Sorry for my rare appearance around our blog but it's been a wee bit crazy around here. Two of my dearest friends were over the other day and mentioned they had really been wanting to go to see
Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian at the 'cheap theater' in Pleasant Hills. So I decided to write up a movie review on the movie....I think our family will end up owning it or seeing it again soon. :) (Just click the title of the movie anywhere in this post to see a review of the movie from PluggedinOnline.com)
A few weeks ago, when dear
Gabrielle was still here, we saw the aforementioned movie at the same theater. Then we went out to Arby's for their Wednesday freebie! All together, the night ended costing my parents about eight to ten dollars for us all to see a movie together and get drinks and huge sandwiches afterwards. Aren't we frugal thinkers? :) The movie was hilarious and we laughed uproariously through out it. The giant squid was a teeny bit gross but not entirely repulsive. Most of the characters from the first movie return, including Teddy Roosevelt (though not as much as in the first one) Sacajawea, Jedidiah, Octavius, Dexter the monkey, with a whole bunch of equally hilarious characters strictly from the Smithsonian museum.
Larry Daley is now a big-shot CEO of his own company with a Blackberry and Blue tooth to boot! His friends at New York's Museum of Natural History are rather annoyed and offended by him as he rarely comes to see them anymore. One evening he visits the museum and speaks with the manager of the museum (who is equally as unhappy with Larry as his friends) and Larry learns that all of his friends, Attila, Cavemen, Sacajawea, Dexter, the miniatures and more are all going to be shipped to the Smithsonian's Federal Archives. The tablet of Akmunrah is staying in the museum as well as Teddy Roosevelt. Larry learns this, alarmed, and asks when this will all take place, in between cell-phone calls, he learns that this night when he visits, is their 'last night.' Their move to perpetual sleep in the Federal Archives is because of the new hologramic (if that's a word) exhibits. Bummed out, Larry asks Teddy what he can do but then his cell phone rings just as the sun rises. After he finally shuts the cell off, Teddy is back to wax. Larry goes back to his apartment to look more into the Smithsonian Institute. He is doing research when his phone rings and he hears Jedidiah's voice and much hubbub in the background. Jedidiah haltingly explains that the "monkey stole the dad-blamed tablet!" And there's some guy there who really wants it and says it's rightfully his. This 'guy' is Kahmunrah, Akmunrah's older brother who feels the tablet rightfully belongs to him to bring back his army from the underworld and control the world.
Larry, with the aid of his son Nicky via cellphone, goes into the Smithsonian, steals a security guard's ID card, and sneaks into the bottom of the huge museum-that in truth is many buildings that make up the Smithsonian institute. The Federal archives are stories under all the buildings and Larry goes down there in a race against the sunset. The whole movie is the span of about a very long night. Amy Adams plays the tight-pants clad Amelia Earhart whose every other word is 20's or Depression-era slang-we loved it! She's very spunky, opinionated, and takes a liking to Larry. He handles the situation nicely without telling her until almost the end that she'll be wax again by morning. They race against the clock and the group of wannabe world dominators, Napolean, Ivan the Terrible and Al Capone-all with their respective soldiers and cronies, led by Kahmunrah.
Along the way they see a gigantic Lincoln from his memorial, a giant squid, and many, many other unforgettable characters that will leave you holding your sides with laughter. Not the least of which are the Einstein bobble-heads in the Smithsonian gift-shop and the three, ever singing stone cupids that seem to pop up around Amelia and Larry when least expected. The cupids had Sara and I almost rolling on the floor laughing as they started singing two recognizable songs. The credits read: Cupid 1: Joe Jonas, Cupid 2: Nick Jonas and Cupid 3: Kevin Jonas. Sara and I were howling!!! One of my favorite parts was when Amelia Earhart and Larry Daley were in the art building being chased and the paintings have come to life via the tablet!! One of pictures was the famous WWII picture of the sailor and nurse smootching in Times Square. To get away from the bad-guys, the two hop into the picture and dodge the group of power-seekers.
Moral Issues:
They say the 'd' word twice and take the Lord's name in vain, regrettably, more than once. For a PG movie (only rated because of the 'd' word and some mild violence) that's pretty good.
Amelia and Larry kiss twice and Larry kisses the nurse in the picture to evade the bad guys. Also, Amelia Earhart, aka: Amy Adams, where's very tight pants that look much like jodpurs-what most horse-back riders where.
Other than that, I can't think of anything else halfway to objectionable. Even the previews before the movie were a bunch of commericials and one movie preview-that's pretty good!
(Gabrielle, I'm adopting your family's movie rating system!) Out of five stars-five being the best and one being the worst, I'd give
Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian a 4.25. :) There was no call to take the Lord's name in vain or to swear-like in the first one. Overall it was a hilariously funny film and very sweet. After Amelia and Larry say goodbye, and she flies her plane back to the Smithsonian, there is an absolutely sweet twist when Larry visits the 'new' museum full of 'holographic' exhibits. That's all I'll say-my mom will probably say I gave away waaay too much already, so I'll be done now. :)
This is what my diningroom table looked like...and you can't even see the stacks of books on some of the chairs...we would just push everything to the middle to eat for a couple days until I organized it all for the coming year!
Hooray! After my organization!
One of our bookcases....reference books ready for use...even a lot of Anna's fiction in a much more accessible way for her to get to them. (easier for her to put them away, too!)
I was able to seperate the top left bookcase for Ronnie & Anna's school books, and any other books (history) that we will be studying this year. The top right is highschool for the girls. I even had room on the bottum shelves for my cookbooks and craftbooks.
Cleared my table just in time to lay out this quilt for baby Hayden! Saw pictures on facebook today..he is so cute! Tons of dark hair, big eyes and very alert. I was also able to speak with both Ben and Crystal. Crystal is feeling better...sore and tired, but so happy to be home from the hospital! With Ben in the Airforce, I thought I would make Hayden a special quilt. I know it isn't traditional with squares or pieced in anyway....I thought a 'whole cloth' quilt was more appropriate....it has the batting in the middle, but the back is soft blue flannel. It is a good size,too.....a little bigger than crib size. Ben is probably being sent overseas in December, so I wanted the baby to have something warm, and something that will be big enough for him for years to come....and the Airforce, representing his daddy. We're so proud of Ben! So...plenty of projects to keep me busy along with our schooling...again, I cannot wait to get back into a routine! We've enjoyed all the parties, and get-togethers and trips this summer...but I am such a homebody....that is probably why I love winter so much! Staying home, cozy and warm! (I know it will be 90 degrees this weekend...I can dream can't I?!) Off to tuck in Ronnie and Anna to 'dreamland'! ~Sue~
My dear friend, Marla....laughing while we all helped make pies for their church picnic tomorrow. She is expecting her 8th baby...while preparing for the wedding of her oldest daughter and homeschooling her other children....any visit we have is so precious, as time is full and they don't live very close to us.
Marla's 2 oldest girls....in order: Meghan, Hannah, Courtney (who will be married in December) and Sara
Anna, Morgan and Kenzie....both Ronnie and Anna had fun outside playing today! Ronnie had a friend over yesterday at our house to play, and today, he stayed and played with two of his "guy" friends, while we took 2 of their sisters home with us for an afternoon visit.
With...these sisters! Morgan, Michaela, Meghan and Sara....played the card game "spoons"....a very NOISY, but fun card game!
Then, after dinner, Sarah and Rachel came over for a quick game of spoons, popcorn and the movie 'Enchanted'...as I'm typing this, the movie is almost finished....all quick visits, but memory makers all the same.
My friend, Jolyn, lives in Ohio. Even though we are not close enough for 'quick' visits or get-togethers, thru our blogs, phone calls and emails...we are able to share pictures and share our daily lives with each other.
Sara and Jolyn's daughter, Autumn....even the girls have developed close friendships thru snail mail, email, long 'giggly' phone calls and blog photos with friends all over the country.
Oh, my friend, Dayna! Now in Mozambique, Africa! I think it is incredible that we can keep up with each others daily lives and families thru blogging, photos, email and phone calls....even across the world!!! 
This morning, I woke up to this smiling face...minus his front tooth! He was so excited...and I think he looks so very cute!
Check out these nectarines and golden plums!
Ron can never pass up fresh bread...and this garlic herb potato bread was calling his name! Along with wonderful chocolate milk from the "Springhouse".
Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes
My wonderful helpers...shucking corn! One of the main joys of my summertimes is fresh, hot, sweet, corn on the cob! We all got some shaved ice at the farmers market as well...Sara even got a lot of EXTRA flavoring in hers!
So...dinner consisted of the bread, cucumbers, tomatoes (these cherry tomatoes were from our garden, too), corn on the cob and a mushroom, cheese, spinach frittata. It was so good!
Me and Aunt Helen...my Gram's only living sibling. She is so special to me!
Now that my cousin, Stacy, has Tyler, Ronnie and Anna love playing with him. He is so cute and funny! They all had a great time tonight, and the girls did too....Stacy's brother and his wife are having twin girls soon, so we had a lot of fun looking at the baby girl stuff that they have already bought, and talking about the shower coming up on August 22nd. Two twin double flannel blankets to make! I have to finish Hayden's airforce blanket, first. 
Warm, apple cinnamon oatmeal...more fresh apples than anything!
The view from my rocker on the deck...while I read God's word, watched my children play and shared fresh peaches with my little ones.
I like to write reminders thru out my Bible...and re-read them frequently...along with my favorite devotional "Streams in the Desert".
Playdough fun! I love the smell of playdough...and their creativity!
Hooray! I planned my menu for the week...along with any obligations and activities we all have....I actually felt a sense of relief....planning and organizing brings me peace of mind...and makes my life so much easier! We eat much healthier and cheaper as well!
Gluten free, healthy homemade bread! Again, I feel relief that we will in a way that is the healthiest for our family...and that I was able to make plenty for us!
And, after playing outside, my little ones eating GF bread with jam and kefir smoothies...yum!
Crocheting and creating always relaxes me...especially crocheting! Yes...this is STILL the infamous "Dr. Who" scarf...but I am enjoying finishing it! It is actually much lighter than the afghan that I just finished! Now...off to read "Mother" by Kathleen Norris and HOPEFULLY, get a good nights sleep! Part of what works best for me is definitely 'early to bed, early to rise'! Tomorrow, after getting my drivers license picture taken, I will hopefully be able to get some more organizing done around here in hopes of starting school up again and getting into a workable, peaceful routine around here! I hope to have a picture of little Haydon, too! Goodnight! ~Sue~ 
This is Anna and her little friend, Lydia....they have so much fun playing together!
Meghan and Sarah C! After the picnic, Meghan went home with some friends to play the card game "spoons"...hang out and have hotdogs....she came home around 7:30pm.
Belle and Sara...the back of Belle's shirt said "eating the competition"....it's a swimming t-shirt....I thought it was for an eating competition! LOL
We picked these up at the picnic....biology "toys"! Disecting a plastic frog...and a human body...Ronnie (otherwise known around here as "Boy Genius") spent hours working on these! They are so cool! 
The end of our evening....all my children are home, the girls are gabbing about their day...the little ones are tucked in, Ron is going to take a short snooze before going to work...and I'm going to settle in with a good book before I fall asleep.....a very blessed, simple Sunday! ~Sue~
