Countdown to Christmas - Favorite Movies Hallmark Edition

It's officially time to begin counting down to Christmas, and I (like many others) always turn my TV to Hallmark for the Christmas movies. I have been doing this for the last 4 years and I'm pretty much obsessed. I can watch these movies on an endless loop no matter how many times I have seen them- most of them. Of course there have been some movies that aren't winners or that were just ok.

1. "Matchmaker Santa"

      Heroine: Lacey Chabert as Melanie

      Hallmark Hottie: Adam Mayfield as Dean

      Debut: November 17, 2012

As a little girl, Melanie Hogan wished to find her own prince charming just like her parents had. Now as an adult, Melanie is running her own bakery and dating a handsome CEO, Justin. Although things seem perfect when Justin asks Melanie to spend the holidays together at his beautiful lake house upstate-and meet his mother- Melanie finds herself spending more time with Justin's best friend and loyal assistant, Dean, who just might be harboring a secret crush on her. Complications arise that throw Melanie and Dean together over the holiday, but will they realize they're meant to be?

2. "The Mistletoe Promise"

       Heroine: Jaime King as Elise

       Hallmark Hottie: Luke Macfarlane as Nick

       Debut: November 6, 2016

We meet two unlucky people who both have negative views of Christmas: Elise Donner who is the creator, founder, and co-owner of a travel agency known as World Bright Travel Agency. Her co-owner is none other than her ex-husband, Dan, who switched up the Christmas presents one year and accidentally gave her a gift meant for his car show model mistress, Drew. Then there is Nick Derr, a divorce lawyer who has three Christmas ghosts, or three Christmases that have defined his life. He is up for partner at his law firm and needs a longtime girlfriend by the end of the week in order to prove that he is a serious family man like all the other partners before him. The two meet at a food court over their mutual hate for those treacherous Christmas carolers and create a mistletoe promise guaranteed to make him partner at his firm and give her an opportunity to get rid of the burden of her ex and his girlfriend. The promise is intended to be solely business but the spirit of the holidays and the amount of time spent pretending to be in love might just be enough to actually feel something for each other.

3. "A Royal Christmas"

       Heroine: Lacey Chabert as Emily Taylor

       Hallmark Hottie: Stephen Hagan as Leo/Prince Leopold

       Debut: November 21, 2014

Prince Leopold, heir to the throne of Cordinia, wishes to marry his young love Emily Taylor, a humble seamstress from Philadelphia. But Leopold's mother, Queen Isadora has other plans for her son. Will their love conquer all?

4. "The Nine Lives of Christmas"

       Heroine: Kimberly Sustad as Marilee White

       Hallmark Hottie: Brandon Routh as Zachary Stone

       Debut: November 8, 2014

After a stray cat adopts firefighter Zachary, he meets Marliee and realizes the single life is not as fulfilling as he thought it was.

5. "A Very Merry Mix Up"

       Heroine: Alicia Witt as Alice Chapman

       Hallmark Hottie: Mark Wiebe as Matt Mitchum

       Debut: November 10, 2013

Alice Chapman is a beautiful woman who recently became engaged to go-getter businessman Will Mitchum. When she travels to meet her future in-laws for the first time before Christmas, chaos ensues as she loses contact with Will and runs into who she believes to be Will's brother,then starts the holiday celebrations with the wrong family. Is this just a silly mix up, or is it fate for Alice?

6. "A Christmas Detour"

       Heroine: Candace Cameron Bure as Paige

       Hallmark Hottie: Paul Greene as Dylan

       Debut: November 28, 2015

Two New York City-bound travelers find themselves inextricably linked when a snowstorm reroutes them to an airport hotel in Buffalo. The pair are joined on this misadventure by an older couple named Frank and Maxine trying to get to Connecticut. As their madcap journey ensues, our foursome will find plenty of surprises in store.

7. "A Wish For Christmas"

      Heroine: Lacey Chabert as Sara

      Hallmark Hottie: Paul Greene as Peter Williams

      Debut: October 29, 2016

Sara Thomas is the type of woman who prefers to sit on the sidelines at work, but when her big idea for a Christmas initiative is stolen, she makes a wish to Santa that she'll finally have the courage to stand up for herself. Santa grants her wish, but only gives her 48 hours. As the clock ticks, Sara will discover how to channel the Christmas magic and speak her mind all on her own.

8. "Let It Snow"

       Heroine: Candace Cameron Bure as Stephanie Beck

       Hallmark Hottie: Jesse Hutch as Brady Lewis

       Debut: November 30, 2013

A self-defined Grinch, Stephanie, begins her stay at Snow Valley Lodge immune to Christmas sentiment. But as the lodge's festive traditions provide the Christmas Stephanie never had growing up with her distant father she finds herself enjoying every minute. To complicate her professional duties even further, the combative feelings she felt toward Brady turn into romantic ones. With Stephanie's newfound Christmas spirit and unexpected holiday romance, she begins to question Falcon's overhaul. As her Christmas Eve deadline approaches, she's faced with a decision: should she transform the lodge into a new winter hot spot or embrace tradition and let it snow?

9. "Princess for Christmas"

        Heroine: Katie McGrath as Jules Daly

        Hallmark Hottie: Sam Heughan as Ashton

        Debut: December 3, 2011

Christmas is right around the corner and Jules Daly is doing her best to create a loving home as new guardian to her mischievous niece and nephew. But when she loses her job and an exasperated nanny on the same day, a mysterious and unexpected invitation arrives - travel to Europe and spend a royal Christmas with the children's distant grandfather - the Duke of Castlebury Hall! It's a new world for Jules and the children as they discover their new prim and proper surroundings in the castle, but soon laughter begins to echo in the once quiet halls, filling everyone with renewed hope and joy for the season. And when Jules captures the heart of the dashing Prince Ashton, both of their lives begin to change in unexpected ways!

10. "A December Bride"

         Heroine: Jessica Lowndes as Layla O'Reilly

         Hallmark Hottie: Daniel Lissing as Seth Murphy

         Debut: November 20, 2016

A holiday wedding brings no joy to the bride's cousin, who was left by the groom for her cousin. In order to go to the wedding she enlists a former friend who introduced her ex-fiance and her cousin and he becomes her fake fiance. Will they find true love in the midst of this lie?

Honorable Mentions:

"A Perfect Christmas"

        Heroine: Susie Abromeit as Cynthia Faber

        Hallmark Hottie: Dillon Casey as Steve Faber

        Debut: July 16, 2016

A Perfect Christmas follows a newlywed couple celebrating their first Christmas together.

"Help for the Holiday"

        Heroine: Summer Glau as Christine

        Hallmark Hottie: John Brotherton as Dave Gabriel

        Debut: December 9, 2012

Sara Vancamp is a busy mom with no Christmas spirit. Christine is an elf from Santa's village who wonders if there could be more to life than making toys in the North Pole is sent by Santa to the real world to help the VanCamp family re-discover their Christmas spirit.

Countdown to Christmas - Favorite Movies

1. "Elf"

      I'm obsessed with this film and I have been since the first time I saw it in the 8th grade. It's absolutely hilarious and it's also heartwarming.

2. "Frosty the Snowman"

       How can anyone not love Frosty?! This movie never fails to make me smile and warm my heart. It's all about sacrificing for the ones you love.

3. "Rudolph"

     I love Rudolph. He's so precious and he's such an under dog! It's impossible not to cheer for him and his buddies. Although, I'm not a big fan of Santa's attitude in this film though.

4. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
      It's so interesting learning about Santa's backstory and where he came from. I feel like this movie reminds us to help one another and to be kind to each other.

5. "The Grinch" (cartoon version)

       Poor Jim Carrey, you just can't top this cartoon classic. The Grinch is such a precious tale of what can happen when you let love into your heart. Christmas is a season of unconditional love, sacrifice, and giving.

6. "The Santa Clause"
   
      I love all 3 of these movies. They truly are classics. I love the family dynamics and the magic in them. Remember, "seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing."

7. "Christmas with the Kranks"
   
     This movie is hilarious. It's such a fun change of pace. I mean who decides to skip Christmas?!

8. "The Nativity Story"

    You can't talk about Christmas without talking about the Christ child. This film beautifully displays the Nativity Story and everything Mary and Joseph went through. Jesus was born on that beautiful night making his birthday a time of love, sacrifice, and generosity.

9. "A Christmas Story"

    This is a classic. I have watched this every year my entire life. I love little Ralphie and his crazy family.

10. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"

       This movie is ridiculous and hilarious. It's impossible not to laugh.


Merry Christmas everyone! Happy holidays to you and yours!

DIY Lip Scrub

I have come across a recipe for an amazing lip scrub and I have to share it with you guys. I hate spending money on scrubs because I know they're over priced and I know I can make a more natural one myself. This one is by far my favorite lip scrub that I have ever tried.

What you need:

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

The cinnamon is optional because it increases blood flow so it will act as a natural plumper for your lips. If you don't like that burning/tingling feeling that a plumper gives your lips then don't include that. The vanilla is also optional because it smells amazing. 

A little bit of this goes a long way so I would recommend getting a little container (you can find them at the dollar store or I see them in packs of 4 at Publix all the time) and storing it in there. It can be stored at room temperature since everything is a dry ingredient. 

Book Review - "The Goddess Test" trilogy

Welcome to Ancient Greece in modern times!! This trilogy is interesting in the way it presents the Greek gods/goddesses and how they actually behave.

So we start off with Kate Winters and her very sick mother. They are moving to her mother's home of Eden, Michigan so she can spend her final days there. Kate is finishing high school and has been preparing for this day for a long time, but her mother is all she has in the world. She meets some interesting people at school, like the friendly James, the popular/bitchy Ava, the rude playboy/Ava's boyfriend Dylan, and a secretary named Irene who knows all about Kate's mom. Ava invites Kate to a party at a mysterious manor that is surrounded by greenery and fences. Kate is reluctant to go, but follows Ava. After a terrible accident, Kate's life changes forever. She meets Hades, the god of the Underworld, who now goes by Henry. He heals Ava and asks Kate to participate in the goddess test. Kate must stay with him for half of the year and pass a series of test administered by the Council (aka the other gods/goddesses) and if she does not pass she will either die or be sent away with no memory of what has happened for the last 6 months. Every woman that has participated in these tests so far has died, and Henry is ready to give up. If this happens, then Henry will fade or cease to exist.

Kate refuses to join this until Henry offers to help her mother. He tells her that he cannot heal her, but he can keep her alive. Kate readily agrees, against James many warnings. Kate moves into Eden manor where she is taken care of by the sweet Calliope and the brash Ella. They dress her, test her food for her, and make sure she has everything she needs. Ava follows her to Eden manor as a ghost as she died when Kate refused Henry the 1st time. Kate also runs into Irene from the school who is her mythology or history teacher. Kate tries to adjust to her new life and get to know Henry, but it's hard when he keeps up a constant wall. How do you get to know someone who won't let you in? Kate eventually makes her way into his heart and learns that he is still hurt and in love with his former wife Persephone. She was the daughter of Demeter and she had an arranged marriage with Hades. He was madly in love with her and she did not return his affections. Eventually she fell in love with a human named Adonis and Hades/Henry granted her mortality so that she could grow old and die with the man she truly loved. Obviously this destroyed Henry's heart and this creates a big obstacle for Kate. She meets with her mother every night in her dreams and discusses it with her. Kate falls for Henry, and it's hard to tell, but he does fall for her to. It's a sweet read. Until Kate is murdered. Yup. You read that part right. Things go horribly wrong with a major plot twist and that is all I'm going to tell you.

However, this is a trilogy so I'm sure you can guess that either Kate doesn't really die, she's brought back to life, or it was some crazy dream or something. Otherwise, this would have been a 1 book and done kind of thing.

The following books are good, but I do think the first was the best. The 2nd book had a part or 2 that infuriated me to no end, and I'm still angry when I think about it, so that obviously skews my view of it. Read it and you'll understand. The 3rd book brings a very interesting view of the Titan Cronus and is a heartbreaking and interesting read.

I definitely recommend these books (especially if you like Greek mythology).

Pretty Little Liars is Coming to an End

Well is everyone else just as depressed as I am?! Pretty Little Liars has been a Tuesday night staple for me since it premiered June 8, 2010. I had just finished my freshman year of college and had gone from having close friends to no one I could trust. My boyfriend, whom I was convinced I was going to marry, wasn't doing great health wise, and he lived in Nevada, so I was kind of lonely. I remember seeing previews for this show, and thought I would give it a chance. After spending my first hour in Rosewood something changed- I had friends. Obviously I'm not talking about real live breathing friends as this show is fake and so are the characters in it (no matter how great they are). However, I felt like I belonged. I felt a connection to these characters and I desperately needed that.

You see ,my 2 best friends both lived in Iowa by this point (don't ask why, I don't get it either). My friend from high school that went to college with me had completely betrayed my trust and our friendship ended. My 1st college roommate ended up moving home to California after not doing so well mentally during the first semester. My 2nd college roommate basically went MIA after our last day of school (only to randomly show up on Facebook 3 years later). So between this and the fact that my only real friend lived in Canada, I was desperate to find some sort of connection- even if it was fake or pretend. I mean in reality, isn't that why we get so attached to shows? The show itself and the plot is great, but we connect with the characters and we care. I care about these girls and I care what happens to them- that is why I have continued watching and I will continue watching until it ends next year. I have always loved shows where they have strong female friendships. I mean at any point these girls could have gone their separate ways or fought or ratted each other out, but they haven't. They have been to hell and back together and they stand by one another without question. I think part of the reason I love them so much is because I want friends like that and I want to be that kind of friend.

I will miss Aria, Hanna, Spencer, Emily, and Ali when they finally leave my life. I hope these girls actually get happy endings- they really deserve it after everything they have been through. I love them and I love their screwed up crazy lives. I am so sad that there won't be a Halloween episode though, I mean those were tradition! I am glad that they have gone as long as they did and after all, all great things must come to an end.

Thanks to Marlene King and her team for this incredible show with these incredible characters.

RIP (almost) Pretty Little Liars, you will be missed Bitches.

Book Review - "The Glittering Court"

I have very mixed feeling about this book to be honest...at first I was intrigued, then I was bored, then I was annoyed, and then I wanted to know what was going to happen.

The story starts with the Countess of Rothford whose name is Elizabeth. Her family is having money troubles and she is supposed to marry her 2nd cousin, but she refuses. She wants to be free. A man named Cedric comes to her home to recruit one of her maids, Ada, to The Glittering Court. Cedric's father started a company where they train young women of low stature and auction them off in the new world, Adoria, to be the new royalty. Ada gets very upset and Elizabeth comforts her. She's very drawn to Cedric, but has no idea why. After he leaves, Elizabeth pays off Ada and sends her home. Elizabeth assumes her identity- Adelaide Bailey, and runs away to join the Court. On her way to the manor house she is joined by 2 other women in the carriage. We meet Tamsin, a laundress daughter, and Mira, a Sirminican refugee who will become Adelaide's closest friends. On their way to the manor, Cedric and his father join them in the carriage. Cedric cannot believe what he is seeing and immediately recognizes Adelaide/Elizabeth, but says nothing.

At the manor, Adelaide tries to blend in and pretend that she is clueless per Cedric's request. She becomes close with Tamsin and Mira. Tamsin is extremely driven and wants to be the top girl in their class. She wants to be the diamond. Around Christmas time, Adelaide discovers that Cedric has a dangerous secret so they come up with a plan to make the best for everyone involved. Adelaide does a complete 180 in her classes and wins the top spot (as she should, since she has learned these things her entire life). With Adelaide as the Diamond girl and the most coveted woman of The Glittering Court, new complications arise.

The trip to Adoria proves to be dangerous and once they arrive, Adelaide catches the eye of the Governor's son. Out of everything that is going on in her life, the most dangerous complication will be the growing attraction between Adelaide and Cedric. Will she marry the Governor's son and help Cedric with his secret, or will she and Cedric be together in the dangers of the New World with targets on their backs?

"Captain America: Civil War" Movie Review

Holy Crap. This movie is freaking amazing. It is wall to wall action and heart...I don't even know what to make of it. 

SPOILERS AHEAD, SKIP TO THE END IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!!!!!!

Ok so wow. That first scene, Wanda is so cute just sitting there trying to be a spy. That fight got intense quick and Steve got distracted when Crossbones (the villian) mentioned Bucky's name. Steve was questioning him and Crossbones set off a grenande to kill them both. In an effort to protect Steve, Wanda moves Crossbones and the explosion, but she accidentally lets go of it in a building causing a lot of destruction. Once again, the Avengers aren't looking so good. It really sucks, because she's still learning to control her powers but she was just trying to save Steve's life. Later at the tower, Steve tries to comfort Wanda as she is very upset and the news is blaming her and the rest of the Avengers, but mostly her for the destruction and death of innocent people. 

Meanwhile, Tony is giving a speech at a college about being an inventor and he relives, in front of their eyes, the last time he saw his parents alive. He tells them that no one would invest in the glasses that made it possible, so he invested in himself and he was going to invest in all of their projects. Pepper's name comes up on the prompter and he ends his speech. Apparently he and Pepper are on a break. Tony goes backstage and tries to get the elevator when he is met by a woman. She proceeds to give him a picture of her dead son and tells him that he was killed after their stunt in Sokovia. This really gets to Tony.

The Avengers are presented with a deal by the Secretary of State from the United Nations basically saying that they will no longer act without permission and if they want to do something, they need the approval of the UN. It is a way to put the Avengers in check so that they don't get to just do whatever they want. Tony has already signed it and he tries to convince the others to as well. Natasha, much to the surprise of everyone, agrees with him and signs the deal. She says that they need to gain back the trust of the public. Steve disagrees. He has seen what happens when you blindly follow what the government tells them to do. After the situation with SHIELD/Hydra, he thinks that the safest hands are still their own. He thinks they can make the right choices and protect the world. 

Before they can get more into it, Steve receives a text and finds out that Peggy has passed away in her sleep. He is devastated. Sam attends the funeral with him and he is a pallbearer for her. It was so sad. Then who gets up to deliver the eulogy? Why Agent 13 aka Sharon Carter. She explains in her speech how supportive her Aunt Peggy was of her career choice and how she never told people they were related because Aunt Peggy was a lot to live up too. After the funeral, Nat shows up and hugs Steve. Her only reason for being there is that she is still Steve's friend and wants to support him. After this she leaves to go to the UN for the meeting. 

She meets T'Challa, the prince of Wakanda and his father as they are signing in. The king of Wakanda is giving a speech when the building is attacked and he is killed. T'Challa takes his ring and mourns his father. Steve and Sam see what's going on on the news and are amazed. Sharon meets with them at the bar and tells them that her agency has security footage of Bucky Barnes at the UN. The footage is released to the media, so now it is a worldwide manhunt for Bucky. Sharon helps Steve get a head start. He calls Nat and she begs him not to get involved. 

Bucky is busy buying plums...yes plums...and he is returning to his apartment when he sees his face on the front page of a newspaper. He returns home to find Captain America waiting for him. He  asks Bucky if he recognizes him and Bucky tells him that he's Steve and he learned about him in a muesum. Steve tells him he knows that is a lie, but they have to go. He finds a journal where Bucky has taken notes about him. Before they can get much farther, soldiers try breaking in to arrest Bucky. Steve and Bucky fight them off, drawing them outside where Sam helps them. Bucky is running on the roof when he is attacked by a guy dressed like a cat. Hello Black Panther. They fight and Bucky is brought in. 

Meanwhile in New York, Vision tries cooking a Sokovian recipe in an attempt to cheer Wanda up and it is the cutest most awkward thing ever. You will ship them after this scene. Wanda says she is going to the store to get paprika and Vision won't let her leave. He says she is there for protection, and she says she can protect herself. He says it is for the protection of other people and he apologizes saying his orders are from Tony. He tells her that he hopes one day everyone will see her as he does, but right now that's not the case. Wanda is hurt that he's keeping her there. Obviously, Vision is on Tony's side on this. 

Back at the German headquarters, Bucky has been locked up and is going to be interviewed by a doctor. Tony asks Steve to sign the papers again, and Steve considers it but ultimately declines again. Sharon turns on the interview for Steve and he watches. He only gets a glimpse of the doctor before the screen shuts off. Steve and Sam run to the floor where Bucky is and find all of the guards are down. Meanwhile, the doctor (Zemo) is our villain and he is giving Bucky the Russian commands to bring out the Winter Soldier. He let's Bucky out and he goes on a rampage. Tony gets his butt beat trying to stop Bucky and so does Nat. Steve tries to stop him but Bucky gets in a helicopter, which Steve pulls back to the building. The helicopter goes down and Steve and Sam escape with Bucky. 

When Bucky comes too he apologizes for what happened and confesses to Steve what happened with the doctor.  He tells Steve that there are more "winter soldiers" and they are just as lethal. They agree that they have to get back to the lab where he was kept and destroy them before this doctor unleashes them on the world. Steve, Sam, and Bucky meet with Sharon in secret who gets them their gear back. Bucky and Sam totally stole this scene. They were in the car and acting like children. Oh and Steve and Sharon kiss. I'm not happy about it. This felt rushed and strange because she's related to Peggy. I don't like it and neither do a lot of people. But anyways...

While this is going on, Tony goes to meet with...dum dum dummm Peter Parker aka Spider-Man!! 

Peter comes home and sees Tony with his Aunt May. Tony says that he would like to work with Peter and they need to speak in private. In Peter's room, Tony tells him that he knows Peter is this spider guy hero that keeps showing up on the internet. Peter tries to deny it, but Tony fishes out the suit (makes fun of it) and Peter gets him with his web. Tony is really impressed and offers him a better suit and asks for his help. 

Clint finally shows up after trying to enjoy retired life. He "rescues" Wanda from Vision's hold and once they get him down, they head out to help Steve. Clint tells her that they have 1 more stop to make before getting to Steve though. When they reach Steve they introduce him to Scott Lang aka Ant-Man. Scott is very very excited to be helping Captain America and it's hilarious and awkward. 

Then the battle begins. Bucky and Sam mostly fight with Peter Parker and they are even more annoyed with him than with each other. This Spider-Man is great. I have never been a fan of Spider-Man, but I like this one a lot. He was funny and he just kept talking his way through the fight. It was great. Finally, Steve and Bucky break away and almost make it to a jet but are stopped by Nat. She tells them she has to do the right thing, and let's them go. Black Panther is pissed and she points out that she only said she'd help him find them. They escape and in this Rhodes gets hurt. Vision was distracted by Wanda nearly getting hurt and when Tony told him to shot Sam, he shot and missed therefore hitting Rhodes and causing him to fall out of the sky. Rhodes ends up being paralyzed from the waist down and Tony helps tweak his suit so he can still walk using the legs. 

Well by this point Zemo is somewhere else and sets it up so housekeeping comes into his former hotel room. They find a dead body in the bathtub. It turns out that this was the actual doctor who was supposed to interview Bucky. Tony realizes Steve wasn't lying and maybe he has been wrong this whole time. He flies out to where the Secretary of State wants him to. It turns out to be a giant prison in the ocean. He walks through and sees Wanda with a straight jacket and shock collar on. He sees Scott Lang who tries to bash him, but Tony says he has no idea who he is. Tony passes Clint and Clint is furious with him. Tony finally stops on Sam. He asks Sam where Steve is and then he trips the system so the audio goes out and the Secretary can't hear what they're saying. He tells Sam what he's doing and that he is going to help Steve and Bucky. Sam tells him where he is and Tony lies to the Secretary saying he still doesn't know. He leaves and rushes to Steve's side. 

Steve and Bucky break into the old lab, without knowing that Zemo is there. They look around and Tony surprises them there. He makes peace with both of them and they work together. They find the other soldiers in their chambers, already dead. They don't understand why. Zemo tells them over the PA system that he would never unleash them on the world because they're evil just like the Avengers. He admits to the attack on the UN which Black Panther overhears and then he tells Tony about a mission the Winter Soldier completed. He plays the security video which shows Bucky wrecking the Stark's car and killing Tony's parents. Tony asks Steve if he knew and he says yes, and that he didn't want to make things worse by telling Tony. The 3 of them go at it and Zemo is loving it. Tony shoots off Bucky's metal arm and Steve bashes his shield into Tony's chest. Tony just lets him. He could have killed him, but he didn't. They leave Tony there and Tony yells out that Steve doesn't deserve the shield so he drops it. Meanwhile, T'Challa finds Zemo sitting with a gun and revealing about what he's done to the Avengers. He challenges T'Challa to kill him and he refuses. He hands him in. 

Tony gets a letter from Steve where Steve apologizes for what he's done and tells him he's always there for him. Steve includes a flip phone and says if Tony needs him to call. 

Bucky has decided to go back to being frozen until they can figure out how to fix his brain. He doesn't want to ever be "activated" again. Steve watches him go under again and then thanks dum dum dummmm T'Challa for helping! Yup, Black Panther who has been trying to kill the Winter Soldier all movie, ends up helping him because he recognizes that Bucky is a victim like his father was as well. We get a nice view of Wakanda and the giant stone panther outside of T'Challa's home. 

We also see Steve drop into the Secretary's prison in front of Sam. He's there to get his team out.

Overall, this movie was great. It was seriously great and the Russo brothers did an amazing job. I'm excited for the future of Marvel, but I really hope Steve and Tony become close again and the Avengers become a tight knit crew again. 

This movie DEFINITELY gets 5 stars!!! Go see it, you won't be disappointed!

Pretty Little Liars Recap - "Tick Tock Bitches" (S07E01)

Holy....Wow.

So we start back at the Lost Woods Motel where Hanna has been taken. The girls receive a text thanking them for Hanna and it's signed A.D. So who the hell is AD aside from the obvious Alison DiLaurentis?!

They are running to the police station-everyone is obviously freaking out-when they see Mrs. D's twin walking to the station. Toby goes in and asks her what he can do for her. She introduces herself as Mary Drake and says she owns the Lost Woods Motel and it was broken into. So this is Mary Drake aka Charlotte's biological mom and Ali's aunt.

They try to figure out who has Hanna and the girls get a text saying the bells toll for Hanna. The church bell tolls and they run for the bell tower and see Hanna's body hanging from the ceiling. They pull her down and think she's dead until Caleb notices that it's not Hanna, it's a mask. They pull off the mask and a creepy doll is looking back at them. Emily finds a pull string and the doll tells them that they have 24 hours to hand in Charlotte's killer to A.D. or Hanna will die.

The group meets at Spencer's house and all write down who they think killed Charlotte. All most all of them think it was Ali. Mona and Spencer were both a suggestion. Aria and Ezra share that it might have been Ali they saw the night of the murder. They say that she was wearing a red jacket and it was hard to tell which one of them it was but they were driving Ali's car.

Emily agrees to go see Ali, Ezra and Aria are going to check out Ali's house, Caleb and Mona will follow Mary Drake, and Spencer and Toby will investigate Mary Drake.

Toby and Spencer find out that she has traveled a lot and has books in other languages including a book about cyber war. Emily runs into Elliot at the hospital and doesn't give him too much information but begs to see Ali. He tells her that Ali's mental health has seriously declined and he wonders what she did to be so consumed with shame and guilt. Ali starts freaking out from her room and Em watches as the nurses and Elliot hold her down and tranquilize her. At the DiLaurentis house, Ezra and Aria find a hope chest at the end of the master bed but it's locked. Elliot comes home and they hide. He turns on the British news and comes to the bedroom getting a key from a lamp and unlocking it. He takes out a backpack and stuffs things in it and then gets a bag. He moves to the kitchen and pulls out a saw and puts it in the bag full of surgical tools. Ezra and Aria sneak out the window. Caleb and Mona keep an eye on Mary Drake and notice she's loading her van with things like bleach and charcoal.

Everyone gets a picture of Hanna and she looks terrified. They all want to find her. Hanna is sprayed with water by her torturer and then shocked repeatedly. It's so scary. Meanwhile, Caleb and Mona follow Mary Drake to the Hasting's house. Caleb texts Spencer to warn her. Spencer doesn't see the text and answers the door for Mary who introduces herself and asks if Spencer is Spencer or Melissa. She mentions that she used to know the Hastings and she met Spencer before but she wouldn't remember. Spencer invites her in for tea and they talk a little. Spencer finds out that Mary was born first and thought Jessica was jealous of her so she turned the town against her which is why Mary left. She and Jessica hated each other. She commends Spencer on being friends with an ex because she could never do that and she insists she has no children. She leaves and warns Spencer to lock her door because no one is safe. Creepy!!!!!

Hanna dreams about Spencer coming to her in her sleep. Dream Spencer tells Hanna to be strong and she will need her strength to get through this. Hanna tells her that she thinks she's going to die there and she should have listened to Spencer. Spence holds her and tells her that if there is a way in then there is a way out. Hanna asks Spence to stay with her and Spence tells her she always will. She holds Hanna and sings to her as Hanna goes "back to sleep." It was heart wrenching.

Emily goes to visit Ali again and is allowed in. She tells Aria she is there and she sits with Ali who is sleeping. She begs Ali to wake up and tell her what happened. She asks Ali if she killed Charlotte and Ali wakes up freaking out and asking God for forgiveness. Emily leaves really upset, but tells Aria she didn't get to see Ali.

Caleb and Mona follow Mary again and wait for her to do something. She's on the phone and all Mona can pick up from the conversation is that Mary is talking to a guy who is either British or Aussie. Caleb tracks the call to a bar by Hollis and Aria goes to scope it out, but finds nothing. She goes back to Ezra's apartment and tells him she doesn't care what they are right now, but she wants to stay the night there. Meanwhile, Emily uses her key to get into the DiLaurentis house and finds Elliot passed out on the couch. She goes to the bedroom and finds Ali's broken music box. She reminisces in the room and sees the boxes Ali was packing for Goodwill. She opens one searches through it, finding a red jacket. The same one Ezra and Aria had seen on Ali or Charlotte the night of the murder.

Spencer tells the rest of the crew that Mary Drake has been in and out of Radley. She was admitted as a teenager when a kid she was babysitting died. She was released at age 18 and was in and out. Emily comes in and tells them that she went to see Ali again and she had lied to Aria. She tells them what happened and that she looked at the boxes Ali had packed and found the jacket which she shows them. Caleb says they have to bring it to AD because they're almost out of time. Emily says she isn't sure they should do that because she loves Hanna and Ali but doesn't know if it's right to hand Ali over to AD. Caleb leaves with the jacket before anyone can stop him. He leaves it outside the Lost Woods and texts AD that Ali did it and the proof is there.

Hanna wakes up and remembers what "Spencer" told her. She finds a way out. Her torturer comes back to find an empty shack and someone bags the jacket. Hanna runs through the woods and finally finds a road. A car drives by and comes back and guess who is driving?! Mary Drake.

Caleb returns and asks if anyone has heard anything, but no one has. They're waiting in silence to find out what happened to Hanna. Em is worried and wants to go see Ali, but Aria and Spencer remind her that she's in a safe place and the mental institution she's in is well guarded.

Elliot goes in to visit Ali and drugs her with something while telling her that he knows she killed Charlotte and karma is a bitch just like her.

//pictures from Freeform

Greek Mythology Series - Zeus Rebels Against Cronus

Once Zeus got his father to spit up his siblings, they joined Zeus in rebelling against Cronus and the other Titans who sat by while they were being eaten.

This war was called the Titanomachy. It lasted for a solid ten years- fighting every single day but neither side had an advantage. Finally, Gaea stepped in and helped Zeus. She told him to release the Cyclopes and the Hecatonchires. Remember, these were Gaea and Uranus' children that Uranus had put in Tartarus. This was finally her chance to get back at him for what he did to their children.

He releases the creatures and the Cyclopes are so grateful that they create the lightening bolt as a weapon for Zeus. They create other weapons for the gods to fight with. The Hecatonchires throw boulders at the Titans with each of their 100 arms.

Two Titans, Themis and Prometheus, switched sides in the war and fought against Cronus. This was a great advantage to the gods. It is said that they switched sides because of the arrogance of Cronus. The gods won the war and Zeus imprisoned the Titans that fought against him in Tartarus.

The gods chose to spend eternity on Mount Olympus and thus became called the Olympians. Zeus was named Supreme Leader of the gods and the world spaces were divided among him and his brothers. He got the skies, Poseidon got the sea, and Hades was stuck with the Underworld. 

Greek Mythology Series - Cronus & Rhea

Cronus and Rhea are two of the Elder Titans. Cronus, Titan of time and Rhea, Titaness of motherhood and fertility got married and ended up having six children. These children would come to be the core Olympian gods.

Cronus and Rhea both came from Uranus and Gaea, and while they call each other brother and sister, it's important to remember that they aren't actually related. The best ways I have to explain this go as follows, if you have read/seen Twilight then continue reading, otherwise skip to my second explanation.

 1) In Twilight, Carlisle (the father vampire) adopted Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper. Rose/Emmett and Alice/Jasper end up pairing off and becoming couples. They all call Carlisle and Esme their parents, but none of them are actually related. It is helpful to think of the people in Greek mythology this way.
2) It would be the same as if I were to pick 12 people off the street and tell them they are my kids. I bring them home and we all live in one big mansion together. Eventually they all pair off and pick 6 random people from another street and tell them they're their kids. No one is actually related, but we're all pretending to be. Yes these Titans and Gods came from the same beings, but it's like they are completely different beings. If you looked at their DNA, it would not match one another's.

So Cronus, with the help of Gaea, overthrows Uranus as king. Cronus takes the title for himself and rules over the Titans. Things are great until he gets a prophecy from Gaea's Oracle that says one of his children would overthrow him. Cronus couldn't bear the thought, so he decided to do something about it. Rhea welcomed their first child, a glowing little girl named Hestia, into the world and what did Cronus do? He ate her of course. Yup, that's right. He swallowed her like a baby sized pill. The pattern repeated until Cronus had swallowed 5 of their children.

Rhea was very upset about this and she sought the help of Gaea who gave her an idea. Rhea gave birth to her 6th child, Zeus, in secrecy and left him to be raised by Gaea. Rhea gave Cronus a rock wrapped in a blanket which he swallowed. He didn't know the difference. When Zeus grew to be an adult, he found his father and gave him an elixir that Gaea had made which caused him to spit up his other children. All 5 of them were fully grown at this point.

The 5 of them decided to stand by Zeus as he declared war on the Titans. Let's not forget, while Cronus is over here eating his children, the other Titans are just going about their daily business and turning a blind eye to him. This obviously doesn't sit well with the 5 people who were eaten alive and spent their first years on Earth inside of someone's stomach.

Zeus and his siblings went to Mount Olympus to set up camp and prepare for war.

If you haven't figured it out by now, here is the list of Cronus & Rhea's children:

• Zeus
• Poseidon
• Hades
• Hera
• Demeter
• Hestia

Sometimes Zeus is referred to as the eldest sibling which can be confusing for some. Zeus was the last born so he was originally the youngest while Hestia was originally the oldest. However, she was the first swallowed and the last to come out of Cronus' stomach, so she is now the youngest of them. Zeus was never swallowed so he is the oldest.

Greek Mythology Series - The Beginning (The Elder Titans)

It all began with Chaos who is basically nothing. Gaea (the Earth) sprang form this nothingness along with Erebus, Tartarus, Eros, and Nyx. Erebus is the personification of deep darkness and shadows while Tartarus is the Underworld. Eros is love and Nyx is night. Nyx and Erebus got together and had Hemera (the day), Hypnos (sleep), the Moirai (the Fates), Geras (old age), Thanatos (death), Nemesis (retribution), Eris (strife), Charon (the boatman who brought the souls of the dead to the gates of the Underworld), and Aether (the air the gods breathed).

It is said that either Gaea created Uranus, the sky/heavens, herself or Aether fathered him.

Gaea and Uranus got together and had 12 children who are the Elder Titans. These Titans are:

Males-

Coeus, Titan of intelligence & far sight 

Cronus, Titan of time

Crius, Titan of stars

Hyperion, Titan of light

Iapetus, Titan of mortal life span 

Oceanus, Titan of all the salt water on earth 

Females-

Mnemosyne, Titan of memory

Phoebe, Titan of bright intelligence

Rhea, Titan of fertility & motherhood

Theia, Titan of shinning

Themis, Titan of divine law & order

Tethys, Titan of all fresh water on earth

Uranus and Gaea also birthed three Cyclopes (plural of Cyclops) and three Hecatoncheires. Uranus hated these creatures so he banished all of them to Tartarus.

Cyclopes are enormous one-eyed monsters birthed by Uranus and Gaea. However, according to Homer, their father is actually Poseidon.

The Hecatoncheires were giant creatures with a hundred hands capable of unfathomable strength and fifty heads.

Gaea was infuriated by Uranus' treatment of the Hecatoncheires, so she began plotting to overthrow him. 

Greek Mythology Series

So I'm thinking about doing a Greek Mythology series where I discuss the various gods and goddesses and other aspects of mythology. I love this subject and it's something I'm very passionate about. I'm actually toying with the idea of writing books about it. I was thinking of a nonfiction collection with the gods, goddesses, titans, lesser gods, and creatures as well as a fiction series. I think what Rick Riordan has done with Percy Jackson is amazing and I know it has sparked interest in a lot of young people about mythology. I also love Aimee Carter's The Goddess Test trilogy. It is a whole new perspective on the gods/goddesses and mainly on the myth of Hades & Persephone.

Here is how I'm thinking of outlining it:

• The Beginning - The Elder Titans
• Cronus & Rhea
• Zeus Rebels Against Cronus
• Olympian Series
• Zeus
• Hera
• Poseidon
• Hestia
• Hades
• Demeter
• Aphrodite
• Ares
• Hephaestus
• Apollo
• Artemis
• Athena
• Hermes
• Dionysus
• Persephone
• Lesser Gods
• Eros
• Helios
• Selene
• Aurora
• Nymphs
• Pan
• The Fates
• The 9 Muses
• Creatures
• Minotaur
• Centaur
• Cerberus
• Medusa
• 2nd Generation of Titans
• Jason
• Atlas
• Prometheus
• Hercules

I'm thinking of including famous myths in each post, or maybe doing a second post for the myths...I haven't really figured it out yet. I'm just obsessed with this topic and honestly my obsessions are why I even blog so this just makes sense. 

So here is to hoping that you'll join me on this Greek adventure!!!

New Girl Review

I'm obsessed with this show! It's so hilarious. I find myself quoting it all the time. At first, I was a little taken aback  by how quirky the main character Jess is, but she grows on you and you fall in love with her. She's hilarious and just wants to help everyone.

So the show starts with Jess needing a place to live after her boyfriend cheated on her. She goes on Craigslist and finds an add for a roommate. She assumes her roommates will be women, but when she arrives she finds 3 guys waiting for her. This is where we meet Nick, Schmidt, and Coach. They are great. Jess is a very quirky teacher and it takes some time for the guys to adjust. Schmidt does most of his adjusting when Jess' best friend CeCe, who happens to be a gorgeous model, comes to visit. Schmidt is instantly obsessed with her. Coach is replaced in the following episode by Nick and Schmidt's old friend Winston who has come back from playing pro basketball in Latvia.

This group is insane and this show is freaking hilarious. I love it.

The main cast includes:

• Zooey Deschanel as Jessica "Jess" Day
• Jake Johnson as Nick Miller
• Max Greenfield as Schmidt
• Lamorne Morris as Winston Bishop
• Hannah Simone as Cecilla "CeCe" Parekh
• Damon Wayans, Jr. as Ernie "Coach" Tagliaboo

Also, watch out for their BA drinking game called True American. It is so confusing and so funny that even though you barely know any of the crazy rules, you want to grab your closest friends and attempt a game.

I 100% give this show 5 stars...WATCH IT!!!!!!