Sweet Date

Brad and I had a super sweet date last night, consisting of big mugs filled with hot chocolate, a classic fairytale, and lots of couch cuddling; all very sweet things. It was wonderful.

It's no surprise that I love Beauty and the Beast and couldn't wait for it's long-awaited release from The Vault. So having a romantic cuddlefest with my hubs to watch my fave Disney love story asap was a given. The weather-induced beverage of choice was just icing on the date-cake.

The re-watching of the enchanted Tale as Old as Time reminded me of why I love it so much in the first place! While I remembered all the main points (the fact that I love Belle most of all, that Chip is so stinking adorable, the oh-so-Broadway "Be Our Guest" number, the incredible ballroom scene, etc, etc.), I had forgotten so many of the other great parts of this movie! Like this song that made me grin super big the whole time! Bonjour!

And this scene and song that contains so much aww-factor I can hardly stand it! (Isn't she sooo pretty??)

I caught myself giggling over and over again at all the little parts that are aimed toward children (Belle's dad sliding out from under his invention with those big goggley glasses enlarging his eyes, the pig snorting along with Lefou after he falls into the mud, the Beast's first "makeover" that makes him look like a poodle, any interaction between Lumiere and Cogsworth, etc, etc.), and I was thankful that I have a husband who found all the childish snickering endearing rather than embarrassing.

According to my calculations: Beauty and the Beast + Hot Chocolate / Cold Breeze Through An Open Window * Loving Hubby = Sweetest Date Night In, Ever.

(Okay, so I've never been considered a math whiz by anybody, but that equation looks pretty legit to me.)

If you haven't watched Beauty and the Beast in a long time (or *gasp* ever!), please run out and get it immediately! Also, if you haven't inaugurated the new season with a marshmallow topped mug of hot cocoa, please add it to the top of your priority list. Thank you.

Be Our Guest

Can you hear the doors to Disney's vault creeking as they open up to release Beauty and the Beast? It's such a lovely sound!

Since I preorderd mine from Disney's Movie Club (you're lookin' at a VIP member, right here), mine is awaiting my embrace at home in my mailbox. But I wanted to share some of Belle's magic with you all. Click on the picture below to print a coupon for $10 off your purchase of the combo pack. Can't get much better than that!

Hope you enjoy the Tale as Old as Time!

*Edit* Turns out you have to be a member of the club to print the coupon. But I can send it to 5 friends. So if you want the coupon, let me know and I'll email it to you directly. Sorry about that.

The vault is opening!

Everybody, get pumped up! Disney is finally opening up that mean vault of theirs to let Beauty and the Beast out!! Yahoo!! I have been waiting forever for my favorite Disney movie to be released, and the wait is almost over! It will be available in October, and you better believe I've totally already pre-ordered my copy. The anticipation is killing me!

You see, I keep my eye on ol' Disney's vault like a hawk. I've made it my mission to collect all of the Disney classics as they are made available, so I'll have them on hand when my kids come around. I've got a pretty good jump start, so far, but my collection has always been lacking my #1 film. (And, also The Lion King.) I remember doing research way back in 2005, when Brad and I were first married, to see when I'd be able to have it in my possession and learning that it wouldn't be released until 2010! Man, that felt like an eternity away back then! But, five years has really flown by, and it's about time I can own it for myself!!

I can hardly wait! Beauty and the Beast is my very favorite of them all. I have different categories of Disney favorites (Old Classic: Cinderella, New Classic: Little Mermaid, Non-Princess: Lady and the Tramp, Boy Type: The Lion King), but my Favorite of all favorites is definitely Beauty and the Beast. The animation is simply stunning. The music is wonderful. The characters are so lovable. And I'm convinced that Belle is a Christian.

Well, I don't really know about that, but she's definitely down-to-Earth and not all spoiled like Tinkerbell. (No offense, Tink.) She's smart and reads books for fun; even books without pictures! (Gasp, Gaston!) She doesn't swoon all over the smarmy, conceited jerk just because all the other girls do and he throws himself at her. She loves her dad even though he seems silly, and she sticks up for him against the whole town. She bravely searches for him in the night, then sacrifices her freedom for his. She befriends all kinds of different things instead of running away from the unfamiliar. And she eventually falls in love with a Beast, for Pete's sake!

And she does all of it without compromising her character. She stays true to herself and her convinctions. She doesn't do what is nice just for the sake of it, or what everybody expects her to do or tells her to do just to please or appease them. She doesn't let the Beast treat her rudely, and she doesn't put up with his attitude, because she knows she deserves better than that. She's strong and brave and still gentle and kind. If my future daughter is going to look up to any of the Disney Princesses, I'd definitely want it to be Belle. I'm just sayin...

And besides, Beauty and the Beast is just such a great romantic, love story. A story about True Love that looks beyond appearances, deeper to the real heart of a person; a  True Love so genuine that it, alone, can redeem a character whose inside has grown as ugly as his outside because of the hardness of his heart. Beauty and the Beast just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You try watching the Ballroom Scene without getting goosebumps. I honestly don't know that it's possible.



What's your favorite Disney movie / princess? Are you as pumped about this release as I am? Don't forget to pre-order your copy, today!

Double Date

Friday, Brad and I embarked upon a double date with our favorite across-the-street-and-over-one neighbors, Kris and Emily. It couldn't have been better, since the boys totally indulged Em and me and let us do exactly what we wanted.

Which, of course, began with a hot dog dinner from Cori's Dog House. Mmmm... So incredibly delicious. I got the Chicago Dog, which is really code for Too Big and Loaded With Tons of Great Stuff to Actually be Edible Dog. Even though I had to take two bites (top and bottom) for every one bite, it was totally worth it. There's nothing better than a good hot dog.

Then we went to the movies for Toy Story 3's opening night! Oh, how I love all things Disney Pixar. I was a little nervous, since I had so much riding on this sequel. The first Toy Story came out when I was only 10 years old, and it holds a special place in my heart. But the second installment was great (possibly even better than the first?), so I had high hopes that it would only add to the great foundation.

We definitely were not disappointed. The final movie in this Toy Story trilogy encompasses the same charming characters with endearing relationships as the first two. Now, I won't say that it is better than either of the previous installments, but it definitely deserves to be in the same category. I really feel like it was a perfect ending to the story of Andy and his toys. And I'm such a sap that I love when stories are wrapped up with a pretty little bow.

Brad pretended to be too cool and grown up for such a "kids' movie," but then he went and spent $0.75 on the mustache machine to look like a Fernando. Now that's the boy that I fell in love with. ♥

Have you seen Toy Story 3, yet? Are you planning to? Have you seen and loved the first two, or all other Pixar movies, for that matter? Is there any food out there better than a giant hot dog?

Two Thumbs Way "UP!"

Pixar has never let me down before. I fell in love with them with Toy Story (1 and 2), and have excitedly followed them through Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and others, including my personal favorite, Cars. Brad and I are not ashamed; we've not only bought movie tickets to these "children's movies" even though we have no children to use as an excuse, we've also joined right along with all the kids while we laugh hysterically in the theater.

When I heard that they were coming out with a new movie, I got super excited. What could they possibly come up with next? (Pixar has never followed the Disney "damsel in distress / save the princess" routine, and every presentation has been uniquely different.) All that I knew about Up was what I could gather from the poster: It was about an old man, a little boy, and a house floating by balloons. I tried very hard to not watch previews, because I have learned many times over that previews oftentimes spoil the movie by showing all of the best parts. (Which is also the case with this film. I have since watched the preview. Consider yourself warned.) Besides, I knew it was Pixar, I knew it would be great, and I knew I wanted to see it. Why would I need to watch a preview, anyway?

Just as I presumed, Brad and I, along with Alex and Amber, ventured out into the movie world and forked over a small fortune to gain access into the Wonderful World of Pixar this past Friday to lounge in stadium seats and view Up, first hand, on its release date.

Oh, and Alex and Amber smuggled in some Dollar Tree candy. Shame, shame.

Alright, my final review? The movie was awesome! I'm not kidding. I t-totally loved it! I won't say much, because I would hate to spoil it for you, since I know you're all going to take my recommendation and run out and watch it this week! But I will tell you that I laughed, and I cried, and I wasn't the only one! It was seriously an emotional roller coaster! I can't believe that Pixar was able to make you fall so in love with their characters that you literally feel every emotion right along with them! Amber and I (along with the boys, only they won't admit it) grew completely involved with this little old man and his young counterpart. We would be moved to tears in one scene, only to be pleasantly humored in the next. I've never been laughing and crying so much at the exact same time! Here's proof of our simultaneous, opposite emotions. This picture of Amber and me was taken immediately after the movie. We were sufficiently filled up with happiness and literally ready to stay seated just to watch the next showing of the film right over again! (If only that were legal.) I give it my highest recommendation. I have a strong feeling that you'll like it.

Oh, and as a special treat, look at what they teased me with! The sixth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, coming out next month!! I can't even describe how anxiously I am awaiting this installment of my favorite series ever! This is one case in which I do watch the previews (over and over again). Just in case you're wondering, my prep work is coming along swimmingly. I'm about half way through the 3rd book as I reread the Potter Story (for the 3rd time) to get ready to witness the intensity that this 6th movie is sure to deliver! If you're new to the Potter-verse, come on in! The water's fine!