A Squirrelly Review of The Avengers

For Josh's 15 we surprised him with tickets to see The Avengers at IMAX.
That was pretty amazing.
First off, I'll let you know that we are a family that loves adventure/sci-fi/action movies.  My kids all have seen movies filled with Ninja violence and car wrecks.  We don't do movies with lots of language (if there are more than 5 in the first fifteen or the f bomb is said at all) or naked people or scantily clad people or lots of hugging and kissing.  They know the difference between real and fake.  We don't watch things that I think will make them come to my bed at night.  My sweetheart and/or I preview movies that I think might be questionable.  There were a couple of swear words in this one, some blood, lots of comic style killing and kabooms. The monsters were pretty scary looking too.   It is pretty intense so I wouldn't take young kids.
So that being said, we went to The Avengers.  I took all of the kidos.  I should not have brought the 9 year old or the 11 year old.  Not because the movie was bad, but because it was loud and long.  One put ear plugs in and bugged me that she was bored about halfway through and the other actually fell asleep.
Basically, it was a good movie.  There was a good story and fun characters and lots of bullets and hammers and shields and stuff.  More than once I leaned over and told Josh "I want one of those!"  The effects were pretty amazing.  The guy costumes were pretty cool.  The ladies, well, I never understood the reasoning behind super heroes in high heals.  They were pretty kick butt babes though.  The movie moved really fast and the 2 1/2  hours went by with out me noticing.  My favorite parts were the one liners sprinkled through out, and any part with The Hulk. 
I didn't like the 3D part.  Or the giant screen part.  Or the too loud part.  The challenge for me was that because everything was so close, the craftsman in me was looking at set details, the stitching on the costumes, the make up on Loki, and the changing colors of Tony Stark's beard instead of paying attention to the movie.  I would like to see it again in a regular theater.   Because it was so big I missed a lot on the edges and in the background.   It was just to much for my brain to take in.  I was also a little nauseous and a few times I had to take off the glasses to give myself a break.
And yes, you need to stay til the very very very end.  After all the credits.  Check out some of the jobs descriptions while you wait.  Our favorite was the fire and inferno compositors.  Wouldn't that look cool on a resume!  It was worth it.

Are you ready?

A lost child.
I never know what is going to set off those sad emotions.
Some years cruise on by.
Others knock me to my knees.
Sometimes I think, this year is going to be okay.
Then something happens.
A young man I knew only in passing.
A young man who was known and loved by those that matter to my children.
Taken too soon.
Drowned in a freak accident.
A life that had so much expectation.
I knew my son for such a short time.
But I see the potential of his life in his brother.
I CAN NOT EVEN IMAGINE the pain of this young man's family.
I don't want to seem like I am comparing.
It did bring my sadness bubbling up though.
The comfort of knowing where this young man is, with my son, in the arms of the
One Son.
Comforting, not always soothing though. 
I look forward to knowing them both more in the time that is coming. 
I hope you do too.
Are you ready?
It can happen in a moment.


A couple of links
Josh Eddy's blog
what happened
Hope those work.

Summer!!!!

(picture found at thechildbirthprofession.com)

My goodness, I am excited!  I'm excited for summer to get here already! We have been having tease days of sunny warmer weather tucked into our regular spring wetness. 
The garden beds are planted and there are bunches of baby plants growing.  The promise of fresh vegetables and fresh summery herbs, making me smile.  The dirt is all nice and brown and free of weeds and bugs.  Need to get some wood chips to help it stay that way.  
We finished up the chicken pen.  It is now a good size and looks all official.  The ladies now have enough room so the pecking on each other has stopped.  And who ever was eating the eggs has stopped.  I think.  We haven't had any yucky messes to clean up anyways.  This summer we are going to redo the roof and paint the outsides of the hen house. 
After much delay, I finally got the taxes done.  I have already spent the refund four times over in my head ^.^  I'm sure my sweetheart has plans too.  I am hoping to get the trees cut down at least.  The big tree in front of the house really suffered in the big ice storm we had this winter.  It used to be really pretty if not too big.  Now it is sad looking and too big.  It really needs to go.  The one in back is taking up to much of the yard with its long branches and is way to close to the house.  But once they come down, I have a feeling it is going to get way hot in our house in the summer and way colder in the winter.  Oh well, it must be done.  And then there will be yard to do.  I have many plans.
Business is good.  Been getting more customers and partners.  My learning curve has been pretty high lately as in my conviction.  Being out of my comfort zone is stressful in a good way, not a shingles break out kinda way. 
Speaking of shingles.  They have been coming and going.  I did find out that my youngest could get the chicken pox from me when they are out.  No such luck yet.  She has been exposed to them from other kids, but didn't get them from them either.  Sigh.  Still want her to get them before she gets much older. 
I am looking forward to doing some adventuring.  Speech club is almost done, homeschool PE is almost done, piano is almost done.  I have wondering blood right now.  I'm starting to make plans.  Daycations.  Love that word.  Maybe we can get a little car that doesn't eat as much gas as the truck and actually go more places.  I usually only have four kids with me anymore.  Hmmmm.  There goes more of the tax return. 
SUMMER!!!!  I'm so excited!