Oscar Night & spring makeup!!!

I love Oscar night. My mom used to pop popcorn & let me stay up until I fell asleep on the sofa....so I am gonna guess I have not missed an Oscar night since 1971. Each year I cram as many movies in as possible so I can see all nominated movies & performances. (Thanks Beth,MC,John, and Catherine cause I usually end up going all alone!)

I have not been this excited in a long time. Why you ask? I thought between The Fighter, The King's Speech & True Grit there were movies that told stories & had a value based message. Of course there were the usual how-far-can-we-push-the-envelope-over-the-edge-movies. (In my humble opinion, The Black Swan, Blue Valentine on some level & The Kids are Alright on some level). I have seen The King's Speech twice & insist you see it. For older kids, I say take them. There is language, but appropriate to story & such a beautiful story of loyalty. Really, see all those films.

I love Colin Firth. Cannot stand Christian Bale as a human but he so deserved that win. And loved his speech. I did not want Natalie Portman to win. I feel she lost weight, got naked and bam, got an Oscar. If you are gonna give it to the naked (or nekked if you are from lower Alabama), give it to Michelle Williams who acted her,well you get the picture,off. Melissa Leo so deserved her win.

I am re-watching to fairly judge Anne Hathaway/James Franco. Loved opening but thought jokes dragged.

Now onto the important stuff....fashion & hair & makeup. At first, I did not love Cate Blanchett's dress but LOVED her hair and makeup. On second viewing, I fell in love with it. The color, the cut, the sleeves.....mmmmmmmmmmm. Loved Gyneth's dress but do not love skinny stick straight hair. Thought Reese hit it out of the park. Loved the soft eyes,cat eyes & soft or nude lips. Spring makeup is so pretty this year. If in Chattavegas, come see me at Cosmetic Market.


Finally, looooooved Tom Hopper's acceptance speech. Here is to movie mommies everywhere....

Oscars and angst

This is usually one of my favorite weekends of the year. I spend two months cramming in as many movies as I can. I try to see every nominated movie & performance. I was especially excited this year because I feel like The King's Speech & The Fighter have so much of value to say. I love movies & Broadway so Oscar & Tony nights are big to me. I realize I am making a choice to let something eat my lunch. Yes, that is good Al-Anon speak. One of my girls has been mistreated & I feel a little unsettled. I am so thankful again that I am married to John Stroud & can let him handle things because I am a volcano. So I am gonna listen to some music, get in the tub & get Red Carpet Ready. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Monday I will have full Oscar recap & next week Sally & I are going to tell the one-of-the-many-reasons-John-Stroud-is-our-hero-stories.

God,products, and six-year-old hugs

Today was Bible Study Fellowship. Greatest quote of day, "We are our greatest 'idols' but God loves us amongst our sick love of ourselves". Whoa!!! Ok, so blogging probably fuels my 'idol'. The other great reoccurring theme was God never forsakes...never.

My current favorite products are all available at the Cosmetic Market (great local boutiques in Tennessee & also online). I am loving Therapy Systems (Gwyenth's fav) Better Than Lips. It looks like chapstick with a bandaid on it. It is not just that is works but it makes me about my daddy. He passed away October 11th and I never saw him without a chapstick. He had the cutest way of taking the cap off and applying with one hand. My other fav is Stila illuminating makeup- like being in candlelight! The final one is the eye brightened pencil in shell by Trish McEvoy- in the corner of my eyes it adds four hours of sleep- seriously!

My girls are now 19,17,13, and 11. It used to make me so mad when "older" moms would tell me, "Just you wait, they will be gone in a minute". Then one of mine left. I always dreamed of four girls but I am also dreaming of grandsons. Max,Mac & Carter have a bit of my heart. Went to pick up Carter (6) today and I was barely out of the car & he was running towards me screaming "Miss Merrile!!!" and throwing his arms around me. Therapy...instantly.

Yes, this is my home

I had been binging on yoga for about four weeks and then I purged and laid off for about two weeks with work and the NYC kiddo trip. Today I went back. Amazing Lisa taught and all I can say is yes, this is home. It had become just exercise & today I found the joy, the sweat, the ahhhhhhhhhh.... Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder but I am not going away anytime soon..... Cue music, home, this is my home....

Home, this is my home?

So it was four days in NYC. Four days sounded so long yet when so quickly. It is interesting to do NYC with 16-18 year olds that do not belong to you. What about the times they don't fall in love with the MoMA like you? What about the times when you realize a young man named Matthew and a young girl named Abby become two of your heroes? It is different...
I love NYC. It is my second city for so many reasons. I fell in love again with the East Village & meatpacking industry. There is a tiny Christian Louboutin boutique with no prices on the shoes that are works of art. Elizabeth took me to Pastis for brunch & it is all you see in celebrity rags. Seeing Wicked with Meghan & Beth is powerful. Everyone should seriously see Wicked. Seeing Billy Elliott with MC is all it should be.
Coming home to the superhero John Stroud & Stroud girls is always so sweet. Still leaving NYC is leaving a part of me. The smells, the food, the people, the art, the subway, the energy, the lights....it whispers to me all the way down south.
On the home front, I have seen all performances & movies except 127 hours (just couldn't go there). I am puling for Colin Firth, The King's Speech, Melissa Leo, Christian Bale. I really thought it was a good year for movies. My loves: The King's Speech, The Fighter, True Grit, Despicable Me.
Product love tomorrow....