movie mondays: movies i wish i could find on dvd

This afternoon, I checked my TV app to see what was on later tonight, and I noticed that Hallmark was playing one of my TV movie favorites. I couldn't watch it because of work, and it's been a while since I've seen it, so I immediately checked my friend Amazon ... only to find it's not on DVD.

That got me thinking about the movies—some recent, some older—that I would gladly pay for if only they were on DVD. Here's my wishlist, in no particular order. (Except for #1!)

Chance of a Lifetime (1998)

This is my #1 DVD wish, hands down. Chance of a Lifetime is a marriage of convenience romance starring John Ritter and Katey Sagal well before their days on 8 Simple Rules. Their characters wed because Maguire (Ritter) doesn't have health insurance but needs back surgery due to an injury sustained while helping Irene (Sagal). As they try to convince everyone—including an insurance fraud investigator—that their marriage is real, they ... you guessed it ... fall in love. 

I actually still have this one on VHS, and I pull it out every now and again ... but I taped it off of TV, and our reception wasn't great, so it's pretty grainy. Every so often, I search for it on YouTube, but I've never found it.

Love's Complicated (2016)

This is the movie that prompted this post. I don't know why some Hallmark Channel films are released on DVD and others aren't. Since this one is fairly recent, I do have hope that it will be released one day. Author Leah's life is predictable and boring until her boyfriend enrolls her in a conflict resolution class. There she meets shock-jock Cinco, who's attending the class on court order. Though the two initially dislike each other, they ... of course ... fall in love 😍. Leads Holly Marie Combs and Ben Bass have more chemistry than is often present in Hallmark films, and this one actually felt a bit unique. I don't often watch a Hallmark film and think I'd like to own it, but I'd like to get my hands on this one.

Fun fact: Love's Complicated is just one of several recent Hallmark films to be adapted from Christian fiction. This one is based on Rene Gutteridge's My Life as a Doormat.

Model Behavior (2000)

This film is far from perfect, at least from what I remember, but I do remember it fondly. I had always been more of a JC girl than a Justin fan, but when I watched this movie, I thought, Hmmm, that Justin Timberlake IS kind of cute! What he wasn't was a particularly good actor (this was his first film role), but that didn't really matter. The story, about two teens (played by Maggie Lawson of Psych) who trade lives, is very The Prince and the Pauper-esque, and it's quite enjoyable. At least it was when I saw it in 2000.

This Time Around (2003)

There was a time (10-15 years ago) when ABC Family made some great romance/romantic comedy movies. Some of my favorites were released on DVD (I own Lucky Seven with Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Patrick Dempsey and Reality of Love [a.k.a. I Want to Marry Ryan Banks] with Bradley Cooper and Jason Priestley), but this one wasn't. My brother was kind enough to record it for me, since he had cable and I didn't, and I still have the VHS tape. But I'd love to find it on DVD!

This is an "ugly girl grows up to be unrecognizably pretty and gets the guy she liked in junior high" story, so, basically, completely unrealistic ... but I still really like it. There's just something about Brian Austin Green ...

Matchmaker Santa (2012)

Now we get into my Christmas movies wish list! My guess is that if Matchmaker Santa had been made a year or two later, it would be on DVD, as it seems that all of Hallmark's recent Christmas releases eventually find their way to DVD. Starring Hallmark's Christmas queen Lacey Chabert* and Adam Mayfield, it's about a woman who falls for her boyfriend's assistant when they're stranded together in a small town right before Christmas. It does have possibly one of the most "non-ending" endings ever, but the rest of the film is so delightful that I can forgive the end.

*Honestly, I'm not sure who has made more Hallmark Christmas movies, Lacey Chabert or Candace Cameron Bure. Maybe they can be co-rulers of Hallmark's Christmas Land.

Christmas List (2016)

While several of Hallmark's 2016 Christmas offerings have already been or will soon be released on DVD, Christmas List isn't one of them. And that's too bad. Starring Hallmark's Christmas princess Alicia Witt and the always charming Gabriel Hogan in their second pairing for the network, Christmas List is about a woman who seeks to complete her Christmas bucket list. It's predictable but charming, and it was the biggest surprise of Hallmark's 2016 Christmas season to me. I really enjoyed it, and it's one of the few 2016 premieres that I'd like to own. 

The Christmas List (1997)

Not to be confused with Christmas List, this film is a 1997 charmer starring Mimi Rogers (a.k.a. Mrs. Tom Cruise #1). Melody is a perfume salesgirl whose life is changed after she sends a letter to Santa. I haven't seen this one in years, so I can't really tell you if it's any good, but I remember loving it when I saw it! (I did find it on YouTube, but the audio has been dubbed in another language, so I quickly decided not to watch it.)

Have you seen any of these? What movies do you wish you could own? Does anyone else still own—and occasionally use—a VCR???

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top ten tuesday: made for tv christmas movies

I've been doing my Top Ten Tuesday posts over on Christian Chick's Thoughts for a while now, but I thought you might be interested in today's post, which is all about Christmas movies (something I've talked about here on Coffee & Conversation at length). So head on over and check out what I think are the best made for TV Christmas movies: Christian Chick's Thoughts: top ten tuesday: made for tv christmas movies

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movie mondays: christmas movies to stream

A couple weeks ago, I talked about all the Hallmark Christmas movies you can watch.

But what if you don't have the Hallmark Channel?

You could always rely on your massive collection of Christmas movies.

Wait, that's just me?

Well, then, that's where Netflix and Hulu come in. Chances are, you have a subscription to at least one of them--and if you don't, you should definitely check out Hulu, as some films are streamable on your computer without a Hulu Plus subscription. (Unfortunately, Amazon Prime doesn't offer much in the way of quality Christmas movies--though I know your definition of "quality" may differ from mine!) The choices range from classics to sappy romance to kids' movies and everything in between, but I'm going to focus on (what else?) sappy romance. Below are some of my favorites:

Love at the Christmas Table starring Danica McKellar, Lea Thompson, Scott Patterson
This one was just on Lifetime the other night, so I watched it again. It all takes place on Christmas Eve throughout the years and focuses on two kids who grow up together and slowly fall in love. As far as Christmas movies go, it's one of the more realistic ones. Watch on Hulu.

Holiday Engagement starring Bonnie Somerville, Jordan Bridges, Shelly Long
This one is a bit more on the ridiculous side, but I do enjoy it! Plus, it's technically a Thanksgiving  movie, so it should satisfy my sister who's always complaining that Thanksgiving never gets its due. Hillary's boyfriend Jason dumps her just before Thanksgiving, when he's supposed to finally meet her family, so she hires David to pose as Jason through the long weekend at her parents' house. Of course, sparks fly. Bridges is playing essentially the same character as he did in the Tori Spelling gem Family Plan--an actor hired to play a desperate woman's significant other--but that repetition doesn't bother me in the least. He's definitely good at the role! Watch on Netflix, Hulu.

The 12 Dates of Christmas starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Amy Smart
I've written about this one before. So cute ... especially if you love Mark-Paul! It's basically Groundhog Day on Christmas Eve. Watch on Netflix.

A Christmas Kiss starring Brendan Fehr, Laura Breckenridge
Is A Christmas Kiss ultimately ridiculous? Yes! But it's also so enjoyable. Aspiring interior designer Wendy meets the man of her dreams in an elevator. The only problem? He's her horrible boss Priscilla's boyfriend. The whole thing stretches credulity--why would Adam be with someone as dreadful as Priscilla in the first place, and how could he be so dense as to not recognize Wendy?--but it's always entertaining. Also, look for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries' Jane (Laura Spencer) in a supporting role. Watch on Netflix.

Holiday in Handcuffs starring Melissa Joan Hart, Mario Lopez
While we're talking ridiculous yet enjoyable (and continuing with the Saved by the Bell theme) ... Trudy's boyfriend breaks up with her right before Christmas (sound familiar?), so, out of desperation, she kidnaps a handsome man who comes into the diner she works at. In real life, this woman would be going to jail. On ABC Family, the two fall in love. Watch on Netflix.

A Princess for Christmas starring Katie McGrath, Sam Heughan, Roger Moore
This is one of the few recent Hallmark offerings that is available to stream. When I first watched A Princess for Christmas several years ago, I thought it was incredibly lame. But then I caught it again on Hallmark the other day, and I thought it completely adorable. Plus, it stars Sam Heughan, who I know many women have come to love on Outlander. Watch on Hulu.

Have I missed any? What Christmas movies do you like to stream?

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five friday favorites #6: week of nov. 14, 2014

It's hard to believe I've been doing these Friday Favorites for six weeks now! (Thanks for the suggestion, Val.) Some weeks the list practically writes itself (like last week), and other times I really struggle to come up with five favorites (like this week). But I will prevail--even if I have to post on Saturday again! Once again, I'm linking up at Housewife Glamour, and this week, I'm also linking up at A Little Bit of Everything.

1. This Guy

He adores me, and I adore him. In fact, he's sleeping on my lap as I type this.

2. Reading Excellent Books
As you know, I read all.the.time. I enjoy most things I read, but sometimes I come across books that I just can't get enough of. This happened to me twice this week. First, it happened with Julie Lessman's new release, Surprised by Love. I read the entire 400-page novel Sunday afternoon and evening. I absolutely could not put it down! It's book three in her "Heart of San Francisco" series, and, while I felt a little off-kilter at first since I hadn't read the first two books, I quickly adapted. This book will most likely make my "Top 10 Books of 2014" list. You can see my review here.

The second "can't put this down" book was a novella in the Where Treetops Glisten anthology: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Sarah Sundin. Sundin has been one of my favorite authors for several years now, with each book of hers that I've read appearing on my year-end Top 10 list. This novella is just as good as any of her books, and now I'm really wishing I didn't have to wait until next August to read her next novel! My review of all three novellas in the book is here.

3. Hot Drinks
We have this problem in my office: the heater doesn't keep up. I work in a very old building, and the boiler went out last year. Instead of replacing the boiler (we don't know how long we'll still be using my building), the administration decided to put in a heating system. The problem? The heat comes through the vents the air conditioner uses ... in the ceiling. So the air just kind of hangs out near the ceiling, and we're left freezing several feet below. We tried a myriad of things to keep warm:

My coworker Daurice hung this blanket over the student mailboxes to help with the draft, as the hallway is no longer heated. It makes a huge difference!

We wore blankets, scarves, and gloves throughout the day and brought in space heaters for our feet.

My coworker Steph came to my office for a meeting and closed the door. What a difference! This wasn't my favorite solution, as I don't like being shut off from everyone else, but it definitely made the rest of the work day more comfortable.

Then it was my genius father to the rescue! He had the brilliant idea of taking the diffusers off the vents so the heat would shoot directly down into the room. (This is a shot up into the air vent.) We still need the blankets for our laps and the space heaters for our feet, but overall, the office is now bearable.

My favorite way of coping with the cold is by drinking hot drinks! We went through so much hot water in the office this week because we were all constantly getting something hot to drink. I drink a lot of hot tea, but sometimes you need something with a little more substance. Enter Alton Brown's hot cocoa! This stuff is fantastic--it has a deep chocolate flavor and isn't too sweet. And one cup lasts me a long time--with coffee and tea, I drink really fast, but, for whatever reason, I just sip this hot cocoa. If I need a bigger caffeine kick, I just sprinkle in some instant coffee, which we have in spades in the office.

4. The Nine Lives of Christmas
I talked about this a little bit in my latest Movie Mondays post, but it deserves some expounding upon. Before I watched it, I was skeptical because sometimes animal movies don't come off so well. (For example, the completely dreadful My Boyfriends' Dogs, another Hallmark original.) I think this one succeeded because the cats were a part of the story but not the focus. Also, the writing is a step above most Hallmark fare. Veterinary student Marilee (Kimberly Sustad) is completely likeable, and fireman Zach (Brandon Routh) may be a little dense when it comes to love, but he is absolutely adorable. Gregory Harrison has a supporting role as the wise fire chief. (Harrison starred in one of my other favorite Christmas movies, A Christmas Romance. I reviewed it here.)

This photo makes me laugh because these two were never together in these outfits in the film ...
but they do make a striking pair! (Photo from the Hallmark Channel.)

I've now watched The Nine Lives of Christmas twice (it was on Hallmark again last night), and I think it's safe to say it's my favorite Hallmark Christmas movie. Period. Unfortunately, the demand for the DVD seems to be higher than what Walmart (who is the only retailer selling it) anticipated. I preordered my copy on Monday, and on Wednesday, I got a message stating it was unavailable, and they didn't know when it would be back in stock. Boo!

Seriously, can you look at this photo without smiling?
The scene it's from is completely adorable, too. (Photo from the Hallmark Channel.)

5. Misfit Shine
I can't believe the Misfit Shine hasn't been one of my Five Friday Favorites yet--quite the oversight on my part! I purchased this activity/sleep monitor (like a cheaper Fitbit) in July through a Kindle Special Offer. If you have a Kindle Fire and don't have special offers enabled, you're missing out. Every so often, Amazon will offer a deeply discounted item that's only available for purchase through a Fire for a limited time. Most of these items aren't ones I'm interested in, but every so often, a gem comes through--like the Misfit Shine. I love that it tracks my steps, but even more than that, I love that it tracks my sleep. It took years, but I've finally realized how important a good night's sleep is for me. It may sound crazy, but now that I'm actually tracking my sleep, I'm more inclined to go to bed at a decent time. This thing is worth every penny I paid for it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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movie mondays: countdown to christmas

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!"

OK, not really. Not yet. Unless, of course, you're the Hallmark Channel.

For Hallmark Channel, the Christmas season began October 31. Yes, on Halloween. This surprised me, as Hallmark has the Good Witch movie franchise (and upcoming series), and Halloween would seem like the perfect time for a marathon. Not that I'm complaining ...

Hallmark runs their Christmas movies all day, every day (except for weekday morning episodes of their Home & Family talk show). I suppose this is nice for insomniacs. In fact, my dad told me the other day that each time he got up in the night, he turned on the TV just to see which movie was playing. (My dad shares my intense love for Hallmark movies. My mom does not.)

With the plethora of Christmas movies on Hallmark, how do you know which ones are great, and which ones are a waste of time? Well, I'll tell you, of course! Just keep in mind that one man's trash is another man's treasure. This was never more evident to me than Saturday, when I was talking with a friend about the movies we'd watched so far. She loved Angels Sing, starring Harry Connick, Jr., and I thought it was incredibly boring. She and her mom thought One Starry Christmas was pretty cheesy, and I thought it was cute. To each his own, I guess!

The links below go to the trailers so you can check out the films for yourself.

Movies to make a point to watch
Seek these out on Hallmark's schedule. If they're available on DVD, buy them--they're that good!
Snow Bride--This was my unexpected favorite film of Hallmark's 2013 Christmas season. Unfortunately, it's not on DVD, but you can easily find the whole thing on YouTube.
The Christmas Card--This is one of the first Christmas movies I ever got on DVD. It's pretty realistic ... for a Christmas movie!
Matchmaker Santa--I love everything about this movie, right up until the last 60 seconds. It just ... ends. Ending aside, it's a great movie that, unfortunately, isn't on DVD.
The Nine Lives of Christmas--This one just premiered over the weekend, and it's already one of my favorites. Super cute, and it doesn't hurt that it features two adorable cats. You can find it exclusively at Walmart tomorrow. (Yes, my copy is preordered.)
Trading Christmas--Its concept is similar to The Holiday, but I love it anyway! (It's also very similar to Hallmark's Finding Christmas, but this one is so, so, so much better.)
The Christmas Ornament--My 2nd favorite of Hallmark's 2013 originals. It's really sweet. It just came out on DVD, and it's currently on my Amazon wish list.

Movies to watch if you come across them
These are very enjoyable. I probably wouldn't buy them unless I found them for less than $5, but they're good.
Mrs. Miracle
Call Me Mrs. Miracle
One Starry Christmas
A Very Merry Mix-Up
Holiday Engagement
All I Want for Christmas
Hitched for the Holidays
Let It Snow
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Movies to avoid
I really didn't like these at all ... I'd recommend doing something different with your time.
A Bride for Christmas
Angels Sing
Catch a Christmas Star
Finding Christmas
Lucky Christmas
A Cookie Cutter Christmas
The Christmas Spirit

This is not an exhaustive list, so if you have any other Hallmark Christmas movies you're wondering about, just ask me in the comments! Chances are, I've seen them :-)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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mid-november holiday thoughts

I used to be one of those people who couldn't stand hearing Christmas music before Black Friday. I was of the opinion (as I'm sure some of you are) that Christmas music should be reserved for the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I even blogged about it way back in 2007.

All that changed this year. In the week leading up to Halloween I was dying to listen to Christmas music ... so on November 1 I pulled out my Christmas music. Or at least I tried to. I know exactly where all of my Christmas cds were in my old house. But here? I can't find them anywhere! Fortunately, I'd copied all of my favorite albums into my iTunes, so I have them digitally...but I'd still really like to find my cds!

So here's why I think I was so anxious for Christmas music: The Hallmark Channel. The Hallmark Channel has always been my favorite destination for Christmas movies, but when I was cableless, I had to content myself with whatever Hallmark movies I could find to stream online or to buy (cheaply) on DVD. If you've been reading my blog recently, you know I now have cable and a DVR. (Yippee!!!) And this year, Hallmark decided that the Christmas season began on November 1. I'm not sure if they've done this in past years, but this year, they're running Christmas movies nearly 24/7. And they promoted this "Countdown to Christmas" all through October, so by the time November rolled around, I was more than ready to watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music!

Hallmark is premiering 12 new holiday movies this season, and I've watched all of them so far. (I say "holiday" movies because The Thanksgiving House is, obviously, about Thanksgiving. It stars Nebraska boy Justin Bruening and is a decent, if not enthralling, flick.) My favorite by far is the one I thought looked the cheesiest: Snow Bride. The title alone is ridiculous. But it's so much fun! Here's the promo video:


Is it the world's greatest film? Of course not! But it's certainly a lot of fun to watch ... and it doesn't hurt that Jordan Belfi is so attractive. (OK, it's probably the character "Ben" that I'm attracted to ...) If you missed it when it aired, you'll have ample opportunity to watch it before Christmas. Its next airing is next Thursday at 10/9 central, and I'm sure it will air multiple times after that.

While I've been enjoying listening to Christmas music at the office and watching Christmas movies at night, I must admit that I'm getting a little Christmased out. I even deleted several movies from my DVR without watching them. Perhaps once I get my decorations up, I'll feel more Christmasy ... but that's going to have to wait a while as I try to figure out how I can possibly have a Christmas tree with three crazy cats in the house!

Are you "doing" Christmas yet? Any advice for keeping my cats out of my Christmas tree?

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no surprises here

These are my Amazon Quick Picks over the last two days. I think they've got a pretty good read on me, don't you?

Also, these movies remind me that the Christmas movie season is just around the corner. Yippee! The Hallmark Channel will begin showing Christmas movies on November 1. Two months of Christmas movies ... I can't wait!

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time to catch up

December is more than half over, and my life is finally beginning to slow down! I've hardly had time to read, let alone blog recently. But I do have a few things I want to tell you about!

• Singing Christmas Tree is officially over for another year. It's crazy how quickly it goes once our concert season hits! I stood on the fourth row this year, the highest up I've ever been, where I experienced new levels of heat. Seriously, one night we were literally dripping sweat! But, despite the varying levels of discomfort this year, I truly enjoyed my time in the Tree. I'm so thankful I have the opportunity to be involved year after year!
  
  
• As you well know, it's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ... which means loads of Christmas movies! I've already watched more than my fair share: the good, the bad, and the painful. I still have a few to watch, but I've picked out some of the best and worst to tell you about.
  
  The Best: Favorite New Movie: Matchmaker Santa. It's cute and romantic without being over the top or cheesy ... until the very end. It just kind of fizzles out. But overall, it's an enjoyable movie, and Lacey Chabert is adorable. Favorite New to Me Movie: Trading Christmas. This premiered on Hallmark last year, but as I had no access to cable, I missed it. It is completely delightful and actually comes across as semi-realistic! (Trust me, "semi-realistic" is one of the highest compliments you can pay to a Christmas movie.) Plus, Tom Cavanagh (I'll always remember him affectionately as Ed) is one of the stars. This is a great movie that I'd love to add to my ever-expanding Christmas movie collection.
  
  Now for the bad: Cheesiest, Most Unrealistic Movie: A Bride for Christmas. This is also a Hallmark movie, and it's all kinds of terrible! I almost didn't even watch it because I'm not a fan of the star. You know how sometimes you can't get past a role that an actor or actress had, even if it was years ago? That's how I feel about Arielle Kebbel. She's probably a really great person, but she was the much-despised Lindsay on Gilmore Girls, and I just haven't liked her ever since. Then you throw in McNab from Psych as an ex with a horrible haircut ... and it just gets worse from there! Basically, the plot is a cross between Runaway Bride and She's All That with a little How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days thrown in for good measure. It's really, really bad. But it's still not The Worst Movie I've Seen This Season. That honor goes to The March Sisters at Christmas. It's a horrible update of Little Women. Normally, I love adaptations of classic literature, but this is terrible! I could go on and on, but instead I'll just send you to this article that says practically everything I'm thinking. (Warning: There is some mild cursing in the article.) The movie does have one redeeming quality: Mark Famiglietti as Marcus Bhaer. But trust me, you do not want to watch this movie. (We have Lifetime to blame for this one, not Hallmark.)
  
  
• In an effort to be a responsible pet owner, I just dropped off my three—Isis, Skaara, and Hammond—at the local vet clinic, where they will be spayed or neutered. OK, so perhaps I did it not because I'm responsible, but because I'm selfish. In actuality, I couldn't care less if there are lots of cats roaming the earth ... I just don't want my cats roaming the earth, and I read that neutered cats are much more likely to stay close to home. And as for Isis, while I'm sure she'd be a great mother, my biggest fear surrounding her is that she'll have kittens in the dead of winter, which would then most likely die because my cats have to be outdoor cats.
  
  It was really hard to leave them at the clinic, and I can't wait to pick them up on Wednesday! (I'm also really thankful they spend the night before and the night after the procedure at the clinic.) In case you've forgotten how adorable they are, here's a refresher.
  
  
• I saved the best for last: I recently learned that I've been chosen to be part of author Tricia Goyer's 2013 Fiction Launch Team! There are about 100 bloggers that have been chosen, and we're starting by promoting Tricia's new novel Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska, which is co-written by Ocieanna Fleiss. There will be giveaways, author interviews, book reviews, and other promotions, so stay tuned! 

Button Designed by Team Member Marcy Crabtree

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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media update & a giveaway

Here are a few things I've been thinking about/obsessed with recently ... and be sure to keep reading to the end because I'm giving away a good book!

• Hart of Dixie: I recently reviewed the pilot on my new blog. That's right; I started a new blog. I may have some mental issues! I haven't done too much with it yet, but hopefully now that I'm not reading quite so much I'll be able to spend more time on it. Anyway, Hart of Dixie. It's one of those shows that's in the same vein as Gilmore Girls—quirky characters in a small town. It's even filmed on the WB lot in some of the same places that Gilmore Girls used. I discovered this show on Netflix a couple months ago and powered through all of season one in less than a month. Now I eagerly await each new episode. Also, I recently discovered that Scott Porter, who plays one of Dr. Zoe Hart's potential love interests, is a huge Nebraska fan, which immediately endeared him to me. (And no, I still haven't watched that little show Porter's mainly known for ...)
• Kindle Fire HD: Last winter, my dad gave my mom a Kindle Fire. I immediately fell in love with it. I contemplated getting one, but I decided to wait for the inevitable new model. I'm so glad I did! I ordered the Kindle Fire HD the day after it was announced, and it arrived on my doorstep the day it was released. For a while, I thought I'd use both my Kindle Keyboard (that I bought 1-1/2 years ago) and my Kindle Fire. Not so. I haven't used the old Kindle once since I got the Fire ... so I'm giving it to my sister.
• Christmas Music: Today is November 11, which is much too early for Christmas music. Christmas music should not be listened to prior to Black Friday (when it turns into a Christmas music free-for-all) ... or so I normally claim. But recently I stumbled across some cheap ($5 or less) Christmas music on Amazon, and I had to indulge myself! They have 100 $5 Christmas albums this month (and my guess is they'll have 100 more next month). Plus, there are other ridiculously discounted Christmas albums, like the Elf soundtrack for $4.49. I ended up buying two soundtracks: Elf and Home Alone. Can a person have too much Christmas music? I don't think so! 
• Christmas Movies: My parents have cable now (for the first time ever!), so I thought perhaps my compulsion to purchase Christmas movies during the holiday season would disappear due to the plethora of cheesy Christmas romance at my disposal. I was wrong. So, so wrong. Lifetime just released this item. Twelve Christmas movies for $30? That's just $2.50 per movie—and two of them (Recipe for a Perfect Christmas and His & Her Christmas) were ones I wanted anyway! Purchasing them separately would have cost half of what I paid for all 12. See how easy it is for me to justify Christmas movie purchases? I've already watched and reviewed one of the movies, Christmas in Paradise, on my other other blog. Check it out.
• Giveaway: I received an extra copy of The Memory Jar from Zondervan, so I'm giving it away! Tricia Goyer is a great writer, and I enjoyed this book. Enter using the form below. (Giveaway open to US residents only.) 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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while you were sleeping

Another year of Singing Christmas Tree is over. (You can read an article about it here.) It's such a huge part of my life from October (when rehearsals begin) through mid-December that it's a strange feeling when it ends. I'm already looking forward to next October!

The title of this year's program was "While You Were Sleeping"—and we sang the Casting Crowns song of the same name during the program.While I enjoyed the song when I first heard it a couple years ago, it was my least favorite song to sing during the program—and we had to sing parts of it at two different times! Each time we sang it, my mind wandered to another While You Were Sleeping ... the movie.

While You Were Sleeping has been my favorite movie ever since I saw it in the 8th grade. (Not coincidentally, that's also the time that Sandra Bullock became my favorite actress.) I've probably watched it more than 20 times over the years, and I could quote practically the entire thing. (That in itself is quite a feat ... my siblings always make fun of me because I can never get movie quotes!)

While I thought about WYWS every time we sang the song, and I often promised myself I would watch it when I got home, I never did—until tonight. I came home from Singing Christmas Tree absolutely exhausted but not really ready to go to bed. So I popped WYWS into the DVD player. I enjoyed every minute of it! I hadn't watched it in probably a year, and absence definitely made the heart grow fonder. I quoted my favorite parts. I laughed. I once again marveled at Peter Gallagher's eyebrows. I yelled at Jack when he didn't step up and tell Lucy how he felt. And I took great pleasure in the bike scene, which I've embedded below.



Watching While You Were Sleeping was the perfect wrap-up to the "While You Were Sleeping" season of the Singing Christmas Tree. And the movie even fits in with the season, as it takes place basically from Christmas through the first couple weeks of January. (I have never considered it to be a Christmas movie, but I guess it would qualify.) Here's a link to the trailer to remind you just how great the movie is ... and if, heaven forbid, you've never seen the movie, maybe it'll make you curious enough to watch it. It's so cute!

What's your favorite movie? Why do you like it? Do you share my affection for Sandra Bullock? Sound off in the comments! 

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another christmas movie

You're probably getting tired of hearing me talk about Christmas movies, but I just watched ABC Family's 12 Dates of Christmas, and it was so enjoyable.

Basically, it's Groundhog Day, only the day being repeated is Christmas Eve, and the girl repeating the day (Amy Smart) isn't nearly as loathsome as Phil (Bill Murray) was at the beginning of Groundhog Day. Throw in Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the love interest and some genuinely funny moments, and you've got a great little Christmas movie!

No, it won't change your life, but it sure is a fun way to pass a couple hours! It's currently streaming on abcfamily.com—you can watch it here.

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snow day #1

Ah, snow days--one of the benefits of working in education! Today, we had our first snow day of the year. Tomorrow, we'll have our second! I spent a rather lazy day at home, and it was fabulous. I'll have to get some actual work done tomorrow :-)

• I woke up at 11:30. 11:30! When I went to bed last night, I initially set my alarm for 9, but then I decided to just let myself sleep. I had no idea I'd sleep so long, but I woke up feeling wonderfully rested!
  
• Blendy braved the snow to spend the afternoon with me. Or was she spending the afternoon with my fast internet?
• While she was here, we made biscuit pizzas for lunch. They're such kid food, but I still love them!
• I finally cleaned up the living room--it was about time! I also did all my dishes. Again, it was definitely time!
  
• I put up the rest of my Christmas decorations and wrapped some presents. (Note the cross-stitched angel at the top of the tree. One year, Val and I had a colossal fight about what should go on the top of our tree--she thinks this angel is ugly, and I love it! Now that I have my own tree, I can put it wherever I want ... and it fits in well with the rest of my tree!)
  
• After seeing a commercial for Dean Cain's new Christmas movie, I had an urge to watch Lois & Clark. So I did. For hours!
• Janae gave me her recipe for her amazing molasses cookies a few weeks ago, and I finally made them today. They didn't turn out quite as amazing as hers did ... after they cooled, they turned into rocks!
• Check out Cinematic Survey. I finally posted something new!
• I never really had supper ... I just had molasses cookies. So, at 10:30 p.m., I decided to make pancakes! They were delicious.
• Several months ago, I wrote about this cross-stitch project that my grandma started several years ago. My goal was to finish it by her birthday. Well, that didn't happen, but today, as I was trying to figure out what to give her for Christmas, I decided to attempt to finish it before we go to Kansas on the 24th. Do you think it'll happen? (Interestingly enough, the day I wrote about the project was also a snow day.)
  

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