Hey guys, so I was supposed to send Katie and Stephanie my top 5 made for TV Christmas movies weeks ago so that they could send me their thoughts. Did they agree or disagree, etc. But I failed to do that until this last Tuesday, but Katie was great and still sent me her thoughts on Holiday in Handcuffs. (We’ll try to get these timed so you can read them all together in the coming weeks.) 🙂

Katie’s thoughts:
While I feel Holiday in Handcuffs is a little too new to be in my Christmas top 5, this movie basically hits all the made-for-tv movie requirements which is why we love it: single girl in need of a guy for the holiday celebrations – check, crazy family trying to have a perfect christmas and failing miserable – check, completely implausible storyline – check, falling in love in less than a week – check, 2 teen tv stars now on the made-for-tv movie circuit – check and check. Plus I can pretty much conjure up the image of Trudie’s (aka:Melissa Joan Hart) home perm gone bad any time of the year and it gives me a good laugh. So single ladies, the next time you are at your breaking point and you’re thinking of kidnapping some random hottie to pass off as your bf – do it! If it works for MJH – it’ll work for you – that’s what I say!

Thanks for your input, Katie! 🙂 You rock!

As a side note, last night I totally watched The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Hallmark’s release last year, with Henry Winkler as a crazy cop uncle) while I wrapped Christmas presents. (Yes, I was wrapping gifts. I can’t help it. It’s all too overwhelming if I wait until the last minute!) I had my roommate Tracy in total agreement that the guy in the movie was well-worth running through an airport to catch. 🙂

About two years ago, my dear friend Kelly Blewett offered her home for a group of us to watch the 6-hour BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. About 6 of us gathered together for brunch and all day of Colin Firth as the incomparable Mr. Darcy. After 6 hours of some of Jane’s best story-telling, we talked about going to our respective homes. But we didn’t. Instead we went out and rented Jane’s Emma and watched that.

I tell you this story to tell you what happened this past Saturday. A couple months ago, I was chatting with my friend and office-mate Ashley. We both love Jane Austen movies, and I mentioned what Kelly had done a few years ago. Ashley said it sounded like a great idea. We kept talking about what a good idea it would be, but we never really got anything planned.

Until about 6 weeks ago. That’s when we set a date, one we figured would be cold and we’d want to stay inside (of course, Saturday was a beautiful day, no snow, and actually rather warm) and sent out invitations. We got a group of 6 girls together who wanted to spend an entire Saturday devoted to watching Jane Austen movies.

Fast forward to Saturday, and Katie, Stephanie, Amy, Ashley, and I met at 10am for breakfast burritos (thank you, Amy, they were awesome!). And then we sat down to enjoy Mansfield Park–the old-school version with Frances O’Connor and Johnny Lee Miller. Ashley and Amy had never seen it. Or Northanger Abbey. Or Persuasion.

Oh, my word! It was amazing! With appropriate breaks for nachos (thank you, Steph, for the amazing nacho cheese!), puppy chow (Ashley, you rock!), and other assorted snacks, we made our way through the first three movies. It was agreed upon that our third flick of the day, Persuasion, as absolutely the best–receiving appropriate swooning from Amy and Ashley. Katie and Steph and I were already well acquainted with Rupert Penry-Jones’s awesomeness, but it was great to be validated by our friends.

By the time we finished Persuasion, it was nearly 6pm, and Jess Barnes, our 6th hadn’t made it over yet. (She claimed her dog groomer held her poor pup hostage all day. Hmm … likely story.) When Jess finally made it, we decided for one more Jane Austen movie–Sense and Sensibility, the one with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.

Add a little Chinese food for dinner, and boy howdy. We were stuffed, and super-giggly-girly after a day of Jane’s heroes. It was awesome! 🙂

I think we need to have a Jane Austen-athon every year! Maybe the 6-hour Pride and Prejudice will make a return next year. What’s your favorite Jane Austen movie?

The Christmas Gift Giveaway Begins November 27!

Don’t miss out!

As I’ve mentioned many times on my blog, I love Christmas! And I love giving Christmas gifts. So I’m delighted to host a Christmas Gift Giveaway on my blog from November 27 through December 18.

Since I happen to think that The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn will make a great gift (a perfect fit and price for stockings, too), I thought I’d give away a few copies, as well as some other cool stuff, like tea towels embroidered by my roommate Amy and gift cards to the winners bookseller of choice.

The joy of Christmas lies not only in the act of giving but also in the thoughtfulness behind each gift. As we anticipate the Christmas Gift Giveaway on the blog, it presents an opportunity to explore unique and personalized gifts that hold a special place in the hearts of the recipients. Alongside copies of “The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn,” you can consider custom gifts that carry a personal touch. For instance, name necklace for women are delicately crafted.

In the spirit of meaningful gift-giving, another wonderful idea to consider is a personalized photo keychain. This small yet sentimental gift allows the recipients to carry their cherished memories with them wherever they go. Whether it’s a precious family photo, a snapshot with a beloved pet, or a memorable moment captured with friends, a photo keychain serves as a constant reminder of those special times. The personal touch of selecting and customizing a photo keychain specifically for the recipient demonstrates a thoughtfulness that will surely warm their hearts. This unique and practical gift not only adds a personal touch to their everyday lives but also creates a lasting keepsake that can be cherished for years to come. By including such personalized gifts alongside other heartfelt offerings, the Christmas Gift Giveaway ensures that each winner receives a truly meaningful and memorable present.

In addition to these heartfelt offerings, the winners can also enjoy Amy’s beautifully embroidered tea towels and the freedom to choose their favorite bookseller through gift cards. By curating a collection of thoughtful and personalized gifts, this Christmas Gift Giveaway will undoubtedly create memorable moments and spread the joy of the season to all who participate.

Here’s what’s up for grabs:
First Prize: 3 embroidered holiday tea towels made by Amy, a signed copy of The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, and a $20 gift card to the winner’s choice of Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, CBD.com, or Walmart

Second Prize: a signed copy of The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn and a $10 gift card to the winner’s choice of Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, CBD.com, or Walmart

Third Prize: 2 signed copies of The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn-one to keep, and one to regift

Full details are available on my contest page, so make sure you check it out for rules and how to enter! Don’t miss out on the 1st ever Christmas Gift Giveaway!

Dreaming of a white Christmas until next time. -LJ

I am more excited about seeing this movie than I have been to see any movie in a long time. And it’s based on a true story! You’ve got to love that!

And my office-mate showed me an awesome article about this family in World Magazine. You can read about them here. Just such a cool story. I’m stoked for the movie to come out on 11/20. I’ll be there. Will you?

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

Here are the rules:
* Grab your current read
* Let the book fall open to a random page
* Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
*You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
* Please avoid spoilers!

This week’s teaser is:
“Talia’s parents are there. Her father–the king–is a skinny guy with red hair, and he actually looks sort of like the Burger King, only the Burger King looks a lot friendlier and happy about burgers and stuff.”
pg. 86 – A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

– I picked this book up at Barnes and Noble, and I’m actually really excited about reading it. It’s a really cool concept. The jacket flap says, “Think you haveing dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old.” So cool! 🙂

This was a hockey weekend for me! I love going to see live sports, especially hockey. So on Friday, when Jess L. invited me to go to the Colorado College hockey game on Saturday, I didn’t even hesitate. Of course, there was drama involving what I would wear. First, I was toing to wear a black shirt and orange sweater–the closest thing I could find to match the CC colors of gold and black. But as soon as I got changed, I realized that my hands were really dry, so put on some lotion and promptly squirted it all over my black shirt. Ugh!

But I didn’t know who CC was playing, so I didn’t know what color not to wear. I finally decided on a white shirt and purple sweater. But what if the other team’s color was purple? Then I’d get booed by the CC fans–who I don’t mind saying are more than a little bit intense.

When we got to the rink, I discovered that CC was playing Duluth, whose colors are gold and maroon. Whew. That purple was a little too close for comfort. But I survived, and the game was Awe-some. There were more fights than I’ve ever seen, and three players from Duluth were ejected from the game. It was so fun! And it put me in the mood for my favorite hockey movie of all time.

If you haven’t seen Disney’s film chronicling the true story of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team, you’re missing out. This is a movie for everyone who needs to be uplifted.

In 1979 the United States needed something more than the gas shortage, hostages, and a failing economy to focus on. That’s when Herb Brooks (played brilliantly by Kurt Russell) was hired by the lead the men’s USA hockey team to the 1980 Olympics. Brooks put together a rag tag team of college kids to play the best that the world had to offer–including the Soviet Union, who hadn’t lost in 20 years.

This team of kids, who fought among themselves over past rivalries, couldn’t possibly win the gold. Could they?

Miracle is just that. The story of a miracle that no one ever expected and a country really needed. Enjoy it!