Thursday Must Watch Reviews–Volume 32

I’ve always been fascinated about the Kennedy’s and saw on Ellen that this show would be on Reelz.  It was suppose to be on another station but they thought it would be too racy?  I think they did a great way of portraying everyone and they hint to the affairs but didn’t go into depth. It’s an interesting look behind the curtain.  I highly suggest you watch this mini series (It’s 8 total episodes).

The drama relives the public and private joys and tragedies of the most influential family in the world including fraternal rivalries, mob associations, the drugs and the women. The series recreates the political crisis that John F. Kennedy dealt with in the early days of his presidency including the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and the Civil Rights Movement. Viewers will see every twist and turn of this clan’s extraordinary story up to and including the assassinations of JFK and RFK.

As you know I love Weddings and I love Tori Spelling so guess what I was THRILLED to see they had a new show that I wanted to watch.  I’ve seen the first 2 episodes and love it.  It of course needs some tweaking but by season 2 it will be worked out. 

Combining Tori Spelling's party planning flair with her husband Dean McDermott's bring-it-on attitude, "Tori & Dean: sTORIbook Weddings" takes one lucky couple's wedding from ordinary to extraordinary. In the lead-up to the big day, Tori will turn the bride-to-be's dreams for a beautiful event into a reality while Dean will help the groom-to-be navigate all the twists and turns. Together, Tori and Dean will also help to overcome the potential issues with family, friends and the couples themselves that wedding stress may cause. The celebrity power couple understands the enormity of the day, having planned several weddings that aired on Oxygen, including their hit series "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood."

Now I’m usually a huge fan of true stories but that is ones that you find on Hallmark & Lifetime.  This movie just wasn’t my cup of tea.  This would be more for Rick (he sadly was working so he didn’t see this).  I just couldn’t get into this movie and I LOVE LOVE Sean Penn. On a side note I still think he was robbed for the Oscar for I am Sam .

After her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), writes op-ed columns accusing the Bush administration of misleading the public to justify invading Iraq, Valerie Plame Wilson's (Naomi Watts) status as a covert CIA agent is leaked by administration officials. Based on events described in Plame Wilson's memoir, this drama explores the political scandal that led to the conviction of Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Yeah to Betty White and this movie had a great Hallmark feel to it.  You just have to love Betty White and following along on this journey to fulfill a promise she had made to her late husband.  Along the road she and her granddaughter find out more about each other.

Determined to fulfill her husband's final wish, Annie Eason (Betty White) plans to spread his ashes from a bluff they nicknamed "Annie's Point." When her son Richard (Richard Thomas) tries to stop her, Annie embarks on a cross-country road trip with her granddaughter, Ella (Amy Davidson). With Richard hot on their trail, Annie and Ella have a blast on their journey as they bond and even go on a gambling spree in Las Vegas. 

Ok if you know me you know I’m a HUGE Cher fan.  I’ve been dying to watch this movie, that could be my problem I hyped it up and then it was knock my socks off good.  It was just ok, the singing of course was great. I NEVER knew Kristen Bell could sing, it was nice to hear that.  Overall it was just ok, maybe if I went in just thinking it was a normal movie and it would be better.

After leaving Iowa with stars in her eyes, Ali (Christina Aguilera) arrives in Los Angeles and at a burlesque lounge, where she dreams of taking the stage with her soaring voice. Club owner Tess (Cher) is about to lose the place and thinks Ali may help business. Meanwhile, Ali's roommate (Cam Gigandet) starts to fall for her in this snappy, Golden Globe-nominated comedy co-starring Stanley Tucci as Tess's sidekick and Kristen Bell as Ali's rival.

Both of these actors are some of my fav, Anne Hathaway has touched my heart in so many films, sadly NOT this one.  This movie did have some great moments but it was just ok if I had the energy to stop the other things I was doing I would have turned it off.  Beware it is a R rated movie and it has tons of adult content.  You will be attached and feel sorry for Anne’s character (it is a sad story, just the movie not so hot).

Pharmaceutical representative Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes a player in the big game of male-performance-enhancement-drug sales and, along the way, finds unexpected romance with a woman (Anne Hathaway) suffering from Parkinson's disease. Based on the real-life Jamie Reidy's memoir, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman, this satirical look inside the culture of Big Pharm is directed by Edward Zwick.

You know I’ve been hard on comedies lately but really they just haven’t lived up to the hype.  Now Steve Carell I can take or leave but Paul Rudd usually always makes me laugh.  But this movie at points just fell short for me, yes I did have some laughs and other times I rolled my eyes thinking oh come on move on.  It was an ok rent, I say Red Box $1 ok not pay preview .

Tim Conrad's (Paul Rudd) boss hosts a dinner party where he invites his friends to bring along the saddest, most pathetic loser they can find. But when the ultimate schmuck (Steve Carell) arrives, his actions somehow turn everyone else into the losers. Comic heavy hitters Zach Galifianakis and Ron Livingston lend able support in director Jay Roach's (Austin Powers) darkly humorous film, an adaptation of the French comedy The Dinner Game.

I love the Veggies Tales and when I found this on the instant download and the boys just loved this.  Veggie Tales is a great Christian based stories that teach great values with a cartoon charters that kids love to watch.

In this VeggieTales feature, Junior Asparagus plays wide-eyed flobbit Toto Baggypants in a charming take on The Lord of the Rings. The adventure begins when Toto inherits a magic bean from his Uncle Billboy. Determined to learn the purpose of the enchanted legume, Toto and his friends embark on a mission that leads them across the mountains of Much-Snowia and into the realm of sinister Lord Scaryman. Country artist Wynonna provides theme music.

Our second Veggie Tales was one that is a little older but still a good one!  The boys love anything about outer space so this was bound to be a hit.  Yet again if your looking for a great movie that has values you want your kids to learn and in a way they would love to sit and watch!

Junior Asparagus tells his dad a white lie to avoid getting into trouble, only to have it snowball into an out-of-control monster in this installment of the popular animated Christian children's series about a group of loveable vegetable characters. Larry-Boy tries to save the day, but it's up to Junior to learn the value of honesty and to right his wrong -- before his innocent-seeming fib takes over all of Bumblyburg!

Happy Thursday everyone!  I’ve been behind on this so sorry for the long list (sadly I have more but skipped ).

Alexis Experiments ... So you don't have to (or maybe you'll want to)`

Did I get you with that title? LOL no I'm not do anything life changing just looking for things to do around the house that save time and money. I thought I would share my thoughts on items and things to do around the house.

I experiment so you don't pull your hair out :)

We had a tough time getting Cole to completely wash his hands or not get his "business" on my soap pumps so this was the perfect thing for us. Now the batteries that came with it only lasted 2 weeks and the first soap only lasted a week too. The refills are almost $4 so that was a bit much so I took a screw driver popped off the top and filled it with a generic soap, don't tell :). It was so easy and the second time around we're lasting a little bit longer the newness is rubbing off.

This smells so GOOD!!! It didn't lasted about 2 1/2 weeks, now I work from home so I got potty a lot and have 2 boys home a lot. So in a normal house it would probably last a month. But the smell is great it made the whole bathroom smell good.

Ok this thing rocks!!! It was easy to put in and then the clothes smell awesome and they are so fluffy. I got the 2 month which was 10 cents cheaper then the liquid I use that only last a little over a month.
I love Marzipan and oh my gosh they had to make a ice cream with it!! Come on are you trying to kill me? LOL it's super yummy and thankfully I'll stay out of that isle for a year now.
I know these are better for the environment but I HATE these cartons. And when you have a 6 y/o that wants to be independent this is like a pool of milk!!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

ALEXIS NOTES: I couldn't find Washing Soda (Went to 4 stores) so I found online you could 1/2 baking Soda & 1/2 Oxy Clean. I ended up using the store brand which works just perfect, but I'm going to hunt and find Washing Soda. I also used Ivory which I'm not big a fan of but it was the only one of the soaps listed I could find. It doesn't really suds up and I will be on the hunt for the others. Overall the clothes come out smelling clean and DON'T worry I tested it with the nasty kids clothes.

Don't pull your hair off

Straighten up and you'll be ok!!

I paid for all these products and tested them out of the kindness of my heart ... LOL :)