I took Zach & Lucy (now 7) to see new the Toy Story 4 this week. Short story – We all liked it. I excepted us to love it. But I think I had my hopes up a little too high.

Here’s what we loved. Seeing our beloved favorites toy friends again, Buzz, Woody, Jessie & the return of Bo peep.

Toy Story 4 is mostly about Woody though. The rest of the gang along with new toy friends are mostly side characters.

Lucy loved Forky! The spork friend Woody helps guide Bonnie to create.

Zach’s favorite new characters were Ducky & Bunny. He laughed every time they were on screen.

My favorite new character was Canadian Duke Caboom (voiced by Keanu Reeves)!

We all did not like Gabby Gabby & her creepy dummies. To the point that every time they were on screen, Zach asked if we could leave. And Lucy ended up in my lap. So I caution parents of younger children on them.

I liked the continuation of the story of Bonnie & her toy friends, but this film could easily stand alone for new viewers who haven’t seen the rest of the Toy Story films.

Toy Story 4 is a great story of friendships. What leaps friends will go to for each other. I loved that & I think Zach & Lucy even caught on to that theme. Which was helped by the fact that I was able to invite some friends to the screening so Lucy & one of her daycare bffs got to catch up!

The kids laughed, I laughed & almost teared up. Toy Story 4 is rated G & has a run time of 1 hour & 40 mins.

Have you heard about the new live action Aladdin remake?! It’s out in theaters today!! Perfect timing for holiday weekend movie plans.

Our screening happened to fall on Zach & Lucy’s birthday which made seeing this film all the more special for them. They have seen the original a couple times, so they were familiar with the characters, story & songs.

And speaking of songs, if you’re like me & have all the Aladdin songs memorized, you won’t be disappointed. The new film features most (if not all!) the original songs plus new ones sung by Jasmine (played by Naomi Scott). Lucy said her favorites are the new Jasmine songs about her having a voice called Speechless.

This new Aladdin mostly follows the original storyline. But there is enough subtle updates & changes to make the film more relevant to current times to keep those of us old school fans of the cartoon interested.

Zach’s favorite parts were when Aladdin & Jasmine leaped & jumped through their city of Agrabah.

And the dancing. Both kids loved the dance scenes. They even played Genie & Aladdin once we got home with Lucy moving her hands to “direct” Zach to dance.

I know it’s hard to live up to the iconic Robin Williams as Genie, but I think Will Smith was great! Zach & Lucy laughed at Genies antics.

I loved how the main characters all showed kindness & the lessons like just being yourself & not being seduced by wealth & power came through.

Check out the official trailer here! If you’re looking for an inside activity to stay cool with your kids this weekend, Zach, Lucy & I would recommend seeing Aladdin!

POMS is an uplifting comedy about Martha (played by Diane Keaton) a woman who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents, Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), Olive (Pam Grier) and Alice (Rhea Perlman), proving that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. The film will be released in theaters today Friday, May 10, 2019. You can view the trailer here.G

It’s rated PG-13 & I agree with that. This isn’t a film I’d take my (almost) 7 yr olds to. (More kid films though to come! Message me if you’re in Raleigh & a fan of Secret Life of Pets…)

If you’ll be with your mom this weekend & looking for a fun, feel good, chick flick, go grab a drink then watch POMS.

Happy mother’s day y’all!

I was given a ticket to see POMS in order to write this post but it didn’t sway my opinion.

Unless you’ve been hiding under blankets to stay warm from all our cold rain or even illness like us, you’ve probably heard that the newest Marvel film is coming out this weekend!!

Wondering who you should see it with?!

Bring a girl friend who also loves superhero action films with bad ass female main characters!

Bring your husband/guy who’s also a Marvel Comic series fan -the one who’s seen all the Marvel movies & is excited to be ready for End Game. & be sure to see the opening credits nod to Stan Lee as well as stay until the very end in true Marvel fashion!

Bring your kids, but IMO only if they’re tweens or older. While Zach & Lucy are getting more interested in super heroes but I still think they’re not quite ready for Marvel’s fight scenes. But I can’t wait in a few years to introduce Lucy to Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel.

I honestly didn’t know the back story behind Captain Marvel. I knew it was a female centered film & figured I’d learn as I watched! The back story of the war between the Skrulls & Kree was also news to me but I was able to catch on quick.

I loved watching Carol discover her true strength & power along with her history. I was cheering her on & thought how she allowed her strength to shine through her emotions & dare I say her humanity was one of my favorites. Along with the cat!!

Captain Marvel is set mostly in the 1990s – the music, clothes & vehicles took me back to middle & high school years & had me singing along!

If y’all are looking for a fun new Marvel film to see this weekend, go check out Captain Marvel then come back & tell me your favorite part!

Cirque du Soleil is coming to the PNC Arena with a brand-new arena creation. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL, explores the artistic limits of ice for the first time in the company’s 34-year history. This unique production pushes boundaries of performance by combining stunning skating and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination. CRYSTAL will perform in Raleigh from Wednesday, August 15 through Sunday, August 19 for 7 shows only.

In CRYSTAL, gymnasts and skaters perform acrobatics on the ice and in the air, seamlessly combining multiple disciplines for a world class audience experience. Synchronized skating, freestyles figures, and extreme skating are featured alongside circus disciplines such as swinging trapeze, aerial traps and hand to hand. The result is an adrenaline-packed show for the whole family that pushes the boundaries and surpasses all expectations!

Tickets for CRYSTAL are available online exclusively to Cirque Club members starting Monday, March 12 at 10:00 am. Cirque Club membership is free and benefits includes access to advance tickets, special offers and exclusive behind-the-scenes information. To join, visit www.cirqueclub.com. Tickets will be available to the public for Raleigh performances of CRYSTAL starting March 23 at 10:00 am.

Watch world-class ice skaters and acrobats explore their new frozen playground with speed and fluidity as they challenge the laws of gravity with never-before-seen acrobatics. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL fuses circus arts and the world of ice skating in a stunning new production that will take the audience on a journey into a surreal world where figure skating blends with acrobatics and aerial prowess.

Show Schedule – Wednesday, August 15 through Sunday, August 19, 2018

Wednesday, August 15 at 7:30 PM

Thursday, August 16 at 7:30 PM

Friday, August 17 at 7:30 PM

Saturday, August 18 at 4:00 PM and 7:30 PM

Sunday, August 19 at 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM 

More about CRYSTAL – A Breakthrough Ice Experience

Follow CRYSTAL, the lead character, on an exhilarating tale of self-discovery as she dives into a world of her own imagination. Feel the adrenaline as she soars through this surreal world at high speed to become what she was always destined to be: confident, liberated, and empowered. CRYSTAL invites you to suspend reality and glide into a world that springs to colorful life with astounding visual projections and a soundtrack that seamlessly blends popular music with the signature sound ofCirque du Soleil.

For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/crystal

To watch a preview video of CRYSTAL, visit YOUTUBE & check out this back stage look at Crystal too!

Here’s a quick view of the film from the trailer.

This is one of the first times I’ve watched a movie where the main character (Simon, played by Nick Robinson) is in high school & instead of seeing myself as the teenager, I saw myself as the parent.

Yep, I’m getting old.

But I did LOVE how Jennifer Garner & Josh Duhamel played Simon’s parents with hilarity & grace & love.

Love, Simon is directed by Greg Berlanti (Dawson’s Creek, Brothers & Sisters), written  Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger (This is Us), & based on Becky Albertalli’s acclaimed novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda which I’d now really like to read.

The core theme of Love, Simon is that everyone deserves a great love story. & 17 year old Simon Spier is trying to figure that out as a closeted gay guy who’s fallen for an anonymous classmate who he’s connected with online. I laughed & cried through him wrestling with coming out to his family & friends along with trying to identify the mysterious Blue.

Go check out Love, Simon with friends this weekend, or with your middle or high schooler (it’s appropriately rated PG-13)!

While 20th Century Fox did provide me ticket to the screening of Love, Simon, I wasnt otherwise compensated for my review & my thoughts are honestly my own.

A Wrinkle in Time starts telling the story of Meg Murray’s family- her scientist parents & their relationship. Her Dad disappeared 4 years ago & Meg’s having a lot of trouble at school.

Meg’s super smart brother Charles Wallace (played by the adorable & talented Deric McCabe) is trying to help. He brings around Mrs Whatsit, played beautifully by Reece Witherspoon, who shows up surprising Meg & her mom. Then Charles Wallace takes Meg & her friend Calvin to meet Mrs Who, who speaks mostly in quotes, played awesomely by Mindy Kaling.

& then the kids are off. (I’ll let the details come out when you see the film.) But know it’s magically & I didn’t understand the science behind the how.

I LOVED the costumes of the Mrs. Their make up & wardrobes were fanciful & amazing. I mean just look at Mrs. Whatsit below!

then there’s Mrs. Which – oh mama Oprah. Her hair, costumes & her words amazed me! Y’all know I watched her show back in the day religiously. Loved seeing her in this film & knowing that with her role in A Wrinkle in Time, she will help guide a whole other generation of women, young women & girls to believe in themselves.

I loved the Mrs. as the “fairy god mothers” of this Disney film. They helped guide these middle schoolers on their journey to try to find Mr Murray & bring him & them back home.

I loved the self confidence journey we watched Meg go through. The theme of being your own warrior is one I want to instill in my own kids & I’m sure you do in yours.

For adults, does it have cheesy parts? Slightly slow parts? yes. Will the tween crowd love & swoon over Storm & Levi? Absolutely!

I was given pass to see A Wrinkle in Time in exchange for this review, but the free movie pass didn’t sway my opinion or review.

So here’s what I’m reading now. A little light & funny. A little heavy. A little gory. & a little calm for the soul.

What’s on my end table: I’m finishing up Fire & Fury by Michael Wolff & also What Unites Us by Dan Rather.

What’s on my kindle: Clash of Kings (Game of Thrones book 2) & Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.

What I’ve read in last year:

• Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (started 2017 with this one & it ended up being so appropriate with what happened in Charlottesville etc)
• In The Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (called my dad & made he & my mom listen to this pre-WWII book on the US ambassador to Germany)
• Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (such a great read on the Great Migration),
• Our Kids by Robert Putnam (didn’t make it all the way through for book club but reminded me of sociology books),
• I’m Judging You by Luvvie Ajayi (laughed til I cried),
• Wild by Cheryl Strayed (an adventure & come to find yourself story that had been on my want-to-read-list for years)
• The Magnolia Story by Chip & Joanna Gaines
• The Book Thief (everyone should read this WWII novel),
• Democracy in Chains by Nancy MacLean (another one for book club that I didn’t make it through, reminded me of a college text that I’d have slept through),
• Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel (didn’t finished by book club but I enjoyed reading the stories of these vets, want to watch the movie)
• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (I didn’t know his back story & it was a fascinating read)
• Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (loved this book then had to see the movie)
• Game of Thrones by Martin (so much content on the characters I love from the series)
• What Happened by HRC (just finished it this week. I didn’t make it through a chapter without crying over what could have been vs what our current reality is)

What’s on my To Read list:

• 13 Reasons Why by Jay Ashley (I watched the show on Netflix, been meaning to read the book)
• Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst
• A Wrinkle in Time (not sure why I never read this one in HS, movie review coming soon!)
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria (I requested this one at the library & it arrived at the same time as 3 others, so it’s back on my to read list)

Upcoming books I have my eye on:

• Yes We (Still) Can by Dan Pfeiffer
• The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes
• & my old school BlogHer buddy Jill Krause’s 50 Things to Do Before You Deliver (not having more babies here but I love reading her words & so excited for her!)

I’ve also been on a podcast kick while traveling & at work. I’ve found I can best focus on work & tune out my co-workers/background noise while listening to Pod Save America & the other Crooked Media podcasts, Stay Tuned with Preet & I’m trying to figure out how to listen to Jen Hatmaker’s For the Love here at work too.

What am I missing? Any books you’ve loved recently? What’s your favorite podcast? As summer (ok, spring!) is almost in sight, we tend to be in the car more & I do love reading while traveling. 

Tine & her family were the first grands to arrive late afternoon taking Papa by surprise. We left after work Friday & after a bunch of traffic leaving town, made it through north Charlotte without a traffic blip & arrived just after dinner. We snuck as quietly as two super excited 5.5 yr olds can sneak down the hallway & yelled surprise! My cousin Preston & his family showed up not even 5 mins after us. Just in time for the 5 great-grands to help Papa blow out his candles on cake #1!

All the family stayed at a nearby hotel with the cousins & kids being 3 rooms in a row making for lots of little cousin fun & late nights! We had breakfast together Saturday morning, all headed uptown to ImaginOn then Mom kids & I had lunch at the nearby 7th St Market.

Saturday afternoon, Jason & I took off to NoDa Brewery while the grandparents watched the littles.

We all met back up to get ready for dinner complete with lots of “look at my twirls” from the little girls & try my drink & hair wand from the bigger girls. Then it was dinner time. We had our own dining room but 5 kids 5.5 & under meant lots of Clubhouse shenanigans!

Followed by another late night at the hotel with kids running & bouncing from room to room before finally crashing at 11p! So much fun! So tired Sunday morning! We all decided to head back towards home in the rain Sunday morning. & thankfully all got home uneventfully.

Lucy & I even had time to make it to her first girl only birthday party for a classmate. Spa themed & Lucy left with make up on! This was such a wonderful weekend!