The Good Lie Review and Giveaway!

I can't express how excited I am to share this giveaway with you all!! 

If you haven't heard about it yet, The Good Lie follows a group of children orphaned by the brutal Civil war in Sudan that began in 1983. As the tattered children make the difficult trek to Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, they meet other fleeing children, forging a bond with Jeremiah, who, at 13, is already a man of faith, and Paul, whose skills become essential to their survival.   Fifteen years later, a humanitarian effort would bring 3600 lost boys and girls to America. Three brothers are given the chance to resettle in America arrive in Kansas City, Missouri.  
Upon arriving in Kansas, they are met by Carrie Davis (Witherspoon), an employment agency counselor who has been enlisted to help find them jobs—no easy task, when things like straws, light switches and telephones are brand new to them.  Together, against the backdrop of their shared losses, the Lost Boys and some unlikely strangers find humor in the clash of cultures, and heartbreak as well as hope in the challenges of life in America. 




I was seriously blown away by this movie. The heart and soul you see in these children as they go through such hardships and just keep going is amazing. The sincerity throughout the movie is evident in the excellent performances and direction. I was moved to tears more than once as I followed these endearing people on their incredible journey. Frankly, after watching the movie I feel I want meet them in real life to glean some wisdom from them! I left the theater feeling truly inspired by this true story of strength, sacrifice and loyalty.

I have the privilege to give one lucky winner a copy of The Good Lie DVD!! Giveaway ends at midnight on Christmas Eve! So the winner will have their prize by New Years! Take a moment to enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter below:
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BYOU Magazine for Girls Review

I was given the opportunity to review BYOU "Be Your Own You" Magazine recently.  Here is what they say that they are about:
BYOU “Be Your Own You” Magazine for girls ages 8+ helps build self-esteem in fun and empowering ways with features on positive celebrity role models, stories about real girls making a difference, tips, advice, games, crafts, contests, jokes, and much more.
Founded and published by Debra Gano, who is a national self-esteem expert, best-selling author, and former professional model & actress (as well as a mom to her 10-year-old daughter!) believes ALL girls deserves to have healthy self esteem.

When I originally flipped through the magazine I was a little disappointed.  At first glance it looks a lot like any other teen girl magazine, a poster of the picture perfect cover girl, beauty and makeup tips, plenty of ads for Disney shows, etc.

But when I actually sat down and read some of the featured articles I found pieces on entrepreneurial ideas and tips, girls who are making a difference in their communities, wintertime crafts and others.  There were some really interesting and empowering articles that I thought were great additions to the magazine.

If you want to check it our for yourself here are the BYOU links:

Website: www.byoumagazine.com

Facebook.com/BYOUmagazine

Twitter @BYOUmagazine

Schoolhouse Pattern review

Awhile ago I bought a bag of designer fabric scraps from Seamology Fabric Shop on Yardseller.  I have loved finding creative ways to use these fun fabrics!  So, when my friend with Schoolhouse Patterns (formerly known as: Pattern Patti) asked me to test an e-clutch pattern/tutorial for her I knew these would be perfect!  Here are a few pix of the final product.

I love the playful patterns on this project!

And the pocket is perfect for the charging cord or your reading glasses.

I am thinking of making another one to use as a diaper clutch to toss in my purse when I'm going somewhere and don't need the whole diaper bag.

If you have made any Schoolhouse Pattern projects please send me a link to your post or pix!  Thanks!

Far From Miserable!

I was excited to get invited to a screening of the new musical Les Miserables.  This time I took my girlfriend with me.  My hubs wasn't as into Les Mis as she is.  I think I saw an older version when I was in high school and a friend was obsessed with musicals.  And I may have seen the non musical version that was released in 1998.  But its been awhile and while I know the gist of it... its kind of like seeing it for the first time.

Brief Synopsis: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.




I was truly blown away by the weight of this movie.  Any expectations that I had were surpassed.  It was a cinematic feast to the eyes.  The scene was set so well throughout the film.  And it was cast perfectly.  Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway gave compelling performances, both of them bringing me to tears.  They were supported by Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne who all were excellent as well.  Some of these actors I was unaware that they sang and was pleasantly surprised at how well they did.


One thing that I did not quite buy was the love at first sight between Cosette and Marius. Their performances were very good.  I just am not a love at first sight girl.  I wish they had been given an opportunity to establish their relationship.  And the girl that played Eponine seemed to modern to me.  She did not quite fit in to the period the way everyone else did.

There were a couple of times when I was inclined to wish there was some ordinary talking instead of the start to finish singing... but they music and the performances were so riveting that I forgot about my "need" for dialogue and was carried away by the story.

This movie will be the talk of the Oscars, the Globes, you name it!  Excellent performances by the cast, propelled by the perfectly set scenes make this a musical of epic proportions.  I will be watching it again!

The Hobbit Movie Review

While I never read the books as a kid, I have really enjoyed the Lord of the Rings Trilogy movies.  When I heard they were doing The Hobbit I was excited (I thought it was weird to do the LOTR trilogy first, but whatever).  Just a few weeks ago we listened to The Hobbit audio book in the car on our road trip to visit family.  I may have fallen asleep, but I blame the long car ride, not the book!  But my husband said the book was very good.  And I liked the parts I was awake for.  ;-)  When I was invited to attend a screening of course I said yes!

In case you are not familiar with the story, here is what its about:
Bilbo Baggins is swept into a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever ... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities ... Written by Production 



Isaac and I attended the screening together last night and both were excited to see it.  We consider ourselves to be a couple of movie buffs and enjoy critiquing whatever films we see.

I hadn't realized that the screening was in 3D until we arrived.  I was a little nervous because when we saw Avatar in 3D it kind of made me sick, at the very least was distracting and annoying throughout the movie...  however I was pleasantly surprised that it was not the case this time.  I found the detail to be amazing.  The images were so crisp and clear through the whole film.

My overall reaction to the film is very impressed.  I am a big fan of the LOTR movies and it is great to see them treating The Hobbit with the same respect and care to details.  The fantastical scenes they set completely came to life and the characters moved the story along beautifully.  The villains were evil and scary as they should be.  I jumped in my seat a few times.  While I found the ending to be appropriate... I was left wanting more!  I am thoroughly anticipating the next installment of the Hobbit movies. 

Here is a fitting quote from the book: "To say that Bilbo's breath was taken away is no description at all.".  That is how I feel about the movie.  The Hobbit is another wonderful adventure in Middle Earth that I could watch again and again!

He Heard Hannah - book review

I recently won a giveaway for a book that I had been reading about online for awhile. He Heard Hannah is "An amazing true story, where two lives are inexorably interwoven. Courtney Becker, a 911 dispatcher, took a routine call on November 19th, 2004. The call for help came from a man whose young daughter was in cardiac arrest. Courtney was destined to receive that call, and that little girl became part of his spiritual journey.
He Heard Hannah is an incredibly inspiring story of spiritual perseverance and life changing hope. God's purpose is undeniably seen through the miraculous, life changing events that are told in this book, and it illuminates the biblical truth, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."


I was incredibly moved by this book.  I don't often read non-fiction but I was intrigued by the true story behind this book.  In the beginning it took me a little while to get into it, mostly because I did not have a lot of time to spend reading.  It became my "waiting room" book and once I got going, I was pulled into the story of these parallel lives.  I was amazed as I read on about how God clearly orchestrated their paths crossing and used a tragedy for His triumphant purpose.  I would definitely recommend this book!  Have the tissues handy, its a tear jerker!


Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)