Just the Girls
My mama!
My mom is staying with me and Ryan for the evening because she has an appointment in Jacksonville early in the morning and our apartment is much closer to Jacksonville than my parents’ house. I’ll take any excuse for some extra time with my mom!
Eclipse
My mom had the excellent idea of going to see Eclipse, the latest Twilight movie, when I got off work today.
Eclipse
Seeing a movie on a “school night” felt like such a treat!
I’ve read all of the Twilight books and enjoyed them quite a bit, though I think the movies pale in comparison. To be totally honest, in both the movies and the books the main character (Bella) really bothers me because she seems like the kind of girl who will just drop anything for a guy.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Ryan and would do anything for him, but I’m not about to live and breathe by his every action. When I read the books, I thought about all the younger girls who were also reading the books who might look to Bella as an inspirational character or a role model. That’s where I started to get a little annoyed with her. I wanted her to be her own person and a stronger woman. Just my two cents! Twilight fans feel free to ostracize me! 😉
As far as Eclipse is concerned, my mom and I both enjoyed the movie and the quality mother-daughter time.
Dinner
When the movie was over, we came home to make dinner for ourselves and Ryan.
I was hungry!
For dinner we enjoyed baked salmon with roasted broccoli that I sprayed with cooking spray and sprinkled with garlic salt before roasting in the oven at 415 degrees for 15 minutes.
Baked Salmon
Dinner
Such an easy and delicious dinner!
New Page Added
I added a new page to the ol’ blog today! The new Favs page includes links to my favorite posts, blogs and foodie finds.
I’ve moved my blog roll from the right-hand side of my blog to this page, so if you’re looking for links to some awesome blogs, be sure to check it out.
Question of the Evening
What books did you enjoy reading as a kid?
I was a huge fan of The Boxcar Children, Bobbsey Twins and Babysitter’s Club series.
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Really love the new “favs” page! 🙂
I was a total fan of the Babysitter’s Club series, as well as Nancy Drew. My friend Heather has every single book from the Nancy Drew series – crazy!
I also really loved all the Scary Stories for Sleepovers books – my friends and I would totally freak ourselves out by reading them, but we loved it! 🙂
I feel the same way about Bella. I couldn’t stand her until the last book, when she finally develops a backbone and some confidence. Sheesh. I was big on the Sweet Valley High and SVU, as well as Nancy Drew books as a kid. I also read Shakespeare and the most of the classics (years before it was required school reading) when I found my mom’s college English books in the basement- because I’m a nerd like that. 😉
ahhhh! i loved sweet valley high books!
I have a similar opinion about the movie and the acting just plain sucks!
My favorite book series as a kid- Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High, American Girl and Choose Your Own Adventure.
so was this one REALLY better than the other two b/c I thought the other two stunk! I think t he majority of the acting is bad in it!
I loved Boxcar Chilen, Roald Dahl (Matilda, James and The Giant Peach, Willy Wonka)..and omg Melissa, I LOVED Choose your own adventure.
Awww how could I forget Roald Dahl! He was one of my faves!!! 🙂
LOVED the Babysitters Club! And Sweet Valley High!
I agree about Bella. I haven’t seen this movie yet but I’m sure it will be the same 🙂
Loved Roald Dahl, Babysitters Club, just about everything I could get my hands on. I devoured books. I did read Nancy Drew too. Trying to remember other series but I’m totally blanking!
Dinner looks deelish.
Ughh I couldn’t stand Bella in the book or the movie. I read all the books but have only seen the first movie. I didn’t like her voice in the book…she just seemed annoying. OMG I am loving reading about all these books I read as a kid. I loved the babysitters club and sweet valley high! I read anything and everything I could get my hands on and basically still do!
Ditto on the Bella comments. Why is she always so morose and pining for a guy? I wish she’d smile and feel empowered…but that wouldn’t make quite as dramatic movie huh 😉
omg! i totally was obsessed w/babysitter’s club, sweet valley twins, sleepover friends….ah, the memories!
While I loved the Twilight series I also felt that way about Bella. I hated how she was willing to give EVERYTHING up for a guy. It is kind of how I feel about The Little Mermaid….Ariel is wiling to give up everything for Eric and it makes me mad at what ideals it puts in little girls minds.
LOVED The BSC, Goosebumps, and Sweet Valley High!
Goosebumps and fear street! Duh! Great series!
I read all the Nancy Drew books!
I was all about Babysitters Club, the Ramona series, and because I had brothers….Goosebumps!
Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew were my favorite books. I have always loved to read.
I am a Twilight fan but agree with you about Bella. I felt teh same way. I too love my hubby, but I feel it is important to teach young girls independence and not to live their lives for any guy.
Gah, The Boxcar Children! I was pretty obsessed with Sweet Valley High too. And I STILL read Nancy Drew! 😀
ahh! I lived for the boxcar children! And, I agree about Bella – The idea of not being able to live without your high school boyfriend and slipping into an irrational depression – even if he is your soulmate – isn’t exactly the kind of relationship you want young girls thinking is ok!
Aww what a beautiful picture!! I love how Sadie made it in, too 🙂 I tell you this ALL the time – but you have such a gorgeous fam! EVERYONE is so damn good looking! Good genes, congrats 😀 haha!
I hope you enjoyed your night and I hope you have a great morning 🙂
Meg
Oh, and I loved Goosebumps!
The Sweet Vally High books, The Babysitters Club, and the Goosebumps books.
I was also just tweeting how I don’t see movies of books I’ve read. I stopped after the YaYa Sisterhood movie came out. I was so disapointed, and that had been the second or third time. I’ve never gotten the courage to watch the Notebook beacuse I love that book so! I’ve been told it’s great and the ending is different, but I love the book as it is in my head.
Hey Julie! I loved the babysitters club, nancy drew, the tolkien books and Anne of Green Gables. I just recently re-read the Anne series and they are sooo good!
Also, I have been reading for awhile but don’t comment all that much. I wanted to let you know that your blog has become one of my very favorites! You have such a fun, upbeat personality and you’re very literate (I mean that in a broad sense- educated, good writer, witty and intelligent) and yet also don’t take yourself too seriously.
Your blog always brings a smile to my face and makes me appreciate the things in my life, because you so obviously care about the important people (and animals!) in yours. Also, I really appreciate and respect how honest you are with your readers as far as answring questions and responding to comments.
Keep up the great work!
thank you so much for this comment. 🙂 you made my day!
The boxcar children and the babysitter’s clubs were my favorites too!
I am not a fan of the Twilight books, but that would really bug me too!
What a fun mother-daughter night! I actually loved that movie and all of the books. 🙂 I feel like a 16 year old, but I’m okay with that! haha
I loveeddd Babysitter’s Club!!
What a cute picture with your mom and Sadie!
My favorite books when I was young were The Babysitters Club (the Little Sister series, featuring Karen, was my favorite!), Judy Blume everything, the American Girl series, and Number the Stars (by Lois Lowry). I also enjoyed The Chronicles of Narnia, but only when my dad read it to me!
Nancy drew, Hardy boys 😛 , The Babysitters Club
My mom and I are going to see Eclipse this afternoon. 🙂 Hope we have a good time like you guys did!
I was a ridiculous reader when I was little (I still am) and consumed everything our local library had to offer. I especially loved anything involving horses, but I was a HUGE fan of the Boxcar Children. I used to make believe that I was them all of the time.
Hi Julie! I dragged my fiance to all three Twilight movies so far! LOL…Eclipse was by far my favorite!
I use to loveeee Goosebump books, and no fear or was it fear?? I can’t remember…
Btw your dinner looks delish!
No way my mom would have let me drag her to see that…what a sweetheart! Glad you had fun:)
Bring back The Baby-sitters Club!
I saw Eclipse with my mom too! In fact, we’ve seen all of the movies together. It’s become a tradition of sorts 😛 And I always explain to her everything in detail that happened in the books. I guess you should say she’s a “Twi-Mom,” hahaha.
I LOVED the Boxcar Children! And Clifford!
I totally agree with you about Bella’s character!
I saw it, too, and totally didn’t like it. Man, could Bella and Edward spend any more time gazing into each other’s eyes?
Anyhow. When I was little I loved Nancy Drew. She was so cool.
totally agree- kinda barf-worthy. i am a jacob fan. holy abs!
I loved The Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew! But I have yet to get into Twilight… I just don’t quite understand the mania. But I haven’t read the books yet, so who knows…
PS- I gave you a blog award! Check it out if you get a minute 🙂
I loved the Babysitters Club books! Then in my later teens I got into the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella and, as any shopper like me would, LOVED it! I read them over and over again!
YESSSS! i loved the shopaholic books. becky is hysterical!
I totally agree about Bella. I had to stop reading the book at certain points because I would get so frustrated with her!
I’m so glad someone else feels the same way about Bella as me! I have to admit that I’m not really a Twilight fan at all, even after giving it a chance and reading all the books. Jumping off a cliff just to hear Edward’s “voice” after he breaks up with you? What a great message for young girls.
I agree with you on Bella. I hate her; she is such a Mary Sue character. Everybody loves her for no apparent reason; she’s just there to gush over Edward and be rescued. Its ridiculous.
When I was little I was in love with the Pony Pals series!
The Boxcar Children!!!
I even had the cookbook! I remember one of the recipes I lived by was mixing OJ and Coke for a “Party Punch”. I wouldn’t touch the stuff now but man, does that take me back! lol
Oh my gosh, I totally agree on the Twilight part! Honestly I don’t even like Kristen Stewart and feel she is an awful Bella. The movies really just haven’t been good in my opinion (haven’t seen eclipse yet though.) I honestly just feel the series is so ridiculous and that young girls hopefully don’t think love really happens like that. The whole edward bella thing in the first book was kind of creepy stalkerish and they fell in love in minutes it felt. Oh well..still good reads.
I LOVED the Babysitters Club!!! I think I may have even read them beyond the age that was appropriate! I also loved the Boxcar Children, but as a third grade teacher, I have a hard time getting my students to read them. Kinda sad, huh???
As far as Twilight goes, I did enjoy the books. The story was awesome, but the writing wasn’t the greatest. I agree with you about Bella. I feel like it was even worse in the movies!!!
awesome !!! but…..aaaa
Blah I absolutely HATE twilight. I don’t think I would let my (futuristic) daughter read it unless she read like an autobiography about Joan of Arc or something!