I know what you're all thinking....

What have I been reading/watching lately???

No?

Well, here's the answer anyway!

My week currently revolves around Wednesday and Thursday nights where I have finally officially caved into actually voting for my long-time fave SYTYCD! I'm thrilled Mia Michaels is back. I miss Mary Murphy's expertise but I definitely do not miss her voice! And already the choreography is more exciting than all of last season! I like the "all stars" and how each dancer is now judged more individually and can't be dragged down by a lesser partner. (I always think of "white lightning" and how she was so awesome but her partner just couldn't keep up! Once she switched partners, she shot right to the top!)

I just spent a week at my parents' house. I've gotten a bit addicted to Top Chef. Watched a few season finales in preparation for the new DC season. It seems like the new season is very much already a show about two guys, so hopefully things round out a bit soon!

Here's where I hang my head and admit I got sucked into "Bethenny Getting Married". I'm amazed at how someone can be wealthy and big in society but not know how to give birth!

Other recent flicks. This was not as bad as I'd feared. Let's put it that way. I liked the smaller story lines in the film about the little boy and his Dad. I kept waiting for the lead girl or boy to kick the bucket in true Nicholas Sparks style, but they didn't!

I loved loved loved this book when I read it several years ago but I tried to watch the movie by myself and couldn't finish it! Too scary to watch without my hubby!

Watched this one this week. It was cute. I liked most of the story lines. I just try really hard to NOT like Ashton Kutcher and his story line was integral to the movie so I didn't love the movie!

I did however really enjoy this one. Cute cute! I thought it was clever and I loved how the priest!

I read this book over my DC jaunt. I had lots of friends love it and a few not love it. I loved it. The ending left me hanging a bit but I enjoyed the characters and the changes.

head-hanging time again. I finished the Help on the last day of my trip and had nothing to read on the plane. I bought this in the airport and wish I hadn't. I shouldn't have finished it and am embarrassed to admit I did. It's going in the pile with Water for Elephants if that means anything to you! post-edit: my brother asked me what i thought of Water for Elephants. I was thoroughly fascinated by the main plot of the veterinarian and the circus and the romance and the circus life in the early 20th century. However, I did not enjoy the dark side of the circus, and it was too graphic and detailed on the sex and prostitution for me.

I saw this book on a friends GoodReads list a few months back and was intrigued. I got it from the library and ate it up. Literally! It was charming and sweet and like an adult's Ella Enchanted. A real world girl living in a fairy tale where people don't really even realize it! I loved it!

So I then tracked down the author's first book and I loved it too! It wasn't as much of a clean read as The Sugar Queen. There was more sex in it. It reminded me of the movie Practical Magic. I always liked that movie and how these normal girls were really witches but not scary ones. This book is like that. Normal women with the ability to cook food that will make you feel things or act certain ways. It was charming! Without the demonic possession at the end! :)

I stumbled on this movie during my cable week this week. Remember Grey Gardens? Well, HBO did it again! I'm sure this movie is close to my heart because of my brother but I loved it. Loved it!!! Rent it! I love movies where the actor dives wholly into the part, like Drew Barrymore in Grey Gardens or Meryl Streep as Julia Child. Where you can't see any of the actor, only their role. Claire Danes was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I loved the end of this movie. Temple goes to the Autism Convention in 1981 and she sounds strange and is dressed strange, yet, when she stood to make a comment, they all thought she must be a parent. They were astonished to find out she was Autistic. They asked her to speak and asked her how she was cured. Her answer was so true. "I'm not. I'll always be autistic." Then she went on to explain how she had been pushed to learn and get and education and grow and how her mother had never given up hope that she would talk. And it's true. She's brilliant. So is my brother. But he will always be autistic. But to me it makes him more brilliant.

Now I'm stepping off my soap box.

Any recommendations for me to read/watch next????

ps-just got "released" or finished serving with the area primary and will just be a primary sunday school teacher in my ward/congregation. That's my small bit of time freed up. Nothing too exciting!