TANGLED EVER AFTER Short Film Premieres on Beauty and the Beast in 3D

Disney's brilliance never ceases to amaze me.

When The Lion King came out in 3D in the fall, I debated whether to take my girls, considering we have the video already in the cupboard. I love the theatre so much that we went ahead, and the big screen and 3D magic really did add to the experience. (But let's face it, movies are expensive to begin with, let alone adding on the 3D cost.)

I've been excited about Beauty and the Beast being rereleased to theatres in 3D this Friday, and since it's one of my all-time favourite Disney movies (Belle is the absolute best princess, in my opinion) I had already planned on taking my daughters. I know there are many others out there, however, who have the same "Is 3D worth it when we own the DVD (or in my case, VHS)?" question in their minds.

To add a little incentive, When BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in Disney Digital 3D hits theatres on January 13th, moviegoers will also get their first look at TANGLED EVER AFTER, a new animated short film from TANGLED directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. The new short spotlights the royal wedding of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Flynn Rider – a.k.a Eugene (Zachary Levi).

Greno and Howard bring back some of Disney’s most beloved characters when TANGLED EVER AFTER picks up where TANGLED left off. The Kingdom is in a festive mood as everyone gathers for the royal wedding of Rapunzel and Flynn. However, when Pascal and Maximus, as flower chameleon and ring bearer, respectively, lose the gold bands, a frenzied search and recovery mission gets underway. As the desperate duo tries to find the rings before anyone discovers that they’re missing, they leave behind a trail of comical chaos that includes flying lanterns, a flock of doves, a wine barrel barricade and a very sticky finale. Will Maximus and Pascal save the day and make it to the church in time? And will they ever get Flynn’s nose right?

Frannie and Maggie loved Tangled, and I know this will be a definite bonus for them.

Catch a clip of Tangled Ever After here:



Catch the new Tangled Ever After short film before Beauty and the Beast in 3D, in theatres this Friday January 13th.

Should I Wear It? (Legwarmers Edition)

Okay, here's a quick post, but it requires reader input! (Just two clicks, I promise.)

In the fall I posted about all the great goodies I received for review from Secret, and mentioned that I didn't think I was ready to be the one to bring the legwarmer look back to my community. Here are a couple of quick pics of my attempt (for the purposes of this post only) and I want to know if you think a 34 year old woman (specifically me, not Sarah Michelle Gellar, Liv Tyler or Shakira) can and should go out in public like this.

Admittedly it's kinda hard to see the charcoal-coloured legwarmers, but the photos are still valid because I would only ever pair them with something that would keep them from standing out anyway. (The plum-coloured pair I received will never see the light of day.)

All you have to do is answer "yes" or "no" and submit. I honestly won't take any offense; this is purely for fun! I'll share the responses as soon as possible...which really means whenever I get around to it.

(Email subscribers: if you can't see the form, click on the title of this post which will take you directly to its web version where you can place your vote. Come on, people, humour me here!)

{Revised to add: In defense of my footwear, I did do a quick search for what sort of shoes/boots were being worn with this look, and went with the closest and handiest similar thing that I owned. It's more the legwarmers I'm wondering about!}


P.S. This post could also be called "Bloggers Without Makeup". I sacrificed vanity for your entertainment.

P.P.S. When I roped my husband into doing the photography, his first question was: "Isn't this an 80's look?" then "And it's back in style?", "Are you sure?" and finally "Do I get to vote on this poll?"

Clutter Control #1: The Underwear Drawer

This year, I'm drawing on my issues strengths and launching a new series on Clutter Control. I'll warn you in advance that if you're of the "Thank God I don't have OCD tendencies like Kate does" school of thought, you'll want to skip over these posts. However, many of you have asked me about organizational tips and tricks, so for you, I offer my words of...sure, let's call it wisdom.

Personally, I find that it feels good to get rid of things. Very little actually goes to the landfill, as I recycle whenever possible and donate when appropriate (which won't be today) and I passionately subscribe to the theory that when your "stuff" is under control,  you really do feel more peace.

Every couple of weeks I'll tackle a different spot, and if you follow along with me, I promise you'll feel  better too. (You don't have to actually do it; you might feel better just making fun of me. Either way we all win!) Ready?

Clutter Control #1: The Underwear Drawer

For this challenge, you shall organize your underwear drawer, and those of your children (with their help if possible). It's up to you whether to tackle your partner's or not...or hey, maybe you can bring him in on the fun. There must be some sort of related reward you can work out.

Ready for a big This Mom Loves revelation? One of my New Year's resolutions is to take advantage of all of the nice "matching sets" kicking around in my dresser, instead of pulling out whatever is on top. Whew, I said it. As far as bloggers go, I'm not exactly an oversharer, and I am aware that sometimes my posts are lacking that personal touch because I am too private to go there. (A private blogger...is that an oxymoron?) So, talking about underwear is a big step for me...and if any of my student's parents make reference to this resolution, I will immediately have to remove this post.

Anyway, if you believe women's magazines (yes, people still read those) starting from the inside out, as far as garments are concerned, is supposed to make you feel more confident and attractive. I figured it can't hurt, and thus was inspired to begin my New Year's declutter with this area of the house.
 
Here's what you need to do to get yourself organized:

1. Dump the contents of the drawer onto a bed or floor.

2. Throw out anything faded, ripped or stained. Period. (Ha ha.) Actually, when I refer to stains, of course I mean kids' undergarments. I am blushing right now just at the thought that I am implying adult underwear could ever be marred in any way.

Now, if you want to darn your socks, go to it. I feel the guilty need to always acknowledge that some people's financial situations do not allow them to treat pantyhose as disposable (hey, I've used WiteOut at school to keep a run from spreading, but just long enough to get home) but I believe most of my readers can handle the financial implications of restocking the underwear drawer.

3. Throw out anything that no longer fits. (For the girls' underwear, I sorted it all by size, and then gave them instructions to let me know if anything feels tight in the future. My scientific method for determining what tights they should keep was that I grabbed the ones they wore on Christmas Eve, since I knew they fit, and used them as the benchmark beside all of the others to see what needed to be passed along.)

4. Throw out anything you don't use. If that sports bra has been in your drawer for five years and never seen a workout, perhaps it could go in your donation bag (which you keep in a designated spot in your home, of course), but unfortunately most of today's castoffs aren't worthy of passing along.

I just pitched a pair of garnet tights that were purchased to match my high school uniform kilt. Seriously. As the opposite of a hoarder, I can't even fathom how they have stuck around for 16 extra years. (Some might call them burgundy, but our school colours were the much more distinctive garnet and gold.) The only thing I can't seem let go of, perhaps for sentimental reasons, is the prescription support hose for varicose veins during pregnancy. (Apparently once I start sharing there's no stopping me.)

5. Replace everything that you're keeping in the drawer(s), grouping like things together. I sort socks by colour, and pair up matching "items". (I can bring myself to write "bras", but just can't bear to type the "p" word.) You can buy more expensive organizational systems at specialty stores, but I usually use shoe boxes or dollar store trays to keep things sorted.

6. Make a list of what you now need. Did you throw out your last pair of black tights? Is your son down to three pairs of wearable socks? (I don't know about you, but that would so not work with my laundry schedule.)

7. Go shopping! (Didn't I tell you this would be fun?)

8. Maintain. If you remove items carefully, and replace them after they're laundered, it shouldn't be hard to keep things under control. When folding clothes, do a quick scan for rips or stains that didn't come out in the wash, and pitch the items before they even make it back into the drawer.

As I mentioned in an earlier post about organizing my girls' rooms, I struggle with giving over control to them, so at this point I still put away their laundry and lay out their clothes each night, which means their drawers pretty much stay the way I put them. Another goal for me is to start to release some of this responsibility to my daughters (getting out their own underwear should be pretty easy) and I have already begun getting them to put their clean stuff away. How old should kids be to do this? I don't know.

I am showing you a photo here of one of my daughter's drawers...not my own. I am now making an effort to share more with my readers, but while I am running the risk that people from work will now be aware of my new resolution, I don't think they really need the visual to go along with it.

Feel free to send me your before and after pics or links to similar posts so we can all share in the drawer-organizing joy!

Yes, I am for real.

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Wednesday Words

"Is it coincidence that we spend far more than our parents ever did on the restyling and improvement of our homes - homes in which we spend less and less time because we are out earning the money to pay for French chrome mixer taps and stripped oak floors? It's as though home had become some kind of stage set for a play in which we one day hope to star."

from "I Don't Know How She Does It" by Allison Pearson


I had never even heard of this bestseller until I first saw trailers for the (scathingly-reviewed, SJP-starring) movie. When a friend loaned me the book, I expected a chick-lit equivalent of the chick-flick previews I had seen, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It's actually heavier and more thought-provoking than I ever would have imagined as it churns up all of the mixed feelings about motherhood, marriage and work.

The film comes out on DVD on January 3rd.

Christmas Wishes

"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!"

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Big City Family Getaway

Last weekend we took the girls for a little pre-Christmas getaway in Toronto. The highlights:

We stayed at the Marriott Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel (attached to the Rogers Centre) simply because we were looking for accommodations that were reasonably priced and reasonably close to the Sony Centre. We booked online and got an amazing deal. Our room was $139, and upon arrival we were told we had a $40 restaurant credit (which almost covered the Sunday morning buffet for the four of us). The room was huge: two double beds, and a separate area with a pullout couch and a second flatscreen TV. (This is where we put the girls. And where we were reminded that there is a reason they don't share a bed, or even a room, at home.) The bathroom was also spacious, with an unusually ample countertop perfect for beauty products. (Yes, it does take some help for me to achieve this look. Shocking, I know.)

The pool, shown below, was fantastic, and you can see the hot tub to the right. This is where I spent most of my time "supervising" as Daddy and the girls swam. Plus, it was unbelievably quiet. Except for a set of grandparents with a little girl whose visit overlapped a bit with ours, we were the only swimmers (using that term loosely for myself, of course) for over an hour.



Later in the afternoon we hit the Eaton Centre for a little bit of last-minute browsing. We even allowed the girls in the Disney Store, with very strict warnings that we would not be making any purchases, and any such requests would be met with removal from the premises. Of course Frannie found countless more items to add to her list, which is always oh-so-helpful when Mommy and Santa finished gift selections a month ago. We keep reminding her that Santa is so amazing, because he remembers things that kids ask for all year long, and has so many of his own great ideas too!

Decorations at the Eaton Centre

The girls took their first ever cab rides while downtown, and managed to entertain the drivers with their conversation.

Frannie (à propos of nothing): Do you have to be married to have a baby?

Cabbie chuckles.

Me: Um...usually people get married first, and then have a baby.

Frannie (yes, the five year old): Well, I want to have kids someday but I don't want to get married. Can I do that?

Cabbie laughs.

Me: Um...well, it is possible to do it that way, but...well, we believe...sometimes people...oh, let's talk about this when the time comes.

Maggie: Why is this man driving us? Where is our car? Why? Is this his car? Why are we in his car? Where is he taking us? Why? Is he going to wait for us? Why? Where does he live? Where are his kids?Why did you give him money??? (Thankfully the girls are now cultured enough that questions about skin colour and accents are far less common than they used to be.)

Then it was off to The Sony Centre for the Leahy Family Christmas. Yes, I grew up just country blocks away from the Leahy family (and shared their last name for the first 24 years of my life, which wasn't at all annoying. "Leahy, you say? Are you one of the ---?" "No. No, I'm not",) however we went all the way to the big city to catch their Christmas performance.

This band of 8 siblings (there are 11 in all, but 8 in this performance) is as good as it gets when it comes to their style of music, but I especially enjoyed all of the vocals and stepdancing to break up all of the instrumental (which appeals way more to my musician husband than to me). The highlight for me (and for our daughters) was when the grandchildren (as young as four years old) took to the stage to perform.

Frannie was particularly interested in comparing her own stepdancing skills to those of the six year old daughter of Donnell Leahy and Natalie MacMaster (catch my Momterview with her here), who is older than she is by three months. (Oh, who am I kidding, "comparing" was more what her mother was doing.)

I must admit that I made the mistake of telling the kids in advance that I had Smarties for later, which caused a few distractions throughout the first act, but generally speaking they were both captivated by the show until their bodies finally gave in to sleep near the end. (Frannie's snores added what I hope was a little 'je ne sais quoi' to a particular a capella number. She did manage to wake up for the fantastic two-generation finale.)

Leahy



Now, if this had been a girls' getaway instead of a family adventure, I would have made two other stops:

The Grace Kelly Exhibit ("From Movie Star To Princess: An Exhibition") at the TIFF Bell Lightbox

and

The Bata Shoe Museum, which I have wanted to visit for years. Perhaps I'll hit both during the holidays. (But not with my poor husband.)

(New readers, please note: despite what you may assume, I do not get paid by the parenthesis.)

Wednesday Words on Receiving

As Christmas approaches, we make it a priority to talk to our children (and students) about the importance of giving. On the flip side, here is an interesting thought about receiving:

"Receiving is often harder than giving. Giving is very important: giving insight, giving hope, giving courage, giving advice, giving support, giving money, and most of all giving ourselves. Without giving there is no brotherhood or sisterhood.

But receiving is just as important, because by receiving we reveal to givers that they have gifts to offer. When we say, 'Thank you, you gave me hope; thank you, you gave me a reason to live; thank you, you allow me to realize my dream,' we make givers aware of their unique and precious gifts. Sometimes it is only in the eyes of the receivers that givers discover their gifts."

Henri J.M. Nouwen

One of My All-Time Favourite Books: "Before I Go To Sleep" by S.J. Watson

The jacket sums it up better than I could:

"Christine wakes up every morning in an unfamiliar bed with an unfamiliar man. She looks in the mirror and sees an unfamiliar, middle-aged face. And every morning, the man she has woken up with must explain that he is Ben, he is her husband, she is forty-seven years old, and a terrible accident two decades earlier decimated her ability to form new memories."

This was a page-turner that I found impossible to put down. My friend Heather brought it to book club to share, and am I ever glad I snatched it up first.

At the suggestion of her neurologist, protagonist Christine begins to record her daily events, and the doctor prompts her every day to find her journal and reread the past entries in an attempt to relearn her life and jog her memory.

Published this year and classified as a "thriller", I found Watson's story (which just happens to be his debut novel) both compelling and disturbing, and could barely stand the suspense as I searched along with Christine for answers to her growing questions.

I'm sure my friend was amused by my mid-book wild predictions (can't share them here, as it I don't want to spoil the first half of the book for you) but as much as I thought I had things figured out, I was wrong. There are lots of twists and surprises to this one. It's a must-read.

Visit the author's website at http://www.beforeigotosleep.com/.