Win an Awesome DVD set with your Proposal Story

From the awesome Christine at Mothering Heights:

"A proposal says a lot about the individual man- or woman!- doing the asking, and it speaks volumes about a couple’s relationship.

In celebration of Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s June 24th release of Definitely, Maybe on DVD, Universal Studios is giving away a movie pack to the bes proposal story posted on Mothering Heights. You could easily win a copy of Definintely, Maybe; Love, Actually; and Notting Hill.

So Moms (and Dads) start tapping on those keys and post your BEST proposal story in the Comment Section below.

Love...such fun to contemplate, especially around Father's Day wouldn't you say?"

The Mothering Heights Manual for Motherhood, Volume 1

THIS GIVE-A-WAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS DANIELLE!

Mothering Heights Manual for Motherhood, Volume 1: What we wish we knew before we became a short order cook, shuttle driver, laundress Mother

"This achingly funny collection celebrates the modern mom with wit, wisdom and a whole lot of love."
-Jane Porter Mrs. Perfect, Odd Mom Out

"If motherhood did come with a manual, this would be it. The Manual for Motherhood is a must-read, must-share book for all moms."
-Carrie Williams Coast Kids Magazine

Real Moms Write about Motherhood in Debut Collection

LAGUNA BEACH, CA, APR. 26 – Mothering Heights Manual for Motherhood, Volume 1: What we wish we knew before we became a short order cook, shuttle driver, laundress Mother, a hilarious and poignant collection of essays on motherhood, debuts next month in time for Mother’s Day and summer reading. The book is a culmination of the 2nd Annual Mother’s Day Essay Contest held by Christine Fugate, the popular writer of the Mothering Heights column and blog. Twenty-nine essays and four poems were chosen from over one hundred entries from Israel, Germany, Australia, and thirty U.S. states.

“I wanted this to be a celebration of motherhood – and for readers to laugh,” says Fugate, editor of Manual for Motherhood. “But some of the essays were so powerful, they had to be included. While we moms need to laugh, we can also use a good cry.” The essays and poems offer stories, contemplations and advice about what it means to be a mother. Highlights include the mommy drive-by, not making meatloaf, and parenting with a coffee can. Serious topics such as finding an adoptive child’s birth mother, raising a Down syndrome child and recovering from post-partum depression are also featured.

Among the contributors are Us Weekly’s film critic Thelma Adams and novelists Patti Callahan Henry and Patty Friedmann. Fugate, a film and television Producer, is excited to also include writers who have never been published. “I started writing my column in an attempt to understand motherhood. I wanted to publish women who are not professional writers –they write because they want to make sense of motherhood.” Additional essays submitted to the essay contest are featured online in a Mother’s Day Anthology at MotheringHeights.net.

PERFECT GIFT FOR MOTHER'S DAY!!

AVAILABLE NOW FOR PURCHASE: Mothering Heights Manual for Motherhood, Volume 1: What we wish we knew before we became a short order cook, shuttle driver, laundress Mother, edited by Christine Fugate (trade paperback, $12.95 Mothering Heights Press, 2008) is for sale at MotheringHeights.net and Amazon.com

**WIN IT!! Because I love this book so much (seriously, I love it, and I'd say that even if I wasn't one of the contributors - but I am!!) I'm offering up one of my copies of the book for one lucky reader!! To win, head on over to MotheringHeights.net, read the wonderful entries in the 2nd Annual Mother's Day Online Anthology and email me the title of the essay you liked the best! Email me at cpamomva at hotmail dot com by midnight, EST, Friday, May 16, 2008. GET FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES for posting about the book or this contest on YOUR website (if you want these entries, include the website address of your blog in your email to me). Good Luck! And HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Things We Lost in the Fire

Things We Lost In The Fire

Starring: Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny
Director: Susanne Bier
Rating: R for drug content and language

Studio: Dreamworks Video
DVD Release Date: March 4, 2008
Run Time: 118 minutes

Hope comes with letting go.

From imdb.com, the plot outline reads: "A recent widow invites her husband's troubled best friend to live with her and her two children. As he gradually turns his life around, he helps the family cope and confront their loss."

To be perfectly honest, I approached this film with trepidation. Just over 8 years ago, when I was 28, I was widowed when my husband died from complications of surgery. Death was a risk with this surgery, but it was not expected. I certainly did not expect to be left alone, widowed, before I was even 30 years old. So I knew this film would bring back memories of that horrible, gut-wrenching loss. But I forged ahead.

To begin with, this story line is not presented in the traditional linear approach; rather, director Susanne Bier elects to tell the tale, at least at first, in bits and pieces, moving from past to present to past again. It was dizzying to keep up as the scenes did not seque into each other well; to me at least, there was a definite lack of continuity as Ms. Bier takes us through the last days of Steven Burke (David Duchovny)and defines his relationships with his wife Audrey (Halle Berry), his daughter Harper (Alexis Llewellyn), his son Dory (Micah Berry), and his best friend from childhood Jerry (Benicio Del Toro). While Steven was alive, Jerry was a source of tension in the marriage, yet after Steven dies, Audrey invites Jerry (a herion addict) to live in her garage. When questioned by Jerry, even she cannot say why she asked him to move in.

Berry, as Audrey, and Del Toro as Jerry make this movie come alive. Their spot on portrayals of the grief journey of two very different people, mourning the same man, moved me to tears, more than once. One particularly dificult scene for me was when Halle finally reached that moment of grief, beyond denial, when you have to accept your loved one is gone forever. As she keened his loss, I was thrust back into my own past grief and wept along with her. Del Toro delivers a fine performance as a herion addict trying to do right by his best friend - the only person to never give up on him. The only jarring part of this movie was the casting of Duchovny as Steven. The former X-Files actor was completely wrong in my mind for the part of the "perfect" husband, father and friend.

The movie is intense and not for the faint of heart. But worth the tears and the tissue.

8 out of 10 binkies.

Beowulf: Directors Cut

Beowulf (2007)

Actors: Robin Wright Penn, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Angelina Jolie
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Format: Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Rating: Unrated (Director's Cut) (I saw the regular version was PG-13)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Release Date: February 26, 2008
Run Time: 114 minutes


Pride is the curse.


An excellent synopsis is here. Beware of SPOILERS there!

Computer Generated Imagery is a big hit at our house with the continual playing of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 by our 3 and 5 year olds (you may recall that that when Toy Story was released in 1995, it was the first fully computer-generated feature film). CGI has come a long way since then.

Unlike Toy Story, the CGI in this movie was used to "animate over" the actions of onscreen actors (think The Polar Express for a similar film). I have to say that I don't think CGI has quite evolved to the point that it succeeds in making humans look very real yet. So I was distracted at first by how wooden and puppet-like the characters in Beowulf seemed. But the fights and the scenery really pop and eventually I got used to the CGI. I think I may actually prefer this way of viewing epics of this kind - unlike other live action films, where I had to turn my head from gore because it was so realistic, I was able to watch this film in it's entirety.

As far as the plot line - In Beowulf (a CGI film for adults only!), I think Hollywood was attempting to turn the ancient epic poem Beowulf into a modern fantasy along the lines of Lord of the Rings. As I recall from my high school English days (with the help of Wikipedia), "Beowulf is a legendary Geatish hero and later king in the Old English epic poem named after him, the oldest surviving piece of literature in the English language. The poem is a piece of Anglo-Saxon literature which dated to between the 8th[1] and the 11th century, the only surviving manuscript dating to circa 1010.[2] At 3183 lines, it is notable for its length."

If you read the full story of Beowulf the hero, you'll see this Hollywood version doesn't follow the story line but so far: "In the poem, Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, battles three antagonists: Grendel, who is attacking the Danish mead hall called Heorot and its inhabitants; Grendel's mother; and, later in life after returning to Geatland (modern southern Sweden) and becoming a king, an unnamed dragon. He is mortally wounded in the final battle, and after his death he is buried in a barrow in Geatland by his retainers (source)."

In this version, when a Danish kingdom is threatened by the monster Grendel, Beowulf does come to the rescue. But after that, the story takes off on a different tangent - while still delivering a great action film. One review I read said "the story is a surprisingly emotional spin on the stone classic which pits the heroic-yet-fallible warrior, Beowulf, against monsters that are products of -if not representations of- human weakness."

I enjoyed this movie and do recommend it to anyone looking for a good action flick. Just don't expect it to follow the same story line you learned so long ago in English class!

I give it 7 out of 10 binkies.

Gone, Baby, Gone

Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Starring: Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Michelle Monaghan, Amy Madigan
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Rating: R
Studio: MIRAMAX
DVD Release Date: February 12, 2008
Run Time: 114 minutes

Description from the studio: "Affleck makes an unforgettable directorial debut with Miramax Films’ Gone Baby Gone, a gripping, critically hailed action drama coming to DVD and Blu-ray Disc® on February 12, 2008 from Miramax Home Entertainment. The superb cast includes Casey Affleck (Ocean's 11 Franchise, Good Will Hunting), Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby, The Shawshank Redemption), Academy Award® winner Ed Harris, (National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Apollo 13), Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III, The Bourne Supremacy) and Amy Ryan (“The Wire”). Affleck, (Hollywoodland) and Aaron Stockard wrote the script based on Dennis Lehane’s (Mystic River) riveting crime novel about a pair of young Boston detectives racing to find a missing girl on the gritty back streets of Boston. Filled with pulse-pounding action, spellbinding suspense and shocking plot twists, Gone Baby, Gone is a film audiences will want to watch again and again."
*****


On the surface, this movie appears to be a straightforward search for an abducted little girl. Underneath, nothing is as it seems as the story line arcs this way and that. Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan play private detectives (who happen to be boyfriend & girlfriend) who are hired by a missing little girl's aunt to "help" the Boston police find her niece (Ed Harris plays a detective and Morgan Freeman is the police captain). The missing girl is the daughter of a drug-addict (and drug runner) who left her daughter alone at home when she was abducted. The police don't appreciate the interference (as usual) but do cooperate when Patrick (Casey Affleck) is able to contribute to their investigation. This story takes several twists and turns (some obvious, some not) that kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me thinking about this movie long after it was over. I, for one, still do not agree with what Patrick chose to do at the end of the movie and am curious as to how everyone else who watches this movie feels. Was he right or wrong? I guess it depends on your own personal morality code.

My favorite quote from the movie: Patrick Kenzie: "I always believed it was the things you don't choose that makes you who you are. Your city, your neighborhood, your family. People here take pride in these things, like it was something they'd accomplished. The bodies around their souls, the cities wrapped around those. I lived on this block my whole life; most of these people have. When your job is to find people who are missing, it helps to know where they started. I find the people who started in the cracks and then fell through. This city can be hard. When I was young, I asked my priest how you could get to heaven and still protect yourself from all the evil in the world. He told me what God said to His children. 'You are sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves.' "

Watch the trailer here.

10 out of 10 binkies. You must see this movie.

Cross Posted at Mothering Heights.

The Modern Mom's Guide to Dads

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS SHANNON!

The Modern Mom's Guide to Dads
Ten Secrets Your Husband Won't Tell You

by Hogan Hilling and Jesse Jayne Rutherford

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (October 8, 2007)
List Price: $14.95

I was intrigued by the title of this book - after all, who wouldn't want to know what really goes on in the mind of her husband? After finishing the book, I was a little disappointed. I hadn't really learned anything. But then again, I'm not a new mom. My kids are 3 and 5. And in that frame of mind, I'd have to say this would be a great book to give a new mom and dad, especially a husband and wife who haven't been married very long. This is a good guide to helping you traverse those murky waters and come out the other side in a happy marriage with happy children. Makes me wish I had it 5 years ago!

Description from Amazon.com:

This "parenting relationship" book is based on the authors' experiences in leading more than 2,000 workshops with new and expectant dads to discuss parenting in a non-threatening environment. In it Hogan Hilling and Jesse Jayne Rutherford offer thoughtful insights into what makes dads behave the way they do.

Not long after Hilling began his workshops with dads, he began to hear from the moms. They were confused by their husbands' behavior and, knowing they were attending Hogan's workshops, invited him to speak to them about what he had learned. Soon he was conducting workshops with moms who wanted to know what their husbands thought about being dads. "Why doesn't he spend more time with the kids?" "Why am I stuck doing all of the housework?" "How can I get him more involved with our family?"

The Modern Mom's Guide to Dads draws on what Hilling has learned from working with dads and moms for more than fifteen years. He explains to modern moms what their husbands are really thinking about pregnancy, parenting, and marriage, and he teaches them how to get their husbands more involved with the kids and get some relaxation for themselves while keeping the peace in their marriages.

In each chapter, Hilling tells stories from his own life and from the lives of other dads. Each of these stories sheds light on a secret that dads don't tell their wives. Also included are quotes from real dads about their innermost thoughts and feelings, helpful tips on parenting, and a section called "And a Mom Wants You to Know," written by Jesse Jayne Rutherford.

Written by a dad and a mom, The Modern Mom's Guide to Dads is a fun guide for understanding and strengthening a marriage that has given birth!

About the Authors:

Hogan Hilling is the founder of Proud Dads, Inc., through which he develops and conducts expectant father classes for hospitals in Southern California and conducts workshops for mothers on fathering issues throughout the United States. The author of The Man Who Would Be Dad and the father of three boys, he and his wife, Tina, live in Newport Beach, California.

Jesse Jayne Rutherford is a mother and freelance writer. She is the co-author of Speaking Up: How to Help the Children You Work With Who Live in Abusive Homes and the author of Save the Date: A Curriculum for Teens on Developing Healthy Dating Relationships, which she wrote on staff at the Family Violence Project. She and her husband and daughter live near San Diego, California.

You can learn more at their website.

I give it 6 out of 10 binkies.

WIN IT! I'm giving away my copy of this book. Head on over to their website and tell me the name of Mr. Hilling's other book. Email me the answer (SUBJECT LINE: DADS) at cpamomva at hotmail dot com by midnight EST Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and random.org will pick a winner from all the correct emails. Good Luck!

(Crossposted at Mothering Heights.)

The Game Plan

THE GAME PLAN

Actors: Dwayne Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick,

Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut
Director: Andy Fickman

Rating: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Run Time: 110 minutes
On DVD and Blu-ray Disc® January 22, 2008

The Game Plan DVD has a suggested retail price of $29.99 in the U.S. and $37.99 in Canada. The Blu-ray Disc is priced at $34.99 in the U.S. and $44.99 in Canada

(Note: I saw the DVD on Amazon.com for $16.99 and the Blu-ray Disc for $23.95)

Let me just preface this review by telling you upfront that I adore "The Rock." Anything he is in, I'm sure to rent it and watch it and drool over him love the movie. Come on. Who wouldn't love this guy? Just look at him. And he was a Miami Hurricane player (a defensive tackle on the 1991 NCAA championship team)! What's not to love?

Bonus? He really is a good actor (much better than he is given credit for) and gets better with every movie he is in. So let's start with a description of this movie, from the studio:

"BURBANK, Calif., November 30, 2007—Dwayne “The Rock" Johnson scores a touchdown in his first comic leading man role in the family-friendly box office hit The Game Plan, coming to Disney DVD and Disney Bluray Disc on January 22, 2008 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Johnson (The Scorpion King) lends his trademark charm and formidable charisma to the role of Joe Kingman, a pro football superstar who unexpectedly finds himself caring for a precocious young girl played by Madison Pettis (“Cory in the House”). With Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”) as Joe’s workaholic agent and Rosalyn Sanchez (“Without a Trace”) as the little girl’s football averse dance teacher, the talented supporting cast also includes Gordon Clapp (“NYPD Blue”) and Morris Chestnut (Like Mike). Directed by Andy Fickman (She's the Man), The Game Plan puts a hilarious spin on the tough world of professional sports in a comedy delight for the whole family."

So, how did this story play out? "The Rock" plays Joe Kingman, the star quarterback of the fictitious Boston Rebels. He is living the high life as the most eligible bachelor in town, complete with a hot sports car and hot model girlfriend. Of course, true to typical Disney form, we know that he is not really happy since he doesn't have a family to love. That's all about to change when an 8 year old named Peyton shows up at his bachelor pad and tells him he is her father. Both their worlds get turned upside down as Joe tries to balance new fatherhood, growing up himself, and leading his football team through the play-offs.

The plot of this movie is not new. The story is an old one (think "Three Men and a Baby"). But the actors and actresses manage to pull off the impossible - to make an old formula new again. Rock's comedic abilities along with some fine acting by his supporting cast, make The Game Plan a winner. And who knew "The Rock" could sing? He blew me away with his rendition of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" Also? The ballet performance scene was spectacular. Awesome dancing and I love how this movie pays homage to the world of ballet (some well-deserved respect that it rarely gets from the sports world).

Bonus? It's PG, it's Disney so it's a movie you can watch with your whole family.

I give it 10 out of 10 binkies.

BONUS FEATURES

• DRAFTING THE GAME PLAN
This behind-the-scenes featurette provides hilarious movie-making insights from director Andy Fickman as well as a look at what goes into the making of a successful action sequence. It focuses on the fine art of choreographing a realistic scene, the challenges that the actors and athletes endure and the unexpected injuries that The Rock sustained. Special attention is paid to the scene in which Joe Kingman falls victim to a career-ending hit—a scene that actually left one stuntman nearly unconscious. Plus, eight-year-old Madison Pettis, armed with her own DV camera, documents her personal experiences on the ballet set.

• ESPN's SportsCenter DVD/Blu-ray™ Exclusive: The King in Search of a Ring
Stuart Scott of ESPN hosts a look at fictional star quarterback Joe Kingman, a man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “share.” The Rock stays in character for interviews that fill in the blanks in Joe’s back story. The cast and crew contribute their thoughts and deleted scenes serve as “archival footage” in an entertaining “biography” of the athlete.

• ESPN's SportsCenter: The Rock Learns To Play QB
ESPN’s Sean Salisbury interviews The Rock on how he learned to play quarterback for the movie.

• BLOOPERS WITH MARV ALBERT
Exclusive missed lines, blunders, bloopers, gags and more all set to the familiar narration of sportscaster Marv Albert.

• DELETED SCENES
An extended version of the uproarious ballet scene and much more, including optional intros by director Andy Fickman.

• PEYTON’S MAKEOVER MADNESS
In a set-top feature, help Peyton “redecorate” Joe Kingman’s apartment with fun virtual arts and crafts.

Plus, exclusively on Blu-ray™:
• CHALK TALK
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and director Andy Fickman enliven their unique film commentary by drawing “sports booth” style graphics on the screen to highlight their filmmaking experience.

(cross posted here)

Pirates of The Caribbean 3: At World's End

Pirates of The Caribbean 3: At World's End

approximately 169 minutes running time
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Starring Johnny Depp,Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom,Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport
Written by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
Rated Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence & some frightening images

$ 22.99 at Amazon.com or $29.99 at Disney.com (2 disk limited edition at both sites)
available December 4, 2007

Fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean series will not be disappointed in this final installment of the trilogy. Our favorite pirate Captain Jack Sparrow*, returns, despite all evidence of his death at the end of the last Pirates movie (Dead Man's Chest). But given the reappearance of Captain Barbossa at the end of the same movie, death would not appear to be the end for anyone in these movies!

[* You may wonder, is Jack the best pirate ever, or maybe the worst? One British officer, after being outsmarted by Jack once again, notes "Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"]

The movie opens with Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner and Captain Barbossa on their way to Singapore to get a ship and crew from another pirate captain: Captain Sao Feng. Their mission? To rescue Jack Sparrow from the land of the dead. With the help of Tia Dalma (who raised Captain Barbossa from the dead in the last film), Elizabeth, Will and the crew of the Pearl sail off "the edge of the world" to find Jack Sparrow - who was condemned to remain in Davey Jones' locker for all eternity.

They soon discover that rescuing Jack from the locker was the easy part. Now they must call together the Brethren (nine Pirate Lords, including Sparrow and Barbossa) from around the world, to help determine how they are going to defeat the evil Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Company, who is set on their elimination. Lord Beckett is helped in his battle against all pirates with an unholy alliance with Davy Jones and his unstoppable Flying Dutchman ship.

The imagery, special effects, costumes and beautifully choreographed fight scenes make this movie great. The length (almost 3 hours) and the many confusing story lines make this movie a tad disappointing. All and all though, the movie is entertaining and fun to watch. I enjoyed seeing all my favorite characters again (and seeing some new favorites - I enjoyed Keith Richards' cameo as Jack Sparrow's father and keeper of the pirate code) and to see the story lines wrapped up (though one could argue a fourth movie was being set up with this ending). Personally I was a bit mad about how one of my favorite characters ended up, but that does not detract from my overall assessment of this movie.

I give it 7 out of 10 binkies. Don't forget to stay through the end of the credits (or fast forward through them) - there is a very small scene at the end of them that is well worth the wait.

Be sure to catch the many, many DVD extras such as "Keith & The Captain: On Set with Johnny Depp and the Rock Legend," "Bloopers of the Caribbean," Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom" (which incidentally was one of the most stunning pieces of computer generated imagery I've seen in a while), and "Hoist the Colours - The Story Behind The Song."

Shrek the Third

Shrek The Third

92 minutes running time.

Directed by Chris Miller (co-director Raman Hui)

Featuring the voices of Mike Meyers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey), Cameron Diaz (Princess Fiona), Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots), Julie Andrews (Queen Lillian), John Cleese (King Harold), and Rupert Everett (Prince Charming).

Based on a book by William Steig, story by Andrew Adamson (full writing credits here)

Rated PG for "some crude humor, suggestive content and swashbuckling action."

$14.99 at amazon.com

Reviewed by CPA Mom

Description from Amazon.com: "Shrek married Fiona the last thing he had in mind was becoming the next King of Far Far Away. But when Shrek’s father-in-law, King Harold, suddenly croaks, that is exactly what he faces. Recruiting Donkey and Puss In Boots for a new quest, Shrek sets out to bring back the rightful heir to the throne. Meanwhile back in the kingdom, Fiona's jilted Prince Charming storms the city with an army of fairy tale villains to seize the throne. Fiona and a band of princesses must stop him to ensure there will be a kingdom left to rule!"

Many of the beloved characters from Shrek and Shrek 2 are back in this latest installment from DreamWorks: Shrek and his bride Fiona, and Shrek's sidekicks Donkey and Puss in Boots to name a few. To add to the mix, some new characters are introduced. They include Eric Idle of Monty Python fame as the voice of Merlin, Justin Timberlake as Artie (the heir apparent to the Kingdom), Amy Sedaris as Cinderella, and a gaggle of SNL alumni - Cheri Oteri as Sleeping Beauty, Amy Poehler as Snow White, and Maya Rudolph as Rapunzel.

My over all opinion? This is the weakest link in the Shrek series. While parts of the movie are just as laugh out loud funny as in prior installments (for example: When Shrek and his comrades approach the Worcestershire Academy, he says "My stomach aches and my palms just got sweaty - it must be a high school!" - that just cracked me up with my own memories of high school) the overall movie is somewhat lacking in my opinion. It's almost like the creators were trying too hard to repeat their former success.

All in all though, if you are looking for a pleasant way to spend an hour and half with your family, this movie is a good option. Plot is thin, and I expected more scenes with Shrek and Fiona's off- spring, but there are still plenty of laughs to be had. My favorite scene was when Princess Fiona incites the fairy tale ladies (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Repunzal and Snow White) to stop waiting to be rescued and to do the rescuing themselves (women power!) [incidentally, the music used when the Princesses attack the castle was Led Zepplin's "The Immigrant Song" and "Barracuda" by Heart. ]

You can read some of the funniest lines in the movie here and see a list of all the popular movies spoofed in Shrek 3 (not all of which I caught!) here.

DVD extras include a Worcestershire Academy Yearbook, Lost Scenes, a Donkey Dance, Shrek's Guide to Parenthood (tips by Donkey, Puss in Boots, Pinocchio and Gingy), a Dreamworks Animation Video Jukebox (my son liked the "music video" from Shark Tales) and "Shrektivities" that are available when you slip the DVD into your computer drive.

I rate it 6 out of 10 binkies.

*****I was not paid for this review but received a copy of the DVD at no cost to me to offer my personal opinion.*****

You can find my review here as well.

A Real Piece of Work

Piece of Work

by Laura Zigman
Warner Books

288 pages

"Toddlers, Julia remembered hearing someone say, were like big tyrants of tiny countries. Demanding, insatiably needy, and all ego and id, her son was still by far the best boss she'd ever had."

As any mother of a toddler can tell you, Laura Zigman's description of toddlerhood is all too apt. But have you ever imagined if your job outside the home entailed working for an adult with the same tyrannical outlook? That's what the protagonist of Piece of Work had in store for her when she went back to work.

From inside cover: "Julia Einstein knew that being a stay-at-home mom had a lot in common with her former job as a celebrity publicist—endless, irrational demands, little to no appreciation, and constant hustle. But it isn't until her husband is laid off from his job and she's forced to go back to work and resurrect screen legend Mary Ford's career that Julia realizes how very much she prefers an actual child to a formerly famous client."

Let me just say right off the bat, I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK. Seriously. Friends know I am an avid reader (have been since my very first sentence "Give me my book."). I am also a speed reader so I am constantly on the look for new-to-me authors who write funny, entertaining, relatable books. Books that make me laugh, or make me cry. Books that GET what it is to be me or show me a window into a world that entirely unlike me. Books like this one.

Unlike me, the main character, Julia, left her career in the city, and has happily stayed at home with her son for the last three years. In contrast, if I had to stay home with my kids, I probably would have been committed to an institution by now. But I still understood this character's motivation - the love for her son eclipsed all she had previously held dear (independence, size 6 wardrobe, power, importance, career). The passages where she longed to be with her son instead of working, really resonated with me. I GOT Julia.

The passages where her client-from-hell, Mary Ford, was described? Made me laugh.my.ass.off. Maybe it's just me, but I kept picturing Lauren Bacall while reading this book. And Julia's interaction with her Jewish parents and Catholic husband, ("Despite his Acquired Situational Judaism, he was still such a good Catholic, so susceptible to guilt and shame.") left me clutching my sides in hysteria. Bonus? Laura thanks her blogging buddies on the acknowledgement page AND names characters in the book after them. Awesome friend!

Laura Zigman, you rock. I can't wait to read the rest of your books. And your blog.

And you readers? You have got to pick this one up. And if you want to know more about the author, read the always delightful Christine Fulgate's interview with her.

******WIN IT! Christine is giving away 5 copies of this book on her site. Go check it out!******

When Ghosts Speak

Just in time for Halloween, I was asked to review this fascinating book. Entitled, When Ghosts Speak: Understanding the World of Earthbound Spirits, this was an unusual book. From the jacket cover:



"Meet Mary Ann Winkowski. She is just like you. She is a married mother of two grown daughters. She lives in a suburban town in Ohio. She goes to church every Sunday.



And she sees and talks to ghosts."

Mrs. Winkowski works as a full-time paranormal investigator and it is her life that the CBS series, The Ghost Whisperer, is based on. This real life "ghost-buster" has written a book to tell the amazing story of her life, as well as offer tips to the rest of us on how to recognize ghosts in our lives and how to help them move on.

To put this book into perspective, consider this. Thirty-four percent of the people polled by a recent Associate Press/Ipsos poll said they believe in ghosts (compare to 36% who are baseball fans or 31% who approve of the job President Bush is doing in Iraq). Twenty-three percent said they had actually seen a ghost or believe they had been in the presence of a ghost.

Now I personally believe in ghosts. The day after my late husband passed away, he came to see me. He sat on the side of the bed and just smiled. He did not speak. I've heard of other spouses and children and parents who have had similar visits from deceased loved ones. So I approached this book with an open mind. I have to tell you though, there is a lot to disbelieve in this book. As she talks of "creating white light" and speaking to celebrity ghosts, I could slowly feel my mind start to close to her words.

All in all though, this was a fascinating read and includes color pictures of earthbound spirits Mrs. Winkowski has encountered in her years of work. The book is page after page of her stories and is not just some dry scientific recitation. She truly believes in what she does and that comes through the pages. Fiction or Non-, it's a worthwhile read.

*****WIN IT! I'm giving away my copy of the book. The amazing Christine Fugate asked me to review this book for her. Go to her site, and email me (cpamomva at hotmail dot com) the answer to the question: "What is the name of Christine's production company?" I'll pick one correct answer at random and mail you the book. Contest open until midnight EST, 31 OCT 07 HALLOWEEN! Boo!******

CONTEST CLOSED: CONGRATULATIONS TO TAMMY AT PHOTOGRAPHY FOR FUN. YOU WIN THE BOOK!

Are You the Mother You Thought You Would Be?

Go on over to Mothering Heights and enter her essay contest. She's got some great prizes for the winner, including Starbucks and a Mother's Day Tiara. And what well dressed woman doesn't need a Tiara? Hurry though, the deadline is tomorrow!

Below is my entry.

Are you the mother you thought you would be?

Before I had children, I was a wonderful mother. I was patient, loving and never raised my voice. I fed my children organic food, always fresh, never frozen, and clothed them in matching beautiful clothing. I put sunscreen on them each time they left the house, along with UV ray blocking clothing. I breastfed them for a year, and exposed them to culture by way of music and dance classes. I never spanked my children, they went to bed promptly in their own bedroom, and watched only one hour of T.V. a day. They were polite and well mannered and I took them everywhere without worrying about how they would behave. I was going to lose the baby weight after my pregnancies and be a slender, beautiful MILF. I was always on time and kept up with my friends, hobbies and travel, just as I had prior to having children. My house would be immaculate, my laundry always done. My career would soar and I would return to work after a 6-week maternity leave, without any guilt whatsoever.

In short, I was a mothering expert.

Then I had two children. And they humbled me. Colic, guilt, sleep deprivation and potty training tend to do that.

I read once that having children is like being a gardener who has been given packages of seeds without labels. She has to plant those seeds, feed them, tend to them, and grow them, all without having any idea of what she planted in the first place. A situation fraught with anxiety, to be sure, especially for a type-A personality such as myself.

But I discovered something about myself, down here in the trenches of motherhood. You know what makes a good mother? A good mother loves her children, keeps them from harm, and teaches them basic good manners. A good mother never forgets to nurture herself and her marriage along the way. Sometimes, a good mother works outside the home and takes her children to day care and sometimes she takes a break from her career and stays home full time. Good mothers breastfeed or use formula. They feed their children cold cereal or a hot breakfast OR cake for breakfast. They swing through McDonald’s or Burger King for dinner once in a while (o.k., maybe three times a week or more). They don’t worry (too much) if the kids won’t eat their vegetables. They read books and do crafts, and sometimes, let the kids watch a DVD or two. Good mothers cry when they are frustrated, take medication for depression, and drink a glass or two of wine. They walk away when angry and cry in the bathroom when their kids are disrespectful and rude and not at all nice people. They blog all about their children on the internet and feel validated when other moms say to them “yes, I get it, that happens to me too.”

In short, good mothers live their lives as best they can for their children, their partner, and themselves. And that is all anyone can ask.