My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 17th Pick

Let It Snow

Let It Snow is another of my MAJOR favourites!! Totally another ‘fish out of water’ movie with a woman from Arizona arriving at a snowy ski lodge in Maine in preparation to take over the family run business and turn it into an upscale vacation hotspot for her company which is run by her no nonsense father. Along the way of planning the imminent takeover, she finds way more than she had planned on as she slowly begins to not only understand but relish in the homey goodness of family and Christmas traditions she’s never really known before.  And seriously, a first date in an ice-fishing hut... what could possibly be better than that??!!!

I kind of live vicariously through this movie, even more so than most, because I have always dreamed of a Christmas ski lodge vacation... like, since I first started skiing when I was five years old..... forever ago! But, no one else in my family skis, is even remotely sporty or even barely tolerates winter and are just not ‘in’ for a winter getaway. So, I continue to wish and imagine a perfect vacation on the slopes... just as I continue to wish that one day I will find others who will want to share in a cozy mountain lodge getaway in the cold of winter, just like this one!

Not many of the hallmark movies are available on DVD but I am grateful that this one is! The waiting was hard when I pre-ordered it from Amazon but it was totally worth the wait and is always on my year’round playlist!

If you’ve seen Let It Snow and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 16th Pick

The Santa Clause

A couple of evenings ago, Enz and I watched The Santa Clause on the old VHS tape we bought back when it was first released and we both thoroughly enjoyed it, as we always do. It’s just a really fun movie about trusting belief in the magic of Santa Claus... and also in one another as family through changing dynamics while struggling to reclaim closeness. I was already an adult when this movie came out but boy do I wish it had been around when I was a kiddo; it explains SO much... especially how Santa gets around the whole ‘no fireplace’ deal! We never had a fireplace in our houses while growing up and I always wanted to know howwwww Santa would possibly be able to visit our house. Every time I asked my mama about not having a fireplace for Santa she always replied simply with, “Ohhhhh, Santa always finds a way...” but now I actually know. My mama has always been a HUGE fan of all things Santa which might seem a little weird because my parents raised us with a strict routine of religion and we all knew that we were celebrating the birth of baby Jesus each year on Christmas Day and off to church every Christmas morning for a special Christmas service. But Santa was also BIGTIME in our house and the gifts were piled high and took hours to work through... there were some years I was very confused and torn about what everything really meant and like most children do, I asked my mama, “Is Santa really real?” and each time I asked she would reply simply, “Santa is a giving spirit of Christmas...” I know of I was to ask her today, she would still tell me exactly the same and she would hope for me to keep believing in the magic.

So, it broke my heart a little when the day after Enz and I watched The Santa Clause we had a phone call with Enz’s brother who lives in Toronto to have a check-in about their mother (here in town) who just had a major stroke and is not doing well. Anyhow, we were home and sitting quietly in the tree light glow while Enz’s brother, who was in the car with his ten year old son, said, “Hey, guess what Kyle learned today! Well, I think he's actually known for awhile but... Kyle, tell Uncle Enzo and Aunty Gill what you figured out today!” And that’s when Kyle piped up very cockingly and accusingly with, “Santa does NOT exist!!” All I could answer with was, “I’m really sorry to know you believe that...” Enz was a little more talkative on the matter but I felt lost in the pride Enz’s brother and nephew were clearly in with this declaration of dismissal for believing in a spirit so giving. I only hope that this kiddo who has dismissed the gift of believing will keep his new beliefs entirely to himself and not be cause for any of his friends or schoolmates to question their own beliefs... though, I didn’t really feel that he will or will be encouraged to because the proud that came through the telephone said that they felt the whole world should know.

I know I believe in Santa because he really DOES exist. And now, thanks to this movie, I understand a lot more about the many questions I always had as a child. Sometimes it’s fun to disappear into belief, into Christmas magic and my Christmas wish is that the magic will continue for those that believe... and find again the ones who have lost belief.

If you’ve seen The Santa Clause and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 18th Pick

The Nine Lives of Christmas

This is another one I am SO thankful to have on DVD for my Christmas movie collection... even though I had convinced myself it likely would be unavailable for sale, like most of the reeaaally good ones are. Pure awesomeness, is The Nine Lives of Christmas!

I seriously LOVE this movie! It’s a pretty typical romantic comedy kind of movie, with two people actively try8ng to keep away from commitment yet ending up fighting themselves to make one but it’s done a little more believably in The Nine Lives of Christmas... it’s not sappily sweet but just really sweet. The characters (aside from the super-snotty girlfriend) are actually low-key relatable to real life and the onscreen friendships somehow even feel comfortable in caring.

When I first saw this one advertised, I was hesitant because it sounded like it was clearly going to be alllll about cat adventures... but it isn’t a ‘silly cat’ movie, at all. It’s not that I don’t like movies about cats, I just can’t really relate to life with cats, even in movies, because I am so deathly allergic to the sweet little furry beings... though I must admit, I do think cats are ahhhdorable from afar! I am beyond glad I gave The Nine Lives of Christmas a chance to be the sweet and lovely showing it turned out to be!

If you’ve seen The Nine Lives of Christmas and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 15th Pick

The Christmas Shepherd

Like I mentioned wayyy back in my December 1st Christmas Movie post... I am the least sappiest person ever! So, I was more than just completely shocked that I, who NEVER shows emotion of any kind if I can possibly help it, dissolved into a bleary-teary mess partway through the movie. Now, I don’t like movies that make me actually feel too much but I couldn’t stop watching even through the tears and was SOOOOO grateful to be home alone with my boys and watching by myself so noone would ever have to know I had felt and been affected by actual feelings.

My worst fear is for one of my boys (two Greyhounds) to become ‘lost’ and because of this fear, I am beyond overly careful of keeping them safe. People think I’m crazy for always having gates up when anyone is expected to visit and for being concerned about making people rush in through the door and closing it behind them immediately if not sooner!!! I even closed my moms scarf in the door one time... it happens, if you’re not quick enough, GET quick enough, ‘cause I need to keep my boys safe! Anyhow, The Christmas Shepherd is my fear... Buddy, the dearly loved German Shepherd becomes lost and his mom is devastated. The search for Buddy is immediately ON but not as simple is bringing him back home. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster ride through the searching, the finding and the reuniting but it is well worth the emotional upheaval. I found it a really tough watch but also an incredibly hopeful one because finding Buddy also leads to healing for all who love him so deeply, for all who so desperately needed to find healing.

If you’ve seen The Christmas Shepherd  and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 14th Pick

Frosty The Snowman

Being the lifelong snow-loving chick that I am... how could I possibly not love Frosty??!

Every year while growing up, I looked forward to Frosty The Snowman being shown on television. I don’t want to be one of those ‘back in my day...’ kind of folks BUT it really wasn’t so easy for constant watching of favourites as it is with technology these days; we actually had to search the TV Guide for a list and wait to see our favourite Holiday Specials until they aired. My parents weren’t big on television or movies so it was well into the 80’s when us kids finally had bugged enough that they broke down and bought a VCR... woohoooo, HUGE technology! But even with the cool VCR tech at the time, in those days there wasn’t a huge selection of movies available to buy at stores so our player was mostly used for recording shows and watching later on. One of the first shows I recorded was Frosty The Snowman and how stoked was I to know I could watch Frosty whenever I wanted, the whole year through?!! Well, way more excited than the rest of my family for whom one viewing per year seemed quite enough, that I can guarantee you! I am not ashamed to admit that I still love it just as much now as when I was little.

I always thought it sucked that those Frosty-building kiddoes had to go to school on Christmas Eve... but that’s probably just because I hated school so much. I always did feel one with the cartoon kiddoes dashing out of school and into the waiting snow, though! Frosty The Snowman has a lot of ‘cool’ action in it’s short run time, a magic hat that gives life to a snowman, a nasty magician, a caring and helpful bunny, a parade, a train trip, a special forest glen filled with caring woodland animals, even a special meeting with Santa, all mixed in with friendship so deep that giving of themselves for the other threatens both Frosty and Karen’s lives. There is excitement, hopefulness and even sadness in following Frosty, Hocus and little Karen through their adventure. This is one classic special of awesomeness that I doubt I will ever tire of... but even through the awesome..... who leaves a kid on a rooftop and just flies away???!! How did she get down? Was her mom mad that she was late for dinner? Did she get grounded for not asking before just hopping on a train and leaving town?? So many questions I live with..

If you’ve seen Frosty The Snowman and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 13th Pick

Ice Age A Mammoth Christmas Special 

I probably shouldn’t admit to even half of how much I thoroughly ADORE the Ice Age movies... BUT they are just sooooo darned ahhhdorable! I mostly LOVE Sid... he cracks me up constantly and it seriously never gets old. I am not a fan of seeing movies in theatres because it’s just too loud and hurts my ears but for each of the Ice Age movies, I have forced Enz to go and see them with me at the theatre; we don’t have kiddoes of our own to take but I love to listen to the laughter of the kiddoes delighting in the hilarity just as much as I delight in it my own self... Enz just shakes his head. And once each of the movies has been released on DVD, I make sure we continually delight in watching again and again!

Ice Age A Mammoth Christmas Special is a short but fun watch as my beloved Sid ‘leads’ his posse on a quest to the North Pole in search of Santa in an attempt to get himself off the Naughty List after accidentally breaking Manny’s heirloom Christmas rock. It’s sweet, it’s witty, it’s action-packed and filled with all the herd dynamics that have made these characters just so beyond lovable right from the very first movie!

If you’ve seen Ice Age A Mammoth Christmas Special and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 11th & 12th Pick

Well, I failed at my post-a-day month long challenge. However, instead of giving up on it completely, I’ve decided that I will just make up for missing yesterdays post with a double movie-shot today. We’ve had a family emergency and in dealing with that I just haven’t had much time for anything else. But tonight, with a few minutes of unexpected quiet I thought it might just do me good to take just a little while and let my love of Christmas movies help to settle me a little. I also thought that since it’s going to be a double-up post I would tie it in with a doubled up movie... as in a ‘twin’ movie!

Switched For Christmas

I really love the television movies that Candace Cameron Bure is in for the simple reasonthat I know they will be wholesome family movies. I have to admit though, that I didn’t expect to like this one after having seen it advertised, but I actually did. This is a new Hallmark movie for 2017 and I am a little late in watching because it was shown earlier on the American channels than it’s release here in Canada. I waited very impatiently even though my hopes weren’t huge; it just seemed like a theme that’s already been done too many times over in movies. Somehow, there was still a freshness to be found.

Switched For Christmas is about two sisters who have drifted apart over the years but find their way being closer after switching places for work projects. I guess it was the reconnecting of family that I enjoyed most about this movie... perhaps because I have been feeling so disconnected n my own life of late. I was really happy that this movie was actually filled with lots of Christmas activities and references because I’ve been so disheartened with many of the new movies that are classed as and titled to be Christmas movies and sooooo are not having anything, at all, to do with Christmas. This one felt comfortable, even in the predictability... it felt like tradition, and I do love tradition!

If you’ve seen Switched For Christmas  and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!



Christmas Under Wraps 

We had a twin double dose in the above movie so why not do a double dose of Candace Cameron Bure movies??!

I really love Christmas Under Wraps and it’s probably mostly because I just always love fish-out-of-water kind of movies... especially ones that take city folk into the far reaches, like Alaska. In this one, a doctor takes a job in Alaska after losing out on a position she’d been so sure of. She hopes the move will be a brief one but the Christmas loving people and town quickly grow on her and help her realize that there might just be more than a career spent at breakneck speed. It’s quiet and cozy and I desperately want to stay in a comforting log cabin just like the one she gets to stay in!

A fun little movie filled with a town secret and people who really care about one another mixed with beautiful scenery, Christmassy feels and they didn’t even leave the Northern Lights out!

If you’ve seen Christmas Under Wraps  and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 10th Pick

The Christmas Ornament

Here is another Hallmark sappiness fest of awesome! A woman, Cathy, facing her first Christmas alone decides that not celebrating at all will be easier than having to do so on her own. I get that... sometimes it just feels easier to avoid than go through the pain we see on the horizon. The one beloved Christmas tradition Cathy does hang on to is making her incredible Christmas cookies which means the door to the Holidays is juuuuust enough ajar to let a little more in when she meets Tim, who is ALL about Christmas!

What follows is a sweet story of friendship, opening up to new heart possibilities and coming to terms with the fact that it’s okay to have new hope in the life that is left to live.

Like most of the Hallmark Holiday movies, The Christmas Ornament is pretty predictable in theme but it’s filled with heartful goodness that I love to watch again and again because it really does feel Christmassy!

If you’ve seen The Christmas Ornament and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 9th Pick

A Flintstones Christmas Carol 

A lot of people will probably want to berate me for admitting that I have never been a fan of Scrooge. I once sat through the old favourite of many with my aunt who said it was the best Christmas movie EVER and it was pure and boring torture for me. I know, I know... it’s a classic, it’s beloved, it’s filled with meaning in its creepy darkness. Still, I just don’t get the appeal. So for most of my life I have actively avoided any movie, television show or play based on the old story of bore...

...until I saw A Flintstones Christmas Carol! Maybe it’s just because I love the Flintstones in their campy, fantastical, prehistoric shenanigans that made me pluck the DVD from the store shelf and actually want to watch it. No one was more surprised than I was that I actually really enjoyed this version of the old classic I dislike so much. It could be the colours or the activeness or even just the characters I have always loved so much that managed to keep me interested. Or it could be that it was short, sweet and straight to the point... just like I need things to be. It’s kind of a neat take on the old story with the Bedrock gang putting on a play to tell the tale of Scrooge but still mixing in their ‘real’ lives it feels neither creepy nor boring. And as Fred buries himself so deeply into his role of Scrooge, it turns out both have lessons to learn...

If you’ve seen A Flintstones Christmas Carol and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 8th Pick

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

I love Clark Griswold, he just works SO hard to give his family the perfect... everything! In his quest to deliver the best of perfect, though, Clark’s over-the-top plan expectations always tend to lead everyone involved into disaster of hilarity.

Christmas Vacation is just one of those silly movies that feels like home even through the outlandishness because it has such real elements... that just get amped up in hilarity a might further than what many of us experience in our own families. From decorating the house with lights to finding the perfect tree to tobogganing to shopping to cooking to accepting to believing and even to sharing limited space with all the ‘joyous’ clashing family personalities.

I also love Cousin Eddie, and who wouldn’t??! His black turtleneck dickie under his white sweater... I can never stop laughing at how seriously he’s walking around  so cocked and sure that he’s seriously alllllllll that and a bag of chips! He’s hysterical!!

It’s a slapstick kind of silly movie, for certain but somewhere within the silly it’s easy to find that it’s filled with well-meaning, hearty goodness, too. Clark’s wife, Ellen, has clearly learned to just make the best of her husband’s antics and even though she is often tried to her limits, it's really sweet how she just rolls with it all in her belief of him... despite the fact that she knows what she’s in for. And even though the kids know and are used to their dad’s crazy fiascos, they know that he is just trying so hard to give them a beautiful Christmas and even through sullenness and disinterest they still believe in him and really want for his plans of awesomeness to succeed...

If you’ve seen Christmas Vacation and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 7th Pick

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

“NO! This is mans work!!” Donner tells Mrs. Donner.

And poor Mrs. Donner doesn’t even get to have her own name, her identity is simply... Mrs. Donner.

Isn’t it funny how we grow to notice different things within the same story as we age?! I have never missed a year of watching this beloved, old Christmas special since as far back as I can remember and to say I love it every year just doesn’t say enough. I never really noticed, until I was an adult, that Mrs. Donner likely felt pretty insignificant; I guess it just didn't seem weird to hear her being called “Mrs.” to us because every adult we ever met as children we were always expected to address them by their title of Mr. or Mrs. or Miss but now, I find it a might harsh. Yet still, I watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer each year, and I lose myself entirely in the comfort of familiarity.

I think everybody, whether or not they’ll admit to it, has felt like a misfit at one time or another so to watch this little gang of misfits band together in finding a way to make their differences find a true fit is quite inspiring, especially since they never change themselves to try and fit, they just prove they fit as they really are! Sure, there are mean-deers, blatant sexism and an awful Santa... but there’s also sweetness and helpfulness and caring tucked in there, too. I can’t imagine there are many people who haven’t seen this old Christmas tale that really HAS ‘gone down in history’ but it’s totally worth the watch for anyone out there who hasn’t.

If you’ve seen Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 6th Pick

The Christmas Card

The Christmas Card is so much a favourite of mine that it’s often (more often than I should ever admit to, actually) played on repeat in my quilting workshop because it’s one I know so well that I can follow along with just listening to the dialogue but still viewing every, single second in my minds eye while I’m busy working. The gift of an unexpected Christmas card sends a soldier, just home on leave from war duty, to find the woman who wrote and sent it... and he finds so much more than just the person behind the pen. It’s a super-sweet and wholesome story of treasuring both the family that is had and the family that is so needed!

I don’t know why this movie has captured me so much but I think it has as much to do with the quiet beauty of setting as it does with the story and characters. Maybe it’s because I love small town comfort or because I am fascinated by small,family businesses, especially surrounded-by-nature work like a logging mill as the one in this movie is, or because I seriously LOVE the coziness of log cabins or because I just, for some reason, need to believe that connections like this movie shares can actually be real... whatever the reason, I just adore the heck out of this movie! Yes, it’s filled with falling in love sappiness but it’s also filled with relatable characters; from the shyness of admitting to liking someone new in that fluttery tummy way I’ve heard tell of, to parents who want the absolute best for their child yet support her in her own decisions (even if her dad isn't shy about piping up with alternative opportunities) to that one silly uncle everybody has to the gift of sharing favourite, old blanket on a cold winters night beneath the stars. I have to admit that when the movie opened with a wartime scene, I wasn’t expecting to want to sit through the whole story BUT, in my love and respect for my beloved old show China Beach... I gave it a chance and am thrilled that I did!

If you’ve seen The Christmas Card and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 5th Pick

Snowcapped Christmas

Snowcapped Christmas is a newer movie that has quickly worked its way onto my list of favourites and seriously... how could it possibly not?? An injured championship figure skater is sent to rehab in the mountains but in the midst of healing her body she also manages to find that living means so much more than just competing on the ice. Winter in the forested mountains, bundled up evenings spent sitting by a fire under star-filled skies, and the chance for relationships she had never even realized she was missing..... so sappily, unbelievably perfect!

I really didn’t expect to like this movie even half as much as I ended up loving it; it just sounded too much ‘The Cutting Edge’ so I was more than pleasantly surprised when I gave it a chance and realized it wasn’t even in the vicinity. My love of great sports movies comes from my love of sports, I think, so when I see a character that I can actually relate to, it just always sucks me in a little further. I’ve never figure skated but I’ve been injured and surgically repaired throughout my lifetime of being active in competitive sports like basketball, skiing, hockey, roller derby... and being on the injured list always just sucks SO hard!! I totally understood the frustration of having to take the time to fully heal and finding needed lessons within the healing, but the setting, the adventure, the comfort was a pretty special ‘cherry on top’. Sometimes the thought of just getting away to a new kind of perfect seems so beautifully inviting and getting swept away into sweetness, even just for the short while a campy, predictable movie can offer, is a pretty sweet gift in itself.

If you’ve seen Snowcapped Christmas and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 4th Pick

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

I have to be honest in admitting my mistakes and one HUGE mistake I made was in boycotting this movie version of ‘The Grinch’ until FOUR years after it was first released. Because of my dumb stubbornness... I missed out on FOUR YEARS  of this Christmassy awesomeness!!!

See, I have so LOVED The Grinch for as long as I can even remember that even the thought of a ‘new and improved’ version of my brutally beloved classic set a disappointed hurt into my heart. How could they even do that? How could they even think it would be a good idea to make such a mockery of something so incredibly special?? How??? It didn’t matter that Enz had bought it for me the day it was released on DVD. It didn’t matter that my sister kept telling me I just HAAAAAAAD to watch it while assuring me that I would totally love it. I wasn’t going to open the DVD and I wasn’t going to watch it. So, in the plastic-wrap it sat, in a drawer for a few grudgeful years.

And then, one day, a few Christmas’s later, Enz casually suggested we watch The Grinch...

“We don't even have cable,” I told him.

“No, but we have a DVD.” he had replied.

“No, thank you, I only want to see the old one what I love so much,” I answered.

“I picked up Egg Nog, Ruffles and Dill Pickle Dip...” he tried to tempt me with my favourite Christmas snacks.

“Fiiiiiiiiiiine...”

So, we watched Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and I seriously and absolutely DEEEEElighted in every single moment of it! I expected to hate it and be angry about it. Instead, I became instantly enamoured with the design, the feel and the characters. I started out only being happy for the snacks while still begrudging what I was about to force myself to sit through but... somewhere, early on in the watching, I was sucked FULLY into that whimsically magical world and my heart for this movie grew right along with that ol’ Grinch’s. From grinchiness to to questioning meaning to competition to stepping out of what's become uncomfortably comfortable to believing to joining in open-hearted sharing... this movie seriously has it ALL!

I think Enz has, many times, cursed himself for talking me into watching it that first time since hundreds of times later, I still can’t get enough of it but that’s okay... he’ll survive hundreds more viewings and hopefully he’ll eventually grow to love it just as much as I do!

If you’ve seen Dr.Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 3rd Pick

While You Were Sleeping

Let me just begin by saying... love, love, seriously LOVE this movie!!! No, really... I love it even more than ‘Joe Jr’ loves “black underweeaaars”!

While You Were Sleeping is a movie I completely lost myself in, right from the very moment it began the first time I ever saw it. Why? Um... crushing always crushes it for me. I always have a crush, my crushes last for years and I really thought that was weird. I mean, crushes should stop happening after highschool when adulting becomes necessary... right?? But to see a grown-up crush happen and lead to beautiful in a very roundabout way was almost freeing, in a way. At least I knew I wsasn’t alone, even while knowing that Lucy is merely a character, she still was created by someone else who understood all she envisioned with the man of her dreams whom she’d never actually met. And Lucy, herself, is just THE absolute coolest in her open hearted need for closeness, or even just to be noticed by someone who really, truly cares... lonely is not an easy road to have to travel. But when Lucy finds that lonely interrupted by a Christmas Day mishap while at work and the man of her dreams unknowingly leads her into everything she’s been missing... well, awesomeness ensues!

This movie is filled with charming, to say the least! From first crush to near death to sudden family to falling in love all tucked wondrously within the comforts of home at Christmas. My heart soars every time I get swept away in the sweetness of belief that this movie never fails to leave me with.

If you’ve seen While You Were Sleeping and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 2nd Pick

Smoky Mountain Christmas

🎶“I’m dreamin’ of a Smoky Mountain Christmas...”🎶

A country music singer escaping the rush of fame, a rugged but caring mountain man and the sweetest bunch of kiddoes in search of a loving home... Seriously, how much more awesome could fit into a Christmas movie??! Filled with music and hope, yearning and trusting, Smoky Mountain Christmas is filled with beautiful, Christmassy feels from start to finish! Dolly Parton is, without a doubt, one of my all-time favourite artists, both in music and film which is just icing on the ‘fruitcake’ in this one! And along for the mountain magic fun with the amazing Dolly Parton is Lee Majors, John Ritter and Bo Hopkins... just to name a few; not to mention it’s directed by the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler! But for reals, I was hooked at the cabin in the mountains and all the magic it promised, and fully delivered upon right from the very first time I ever saw this cozy movie of awesomeness!

I haven’t seen this movie on television in years but I still watch it over and over again on the old VHS tape my mom found at a store for me way back in the day... that old tape is totally going to break on me one of these days so I should definitely see if I can order a copy on DVD from somewhere... I’m not convinced I could live without this movie. I even found doorway inspiration for our own almost finished cabin from this movie that I just love so incredibly!


If you’ve seen Smoky Mountain Christmas and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List... December 1st Pick

I am seriously THE aaaaaaabsolute LEAST sappiest person in the world! I keep people at a distance and never let anyone get close to me, on purpose, thanks to my abandonment issues. BUT... I do care, more than I ever let myself actually and openly admit to those I care about. I tell my boys (two Greyhounds named Day and Play) that I love them, multiple times daily, but saying “I love you” to another person is just the hardest thing in the world for me. Basically, if I tell someone to ‘fuck off’ that means I feel comfortable enough with them to let them know I care. It’s awful, I know. Every single time I talk to my mom whether on the phone or together in person or even through email, her last words to me are always ‘I love you’... my last words are always ‘yep, have fun’... because I’m the worst; even though I feel it, I just can’t fuckin’ say it.....

Which brings me to Christmas movies.

I may not be able to speak how I care, I may rudely recoil from proffered hugs for fear of my shell accidentally cracking somewhere within the squeeze BUT... I absolutely live for and LOVE the sappiest, happiest Christmas movies!!! I seriously LOVE Christmas movies SO much that in my dreams, I actually live in one... and I went through the Stargate to get there!

I haven’t been doing much in blog writings lately so I thought that I would challenge myself to a short post daily through December as both a way to get myself writing again and as a way to share some of my favourite Christmas movies, old and new. We’ve had a beautifully quiet year without television in our house but Enz and I both agreed to have television service turned back on through November and December so we wouldn’t miss any of the new and glorious, sickeningly sweet, heart-lifting, joy-filled and sappiest Christmas movies.

And so... here I begin..... in no particular order, they are all just movies I love to live vicariously through!

My Favourite Christmas Movies List - December 1st

One Starry Christmas

Seriously, one of THE sappiest, loveliest Christmas movies, ever! An Astronomer who lives for a sky filled with stars meets a Cowboy who has a clear view of them every night from back at his home on the ranch... what could possibly make for a better fit? Well, how about said Cowboy having a rodeo riding brother with the most awesomest song to share?!! I love that George Canyon shares his magical musical storytelling gifts in the movies he acts in!

I really love this movie in ALL of it’s over-the-top cheesiness glory! I’ve watched it countless times since it first came our a few years back and though I know it by heart, it never gets old for me! That dance invitation twirl!! Trust me... don’t let your life pass you by without getting swept away in that moment of beautiful!

I always feel like I connect with movies that call people home, and I mean that in the way of having a home to be called to. I wish, more than anything, that I could somehow ‘go home for Christmas’ like in the movies I so adore. I know and understand in my mind that people and circumstances change in real life but sometimes the thought of going home just feels so necessary, so inviting and so healing when I see it happen in my favourite stories, I always find a little peace of it to keep tucked within my own wishful heart. It’s part of why this movie is so special to me, not only is it heartily heavy in the tummy butterflies chemistry but it’s also filled with a family just so grateful to get to be together, at home, for the Holidays. 

If you’ve seen One Starry Christmas and loved it... YAY! If you’ve seen it and not loved it, that’s okay, too... I will continue to be happy loving it to bits for you! And if you’ not yet seen it and it happens to be on television at some point when you are able to sit and watch... I hope you will give it a chance to become one of your favourites, too!

Thunderwolves Game Awesomeness!!!

This past weekend, for the first time since 2014, I went... to the THUNDERWOLVES GAME!!!!!

The Lakehead Thunderwolves, are our local OUA (Ontario University Athletics) hockey team and for those who don't know, the love of Hockey in Canada is akin to the love of Football in America... HUGE! Enz and I had center-line season tickets for years and absolutely loved going to every home game and would watch the online coverage of the team's away games without fail, every time they played. I was far beyond FORTUNATE in our season ticket years to have won not one but TWO game-worn jerseys of my all-time favourite Thunderwolves player, Jordan Smith, who was the best team captain the team had before (and even since) seen… in my unimportant opinion, though that title is always up for change because everyone deserves a chance to make it their own! Anyhow, a Jordan Smith jersey was highly coveted by game goers so although I like to believe that people were happy for me, as I would have been excited for anyone else, but most were a little peeved that they hadn’t won his jersey themselves. Once I had won the first one though, I have to admit that I wished I hadn’t in the moment… I didn’t know I had to actually go onto the ice, I thought it was a choice I could just bypass and somebody would just give me his soaked, stinky and signed jersey….. nope…….

My utter joy at having won his Jersey completely won out over my embarrassment
of having to go out on the ice to receive the jersey straight form Jordan Smith!

Imagine the ire of my seat-sectionmates when I somehow managed to pull off a second jersey-win from Jordan Smith on the following year... his last year with the team! I only wore them for special games so people wouldn't be mad at me;
gloating is NOT kindness!

We are really fortunate here in Thunder Bay to have a large arena that many of the teams like to come up to play in because it's one of the few arenas where they get to play in front of 3000 or more true hockey fans which makes the long travel to get here worth their while. It's kind of cool that teams actually enjoy coming here because our little city often gets an unfair rap for how isolated we are... But me, I like the coziness of small city life tucked into nature, and for the avid hockey town we are, where we live is awesomeness... arenas, lakes and ponds and even streets are filled with fast-paced hockey all winter long.

This is the first time my nephew, Zack, has been able to visit during the Fall so I thought it would be fun for us to go to the Thunderwolves Season Opener on the weekend. My lil' Zackaroni, who is not so little anymore but in fact just turned eighteen and has decided to take a year off from school before deciding on either college or university, has lived and breathed hockey all of his life was sweet enough to appease his aunty by going... even though he's at that 'I'm too cool to do things with old adults' age that completely cracks me up! Zack is not only a major hockey fan but an incredible goalie who has been on skates for as long as he's known how to walk, as well as playing rep hockey he was also recruited to play in goal for the ringette league and so had two big, busy travel schedules to contend with all through high school and won many championships in both leagues... the dude's been busy on his skates! I was BEYOND proud of Zack for stepping out of the hockey norm to also play ringette (one of only a couple of boys who did) and for holding his own against the 'chirping' of his teammates; one day, after a ton of ribbing in the locker room, our easy-going Zackaroni, at thirteen and who always chooses feelings over hurtings finally spoke up and asked the other goalie who had been digging in hard, "Hey, when we're in hockey goal and have a win, what happens? We get a bunch of sweaty guys charging and jumping on top of us. But when I'm in ringette goal... I get nothing but hugs upon hugs from alllllllll the ladies...!!" Never did he hear another 'chirp'. Aaaaaand... in his teensey little amount of spare time he even took the course and earned his way to becoming  a referee... so to say the kid lives for being on skates is an understatement!

Thanks to Zack for allowing me to share these pictures of his.!!!

Coolest team picture EVER!

Seriously... LOVE this!!! And I eapecially love that all the girls on his team made him blush for years as they constantly
sang "Chessie's Girls" to the tune of Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield (because his nickname is Chester) loudly and proudly every chance they had! 

Goal-tending is stressful... but this kiddo takes it all in stride!

So 'Official'... :) 

Anyhow, back to game night... I was more than just a might nervous at the thought of going out to a hockey game at the Gardens; it's always packed with people bustling about in excitement and although I have become used to dealing with my new reality of depending on my Stix, it still doesn't make needing them any easier. The parking was already crazy when we arrived an hour early so Enz dropped Zack and I near the front doors before heading off to find a spot. I could feel my nerves beginning to overtake me as we waited so I was beyond happy to have my nephew to chat and laugh with so I could fight the urge to just turn and head back toward Enz to say I'd made a huge mistake before asking if we could just head home instead of going in. Yay for having to look like I had it alllll together for my nephew!

All ready for game time!

Of course going to the games means concession treats are a necessity so while Enz and Zack waited on the crowded, jostling line-up I worked up the courage to give myself another little challenge and told Enz I was heading down the hallway to see if Jack was there so I could say a quick hello... Jack is a former co-worker and friend of my sister so we always chatted with him for a few minutes before every game. Jack was there and it was so good to feel completely normal in routine again... even just for those few moments. When I turned to head back toward the section we were sitting in the boys were just rounding the bend to meet me, perfect timing!

Only seconds later, I realized I had perhaps made a massive mistake... like, for REALS! My hockey-loving mind had forgotten the high and uneven cement arena steps and our seats were just over halfway up! Maybe I hadn't actually 'forgotten' but had just never really realized because I'd never before had to worry over the stairs, I'd always just skipped on up them without a care in the world. But on Friday night, as I stood at the bottom and somehow willed myself to begin climbing, I had to fight with every bit of strength I could muster in order to keep my panicked and humiliated tears from falling. "Don't look at anybody... Just look ONLY at the stairs..... Don't look back... Just go slowww and pretend nobody else is there..... DON'T look at anyone..... NO eye contact......." I just kept repeating these things over and over in my mind as I worked to get myself up without a breakdown. It was SCARY! Every step was higher than the steps I re-learned on in therapy, higher than the steps at home and higher than any I've happened by while out and it was tough and awkward to get the support I needed from my Stix when my arms were so much higher than I had prepared for. On top of the step height, there are different stair tread depths with a full stair depth followed immediately by a double stair depth which was really hard for my legs to figure out how to deal with. Enz and Zack had gone up the opposite staircase but I turned and started up the other side because it was completely empty, an easy decision for me even though I knew I was starting up alone. As soon as Enz noticed, he was across the aisle to make sure I was okay and to help talk me up the stairs and through my terror. Boy was I grateful to make it up without the breakdown I had been so certain would find me. I even managed a real and grateful smile and a 'Thank You!' to the man who had been watching from just behind where our seats were told me, "You did it! Atta'Girl... you keep on goin'!!" For once, I was feeling encouraged over embarrassed.

The game was a bit of a slow start with no score after the first period but that wasn't surprising for a team with ten freshman players in the first game of the season; working as a team in practice is far different than working as a team during a game against another team. It was like a whole new team of togetherness came out for the second and third periods and the arena erupted in excitement as the Thunderwolves played their way to a 3-0 win! I didn't even attempt to go downstairs, or even to stand for a stretch, between periods but I did spend most of the game worrying about getting down once  the game was over. Turns out I worried for naught... getting down was much easier than getting up had been. We waited until the stands had cleared out and then Enz went in front of me and Zack patiently came down behind me and we all made it safely to the bottom... even if I was a little shaky. Then off we headed for a late dinner at Montana's. A pretty fun time and boy, do I wish we lived closer so we could do fun things like this together all the time!

Such a great kiddo is THIS kiddo! Like almost every other young adult he is addicted to his cell phone but
was polite enough to only use it between whistles and periods... I snuck this quick picture of him chatting with
Uncle during the second intermission.

After the first winter of life with GBS (Guillain Barré Syndrome) and not knowing whether or not I would ever be able to deal with stairs, or even just walking again, we decided it was time to let go of our perfect Thunderwolves season seats; Enz didn’t feel right going without me because I love the games more than he does even though I urged him to take friends in my place. It wasn’t fair to keep holding the tickets I loved when there are people who are able to actually get out and enjoy them. I was kind of hoping that by going to a game this weekend Enz would also decide he missed the games and want to get season tickets again but my plan backfired and he spent the whole game with an angry face and mad at the fact that I had had to struggle so much on the stairs and knowing I was terrified to have to get back down, that the arena is not “everybody accessible” pissed him off GALORE! It’s okay that he doesn’t want to go back to the games because as much as it kills me to admit it, even with how far I have come in my recovery, I was dangerously shaky in a very dangerously unforgiving setting for even a small fall so to be feeling extra anger from Enz in an already nerve-wracking situation probably wouldn’t be so good for my confidence on a weekly basis! However, I did love getting back to a game. And I did LOVE having the opportunity to share in a Thunderwolves game with my lil’ Zackaroni so even through the struggles, I couldn’t have asked for a greater gift to be thankful for!

He may be 18 now but he's still my lil' Zackaroni, even if he now just grins and shakes his head at me!

Paint Night Fun!

Getting back into living is fun!

Last night, once again, I stepped out of my comfort zone and straight into Paint Night with my sister, Nan. This was Nan's third Paint Night experience but since it was my first time, I was more than just a little unsure. I wasn't unsure of trying painting but I was incredibly unsure of my ability in the creative painting department since the last time I painted in this type of painting was back in grade school since I always opted for shop classes over art classes in high school.

My sister and I decided to just meet up at our moms house which was close to the Paint Night hosting tavern so we could drive down together in Nan's car and it was a good thing we did because even with arriving a half hour early, the parking was already slim for the pickin' as we arrived. Once inside we made our way to the back room and for maybe the first time in my life I saw my sure and confident sister actually... at a loss. She couldn't decide where she wanted us to sit. "I suck so bad at this... I can never decide where the best spot will be," she said to a totally dumbfounded me! I always just follow my sister because she always just knows what to do..... what the heck was I supposed to do now??? Be an actual big sister and lake the lead????? In the end, it was my Stix that decided where we should sit, the chairs were not 'Stix-lean friendly' so we needed to be close to the wall and opted for the two spots at the end of the table so it was easy getting in and out for me which worked out perfectly.

Even though I knew it was a guided painting class and already knew exactly what we would be painting I found myself feeling a little intimidated with having the blank canvas sitting directly in front of me and practically daring me to even try to make it pretty. But it did pretty quickly become pretty..... pretty darned stressful!!! My sister 🎶tra-lalala-laaaaa'd🎵 her way through the class while I furiously tried to just keep up! I had a really hard time understanding what the lead artist was explaining because the tavern was really noisy and the microphone she used seemed muffled within the crowded area. I found myself constantly asking Nan the things I had missed, "What did she just say? ... What colours did she say to use next? ... What ones did she say to mix for the highlighting? ... How did she say to make the pinky-purple? ... Holi-moli, how did YOU make your beautiful purple??! ... How far down did she say to start the water line? ... What are we supposed to be doing? ... Can we just put more blue to cover if we fuck up on the highlighting??? ......."

I was shocked, but in the end it all seemed to work out and we left with finished paintings that actually resembled paintings, go figure! And as an added plus to the whole night, I realized something else that was pretty awesome... even though I still can't control a pen with my left hand, I can control a paintbrush!!! About halfway through paint night I realized I had been switching back and forth between my right and left hand... talk about a grateful moment! Mine turned out a little cartoonish but for a first ever attempt, I was pretty stoked that it looked kind of like it was supposed to and it was really neat to see how everybody's was so different, our paintings all had their own personalities, just like the painters! I loved how Nan was not afraid, even in the slightest, to try and fix; if she wasn't feeling her first attempt at a brushstroke she just worked it into the canvas and tried again to make it as she wanted. Maybe I will become more comfortable after a few more tries, too.

All in all, it was a really fun evening so a huge thanks to my sister, Nan, for inviting me and getting me out to try something new. If you haven't tried a paint night yet, think about giving it a try because you might just enjoy it, too!

We made it out!!!

Have you visited an Escape Room yet?

I am so behind the times that I didn't even know Escape Rooms were a 'thing' here in our small city... until I went with a group of my greatest friends as an outing to start off an evening of fun for Alyx's Bachelorette Party last weekend. My only prior knowledge of Escape Room adventure had been from watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory where some of the gang went to one but I didn't know it was also an actual, real life thing to do. Anyhow, it sounded really fun and for a bunch of beyond COMPETITIVE roller derby girls it was a challenge none of us could refuse!

I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by such greatness in friendship!
(Photo Credit to Tricia)

We were all pretty excited as we met in the parking lot before heading in. A few of the girls had been to Escape Rooms in other cities and the rest of us hadn't any real idea of what to expect... but that's all part of the fun, I think. We spent a few minutes catching up and it was just the biggest treat to again be surrounded by some of the greatest friends and teammates I have been blessed in knowing.

Here we are..  Team Bride ...all set to begin our Escape adventure!

Once everyone was there and pinned-up with our Team Bride buttons and Alyx was all sashed-up in her Bride sash... we were set to go! We were just about to head into 'The Cabin' when the lady leading us to the door turned back to give one of our group members a single and extremely dim-lighted flashlight. Another from our team immediately asked, "Is it dark in there??!" And that's the moment my spirits began to fall... but I was with friends that I trust and feel entirely comfortable with after years of having one another's back, both on and off the roller derby track so I knew that ultimately, I was safe to give even the darkened room a try.

Entering the room was very scary for me (mobility-wise) but as I trustfully followed my friends inside to the waiting darkness I somehow fought the urge to turn back and wait on the outside for them. There was just enough light from the door still open as we filed in and there were tiny slivers of light reflected from the evening sun that found its way just barely in through the one boarded up window to the world outside. Once the door closed and was locked behind us we were in almost complete darkness but for the one flickering flashlight we'd been given and the few minuscule slits through the boards that didn't help us see anything but more offered a slight security...for me, anyhow. I had managed to carefully cross the room upon entry and found a small space to stand against the back wall beside the boarded window where I was safe from falling in all the dark room movement that was about to ensue around me.

I have to say that even as an 'outsider' in the Escape Room, thanks to not being able to easily and safely move around enough to take real part in the game, I still had a really great time. Escape Rooms are all about getting locked in a room, finding clues and solving puzzles in order to escape within a set time limit. I can't say I was able to actually help much with getting us out because there were so many action points necessary in bringing the clues together to solve the puzzles and make our escape possible but I did get to help at least a little bit with holding and pointing the flashlight for others to be able to work at tasks with both hands... and seeing my friends just dive with such excitement and gusto into the challenges just made my heart burst with pride for getting to share time with such joy in confidence!

Sure, looking back, I would have loved to be able to jump into every challenge right alongside my friends and for a minute I really wished that I had called ahead to find out if the Escape Rooms were safe in accessibility but now I'm more grateful that I just chanced it and went in even when I learned that it really wasn't the safest space for me right now. I may not have gotten to taken complete part in the group challenges but I did challenge my own self by trusting my friends enough to willingly head into a dark room with them... and I trusted my body (with the help of my Stix and a wall) to hold me through the fun of watching my posse free us ALL from 'The Cabin'!

We made it out with time to spare but Joelle really wanted to hold the "call my mom..." sign which,
of course, made me giggle! And here's what the Escape Room staff had to say...
“In for ‘The Cabin’ was a group even our Mountain Man was afraid to tangle with. Team Bride showed no mercy wanting to get to the Wedding on time and escaped with an amazing time of 18min 37sec left on the clock. Great job!”

If you've not yet experienced an Escape Room adventure, you are in for a fun time of super fun challenges should you decide to give it a try... we sure did!!