It's a Wonderful Life

Now that the boys are a older and they can take direction a little better, we are free to add a little oomph to our Christmas card photos. And they know that I only ask them to dress up and take nice photos ONE time a year on Christmas . . . and at Easter which is really two times a year and also Halloween which makes three, but who's counting?

I digress.

So this year, I thought we might go with the theme It's a Wonderful Life - a crowd favorite that's played in movie theaters every Christmas.

We had many inspirations to draw from, including movie posters:

But, while graphically beautiful, they either had not enough people represented or WAY too many. Sure, Aidyn and I could have looked lovingly up into Ryan's eyes as Jaxon was hoisted onto his back, but we didn't want the photos to look too staged. So, I turned to other inspirations such as movie quotes.

And after some thinking, I knew what would work for our family. With the purchase of an inexpensive movie board clapper and the participation of my two little hams, I got to be Donna Reed for our 2014 Christmas card. (Note: Jaxon later told us that he was "trying to be a squirrel" in this photo! Aah, method acting - wrong movie (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation) but A+ for effort!)

And we chose to use Clarence's quote and some of the day's funny "outtake" photos for the back:

Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season from our family to yours! Remember, it truly is a wonderful life!

Make sure to check out our Superhero Christmas Card if that's more your speed.

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Christmas Vacation - Do You See What I See?

By now, you have likely viewed The National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation approximately 3.6 million times if you are anything like our family.  But here are a few little known facts that just might have you viewing it once more this season, if only to check for yourself.  Read on for more.

Rocky never speaks in this movie.  Not one line, not even a mumble, nothing.  Maybe it was that lip fungus he was dealing with.  But then that didn't stop him from biting his sister, Ruby Sue, one fateful night. Hmmm, interesting.

In the scene where Clark finally gets his exterior lights working, and he goes up to each family member one by one and says a little something, his son, Rusty, is not present.

This is the only National Lampoon's Vacation movie that doesn't feature the song Holiday Road. Instead, the now famous Christmas Vacation song replaces the standard tune for this movie only.

Even though the family truckster has since become almost as famous as the movie series itself, the Griswolds drive a different car in this movie, a Ford Taurus station wagon.

Audrey somehow miraculously morphs into the older sibling for this movie. In both the original Vacation as well as European Vacation, Rusty was portrayed as the older of the two.

At the time of the film's shooting, there was a minor earthquake that occurred during the filming of the arrival scene of Uncle Louis and Aunt Bethany.  If you look closely, you can see the camera shake slightly when Aunt Bethany enters the house.

In the final scene, Ellen tells the cops it is their family's first kidnapping. But technically that isn't true. Remember how they kidnapped the security guard at Wally World in the original Vacation

movie? How quickly we forget.

Ironically, no part of this movie actually takes place on Christmas Day.

Go ahead, check for yourself.  Permission granted to watch this holiday classic just once more.  :)

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Farmer's Almanac Grow Days

If you are like me, and almost every other woman I know, then you are constantly trying to grow your hair longer.  Oh, I've tried all the tricks in the book, but this one was a new one on me.  At a recent hair appointment, my hair stylist clued me in on Farmer's Almanac grow days.  I had never heard of such before (at least in reference to anything hair-related).  Have you?

Apparently, the fine folks at the Farmer's Almanac not only predict weather patterns and the best dates to plant your vegetable garden.  They also predict the best dates to cut your hair to increase growth.  Who knew???  Apparently, all the stylists at my salon.  My stylist told me that they all trim each other's hair on these prized days.  No wonder they all have fabulous locks!

You can get the next 60 days worth of dates online, but if you are planning your hair appointments farther out than that, then you will need to invest in the good old fashioned hard copy publication.

If you are reading this entry today, the following are the best dates to cut your hair to increase growth for the next 60 days, and some of these are coming up, so start making your hair appointments now!

December:  22, 23, 26, 27, 30, 31

January: 3, 22, 23, 26, 27, 31

February: 1

Likewise, they also list the best dates to cut your hair to retard growth.  Hmmm, might want to avoid those dates if you are shooting for maximum growth.  Is there anything to all of this?  Who knows.  I cannot personally vouch for this system, but what can it hurt?  I'm certainly willing to give it a try. Marking the calendar now!  Who else is with me?