The Call: A Movie Review

Friday night Ryan was flipping through the Netflix movies on our TV to see what new flicks were out. After a few previews, he played the trailer for The Call. It caught my eye enough to make me look up from my serious craft session, but since it was nearing midnight we opted not to watch it. So Saturday night after dinner and putting Adelaide to bed, we decided The Call was the perfect ending to our evening.

The film is about a 911 operator Jordan (Halle Berry), who blames herself for the kidnapping & death of a young teen who she called back after their call was disconnected. Now as she steps back on the floor to return to her duties she finds herself in a similar position. A young teenage girl has been kidnapped and the race is on to save her. Jordan scrambles to keep her focus and find Casey (Abigail Breslin) before its too late.

A hanging-on-the-seat-of-your-pants-the-whole time while making-you-close-your-eyes-and-watch-through-your-hand kind of scary, suspenseful, thrilling movie. If you like to have your heart pumping, I suggest checking out The Call.

Caileigh's Clubhouse

We met Caileigh and Whitney (the mom ;) ) at our Bedford Mommy & Me back in January. Caileigh & Adelaide have the same disposition. Beyond sweet and happy-go-lucky babies. They play the same which means hands on the face, exploring each others little noses, hair, hair bows, and mouths. Whitney & I are quite similar as well (must be the awesome name!) in how we parent & are general personalities. So we became fast friends and have been spending a lot of time together this summer with various play dates.

We were so excited to be invited to Caileigh's Clubhouse to celebrate her 1st birthday this past Saturday. With a Minnie Mouse theme, every single detail was perfect. There were the most adorable Minnie Mouse ears with pink bows of course! The cutest centerpieces complete with lots of pink & black decor. Caileigh was wearing a personalized Minnie Mouse pillowcase dress and a big pink bow. She looked precious! We snacked on Minnie's Munchies & Chip n' Dale Chips. We grabbed lunch at the Hot Diggity' Dog Bar which was beyond delicious and used our Muskeetools for the refreshing sides. The babies & kids played on the mini jumpy, drew at the coloring table, and roamed around the grass chasing puppies. But their favorite part was the music teacher who came to play & sing songs.

After a fun afternoon outside, we came indoors to sing Happy Birthday to Ms. Caileigh and watch her blow out her candles on her cake. A 2-layer black & pink Minnie Mouse cake which was unbelievably delicious and too cute! Plus little cupcakes complete with mini ears. The favor bags were all personalized with the sweetest Minnie Mouse embellishments & treats inside!

We had an absolute wonderful time celebrating Caileigh and look forward to many more celebrations with The Kennedys!

Fifty Shades Freed: A Book Review

About this time last year, I started the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. I was able to complete the first two books just before Adelaide arrived. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I finally got around to purchasing the third one. Fifty Shades Freed.

Picking up where Fifty Shades Darker left off, the final book in the trilogy had me holding onto my seat. A mixture of romance, thrill, mystery, and exhaustion. I enveloped myself in the newlywed, honeymoon bliss that Ana & Christian were experiencing. (Oh to go back to our two week vacation would be heaven.) Then I related to the mundane reality that life & relationships become once you realize that the wedding & honeymoon are finito.

Throw in a wild car chase, family illness, & a shocking surprise and you have a well-rounded, fun to read story wrapping up the one and only Christian Grey. Plus as a bonus there is a sneak peek into the mind of Christian which put so much into perspective.

If you haven't had a chance to read these books, I definitely would check them out...especially before the movie comes out!

Road Trip to Rhode Island

When Ryan mentioned he would be going out of town for the week, I had an idea. How about a little girls road trip?!

So we packed a small suitcase, hopped in the car (Beau included), and headed northeast to Rhode Island. We arrived early evening on Tuesday after Adelaide being treated to her first Mc D's Happy Meal. And happy she was indeed! After dinner we nestled into our hotel bed, jammies & all for some good girl giggles.

Rising early Wednesday morning, we headed to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. It is hands down the best zoo I have been to and believe me I have been to many around the world. The animals were in as close to their natural habitat as possible with freedom to roam & play throughout. Around each corner sat a learning center with hands on experiences for children to learn more about the animals. Mystic water stations helped keep us cool on such a hot summer day. But the best part was the Hasbro Our Big Backyard which showcases a huge tree house, various water activities, an art center with chalkboards for drawing, and much much more.

pulling up to the zoo this is what was on the GPS ;)

Next we drove down to Newport for lunch. We sat in the shade on the dock at The Deck watching the boats roll in & out. Adelaide indulged in a grilled cheese while I enjoyed the fish & chips with a glass of rose. It was crisp and chilled to perfection.

Full and happy we strolled up to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. We oohed and ahhed at the pristine grass courts (and the kiddos playing on them in their all white attire), admired the legendary names of the game, and noted the decades worth of memorabilia. And we snagged a few souvenirs to boot ;)

I didn't quite feel right leaving Newport without making a pit stop at the beach so we did just that. Laying our blanket out on the sand, we left our flips flop on shore and dipped our toes bodies in the water. Adelaide splished & splashed about in the east coast waves as I admired the shoreline beauty. It really is breathtaking. Once we were cooled off, we headed back up to Providence to shower off & have movie night.

Thursday morning we awoke and packed up for the journey home. With the car loaded and ready to set south to NY, we had one last stop to make: The Providence Children's Museum. A two-story, impressively interactive & educational establishment designed with every child in mind. From newborn to pre-teen. We spent our time in Littlewoods for kids 4&U. Adelaide cruised across the baby bridge, crawled through the tree house tunnel, played with wild animals (plastic mind you), and mingled with fellow babies. After she got her playtime fix, we journeyed on back home.

Not only is Rhode Island gorgeous, but it is also one of the more kid-friendly places to visit with so much for families to see & do. And reasonably priced too! If you are in the area or looking for a fun family trip, RI is your place. Staying in Providence or Newport is great because you have access to both cities with a quick drive. I am looking forward to going back with my family soon!

Our Weekend in Gatlinburg

Thursday we headed to Gatlinburg, TN to celebrate Ryan's grandma's 80th birthday. His mom's entire side of the family came in per Grandma Lee's request to stay in the River Lodge Cabin. Yep all 32 of us in one log cabin.

After a long day of travel (3 hour flight + 4 1/2 hour drive), we arrived tired and in need of a glass of wine or three. A summer BBQ dinner awaited us along with trivia about Grandma & Grandpa Lee. Late night talk ensued before finally hitting the hay around midnight.

Friday included a plethora of activities as people split up. Some going for walks; others shopping; more hiking in the mountains. Adelaide & I enjoyed a morning walk before hitting up the pool post lunchtime with Kara, Kinlee, Kendahl, & Nana. While she napped, I wine tasted per Aunt Shirley's excellent pouring skills. Ryan hiked with several of his cousins before heading back for a Mexican Fiesta dinner. Nighttime corn hole & dancing concluded the evening.

Saturday we took a morning stroll up to Apple Barn to check out the Christmas store. I could have spent mucho moola in there but managed to come away with only a few ornaments. We stopped in the wine store but felt 10am was too early to taste (in CA it would have been ok but in TN not so much). So we opted for a smoothie from the creamery instead. Ryan went on a solo hike while Adelaide & I caught some rays poolside again. What can I say, I have a little fish on my hands! Back at the house, the corn hole tournament kicked-off while wine tasting part deux occurred. Italian night was delicious and topped off with a chocolate fountain! The evening rocked on with a dance party on the front porch and late night trivia games.

Sunday we headed out early for the long journey home. Because my grandparents are deceased, I encourage Ryan to speak with them frequently and visit with them as often as possible. It was nice to spend some time with them and celebrate 80 years of life.