Journal Entries – Page 37 – Tribute Journal

Cinderella Days! A Funny, Unfiltered Cinderella Movie Review!

Cinderella Days! A Funny, Unfiltered Cinderella Movie Review!

Since my granddaughters adore the original story and cartoon version of Disney’s Cinderella so much that we often refer to some of the special days we spend together as our Cinderella Days, it goes without saying that we were all very excited to see the newly released Cinderella movie just out in theaters this month, and believe me it lived up to our expectations!

Like most things in life, it’s always a lot of fun to catch a glimpse of the world via the unabashed perspective of a child, so after we saw this wonderful, new version of Cinderella, I was curious to see what Makena and Marli’s take on it was…here is their funny, unfiltered movie review!

No matter your age, there is something magical about going to the movie theater, buying popcorn and getting lost in a neat story of make-believe and adventure for a few hours!

From the first opening scenes until the very end, both Makena and Marli were totally enchanted with this movie version of Cinderella. Marli did lean over once to tell me that it was alright that it wasn’t exactly like the animated version with all the singing, “I don’t think this Cinderella likes to sing very much…but that’s okay, I still think she is nice and pretty!” Coming from a little girl who loves to sing, I surely appreciated Marli’s willingness to be impartial to “this Cinderella”! On the other hand, Makena whispered to me that having a pet mouse might be a lot of fun! After watching this movie–is it crazy that I agree with her!?!

One of the funniest reactions I got from the girls about the new Cinderella movie was when I asked what they thought of Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters.

Marli said she liked that the stepsisters dressed alike, but when Makena gave her an agonizing look, she promptly retorted, “…but I wouldn’t want to dress alike ALL the time!” Like so many young mother’s who see their little girls getting older, my daughter has come to realize that the days of matching outfits will soon be a thing of the past!!!

Makena said, I didn’t think they were too mean, but if they would have been nicer, maybe Cinderella would have wanted to play with them. Also, “The stepmother was kind of pretty, but her hair was ‘loopy’!” (Oh, from the mouth of babes! Besides, it’s true, Cate Blanchet was perfect for the stepmother role!)

For me, this is where Disney got it so right with the new Cinderella movie–in a world where we’re working hard to teach children to be nicer to each other and not bully, any animosity in the story between Cinderella, her stepmother and stepsisters seemed to be downplayed in favor of the love story! YAY!

Makena, Marli and I all agreed that if there was someone else we’d want to be besides Cinderella, it would be the fairy godmother! (If you’ve seen the movie, you know how great Helen Bonham Carter is as the slightly off-kilter fairy godmother!)

I think Makena got to the core of the fairy godmother’s “magic” when she said, “You have to obey her rules or you don’t get to have her magic!” I’m sure this is a concept every parent hopes their children will embrace as they learn the ropes of the big, wide, wonderful world out there!

Marli thought the fairly godmother did her best work when she turned a pumpkin into a gold, gilded carriage…

…she couldn’t help but recall her own special time spent on a similar mode of transportation!

Of course, the costumes in the Cinderella movie were truly eye-candy for these two cute girls who love to play dress-ups!

Although, Makena did ask me if I thought that the girls in those days ever got to wear shorts or pants, since she wouldn’t want to wear dresses all the time. Now for Marli, doing that wouldn’t be such a hardship–she loves wearing dresses!

I will admit, I chuckled out loud in the theater when Makena said, “Cinderella should just take the ‘dang’ glass slippers off while she runs down the palace stairs!” You have to appreciate that this is a girl who lives for barefoot, flip flop weather! Earlier in the movie, Makena also admitted that she wouldn’t really want a pair of glass slippers since she would be too sad if they ever broke–always the pragmatic one, that’s Makena for you!

The wise advice given to Cinderella as a young girl by her mother is the ultimate theme of this magnificent movie…

“I want to tell you a secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer, have courage and be kind! Where there is kindness, there is goodness, and where there is goodness, there is magic!”

This is the hope I think we all have for our loved ones as they journey through this life and face the challenges they must overcome!

If you haven’t already seen the new Disney, Cinderella movie, my granddaughters and I would highly recommend it! If you have seen it, what was your favorite part?

–Mary

It’s Your Lucky Day! A St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway!

It’s Your Lucky Day! A St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway!

So please bear with me as I try and create a St. Patrick’s Day giveaway! I’ve never done anything like this before–but I have wanted to…kind of like channeling my “inner Oprah” favorite things list–only on a much, much smaller scale! This post is NOT sponsored…except by me–to you!

Just like the saying on one of my favorite greeting cards, I hope it’s your lucky day, today!

Here We Go…

Like most everyone, I have some favorite things that I really love and have used for many years, but recently, I’ve acquired a few fun, new things that have added the perfect “zippity-do-dah” to my regular routine–some of these items are what I’m offering as part of my St. Patrick’s Day Giveaway!

Hamilton Beach 3 Qt. Crock Pot And A $25 Visa Grocery Card!

The crock pot my husband and I got for a wedding gift bit the dust not too long ago, but we weren’t necessarily in a rush to replace it, then my daughter had us over for dinner and served us her slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches recently, and that convinced us otherwise!

I am all about the “cute” factor as well as the function when it comes to small appliances, (I mean–if you have to fix dinner, why not surround yourself with fun dishes!) so when I found this retro leaf design Hamilton Beach crock pot, it was a quick sale! Besides, is there anything like walking through the door after an extra busy day to the delicious smells of dinner simmering away, just waiting for you to set the table and serve it up! (My daughter’s Crock BBQ Pork Sandwich Recipe coming soon.)

Pier 1 Imports Woven Bowl And A Williams and Sonoma Gift Card!

When I saw this updated version of a woven porcelain bread bowl my grandma used to have, for strictly sentimental reasons, I knew I had to have one! (I have also seen these in a variety of colors at Kohls.)

The unique design of this bowl makes it a neat way to serve warm rolls for dinner, but you could also fill it with fresh fruit or vegetables and leave it on your kitchen counter as a fun decorative piece too!

One of my favorite things to put in this bowl are Williams and Sonoma muffins, doesn’t going in that store make you feel like you can bake anything! Alas, in the end, I usually just buy one of their easy mixes. If you win this bowl, you’ll get a gift card to this awesome store too!

The Newlywed Cookbook And An Anthropologie Gift Card!

The Newlywed Cookbook by Sarah Copeland is a wonderful wedding gift, but recently when I was buying a few for some upcoming shower gifts, I decided to purchase one for me and my husband for our anniversary.

Not only are the pages of this cookbook beautifully displayed, it also gives some neat ideas on how to prepare the recipes with your loved ones. These books are available online, but I purchase them at Anthropologie and often pair it with an apron or a couple of special serving dishes.

Along with The Newlywed Cookbook, I’m going to include a $25 gift card to Anthropologie with this giveaway option.

The Junk Drawer Zipper Pouch From Blue-Q!

If I had to pick just one of my favorite things that I’ve purchased lately, this little zipper purse pouch would be it! I don’t carry all my make-up staples with me, but I do like to have a few accessories handy, invariably though, they always seem to get lost in that “black hole” section of my purse! Aside from its clever design, the zipper pouch from Blue-Q has truly transformed my purse organization!

The Junk Drawer zipper pouch is made of thick oil cloth that can easily be wiped off if anything should spill inside. Along with the pouch, you’ll win a couple of the things I carry in my pouch…

Mentha Shimmer Tint from Bath and Body Works is my very favorite lip gloss. I love the subtle minty/menthol taste it has and it’s not too thick and has a hint of glimmery shine! (My granddaughters love it too!)

I’ve already let you in on my obsession with neat journal books in this post–and this little pocket-sized idea journal is one of my new favorites–such a great place to jot down some of the fun ideas you come across and want to remember!

Whew–so there’s my giveaway list! Here’s all you’ll need to do to enter: You can just go to my Instagram account @maryjwild1 and like the related entry to this post, then tag just one other person. Yep, just one, it’s that simple–no Instagram gymnastics required! This St. Patrick’s Giveaway is open for one day! After that, I’ll put all the entries into a hat and have my Eagle Scout husband draw out four winning names! I know, it’s raffling at its best! Thanks for helping me fulfill this giveaway dream of mine…hopefully, a wee bit of luck will come your way–if not, and this goes well, I’ll plan another one soon! (I’m happy to mail anywhere in the United States.)

You can also leave a comment here and be entered in the giveaway, as well.

♣Good Luck and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!♣

–Mary

Birthday Letters!

Birthday Letters From My Dad!

As yet another birthday rolls around, I find myself pulling out some of the old birthday letters my dad had written to me over the years. The love and sense of humor my father expressed in these letters, along with his sage advice, always added the perfect touch to many special birthday celebrations!

In one particular letter, my dad offered these silly, if not wise words of wisdom:

“If you’re not getting older, then you’re obviously NOT living!”

My father was one of the most unpretentions and kind souls to ever grace this earth; he lived a fun, big life–yes, I am biased!

My mom took this picture of me and my father as we left for a special daddy-daughter date around my eighth birthday…I consider myself a lucky girl to have been my father’s daughter!

Here’s a few of my dad’s neat insights and gems of wisdom that I’ve compiled into one collective letter to share with you.

• In my childhood home my mother had a big wing back chair positioned by a big picture window in our living room, and on most evenings after dinner and some household chores, this is where you’d find my dad relaxing with a good book for an hour or so–often he’d read aloud to my mom while she folded laundry or did some mending. As I got older, my dad and I even had our own unofficial book club. You can check a few of our favorites in this post.

• Being a college professor and a dry farmer, my dad had the opportunity to “rub shoulders” so to speak, with people from all walks of life–he truly cherished and nurtured these many and varied associations throughout his lifetime and would tell me that some of the best wit and wisdom he’d ever heard of came from men with callused hands and dirt on their overall!

• I imagine every parent understands that to a certain degree they will always be over-utilized and under-appreciated. My dad was always quick to express his deep love for each family member, but also felt it was important to his role as a father to teach his children to be kind and loving too–never more so, I’m sure, than when we were going through those angstful teenage years!

• My parents traveled extensively throughout their marriage–my dad, especially had wanderlust running through his veins, but he’d often comment that when he glimpsed the mountain peaks encircling the fair valley where we lived upon his return from one of their many adventures, he never felt more at peace! My dad and mom had created a lovely home together, so for them, there truly was “no place like home”!

• My dad was a smart man; his peers and students adored him, and years of hard work on our farm taught my father to be handy with his hands; it seemed he was able to fix anything. But one of my dad’s most endearing traits was his humility. If ever my parents argued, my dad was quick to acknowledge any wrongdoing on his part…for this reason, and many more, their love story is one of the great legacies they’ve left behind to inspire future generations to come.

• My dad loved living; he always seemed a little giddy about all the possibilities that life opened up to him, right up until the day he died at 88 years old! He and my mom were some of my biggest cheerleaders when I was tackling a new phase in my life and got a little down trodden. My dad was also a scholar of sorts of Mark Twain, and if ever I was feeling a little less than exuberant about the way things were going, he’d just smile and remind me of all that I had in my favor and offer up one of his favorite quotes:

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up” Mark Twain

The letters my dad wrote to me are some of my most cherished possessions and I am so grateful he felt I was worth his time to pen a few tidbits of wisdom that in some small way might help me live better and fulfill the potential he saw in me as his daughter.

How great would it be to surprise someone we love by writing them a letter for their birthday, or for any other special occasion. Wouldn’t you love to see the astonished look on their face as they retrieved it from their mailbox and anxiously opened it up!

(You can click on this journal entry to download some stationary to help get you started.)

What’s a bit of advice you received from someone you love that has made a big impact on your life?

–Mary