And The Best Actors Are...

Well, in my humble opinion anyway, Robert Deniro, Anthony Hopkins, and Paul Newman. Deniro, for the sheer transformation he undertakes in his roles. I picked side by side shots of him to show how he actually became Jake LaMotta the middleweight boxer of the 50's. He packed on the pounds. He is an amazing actor. Anthony Hopkins I love. He was soooo frightening as Hannibal Lecter. What a character! Legends of The Fall, The Wolfman, I think he is just fantastic. Then there is Paul Newman. I included 2 pics of Paul when he was young so that the younger girls in the group can see just how gorgeous this man was. He had the bluest of blue eyes! He aged with the same beauty. Newman had so many unbelievable movies, but it took the Academy till 1986 to finally give him the nod for The Color Of Money. He snubbed them and said-

"It's like chasing a beautiful woman for 80 years. Finally, she relents and you say, 'I'm terribly sorry. I'm tired.'"

Movies like Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, The Sting, Absence of Malice, The Verdict. Splendid actor, and a devoted husband to actress Joann Woodward. He was on I think the Mike Douglas show oh so many years ago and he was asked why his marriage works so well and he said "Why go out for hamburger when you have filet mignon at home."

Of course there are honorable mentions, Meryly Streep, Glenn Close, Denzel Washington, Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, though I must say, Ally boy has become a caricature of himself the past several years basically playing the same role just different names.

Well did you expect me not to be opinionated on this subject? Ya'll should know me by now, and I have an opinion on everything!! Some things stronger than others ;), lol!

Here are my layouts for Emma's circle journal followed by the tag for her sign in page and Serene's tag as well. This is turning out to be such a wonderful cj, again I thank my dear Scrap Sistah Diva Lisa for coming up with this great idea!

I used my cricut for the frame, the mats and the lettering. That was the George cart. My doodlebug sugar glitter and some glue with my stamp gave a little zing, and some stars scattered here and there for a simple but nice layout.

Here are the tags-

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I finished Magic Bites and I LOVED it!!! I found it much better than Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison. Don't get me wrong, I'll continue with Harrisons series, but I am moving on to book 2 Magic Burns already. I really like the character Kate Daniels, I like the other players as well. Curran is a shifter, the pack leader, your Majesty if you will. He's a lion, and boy do he and Kate butt heads off the wall! She is a tough cookie willing to die if necessary. The story was her hunt for the killer of her guardian. It takes place in Atlanta, that no longer exists as we know it. Magic abounds everywhere, the vamps are so very gross, not like True Blood or Twilight, very very different. Pick it up, well worth it.

Do you know I have read over 6000 pages since the 1st of the year already? 6690 pages to be exact, and 19 books! I'm keeping track to see how much I can do in one year, kinda neat.

Spring Is Slowly Sprunging

The weather here has been just beautiful. I love the spring, not to hot, not to cold. Just right. The kids have been on spring break the past 2 weeks, we've gone to see Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which was very funny. The kids are enjoying being home. I can't believe Sunday is already Palm Sunday. Time is just flying. The kids only have 2 1/2 months of school left. Their last day is June 10th

I have finished a wonderful book my Mom bought me. It's called Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. It's chick lit about a group of ecclectic woman who have formed a bond through their knitting club. They meet each week and one is more different than the next. The store owner is Georgia Walker, a single mom of a pre-teen girl named Dakota. The book takes you through the different tribulations of each's life, with the main focus being Georgia. Very bittersweet. A nice light read and I recommend it.

I am now reading Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews which is actually a husband/wife author team. The lead character is Kate Daniels. She is a mercenary of the paranormal type. She goes out and kicks booty!! There are vamps and shifters, she possesses magic, and when her guardian is killed, she vows to catch the killer. I like it so far, even though they are world building like in Dead Witch Walking, I find their writing style smoother and more enjoyable. I can 't wait to see what happens.

For those of you who have laptops, or even regular pc's, Amazon has a kindle app for mac's and your pc, scroll down to the bottom of the page past the description for the regular kindle and get yourself set up. You can download it for free and read books right on your puter! If you have a lap top, you can sit on your couch nice and read books. There are soooo many free books out there too!

Here are a couple more pics of my Baseball Boy Santino. While he may be small he is so into playing, and he does real well as pitcher and first base. He knows just what he's supposed to do!

I have to get cracking on my tag for Serene's cj, it will be in the vein of the layout which was unusual doings. Next up is Emma's cj, subject being top 3 actors. I am stoked, got their pics all chosen and ready to go!! When I post Emma's I'll put up the tags as well. Have a great weekend, find a good book and read ;)

That's Unusual!

Do I have your attention? lol! Well I don't know how unusual it is, but my friend Serene's cj subject is 4 unusual things you've done. Okay at first I was saying "I'm in trouble", but I started getting the smoke going and I came up with 4!!

1. We were on The Family Feud! Imagine that?! When we first moved to cali my hubs signed us up. Myself, hubs bils Mark and Al, and my Father-in-law went on. Had a blast, won $2000 to split, and more Rits dye and WD40 that I could ever use!!! I would say that is THE most unusual thing we've done.



2. Moving to California with no promise of a job, just cheaper housing. Most would never make such a big move from one coast to the other without the promise of really good employment. It was a very hard thing for me, and at times I seriously contemplated going home since we struggled for a long while. And yes, New York is still home. I've lived here almost 21 yrs and I will always say, "Oh I'm going to be going home for a visit."



3. Having 6 kids. Yes, it's unusual, in a day and age when most only have 2 maybe 3 tops we went and had 6, nuff said ;)



4. Getting married at 16 and still being married. Most wouldn't get married so young, I certainly wouldn't encourage it in any of my own, but the fact that 29 yrs later we're still going strong and he's the light of my life, well that's unusual!

So there ya go. Not oddball out of this world, but I guess a bit unusual. Here are my layout pics-

I haven't done the tag yet, I can't remember what it was. I'll get on that as soon as I find out what it is and then I'll put it up.

Here are some cards I've completed. My favorite is the Fairy card I made for Sophia's birthday with the Tinkerbell cricut cart.

Finshed reading Evil At Heart. I highly recommend this series, here is my quick review -

As always Ms. Cain does not dissapoint! Gretchen Lowell is so twisted and an insane genious, it's amazing. She knows just how to manipulate, and she can read people so well it is shocking.

Archie is so on the edge. If it would have been available to him he would have slipped right back into his drugged haze. I fully enjoyed this book, I was proud that Archie fought his demons, as hard as it was for him. I'm sad about he and his wife. We'll have to see, since there is most certainly an opportunity for #4.

The only thing that bothered me was all the crap that keeps happening to him and reporter, uh I mean journalist, since she prefers that title, Susan Ward. It's like, oh my gosh, what else is gonna happen. Kind of reminded me of Andy Sipowitz from NYPD Blue, everything under the sun that could go wrong did! It starts to get a little old. That and the fact that Archie lied to his partner Henry. Cop partners have a very special relationship, and Henry loves Arhie and has had Archie's back, has saved him and pulled him back from the depths so often, I was shocked that the author allowed that to be.

All in all, an awesome read. Gretchen Lowell is without a doubt a fantasic psycho, Ms Cain has outdone herself with this series and hope she gives us more!

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I am now reading Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison. It's a little slow going, she is building the world and characters, it is definitely urban fantasy, the romance is non-exsistant. It'll come in some of the later books, but for now she is busy building the worlds. Rachel is a witch, and she just quit the I.S which is like the CIA for the supernatural. There is now a hit out on her and she is trying to stay alive while catching a bad guy that will buy her her freedom. Jenks is her pixie sidekick, he is very funny, and Ivy is her non-dead vampire somewhat friend who she lives with. Yes un-dead. In Ms Harrison's world vamps can be born and then die into full vampdom. Ivy hasn't been a practicing vamp in 3 yrs, not drinking blood, and Rachel is still so very wary of her. I'm almost done and will continue in the series.

Outlander

I have finished Outlander and I have to say it was one of the most wonderful books I have ever read! This was such a touching story about Claire and Jamie. Claire Beauchamp Randall is married to Frank. She was a nurse during WWII, and Frank is a Professor. They are taking a 2nd honeymoon in Scotland now that the war is over, and Frank is doing some family ancestry digging. His Great Great Great Great Grandfather Jack Randall was a Captain in the British Army. They are staying at a Scottish Bed and Breakfast. Claire has some time on her hands during the day so she occupies herself with some of the local people, and sites. She goes to Scottland's "Stonehenge" and tumbles through this stone passage back 200 yrs.

Finding herself in the middle of some fighting, arms come up behind her and she mistakes it for her husband Frank as she turns and looks at him. It's his ancestor Capt Jack, or Black Jack as he was called, and he attacks her! In the midst of all this she is saved by some Scottish Highlanders, the Clan MacKenzie and this is where she meets her new love Jamie. He is wounded and she treats him as they continue to his Uncle's castle.

What she finds out over time is that her husbands ancestor is a real SOB!! The man has serious issues and the things he has done to Jamie and does to Jamie brought me to tears. I don't cry during books, only 1 other time did it happen to me, but this had me crying big fat baby tears. I was heartbroken. It just reaches out and rips your heart!!! I don't want to say anymore, just go and read it, find out what she decides as far as her husband Frank and the choices she makes. I am going to continue in the series. It is a beautiful book.

I'm now on the last Chelsea Cain series, Evil At Heart, lets see what poor Archie Sheridan does this time...

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I just wanted to throw some pics of Santino at his first game of the t-ball season. He is so small but he just loves it and he is really adorable. That punum of his saves his life all the time!!

Playing first base.

Look at him hit and run!

Five Things And A Joke

This is my creation for Melissa, the Stampin up! guru :) She is a most talented gal, and I love looking at her work. Her subject was 5 things you can't live without. Hhhhmmm, what 5 things could that be, well sometimes they make me wanna kill em, but my children are one of them, yes those batty buggers are dear to me.

Anyhow, the top of the list is God, and yes for many He is just a given so much like breathing but I felt the need to include Him. We have quite a contentious relationship me and the Big Boss. I talk to Him on a daily basis, and sometimes I give Him a piece of my mind. If He's my Father, then I should be able to tell Him exactly how I feel, I don't pull my punches with my family and friends, why with Him. I love Him dearly, and sometimes I get very upset with Him, not understanding the why's of what happens in life, but I accept His will, not always with a smile, but accept it just the same. He is a part of my life always.

My Hubby, he is my heart. I know I'm loved so deeply, and I am safe with him. All things are ok in my life with John by my side. I gain strength from him and know I can keep going with his encouragement! He is such a handsome hunk too ;)

My hair products!!! Yowsers, if I don't use the blow dryer, curling iron, or straightener, watch out! My hubs has told me to roar on occasion because I do resemble the MGM Lion!! I have very very VERY thick hair, and what falls out of my head and I pull outta a brush in a day would make a bald man cry big fat baby tears. I will never have to worry about thinning hair in this lifetime.

My books, I just love to read. It is an easy way to transport yourself to another place, to be another person, to go on an excellent adventure, wink wink nod nod, alla Bill and Ted's . I have been an avid reader since I was a very little girl. I can remember being in the 4th grade taking the standardized testing, and my Mom being told that I read on an 11th grade level. I gobble books up at an alarming rate. Not all of my children love reading like I do, maybe I should say have the same passion for it as I. Victoria does, the rest will do it but not with the same love. Desirae, John, and MaryAnn will read, but not with the same vigor, and my poor Sophia struggles so, but she is loving Lemony Snicket's series so I'm happy she has found something to help her get going. We'll have to see about Santino, he has favorites like SkippyJon Jones which we just love to read together, me with my terrible Spanish accent and he clapping as I sing horribly, but not noticed at all by him, and he is learning to read himself. It's exciting to see a child realize they are reading on their own!

So after that long-winded summary, here is my work -

I used my cricut and the jasmine cart for the lettering, #'s and the diamond journaling block. The papers and stickers were from the last cj that I participated in and weren't used, so were the stickers. I'm trying to use what I have and not buy. I have tons of stuff! A little inking and slight glitter on the #5. Very light on this layout, I didn't go all nuts, I like the affect. Bright and cheery.

Here is my tag. Melissa wanted us to use a word to describe ourselves and encorporate it into a tag. I used the word vibrant, I like to think that I'm bright, happy, and filled with good energy.

Now for the joke. I am submitting some pages to Memory Makers call for their book. I can't post it here since it has to be never before seen. I do display my pages in a frame I bought just for that purpose. Well, at Santino's bday party, my brother's in law just had a field day busting my onions since it was about my love for my hubs. They ribbed me, and we just laughed. I am very good natured and it's all in fun so we were just rolling. Well the 4th was my niece's bday so we went there, and I hear my brother in law Al saying, "I wanna be in the contest too, I know I can win!" My younger brother in law Mark spoofed my layouts with his own and I was crying I laughed so hard! He does this to me every so often, he got me real good the Thanksgiving in 03 that I was preggers with Santino. It was at our home, and the turkey was done and resting on the counter. I don't put stuffing in, but I do put an onion studded with cloves. Well I come back in the kitchen and look at the turkey and see little bird legs inside the cavity. Well I start to panic, my brain just blanks completely, I pull em and I see a small cooked bird in it! I start screaming - "Help Help the turkey had a baby and it cooked!" I'm crying screaming in a panic, "how did this happen, help get it out, what's going on here!?" Everyone was laughing hysterical at me. Mark had cooked a cornish hen at his house brought it over, and stuffed it into the turkey when I went inside. My kids were saying Mom, turkeys lay eggs silly, and John said don't you remember putting the onion in. Lord I don't know how Sonny wasn't born right there! Mark was just laughing! I love my brother in law dearly, I've known him since I was 15, and he is a sweatheart.

Here are his "creations". The first one is of Mark, the brat, and the second is Al.

I am reading a wonderful book called Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I believe it's considered urban fantasy vs. paranormal romance but I'll dig a bit more to see if this is the case. Paranormal focuses more on the romance aspect, where as urban fantasy focuses on world building. It's a bit of a history lesson, action and romance rolled up in one. I'm reading it as my March book challenge of reading a book over 1000 pgs. Well it's about 868, so it'll due ;) This is the first in the series as you can see, and they are all supposed to be very good. If they're like #1 then I can't wait to read the rest.