Christmas Movie Rundown

Howdy all! It's that time of the year again. The air is getting chilly (boo), flocks of people are heading to shopping malls, I've gained five pounds from eating homemade gifts (toffee and fudge. yummy!), and you can't go anywhere without hearing "Jingle Bells". That's right, we're getting closer and closer to Christmas. In honor of this joyous occasion, I've complied a list of my top 5 favorite Christmas movies. Enjoy!

5. White Christmas (1954) 

Why it's great: This movie is definitely a Christmas classic! I can't go a Christmas season without getting "Sisters" stuck in my head at least 12 times (which is weird because "Sisters" isn't a Christmas song). You all know that I love a good musical and any musical that combines classic beauties and Christmas means that I'm in!
When I watch it: This is usually the movie my family has playing in the background on Christmas day. Not A Christmas Story. That movie is dumb. Sorry.
Favorite Quote: When Phil says, "I want you to get married. I want you to have nine children. And if you only spend five minutes a day with each kid, that's forty-five minutes, and I'd at least have time to go out and get a massage or something."

4. The Santa Clause (1994)

Why it's great: I think Tim Allen is a pretty funny dude and this movie was made at the peak of his popularity. It's a unique Christmas story with very funny and also very touching moments. I also love Judy the elf. She was so precious.
When I watch it: I actually watched this movie the other night on ABC family. I don't own it so I try to catch it at least once or twice a season on TV.
Favorite scene: When Scott Calvin goes to work in his sweats for the first time after he's gained a significant amount of weight. I love his co-worker's snarky reactions.

3. Elf (2003)

Why it's great: All of you Will Ferrell haters can just get over it. I love him and he is so ridiculous and that's what makes this movie so great. There are so many wonderful quotes from this movie and the cast is just stellar.
When I watch it: I've also already watched this movie too! I usually watch this one with my sis while we're both home for Christmas. 
Favorite scene: When Buddy is leaving the North Pole and the whale pops out of the water to say "Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad."

2. Love Actually (2003)

Why it's great:I'm not sure if other people consider this a Christmas movie but I sure do! I love all of the story lines (Jamie and Aurelia's story is my favorite) and the cast is filled with all of my favorite Brits. It's a great movie, just a little awkward to watch with your parents!
When I watch it:The sis an I always watch this on Christmas Eve. I usually watch it on my own a few times throughout the year though. It's really one of my all time favorites.
Favorite Quote:"You mean to tell me there was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus Christ?"- said by the lovely lady in the photo below. Btw, doesn't she look like Hilary Clinton in this shot?

And the number one Christmas movie is...

.......drumroll please......

1. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Why it's great: I don't even know where to start. If you have any weird family members you will be able to relate to this movie. Every time I watch it I pick up on something new. It's just filled with comedy gems and perfect one liners. 
When I watch it:Part of the Smith family Christmas tradition is watching this movie on Christmas Eve. I refuse to watch it before hand because it is such a sacred ritual.
Favorite scene:Please see the photo below. If you've never seen the movie, watch the video below. The look it Chevy Chase's eyes is wildly frightening.

Happy Christmas Movie watching!

Everything else I've been up to

While I was busy documenting my gratitude, a few other fun life moments happened. Let me fill you in...

I went to a legitimate fashion show. A UA fashion design student was selected to be in the final four of this challenge put on my Marie Claire Magazine and she got to put on a full scale fashion show. You can read more about it here. It was pretty ballin' and I got an awesome goody bag!

Like I said, Legit!

All of the clothes were from The Loft. I wanted them all!

I also got to see everyone on my mom's side of the family, which was great because we don't all get together that often. This is my cousin's adorable two year old. Isn't she presh! Don't you just want to squeeze her!

I got to hang out with this little booger. I caught him sleeping under my covers. No wonder he made me sneeze all weekend. Punk.

I went to the Iron Bowl. If only Reggie had been playing in the game. Clearly he's good at eating elephants. 

I got to spend time with my sissy! 

I met Carmen. She's the absolute best. The perfect combination of soft and sweet.

I got to hang out with these lovelies (and some other lovelies who are not pictured). 

I put up my Christmas decoration! I bought an adorable miniature live pine but accidentally left it in Auburn. Sad day. I did get to put out my lovely, white porcelain tree though. This picture is the result of me tinkering with the settings on my camera phone. I think I should just stick to the basics from now on...

Overall, I'd call November a successful month. Happy December Everyone!

Thankful Conclusion

Well, we are now 5 days into December so I think it's a little past time that I wrap up my thankful series. I could spend hours, days, months, years counting my blessings. I feel so fortunate for so many thing and this month of thanksgiving only scratched the surface. I'm so glad we have a holiday solely dedicated to remember just how good life is. Remember to be thankful always.

Yay Life!

I am thankful for kind strangers. For the sweet person who found my wallet in Walmart and turned it into lost and found. For the kid who held the door open for me when my hands were full and I was running through the rain this morning. For the sweet couple who stopped on the interstate on Sunday to pull Clay and mine's cars out of the muddy shoulder when we got stuck. Be good to people and stop to help those in need. Small gestures can be so very powerful.

Today I am especially thankful for warm winter coats. It's chilly out there folks and I'm thankful for warmth.

This one from GUESS looks pretty cozy!

I'm thankful for books and the calming presence they provide. I'm also thankful that I am able to find joy in reading. No matter how weird life gets, you can always count of getting lost in a good story. Right now I'm reading...

I'm reading this for one of my classes and it's fascinating. It compares the health care systems of 6 different counties. You'd be surprised and how terrible the American system looks. It's scary.

I just bought this last night and it's already got my laughing out loud. I must read for any fan of The Office or awkward people.

I am thankful that we celebrate a holiday like Thanksgiving. It makes me happy that all of America is given time off for the sole purpose of being thankful for the blessings that we have. It's a pretty cool concept when you think about how ridiculously "busy" our society is now.

Giving Thanks

I'm thankful for my mother. Every single day I realize more and more how amazing she is. She does it all and does it well and still finds time to listen to me whine about my trivial problems and then reminds me of how trivial they are and how thankful I should be. She's awesome. I love her.

Isn't she presh!

I'm thankful for my dad's taste in music and that he made us listen to it all the time and learn to love the greats. As I'm typing this post, I'm listening to James Taylor, one of my dad's favs. It's such great music and so much better than the majority of the crap on the radio today. Yay Oldies!

His voice melts my heart.

I'm thankful for all of my sweet and wonderful friends from life. I categorize a "friend from life" as someone I've known for a very long time and can't just fit into on childhood, high school, church, college, etc. friend category because they are more than that. They've known you through all of your awkward phases. They've helped you through all of your ups and downs. They know where you've been and they are excited to see where you are going. I'm lucky enough to have several of these and they are all such beautiful, caring, funny, courageous, and sweet people. Don't know what I'd do without you ladies. Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from throughout the years. I wish I had some of the REALLY old pictures to scan in, but I'll save you all the embarrassment.

Auburn love! P.S. Codi, your hair is LONG!

This is what lack of sleep does to people...

HG4E. I love you guys!

Sweet Katherine! She's going to run the world someday.

I love Sofy so much that I braved the FREEZING cold for several hours for her! :)

Please ignore how gross I look. Otherwise, I really like this picture!

I'll be back later to continue my thankful love fest!

Thankful: Hymns

I am extraordinarily thankful for church music, especially hymns. Hymns are so beautiful, special and magical. They have the ability to put the word of God in your heart unlike any other medium. I am truly moved every time a hear a hymn and when life sucks and nothing is going right, I find great comfort and connection when I sit down at the piano and just sing.

Beautiful.

Thankful: The boy

I am thankful for the weirdo in the middle

He enjoys to have as much anonymity on my blog as possible so I will not go into too many details except for to say that I am thankful for the relationship that we share.

A Week Full of Thanks

In typical Alex fashion, I got a little behind on my blogging. A nasty cold and mounds of homework have left me little time to actually blog about what I'm thankful for but fear not! I have been counting my lucky stars on a daily basis. In an attempt to catch up and get back on track I'm going to list last week's thankfulness in one post.

Isn't this banner cute? It's from my Tiger Eyes buddy, Ashley's Etsy Shop. You should check it out!

1. The roof over my head.

I've always had a safe and comfortable home/apartment/dorm to live in and I hadn't ever really thought too much about being thankful for it until this past April. Hundreds of people in Tuscaloosa lost their homes and I could have very easily been one of these people. Six months later, there are still people living in hotels and at neighbor's houses. I am so very blessed. 

2. My college roommates. 

As I'm sure most of you know, I had some crazy roommates and interesting living situations while I was in college. I was also fortunate enough to live with some amazing young women who turned into my best friends. I definitely learned from all of my roommate experiences, both good and bad and I think I'm a more caring, patient and observant person for these experience.

3. Cell Phones

I really hate technology sometimes and I especially hate being expected to be available to all people at all times. However, I'm so thankful I live in a world where cell phone exist. I watch reruns of Seinfeld and want to pull my hair out thinking about how frustrating it would be to be waiting on someone to meet you for dinner and have no idea where they are when they are 30 minutes late. Say what you want but cell phone make life much safer and easier. And for that I am thankful. 

4. That I live in America

I will not get into any political debates here but we all know that our country is going through difficult times right now. I know I often joke about moving to Italy and opening up a fruit stand or becoming a cheese farmer, but the truth is, I'm so thankful that I live in America. I am thankful to be able to express myself however I want and not be punished for it. I'm thankful for my right to vote and that our countries leaders, while they act like children sometimes, are truly good people. I'm thankful for our country's heritage and how ballin' our founding fathers were. U-S-A! (p.s. I love the Olympics)

5. Air Conditioning 

I'm thankful for air conditioning. We live in Alabama. It's hot. Today was NOVEMBER 14th and it was 78 degrees outside. I've spent a week in August in an apartment with a broken air conditioner and I will be forever thankful for this marvelous invention. Air Conditioning is yet another reason why I'm thankful that I live in America. 

6. My health

I'm thankful to have been blessed with good health thus far in my life. I'm also thankful for health insurance. Even though I have not really had to use it, it's comforting to know it will be there for me when/if I do. 

That's all for now folks! I hope you are all having a wonderful Monday and that the wonderfulness continues throughout the week!

Thankful: Tiger Eyes

I'm thankful for the wonderful group of girls that I got to know over my two years as a Tiger Eye. These ladies had a huge hand in shaping who I am today and they were an incredibly solid foundation and support system for me while I was in college.

Here are my flags from my freshman year. The leadership and positive attitude of our captain taught me how to handle difficult situations with grace. The "Fantastic 4" was also born from this group. I got into too much trouble but had some of the best times in my college career with these girls.

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the dance team girls from my sophomore year. The older girls on the team were such powerful role models for me and helped me realize the importance of having a strong female support system. I had so much fun on my year on the dance team and I was almost constantly laughing until I cried the whole season.

I couldn't imagine my life without the experienced I had and the friends I made while on Tiger Eyes. We've all grown up now and moved onto bigger and better things (I've gotten several wedding invitations and birth announcements from former Tiger Eyes) but we share a special bond with each other and with all former and future Tiger Eyes members, which I will be thankful for for the rest of my life.

Please excuse the poor quality of these photos. They were lifted from Facebook.

This is one of my favorite picture. I love these two ladies to the moon and back!

Fantastic 4 demonstrating our super powers. Don't Ask.

This picture makes me laugh SO hard!

Thankful: Kindle

E-book and e-readers are a technology that I am completely on board with. I absolutely love my Kindle and am so thankful to it and Amazon for rekindling (pun intended) my love for reading. It is so much easier (and cheaper) for me to read and buy books now. I think I'm Kindle's number one fan!

Thankful: Education

 I am thankful that I had the opportunity to receive a quality education. It is something It is something that I have taken for granted and something that I complain about often. However, I see and meet people who do not have the resources available to pursue higher education and I count my lucky stars.

Thankful: Reggie

You all knew it was coming. I love my sweet puggle! 

I'm thankful for this little booger. He may annoy the mess out of me and I may even be tempted to drop kick him at times (I probably shouldn't admit to that. I love animals and would never hurt one), but I don't know what I'd do without him. Reggie came to me at a time when I really needed something soft and snuggly to love. It's such a comforting feeling to know that this little guy is waiting for me when I get home everyday and that I'm the highlight of his life. I love him dearly and am so thankful that we were able to save each other.

Thankful: My home town

I am exceedingly blessed to have been raised in Auburn. It's a ridiculously safe community that is in its own little bubble in the state of Alabama. Having the university there make Auburn a hub for cultural diversity and provides many opportunities and entertainment that a small town in East Alabama would not otherwise have.

There's just something magical about Auburn. I love it and it will always be my home.

Thankful: My love of cooking

I am thankful for my love of cooking and food. I grew up in a home where we only ate out once a month, if that, and both of my parents are excellent cooks who made sure I got in the kitchen at a young age. I love trying new recipes and being inspired by new tastes and smells. For me, food is not just an essential need. It's a way of life. I'm not a very creative person but I like to think I can work a little magic in the kitchen and making a successful dish is one of the most satisfying experiences.

I love food. 

I love cheese.

I love to cook. 

I love to cook with cheese. 

The end.

P.S. I'm a little obsessed with my Kitchen Aid (pictured above). Her name is Buttercream. She's pretty ballin'

Thankful

I'm copying one of my bloggy friends a listing something I'm thankful for every day in November until Thanksgiving because I really have so much to be thankful for! In true Alex fashion though, I'm starting a day late. Oops. Some of these will be silly, while others will be super cheese but true. I hope you enjoy!

November 1: Family
I have come to realize more and more as I get older that I'm incredibly fortunate to be apart of loving and solid family. It's something that I use to take for granted but now I hold my family near and dear to my heart. I love them more than just about anything and could not imagine any part of my life without every single one of them in it.

I was fortunate enough to spend some quality time with my immediate family and a few of my cousins, my aunt, and my grandparents this weekend. We ate ourselves silly, we laughed until we cried, and we reveled in lounging around the house. It was rejuvenating and so very special. This picture is from my graduation from Auburn. It's so special to me because my Nana and Granddaddy met each other at Auburn and started the wonderful Smith family. Also, my Nana had major surgery last week and I wanted to give a special shout out to this lovely lady!

November 2: The beauty of nature
I Drove down the back roads on the way home this weekend and was continually impressed by how beautiful rural Alabama is. I'm thankful to be surround by such breathtaking beauty. I especially notice nature in the fall when the leaves are turning and it's not raining or hurricaning every other day. This is a picture of the fall foliage by the river in Tuscaloosa. Beautiful.

Fall TV: Part II

Today I'm going to finish my post about the fall TV shows that I'm watching by talking about the shows that I've been watching for years and new shows that I didn't make the cut.

First off, I'm going to appologize in advance for this being such a long post. Sorry.

Now onto the good stuff! Most of these shows I've watched from season 1 and feel like they are my old pals coming back to make me laugh every week (is that creepy? I hope not.) In no particular order, here's what I'm watching:

 Community: Season 3

Premise: This show follows an eclectic bunch of students attending community college and is known for its abundance of pop culture referenced and paint-ball episodes.

Why you should watch it: Troy (Donald Glover) is hilarious. I almost pee my pants every time he talks. I also love how this show doesn't take itself too seriously and the pop culture references are really fantastic.

What could be improved: This season has dragged a little bit compared to seasons 1 and 2. Also, I'm a little tired on the Jeff/Annie ambiguous relationship. Been there, done that.

 Family Guy: Season 10

Premise:I think we all know what family guy is about. It's not really about anything, just a bunch of random jokes.

Why you should watch it: I love it when Brian acts like a dog or when dog things happen to him (as illustrated in the photo above).

What could be improved: While this show has its flaw (ridiculously long fight scenes, Conway Twitty, vulgarity, etc.), I always get a good chuckle from it. 

 Modern Family: Season 3

Premise: This show follows the lives a the extended Pritchett-Dunphy clan as they try to raise their children, make You-tube videos, build play houses, and hide their husband's creepy dog butler.

Why you should watch it: This show has the most amazing cast on television. Every single adult cast member was nominated for an Emmy and two of them won! Also, the children are incredibly funny and the writing is heart warming. It's good ole fashioned family fun!

What could be improved: The first season of this show knocked it out of the park. Last season was pretty weak, but this seasons is picking up some of what season 2 lost. My advise to the writers is don't recycle story line. Please.

 The Sing Off: Season 3 (the first full season)

Premise: The Sing Off is a reality competition show where acappella groups from around the country come to compete in a voices only extravaganza.

Why you should watch it: Forget American Idol, for the X Factor, this show is the REAL DEAL. The vocal talent on this show is out of control and I find myself wanting every group to win. Also, the judges are a lot of fun and actually knowledgeable in their field (I'm looking at you Dancing With The Stars!) and Nick Lechey is super awkward but it works!

What could be improved: I don't like the bracket system of eliminations on this show. One bracket always seems to be stacked, which usually means an undeserving group has to go home.

 Survivor: South Pacific (Season 23)

Premise: Again, I think we all know the premise of survivor. 20 people go out into the jungle for 39 days. The last one standing wins $1 Million. (Disclaimer: I have not watched all 23 seasons. I'm on my 4th season)

Why you should watch it: You really get to see human nature in its most raw and basic form here. In the jungle, nothing else matters and the people's true colors show through. It's really a fascinating social experiment. Also, the challenges are pretty fun to watch. In the challenge pictured above, players had tear hunks of meat off of a pig using only their teeth. It was disgusting.

What could be improved: They have added another element in the past two seasons called "Redemption Island" where players have to opportunity to get back into the game. It's lame and takes time away from watching players for strategic alliance.

The Office: Season --

Premise: The Office is a mocumentary that follow the lives of the employees who work at Dunder-Mufflin Paper Company.

Why you should watch it: This show has some of the best comedic moments on television but it also falls flat sometimes. This season has followed that same recipe but I have faith that it will pick up as we go along. Last nights Halloween episode was a winner!

What could be improved: I can really feel the absence of Steve Carell this season but I think the writers can tighten this season up a bit as we go along.

I noticed that almost all of my returning shows are comedies. I usually prefer to watch dramas on DVD so that I don't have to wait until the next week to find out what happens. I'm impatient like that.

Here are three shows that I began watching at the beginning of September, but for whatever reason have decided to move on and make room in the DVR for something better.

 Two Broke Girls

What went wrong: The leads in this show were very well cast but unfortunately it is a CBS comedy, which almost always means that the writing is cheesy and stupid. I can only here so many jokes about male reproductive organs in the span of 30 minutes.  

 Whitney

What went wrong: Yikes. This show is really just terrible. I had high hopes for it at first because I think Whitney Cummings is a hilarious comedian.Unfortunately, some comedians cannot act very well and her supporting cast does nothing to help a sister out. Sorry Whitney, I'll still fondly remember your days on Chelsea Lately.

Playboy Club

What went wrong: Clay and I were actually really enjoying Playboy Club and it was doing a good job of taking the edge off of missing Mad Men. Apparently we were the only people who watched the show thought. After just 3 episodes NBC pulled the plug on this fun period piece. I guess I'll never know if the foxy Nick Dalton succeeds in covering up a murder of a Chicago mob boss and becomes a state judge. Sad Day.

And there you have it boys and girls. I hope you give some of these shows a shot or at least You-tube clips from the Sing Off in your spare time! Happy Friday everyone!