getting "on track" with my birthday...

Last week while Brett was out of town, the kids and I celebrated my birthday by hopping onto Frontrunner and seeing "Rio" at the Gateway - suuuuuuuper fun!

Movies I wish I owned...

Strictly Ballroom



Good News



The King and I



Oklahoma - the Hugh Jackman version



The Money Pit



The Burbs



Scarlett, Sequel to Gone with the Wind



Gone With the Wind on DVD


Funny Farm





In the Good Ol' Summertime


The Philadelphia Story


Notorious

"Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it."

From the time I was a young girl sharing this special story with my mother, I have looked forward to the day I would be able to share it with my daughter! That day came after Halle and I finished reading Anne of Green Gables together. We cuddled on the couch and side-by-side watched all of the movie (just the Green Gables, not the Avonlea part yet). It was so neat to see the Halle loves Anne-with-an-E as much as I do! I'm anxious to read more of L.M. Montgomery's character so we can move onto the next DVD and see if Anne and Gilbert can ever learn to get along and let themselves fall in love!

I've asked Halle to hop on my blog and share her thoughts about the characters in the book/movie. Without further adieu, let me introduce my "guest blogger", Halle:

Marilla: I liked at the end how she tells Anne how she really feels how she really feels about her. I did not like how she was so strict. She is important to the story cause we can learn a lesson from her, do not judge someone as fast.

Matthew: I like Matthew because he was so dear and kind to others. There is nothing I hate about him. He is important to the story because Marilla would have not kept Anne.

Josie Pye: I did not like Josie. But she is important to the story because she helped Gilbert Blythe realize what he did not like and what he liked about girls. And help Gilbert like Anne.

Rachel Lynde: I liked how she changed her opinion about Anne later. She was important to the story because she had a place in her heart where she loved everyone she saw.

Ms. Stacy: She was an awesome teacher. She helped everyone be on task without being strict.

Diana Barry: Is cute and loveable. There is nothing I dislike about her. She is important to the story because who else would Anne have for bosum friend?

Gilbert Blythe: Oh him - I adored him. He is so handsome. He is important because without him I wouldn't be able to kiss the screen.

Favorite moment: When Gil called Anne CARROTS. And at the very end Anne and Gilbert Blythe hugged. BUT I expected them to kiss. Oh that would be so romantic.

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Hope you comment on all of this, expesally my romantic Gilbert Blythe. -Halle

This American's not in Paris - he's in my subconscious. And what a lovely place that is...

Last night this American icon visited me in my dreams. In real life, tonight I am taking the teenage girls from my church to sing to and visit with residents at an assisted living center. One of the songs they are performing is "Singin' in the Rain". I suppose that's what made me dream of him...

In my dream, I dreamt Mr. Kelly drove up in a rickshaw (?!) and asked if he could come along.
"Of course!", I tell him. Then I ask someone with a camera to take our picture and when he seems confused by my request, I proceed to gush over him and say things like, "This is the best day of my life!" or "I've seen most of your movies" or "As a teenager my mom was in love with you" and even "Will you teach me to dance like Cyd Charisse?"

The rest of the dream is a blur, but I recall cameo appearances by Judy Garland and the guy that plays the cop on Dumb & Dumber. No matter how it ended, there are worse things than waking up with Gene Kelly on the brain. ;)

Forget that he passed away when I was sixteen years old. I mean, look at this guy - such a strong, graceful dancer! Not to mention he could sing! True, his voice didn't sound as refined as Frank Sinatra, but maybe that's what I like about it...it seems untrained in a genuine, down-to-earth way. Ever heard "Moses Supposes" that he sings with Donald O'Connor from Singin' in the Rain? Don't forget his million-dollar smile. What woman wouldn't swoon with those eyes (and lips!) pointed her direction? ;) I love whenever Gene Kelly smiled his eyes smiled, too - with a little twinkle!

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And the thing that amazes me most about Gene Kelly is the same thing that blows me away when I watch Fred Astaire - that overabundance of creativity! The moves and ideas they come up with in their dance routines is jaw-dropping. For example, watch this video from It's Always Fair Weather (normally, I'm a big musical fan but I have to admit the lyrics of this song bring a new element to cheesy...however, watch it at least for 2 1/2 minutes. Even a non-musical critic would have to be impressed that Gene could time and pace his skates to reach his marks so precisely and then to TAP dance on skates??? I can barely make it around a rink (not straying too far from the wall, mind you) without falling on my keester!):

I love one fan wrote about Gene Kelly:

"I wonder if he ever falls during his routines.

Oh, wait, he's Gene Kelly. He never falls -

instead the rest of us just fall for him!"

Amen!!!

some handcart pioneers left precious family heirlooms behind on the trail, others must have left this:

At my mom's house there is a 9" TV/VCR combo machine in one of the guest bedrooms. When we let the kids lay in bed and watch a movie (VHS, nonetheless), they thought they were in heaven.

Tonight I overheard Halle telling her best galpal, Lauren, about the experience. In her words, she said:

"My Grandma Kremin has a TV in the bedroom we slept in - you know, the kind from the olden days - and we watched a videotape at bedtime!"

It makes me feel old to know my memory recalls the days before something that came from the OLDEN DAYS!!!!

welcoming in a new decade with nothin' but good ol' fashioned fun!

Spending New Years in the Basin was relaxing, fun, and soooo wonderful!

Mom and Dad were brave and took on Halle in Kings in the Corner, with the Arizona rules, of course. (Dad, loved watching the western with you, and Mom, thanks for the scrum-diddly-umptious food, particularly the PORK CHOPS WITH GRAVY!!! Do you still have leftover rice? Next time I won't make the mistake of doubling the serving size!) There's something about going home that is so relaxing. You just feel so comfortable and at ease. If the kids were entertained, you could find Brett, Mom, Dad, and Myself reading our books. I finished "The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie", and it did not disappoint. Brett finally wrapped up "The Lost Symbol" and Dad enjoyed John McCain's autobiography. Last time I checked, Mom was working her way through about 3 different books! Maybe she'll finish sometime before Easter! ha ha

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We also enjoyed watching "A Christmas Story" on the big screen at the Vernal Theatre (great idea, Nickole!).

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This was our second time spending New Year's Eve at the Red Canyon Lodge with Mike & Fawn--that place is so great and fun! It's like having the accomodations of a simple motel in the rugged backdrop of the mountains next to a wood-burning stove! We laughed because two years ago when we did this, Fawn and I totally overdid it--the food was delicious but WAYYYY too much in quantity (shrimp, crab, steak, you name it). This year we decided to simplify and just do fajitas, but both Fawn and I forgot so much of what we needed (OK, she forgot one thing, I forgot everything!). Still, we managed to have an abundance of great food and an even better time! We even found the perfect sledding hill--fast enough the older kids had fun and mild enough the smallest kids felt brave enough to go by themselves!

Thanks guys, for another wonderful New Years!

See you in 2012???

This was so nasty, disgusted, and just plain WEIRD.

Natalie cut into the tomato only to cut a spider that was INSIDE the tomato in half! The spider was still wiggling it's leg even after it was cut. From the outside the tomato looked pretty much unblemished, except for the teensy-tiniest little healed-over pin-size hole that no one would have even noticed had we not been looking for an entry point. Talk about heeby-jeebies!

Nice face, Bert!

kind of hard to see, but can you make out the baby to the

right of the doe? so sweet! and the mama stepped in front

of the fawn after this picture was snapped to protect her

baby. i loved that!

Paige & Natalie gave Halle a little makeover

just in time for the countdown.

Hmmmm...

Our 2009 Christmas, in pictures...

Bauerle Christmas Party

with my favorite redhead

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Christmas Eve Matinee @ Gateway

"Princess & The Frog"

I was kind of proud of the "winter wonderland"

table decorations we had to go with my baby blue china...

Brett, on the other hand, was very proud

of his Honey Baked Ham.

D-Lish.

We always eat our Christmas Eve dinner by candelight.

I think it's romantic and sweet.

Wyatt and Halle think it's fun.

Carson thinks it's lame and unnecessary.

The entire meal he kept saying,

"Turn the lights back on and blow out the candles."

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Openin' PJ's.

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This is the best part of the Christmas experience:

watching their faces and hearing their squeals

as they spot all their loot and surprises!

Santa left us a letter.

He also left us a Wii!

(I never in a million years thought I'd give

into the suggestion of buying a video game system,

let alone have it be MY idea!!!!!)

"Santa brought me a BUZZ just like I asked for!"

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Wyatt was super excited to get another Disney CD...

these CDs are great...all your favorite

Disney songs in one place!
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They didn't even notice the other stuff at first.

All they could focus on was their PEZ dispensers!

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Dear Santa,

after receiving my own Laptop and a new iPod,

I have decided I like being spoiled.

Can't wait to see what you bring next year...

Puppy???

A Fashion Kit for the industry's

next up-and-coming designer!

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I love that she loves "Seven Brides"

and the June Allyson "Little Women"!

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Burn Notice! YESSSSSS!

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Build-a-Bear with Grandpa John!

So super-duper fun!

Wyatt got a Broncos dog named Bob,

Halle got a puppy sewn out of Jonas

brothers fabric named Jo,

and Carson got a Jazz monkey named "Ooh"

(as in "Oooh-oooh-eeeeh-eeeeeh-aaaah-aaaah")