Connie Onnie

Sunday, January 30, 2011

A little help

This is my google home page besides being able to check my email (gmail) & weather I get to check my google reader. I was shocked to find not everyone uses google reader.

Maybe you do not know what you are missing, let me explain. Google reader allows you to to check all your favorite blogs & websites in one place. You simply add the web sites you want to follow & when the sites update or posts the reader will show you. For example I know some people do not want to twitter or get twitter but might want to follow a band, celebrity, author, or company you can add their twitter to your feed, no need to sign up for twitter.

Here is a picture of my Google reader in list form, you can also show expanded and see the full post. No more having to go to your blog and click on the links that you follow, or signing into blogger to check only the blogs you follow there. Best of all you can blog stalk, no committing to blogger that you are following them. It is easy to remove feeds & no one is the wiser. You can follow yourself to see how many subscribers you have but it does not tell you who is following. No pressure you can try following a blog but if you get tired of it you can unsubscribe with no one being the wiser. You can learn more about Google reader or sign up for it here. Go my friends who do not already use this go and have your world changed, you will love it.

Speaking of blog stalking I would just like to say, following a strangers blog is not stalking. That is what blogging is for, putting yourself out there & finding others like you. Don't be afraid to comment on other people's blogs, because maybe they would love to blog stalk you as well. How glad I am that after meeting Stephanie Perkins at Project Book Babe I stumbled upon her blog & commented. I not only have made one new friend but others as well. Remember

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one." ~ C. S. Lewis

Don't let the friendship just be one sided chances are they want to know they are not the only ones who love something as well.

With A Little Help From My Friends by currancy

Friday, January 28, 2011

Out With The Old In With The New part 4

My favorite movies of 2010
Inception

I would have loved this movie just based on the fact that it has a bunch of good looking boys in it (Joe Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy & Tom Hardy) who are doing a heist. I love heist movies with a bunch of boys and one girl, Oceans Eleven, Newton Boys, The Italian Job & The Brothers Bloom. But Inception was so much more, the amazing details like the waredrobe. How each character had a unique style that fit their personality, especially how Dom (Leo) dressed like an old man, because in his mind he was. Am I the only one who was swooning over Arthur's (Joe) suits, because dang he looked good!
You know how movies about books are never as good, because in a movie you can't easily feel the emotions going on with the main character. Inception makes you walk out feeling exactly like Dom, is it reality isn't it. And for those who say the whole thing was a dream, that is a bunch of hooey.

True Grit

When I saw the Coen brothers were remaking True Grit I was very excited because my dad is a big Coen brothers fan. My brother Mark is as well, he forced me to watch No Country For Old Men edited of course. The movie was dark, funny & intense a good receipe for the Coen brothers. I saw it with my dad, four of my brothers, a sister in law & brother in law after we just kept talking about the movie over and over.

The Young Victoria

This technically came out in 2009 but I did not see it till 2010. If you are reading this chances are I already made you watch this movie with me.

As for 2011 here are some movies I am excited about.
Jane Eyre

I loved that they cast people age appropriate & what can I say I am a sucker for pretty movies. Doesn't it look pretty?

The Conspirator

I have been missing James, so I am very excited that he has two movies coming out!
X-Men First Class

Is that Mr. Rochester I spy as Magneto? James McAvoy will be playing Professor Xavier & look at Nicolas Hoult in the back (I am so happy how tall & handom the akward little boy Marcus from About A Boy turned out) will be playing Beast.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Christmas Time

Debbie & Russ invited my parents, my little brother & myself over for Christmas eve & Christmas morning. We had a nice dinner & after the kids got to open one present. They both got games, William got Star Wars Trouble & Gracie got Bed Bugs. William & I played Trouble while Gracie & Russ played Bed Bugs, but once they were done Gracie came to help me play Trouble. It was pretty much the sweetest thing because after she would move our guys she would turn and give me a hug. Here is a little slide show I made of some of the pictures of us hugging.

It was a very close game and William ended up winning but I told Gracie we won the cutest award.
Later that night my brother Ryan came by & brought with him these ginormous sparklers they got the kids out of bed and had some Christmas Eve magic.

Gracie saw my Dad wrapped up in a green blanket & said look it is the Grinch. This is my dad doing his Grinch impression, it is also his ghost, monster or pretty much anything that is scary impression.

CHRISTMAS MORNING

William got me I Heart London socks.

Gracie got me an Eiffel Tower necklace

Later the rest of the family came for breakfast and our family gift exchange.

I was really upset that I couldn't think of anything good for Russ when I very last minuet found this cool Abe Lincoln t-shirt. Russ is an Abe fan.

I also had Russ open Joseph's present since his shirt inspired the onesie I made for Joseph.

Joseph's middle name is Lincoln, it was so perfect & I am extremely proud & was singing that girl is crafty like ice is cold when I finished it.

Gracie hugging her Cinderella barbie doll I got her.

I have mentioned before how much William loves Harry Potter so you can tell he was happy about getting his gear from Santa. He also loved that I got him Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets the movie along with some Harry Potter Lego's.

The rest of the day was spent watching Harry Potter & Newsies or maybe....

Gracie came up to me and said she was tired a few minuets later we were like this.

I got some great gifts from Mark I got a camo snuggie perfect for when I go hunting & fishing, also it has pockets the perfect size to hold books. Ashley made me this awesome book holder that hangs from my bed. So much great stuff!!

It was a very happy Christmas

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Dear Past Connie

Do you watch video blogs or vlogs as they are called? Yeah I haven't really either, mostly because I don't know any vloggers. For some reason I have become fascinated with them recently and after watching something else on youtube I saw a recommended video and ended up watching several different vlogs. Watching this little community of vloggers made my heart grow as it always does when I see people find their people & come together.

A very popular vlogger (who I had no idea who he was until a few months ago when he made a music video for Ben Folds) Charlie McDonnell made a video to his 30 year old self. If you can't tell from the video below Charlie is 20, oh and British so he has girls swooning all over. He does fall into the 9 year limit, but it still feels wrong so I told Britt (Mimi's little sister) that she had to have a crush on him for me. Oh and in case you don't know what my nine year rule is let me explain. I found our a female friend had dated a guy 9 years younger than her & was a little grossed out by it. Until I realized I was being sexiest, it never bothered me when my girl friends either married or dated guys 9 years older than them. Equality! Anyway here is Charlie's video...

Now I realize that I probably should make a video response but that just seems like a lot of work & I hate hearing myself on videos. So I am blogging instead advice of what I would say to my 20 year old self if I could.

Meet 20 year old Connie

I am the one the far right (Lindsey, Debbie & me).Travis - Writing To Reach You by pulatow *

Dear 20 year old Connie,

It is me almost 30 year old Connie, I am writing to share some wisdom with you. First off I would like to tell you that you are not as sentimental as you use to be. It is alright if you go ahead and start throwing away cards, notes & other things you won't want to move around with you for the rest of your life. Also some of the people who you thought you were going to be friends with forever, some you are still friends with, maybe not as close as you thought you would be and some you are not friends with at all (these are mostly boys). Also some who are not really your friends now become really good friends later. I know some of this sounds really sad, but it really is not as sad as you think. Yes the first friendships lost do hurt but soon you realize that people change including you and as your life moves you onto different paths you each find new friends who are traveling the same path as you.

Second trust yourself, in the end you always stay true to yourself but you do spend a lot of time listening to others who think they know what is best for you. They don't mean any harm but listen to you, you know yourself best.

Third sometime you can get your way by being nice. I know who knew you don't have to be a witch to get what you want.

Fourth & last (it is late & I am tired) thirty is not old (so what if I just said I am tired and it is only 10:30), just start telling yourself that now. Maybe then you won't freak out when you turn 25.

Also it is to bad that youtube was not around because Lindsey & Lauren would have rocked it!

*Notice my red highlights (this note is for Charlie who will never read this or Stephanie Perkins)

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

To My Dad

Today my dad is turning 68! To celebrate I am adding some songs on my blog along with some pictures.

The Twist by Chubby Checker became his song for Debbie & I after he showed us he knew how to dance at Ryan & Charity's wedding.

The Twist - Chubby Checker by ConnieOnnie

I Like to tease my dad that I was named after Connie Francis, a crush of his.

Connie Francis - Somebody's Fool by ConnieOnnie
Jackson by Johnny Cash & June Carter, my dad likes some country. Thankfully my mom doesn't so we were didn't hear a lot of it.

Jackson - Johnny Cash by ConnieOnnie

Bring It on Hom To Me - Sam Cooke, I doubt this is one of my dads favorite Sam Cooke but it is one of mine.

Bring It On Home To Me - Sam Cooke by ConnieOnnie

Elvis Presley - Santa Bring My Baby Back

Elvis Presley-santa bring my baby back by ConnieOnnie

Sleepwalk by Santo & Johnny is the first song my parents danced to, so sweet huh!

sleepwalk - santo and johnny by ConnieOnnie

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Some November

I don't have any pictures of Thanksgiving but it was really nice. I got up to watch some of my family members run in some Turkey Trots & helped Debbie a little watch the kids since Russ was running. Then headed out to my moms where our turkey feast was well under way. That night some of us watched Home Alone. It was Williams first time watching & man did we all laugh really hard. We watched this part a couple times :)

Debbie, Russ & the kids decided to spend the night at my moms since Russ had to work Friday morning & William talked me into staying over as well. So Friday I spent the morning & most of the afternoon in my pj's I also watched Harry Potter with William. Who says he is going to be a wizard when he grows up. :)

Saturday was the family reunion on my dads side, it was great to be with family & catch up. I especially love talking Muse with Kelly, John & Chris.
We met at a park in Scottsdale that has a train, I waited so I could get a picture of my family on the train but did not see them. I was about to turn my back when I hear "Grandma, Connie" I turn to see little hands stick out of the cattle car. My brother, sister & brother in law are in there as well. Debbie has pictures which I am sure she post some day.

Here are my nieces Vaeh & Gracie after the train ride.

That night was Chelsea & Rajiv's wedding reception, which was at the Phoenix Art Museum. It was just beautiful & fun to catch up with friends. Here are some flowers from the reception.

I was over at Debbie & Russ's the other night & William showed me this.

It is a lightning scar he drew on his forehead. I can not even tell you how much I love talking Harry Potter with him. He is always asking me for spells (sometimes I make them up) and I was just told while taking Christmas pictures he did not say Merry Christmas he said Happy Christmas. Way to go my little brit-o-phile as Melissa likes to call me.

And then there was this little guy, isn't he just the cutest? His little pointy chin is just so cute, I just want to kiss him all the time. But he doesn't like it when my hair tickles him.