More Thoughts on the Disney-Lucasfilm Buyout

Now I’ve had some time to think about it, I have more sophisticated thoughts about the Disney-Lucasfilm buyout. The idea that I’m struggling with the most is that Disney wants to keep releasing more films every few years into infinity. One day soon, the original trilogy will be buried under a pile of new films, and I just feel so strange about that. According to George Lucas, the script treatments for episodes 7-9 are totally original; they won’t follow any specific plots from the novelized extended universe. Disney’s most likely going to follow Lucas’ scripts, but if it keeps making … Continue reading

A Beastly Glimpse Inside Disney’s Enchanted Forest

Beast’s Castle, still under construction The official Disney Parks blog has posted a ton of videos lately about the Enchanted Forest section of the new Fantasyland expansion. Given that that’s the area that will feature “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” I can’t resist highlighting them. Most of the recent sneak peeks have all been about the latter. The earliest videos all previewed the Be Our Guest restaurant. If you’d like to have a meal in the world of “Beauty and the Beast,” this restaurant will be for you. It’ll open with three dining rooms in the middle … Continue reading

Teaching Your Children About Their Heritage

Today is a special day here in Utah, it is the day we come together as a community and celebrate our pioneer ancestors who settled here so many years ago. Children gather in the streets as they watch our biggest parade of the year. With floats, handcarts, horses, and wagons children cheer in excitement. This is a time for each of us to remember the great sacrifices they made as they continued on their journey west. Without this annual celebration, many children may never have the opportunity to see a handcart. As parents this is a great teaching moment. Whether … Continue reading

First Glimpse of Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent

I’ve reported less on forthcoming Disney movies than I used to, now that I’ve learned how the whole studio machine works. I don’t believe rumors of a film until filming actually starts and we see some production photos. That’s why I’ve said very little about Disney’s live action Maleficent film. I first heard rumblings about Disney wanting to make a live action movie about one of their most popular villains back when Tim Burton made his feature length “Alice in Wonderland.” At the time the rumor was that Burton wanted to direct. After hearing that I assumed that Helena Bonham-Carter … Continue reading

A Family Outing Part II

Seeing the monkeys through the glass up close and personal was a really neat experience for our son. He had never been that close to monkey before but he wanted to see them without the glass as well. The monkey exhibit was one of the larger exhibits (I guess monkeys need more room to play). My husband put our son back on his shoulders and they looked at the monkeys from every possible angle until our son was ready to move on to a different exhibit. I did not think that the next exhibit would be the excavator working on … Continue reading

Book Review: No Biking in the House Without a Helmet

I just finished one of the most delightful books I have read in a long time, “No Biking in the House without a Helmet” by Melissa Fay Greene. It is the story of an everyday, Jewish family who decides to expand from having four biological children to eventually nine, through adoption. There are a couple of interesting threads you get to follow through the story. The first is the process of adoption. While everyone’s story is different, it gives you a good feel for what it might be like. What especially struck me were the initial feelings of that first … Continue reading

Heading South

When you think of spring break what immediately comes to mind? Most people typically think South Padre, Fort Lauderdale, and Lake Havasu. However, if you are trying to avoid half-naked, drunk college coeds partying it up next to your sand castle-making kid, then you might consider heading south, minus the mayhem. South Carolina is an amazing spring break destination for families. The state is home to Myrtle Beach and miles of pristine shoreline. From para-sailing and jet-skiing to kayaking and surfing, the area’s waterways and ocean access are hard to beat. South Carolina also offers a plethora of land-based attractions, … Continue reading

Take It Outside – How To Use Your Computer Outdoors

While it is officially springtime, the season has yet to make a permanent appearance where I live. We got glimpses of it last week, with warmer temperatures, melting snow, and oodles of oozing mud. This week has been rather cold and we even got some more snow earlier in the week. I’m dreaming of spending more time outdoors, and since I work from home that means that I have the freedom to do my work anywhere I choose. I’m sure that I am not the only one who is looking forward to warmer weather, so I decided to round up … Continue reading

Does Your Family Have Stories About Halloween?

Halloween is a time of year that brings back memories for some people. This is a great time of year to collect and record some really funny family stories. Ask your relatives what they dressed up as for Halloween when they were children. This is a good way to connect with living relatives, and to get a glimpse of what they were like as children. It is also a great way to get someone to tell you a story from their past. My family enjoys Halloween, and there are many family stories connected with Halloween that are fun to share. … Continue reading

Another Mouth to Feed

My 6-year-old daughter has always dreamed of having a younger brother to boss around. Actually, what she really wants is a dog. A feisty yellow Lab puppy that will fetch anything and everything she throws his way. She wants a four-legged companion to “sit,” “heel,” “roll over” and “beg” on her command. She wants to be in control. She hungers to be the master of someone else’s destiny. She wants power! But what she got is a fish. After years of begging for a pup, a few weeks ago my pet-loving, power-hungry daughter settled for a fish. Charlie the fish … Continue reading