Spring in Charleston

Spring will officially start this Sunday, but it's felt like springtime here in Charleston for a couple of months.  I mean, it's actually been more like summer for the last week or so with every day in the mid-80s, but it looks as though the next few days we'll be experiencing more spring-like temperatures in the 60s and 70s.  A few weeks back, I went to an #InstaMeetUpCHS with Erika, organized and hosted by Mark and Jonathan.  We started the tour in College of Charleston's Cistern Yard, learning about the history of the area and snapping photos at spots like Wasbee Range, Grace Church, and Mount Zion AME throughout Harleston Village.

I hope everyone has a happy weekend and a fantastic start to spring!

All it takes is faith and trust... {I did it!!}

"Oh! And something I forgot."
"Dust!"
"Dust?"
"Yep, just a little bit of pixie dust!"

13.1 miles: check! 

It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to share more about it when I get home on Tuesday!  For now, it's back to California Adventure.

If you really can't wait, follow me on Twitter or Instagram, where I've been updating with a few photos!

And a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you who wished me well earlier this week!!  I'm sorry I haven't kept on my blog reading/commenting/replying lately, I promise to when I return also!

Review: Les Miserables

Yesterday, Mike and I went to go see Les Miserables.  I've never really written a movie review before, but I thought I would give you my thoughts on the movie: casting, acting, and camera work.  I promise, there won't be any spoilers!  I was supposed to read Les Mis in high school, but I only used Cliff Notes, soooo I only knew/remembered a bit of the story, going in.

I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for a few months now.  When I heard that all of the singing was done live, I was hooked.  In various points while watching it, I just couldn't believe the incredible acting skills and emotion combined with the voices.  The whole idea of the spontaneity of acting instead of having the record the songs and make decisions a few months ahead of time makes it so unique.  It is amazing that the actors actually were able to set the tempo for the movie, because they had hidden ear pieces and heard a piano while singing, and the orchestra was added after.  For more about this, you really should watch this video.

The casting was overall amazing.  Hugh Jackman has mad pipes!  I have to admit, in the first scene, I couldn't get the image of Wolverine out of my head, but his ever-changing role of Jean Valjean was so perfectly executed.  Russell Crowe was a very good acting choice for the role of Inspector Javert, but his singing just could not compare to Jackman.  I love Anne Hathaway, and she has a beautiful voice.  Her role was smaller than I hoped it would be, but she definitely put her everything into each scene [even actually cutting her hair].  Before seeing the movie, I joked about only seeing Amanda Seyfried as Karen Smith or Sophie Sheridan, but her voice is unbelievable.  She had the perfect innocent quality for her role as Cosette.  Isabelle Allen plays the younger Cosette and was also a great choice.  I had never heard of Eddie Redmayne or Samantha Barks before, but their portrayals of Marius and Eponine, respectively, were great.  They provided great support to the cast and and Samantha did a perfect rendition of "On My Own."  Last but not least, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the Thenardiers.  Like I said, I had really only read the Cliff Notes of Les Mis before, so they were a bit of a shock to me.  The parts seemed a bit forced and didn't quite fit in with overall sense of struggle throughout the movie.  Obviously, I am not about to review the writing of the book or play, but they were perfect for what the part called for.  There were so many additional supporting characters, especially the many revolutionaries, that made the movie so perfect.

Now onto the cinematography.  At parts I felt the movie was a bit shaky.  I haven't read much into the camera work, but I felt as though it brought a very modern element to the movie.  During the scenes with a lot of action, I found myself getting a little dizzy as the director cut in and out of shots and the camera men seemed to follow the actors and actresses on foot.  However, what was perfect was the depiction of each character's monologues and solos.  They kept the camera steady and close up on each actor and did many songs in only one of two takes.  It really made the idea of singing live seem so much richer and more meaningful, since you could tell they weren't using countless bits and pieces to put together one song.

As for the accuracy of the movie, I cannot speak too much to its closeness to the book or movie, but I can speak to its historical correctness.  I was a history major, and have done a lot of reading, as well as took a class on French history.  The movie takes place after the first French Revolution, in 1815, 1823 and ending with the June Rebellion in 1832.  From what I watched, everything down to the costumes were perfect.

So, that's my opinion.  I was in no way paid or swayed by anyone or anything to write this review.

Mike and I have been watching trailers/behind the scenes/featurettes on Les Mis's YouTube site all night.  They are wonderful and I NEED to get the CD.  All of the music is just magical.  [Mike's response to reading this, "What's a CD? Are you going to put it in your jambox??" ...thanks.]

After reading this, if you are looking for a sort-of spoiler or overview of the movie, there's a video here.  It's actually the international trailer, apparently everywhere anywhere else besides in the US knows the story so they can tell the whole plot in 2:30.

Coincidentally, Mike and I also received matching "banned books" mugs for Christmas from his aunt - and of course, Les Mis is on it - can you spot it?  We have been drinking some warm beverages from them all night straight out of the Keurig!

Merry Christmas

from our flannel-wearing family to yours!

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

today i did something that i NEVER imagined i would ever do - i met julie andrews.

i think she is the most beautiful, elegant, and poised woman.  i have been a fan of mary poppins, maria von trapp*, and queen clarisse renaldi my whole life!  

she is in town because she is directing her "great american mousical" at the goodspeed opera house in CT for the next month.  the goodspeed is a really beautiful and cool place; it's actually the theater that premiered such musicals as annie and man de la mancha.  how cool is that?  maybe "great american mousical will become as famous as annie someday!  i hope to go see it sometime over the next month while it is there.

so radiant

my lunch - it was a little hard to eat the wonderful salad, but the cake (behind) was AMAZING and my coworkers got a kick out of me eating just the inside of the bread

julie andrews on her favorite roles

and on her costars [specifically male]...

*i have long debated getting the words "bloom and grow forever" tattooed because of my austrian heritage and love of this movie growing up

also linking up a little early with jane!

currently...

freshening my jeep: yankee candle autumn leaves car jar

[stuck] in my cd player: no doubt's new one "push and shove"

[wishing could go] in my cd player: train's "california 37"

on my tv: last night's colbert

in the oven: chocolate chip cookies [yes, at 10 am]

getting ready for: some golf with my lady coworkers

excited for: my birthday party next weekend

loving: beautiful birthday cards

covered in: different shades of gray paint after touching up the basement we painted last night [before and after post soon!]

sunday snaps: let's give this a go

i love blog browsing, as i bet many of you do.  i recently found this great link-up from jules and sarah b texas: sunday snaps.

i swear, i think i could start [and have thought about starting] another whole blog just with day-by-day link ups!  between confessions, pinterest, book clubs, recipes, nails, favorite things, and updates when am i going to have time for self-expression and my own ideas on my blog? haha

i'm not good at confessing things, i'm a bit worn out from pinterest after my pinterest april, i don't have much time to read lately, but i really like this photo one!!!

and even better, i also have great pictures from sundays because i work, hence my tuesday days off.  i have 3 classes of adorable 5 & 6 year olds on sundays, so they always do something funny!

we do a lot of jumping to promote balance; they were trying to jump all the way around in a circle.

shadows and socks

they love rolling down the hill

learning about aim and targets

also, here is my instagram: megatronnn27 in case any of you would like to follow.  i know kristen asked me for it yesterday in a blog comment, but i'm not a fan of how blogger/google doesn't alert you to blog replies.  what's the point of asking a question in a comment if you have to go back and check for answers! annoying! [okay, weekend rant over.]

hope you all had a nice weekend - let me know if you also decide to link up so i can check it out!

easy dinner night

i love them.

stouffer's french bread pizza and mama rosie's cheese ravioli with bertolli sauce

top 10 of my day off

10 painted nails

9 rooms of dusting

8 hedges trimmed

7 online presents purchased 

[have you ever noticed the number of  birthdays this time of year?]

6 photos instagrammed

5 fresh picked veggies

4 loads of laundry

3 loads of dishes

2 purry kitties

and 1 svu marathon

merp wants to be like roxy

tomatoes, eggplant, and a pepper

my backyard

my day via instagram

unhealthy, fun, tiring, and all around awesome.

the pga tour will be in town in three days!

cake pop and java chip frappuccino for lunch

playing some disney princess bingo with my favorite kiddos

our new dining room!

moved the side board and china cabinet tonight!

and dinner

how sweet...

i had to work today and will work tomorrow.  when i got home, all i wanted to do was relax.  mike, on the other hand, wanted to go out and play golf this evening.

look at what he brought me after golf as a, "thanks for letting me play golf" present.

via instagram

i love surprises!

came home from work today, after a day like this:

to an AMAZING surprise!  leah sent us a present!

seriously, how cool is leah's job?!?  

and oh my gosh, how sweet is all of this?

as you can see, nerf is already a staple in this house, but now we each have a gun! 

 [even though these are all of mike - because i take the pictures - i swear i play with them just as much]

so i obviously had to take a video of the awesome battery-powered gun [and why not have some fun with roxy at the same time?].  don't let roxy fool you, though, she LOVES THOSE DARTS and freaks out if you try to take it away.

THANKS, LEAH!