Mommy Brain

Sorry I didn’t have a links post last Friday – I was too busy having fun! My sister Debra drove over from Silverdale with her three kids and we spent all day Thursday and all day Friday playing in the sun. Then Saturday, my kids had Tae Kwon Do seminars in the morning and a Tae Kwon Do tournament in the afternoon. In a very hot dojang stuffed full of people and sweaty kids. I was glad to get out of there!

On Sunday, I came down with the little gift my sister left for me – stomach flu. It wasn’t horrible – for me. Kevin, however – well, he had a rough time of it on Monday and Tuesday. Poor guy.

This week has been slightly less busy. Natalie got her hair cut – I’ll have to post pictures, because it’s adorable. I went to the gym three times this week so far. I’m embarking on a program called the Extreme Health Makeover – but that’s too big of news to be an aside and demands a post of its own in the next few days.

I’m posting this Thursday evening, because tomorrow morning we are heading south to Spokane to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! We have been so excited to see it, but last week was way too busy. I was hoping it would come to our teeny one-screen theater this weekend, but it didn’t, so we’ll drive the 60 miles south and see it at what my kids call “the big theater.” I’ll be sure to let you know what we think of it. Have any of you seen it yet?

Saturday we will spend the day at the lake, weather permitting. Sunday, we have been invited to a friends’ home for a BBQ. Should be a fun weekend. What are your weekend plans?

Here are the links I’ve saved to share with you:

~ Tim Hawkins is becoming one of my favorite comedians.

~ Brian Regan is another favorite.

~ Speaking of comedians, there is still time to enter my contest to win a Jim Breuer DVD.

~ The trailer for the upcoming season of House has me ready for fall.

~ Any mother who has had an inferior mother complex will appreciate this comic.

~ Nothing makes my day like a funny baby video.

~ This blog is dedicated to the forgotten items left in books as bookmarks.

~ I love these recycled book handbags!

~ Like mother, like daughter: Natalie has her first author interview posted on her review blog – with Lisa Samson.

~ Great post: They’re On Their Own: Why I’m Not Paying for My Kids’ College.

At Books and Movies lately:

~ Book Review: Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman.
~ Book Review: Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure by Emma Campbell Webster.
~ Book Review: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather.
~ Self-analysis: sexual content in books.
~ Book Review: The Way Home by George Pelecanos.
~ Monday’s Movie Review: The Changeling.
~ Book Review: The Sister by Poppy Adams.
~ Favorite YA fiction, part two.
~ Book Review: Wings by Aprilynne Pike.
~ Monday’s Movie Review: The Proposal.

(Jim Breuer: Let’s Clear the Air was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of this giveaway.)

One of the “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time,” Jim Breuer joined NBC’s Saturday Night Live in 1995. Since then, he has gone on to star in several movies, tour the country with his Heavy Metal Man and Family Man comedy tours, and host a daily show on SIRIUS Satellite Radio called Breuer Unleashed.

You may remember Jim as the infamous Goat Boy from SNL, or his stoner persona from the cult hit Half Baked. Now he’s clearing the air with this concert event, chronicling his transformation from childhood to ultimate family man.

It’s the same stoned look but a whole new Breuer.

Jim Breuer: Let’s Clear the Air will be available on DVD on July 28th. The DVD special features include “A Fireside Chat with Dad” and a photo shoot.

Thanks to Click Communications, I have a copy of this DVD to give away to one of my lucky readers.

~ This giveaway is open to readers in the US and Canada.

~ For one entry, leave a comment on this post telling me who your favorite stand-up comedian is.

~ For a second entry, blog or tweet this post and then come back and leave an additional comment with your link.

~ For a third entry, become a follower or subscriber of my blog, and then leave me a comment telling me. If you already are, be sure and tell me because this counts, too.

~ All entries must be received by Friday, July 31st at 11:50 pm PST. On Saturday, August 1st, I will use Random.org to draw a winner and then send an e-mail for a mailing address.

Good luck!

(Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

Put yourself in the middle of the Jonas Brothers’ motion picture debut with the ultimate Extended 3D Concert Experience only on Blu-ray Hi-Def. It doesn’t get any better than this as Kevin, Joe and Nick invite you inside their personal world for an all-inclusive look at the band. The 3D picture looks so incredible, you’ll think you can reach out and touch the brothers, and the theater-quality sound will have you jumping out of your seat!

This 3D movie event launches music’s hottest trio straight into your living room and includes guest appearances by chart-topping artists Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift!

Secure your backstage pass to this once-in-a-lifetime 3D experience with the Jonas Brothers – complete with exclusive bonus features, including unseen performances, additional songs, and an extra DVD copy of the movie. You’ll feel like you’re part of the Jonas family with this deluxe up-close-and-personal Blu-ray Combo Pack for the ultimate fans!

I asked Natalie to review this DVD, and here’s what she had to say:

“This movie was fairly good, but all the screaming girls were kind of weird. The fans of the Jonas Brothers act like they are their idoll and that they worship them. They almost puke, hyperventilate, and things like that. But above all of that the singing was good. This movie was good in some parts and not so good in others.”

For a chance to win this DVD, click over to my giveaway post at Books and Movies.

Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience is available now on DVD. The special features include two bonus songs and “Up Close & Personal: Inside the Lives of the Jonas Brothers on Tour.”

For those of you who miss my bookish posts, here are links to my recent posts at Books and Movies:

~ List of links to a whole bunch of book giveaways.

~ My favorite poetry for children.

~ Book review: The Laws of Harmony by Judith R. Hendricks.

~Book giveaway: I’m giving away five copies of the memoir Jantzen’s Gift.

~ Library sale bounty.

~ Favorite poets and poetry collections – for grown-ups this time.

~ Book review: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart.

~ Book review: Sea Changes by Gail Graham.

For those of you who miss my bookish posts, here are some links to book-related stuff I’ve posted at Books and Movies:

~ A list of my favorite mystery series

~ A review of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

~ A list of my favorite audiobooks

~ A giveaway of The Laws of Harmony by Judith R. Hendricks

(Lilo and Stitch: 2-Disc Big Wave Edition was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of this giveaway.)

I’m sorry for being a day late drawing a winner! No big excuses, it just slipped my mind.

The winner of Lilo and Stitch: 2-Disc Big Wave Edition is…

…Daniela!

Congratulations, Daniela. Please watch your e-mail so I can get your mailing info.

(Lilo and Stitch: 2-Disc Big Wave Edition was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of this giveaway.)

Get ready for the wildly original story about an independent little girl named Lilo and her adopted alien “puppy,” the mischievous Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet. After crash-landing on Earth, Stitch wreaks havoc on the Hawaiian Islands, but he also learns about loyalty, friendship and ‘ohana, the Hawaiian tradition of family.

Now, catch the wave of fun and aventure in this 2-Disc Big Wave Edition jam packed with games and awesome bonus features that take you and your family behind the scenes of the movie! Experience Lilo & Stitch like never before. There’s excitement and entertainment for every member of your ‘ohana!

The kids and I already own a copy of Lilo and Stitch on DVD, but the nice people at Click Communications offered to send me a copy anyway to give away to one of my lucky readers! Lilo and Stitch: 2-Disc Big Wave Edition will be available on DVD on March 24th, and is full of special features like deleted scenes, “Your ‘Ohana” Music Video Featuring The Hawaiian Chorus, Lilo & Stitch Island Adventure Games, and lots more.

Here’s how to enter:

1. For one entry, leave a comment on this post. And just to make it interesting, tell me what your all-time favorite Disney movie is.

2. For a second entry, post about this giveaway on your blog, and them come back and leave an additional comment with your post link.

3. For a third entry, tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, and then leave another comment with your Twitter user name.

4. All entries must be received by 11:59 pm PST, Monday, March 23rd. On Tuesday, March 24th, I will use Random.org to draw the lucky winner, and then contact that person by e-mail for mailing info.

Good luck!

I am so sorry I forgot to do this on Saturday!

The winner of Good Egg from Workman Publishing is Mrs. Mommy. Congratulations! Watch your e-mail; I’ll be contacting you for mailing info.

Whew, this week has just whizzed by! We’re all feeling better, mostly over the creeping crud, thank goodness. I don’t have a lot planned for my weekend, but on Monday I (finally) have my appointment with the neurologist about my headaches. His office is called The Headache Clinic, so he should be able to help, right? I’m optimistic. I’m going to take Natalie with me so the day isn’t completely a drag – we might even stop at Barnes & Noble on the way home, though mostly just to browse and pick up the third 39 Clues book for Noah.

If your weekend includes time for surfing, here are some links to check out:

~ Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? has compiled a list of the books book bloggers considered their best read of 2008. Lots of good titles there.

~ Take Your Vitamin Z posted about how Mark Driscoll handles family devotions at dinner time. This actually seems like a relatively painless approach – we may give it a try.

~ Ever wanted to find out what book bloggers think about a particular book? Fyrefly has created a custom Google search of book blogs.

~ Are you jonesing for a Harry Potter fix? The Leaky Cauldron has a First Look video with highlights from the upcoming Half Blood Prince film.

~ There’s still time to enter my giveaway for Good Egg.

~ For you writerly types, here’s a great article on procrastination by Janet from Quoth the Maven.

~ The Sacred Sandwich imagines the reaction if the book of Galatians was published in Christianity Today.

~ This is one comeback I could do without.

At Books and Movies lately:

~ A list of our favorite read-alouds in the past couple of years.

~ If you read this before midnight Pacific Standard Time, there’s still time to enter my giveaway of Interred With Their Bones, Capote in Kansas: A Ghost Story, and The Read-Aloud Handbook.

~ I’ve joined The Classics Challenge 2009.

I’m giving away three books at Books and Movies – click over if you’re interested!