Top Ten Fridays!!

I used to do Top Ten Fridays, and I forgot all about it. So, today I will start them up again.

Amanda's Top Ten Movies

10.) Princess Bride (Jonathan (with hair) used to look a lot like Cary Elwes) And who could resist Fred Savage and Billy Crystal as the wizard. Classic.

9.) Star Wars Trilogy - I am Princess Leia. My sister and I used to fight over this all the time. Jonathan can resight all the words to the movies. We actually missed watching them at a party (when we first met) because we were talking so much about other things.

8.) Lord of the Rings Trilogy - I can't say anything about this. The movies speak for themselves.

7.) Beauty and the Beast - I love this movie! She is the princess I would be if I was to be a princess!! She loves books...HELLO!!

6.) Hamlet (with Kenneth Branagh) - It is the whole version (so make sure you're comfy) and it is wonderful. He does an excellent job of it, as always. There is no one else when it comes to Shakespeare, really.

5.) Spinal Tap - I love to laugh. This movie is too funny. You can't help but laugh.

Nigel Tufnel: The numbers all go to eleven. Look, right across the board, eleven, eleven, eleven and...

Marty DiBergi: Oh, I see. And most amps go up to ten?

Nigel Tufnel: Exactly.

Marty DiBergi: Does that mean it's louder? Is it any louder?

Nigel Tufnel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your guitar. Where can you go from there? Where?

Marty DiBergi: I don't know.

Nigel Tufnel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?

Marty DiBergi: Put it up to eleven.

Nigel Tufnel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

Marty DiBergi: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top number and make that a little louder?

Nigel Tufnel: [pause] These go to eleven.

4.) The Sound of Music - I want to be Maria.

3.) Anne of Green Gables - For better or for worse this movie has made me what I am today: teacher, perfectionist, lover of literature, aspiring writer.

2.) Shakespeare in Love - There is a few scenes that are unnecessary (sex scenes, etc.), but all of the references to his plays are wonderful. And who can forget Dame Judy Dench as Queen Elizabeth...

1.) Pride and Prejudice (BBC version) - There is no one quite like Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

Honorable Mentions:

Memoires of a Geisha, Top Gun, Forrest Gump, Silence of the Lambs, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Jason Bourne Trilogy, Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, The Matrix, Juno....

I am sure there are more that I have forgotten. There are so many good movies out there, worthy of watching. It is hard for me to remember them all...

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Tea Party

We went shopping yesterday with Jenny. It was loads of fun. I bought three pairs of shorts for the price of one pair at other stores! (I love that feeling!)

We also bought a whole bunch of clothes for Emma and a tea set. The tea set is so fun. We had our first tea party this morning. Aidan even made Emma and I invitations. It was lovely. We enjoyed it so much that we are going to have a real one next week!!

I have set up a website for Guides today and now I am going to do some researching on book clubs. (I am going to start one in September.) I just feel this need to read good books and have discussions about them. I also have this desire to encourage others to read and think about what they are reading. I don't know if that makes any sense or not, but it does to me.

Have a wonderful rest of the day!

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!!

Happy birthday to my husband, my friend, my favorite man, my soulmate. I love you so much and consider it a priviledge and a blessing to have you in my life. God is good and He has been good to me through you!! I love you always and forever, no matter what!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Now for a few answers to questions for Gal Friday:

Girl Guide Cookies:


They are not really the same as Girl Scout cookies. We sell 2 different types (chocolate mint in the fall and Chocolate sandwich & Vanilla sandwich in the spring!!). The traditional sandwich cookies are great and best sellers. I would love to send you a box to try (since I am a guide leader, I know how to get some!!) Let me know.

Chuck Wagon Races: (Or the Chucks)

It is a race of 4 wagons around a track. I can't really explain it, so the best explaination I could find was here. There is even a picture and an explaination of why it was started. It is fun to watch. My family and I used to each choose a wagon each heat (there are 9 heats with 4 wagons in each). Each night, if they come in first in their heat, they win day money. Then if their total times over the 9 nights is low enough, they compete on Sunday night in the last heat for $100,000. It is pretty fun, and a tradition. The voice of the Chucks (Joe Carbury) is retiring this year after doing it for 42 years. I have no idea who they will get to replace him...

I will try and take my own pics on Friday. It should be fun.

A Stampeding Good Time

Yes, we did the Stampede yesterday. Always a lot of fun, but everyone is always tired afterwards.

We took the C-Train down to the grounds. (Parked at the Zoo) After missing 2 trains, (Thank-you Calgary Transit!!) we decided to put down the stroller. I would carry Emma and Jonathan would herd Aidan onto the train while lugging the stroller. I prayed that we would get on the next train, as Aidan was getting very impatient. We did and it ended up being a train that was going to the Stampede. (Otherwise we would have had to transfer.) Thank-you God for tiny blessings!!

We get to the grounds and we are all herded like a bunch of cattle through the gates. (Seems apropos for the Stampede!)

Aidan went on lots of rides (pictured above) and Emma went on her first Merry-go-round ride. Daddy took her on again for the second time, while Aidan and I were waiting to get on the roller coaster(see above). We stood in line for 25 mins. to go on it, but Aidan loved it. Well worth the wait, I suppose.

I am astounded by the price of everything these days. Those mini donuts (you know the ones you can't stop eating) used to be 3 bags for $5. Now?? They are 2 bags for $5!! Crazy. They are just dough, sugar and cinnamon. How much does that cost??? Games are also now $3 as opposed to $2. Perhaps I am just getting old. Soon I will be saying, "Remember when...."

Everyone had a good time, I suppose. We had no problems getting on the train to go home. We even rode the train with some people that we had ridden with on the way down. After stopping for Slurpee's (a tradition of Stampede day) we got home in one piece at 3 or so. Emma went for a nap, Aidan watch Monsters Inc. and Jonathan and I vegged. I am still recovering.

The good news? I get to go back with my sister on Friday night to watch the chuck wagon races. Then we get to go to the West Jet barns and meet the chuck wagon driver for West Jet. I am so excited....