HBO, Cinemax, TMC Oh My..... and a DVR to boot!

Since Comcast in available in our new neighborhood, we are now able to get free cable in the house including all the pay channels at no extra cost. My long lost friends known as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and TMC are back in full force with repetitive line-ups for the entire family to enjoy.

Granted, there are those who will say, "Well, they always show the same movies over and over and they are the ones we have seen anyway, so there is never anything good on." This is a true statement for the most part. These channels do show the same movies over and over and they are usually movies that are already out on DVD... BUT do to the past year of financial instability, Ricky and I have not been able to get to the movies as often as we used to. We just make sure to get to the theaters for the important releases, normally in the summer and around Christmas time. (You better believe we are going to see Batman and the X-Files when they come out in the next 2 weeks) Not to mention the fact that our DVD collection has hit a slight lull. Because of this, Ricky and I are behind on so many movies its hard to keep up. (This is the partial reasoning for the recent viewing of Horton Hears a Who and the Spiderwick Chronicles.) So yesterday alone I managed to DVR 4 movies I haven't seen. This is great! I finally have a way to catch up on the films I have missed and it doesn't cost me anything!

I know that once I catch up with my film watching I will feel the same about these channels as many do already, but until such a time comes to pass, I will enjoy these movies (hopefully) and use these newly rediscovered channels for all they are worth. Besides, now I will be able to watch the shows that specifically air on these channels that I have had to catch up on through DVD.

By the way, the Showtime series that has caught my interest recently is Californication. If you like David Duchovny and you want to see him in a roll that is NOTHING like Fox Mulder, then you might want to check this show out (Not appropriate for under age viewing).

Ever feel like Jell-O?

That's how I feel right now. Today I took the next step in my gym experiences and reacquainted myself with the weight machines. Prior to today, I was doing about an hour or so of cardio to get my body back into the swing of things, but today was the day I decided to work out my arms. Let me just tell you that if you are curious to find out which muscles you use on a regular basis and which ones you don't, this is the perfect way to find out. Unfortunately for me, they decided to put the easier ones together first in the rotation.

At the beginning of the workout I was pumped, I did 30 minutes of cardio and was ready. I tried the first few machines and although I can't lift nearly what I used to, I did fairly well for the first time out. Then I got to the machine that works the tops of your arms and across the top of your back and shoulders. All I can say is OUCH! I couldn't find a weight light enough for that particular area. Fortunately, my brother was there and assured me that the machine I was using was the lightest weight machine for him as well. That made me feel a little better, but I still feel like a weakling. I just have to remember that it is a marathon and not a sprint and keep at it.

The Spiderwick Chronicles... even later than Horton...

Today I was finally able to see the Spiderwick Chronicles. Back at the beginning of the year I decided I was going to read the Spiderwick series since the movie was set to be released. The books themselves (5 in all) are considerably shorter than the Lemony Snicket series but they read very well and fairly easily. Each book had somewhat of an ending, but for the most part, the stories pulled the Lord of the Rings ending; they just kind of stopped and the next book picked up from there. In general, I found myself more and more intrigued as I went through the books wondering what was going to happen next. Upon completing the series, I did feel that the books would flow better as a movie than the unfortunate events series, but I was going to wait and see how the movie went. The problem was, I knew I was the only one in the house that either wanted to see the movie, much less had read the books.

So now that the DVD is out in stores, I finally got my chance to see the film. I must admit, for those of us who have read the series, it leaves a lot of different details out and changes the overall story quite a bit. In general, the film was good. I thought the animation and storyline was appropriate for the length of the film and the acting was well done for what it needed. I just wish the details would have been worked in a little bit more. Having read the books the movie to me gives me the same feeling I had after I saw Lemony Snickets for the first time. I loved the series of books and wish that the movie would have followed it a little bit more closely, but overall, I felt the movie captured the integrity of the books and succeeded as a pretty decent form of storytelling.

For anyone who read the books and hasn't seen the movie (although I know it has been out for awhile), enjoy the movie for what its is, a great children's movie that pays tribute to the wonderful series create by Holly Black and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. I felt it did them proud, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the books and the wonderful stories they tell.

Horton Hears a Who!... A Little Bit Late...

Although I know it's not considered a summer movie, we all went to see Horton Hears a Who at the cheap theater today. I originally wanted to see this movie when it was released back in March, but unfortunately it didn't get a chance.

My overall review is that it was great! I am so glad they decided to go with an animated film instead of attempting another live action film. The film combined a bit of "2D" animation in a Japanese style with the progressively improving work of Blue Sky. It was witty and although the narration wasn't completely from the book itself, I felt it maintained the integrity of the spirit of the original. I also found the little cameos from miscellaneous Seuss stories to be refreshing and well placed. For those of you who missed it, the Whos were eating Green Eggs and Ham as the children are spending time with their dad and the other really good one was the shout out to Thidwick the kind hearted moose. When the little kangaroo had his clover and his mom took it away, he says "My friend Thidwick lives there." I know that many people might have missed it, but for those of us who are Dr. Seuss addicts it was appropriate and cute.

Overall, I definitely recommend it and plan to add this film to my collection (as soon as they pick a release date for the DVD.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day!

We were fortunate enough to be invited to a block party in our new neighborhood. It was so much fun. We got the opportunity to meet and visit with our new neighbors while enjoying some tasty food! Everyone was very welcoming and made us feel at home. We also got a couple interesting home decorating ideas. It was great! We are also considering inviting everyone over in the fall for a house party. I find it refreshing to be in a neighborhood that wants to enjoy each others company. Its a home versus just a place to live. I absolutely love this neighborhood and I sincerely hope that we will be able to stay here for a long time to come.

I must also take a moment to thank Andrea for the great pasta salad recipe! I must admit you were right... you can't really measure the ingredients, its all about tasting it over and over until it is just right. (And the Ken's dressing is definitely the best) Thanks Andrea!

Getting back on track...

As most of you know, Ricky and I started to do Weight Watchers at the beginning of the year in order to start getting into shape. We both had a considerable amount of weight to lose and so far things have gone fairly well. Because finances have been tight, Ricky and I have been trying to be as good as possible, but it is very hard when fast food is cheaper than healthier alternatives.

But, now that we have gotten into a more secure spot with only one rent payment to make instead of paying for 2 houses, we are getting back on track. The graph above shows how I have been doing so far this year. I am down almost 30 pounds and Ricky is down about 40. The plus side to living in the new house is that we have a community center that is at our disposal because it is included in the HOA dues. My brother and I have started to go every morning and Ricky is starting to go in the evenings after work. Once I get back into the swing of things, I will probably join Ricky at night as well. I am hoping to get a teaching job for the fall, which would mean I would have to start going in the evenings anyway.

So wish us luck as we jump back on track with our diet and exercise. I know we can do it, its just a matter getting out there and getting it done.

Happy Birthday Ricky!

Last Night we celebrated Ricky's Birthday. I made him a strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. Unfortunately, after I added the colors on the top of the cake to spell out his name the purple got a little too watery and ran down the side. It still tasted delicious though.

Ricky also opened the gifts that we got him. Since things are tight right now, I managed to find him a smaller Transformer. Its a smaller version of his favorite, Bumblebee, that they only carry at Target Stores. The gift that he received from Kenneth and Kristine had a slightly different type of wrapping. He had to get it out of the fridge. He received a 6-pack of Leinenkuegel Berry Weiss. I must say, it made a nice addition to his strawberry cake and ice cream.

We did go out the night before his birthday to Applebee's and had a nice dinner with Kenneth, Kristine, Luke and his sister. It is so nice to live closer to restaurants now though I must admit. Living in Deltona, you have to drive all over creation to find any restaurants that are worth going to.