what the cuss?

The weekend before last, Fantastic Mr Fox was on the box and I thought the kids would enjoy it, so set the DVR to do its job. Every now and then the guide gets its knickers in a twist and gets the times muddled. Of course this happened that very night - recording an hour of the show before Fantastic Mr Fox and only an hour of the actual movie. It is really quite sad just how disappointed I was the following morning when we made this SHOCKING discovery. For some strange reason, the kids didn't seem to mind. They watched that hour of this fabulous movie, over and over, over and over.. later in the week they spied it as we passed the movies in Kmart and we all cheered with glee that we would find out just how fantastic Mr Fox would turn out to be. This is the part where I confess we do not own one single Roald Dahl book. I heard that gasp. Never fear, this will be fixed very, very soon.

My goodness this is a fabulous movie. Yes, I realise it's about four years old. I remember when it was released and thought how much I'd love to see it. But I had a one year old. And had my head in the toilet, pregnant with another. Heading out to the flicks was pretty low on my agenda. Maxolon was high on my agenda. Even though it barely took the edge off. I digress.

The adult humour in this movie is absolute GOLD. If you've seen it, you'll know what I mean. If you haven't, a reliable source recently informed me you can pick it up at Coles for less than a tenner. Since having the whole movie, I think I would be lying if I said it hadn't been played once - every day. What the cuss? Ahuh. Mr Fox really is that fantastic.

Other fantastic stuff? This.

If I had a side bar, it would totally be on it. And I must take my cue from Foxy - what the cuss? I was so bloody shocked when I got the email confirming I had been chosen as part of the Top 100 Finalists of Voices 2013. I remember standing in the kitchen reading it. And then reading it again because I must have read it wrong. But no, it's true, look at my face in there amongst all those beauties. Totally chuffed, totally thankful to all those who have sent congratulatory messages the past few days. I'm really humbled to be amongst such a talented bunch of women. Some are friends, some are friends who write my favourite blogs, some are simply huge inspirations in the blogosphere. Humbled indeed. It feels like a really warm pat on the back for all those late night ramblings I spit out onto the keyboard, simply freeing my head of a little (much needed) space, to help me through another day of this little journey called Life.

Other less fantastic stuff? Drivers who speed through school zones. Yes, I just changed the subject. Keep up.

I think I drove through four different school zones today, twice. And every time, without fail, cars passed me easily and disappeared quickly. And to make it worse, the majority of those drivers had children in the car with them. What the cuss? I don't get it? WHAT IS SO CUSSING HARD ABOUT KEEPING YOUR SPEEDO AT 40KMPH?? WHERE IS THE CUSSING FIRE?! I felt the need to go all redneck, roll my window down, hang out the side and yell - WHAT THE CUSS ARE YOU DOING? I felt that would be a bad example to set the one or two children I had in the backseat so I refrained. It makes my blood boil. It's like they knew their kid was safe, so why bother obeying the road rules to protect someone else's? It must have been SO satisfying arriving at their destination THIRTY SECONDS faster than if they had slowed down to obey simple road rules and protect innocent children.

And while I'm all what the cuss? about everything, just a little community service announcement. Oxford Dictionary style.

Definition of apostrophe

noun

a punctuation mark (‘) used to indicate either possession (e.g. Harry’s book; boys‘ coats) or the omission of letters or numbers (e.g. can’t; he‘s; 1 Jan. ’99).

Origin: mid 16th century (denoting the omission of one or more letters): via late Latin, from Greek apostrophos 'accent of elision', from apostrephein 'turn away', from apo 'from' + strephein 'to turn'

Many people are uncertain when to use an apostrophe, and this confusion is probably increased by the fact that it is often omitted in company names (e.g. Barclays Bank). The apostrophe should be used when indicating possession (Sue’s cat) or the omission of letters or numbers (he’s gone, 1 Jan. '09). It should not be used in forming the plural of ordinary words, as in apple’s and pear’s or I saw two dog’s, or in possessive pronouns such as hers, yours, or theirs.

Don't you feel better? Cuss, me too.

*If Kidspot were lining up Top 100 Finalists for Most Disjointed Post, I would totally be in.

cinema debut

So tomorrow turned into after the weekend. We've been busy.

While we were on holidays, I thought it was a good time to take Cole to the cinema for the first time. Over the past few months, movies have been able to hold his focus longer and longer. The decision was also made easier having my Dad there to look after Eliot. Win win.

So on a Friday morning after Eliot went down for his sleep, we three headed for the cinema, the anticipation almost too much for these two. Popcorn purchased, tickets in hand, obligatory first-time-cinema-attendee-photos taken, we took our pick of seating from the entire cinema - bar 3 seats. I love it when the cinema is empty. Of course we had missed the boat on the Brave hype, which I didn't mind one bit - and neither did the smalls.

We pushed the armrests up so we could snuggle together, their little eyes grew wider in the light of the screen, as the characters introduced themselves and the story began. Of course Ruby asked a million questions, the whole way through. Cole only spoke a few times toward the end, asking that I confirm his thoughts about the plot and which bear was 'Brave's mum'. {They still call Merida, Brave. I've stopped correcting them.} The only movement Cole made was moving his arm between the popcorn and his mouth. I have never seen him sit still that long! After we left the cinema, he thought we should now go to another cinema where they were showing The Muppets. He couldn't quite grasp the concept that they weren't still showing it - six months later.

As exciting as it is for my little people to experience new things, for the very first time, I really think it's even more exciting for me. I am so grateful to be in a position to be there for all the firsts. We make sacrifices and live a simple life to be able to do so, for me to stay home with the kids while they are little. And I wouldn't change any of it.

Joining lovely Bron for Kidspot Village Voices

i'll have a double serve of bradley cooper thanks

I am not a movie watcher. Or rather a big movie watcher. Some people are movie watchers. They can watch multiple movies a week, regulars at the cinema. Just as I would sit and watch Private Practice every week (dear God, Addison, you better not choose bloody Sam), some people sit down of an evening and put on a movie, choosing from their enormous collection. While I am not a big movie watcher, I do love a good flick. But mostly, I think I love an average flick. Well, average in the sense of how they are reviewed and rated at the box office. The romantic comedy is probably my go-to. Anything light and funny. Perhaps a little bit of drama. I used to be okay with subtitles, something a bit independent and edgy. Too hard basket now. I'm watching the movie to switch off. Not take notes to keep up with the plot line. I don't do horror. Ever. The last - and perhaps only - horror movie I watched was Scream (which is probably classified as a weak one). Way back when I was a teenager. I distinctly remember sitting on our lounge with all the lights turned out watching this ridiculous movie, leaving fingernail marks in my friend's leg and shrieking like a banshee in his ear. Hi Noah.

Before we went away recently, I could probably count on one hand the amount of movies I have watched in the last six months, maybe even a year. I think I watched four movies while I was away. Make that FIVE - I actually went to the cinema! I really let my hair down. Crazy times.

The last two nights I have planned an early night. I kid myself. The planned early night is forever laughing in my face. After Winners & Losers finished (which I am still debating - with myself - whether I should even be watching, it is so ridiculously predictable and poorly executed), that was my cue. Then Mr Cooper appears in all his wavey haired, stubbly, skin perfection, sexy goodness and I was stuck to the couch. Stuck to watch a movie I had seen bits and pieces of, but never start to finish. I must have been one of the three people on the planet who had not seen The Hangover. Well no longer, peeps. I laughed at the crassness; Alan peeing on the floor, Alan tripping over said deliciousness - butt naked, Alan's purse, Alan babywearing. At everything Alan did actually. I asked hubby how the hell they got away with saying some of the lines they did - and yet I still laughed. Ed Helms is fabulous. Bradley, ridiculous eye candy. Ridic.

Last night I was having an early night. Again with the laughing in the face. After Farmer (again with the self debating at viewing such awkwardness), that was my cue. Is there an echo in here? Enter Mr Kutcher and the longest list of hollywood actors to ever grace the big screen in one single (loooooong) movie. Valentine's Day. Remember the light-hearted-funny up there? This one was made for me. And whatdya know. There's Bradley again, sitting right next to Julia on a big plane. All those little lives intertwining, all so very Love Actually. All so very average to most (at least, according to all the pummelling reviews). I like not being most.

I should share our trip to the cinema. It was a certain little guy's first time. Tomorrow perhaps.

*I hope in light of my alleged poor taste in movies, we can still be friends.
**Image source

flicks

Today I went to the movies. I love going to the movies. When hubby and I first started dating, it was our thing. We would go almost weekly and alternate between whose choice it was. I usually preferred the commercial flicks; I like to check my brain in at the door, have a good laugh or cry, and collect it when I leave. He always went for the art house, independent, low budget, sub-titled, hunt-down-a-boutique-cinema-that-actually-showed-it kind of flicks. Sometimes they were woful. Wo-ful. Sometimes they were surprisingly brilliant. He opened my eyes to appreciate a different kind of film. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, he liked some of the commercial stuff too.

Sadly, this is a thing of the past. I honestly don't remember the last movie we saw together. Something equally as sad ~ the last movie I did see at the cinema, was with my sister when I was pregnant with COLE. He's two and a half. It was Bride Wars. Remember I said check your brain in at the door, laugh, cry.

Today's outing to the cinema, was not with my hubby. But it was with the same sister. And my sweet girl. A first. Her first outing to the cinema! Some may ask why I waited so long to take her to the movies for the first time (she turned four in September). The only movie she has ever sat through from start to finish is Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. I thought she was ready to go probably about twelve months ago. Right when her baby brother arrived. Life got busy. I don't have any help in our day to day (aside from hubby). It's me and the kidlets from the time hubby leaves for work in the morning, till the time he returns in the evening. No grandparents round the corner to drop off for an hour or two and run errands. No childcare. Eliot had little routine to his feeding, he's always been a hungry boy. So ducking out for a few hours to catch a movie with my girl was just impossible. Until now.

And so it would seem I was right to wait this long to take her. Around the one hour mark she whispered to me in the darkness, 'is it time to go home yet?'. Bless. We saw The Muppets. I loved it. Like laugh out loud loved it. It had some great adult humour. And I fell in love with Kermit all over again. The movie aside, it was great fun. To leave the boys behind, run to the cinema in the pouring rain, line up for tickets, enjoy a pre-flick coffee and baby chino, buy the overpriced medium popcorn (which is small - how can they call it medium without small size on offer?), marvel at my girl's enthusiasm at the size of the screen, take her to the loo half an hour in, and a little post movie shopping (new clothes for kindy and two pairs of the sweetest little shoes).

Now that Eliot can survive without me for longer periods, I would like to make these mama~daughter outings more regular. There was a great animation in the ridiculously long previews.

What age were your littlies when you started taking them to the cinema?