had breakfast Saturday morning. It has been far too long since I’ve seen her and oh my, what a treat. I will make sure I see her before another decade goes by! We reminisced for hours and it felt as if no time had passed. Another friend, Wendy, who I have known forever, but never really knew~ know what I mean? ~ she joined us and I am so glad I finally got to know her better.

We saw Brave~ did any of you see it yet? The red hair is mesmerizing!

Our two great nephews, Jordan and Caleb, graduated and had such a fun party on Saturday, complete with music from our nephews, Chris and Andrew. Take a look at our new great niece…isn’t she a beauty?

Yep, she’s dreamy.

And then after months and months of staying up way too late and waking up way too early, it caught up with me. I fell asleep on the couch at 7:30 P.M. Can you believe it? I dragged myself to bed around midnight and wonder of wonders~ I went back to sleep until 6:30 A.M.! I was a new woman, I tell you!

After church, we had a group of 9 or 10 record BGVs on a song for Jason Gray’s Christmas project. We tried to invoke the good cheer of Christmas in the heat of the studio and I think we might have managed to pull it off. I do love a day of singing in the studio. Even though it’s usually sweaty and sometimes crowded, your feet get tired and it can be a LONG day, good memories are always made.

Last night, we started watching the series Downton Abbey at Steve and Jill’s house. I’ve wanted to see this for a long time and it did not disappoint…I am hooked. I saw four episodes and I’m going to get after the rest in speedy fashion.

I feel that I sufficiently wrung out the goodness of the entire weekend as best I could. Now…on to a hopefully mellow week. I can only handle so much fun.

Posted in ABC Youth Choir, Family, Friends, Fun, June 2012, Life, Movies, Music | 8 Comments »

Things NOT To Do Regarding Lisbeth Salander

October 28, 2011

So lately I’ve been reading these books…

I’m almost done with this one…

And then I watched this…

AND this…

Even though I hadn’t quite finished this…

And here’s what I’m taking away from this experience…

Things You Should NOT Do While Reading/Watching The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Series:

* First of all, and this is of utmost importance, do NOT tell anyone you’re reading/watching The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Series. They’ll think you’re an awful person and will be a little frightened of you.

* Do NOT walk in your closet at 6:30 AM, while it’s still dark outside. Your little boy will be standing on the other side of the door when you come out and it will make you jump SKY HIGH.

* Do NOT read said series while your husband is out of town. Actually, we could just have that be the only point on this topic and it would be enough.

* Do NOT watch the movies before bed. You’ll fall asleep because it’s in subtitles, but wake up at all the scary parts and not be able to sleep the rest of the night after the 3rd or 4th waking.

* Do NOT be tempted to chop your hair in erratic, uneven pieces. You don’t have a face like Lisbeth Salander and I’m not sure she even does. OK, yes, she totally does.

* Do NOT let the grouches overtake you when you aren’t able to read the books as often as you like. There are kids to raise, people. Things to do, people to see, work…all that, etc.

* Do NOT let the grouches overtake you when you ARE able to read the books for a solid stretch. Only Lisbeth can get away with that attitude. Don’t you even dare try to pull that off.

* Do NOT start wanting to take a computer hacking course at the local junior college. I’m pretty sure that would not be good.

* Do NOT pick now to stop using a nightlight.

* Do NOT go anywhere near matches. Just don’t. Trust me.

* Same with gasoline. See above.

* Do NOT assume the glass breaking outside in the middle of the night is a scary man/convict. Or maybe now is a really good time to call 911. No, Do NOT call 911. Lisbeth would NEVER do that.

* Do NOT go into despair that after the 3rd book there will be no more.

I did not expect to like these books. I’m still not exactly sure why I do. They are extremely dark. But every now and then (perhaps it’s the season?), I am up for a good scare and a little intrigue. The author wrote the stories so well that you’re ~~almost~~ willing to put up with all the horrific awfulness.

Rest in peace, Stieg Larsson. I really wish you’d been here to see all the love for your stories.

Excuse me, I have to get back to this…

So I can finally read THIS…

This is where I hear it gets REALLY good. I might have a whole new list of Do NOTS after that one!

Posted in Books, Movies, October 2011 | 8 Comments »

Murder, Shopping and Mismatched Socks

October 10, 2011

I went and had too much fun this weekend.

I may or may not be dragging just a wee bit this morning.

Brace yourself for a rambling, subject-hopping post.

We had great times with all kinds of friends, delicious food, music, Rummikub, lots of laughs, long chats and late nights. This is what I would normally think of as the Dog Days of Summer, except…it isn’t. The weather continues to amaze and delight me. Maybe if I sing its praises enough, it will hang around for a LONG time. Please, no one say they wish for cold weather~ you know who you are, little stinkers~ it will be here soon enough! Let’s pretend summer is here to stay…or fall…whatever we’re calling this heavenly weather, I will KEEP IT!

I was concerned about lack of work when school started, but now I seem to have more than enough. There are a few fun projects in the works~ Jonathan and I are writing together again. We made a movie together last year and are working on a new screenplay together for an upcoming movie. I’m really excited about it and will tell you more about that as things progress. Cross your fingers and toes and send up some prayers and warm wishes that it will all go smoothly…and that it will all fall into place exactly as it should.

I’m also working on jewelry and artwork for 2 wonderful boutiques that are coming up in November~ The Wild Ruffle Pop-Up Shop in Prior Lake (Sat., Nov. 5th, 9AM-1PM) and Rachel’s Holiday Shopping Boutique in Minneapolis (Sat., Nov. 12th, 10AM-4PM). Click the links for more details. I hope you can come be part of these events! It’s going to be a blast and will be FULL of treasures! I can’t even believe all the amazing vendors that will be there. Cate, over at the Wild Ruffle, is regularly featuring the different artists that will be at the Pop-Up Shop and I cannot wait to meet all of them. Also, between now and the Pop-Up Shop, if you buy something from my shop and put in “Wild Ruffle” when you’re ordering, you will get 20% off!

On a completely different tangent, I believe my kids have magically sprouted into Tall Creatures over the last week. I promise, I’m not even making it up. We had to go shoe shopping in a big way~ with kids there really are times when they can truthfully say, “I have absolutely NOTHING TO WEAR!” Or at least not that they really should wear around other discerning humans. Last night I noticed that Greyley’s pajama bottoms are about 3 inches too short. She’s wearing my shoes and is just about to pass me up in height…any day now. She’s seriously looking like a legitimate ~~teenager~~ twenty year old right now.

For several years now, Greyley has worn mismatched socks…wayyyy before it was cool. It used to REALLY bug me when I did laundry and NONE of her socks matched. She’s convinced me of the beauty in it now…it makes sock sorting, or the lack thereof, a breeze. Now, they actually sell socks that way~none of them match, just blend~ oh wonder of wonders! You’d think she’d struck gold, she was so tickled by this find.

We have been inundated with fruit flies/gnats for the last two weeks. They are driving me mad, which led to a crazy murdering spree. Hundreds of gnat corpses have been “taken care of” and somehow more just keep on appearing. I’m a bit manic about it. If you’ve read Girly Muse for very long, you know I have a sickness about anything in mass quantity. It’s a sure way to send me over the edge, even if it’s something I like in singles. I would never like a gnat, single or otherwise, just so we’re clear. I’ve tried the raw apple cider vinegar trick and it kills about a dozen, but doesn’t seem to phase the other 50. Any suggestions? One just crawled over my computer screen, I kid you not. They’re tormenting me, the little wretches.

Well, now that your brain is fully addled for the day~ welcome to my world!~ I bid you, “Good day!” Have a happy Monday Funday and be silly no matter what. XO

Posted in Creativity, Fashion, Jewelry, Kids, Movies, October 2011, Shoe Love, Shopping, The Arts | 3 Comments »

Sunny Monday

July 11, 2011

My beloved daughter just left for youth camp. Thanks again to all of you who bought her headbands and helped her get there! We’ve been apart too much this month~ more than we ever have been~ so it was an extra-sentimental parting. I think she might have been rethinking going last night before bed, but when she woke up this morning, she was READY.

This little man beside me is the one who’s REALLY going to have a hard time without his sister. He wouldn’t hug her last night…pretended to be sleeping…but when she went to bed, he started crying and ran upstairs and wouldn’t let go of her. Good-byes went better this morning…I tried to get us out of there in a hurry, for everyone’s sake.

We’ve been having beautiful days and stormy nights. The wind has been 60 miles an hour for the past two nights. It’s been quite exciting. Then, in the morning…gorgeous sunshine and HEAT. I blinked and thought I was back in Arkansas for a second…until I heard there was a heat advisory in Arkansas and that they had us beat by about 10 degrees…

Do you remember when I told you about my Aunt Virginia? Click that link and take a look at her lovely face…it is worth it. Well, she got MARRIED this past weekend!!! We have had more fun teasing her about it. She’s 86…and her new husband is 79. When she called to tell us, I put Nate on the phone because he kept cracking jokes…he told her she’s a cougar and I could hear her laughing through the phone. The jokes just kept coming and what’s so funny about Aunt Virginia is that she does not miss a beat. She gets it all and laughs until she cries. She married a Mr. Hickey…oh yes, you can see the good material with that one…and we wish them the very best.

Can you imagine starting a new life at 86? Doesn’t that just make you stop and ponder for a moment? Aunt Virginia had a beautiful marriage to my Uncle Charlie. They were a couple that were so loving, so sweet…ALWAYS. I never could have imagined either of them with anyone else. He’s been gone for 7 years now and she has suffered and grieved every single day. I am so happy that she’s found joy and that she still wants to find joy at 86. Pretty remarkable.

We introduced the kids to Jerry Lewis last night. Oh, it was fun. They fully appreciated his crazy faces, especially Indigo. We’re going to have to find Cinderfella…that’s one of my favorites. Netflix has a small selection of his films, but it’s a good start. Do you have a Jerry Lewis favorite?

Sorry…I’m all over the place today. My friend, Ashleigh, thinks I have adult ADD. I think she might be right.

Since I’ve covered a variety of topics, I may as well add one more…the crazy cardinal who has been here all spring, banging himself madly into the windows…is STILL WITH US. He bangs every single day, all day long…he starts around 5:50 AM and can go as late as 9:30 PM. If he’s banging in the kitchen and we go in there, he’ll at least move on to the windows in the lower area of the house, so that’s considerate of him. ha. Right now we’re downstairs and he’s banging into the kitchen patio doors. He’s beautiful and crazy, a dangerous combination. On any given day, he drives us a little over the edge. All of us at one time or another have been ready to chase him down and have vicious words…BUT…here we are…cohabiting this space. If I get arrested in the near future for murdering my children’s school mascot, The Cardinal, you’ll have the inside scoop.

I’ll go before I think of 6 other topics that don’t relate.

Posted in Family, Grateful Heart, Headbands, Heartwarming Events, July 2011, Kids, Movies | 8 Comments »

Pizza & Coke

January 10, 2011

I loved reading your comments from Friday’s post! It’s good to know I’m not alone~ there are not only fellow lost-ers, but fellow space-ters too. Hallelujah. I knew you were kindred spirits.

I was actually surprised at the glowing reviews on the talking lady/GPS. Sounds like I may need to look into this technological phenomenon a bit further!

Speaking of lost…

We have been going through an Indiana Jones revival over the weekend. Indigo got hooked on an Indiana Jones Legos game AND the Star Wars movies, so Indiana Jones was the natural next step. It’s bringing back good memories of Pizza My Dear…the greatest pizza place EVER.

When I was a kid, often when my mom went out of town, my dad and I would go to Pizza My Dear. I don’t even remember what the pizza was like, but they played movies that you could watch WHILE EATING PIZZA.

What could be better?

Drinking Coke, too.

Yes, pizza, Coke and movies…and a date with Daddy. So fun. I believe that’s where my dad and I saw The Goonies…ah, the memories. I also remember going there with Tosha and if it was a movie we really liked, we might go a few times.

Straw Hat was like the glorified version of Pizza My Dear, more commercial, bigger, brighter…but they just had a huge TV, not movies. I also enjoyed going there very much and remember quite a few church youth group outings at Straw Hat. A few dates, too. (wink)

It made me miss those places. Do they have them anymore? Or have all the big screens that you can put in your home and fancy movie theaters taken the place of the fun pizza places? Not that I am complaining about either of those things. I just can’t think of a single pizza place like those old goodies.

But back to being lost…and Indiana Jones…I think I need to take some lessons from him and learn how to read a map. Maybe I’ll practice at a good pizza place…if I can find one.

Posted in Family, Friends, January 2011, Movies, Travel | 7 Comments »

The City

November 12, 2010

Serenaded my family with this song on this foggy morning~ When the Lights Go Down in the City. You can briefly listen if you click HERE.

They found it humorous. Maybe it’s the brown fuzzy socks, cream robe, brightly colored floral gown and crazy hair. Or the operatic voice singing “Cit-ay.”

But, whatever.

I saw The Social Network last night. What a movie…what a story. True stories always leave me wanting to know more~ is this REALLY true? What happened in the holes? Where are these people now? Did they become friends again?

And in this one: Is Sean Parker really as awful as he seems?

The Social Network is the story behind Facebook and it really is a good movie. I don’t want to give anything away, but the friendship between Mark Zuckerman and Eduardo Saverin pert near broke my heart.

And yes, I have my opinions about Sean Parker, but will not say them here. After all, the whole trouble for Mark Zuckerman began with airing his opinions about his ex-girlfriend on a BLOG.

Moving right along…this foggy day…it makes me think of San Francisco and how I wish I could be there today. I’d go to Pier 39 and get Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread Bowl. I might buy a cute sweatshirt because I would have forgotten how chilly it can get. I’d laugh at the seals making all the racket and stare out at Alcatraz, thinking, I bet I could swim that…

I’d go down the road a little ways to Ghirardelli Square and look at the huge vat of chocolate being made while I eat my hot fudge sundae. I’d listen to a street band and buy their CD. I’d watch a man stand as still as a statue and wonder if I could catch him in a blink.

I’d drive down the crooked street and marvel that anyone could live on such a steep and busy road~ then marvel at the road’s loveliness when I got to the bottom and looked up. I’d look at each house, sitting so close to the next one and wonder who lived in such houses. And do they get along?

As the lights go down in the city, I’d take in the the beautiful city that has lots of ugly too, washed over by nightfall and made into a thousand shimmering twinkles of starlight.

I’d leave the City feeling full, fulfilled and exhausted from the sea air…and ready to go home.

Posted in Movies, November 2010, Travel | 10 Comments »

Show Time!

August 5, 2010

It’s movie time around here again. Jonathan is back and we’re hard at work doing the final touches to our movie. Yesterday we went to the Suburban World Theatre and got all excited about showing it there. What a fun, quirky and beautiful place. Built in 1927, you feel like you’re in a Spanish Courtyard~ there’s even sparkly stars in the ceiling. Pictures don’t do it justice.

We’re going to be showing the movie on Sunday, August 15th. It will be a fun night of hugging friends, seeing movie stars, music…and, of course, watching the movie. There is a cash bar right smack dab in the middle of the theater, in case you feel the need for a Red Bull or some other fancy concoction while watching the show.

If you live in or near the Twin Cities, I hope you’ll come out. It would be best if you’d get your ticket ahead of time from Paypal, so we can have the theater set up JUST for you.

6:30-9:30 PM on Sunday, August 15th is when all the fun will take place. Tickets are $10 each. You will be happy you came. XO

Let me show you the trailer one more time…

Click below to get your tickets!!! Just bring your receipt as your ticket!

Posted in August 2010, Movies, Wildflower | 5 Comments »

Snapshots

July 2, 2010

I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to tell you about this new CD that my friend, Staci Frenes, is releasing. She has some amazing songs that are being played on TV and movies that don’t always get heard by everyone, since they haven’t been on her CD’s. Until now…

I wanted to gather together in one place some of my favorite songwriting demos written over the past few years for film, television, and other niche projects with some of my favorite people. I hope you enjoy them! ~Staci Frenes

There are some fun back stories to the songs on this CD. For example, Tides Can Turn was written for a scene in the movie Letters to Juliet. The music supervisor wrote Staci personally to say he’d really wanted to use the song, but felt the reference to water was too specific and wouldn’t work for the movie. He’s holding it for another project, so hopefully, we’ll still hear it out there.

Another great song, Anything is Possible, was written with a Disney movie in mind a few years back. They didn’t use it, but this season’s Biggest Loser aired it, which is pretty fun. It’s interesting to see where some of the songs find their home.

One of my very favorite songs that Staci and Nate have ever written is on this CD. Captured. To give you a little background about the song, it was originally held for Jesse McCartney, however, Christian Batista is the one who ended up recording it (Asia’s Top Idol) and it was at the top of the charts over there. It was also used in a movie…I suppose you want to know which one. Oh, alright, since you’re all my friends…it was used in American Pie 6, OK? NOT something we really wanted to broadcast, but even movies we don’t watch can have absolutely brilliant songs on them.

You learn something new on here all the time, don’t ya.

I guarantee you’ll be spotting these songs in future TV shows and movies, even the ones that have already been used before…they’re the good stuff.

Staci is offering us the opportunity to pre-order Snapshots. There are some definite perks to pre-ordering~ Only $7.99 for the CD, free shipping AND a signed CD! The CD will be shipped at the end of July. How fun is that!

If you’d like a little listen before buying, you can listen to the clips on Staci’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/stacifrenes

Thanks, Staci, for this great deal!

Click this link to purchase Snapshots: PAYPAL

Posted in July 2010, Movies, Music | 2 Comments »

First Screening

June 1, 2010

It seems there is so much to tell you…I don’t even know where to begin…

I’ll start with last night…

We had the cast over to watch Wildflower, the movie I just completed with Jonathan Thulin and our lovely friends. We have BREATHED this film for a concentrated 4 week stretch. It was just 4 weeks ago that Jonathan flew into MSP and 3 weeks ago that our camera came in and 2 weeks ago that we were in the thick of filming and 1 week ago that we began editing until our eyeballs hurt and my backside grew into the chair…all the way up to last night when we watched the film start to finish…about 30 of us in our living room.

The movie is exactly 94 minutes long. If I still bit my nails, I would have been biting. Fortunately my Mama put that yucky clear polish on my nails when I was a kid that helps you stop biting your nails and it took…

It was a stress-induced, nerve-racked, excitement-on-overload kind of night. Would they laugh? Would they be proud of it? Would they think it was good? Real? Quality?

We explained before we watched that there were still things in the works, more editing fixes to be done, etc., but that the film was close to how we want it.

Everyone was lovely. They laughed in the funny spots, enjoyed the music, and hung in there during the more serious scenes. I was watching with everyone else and then had to step away and watch from the back…it became too hard to wonder what everyone was thinking. When it was over, though, no one left me guessing. Everyone REALLY loved it and told their favorite parts.

Whew.

Now to perfect it and get this baby out there.

Makes my heart start pounding all over again…

Tomorrow…onto other topics…

Posted in June 2010, Movies, Wildflower | 6 Comments »

Stumbilibrium

May 25, 2010

I just made up that word. I’m liking it. What do you think?

My brain is tired. I’m in that stumble-y, offset equilibrium, bleary-eyed kind of way. Do you know what I mean?

Stumbilibrium

When I’m tired, I have to be careful driving because my depth perception just seems a TOUCH off. Oh dear, I’m going to give my Mama a whole new set of things to pray about for me now. Sorry, Maxwella. I’ll be careful, I promise.

We’ve begun the editing stages of the movie. We’ve been so blessed to be able to use the computer lab at Northwestern College~ one of the professors there is good friends with one of our actors in the film and he so graciously said we could use the lab as much as we wanted. How great is that?!

So 10 1/2 hours later, my bohunkus (that’s my rear end, in case you were wondering) is tired. I sat ALL. DAY. LONG. We made good progress. Jonathan is doing the hard work. I am sitting there giving my praise, criticism, attitude, opinion and blunt sassiness. I’m making it sound bad. We actually work very well together. We’re so excited, we just about can’t stand it.

It’s been amazing how things have just worked throughout this process. The things we’ve needed have come into place, everyone has been so kind and cooperative and although I will be relieved when it is done, I’ll also be sad.

One of my (many) favorite parts about making this movie is that I wanted it to have the Minnesota/Northern flair, but I didn’t want it to have the phony over-the-top accents that all the movies “doing Minnesotan” have. What is so cool is that there are a few of the actors that have THE most perfect Northern accent~ I couldn’t have asked for better. And then I’m still in there to throw in a little Southern flair. It’s always nice to try to make everyone happy. Either that or it will just confuse everyone in a big way.

Another favorite thing has been learning to work with the elements~ be it wind, rain, heat…actor coming late or not showing up at all…you name it, it happened during the making of this film. It hasn’t deterred us though. We either are very spontaneously creative on the spot or we are very, VERY dumb. Most likely, we’re a little of both. Or a lot. Ha!

I warned you I was tired. You could have stopped reading then.

One negative…OK, two negative things…Oh, alright, alright, THREE negative things to tell you…

1) I have not gotten nearly enough sleep. Oh, I said that already, didn’t I. The whole Stumbilibrium bit…

2) I have gained 4.5 pounds in the making of Wildflower. Maybe that’s what is affecting my Stumbilibrium…

3) I am going to have to do a serious detox to get over my severe caffeine addiction after this. It’s gotten out of hand, folks. I’m giving myself one more week of crazy drinking (Coca-Cola & Coffee) and then I will have to slash it by about 99%. That’s going to be a sad day. Until then, if you’re in the Roseville area at any time today, perhaps you’d bring me an ice cold Coke? I’ll give you a sneak peek of the film and make you laugh…enticing, right?!

To end on a positive note…editing all day has done wonders for my Twitter life. We’re surrounded by computers, so during the slow times, I may or may not have tweeted a little…or a lot. Feel free to keep me company on there today.

Posted in May 2010, Movies, Wildflower | 7 Comments »