Movie Meme Week 6

This week the lovely Hannah from Metal Mummy has asked us to list our favourite CHICK FLICK.

Well there is only one choice for me and that is Dirty Dancing!



From the first time I saw this film aged about 14 I loved it! The coming of age story mixed with such a great soundtrack and Patrick Swayze's very fit and toned upper torso was a winning combination for any teenage girl back in the mid 1980's.



Another reason why this film holds such a special place in my heart is because it also reminds me of my best friends from school who were, and still are! , Dirty Dancing obsessed! We used to walk around our school singing the songs and quoting some of the phrases from the film and whenever we enjoyed a girly night in we would always watch it .........again!

I am sure I don't need to outline the plot of this film as I am sure anyone who reads this will have seen it (and if not, why not?). It was made on such a small budget and compared to the chick flicks made nowadays it is not full of glamourous people but that makes it or the more special because none of that matters.

This film was such a big hit on video when it was released and was top of the video buying charts for weeks, and for many women my age it will be THE chick flick of their life, because of the impact it will have had on them back in their teens. We all wanted to carry that 'watermelon'



and not be put 'in the corner' and would have loved to manage that lift at the show and film finale :)


It has spurned a West End show which I still haven't managed to see yet. Due to babies coming along in the last couple of years for my best friends and I maybe we will get to see it for our 40th birthdays now!

Now head over to Metal Mummy to see what other chick flicks have been chosen.

Silent Sunday

Mumra Playlists - Dream Time

This week the BMB Blogger of the week herself, the fab Sarah, from Mumrara, has asked us to select a tune that makes us feel dreamy. As she said herself, nowadays it doesn't take much to send me of to sleep either!

However, one track does stand out as being a beautiful and relaxing tune that would help de-stress me and it is Porcelain by Moby.

I first heard this amazing song while watching The Beach at the cinema and on the soundtrack which I also bought. The vocals are so hauntingly beautiful and even live it sounds fantastic among a huge crowd. I can listen to this song time and time again and yet it has been a while since I have listened to it, so this post has allowed me to do just that. I hope you enjoy it to.

Rock Pool Fun

I am lucky enough to live very close to the sea (nearest beach is about 7 miles away!) and now that Burton is old enough to get about a bit more, we took him rock pooling. Asides from him and I we also went with Daddy and his mum and her mum so quite a few generations of Burton's family enjoyed his first rock pooling adventure :)



We visited the beach of Appledore which is an ideal location for rock pools and very quickly Burton's grandma, who grew up in this fishing village, found a teeny tiny crab.



Being the adventurous boy he is, Burton was keen to hold the crab in his own hand










Of course we put the crab back and covered it over with a rock so as to make it feel at home again!

Rock pooling fun is a great activity to do as Something For The Weekend. Don't forget to check out the other fab ideas over at THINLY SPREAD

Flashback Friday - 2002

Back in September 2002, me and my two friends went on a girls holiday to Tenerife for a week to help my friend Kimberly get over a very recent and painful marriage break up. It was a great week of laughing, relaxing and generally having a good time in the sun.

On one of the nights we came across one of those street artists who you see on holiday who do characitures, and we all decided to have one done. So here are two photos showing us as ourselves and us as our characitures.

(I am in the middle in the top photo and my cartoon me is the one on the right!)










I know what you are thinking - it's hard to tell which is which isn't it? Lol

Don't forget to check out the other Flashback Friday posts over at CAFE BEBE

The Gallery - Education

This weeks The Gallery theme set by Tara over at Sticky Fingers is EDUCATION.

I really wanted to post a selection of old school photos as I looked awful in most of them, but unfortunately for those of you wanting a good giggle, my Mum was unable to dig them out for me!

Still never mind because thanks to the wonders of that other popular social network site with face and book in the title, I was tagged in some primary school group photos. Anyone who has visited my Flashback Friday photo from a few weeks ago will know already that I had a wonderful hairstyle circa 1984 / 1985 and looked a bit like a boy due to the school tie I wore.

Anyway, judge for yourself. This is my primary school called Shaw Cum Donnington from when I lived in Newbury, Berkshire before my family and I moved to Devon in 1996. The first photo shows the 3rd and 4th years (I was in the latter) and the second photo shows the entire school. I am the tallest one - which for some reason allowed me my own row in the second photo!!






Don't forget to check out the other photos at:

Movie Meme Week 5

This week the lovely Hannah from Metal Mummy has asked us to list our favourite actor.

As we have been asked to choose our actor for his acting skills rather than their good looks, I will save Brad for another time :)

I was actually going to select Robert De Niro, but Heather from SAHMlovingit beat me to it!!!

Therefore, after much uhming and aahing over who to select I am going to go with Tom Hanks

When I look back on his filmography he has starred in some great films and ones that are a real pleasure to watch because I think Hanks is a very engaging actor and someone who I feel would be as lovely in real life as he comes across in many of his roles.

Before he hit the A List, one of my favourite films from my childhood first really introduced me to Tom Hanks which was the 1988 smash Big. I loved- still love infact! - that film and even watching it only a couple of weeks ago still brings tears to my eyes at its conclusion. The way he portrays the innocence of childhood in his adult character is brilliant and the giant floor piano 'chopsticks' scene is such a memorable one from the film too. Not forgetting of course Splash, The Money Pit, The Blurbs, Turner & Hooch and Dragnet.


Another favourite film of his is the 1993 romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle where he stars alongside Meg Ryan in another film which I can watch over again. However, it was his surprising role in Philadelphia, winning him his first Oscar, which really pushed him to the forefront of Hollywood an firmly established him as one of its great movie actors. His performance in that film was so moving and I couldn't believe the transformation from rom com actor to an actor conveying such a powerful and over whelming performance, when I saw the film at the cinema.

The following year he won another Oscar for best actor, for his part in the brilliant Forrest Gump and it seemed from then on he has made some great movies such as: The Green Mile, Castaway, Appollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, The Devinci Code, Angels & Demons  to name a few of my favourite later Hanks films and not forgetting of course the Toy Story Triology as the voice of Woody.

Don't forget to check out the other entries for favourite actor  HERE

First Aid Beauty - Review & Giveaway

A FAB new skincare collection has just been launched here in the UK and is expected to become the hottest launch of 2011! Created by the veteran beauty expert Lilli Gordon, First Aid Beauty (FAB) was first launched 3 years ago in the USA and has quickly become a worldwide best seller!

This fantastic new range has been dermatologically recommended, it is allergy tested and fragrance free so it is bound to be suitable for all skincare types :)





The products are packaged in quirky, fun almost retro style housing reminiscent of old fashioned apothecary - chic design.

This FAB formulation is packed full of technologically advanced and breakthrough natural ingredients which are designed to offer 'exceptional targeted results'. All products within this collection are chemical and paraben free and contain the brand's trademark FAB Antioxidant Booster, which combats free radicals.

With prices starting from just £8 this exciting new skincare collection offers luxury at an affordable budget which should be accessible to everyone. Plus with the formulation being suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types, this FAB new beauty range really could be First Aid to your skin!

The full collection is available from selected Boots stores as of March 2011.

MY REVIEW

I was lucky enough to be sent 3 products from this FAB line up to test and review.

Body Wash £10





This gentle body wash is designed to aid dry, sensitive or reactive skin and claims to help improve moisture retention and calm skin. I do suffer with dry skin so I was keen to see how well this body wash faired. I have to say that it is lovely and my skin feels nice and smooth after each use and even while applying it to my body, I can feel how mild and yet luxurious it is. It is a superb body wash.

Face Cleanser £13



This product claims to remove surface oils, make up, skin toxins and dirt and grime while calming irritated and reactive skin. I usually just use facial wipes to rid my face of make up and general 'wear and tear' dirt from the day. Using this cleanser definitely helped my skin feel clean, again it is gentle on my skin but very effective at cleansing it. You don't need to use very much either as a great lather is produced from a small dosage.

Ultra Repair Cream £8



This cream is targeted at dry, parched or itchy skin and is suitable both for the body and face. I have been using this cream on my hands, arms and legs as these are the driest parts of my body. The great thing about this cream is that it is not greasy and my skin absorbed it very quickly and the results we immediate - my skin felt so soft and silky which is lovely. I have used almost all of this product very quickly because of the amount of usage I undertook, but at only £8 a tube it is excellent value for money and I would use this again.

GIVEAWAY

5 lucky Mummy Mishaps readers can win a FAB Ultra Repair Cream and all you have to do is:

*Leave your name (&twitter name so I can contact you should you win) in the comments box below

*For an extra entry please RT the link to this giveaway saying you have entered and add @jennypaulin so I know you have done so

*For another free entry please like the First Aid Beauty facebook page, the link to which is:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/First-Aid-BeautyUK/175113869177285

CLOSING DATE : Wednesday 30th March, 2011
Good luck :)

Silent Sunday - Bookworm

Flashback Friday - Pants To Make You Smile :)

I am also linking today's Flashback Friday up with Him Up North blog as he has a do something funny linky open today so thought I would help him out too! :)


As today is Comic Relief Day, I thought I would use photos which I hope will make you smile :) 


I don't have any previous Red Nose Day photos where I have dressed up, but I do have these photos for Children In Need from November 2008 which are just as silly.


When I owned my cafe there was a stall in the market which sold ladies underpants and the sizing was small to......uhm.....well huuuge! It's very childish but one day I bought some as a joke for a member of my staff (whose birthday was in June 2008) who is tiny, and we wore them at her house that night

Then later in the year me and my staff decided to by some more to wear over our work trousers for Children In Need, and got customers to model them for us and we took their photo - all in the name of charity you understand! We also went round local shops, banks and the dentist surgery and asked for donations and again some people modelled the pants for us. Such great sports! Here are a selection of silly photos which I hope will make you smile.


The first one has me in it - and the Monday after this photo was taken I found out I was pregnant!






















































For more Flashback photos don't forget to head over to Cafe Bebe.

This Is Me Meme

I have been tagged in so many meme's at the moment so I had best get round to posting some! This particular meme has been doing the rounds after Tara started it up and I have now been tagged by the lovely Sarah from Mumrara

The challenge is this:

*Ask your child - their age doesn't matter - to draw a picture of you.
Post it on your blog.
Let's call it the This is Me Meme
Err, that's it.
Pass it on to your friends/enemies if you want to.*

Burton loves to draw and so after a few attempts of making him understand what I was asking him to do, he drew a picture of me, his Mummy :) and here it is






He got the round bits spot on didn't he (being 36 weeks pregnant!)

So I need to tag some people now.......is the anyone who hasn't done this yet?

Ok I nominate

@TheBoyandMe
@SAHMlovingit
@MetalMummy84
@The_Moiderer

Because I think all of your gorgeous children are old enough to scribble and understand the task at hand :)

The Gallery - Trees

This weeks Tara over at Sticky Fingers is using The Gallery to showcase her favourite photographic subject - TREES.


Trees are awesome I have to admit. They are filled with so much history and their varying shapes, sizes, colours and textures make them such wonderful sights on our landscapes. The transformation they undergo from each season to season is incredible. Although my favourite time to see trees is during the Autumn due to the beautiful rustic colours that the leaves turn, I do get excited when I see new shoots forming in spring followed by the gorgeous array of blossom.


Anyway, with the sun shining today here are some photos I took in my OH's parents garden (Tuesday).

Movie Meme - Week 4

This week the lovely Hannah over at Metal Mummy has asked us to discuss what we think of the actor Leonardo Decaprio.



I think he is one of the finest young actors of his generation. I find it remarkable that for his age he has starred in so many brilliant films, alongside some of the greatest actors and with some of the best directors. I don't think there are many of his films I haven't liked, Romeo and Juliet, The Departed, Shutter Island, Inception, Can't Catch Me are to name a few of my favourite Decaprio movies.

However, for me the film which stands out for me, is the first one I really noticed him in and in which I think his acting for someone his age at that time is outstanding. The film is What's Eating Gilbert Grape



This 1993 film shows Decaprio play an autistic boy and I just think his portrayal is brilliant and so convincing.


Infact I think first time I watched the film, when I did not really know much about who this young actor was, I may have wondered if an actual autistic actor was playing the role of Arnie.

His part in this film won him a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination and it is not hard to see why.

At the age of only 36, Leonardo Decaprio still has so much time ahead of him to appear in yet more great films and good luck to him because this man can act.

Listography - Top 5 Favourite Sweets From My Childhood

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This weeks theme set by Kate over at Kate Takes 5 is one I just had to join in with as it is right up my street - pick your top 5 favourite sweets from your childhood! I love sweets and nowadays I usually opt for Haribo or M & S Percy Pigs or Colin Caterpillar sweets, I have to say when Woolworths shut down I was upset because it meant I couldn't pop in for their pick 'n' mix!!

Anyway, without any further ado here are the sweets I remember eating the most when I was younger.

1.) Cola Bottles - I like them in their fizzy form, in their giant format and also in the cherry cola fizzy flavour. They were and still are my favourites.



2.) Wham bars - I used to love these and even loosened a wobbly tooth while eating one!


3.) Refreshers - love the sherberty filling!




4.) Fruit Salad & Black Jacks - I have put these two together as one choice because I would always get them both and alternate them on my mouth! I only really liked the black jacks because it turned my Tongue black!




5.) Drumstick lolly - I really like getting it all in my mouth and not being able to talk for a few seconds! They are better nowadays because you can buy extra large ones!




Runners up included

*Lipsticks and necklaces made from sherberty sweets


*Highland Toffee Bars





**Prize for the WORST retro sweet? Why these of course - yuk!!