25 Days of Christmas and Mom's Pitchforks

Join in the Fun!



On the 4th day of the 25 Days of Christmas, we're blogging about movies!

 I have to admit, I'm not a big Christmas-themed movie watcher.  I love them, but hardly ever take a time out to enjoy watching one during the holiday season.  The movies I tend to gravitate toward this time of year "take me back" a decade or two. Not all of them are Christmas themed, but still carry that holiday-cozyish spirit; many of them were my favorites as a kid, and I would spend my entire holiday break(s) watching them over and over.  My Christmastime faves:

And of course, who can forget Shrek?!?

I was a late Shrek bloomer; I didn't watch any of them until after the Third came out on DVD! I totally jumped aboard the bandwagon when I received the Shrek boxed set of three as a Christmas present in 2007; I watched all of them in just a couple of days. I'm totally hooked. And I totally love Gingy the gingerbread man.

What are your favorite Christmas movies? Er, movies that you like to watch around Christmastime, if you're a weirdo like me? Blog about it and join up at Star & Jmo's 25 Days of Christmas!

Earlier in the week, I mentioned that I got a chance to sneak around my mom's West Virginia home and take a few pics of her decor while I was visiting for Turkey Day. I must share her style, because it's chic-country-cozy. She pulls it off, and with lots of effort.  You can't just slap a barn star on the wall and call it "country" - you've gotta be like my mom, put lots of thought into it, and search high and low for new pieces to add here and there: 

Of course she has the collegiate flags! (This pic was taken earlier in the fall.)

The backyard: It's spitting snow! The swing was put up for winter.

My favorite part is the fire pit.

Mom's had this for years - it's my favorite piece of wall decor! And appropriate - the room it's hanging in is definitely a cat nap cozy kind of room. 

You know what they say: "A house is not a home without a pitchfork".

Kitchen pic #1

I know it's dark, but dim lights are a big thing at mom's house.

So are antique popcorn poppers! (Be Merry!)

You know... the necessities. TV, CD player, Spice rack, Peppermints.

Currently burning: Cranberry Woods Candle by Slatkin & Co.

One of my favorite items - the Grand Central Station clock!

You can write on the rooster with chalk! Cool!

There are many a skinny cabinet in mom's home - in just about every corner :)

Fiestaware and a pitchfork! Goes together like a charm, who would have thought?

It's not uncommon to find Mac sleeping in the bathroom -

or anywhere else, for that matter!

The gorgeous tree - which she is planning to replace with a tall, "skinny" tree next year. Of course, she says that every year - for like, the past five years.

Now that you've taken a little tour of mom's West Virginia home, it's time to relax in at the "Cat Nap Inn".

As you can see, it's impossible to not feel cozy when visiting this home in the mountains of central West Virginia.  I spend most of my "visiting" time in a sleepy, lazy daze! And the magic that happens in the kitchen?  Let's just say that mom's brownies keep me coming back to WV. 

Meet me on Monday

Welcome to a new week!  There's not a whole lot going on in my world... I'm still trying to process the movie "Inception", which I watched two whole days ago - yep, still processing.  Stillll thinking.  Still analyzing.  It was a difficult movie for someone who prefers "flickering images", or movies that require no thought process! haha :)  Seriously though, Leonardo Dicaprio is fantastic.  And the box of mini-Butterfingers I had for a snack were fantastic, too!

MAN, some bloggers have been posting some super amazing recipes as of late!  I'm not much of a baker in the summertime, but when fall rolls around, I get into it.  I'm stockpiling recipes left and right, so keep 'em comin'!

I would like to remind you to join in my 100-follower celebration giveaway fun!  You can win this super cute sign - made by yours truly - just by following and showin' me your love via commenting! 

I appreciate all of those who follow, read, and support my blog, and I just had to make something special for you to win! Read more about the giveaway here.

I know I'm slacking today, but it's Monday and I'm completely blank.  I think I'm actually focused on work this early A.M.!  GASP!  I'm streaming my favorite local radio station online, ready to get busy at the office.  This, my friends, is a rarity - well, not the radio station part, but the whole gettin' busy at the office part!

To wrap things up, I'm going to participate in "Meet Me on Monday", hosted by Java @ Never Growing Old. Read my answers, post your own set of answers, then head on over to Java's blog and link up!

 1. What is your favorite sandwich?Turkey Ranch & Swiss on whole wheat from Quiznos! I could eat it every day! 

2. What is stashed under your bed/mattress?My Hallmark Keepsake Christmas Ornaments and Marshall University Ornaments - I keep them neatly organized and protected in Rubbermaid containers (I'm OCD about my Christmas ornaments!) Also, the cat can sometimes be found under the bed, especially during thunderstorms. 3. What is your favorite flower?Bright, happy gerbera daisies! 

4. What is your favorite magazine?Decorating magazines, crafty magazines, girly magazines, and Sports Illustrated
5. How often do you weigh yourself?Once per week - I'm not quite a gym rat, but I like to workout and maintain.   

Have a great Monday, all!

!ECLIPSE!

ECLIPSE is SoooOoooo Soooo GOOD!
I went to the midnight showing and as expected, it was total madness - and for good reason.  What most fans call the "best book" is also the "best movie" - in my opinion - so far!  I hope everyone who goes out to see it enjoys it as much as I did!  Even my husband liked it! (Or... did he like the several close-up shots of Bella's face? ...Who keeps getting prettier and prettier with each movie.) 
It was so great, I wanna run out and watch it again... it will be a lonnnng wait for the DVD to come out (which I'm assuming will be around the holidays.)  It's also going to be a long wait for Breaking Dawn.  I'm just going to try and enjoy Eclipse for now!  Which, by the way, has a super awesome soundtrack - be sure to check it out!

Also, I'm participating in Welcome Wednesday, hosted @Take it From Me - trying to grow my following (which is a little like building a newborn vampire army... bad Eclipse joke, sorry!)
Head on over there to play along! 

Happy Hump (and Eclipse) Day!

Theater Thursday!

I decided to join in on the Theater Thursday fun w/my fellow Marshall pal and blogging gal, Jennifer @ Crazy Shenanigans!

Her only rule is that movies must be out on DVD and not currently playing in theaters.

After careful consideration (because I'm crappy at movie reviews and this may be one of the few times i join in), the movie I chose is The Secret Lives of Dentists.

Released in 2003, the Secret Lives of Dentists stars Hope Davis (as Dana), Campbell Scott (as David), and Denis Leary (as Slater).  David and Dana are a husband/wife dentist team and manage their own practice.  They have three young daughters, and seem to be living the American Dream.  However, David's suspicions that Dana is having an affair begin to take hold of his mental state, and that is where Slater - a prickish patient of David's - takes over.  Slater becomes David's alter ego as David tries to figure out how to handle the situation with his wife. With three bratty but cute kids and the flu taking over David & Dana's household, things eventually come to a breaking point.  

I found this movie randomly, as I was flipping through movie channels during Spring break back in 2005. It is the perfect example of a Dramedy - I laugh throughout the movie, but part of me aches a little for the David/Dana/Dentist family. It's the perfect movie to enjoy on a lazy Summer afternoon when it's just too hot to go outside.  Check it out!

If you want to join in on the fun, blog about a movie, visit Crazy Shenanigans, and link up!