Salt- Not perfect but definately worth the time-

 Salt starring the stunning Angelina Jolie is an action thriller, filled with guns and violence that I found fabulous!  First you must take into account it has a good script- not excellent, but solidly written with mystery and questions through out.  Add that to the stunning stylings of Jolie and you will find yourself happily finding the bottom of the popcorn bucket before you know it!

Evelyn Salt, played by Jolie, is a high ranking government agent when a group of Russian's claim she is a spy planted to kill the president.  Action continues as our heroin runs for her life, trying to prove who is setting her up.

The old cold war feel of the plot of this movie adds a chilling excitement making the viewing audience continue to wonder what is true and what is not. 

The only flaw, the ending is a bit weak, but over all- it is definitely enjoyable.  The best I have seen Jolie- well no-  But not the worst (Wanted anyone?)-

Overall-great date night film- he's happy- she's happy- all is good- then again, a good date night movie for me involves guns and action- sappy it is not- chick flick it is not- entertaining- Absolutely!!

4 out of 5

Toy Story 3 - and they lived happily ever after!

Pixar has a long standing of not only capturing the hearts and minds of children and adults alike and they once again haven't disappointed.  We wonder when a sequel comes out, if it will leave us wanting more or simply leave us wanting our time back. 

Toy Story 3 exceeded my expectations.  Not only did it totally captivate my daughter's attention, I found I cried more than I would care to admit.  The audience is taken in by the shortness of childhood.  Andy is headed to college and the toys are waiting to hear their fate.  Will they be headed to college too?  Will they end up separated?  The entire film captures our nostalgia of our own beloved toys and the fates we forced upon them years ago - or maybe that's just me. 

What can I say, this film is fabulous, a must see and a definite addition to any DVD library.  If you have young children this is a must- if you are young at heart- this one need to be on your list - if you have a heart at all this movie will pull at the strings causing you to head to attic and check up on your old friends.  Who knows you may find you need a little play time yourself!

5 out of  5

Iron Man 2, not so tough- to sit through that is

I have several friends who saw Iron Man 2 in the theater and said it wasn't worth the sticky floors and texting teens to sit through.  So I waited.  I waited , and I waited.  You see, I am a Robert Downy Jr. fan.  I always have been- even when he didn't know his own name, I thought he did a pretty great job pretending to be someone else on screen.  I also have a soft spot (OK a very soft spot) for Comic Book Movies-
I love them- almost all of them, and if I don't love them I can usually find a redeeming quality or two (except maybe Daredevil).
So when my wait was finally over I rented Iron Man 2 the first day it became available-I fired up the stereo, made Carmel popcorn and hit play. 
What did I think?  Not nearly as horrid as everyone else had told me-

HOWEVER not nearly as fabulous as the first- But then again, is the second EVER as good as the first?  Really??? 

Overall, I really liked it- good explosions- great lines, Gwyneth Paltrow looked fabulous again playing her excellent version of Pepper, who of course is the voice of reason to Tony's antics.  Overall, it is worth your time.
Is it an Oscar contender?  Nope
Is it entertaining?  Yep
Rating 2 1/2 out of 4

Have you seen??? INCEPTON or LETTER TO JULIET

I've found movies to be a bit of a challenge lately, trying to find something with a great story line, but still would hold my husbands attention.  I thought I would take a few very over due moments and give my opinions on a few that are most likely available at your local rental store-

My review score will be simple- blond proof if you will, 1 -4,  4 being  outstanding


INCEPTION-  staring Leonardo  DiCaprio is a fabulous tale weaving through the very dreams of people and trying to reach their inner secrets.  Not only did I find the script well written, I honestly didn't find myself once thinking of our darling Leo yelling Rose from the top of a ship. 
Mr. DiCaprio has definitely redeemed himself as a first rate actor who not only delivered  a believable performance, but obviously has great taste in scripts. 
Review: 3

LETTERS TO JULIET- Staring Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave is a light hearted film stressing the importance of never giving up on true love.  Vanessa Redgrave gives elegance and style to an otherwise semi-flat film.  In concept, it was good, but in reality it landed on the cooler side.  Chris Egan delivers a believable role as the grand son of Claire, played by Redgrave.  His character echoes hints of the late Heath Ledger, in looks and charisma, but doesn't really move the audience.  Over all this chick flick is simply that- light easy and definitely not too deep.  Don't take your husband, he will never forgive you- 
Review: 2

Time Flies When you are Traveling!

Oh my, how time moves when travel is on the agenda. This summer I took the opportunity to explore the Pacific Northwest a bit with a couple of girlfriends. Driving along the beautiful coast definitely showcases inspirational forests filled with mystery and enchantment.


We were fortunate enough to have clear skies and see the sun the entire way, watching the reflection of light off the moss covered trees and taking in the mountain views. No, we didn’t see anything sparkle in the forest, although we did look now and again! La Push Beach took our breath away. The awesome strength of the tide, the rainbow of rocks, the mountains of drift wood felt like a warning as well as a challenge to anyone considering taking them on.

We drove on the beach at Ocean Shores and on to Astoria Oregon. For some of you with great memories, you may know that Kindergarten Cop was filmed in Astoria, along with the cult classic The Goonies. The Liberty Theatre and Flavel House are MUST STOPS on the tour. Eat at the Silver Salmon, you won’t be disappointed and finish by taking a trip through the great little shops.

From Astoria we continued down to Portland for the IKEA experience. Overall, I have to say it is a definite must trip for every woman who may have read a book in the last few years. (Yes, you know which one)

Next we took a camping trip in the mountains of Idaho, outside of Council. Leaning into the natural beauty that exists in my very own state makes me thankful I live here. Being one with nature and communing with the area, I found another story itching to come out, so arriving home I started yet another novel. Nature has a way of bringing my voices in my head to life.

My next trip landed me in St. Helens Oregon. Talk about a cute little town! Filled with history, as well as being the filming locations for movies like Halloweentown (Disney) and a little film you may have hear of –Twilight. Now little towns have always been my weakness. The quaint feel the friendly people, the streets teaming with history of the past. Over all the ones I have been to this summer, St. Helens really stood out. They have done an amazing job of keeping the old with the new, emphasizing their plus sides and doing what they could with what was there rather than tearing it all down and starting over. If you have the opportunity, it is only 30 minutes outside of Portland, take the trip, you will be glad you did!

The summer has been filled with excitement and fun, made possible by family and friends. I have really taken the time to keep that focus of loved ones in the forefront of my mind. How lucky I am to have experienced all that I have. I can’t think of a better way to have spent this summer, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

Now we begin the gear up for school, fall projects and squeezing in the last minute summer activities. That means more blogging for me and hopefully more fun reading for you!

Belief of Four Legs

Lessons Learned from a Race Horse


So this weekend was one of the final legs to the Kentucky Derby. Horses must either win one of the “lead in “ races or have enough earnings to even be considered for THE Derby of all Derby’s – The Kentucky Derby.

Only 20 horses actually get the chance to race at famous Churchill Downs on that spring day. The horses start preparing for this event from the moment they are born. Actually, before they were born. Breeding is thought to be incredibly crucial to discovering the next Derby winner and hopefully the next Triple Crown. Horseman (and woman of course) spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on fine tuning their bloodlines to create the best racing prospect the world has ever seen.

Yearlings are sold, many at Keeneland, for hundreds of thousands of dollars, sometimes millions. Owners put time and money into training, just hoping their horse will be the one. Until they have loaded the gates with the competitors, jockeys tense waiting for the gates to open, owners standing at attention rubbing their rabbit’s foot for good luck, most owners are sure they made wise investments. Until the bell sounds and the jolt of the starting gates break open, every owner, trainers, and patron of the betting windows are sure they hold the winning combination to it all.

But then as the race is being ran, things begin to change. Jockeys sometimes allow a horse to run too hard in the beginning, just to find they have no gas at the end. Other times, a horse is pinned out, stuck in traffic as they call it, unable to break free from the pack and race as hard as they could have. Still other times, tragic accidents happen where although the horse maybe ok, it can never race again. In those special instances, we discover why horse racing is called a gamble.

But then there are moments that make everyone believe in Miracles. A long shot comes out of nowhere and wins it all. Some of these horses have become famous. Their stories made into motion pictures, bringing in block buster ticket sales.

Sure those are the ones you know about, Secretariat, Phar Lap, even said to be the greatest horse to ever run the race Man o’ War. But now a’ days, with all of our distractions we have lost our American passion for the sport of horse racing. Day to day things keep us from appreciating the amazing art and talent of trainer, jockey, breeder, animal as well as the God Neptune himself.

It is time we change that. This past weekend a horse race took place in Kentucky, which the winner was guaranteed a seat at the Kentucky Derby’s table. The odds were stacked, commentators made their predictions and then the race was ran. It was a beautiful race, including a horse who was my favorite, Odysseus. The problem was Odysseus, along with most of the horses didn’t live up to the expectations of their trainers or fans. But as they say, someone has to win. He was the little horse that could- a horse that had one only one race prior to becoming the next contender for the most talked about race ran at Churchill. Stately Victor went off at 40-1 odds at the break and was in the back for much of the race. Then when it mattered most, he made his move.

In my opinion, his timing couldn’t have been better. You see, he isn’t one of those high priced horses that sold at Keeneland. He is a horse that won because he had the heart to win. Sure, everyone is already saying it isn’t possible for him to actually be a contender in the derby. A little horse named Eskendereya is the heavy favorite May 1st, winning his last couple of races by over five lengths. True, he could win it, or maybe even take the Triple Crown.

But for me, I believe a horse race is a lot like life, it isn’t over until the finish line- and who knows, anything can happen. Wouldn’t it be great to have a little horse that could win it all? A little horse that decided it was time to win – did? No matter who was worth more, or what his breeding said, a winner because he believed? I love an underdog story, it is true, call me a sucker, but then again, what a great lesson for us all- anything is possible- you just gotta get out of the starting gate.

Spring is in the Air...

Sometimes this time of year, I decide I should start gardening. You know, put my hands in the dirt, and feel the earth’s life force fall through my fingers. Plant something. Anything.


I usually head to the local farm and garden store, pick out 80 packs of seeds, head home with a hope of an abundant harvest.

About the time the garage door comes to a close, I remember I hate to garden. I want my yard to look like I enjoy it, I want pretty flowers and happy little trees, but I don’t want to actually do the work. I married a Japanese man for that very reason. I don’t want to get into the dirt. I am a water sign, not an earth sign. I prefer cleaning floors to cleaning flower beds.

So this year, I decided to be proactive. I refuse to allow myself to run over the brim with unfiltered enthusiasm. I won’t allow myself to buy into the idea of work that will never be…

I vow to only purchase the plants my husband can handle….and maybe just a couple I could plant…Just a few….