The Godfather

What I can't believe is that I waited until NOW to watch this spectacular movie. Honestly. As my relatives said "Pay attention, this is your heritage." Of course, they were referring to the wedding, which I believe I shall pull as many details from as I can! (What is this I hear? The beginning of the Godfather playing again? Oh happy days!) The movie begins with the Godfather (played by Marlon Brando) agreeing to take on certain tasks that other men have asked of him while attending his daughters wedding. (This is part of a tradition, and as well she is his only daughter to begin with).
Don Vito Corleone (Or commonly known in the movie as THE DON) is the head of one of the five families in Eastern United States and has all that hold power in his pocket. He has three sons, Micheal (Al Pacino!) Sonny, another one who we really don't see too often and his godson, Johnny. One day he is shot down and it seems that the whole mob empire is going to be at war at each other, until Micheal steps in and handles the situation by taking his fathers advice, "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." While out of town Micheal misses out on some of the action that happens in the States, which is fantastic. So much "mob love" going on here! Truth be told, it is a manly movie, but there is a enough romance to keep a girl interested! Which includes weddings, romancing (the good kind, like shopping together and dates in Sicily! And, surprise surprise, Diane Keaton plays  role here too! How amazing is that?) Oh, and that poor horse...
I hope you enjoy this movie! The book that I'm tying with the movie is called "Son of the Mob" by Gordon Korman which is a Young Adult novel, but he is a good author!

Good Morning!

The Woodpecker

Might have to go!

May your troubles be less,

may your blessings be more, and

may nothing but happiness come through your door

Don't take life so seriously! DANCE

KISS A LOT!

RELAX IN NATURE

HAVE FUN

AND BE HAPPY!!!!

Make sure you scroll all the way down and read what is written. Today is International Disturbed People's Day

Please send an encouraging message to a disturbed friend... Just as I've done. I don't care if you lick windows,
Take the special bus
Or occasionally pee on yourself..
You hang in there sunshine, you're special. Every sixty seconds you spend angry, upset or mad, is a full minute of happiness you'll never get back..

Today's Message of the Day is:

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile. 

Words are Turds

Words really are a very funny thing,

Words come out fast, slow and in between,

They can bite, sting, push and sing,  

Sometimes they also can sing, dance, be playful and mean.

When words come out to fast they have odd consequence,

Should have, should not have been spoken, taken back,

When the ones come out too slow they can be on the fence,

Regretting is part of the lesson, so pick up the slack!

Words can be trained to fit into a poem, or into a song,

When paraded can be light, silly, airy or downright scary,

Sometimes words are regretted and corrected because it was wrong,

Because they were mean, a curse or too much information, which is rarely.

Break words down and what do you find,

A syllable, a letter and a sad little nub,

Or look the other way and see into the mind,

Of working gears trying to recover a flub.

But what I most regret about the words that I've said

Whether they were mean, silly, rude or true

Broken, flashy, unspoken, false or dead,

Is that the worst ones I've uttered were aimed at you.

It takes a Village to Raise a Child....

You have probably heard some variation of this quote either when being with a child or discussing a child.
Nuclear Family
There are many people in one child's life, and it's not just limited to the child's parents. The child has his or her parents, of course, but then also siblings, younger or older, half or step, or non-existent, there is that feeling of having a connection in the family that is not the parents. If there is a pet in the family, maybe this is a substitute for a sibling (I'd never know, the closest pet I had was a rodent that constantly tried to bite me and fish that loved to die really fast).
Outside Family
These people include but are not limited to grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, great-grandparents, great-aunt's uncles, and other people that may be involved in your family. Members of your family that are related through marriage, children, divorce (sometimes), wedlock and other types of relationships count as outside family members. These people help in the child's life because they have a special part. Perhaps the uncle teaches the child how to skate, the great-grandmother teaches the child how to knit and the step-uncle teaches the kid how to make their own bow and arrow.
Teachers
When every child is taught something, the person that did their teaching is called their teacher. This goes beyond the child's in school educator and such. In school children learn something, it may not be street smarts like their Uncle Chuck can teach them, or how to cook like how Mom does, but they do learn. Possibly how to read, tell time, variations in colors, how to do math and other life-lessons that sometimes are taught at home, but are improved in the classroom. These people become a part of the child's life as well.
Religious Figures
Some families have religious figures in their homes, and follow different religious customs. Sometimes the child may agree with them, other times they may not and just follow along in the book, which-ever book it may be. The poeple that guide the child through their religious life become a part of the 'village' that is created to raise the child.
Health Personel
Every child comes into the world somehow, with some medical hand to help. From day one there is care coming from someone who knows how to take care of the child, and is able to help the mother through any medical help she may need. When the child is older, there is someone medically knowledgable to help with sickness, checkups and with major or minor bumps and brusises that the child may go through.

These people and many more make up a child's lifestyle and assist the child in anyway that they can. One person cannot help the child 'grow,' It takes many many different people from many different backgrounds, education and experiences. It is not just you who makes a difference in a child's life, it is the health personal, teachers, outside family and the nuclear family. Be aware of who is in your child's life, sometimes the people that are there are harmful, other times they are there to lend a helping hand.

Homemade Eggnog

Sometimes I'm glad that I'm not an only child. My dear sibling decided to give me an early Christmas gift while they were puttering around in the kitchen, homemade ggnog! What a sweet younger kid. And he gave me a few of his secrets to go along with it... when mixing put everything in a disposable container and mix by shaking. The kid says it works, so why not try it, right? And when serving for TWO because this only SERVES ONE, just double everything!

Recipie:

1       egg
1c     milk
1/2t   vanilla
2T     sugar
dash   salt
dash  nutmeg

1. Beat Egg Througly (No, it hasn't done anything bad, just pretend it's a spider!)
2. Stir in all other ingrediants
3. Enjoy!

P.S. If you found another way to make this yummy egg nog, please let me know!

Chealsea

Remember the movie 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'? Esmeralda the gypsy took refuge in the church. I'm not religious, just like her but I thought I'd give it a shot. What would the harm be after all? The church is a safe haven, at least that's what I believed. I ran to the church and its open doors, surrounded by a dark forest, but when I was running, I realized that I was running in place, I was getting no closer to the church and the doors that swung open in a welcoming way.
I woke up in a cold sweat, I was that scared. I didn't have a safe haven, and I was running in place and the forest was beginning to take over in my dreams. Something needed to be done, but I was afraid. My self-esteem is shot, if there was school I'd be ridiculed beyond belief. I haven't brushed my hair, there is no make up smearing my face and I haven't changed in days. My appetite is gone, being an insomniac is not helping my eating habits. What's worse is that Greg left me, gone on a hunt for Courtney, but I have this sinking dread that the girls are really are dead, and the forest really got them. There is no where for me to run to.
I want to turn to Ricky, but he is no where to be found. His car, his beloved car that I watched him build from scratch was still in his parents garage, you can't get anywhere in town without a car, so why would he leave it behind?
Frank has been calling my house, begging my mother to tell him if they have heard anything about his step-daughter. My mother is as concerned as he is, more concerned for him since his wife just passed away. The poor soul, I really did like Courtney's mom. Of course, she hasn't seen me in her home since grade school, but it was only because Court and I didn't really get along these past few years since I found out the secret about her best friend. I'm afraid.
Rachel, dear dear Rachel. The town will never know that we were sisters. Half sisters, that is. My father, the one person you would think that would be the most truthful and honest person in the world committed the worst sin against my mother, he had another child without her knowing. He didn't even know. Rachael's mother and my mother compared notes one night, about their loving husbands and past lovers when they realized that my father was at Daisy's house seventeen years ago. What a betrayer. I haven't been the same in the past five years since my father left. I hope the forest got him but not his daughter. She was precious to me, as a sister, someone I could trust. But she is gone now, and I'm scared.
Chuck, oh blessed Chuck. I'm trying my best to help, but I'm so worn out from trying. I love you so so much. I"m sorry that I used Greg, I swear that I was only trying to build his image in the school! What is so hard to believe that? I want to help find your sister, but you've got to tell me how. I'm scared for Kaite, she's pregnant and the forest got Justin. What is going to happen to both of them? I know that they're both your very dear friends and you have shared more secrets that you could ever share with me, but please understand that I'm petrified. I don't want anyone else to get hurt.
My baby Chealsea, I'm frightened. She was so young before she was kidnapped by the forest. She was too young! She's just a child! Adults we understand, but babies like Chealsea? Leave the children alone! Please! I'm begging you in my weakened state of body, but I am still strong-minded. Death will have to take my hand before you can take me, Forest!
But Chuck, I'm still so frightened....

PUSH

Push is about a troubled young teenage mother who is abused in her home by her mother and her father.  Precious Jones, as she likes to be named, is kicked out of her high school before having her second child. On this birth certificate however, unlike the first one, she leaves the father of the child as unknown.
This fictional story seems much different than what I typically promote, but this story does become life-altering. Precious is placed into a high school where she can apply her knowledge and skills in a program that is supportive, other than her last school.  I won't say much on the topic but even in the first two chapters of this novel, there is a change in the way that Precious thinks about herself, the world and the education that she able to recieve through the help of numerous individuals.  All of the people that are introduced to her after she was admitted in the Higher Education Alternative/ Each One Teach One improve her life style, her way of thinking and more importantly, her self-worth.
I did like reading this book, and I hope that you will too. When I have the time (which is usually on the weekends) I hope to watch the movie Precious, which is the major motion picture of Push.