“The Borrowers” was one of my favorite books when I was around my son’s age so I was excited to see this film and I think my excitement may have rubbed off on them as well.

The film was near perfect, creating an amazing transition from the world we know to the miniature world of the borrowers and back again.

From the scene where Arrietty picks up a pill bug and it curls up in her hand, to the rainstorm where she runs through the garden carrying a leaf as her umbrella, the animation was delightful and told as much of the story as the dialogue.

Although all of the characters are loveable, the housekeeper, Haru (voice of Carol Burnett), was just wicked enough to entertain the audience as we watched her struggle to capture the “little people.” I just about died laughing when my son quoted her, with exact emotion, several days after seeing the movie:

“Who took my lady?” – Haru (voice of Carol Burnett)

With the exception of a scene where the pest-control person whips out his cell phone, there’s nothing from this movie that screams “modern,” keeping true to the original book and truly providing a wholesome movie experience for the entire family.

We need more films with a strong, female protagonists and The Secret World of Arrietty is a great example with a fun and exciting storyline that young boys and girls will enjoy as much as their parents.

Sidenote: I didn’t realize Will Arnett and Amy Poehler were married in real-life until the press kit arrived for this movie. They made a cute animated couple and I’m pretty sure parents in the audience will appreciate the humor found in Homily and Pod’s behaviors and lively banter.

From the creators of Despicable Me and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D -CG feature Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, an adaptation of the classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover… the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

Danny DeVito will lend his vocal talents to the iconic title character of the Lorax, while Ed Helms will voice the enigmatic Once-ler. Also bringing their talents to the film are global superstars Zac Efron as Ted, the idealistic youth who searches for the Lorax, and Taylor Swift as Audrey, the girl of Ted’s dreams. Rob Riggle will play financial king O’Hare, and beloved actress Betty White will portray Ted’s wise Grammy Norma.

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is the third feature created by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me, Hop).

You know you want to be the first to see it  – so follow the instructions below in our Rafflecopter widget to enter. We hope to see you there on the 25th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Checking out at the supermarket recently, the young cashier suggested I should bring my own bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. I apologized and explained, “We didn’t have this green thing back in my earlier days”. The clerk responded, “That’s our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations.” She was right about one thing — our generation didn’t have the green thing in “our” day. So what did we have back then? After some reflection and soul-searching on “our” day here’s what I remembered we did have….

Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles repeatedly. So they really were recycled.

But we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two streets.

But she was right. We didn’t have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby’s nappies because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 240 volts — wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right. We didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the country of Wales. In the kitchen, we blended & stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working and walking so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right. We didn’t have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mums into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn’t it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we older folks were just because we didn’t have the green thing back then?

Looking at my stats, I’m always interested to see what posts are the most popular here. Check out the list of the most-read links of the year:

10. Jessica Alba – stepmom and secret agent in SpyKids: All the Time in the World – Admittedly, I never did see this movie, but I was able to participate in a conference call with Jessica Alba and got some great insight on her role as mother (in real life) and stepmom in this film.

9. Hood vs. Evil – I loved this movie. The original too.

8. What I learned at Social Media Camp – I was excited to be invited to participate on a panel at this year’s Social Media Camp in San Diego. Always great people to connect with at these events.

7. Botox and Beauty Queens – I had almost forgotten about this story from earlier in the year. I’d love to know what’s happened with this mom and her daughter.

6. Living with food allergies – how to keep your child healthy – An important post that offers a cool resource to send your children to school with that will set your mind at ease.

5. Father’s Day Gift Guide – I love picking out gifts for my husband so it’s always fun to put lists like this together.

4. Fatherhood – The Other ‘F’ Word – A great film, awesome music and fun  – the other ‘f’ word I’d use to describe this awesome rockumentary.

3. San Diego BlogHunt – This was so last minute, but apparently, pretty popular despite the fact that there were less than a dozen participants. Quite fun and something I hope to duplicate for next year’s BlogHer conference.

2. Playful Learning – fun & educational projects for kids – As part of the blog tour for the author of this book, I’m pretty sure the traffic for this came from her efforts and I so appreciate working with partners like this who get how important it is to share and market the hell out of something good.

1. Spread the Word, not an STD – I’m guessing the stats are not correct on this. Pretty sure there are more people with STDs than we’re led to believe. At least there are a lot more than we know of searching for info on them, so it leads me to believe there’s a reason for that.

Yep, my most popular post of the year was on an important subject and yet one I don’t think enough parents talk about with their kids. Or enough partners talk about with each other. Sex is fun. Safe sex is funner. Trust me.

Have a happy, healthy & hip 2012. Thanks for reading.

He spends half the time with his dad, when he gets one-on-one time and pretty much anything he wants.

When he’s with me, with us, he has to share my affection and attention with his step-dad and younger brother. And he doesn’t get whatever he wants. Not even close.

No wonder he can’t wait to go to his dad’s house and no wonder why he reminds me, often, how much he misses his father when he’s with us.

I know I am not my son’s favorite parent. He’s told me so. Several times. And it hurts. It hurts to know that he’d rather be somewhere else, other than home. Other than with his family.

Last week, during a particularly rough morning, my son informed me that his birthday wish is to stay at his dad’s house forever. It crushed me. To the core. I honestly can’t recall ever feeling that way before.

Today is my son’s birthday. He’s turning 8 and he will make a birthday wish when he blows out the candle and my heart just might break as I watch and wonder what’s going through his mind. Shouldn’t eight year old boys wish for expensive toys, video games, or to someday visit the moon?

He’s another year older. Another year closer to being old enough to make that decision, picking which parent to spend the majority of his time with, and already I find myself mourning the loss of having him with me as often as he is now.

Sharing custody is not easy for any of us. Right now, he has no choice but to go back and forth when all he craves, all he needs, what he really needs, is consistency.

We can offer him plenty of love and we can serve as a great example of what a healthy family looks like. I don’t think we have more to offer than what his dad can provide or that he will be better off with us, but I do know that he has every right to want more time with his favorite parent, just as I have every right to wish that parent were me.

Eight years ago today, I became a mom for the first time and it should be a joyous occasion, but instead, I’m smiling through the tears, trying to enjoy each moment and get as much one-on-one time with him as I can, hugging him and loving him with every ounce of energy that I have.

I don’t know how much longer he’ll allow me to do that.

Happy Healthy Hip Parenting

Medela
Rango – Nintendo DS video game
Organically Grown
TurboTax
Spa Week
PumpEase
Harry & David
Dairy Queen
Stater Bros.
Rock Me! Made with Love in the USA
Jenerations Baby
Byer Clothing
Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina
The Information Blanket
Cube Dog
Webkinz
Juice in the City
First Alert
Natalie Jenette Photography
Digital Folio
BMO Harris Bank
ideal4aCause
Tiny Prints
Social Vest
native shoes
N-Style ID
Gatorade
Invisalign
Nissan Quest
Ella’s Kitchen
Bunki Munki
Hop – video game for the Nintendo DS
Dagedar – video game for the Nintendo DS
Ruckus Media

I received review copies of the following books in exchange for an honest review (some reviews are forthcoming):

Lust Anger Love
The Sandalwood Tree
Times Two
The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories

Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing
Moregasm
The Blessing of a B Minus: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Resilient Teenagers
Blacklisted from the PTA
The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children

Made to Play!: Handmade Toys and Crafts for Growing Imaginations
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy

Scars
The Man Test: Hundreds of Questions to Test Everything a Real Man Should Know
150 Things Every Man Should Know
Hot (Sweaty) Mamas
The Princess and the Peanut: A Royally Allergic Tale
The Thinking Girl’s Treasury to Dastardly Dames
The Like Economy: How Businesses Make Money With Facebook

I was able to attend view screenings of the following films this year in exchange for a review:

The Other F Word
Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs Evil

Please contact me if you’re interested in working with me in any capacity. I look forward to working with more companies in 2012 to help get the word out to healthy, happy, hip moms and dads.

Read the full Disclosure Statement to learn more about my relationship with sponsors, advertisers and companies both small and large, local or otherwise.

Willow (1988)
We watched this movie a few months ago. I was not prepared for the scene with the two-headed dragon!

The Iron Giant (1999)
The story of an unusual relationship between a little boy and a giant robot from space.

The Last Unicorn (1982)
One of the few films for kids with a true female lead.

The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953)
A film by Dr. Seuss…

The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Another movie from my childhood that I don’t remember a single detail of.

Flight of Navigator (1986)
The 1980s and Paul Reubens = always a great combination.

Steamboy (2004)
If you like steampunk, and anime, you have to see this film.

*batteries not included (1987)
Some tiny spaceships arrive on Earth and help a group of tenants about to be evicted save their homes.

Mac and Me (1988)
Mac may or may not be related to E.T. We’re not sure.

The Witches (1990)
Surprisingly scary for a kid’s movie.

The Labyrinth (1986)
Jim Henson and David Bowie. What could be better?

The Brave Little Toaster (1987)
If you’ve ever wondered what your gadgets do in their spare time… you should see this film.

Legend (1985)
Tom Cruise and Tim Curry are a great combination.

Star Dust (2007)
Claire Danes and Sienna Miller. Yep.

The Goonies (1985)
Classic. Must-see.

The Princess Bride (1987)
My husband was shocked that I had never seen this film so of course we’ve watched it nearly a dozen times in the last year. My son quotes this movie often.

Dark Crystal (1987)
Another one that I haven’t seen in a while. Jim Henson at his finest.

Hook (1991)
Steven Spielberg. Enough said.

The Golden Compass (2007)
You should read the book first.

MirrorMask (2005)
Wonderful, surreal and quite a ride.

Titan A.E. (2000)
This is a great star-studded sci-fi cartoon (with music from The Black Eyed Peas) that kids and adults will like.

What movies would you add to this list?

The statistics on depression are startling and I have a feeling these numbers don’t take into account individuals who are in denial or perhaps not in a place where they feel safe, or comfortable. They can’t see or think clearly when the darkness takes over.

After hearing some very sad stories recently about young people and older adults taking their lives or attempting suicide, I started to think about the people around me and wondered if there was anyone I knew that was dealing with depression on their own, in silence, or simply walking around feeling numb to the world around them.

Depression isn’t easy to recognize if you haven’t experienced it for yourself and it isn’t easy to diagnose when you’re the one stuck inside those dark clouds.

There is a place to turn to, anonymously, to share your fears and battle your demons among those who can understand and relate. Dented Ego is a social website designed for people to check-in with their peers, where it’s not frowned upon to bitch about your bad day, even if there’s nothing at all to point to when explaining why it is you’re going through a rough patch.

Check it out – they’re the #1 social networking support site in the world and there are groups, forums, and resources available to help you.

It Gets Better!

So yeah, here it is, the list of films I still have on my must-see-someday list:

Best Drama

The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Best Comedy/Musical
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Carnage
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn

Best Animated Film
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Rango (2011)
Puss in Boots
The Adventures of Tintin

Best Foreign Language Film

The Flowers of War
In the Land of Blood and Honey
The Kid With a Bike
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Best Actor in a Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar

Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Ryan Gosling, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Best Supporting Actor? in a Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method

Best Actress in a Drama
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy
Jodie Foster, Carnage
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Kate Winslet, Carnage

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help

Best Director
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants
Steve Zallian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin, Michael Lewis, Moneyball
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, The Ides of March

Best Original Score in a Motion Picture
Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Abel Korzeniowski, W.E.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore, Hugo
John Williams, War Horse

Best Original Song in a Motion Picture
“Hello Hello,” Gnomeo & Juliet
“The Keeper,” Machine Gun Preacher
“Lay Your Head Down,” Albert Nobbs
“The Living Proof,” The Help
“Masterpiece,” W.E.

Best TV Drama
American Horror Story
Boardwalk Empire
Boss
Game of Thrones
Homeland

Best TV Comedy or Musical
Enlightened
Episodes
Glee
Modern Family
New Girl

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey
The Hour
Mildred Pierce
Too Big To Fail

Best Actor in a TV Drama
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Jeremy Irons, The Borgias
Kelsey Grammer, Boss

Best Actor in a TV Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
David Duchovny, Californication
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Made-for-TV Movie
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Idris Elba, Luther
William Hurt, Too Big To Fail
Bill Nighy, Page Eight
Dominic West, The Hour

Best Supporting Actor in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Paul Giamatti, Too Big To Fail
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Actress in a TV Drama
Claire Danes, Homeland
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Madeleine Stowe, Revenge
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness

Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Made-for-TV Movie
Romola Garai, The Hour
Diane Lane, Cinema Verite
Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Best Supporting Actress in TV Series, Mini-Series, or Made-for-TV Movie
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce

I’ll be setting my DVR to record the award ceremony and the Red Carpet events beforehand, which are always more exciting for me, but I’d love your takes on which films, actors, directors, shows and producers will take away a Golden Globe when this airs on January 15, 2012 on NBC.

For my in-laws, Happy Hour takes place every Friday. With a ping-pong table in the basement and family members bringing different foods each week, the Happy Hour routine is fun and always filled with laughter and has created lasting memories for everyone who has ever attended.

My son and I enjoyed these events so much that we couldn’t wait to incorporate this weekly event in our home. For us, Happy Hour usually ends up being on the weekends (during Sunday Night Football) or on random nights of the week when I don’t feel like cooking.

Our kid-friendly Happy Hour includes bowls of goldfish, trail mix (with M&Ms) and either soda or chocolate milk for my son. These are fun treats that we all enjoy snacking on while we watch the game or play a card or board game ourselves.

While I don’t think the teacher will quite know what to do when my son shares with the entire class that his family tradition is also known as Happy Hour, I do love that this is something that will continue to bring us all together and has already created lasting memories for us.

Is it Happy Hour yet?