S Club Mama

  It's been so long since I've sat here at my computer and wrote something other than an email. It's been even longer since I've written anything besides a book review. It's just been a funky year or two, but I hope to be back more regularly. Hopefully with less filler (although I don't even know if book reviews are filler for me because books are just a big part of my life, but I plan to be even pickier about what I read and share now) and more about the testimonies God is teaching me in every day life. However, this is not the week for that; too many things on my plate.   In light of my comeback as a writer (fingers crossed), I thought I'd share an upcoming movie with you about another comeback. The Way Back is a Warner Bros. film starring Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, that awful Justice League movie, that one movie about Boston thieves that I won't recommend because the language and some content was awful but it was a well-made film). The movie it...

My last post was about children's books-turned-movies. I shared a couple of them with you and several of you shared yours with me. However, I had forgotten that I had a LifeWay gift card to give to one of you! So I'm asking for a do-over! GIVEWAY! I have one (1) LifeWay gift card to giveaway to one of you (value $25). TO ENTER: - Leave a valid email address in your comment. No email address, no winning. Just makes my life easier. - In your comment, also tell me your favorite children's book-turned-movie. And is the movie better than the book? Rare, but it happens. That's it. Easy peasy. This gift card would be very helpful to purchase Easter gifts or to give as an Easter gift or to gift to yourself! I'll close the giveaway on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 11:59pm CST and announce/contact the winner on Thursday, March 29, 2018. The winner will have 24 hours to contact me back so we can have a quick exchange of goods - haha. This giveaway is void where pr...

Christmas is coming! It's almost here! Well, once Thanksgiving passes, of course. I love this holiday season - thankfulness, joy, giving, ba-humbug...wait, what? But seriously, what would this season be without Mr. Scrooge? Thankfully, a new movie "The Man Who Invented Christmas" is about to open (November 22) that will give us the insider's view on how Charles Dickens wrote his classic "A Christmas Carol." Film Synopsis: The Man Who Invented Christmas  tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri ( Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day ), the film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today. image via Grace Hill Media Doesn't that sou...

I read "The Zookeeper's Wife" by Diane Ackerman about a year ago - rather, I listened to it while running. I fell in love with this true story of Antonina  Żabińska and her husband,  Dr. Jan Żabiński. They are the zookeepers at the Warsaw zoo in Poland during 1939. When the Nazi's arrive after Poland is invaded, they struggle to keep their beloved animals, their son, and their home. They end up working with the Resistance and " put into action plans to save lives out of what has become the Warsaw Ghetto, with Antonina putting herself and even her children at great risk." They have made this wonderful book into a movie! Antonina's heroism throughout the book is extraordinary! Another woman who showed great heroism during World War II - Corrie ten Boom. She was a Dutch watchmaker and Christian who, along with her father and other family members, helped hide and save many Jews from the awful evil of the Holocaust. She even ended up in prison herself for t...

Thanks to those special folks at Grace Hill Media, I have a $25 gift card to LifeWay to give to one of you lucky readers. TO ENTER: Please leave a valid email address with your comment so I can contact you if you win. Look at http://www.lifeway.com/ and tell me what you want to get with $25. That's it. I like to keep it simple here. Giveaway will run until Sunday March 12, 2017 at 11:59pm CST. To enter you must be 18 or over with a valid US mailing address. Void where prohibited. Disclaimer: This giveaway is not associated with LifeWay stores or their .com at all. Just a perk. I received a gift card of my own for writing a post about my faith. 

I was an avid watcher of the original Beverly Hills 90210 as a child (don't judge me). That's where my love of Luke Perry kicked in, aided immensely by the movie 8 Seconds. I've seen very little of him over the past decade so was pleased to learn he was in the movie "Race to Win." However, my disappointment kicked in when he DIED (not a spoiler - in the movie description) at the start. He was off and on during the rest of the film but not in a main character way that would showcase his acting. So if you're looking for a Luke Perry film; this is not the one you want. BUT! That doesn't mean you should write this movie off entirely. Danielle Campbell plays his daughter who rallies things together on their ranch so they don't have to sell it to the bad guy. I don't want to give too much away because it is a good movie to watch, but just know there are trials! Another disappointment is that there is no mention of God in this movie. I was expect...

Hillsong United's DVD, "Hillsong - Let Hope Rise" is releasing December 20 on DVD and Blu-Ray combo pack.  Here's a clip from the film featuring United's Taya Smith talking about the meaning of worship.  And in case you want a closer look at the movie, here is a trailer:  GIVEAWAY: I have one (1) DVD to giveaway to a lucky reader! This would make a wonderful addition to your movie collection. HOW TO ENTER:   Mandatory: Tell me your favorite Christmas movie.  Please LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment also so I can contact you. If you don't, I may not be able to contact you to let you know if you have won. Giveaway is open to residents of the US (or people with US PO boxes, Stacey) 18 or over (void where prohibited). Giveaway will run today until Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11:59pm (CST).  Disclaimer: I received a DVD in order to host this giveaway. I think it's awesome and I'm excited to share this with others. ...

I had a LuLaRoe pop-up a few weeks ago and had such fun adding memes to my Facebook invite! These were my favorites: Look up "LuLaRoe memes" on Google and you won't be sorry. I think they are hilarious. I wish I'd seen this one: Enough goofing around! You want to know about their new top - the Perfect T! During the whole party/pop-up, I didn't try on one Perfect. I didn't think they would fit (there wasn't a sizing chart there). I got a medium top but very well could have gotten a small or even extra small like the sizing chart suggests. However I love the print of my Perfect T - navy and mustard stripes. I'm not huge into stripes but I don't feel like these make me look wide. Or any wider than a flowy top does. The Perfect T is not a snug fit like the Randy or even Classic. It's even flowier (is that a word?) than the Irma. It being larger on me, I wouldn't wear it with anything other than skinny jeans. It's not qu...

This Friday, September 16th, is the opening date for Hillsong - Let Hope Rise (the movie). I just looked it up and it is playing on Friday in Topeka and is coming soon in Auburn, NE for you local folks. I think that's awesome because, looking at the other films in the theaters right now, we could use some hope.  screenshot of Topeka's movie theater website (the big one) screenshot of Auburn, NE movie theater website Here's a clip from the film featuring United's Taya Smith talking about the meaning of worship.  And in case you want a closer look at the movie, here is a trailer:  GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) movie money electronic vouchers and one (1) Hillsong movie soundtrack to giveaway to one (1) lucky winner!! HOW TO ENTER:   Mandatory: Tell me your favorite Hillsong United song ( Oceans is my favorite). Please LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS in your comment also so I can contact you. If you don't, I may not be able to contact you to let y...

The movie "Greater" is out now about Brandon Bulsworth. You can read my review of the movie here . But I have a giveaway to go with it! Two jerseys! Now, I know these are for the Arkansas Razorbacks team but I plan to wear mine to Husker games (or game parties). LOL Anyway, I really like what Bulsworth stood for - hard work, determination, overcoming the odds. That's what I want for my children and my own life. GIVEAWAY: TO WIN (Mandatory): Let me know what team you are rooting for! We will be cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers this weekend. GBR!! I have two jerseys to give away. Two (2) winners will win one (1) jersey each. :) These fit like a large; they are long but slim fitting. I like it. Disclaimer: Giveaway is open for one week until September 6, right after Labor Day, at 11:59pm (CST). Giveaway is open to continental US only, 18 and older (void where prohibited). 

I went to the movie theater this weekend and let me tell you, there are a ton of good movies coming out, but none got me as excited as God's Not Dead 2 ! I literally got goosebumps thinking about how many people saw even just the theatrical trailer! Maybe that will lead them to see the movie and lead them to personally knowing Christ as their Savior. You don't know! But it's an exciting possibility! Today I get to bring to your attention a giveaway right here on this very little blog. If you don't know God's Not Dead was about a college student standing up for his faith in a college course - basically if he didn't prove God was real, he'd fail the course. I think the courage shown in this film is amazing. God's Not Dead 2 surrounds a trial in a court of law after a high school teacher (Melissa Joan Hart) answers a student's question. I'm not sure of the exact question but she answered using her faith. Obviously, she gets sued and then must ...

Think back to 2010 when the world was entranced by the tragedy of "The 33," the Chilean miners trapped below ground for 69 days. They were buried 200 stories below the surface in suffocating heat, waiting for rescue. While rescuers desperately attempted to get them out, the new film "The 33" based upon this reveals the psyches of the men trapped in the mine, depicting the courage of the miners and their families. The international cast is led by Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient”), James Brolin, and Lou Diamond Phillips, with Bob Gunton and Gabriel Byrne. The cast also includes Mario Casas, Jacob Vargas, Juan Pablo Raba, Oscar Nuñez, Tenoch Huerta, Marco Treviño, Adriana Barraza, Kate Del Castillo, Cote de Pablo, Elizabeth De Razzo and Naomi Scott.  Patricia Riggen directed “The 33” from a screenplay by Mikko Alanne, Oscar nominee Craig Borten (“Dallas Buyers Club”) and Michael Thomas, based on the scr...

Filmmakers are finally listening to audiences and going with more family friendly movies. War Room has done amazingly in the box office, God's Not Dead 2 is gaining steam in production, and Woodlawn (in theaters October 16) is highly anticipated! The tagline for the movie is One Hope. One Truth. One Way . The setting for the movie is Birmingham, Alabama in the 1970s. The story is a talented high school football player who must stay true to his faith and talent as he battles racial tensions in a very racially sensitive time in history. This is a true story of "how love and unity overcome hate and division." images via Grace Hill Media Sean Astin (Rudy, Lord of the Ring trilogy) stars in this film along with newcomer Caleb Castille, Nic Bishop (Covert Affairs), Jon Voight (Ali, National Treasure), C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders, Red Dawn), and Sherri Shepherd (The View). images via Grace Hill Media It's directed by The Erwin Brothers (October Baby, ...

Today we remember those who have served so bravely in our armed forces to protect our freedom throughout the years. My dad served in the Navy, my sister currently serves in the Air Force. Another of those soldiers was Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL, who served four tours of duty in Iraq before coming home and finding his way back to his family. I'm sure you have heard of him. Kyle is portrayed by Bradley Cooper in "American Sniper." My husband and I had the opportunity to watch this movie together in our home. I don't want to give a lot away in the plot, but this was a really powerful movie for me. Seeing circumstances portrayed from Iraq in the years after 9/11 were more than I expected. Kyle's service and how that service to our country (and ultimately us as US citizens) affected him mentally was heartbreaking. Imagining how his wife and children handled his service was really impacting to me as a mother. image via Grace Hill Media We really enjoyed watching th...

My boys and I got the opportunity to watch the new Veggie Tales DVD, "Noah's Ark." The first thing I noticed was that Bob and Larry look....different. Weird. They have no eye lids anymore and Larry's coloring is more realistic rather than monochromatic. To me, it makes them look more childish like this show is for babies, which it's not. Maybe I just don't like change or think, 'if it's not broke, don't fix it.' image via walmart.com The movie itself was good. Shem (Noah's son) comes home from his honeymoon to find his family building an ark, The Ark. He's not so happy about it because it spoils his plans for his future. The DVD is "a lesson in trusting God" and throughout you see if Shem and his family will ultimately trust God through this flood. I asked my boys what they thought of the new look (which they actually talk about at the beginning, kind of). Squirt didn't seem too big of a fan of it while Moose seeme...

I've been a Reese Witherspoon fan since she dated Ryan Philippe back in the day but I'm still her fan several boyfriends, children, and years later. I'm excited to share with you this giveaway offer of one of her new movies, released in October, called "The Good Lie." The movie is a true-life tale about the Lost Boys of Sudan. Their lives were torn apart by civil war while they were left to grow up in refugee camps and then finally given the opportunity (through the efforts of church groups and other charities) to start new lives in the U.S. Reese Witherspoon may be the celebrity name in this but some former Lost Boys are actually in the movie, too. I think that's incredible that they get to be a part of telling their very important story. This movie could be a part of your home library! GIVEAWAY! Mandatory: You MUST complete this entry in order to be eligible to win this prize. Spread the news about this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or Pint...

Moose was so sweet when he saw me reading "A Robertson Family Christmas" by Miss Kay Robertson. He thought Miss Kay had given me the book herself and so he wanted to write her a thank you note. So he did and I dug up her address and sent it to her. I hope she enjoys the sweetness of my boy (and Squirt saw Moose do this so he decided to write to Uncle Si - sent that one too; those post office people probably think I'm nuts). My kids also ask frequently to go to the Robertson's house/West Munroe/Louisiana. They think if we go, we'll go to their house. I tried to tell them we didn't know the Robertsons but they insist we do (because we watch the show). Sweet boys. I wasn't sure what to expect with Miss Kay's book. She's a little nutty on the show (love her dearly!). I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. It's a fiction piece (realistic fiction if you asked my son who is all into knowing specific genres) where a kid, Hunter, is picked to ...

Dolphin Tale 2 is coming out soon to theaters, but here is a featurette music video from Gavin DeGraw called "You Got Me." I thought it was a sweet song so here I am sharing. Aren't I nice?! According to my younger son, sharing is respectful to God!! From the mouths of babes. You can also win a free download of this song by telling me what your favorite song is (before you listened to this one). That's how you enter! Leave a comment with a valid email address. Disclaimer: Void where prohibited. Must be 18 and older to enter. Contest will end Friday, August 15, 2014 at 11:59pm. Winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to email back to confirm their prize.

I have posted about Noah (starring Russel Crowe) and then stopped when it got really controversial. Then I was asked to review the movie and host a giveaway. Well, all this controversy got me curious and I asked Big A about whether I should watch it. He said yes, for entertainment. So I just want to preface this review by saying this movie is purely entertainment and very very very very very loosely based upon biblical and historical accuracy (very very loose). Noah has an interpretive spirit to it that made me talk a lot during the whole movie (what? How did that...? That didn't....), probably to Big A's dismay (just kidding, he's used to me talking during movies). There are things I like about this movie (the cast!) and things I definitely disagree with. Disclaimer: spoilers ahead. I do not like how God is portrayed as unfeeling, uncommunicative (silent), unmerciful. When the Fallen Angels/The Watchers want to help man after the fall, God said no so they went against ...

" Son of Man " from producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett opens in theaters this weekend (I may even get a date night out of this!!)! If you haven't seen "The Bible" miniseries that was on tv awhile back, you must see this movie version of it (which includes my cable-less self). This is the first major studio film about Jesus' ministry and teaching in over half a century! It's about time. Downey and Burnett are a powerhouse couple bringing light to a dark world. image via Pinterest via Grace Hill Media I am thrilled to be able to bring a great gift package giveaway to you, my readers. This is a double giveaway - TWO WINNERS ! What will you win? Thanks for asking! Diogo Morgado stars as Jesus in the film. Each package, honoring this film's release, will include: one (1) copy of the Son of Man soundtrack, one (1) copy of the Son of Man companion novel, and one (1) 1,000 piece puzzle. I've shared the actual trailer for the movie o...