The Ultimate Gift

I don't usually do movie reviews on this blog, but the other night I saw a movie that I so enjoyed that I just HAD to share. It's a smaller film that hasn't received much attention at all, and I might have just missed it if it hadn't been for my grandpa telling us what a good/interesting movie it was. That, and it happens to be at our local dollar theater right now, so come on-- for a little late night family fun (we saw the movie at 10:05 on a friday night) who wouldn't go for it?!

The film is called "The Ultimate Gift" and was originally released earlier this year. Even though it is a smaller film, it manages to pull a few recognizable actors/actresses in such as James Garner, Brian Dennehy, Lee Meriwether, and Abigail Breslin (the cute little girl from "Little Miss Sunshine") and offers a decent story line with a few good morals thrown in. I sometimes take an issue with more "faith based" films that compromise either good story telling, or good filming just so they can be "Christian". Or when they try and cram their theology so far down the viewers throats that even I, as a Christ follower, am embarrassed to see the film. I think Christian should be the ultimate creators, artists, film makers-- even just for the simple fact that they KNOW their creator and because of that have the extra hope and freedom to be creative.

Here is an actual summary of the movie-- taken from IMBD:

Jason thought his inheritance was going to be the gift of money and lots of it. Was he ever in for a big surprise. Based on the best-selling book "The Ultimate Gift" by Jim Stovall, the story sends trust fund baby Jason Stevens on an improbable journey of discovery, having to answer the ultimate question: "What is the relationship between wealth and happiness?" Jason had a very simple relationship with his impossibly wealthy Grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens. He hated him. No heart-to-heart talks, no warm fuzzies, just cold hard cash. So of course he figured that when Red died, the whole "reading of the will" thing would be another simple cash transaction, that his Grandfather's money would allow him to continue living in the lifestyle to which he had become accustomed. But what Red left him was anything but simple. Red instead devised a plan for Jason to experience a crash course on life. Twelve tasks, which Red calls "gifts," each challenging Jason in an improbable way, the accumulation of which would change him forever.

I thought this film did a good job at staying interesting overall, and communicating valuable life lessons. On a scale of one to ten I would probably give it an 8.5-- and would definitely watch it again and hope to even own it someday (movies in my book have to be pretty good if I choose to actually buy them.) It definitely has to be one of the better movies that I have seen during the duration of this year-- and that includes all of the summer blockbuster films I have watched so far(Shrek 3, Pirates 3... ect). Even though most of those movies were good or OK, they were more entertainment, were as with the "Ultimate Gift" I felt like I was entertained, but also encouraged, motivated, deeply stirred in my heart.

So check it out. For those locally it is currently showing at the Dollar theater-- but I'm not sure for how long (since like I said above, it is just a small film). And for everyone else, I think it should be out on DVD later this summer, so check it out then!

Pic of the Day

From my brother today...

News from the Midwest...

Truck takes wheelchair on wild ride

PAW PAW, Mich. — A man was taken on a wild ride when his wheelchair became lodged in the grille of a semitrailer and was accidentally pushed down a highway for four miles at about 50 mph, authorities said.

The 21-year-old man, whose name was not released, was unharmed but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He had been secured to his wheelchair by a seat belt.

"The man spilled his soda pop, but he wasn't upset," said Sgt. Kathy Morton of the Michigan State Police.

About 4 p.m. Wednesday, a caller told police dispatchers, "You are not going to believe this: There is a semi truck pushing a guy in a wheelchair on Red Arrow Highway," state police said in a release.

Authorities initially wondered whether the report was a prank call until others called with similar reports.

Officers stopped the truck—wheelchair still attached—at a trucking company. The driver didn't believe officers until he stepped from his cab and saw for himself.

"When he saw us, he was like, 'What's going on?"' Morton said.

An investigation revealed the man in the wheelchair had pulled in front of the truck at a gas station and it somehow became lodged by its handles to the front grille.

Sometimes there is just news worth sharing...

Leaving On a Jet Plane

For the few of you who DON'T yet know (and those are few, because I have been talking about this a lot the past few weeks) I am getting ready to leave on a little mini vacation with my boy to Burbank, California for the next few days.

I am ecstatic to leave work and the daily grind of life behind for a few days and explore the new... people, places, things. I am also excited to spend some quality time with my guy and see his old stomping grounds (he lived there for 4 years... yes, I have my own personal LA/Burbank tour guide) Yeah, I am just excited. I would like to promise tons of pictures and stories to follow on this blog, but who knows... you many just have to ask me in person. I prefer that better anyway.

Happy Memorial Day friends. Enjoy your weekend. I shall return... maybe.

Gas Pump Blues

With the constant rise in gas prices it's totally got me thinking... could I go a week without complaining about them??? Could I even go a day?

Philippians 2:14-15
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

How often do I hear that verse that think- "Yeah, that's good and all" but totally NOT apply it to my everyday life??

There is always going to be things in this world that we won't like. There will always be things that are completely out of our control. Rising gas prices are one of them. I struggle with this because you are reminded of them daily, as you are out driving around, but the thing is, I can't do anything about it-- I can't control the price. But somehow over the last few weeks and months, gasoline, and all the negativity surrounding the rising prices, have been controlling me. Negativity has really started having a grip on my attitude, and I've started to notice. So while I can't control the prices, I CAN control the way I react to them and my attitude towards it all.

I'm not saying that I'm going to be happy about the fact that I just spent another dollar or two at the pump, but I am going to TRY to stop thinking about it all the time, stop complaining constantly to my friends, and stop dwelling on it and letting the negativity drag me down. After all, in the grand picture of life it isn't really that big of deal-- and eternally what does it effect? God has given us sooo much to be thankful for in life and to be joyful about, and to let the price of gasoline make us depressed is almost laughable in the face of all those blessings. I want to be a person of eternal joy, focused on the things above, not a person of doom and gloom only focused on all the negative things that are going on in the sinful world around me.

So... the next time you hear me complaining about the pump... just give me a good poke. I could definitely use it.

Friends & Dumpster Diving

Who doesn't love a good adventure with some friends? I certainly do!

This past Sunday afternoon as I was driving around with my friend Stephen and my Andrew, I get a call from my sister asking me to come over to ND to help her put a couch in our van. To give you a bit of background, my sister is getting ready to move to Indy and start her career as a nurse next week, so she has been franticly packing, organizing and just trying to find stuff for her new place.

Enter Notre Dame.

The students just finished off another semester and were clearing out of campus. Now, the past few years my family has gotten very into the "Dumpster Diving" scene. Basically, it's like going to a huge FREE garage sale... in, or around a dumpster. Seriously, it may sound odd, or gross, but really, when it's just piles of stuff, it isn't terrible. Of course, it isn't always easy either, and there may be some work required, but the payoffs are usually fantastic-- especially at a campus like ND where many (but not all) the students usually have the cash to just buy all new stuff the next semester-- so why bother moving everything home to store it?! The thrifty side of me just LOVES doing the whole dumpster diving, and the adventure side of me just loves the fact that it's like going on a mini treasure hunt-- and you don't know what you will find.
God totally blessed my sister by letting her be in just the right place at the right time to be able to find a pretty sweet love seat/couch. The guys that were getting rid of it also told her that they had a matching overstuffed chair too if she was interested. Ummmm, YES! They were moving to California and didn't have room to ship/move it all. They also gave her some pretty sweet stereo equipment.
The rest of us just enjoyed poking around, and found a few other goodies-- a coffee table, map of the city and all other sorts of items. My sister even went back the next day and found more stuff- lamps, fun japanese rugs, board games, an iron and board, brand new couch pillows, and new toaster. The things people throw away. Daily I seem to be reminded of the enormous amount of wealth we as Americans are privy too. Sometimes I am almost embarrassed by our consumption when I look at the rest of the world. We just are just so blessed, and often forget that fact. We seem to just think that if only we had a little more, we would be happy.
Happiness. It most certainly can't be found long term in "stuff" As I looked around me I began to realize that all this had probably at one time been boughten because someone "had" to have it, or they thought it would make them and their lives better... but now it was just wasting away in the dumpster. So much for that happiness...

Life is more than stuff... it is people, relationships, love....

Don't forget that.

I Love My Sister!

My sister and I hit up Chi-town on Saturday for one last "Sister Adventure" before she heads down to Indy to start her new job. We met up with one of her college roommates and then it was off for a day of "culture"-- first Swedish at IKEA and then Japanese at Mitsuwa Marketplace. Fun times.

Lounging in one of the demo rooms at IKEA. I love this store. We bought Charissa a computer desk there and were a bit nervous about fitting it in her small car for the trip home, but fortunately, between the back seat and the truck we fit it all in! WOHOO!

We also stopped by Willow Creek for their Saturday night service.

I love my sister. I'm gonna miss her when she's gone.

One year ago today...

...I went out on a first date with a boy who would soon become one of my best friends...

Spring Fever

Oh how I love spring... the smell of fresh cut grass, the feel of breeze between your toes, the taste of a bbq hamburger fresh off the grill. Oh, and yes.. baseball and friends... gotta love it.

wow... I suddenly have a lot of things to blog about.. I need to catch up... soon.

A Smile moment... brought to you by The Office

Oh how I LOVE The Office...


"Identity Theft is NOT a joke Jim-- Millions of families suffer every year!"

Life for me right now feels a little like this picture... yeah- somedays are just like that. Thank goodness for tomorrows-- and a God who loves us unconditionally.

Google bomb-diggady Reader

Introducing my new favorite thing...

The other day I was chatting with my roommate long-distance (she is in Argentina) and she mentioned something about it-- and instantly I was intrigued. (Jenn- this post is a shout out thank you!) You see, dispite my utterly obvious lack of blog posting here on this small nitche of the web, I DO read many of the blogs that you out there post regularly-- almost too regularly. Even though I have the majority of them bookmarked and RSSed, I still find myself checking often to see if there have been updates-- just like I USED to often to see if I have email (I think it was a compulsion). I say used to because now I have a notifier that tells me when I get email and what it is-- so I know instantly if it is worth reading right away. Wouldn't it be cool if there was an "inbox" like your email inbox that was just for new blog posts???!

Enter Google Reader.

This thing is awesome. All you do is enter the blog addresses that you frequent, and when a new post has been made, it will automatically show up in your "inbox". No longer do I have to visit each individual blog to see if and when people have posted, but I have a one stop place to check them all. Even myspace blogs! (supposedly, although, I have yet to figure out how that one works)

This is perfect for me at work because I don't have the time, nor am I quite sure I should be having all your blog addresses clogging my work internet history. I can now check once or twice a day during my breaks-- if any new, inspiring posts have come in. Also, for those bloggers-- like myself-- who don't post regularly... well, now you don't have to guess when they post. It's just there with all the regulars. And if you have a google sign-in-- which I'm thinking most of you do if you use blogger these days-- you just use the same login! The biggest pain is the initial setup, but you will be glad you took the time. So what are you waiting for...
Check it out already!!

The long awaited Bday Update is HERE!

I've been 25 for over a week now, so I figured it was ABOUT TIME I posted some pictures and commentary about the momentous event.

It truly was a birthday weekend... As it was my mom's big day a few days after mine, we celebrated Sunday (Easter) by going out with the whole family, plus my guys family, to a local restaurant since mom was just too tired from their recent trip to Seattle.

Then it was back home for a little bday cake (um... yeah, Grandpa decided to make a lamb cake in honor of Easter) and some ice cream flower pots that have now become a tradition around my house.

After a lazy afternoon I was getting a little restless-- so I decided to "kidnap" the kids and my guy and go on a little self-made adventure...

..to Chuck E. Cheese!

You see, I really wanted to play one of my favorite games-- Skee-ball. I figured it was my birthday and all, so sometimes you are allowed to get away with such things.

We had a lot of great laughs.

On monday, the actual date of the grand event, my co-workers took me out to lunch, and knowing TGI Fridays does such a great job with birthdays and larger groups, I choose to go there to celebrate. They didn't disappoint, as I made it out of there with multiple balloons, and a yummy ice cream sunday. (who diets on their bday anyway?!)

It almost didn't happen... because suddenly as we left the sky opened up and it started pouring... SNOW! But fortunately, I work at a tire company, and we have some pretty wicked snow tires.

That evening, my wonderful, amazing boyfriend took me out for a mexican treat to our local Don Pablos. For those of you who are local-- if you ever need to take someone out on their bdays where they will royally embarrass them, this is the place!

Andy told me-- "Sorry babe, they don't do anything for bdays here" and suddenly the next thing I knew I was wisked away, "forced" to wear a GIANT red sombrero, and was standing smack in the middle of the restaurant so everyone could stare at me. I think my face was the color of my sombrero by the end of it all. Amazing.

But the pay-off was well worth it-- warm, yummy, sopapillas-- dipped in powdered sugar and honey. YUM!

What a great day, and a great evening. Man, was I ever stuffed. I think And had to roll me home. I've got a great boyfriend.

Thank you for all the well, wishes on my special day. I am so grateful for the out pouring of friendship and appreciation. I'm looking forward to an amazing next year of life.

O to be 25. No longer apart of that 18-24 year-old crowd. Now able to rent cars with ease, and think it's such a feat that you are a quarter of a century old. No longer just the number of a hit television show, but now closer to 30 than your teenage years. I don't really feel "old" yet... but maybe a bit more mature... like maybe, just maybe, I am an adult now. When did that happen?

the three Cs of financial contentment

When it comes to saving money I am all for it. I mean, I do enjoy getting new things, or splurging on special "treats" here and there, but the longer I am alive the more I am realizing what really is important in life. I am realizing how cool and fun it is to have money so that you can give it generously away. So many times it seems that young adults like myself, are just living from pay-check to pay-check and really missing out on some amazing "divine moments" just because they are too strapped for cash.

Below is an article I found dealing with the topic of money and what you can do to stretch that buck a little bit more. I figured I would share the "love" and share it with you guys

---

Choose what matters most.

If you can’t have it all, discover the most important aspects of your activities. What’s the best thing about going to the movies? If you think it’s the atmosphere, attend an earlier (cheaper) show. If it’s discussing films with friends, rent one at home and invite the gang. Figure out what brings you the greatest enjoyment. Then look for ways to have fun without breaking the bank.

Cherish what you have.

When the Joneses are buying hot tubs and big screen TVs, it’s tempting to pull out the credit card and keep in step. It’s the American way, right? How quickly we forget to thank God for the simplest things. Even hot showers, comfortable homes and cupboards full of food represent luxury to people in most other nations. Challenge yourself to take your eyes off of your neighbor’s toys and to reflect upon everyday blessings.

Commit to God what’s His.

God commanded the Israelites in the Old Testament to give Him the first 10 percent of everything they harvested. This showed they trusted Him to provide the rest. New Testament writers don’t play with percentages; they remind us that all we have is God’s. The lessons: Give generously and spend wisely. When we invest our time and money in Him, we reveal our hearts. And if you think faithful giving only leads to eternal rewards, talk to someone who consistently offers his "first fruits." He can probably amaze you with stories about God’s abundant provision here on earth.

Live better — and smarter — by incorporating the three C’s of financial contentment. Here are 20 money-saving tips to get you going.

1. Dig discount stores. Save big bucks, even on name-brand items.
2. Play the host. Forget going out. Cook for your friends or plan a potluck party.
3. Keep the change. Empty your coins into a change jar; you’ll be surprised when you count them in a year.
4. Buy and sell used items online. Books, music and videos are often sold in great condition. (Bonus tip: Read about the seller’s track record before you buy!) Take care of your items and sell them back when you’re done.
5. Buy a sprucer-upper. While not everyone can restore a turn-of-the-century home, it’s easy to find a house with ugly paint and carpet. One couple invested a few thousand dollars into renovations and upped the value of their place by $35,000.
6. Rent movies. A movie night at home runs you a fourth of the price of two theater tickets. Older flicks are often cheaper than new releases – and may contain less questionable content. (Bonus tip: Don’t let late fees drain your savings!)
7. Curtail Cable. Three hundred channels and nothing on? Save yourself $300 to 400 a year by simply "cutting the cord."
8. Purchase a pre-owned car. A reliable used car with low mileage costs thousands less than a new one; insurance costs less too. To get feedback from buyers on nearly every make and model, visit www.eopinions.com*.
9. Work out wisely. Forgo gym fees. Buy a $10 exercise video, purchase used equipment or get a walking buddy.
10. Accelerate your equity. With mortgage accelerator plans, you make half a house payment every two weeks rather than a whole payment once a month. You’ll build equity faster, save tens of thousands of dollars and pay off your mortgage years ahead of schedule.
11. Split a meal. Many restaurants pile on the food. Save by sharing, or making a second meal from your leftovers. Note: Even if you split your dinner, leave a gracious tip. The waiter served you both.
12. Scrutinize sales. If you’ve collected closets and cupboards full of wrong-sized, wrong-colored, wrong-flavored items you’ll never use, you’ve wasted money, not saved it. Shop carefully: a "sale" isn’t always a "good deal."
13. Use credit card caution. Keep one credit card and pay it off monthly. You’ll save on interest fees and avoid buying things you can’t afford.
14. Limit the liquor. Moral considerations aside, alcohol is expensive. And in some states, insurance rates can skyrocket based on a person’s alcohol intake. Read more at http://info.insure.com/life/alcohol.html*.
15. Send yourself packing. Why spend $6 a day for lunch? Bring leftovers or a sandwich for next to nothing!
16. Consider the lattes. Do the math: 260 (weekdays a year) x $3.25 for a specialty coffee drink = $845. Instead, set up a coffee pot at work and have coworkers chip in for beans.
17. Love your list. Clever in-store advertising begs you to impulse buy. Your only hope is to remember what you came for. (Bonus tip: Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry!)
18. Ponder prescriptions. Buy the generic brand of your medication. Even better, purchase prescriptions by mail. You’ll get several months’ worth at once and save on co-pays.
19. Care for your car. Paying too much for gas and repairs? Experts provide fuel-efficient driving and maintenance tips at www.fueleconomy.gov*, www.epa.gov/otaq/17-tips.htm* and http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/fuelalrt.pdf*.
20. Do-it-yourself. Save hundreds of dollars on your home by learning to landscape, redecorate or remodel.

French poet John Petit-Senn summarized it this way: "Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."

PMS

A few months ago I posted a funny "Got Milk?" commercial that I found dealing with PMS. Well.. I was chatting with my friend Patrick and he showed me the video below. So.. I just figured I'd share it with you-- because I love you all... and amidst all the craziness of work and life in general, sometimes you just need a good excuse to laugh!

Wacky Wednesday

My quarter of a century birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and I was thinking that I could definitely use one of these at my office. And yes, you can bet for certain that I would to the pig-tails! Check out this and other fun gifts here.

Coffee Table Yourself

I found this site today that I am really excited about trying out. It's Blurb.com and from what I've seen so far it looks amazing. It's a place sorta like the popular iPhoto site from Apple, where you can publish your own custimized books. What a COOL gift! Or even what a cool way to preserve your memories. I used to be really into scrapbooking, but over the past year or two I have let it fall by the wayside a bit, but this, wow-- the free program you download to put the book together looks easy to use and they even have templates to use if you aren't so artistically inclined.

Looking to the future I am thinking this could be a great way to preserve and present photos for weddings, babies and family vacations... why not have your own coffee table books? And I love taking pictures, so I'm sure I could fill one up easily. Check them out. They have soft cover books starting as low as $12.95. Rock.

Monday... ug.

It's monday and I don't feel like doing anything. It's weird how that happens. Do you ever feel like that?

Somehow I am number 1 currently in our NCAA bracket picks here at work. wow. How that happened, I don't know, but I had to capture it for historical reference...

Um.... Hello??

Where in the WORLD has this month gone?! Yes, I think I am going a little crazy this March. Sorry to disappear on you all again, but things have been a wee bit crazy the last few weeks. Mostly busy and work, but home, social and life in general has been going at a crazy pace. I tend to blog on my break at work, but over the past few weeks breaks have been few and far between, and when I DO take them, the last thing I want to do is look at the computer! I would rather rest my droopy eyes, or go outside and play (can I take a moment to mention how excited I am that Spring is FINALLY here?!)
I have been working on a huge project for Honda/Acura here at work, and while it has been a lot of fun (i got to work on print and web stuff-- which rarely happens around here) it has also been a ton of work... and long hours of designing, editing, and making sure everything goes together correctly. I must have made over 24 logos, and pulled my hair out trying to make sure I had the correct info for Honda vs. Acura (yes, both projects were the same, but slightly different. Frustrating!) Not to mention that we are zooming full speed into Spring/Summer tire promotion season. I love being the "advertising" gal. Creative is fun. I think if I didn't have these projects to work on here I would be running for the hills in a hurry.

So... I was in the midst of promotion madness... and my boss was in and out of the office during the entire month for multiple business trips-- so it made getting things done on time fun. We had to do a lot of planning ahead. Needless to say, yesterday I got the bulk of the work done, my boss left for a week of vacation, and I can finally breathe. Unfortunately, the stress level was keeping my adrenaline going at a harried pace, and now that it is gone, I realize how exhausted I am from it all. I feel like a small child that has been playing outside all day... falling asleep at the dinner table. I am ready for a vacation-- or at least a good nap! Weekends this month haven't been helping much-- as I have been traveling-- Ohio to visit friends of Andy, Marion for my sisters 22nd bday, and all sorts of other random things (a fondu St. Patrick's Day party?! Amazing!)-- and while they all have been great things in and of themselves, they aren't exactly restful. I don't have anything planned yet for this upcoming weekend, so hopefully I will be able to rest up. We shall see....

In other random news, somehow I am 4th out of 13 in the "for fun only" NCAA brackets at work. I really have no idea how that happened, but fun. So, I have been watching a game or two, but not going nuts.

Ok. I really should get back to the grind. I've been playing around with the thought of doing another design change on my blog... but we shall see.... Let's hope this is the first blog of many in the next few weeks. (but don't hold your breath please)

Happy 1st Day of Spring!!!

Off to Chicago...


Sorry I suck at blogging.