Ok, so this is the LAST post, I promise.
One of the things that makes me adore the character of Chuck is his geekiness. He’s one of those super cute nerds that just kind of makes you want to tickle his keyboard, if ya know what I mean.

During the season 5 episode titled ‘Chuck Versus the Hack Off’, we get to see some of Chuck’s computer hacking skills. The extra cool thing is this episode was directed by Zackary Levi. SWOON! Ok, so Chuck, aka The Piranha, must bypass the security systems allowing the team to infiltrate and grab the computer super virus, the Omen virus. I admit it’s pretty cool to watch him work his magic.

I am by no means a computer genius, but I can’t help but think of the time that I applied for a job as a training coordinator for a state agency. Part of the application process was practical exam in which I was placed in an office and had people coming in asking questions just like I was actually working in the job. It was actually really cool but I had to call upon skills that I hadn’t used in a long time. For instance, someone came in and asked me to create a document in order to keep track of training shirts. Shortly after he left I pulled up a Word document and started creating a table. After about 5 minutes it dawned on me that this was not the way to go. An Excel spreadsheet would be much better since it could keep track of the math for the user. I knocked it out really quick and when the person came back to see what I had come up with I showed him how to use it, saved it to a disk and sent him on his way.

I ended up second on the list for that position, but considering it was the first job in close to 10 years that I had applied for, I was pretty happy with the outcome.

I told you, nothing like the genius of Chuck but some of us aren’t that lucky.

Don’t forget that you can pre-order Chuck: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD by visiting http://bit.ly/HCQtVe and if you enter promo code “c5wbwrd” you will get 20% off!

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

We’ve all grown up with the image or idea of what Snow White looks like, sounds like, and even acts like. Of course these ideas were instilled in us by fairytales.

Well, move over timid Snow White who needs the prince to save her! The Snow White in this movie saves herself!

I saw the trailer for this movie several months ago in the theater and was so enthralled by the action in it.

It looks a bit dark. Essentially, the Evil Queen must kill Snow White in order to keep her reign, but Snow White is destined to put an end to the darkness that the Evil Queen brings. The Evil Queen sends a Huntsman into the woods to find Snow White but upon meeting her and realizing her destiny he decides to help protect her and teach her how to turn the tables on the Queen and end her reign.

The film is from the producers of Alice In Wonderland and has that same eery quality to it. It stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White, (not my first choice, but we’ll see,) Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen. I’m excited to see Chris Hemsworth in another role since every time I see him I instantly think of Thor. And I think that Charlize Theron is going to make an awesome Evil Queen, just because she has that aura about her.

Take a look at the trailer and then try to tell me your not a bit excited about the movie..

I will pick 10 winners randomly and they will each receive 2 tickets good for 4 people to the screening! So keep one and give the other to a friend, or if you have older kids, go as a whole family. You decide!

UPDATE: GIVEAWAY ENDS THURSDAY MAY 24TH AT 7PM PST

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year ago that I joined Mamavation for the first time.

At that point I was getting ready to turn 32.. Well, take a look at my campaign video to become a Mamavation Mom and you’ll get an idea of where I was then:

This was a huge accomplishment. One that I am completely proud of.

But.

But, I haven’t kept it up. Since my last race in December I have done nothing. Sure I’ve made it to the gym a few times to work out, or I dance around the living room with the kids, but I’ve fallen back into the same routine I was in before: Eat crap. Sit on butt.

Thankfully, I haven’t gained any of the weight I worked to hard to lose back. I just don’t like the fact that I am back to living unhealthy again or that my kids are seeing me go back.

So, I’m back. Back to where it all started, with Mamavation. I’ve pledged to join the Sista-hood again because it was this amazing community that propelled me and held me accountable. I’m counting on you all to do it again. My goal is to lose about 20 more pounds and to tighten up some of the flab I’ve got hanging around.

My additional inspiration is a long awaited trip to Hawaii in November.

So, join me as I take on this journey again!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mamavation – a community dedicated toobesity prevention &weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.

So, I promise, this is my last post about Chuck. I really wouldn’t bombard you if I didn’t love Zachary Levi the show.

For my final post I want to talk about the Season 5 Finale. If you don’t remember let me refresh you, Sarah and Chuck are sitting on a beach side by side. The married couple reminisces and share one final kiss as the scene fades and then she makes that face. Do you think that that moment was the key in the lock to her lost memories?

The romantic in me believes that for whatever reason that kiss opens the gate of the memories that she has been suppressing. Alright, it’s all the romance novels I read, but still. This is one of those scenarios that you just have to go with “Love conquers all.”

Don’t forget that you can pre-order Chuck: The Complete Fifth Season on DVD by visiting http://bit.ly/HCQtVe and if you enter promo code “c5wbwrd” you will get 20% off!

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

I know we are getting ready to enter into Summer but I couldn’t resist talking about the ‘Chuck Versus the Santa Suit’ episode from the fifth season. Basically it’s Christmas at the Buy More. Chuck’s sister Ellie is in full Christmas mode, meanwhile the Omen virus has infected computers worldwide. The virus causes holiday shoppers to panic and things get a little out of control.

Enter Black Friday choas, am I right??

Do you all remember a couple years ago when someone was killed by the stampede of people going into Walmart so now the store stays open all night long, but you don’t get the good deals until a certain time and they keep the palettes all covered up?

Anyway, last year during Black Friday my sister and I went to Walmart shortly after midnight. One of the big ticket items of the year were these Blu-Ray players that were $20. There was a HUGE palette of them all covered up with black plastic and people were crowded around about 4 deep. Fast forward to the magical hour when they took the black tarp off and there was all kinds of pushing, shoving and yelling as people tried to stake their claim on a box. Suddenly, a child started screaming and crying. Instantly a group of people started yelling at everyone else to stop because they were obviously crushing a small child. One large fellow started grabbing people and pulling them away from the palette. Long story short, there was no child. The child crying was well out of danger and was crying because his mom had left him in the cart to grab a Blu-Ray player.

Crazy right?!?

Want to know the funny part? After all was said and done and the large crowd got their players and dispersed, I calmly walked up to the paletter where there were over 50 players left, grabbed one and walked away.

It totally amazes me how crazy people get at these times of year.

Anyway, relive your own Black Friday traumas while watching the Complete Fifth Season of Chuck which can be pre-ordered here: http://bit.ly/HCQtVe. And enter promo code (c5wbwrd) for 20% off + free shipping from the WBShop.

If you are a fan of Chuck then the following featurette is for you! A thank you from the entire cast.

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

Last month I was lucky enough to go to the opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s OVO here in Portland.

This is the 3rd Cirque show I have been lucky enough to attend and just like all the others it didn’t disappoint. And trust me, I was a little leery considering this show is all about bugs.

“OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

You know, what surprises me the most about all of the Cirque shows is their ability to portray humor when really non of the characters speak! Both my husband and I were laughing several times, and I had a grin on my face the entire time. It’s really hard not to when you are viewing such vibrant colors and don’t even get me started on some of their tricks!

Okay, well you got me started. There were several acts that were hugely impressive but by far my favorite is on called “Wall.” This act incorporates a rock wall, trampolines and some lizards. It’s a quick paced, high intensity act that had my heart pumping just watching!

In addition to the amazing acts I also love that the music is from the orchestra live, and their singer has just a simply beautiful voice that will tug at your core.

So, OVO is actually ending its run here in Portland on May 20th. But there is still time to get tickets, they would make a fantastic Mother’s Day gift for sure!

There is also a great deal going on just for Mother’s Day. You can get 25% off price level 1, 2 or 3 tickets on select performances. I will say that in order to receive the discount you need to be a Cirque Club member, but registration is fast and free, plus Cirque Club members receive advance access to the best seats under the Grand Chapiteau, ticket upgrades, partner promotions and insider information on the world of Cirque du Soleil!

Oh, and one more thing. I have a pair of tickets to the May 16th 8:00PM show in Portland to giveaway!!

TO ENTER (MANDATORY ENTRY):

• LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME WHY YOU WANT TO TREAT YOUR MOM, WIFE, OR FELLOW MOM TO THE SHOW

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES (MANDATORY ENTRY MUST BE COMPLETED, PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH):

• FOLLOW @MADHATTERMOM ON TWITTER
• SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG THRU RSS OR EMAIL (ON THE SIDEBAR)
• FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST
• ENTER THE AVENGERS GIVEAWAY, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO

THIS GIVEAWAY WILL END MAY 14TH AT 11:59PM PST AND IS ONLY OPEN TO THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SHOW IN PORTLAND, OR ON MAY 16TH, 2012.
Please visit our OFFICIAL RULES page if you have any questions.

Disclosure: This giveaway was made possible by US Family Guide. I was not compensated. My words, my experience, my life.

The following post is inspired by BRICA®, whose motto is ‘Making Together Better’. It was written as an entry to win a sponsorship to the Type A Conference. Be sure to check out BRICA® on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s no secret that I became a step-mom at the age of 21. A step-mom to pre-teen girls no less.

It’s also no secret that raising these girls was a struggle for me. One that was filled with actions and behaviors that I am not proud of. After all, we were essentially growing up together.

Lastly, it’s no secret that those pre-teen girls have now grown into beautiful, amazing young women. Young women who I am immensely proud of.

Looking back, the biggest regret I have relating to my girls, was that I did not make enough time for us to just be together. I mean, it’s not like we never spent time together. Eating dinner as a family has always been a huge priority in our house, but really the occurances ended there. I always tried to be there for them when they needed me. I always worked behind the scenes, but that was my failure. Instead of stepping up and being proactive, I sat in the background and waited for them to come to me, which I’m sure just appeared to them that I didn’t care.

It’s through grace that I can recognize these failures and endeavor to correct them.

Our younger kids know that spending time together is something we value in our house. They look foward to movie nights that entail snuggling up together on the couch, bike rides on sunny days, and the occasional family trip.

Really, I have my older girls to thank for the memories that I’m making with my younger kids. And for making me carve out special time to spend with them one on one.

So, what does Making Together Better mean to me?

For me, Together is interchangable with Family. Making Family Better.

It’s never too late to change your family dynamic. It’s never too late to view each day as an opportunity to do something that will have a lasting impression on my children. And I don’t just mean my younger children. Just because my girls are now older and living on their own, doesn’t mean spending time together is any less important.

Granted it’s a bit harder now that they are older, especially since one of my daughters lives out of state, but we try not to let that stop us. Thankfully technology makes it easy to continue to be a part of each others lives and spend time together chatting on Skype or texting back and forth. Although the memories we make this way may seem unconventional, they are our memories, our SMILES, our HUGS.

My oldest daughter is now 21, she and her husband are expecting their first child next month.

I feel incredibly blessed knowing that very soon our togetherness as a family will include a small bundle of joy. I’m also excited about showing my daughter support as a fellow mother and seeing the STEPS she takes in this new JOURNEY of her LIFE. A journey that will include tears and LAUGHTER.

These experiences are how we will be Making Together Better.

Because ultimately as a family, we are in this together.

Raise your hand if you have been looking forward to seeing The Avengers?

Well, tonight is the night! Opening nationwide in theaters our favorite comic book heroes come together to save the world.

I gotta tell you, I was able to go and see a screening of the movie earlier this week and when I left the theater I was totally jazzed. One of my pet peeves when it comes to action flicks is all the slow parts that they seem to have. The Avengers didn’t have a slow part, I was enthralled throughout the entire movie.

Now to be honest, I do have a bit of a crush on Robert Downey, JR and since his character Tony Stark is in the film that probably led me to being so enthralled, but regardless it was a great action film. Quick story, I took my eldest daughter to the screening with me and she knows my love of Robert, (yes, we are on a first name basis.) As we were walking out she was giggling to herself, when I asked what was so funny she said, “You should have seen your face with Tony Stark came on screen, you were totally glowing and had the biggest grin on your face!”

I also like the inclusion of characters that haven’t had their own movie like The Hawk and Black Widow. The movie did a great job giving back story on their characters.

Now for my fellow RDJ fans, there is plenty of Iron Man in the movie.

Oh, one more thing, be prepared to laugh, A LOT! Seriously, I don’t know how many times I would be taken completely off guard by a humorous part of the movie. It was the perfect mix of action and comedy.

So hurry and grab your tickets and head to the theater. By Monday all your friends are going to be talking about it and you don’t want to be left out of the loop!

In honor of the movie opening, Marvel has been gracious enough to let me give away a prize pack from The Avengers. Here’s what you can win:

Pair of Limited Edition 3D Glasses

Set of 6 Avengers Buttons

The Avengers Adult Tshirt sizes S-XL

TO ENTER (MANDATORY):

• LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME WHO YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER FROM THE MOVIE

• FOLLOW @MADHATTERMOM ON TWITTER
• SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG THRU RSS OR EMAIL (ON THE SIDEBAR)
• ADD MAD HATTER MOM TO A CIRCLE ON GOOGLE+
• FOLLOW ON PINTEREST

GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO US AND CANADA, 18+ ONLY. ENDS WEDNESDAY, MAY 16TH AT MIDNIGHT PST

Be sure to ‘Like’ The Avengers on Facebook to keep up with all the happenings.

I’ve been a fan of the TV show Chuck since the first season. I love the mixture of comedy and suspense, plus I sorta, kinda, have a crush on the lead character, Zachary Levi.

Anywho, even though I’ve never had my brain stuffed with a ton of government info, there are a lot of things that happen on the show that are relatable to everyday life.

For instance, in the 3rd episode of Season 5, Morgan is acting like a bit of a douche because he is experiencing some side effects from Intersect. Chuck can’t quite figure out why his closest friend is behaving this way.

Okay, so I’ve never had a friend act this because a governmental agencies did something to them, but I have had friends whose behavior has suddenly changed and I’m left wondering why. I will admit that there are times when I’m quick to judge and just think to myself, “Wow, (insert name here) is being a total b*$@%#!” Of course once I step back and think about it more clearly, I realize that there must be some influence that is causing the behavior. It’s then that I be a good friend and touch base with them to see what’s really going on and if there is anyway I can help.

See! Totally relatable!

The complete 5th Season of Chuck releases on May 8th. Be sure to PREORDER it now and have it shipped on the day it releases!

Disclosure: I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for ‘Chuck.’ My words, my opinions, my life.

So, it’s Friday and time to think about what to do tonight or this weekend for date night.

If you’re like me and cracked up laughing watching the “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, and now perhaps you are known to quote lines from the movie to your friends, then you should really see “The Five-Year Engagement” which stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. Maybe you haven’t seen “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, well, you may recognize Jason Segel from “The Muppets” or the TV show “How I Met Your Mother.”

The Five-Year Engagement is the story of Tom and Violet who meet at a New Year’s Eve party and then one year later become engagement. Their engagement experiences some serious trip ups on their way down the aisle.

I can’t wait to watch this movie, especially since I can’t stop laughing every time I see the trailer and she talks about giving him the Cirque Du Soleil of shows..

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Watch this..

The movie opens tonight, April 27th, nationwide. I’ll be going to see it so you should too!

If you go before I do let me know what you think!