Good Morning!

The Dancing with the Stars cast has been announced.
I am super excited to see Green Bay Packer, Donald Driver, on this list. What a surprise!
He is a very sweet and humble man and a great football player.
He has a great smile and now we will see if he can dance.
I think America will fall in love with Donald.


Here is the list.


1) Jack Wagner, soap actor from “Bold and the Beautiful,” General Hospital” and “Melrose Place” — with Anna Trebunskaya
I know Jack Wagner most from General Hospital and he is a golfer. He went to Janet's alma mater. UofA where I am pretty sure his dad is the golf coach. Don't know if he can dance.

2) Melissa Gilbert, played Laura Ingalls on “Little House on the Prairie” — with Maskim Chmerkovskiy
Might be interesting. Maks always gets the old ladies. (ducking)

3) Donald Driver, receiver for the Green Bay Packers — with Peta Murgatroyd
Go Donald.

4) William Levy, telenova star known as the “Brad Pitt of Mexico” — with Cheryl Burke
Will probably get voted off early. No fan base in US. Unless he is talented.

5) Sherri Shepherd, co-host of “The View” — with Val Chmerkovskiy
Her body type will distract me. She is a funny girl so I will enjoy her comments and filmed packages I am sure.

6) Katherine Jenkins, opera star — with Mark Ballas
Never heard of her.

7) Gavin DeGraw, singer known for “One Tree Hill” theme song — with Karina Smirnoff
Is he under 30? Geez. I hope so. This show is getting to look like Lawrence Welk.

8) Martina Navratilova, tennis pro — with Tony Dovolani
All I can think of is....she will be a klutz.

9) Roshon Fegan, star of Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up” — with Chelsie Hightower
Huh? What? Who?

10) Maria Menounos, co-host of “Extra” — with Derek Hough
Lucky Derek. He usually gets a good one. I thought he was not on the list as a dancer this time. But I'm very glad he is because he is the best. Him and Maks.

11) Jaleel White, best known as Steve Urkel in “Family Matters” — with Kym Johnson
"Did I do that?"

12) Gladys Knight, singer, or “empress of soul” — with Tristan MacManus
woo. woo.

Tune in for Dancing with the Geriatrics in 19 days.







*******


The qoute from yesterday was from The Godfather.

My husband knew right away.


*****



Jolieing.

Picture of the day was 'from a distance.'

Katie is striking her striking pose outside Farm and Fleet.

oh yeah.

****




Here is Ginny's new name tag. It is enameled and engraved. I got to pick the design and color and size. I think it's the cutest thing ever. It only cost $9.50 from Red Dingo.

****

Oh! Something else I think you would be excited to see....

I sure was!



Ree's assistant wrote and asked if I would like my copy autographed.

I said. Heck Yeah!



Thank you ReeRee, I love my cookbook very much.

Your second book is beautiful. It astonishes me that you can do so many things so well.

*****


So that's what's happening around here on this beautiful Leap Day!

Lots of Love!
Encourage one another,
Donna

First Look at Cora's mother dear.




HT Mail.UK

On Thursday Katie and I headed to Omaha.
Ginny came along. She was a very good traveler. She slept a lot.
Good girl.

She takes too long to tinkle and I had to stand in the snow/sleet/rain but I guess that's life with a dog.





We saw this crazy painted car on Highway 80.
It was an Audi.

I slowed down so Katie could take it's picture. After Google searching this seems to be a paint that is used for test cars.
The driver smiled at Katie.



Many of you asked how Ginny did with Asher.
They did great. Ginny licked Asher a lot. Asher was timid at first. Asher was bumped down once or twice.
It made him cry the first time. By day three, Asher stood firm when bumped.
I think Ginny was more interested in Asher than the other way around.



The little guy was not feeling well.



When Melinda was at work, the rest of us went to King Kong restaurant.




Sticky fingers



Matthew and Asher.




Katie was there.




The kitchen always makes Asher's hair look red. It is more the color it look in the King King pictures.



Cute faces he makes.




After our long ride home, I had to take a pink picture for my 30 day challenge.
Once again Katie gets some attention.

So we had lots of queasy tummies and little sleep...but just being together is good enough for me.

Love you.
Mean it.


****

Lots of exciting DWTS news this morning.
I will plan a post for it tomorrow.


“Because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.”

name that movie



Encourage one another,
Donna

The Oscar Red Carpet.


A few weeks ago I watched Reese Witherspoon on the Conan O'Brien show.
Not only did she talk about Pinterest and crafting, she said something that I thought was very true about the
whole red carpet broo-haha.

She said that she would like to talk about the movie and not about the dress she is wearing.
That wearing the dress has become the focus, not the work. I think she said she likes dressing up, but wishes it was not the most important thing.

She said it in a much cuter, more perfect way.

But I thought that would be terrible if a picture I took was given a great award and all anyone wanted to talk about was my
.....hair and makeup or lack thereof.

That would be a bummer.

So I am going to try to say something about the person that I show today...
and their work.





This is Penelope Cruz.
The last movie I saw her in was Vicky, Christina Barcelona.
Her part was very short, yet she won the Oscar for it.

This dress is a beautiful color and she looks so great.





This is the Prince and Princess of Monaco.
The Princess stunning.
And she always looks a little frightened and sad.
Her dress is by someone from Switzerland named Akris.
I love the neckline.

I have my opinions about these two.




Tina Fey is smart. She is funny. She is Greek. She is beautiful.

This dress is by Carolina Herrera. It is dark blue with a black velvet ribbon.
I love it.
She looks perfect.



This is George and his girlfriend Stacy Keibler.

She is not an elf. As far as I know.
She dressed low key for all of the other award shows....but she chose a fabulous dress for this show.
Let's see. I know Stacy from Dancing with the Stars. I think she is a professional wrestler...or something.

What can I say about Stacy. She was known for her legs on Dancing with the Stars.

Her dress is beautiful and is perfect for the Oscars.




This is Colin Firth and his wife.
Her dress is feminine and pretty. The top looks ill fitting, but I still liked something about it.
And I don't mean her husband.






Emma Stone is a bright up and coming actress. I'm not sure how well she can act, but she gets a lot of parts.
I saw her in The Help, which was the best movie of the year, in my opinion. She was also in that movie with Ryan Gossling and Steve Carrel. Again. Can't say much about her acting, but it was a fun movie with one or two hilarious scenes.

Oh yes. The dress. The color was great and I liked it actually....the bow was too big....but what do I know.

Apparently...I think I know a lot.




This is Michelle Williams. She is wearing Louis Vuitton. She is graceful and quiet.
She played Marilyn Monroe this year.
I am not sure I have ever seen a movie with her in it and I sure didn't learn any thing about her career watching the award shows.

She wins Best Dressed.

And actually she looked great all season.


Now about the awards.

There are six awards anybody wants to see.

Six.

The clips for the actors were about 10 seconds. It was just terrible.
I don't think the people who win for sound editing and mixing and editing and what no should be allowed to come up and talk.
Makeup and Costumes too. Just show us. Call the winner and say. Good work. Fine work. Stay in your seat. Thanks.

Last night we went two and a half hours with only two 'actor' awards being given. This is crazy.

I would give the big six noms lots of time. Clips from the movie AND interview/voice overs...that sort of thing.
I don't mind a little entertainment and the 'dearly departed' section is always touching.
The filmed bits were all good especially the 'best in show' troop.

See. I think I could do better.

In my house. I am the best. at everything.

****

I did pick Minny/Octavia Spencer the day I told you about The Help

Jessica Chastain, Meryl Streep. Lovely and talented.

I haven't seen the Artist, so that was kind of a bummer.....but I am just so glad that Tree of Life did not win.

The movies I have seen and recommend;
The Help
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris



I still had a super fun time watching and gabbing on Facebook with the Columbia Contingent and Internet friends from here and there. The boring stuff gave me lots of time to gather pictures from all over the internet and save them to my computer.

And I was able to edit a picture or two from the weekend.

Wanna see.






Asher.

We had a lovely time.
I'll tell you more about it tomorrow.


Encourage one another,
Donna



I forgot Nina Garcia. She is a magazine editor for Marie Claire. I think. I thought she was really close to winning it all.
She was on the red carpet to interview, but really...how beautiful!!

Source: greenwellies.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

~march 2008



a

Also march 2008



The family is waking.
We will go say good morning.

I can put pictures on instagram, twitter and Facebook. If you can't wait to see Asher , check those places for updates.


Do you think I'm hungry?


See ya round,
Like a donut.

Love
Donna

”We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things, all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed because I will be your witness'."
Shall We Dance




thank you hmbalison
this quote is really beautiful and needs to be here on the main page..
not just the comments!
Love it.




Me and Katie and Ginny are headed to Omaha today.
So very happy.

Not sure how much blogging I can do on the ipad.
I will try.

Love you all!

Encourage one another,
Donna

So cute and funny! Taylor Swift, Zac Efron and Ellen.






Yesterday the challenge was bokeh.

I tried numerous things but this was my winner.





Fun at the grocery store.
People were watching me.





Katie likes bubbles of light.
Me too.




She did not like wearing the orange hat for orange day.




But she is my girl.
My girl.

And she likes to make me happy.

Oh. Please God. Stay by her side.
Especially after she leaves mine.








I sent this to Kelly Ripa because she is in Hawaii and I thought she would like it.

No word from Kelly.

Big shocker.

Thanks for sharing your favorite movie quotes. That was super fun.
Except for Susan and Stephanie and Janet NOT watching To Kill A Mockingbird and insisting on watching very very lame and stupid movies.

You girls are in the cinematic dog house.


Happy hump day.

Ginny...who I think I will start calling Jenny or Jilly or Jelly, has a Vet apt. today.

Want to guess how much she weighs now?


Encourage one another to watch To Kill a Mockingbird,
Donna

The new thing to say is....

First world problems

Here is an example:

I hate it when I get home from Starbucks and my drink is gone.

Consider yourself educated and ready to hit the ground running with that.


****

A great movie quote is one that stands alone, brilliantly, outside the story.
But it means the most to those who recall it fondly.
~Donna Boucher

Last night my son Patrick wrote on his Facebook wall, "Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

Immediately I thought of You've Got Mail. But isn't that from another movie?
I yelled to my husband, who happened to be in the bathroom, what movie is this line from?
He said, The Godfather.
Yes. That's what I thought.

Tom Hanks refers to The Godfather a number of times in You've Got Mail. He calls it the iching somethingorother...

You remember. "Go to the mattresses." or " Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday."

But I was actually typing lines from Downton Abbey on my wall as Patrick Jr. was typing a line from The Godfather...and then I wrote the above comment.

Lines from Downton, such as this;


"Without you, I have no one to pray for."

That is utterly lovely as it is....and even more touching when you think of dear Daisy.


"You are a storm braver, if ever I saw one!"

That is a GREAT line. It's so full of encouragement :o)


"I want a good man for you, a brave man."

Every daddy should say those words to their daughters at least once.

"Oh Papa."



Quotes that pop into my head regularly;

Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories.
~An Affair to Remember


...it was the nearest thing to heaven! You were there...
~An Affair to Remember
I can not see the Empire State building without saying this quote.


We just get the one life, you know. Just one. You can't live someone else's or think it's more important just because it's more dramatic. What happens matters. May be only to us, but it matters.
~Ghost Town


"Tis but a scratch."
you guess...


"Well, I - I think that it - it wasn't enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em - and it's that - if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?
Oh, but anyway, Toto, we're home. Home! And this is my room, and you're all here. And I'm not gonna leave here ever, ever again, because I love you all, and - oh, Auntie Em - there's no place like home!"
~The wizard of oz


Those are the ones that popped into my head just now.

What movie quote to you think or say at least once a day?
There must be one!


Encourage one another,
Donna

On Saturday Katie washed her hair.
At sunset a saw a sliver of light in the backyard.
I dragged her outside to sit in it.



It was cold and she did not have shoes on....so I think I got nine pictures before she ran in the house.




Sometimes I do nice things for her too.




I spotted the bumble bee doggie toy at PetSmart. I put this picture on Facebook and Instagram.

No one seemed to get the joke. I even called the picture, "Best in Show".

Why doesn't anyone get this?





This picture is the most viewed picture on my Flickr stream.
I have lost most of my old Flickr friends and rarely do people comment there any more much less see my stuff...but that's okay, I use flickr to organize and save my pictures and I use it to get the html code of my blog.


The above picture has 2867 views and it was taken almost three years ago to the day.
I was using my D80 and adding lots of colors :o)


*****


Downton Abbey was amazing.
I can't wait to watch it again.

Please feel free to talk about it in the comments.

SPOILER ALERT IN THE COMMENTS.


****

Happy Monday!

Encourage one another,
Donna

I spent a whole lot less time on Pinterest this week since I was
mulling over the rightness and wrongness of pinning.
What can I pin? Do I need to ask permission?

And so I did my best to link with love....

Source: linkwithlove.typepad.com via Donna on Pinterest

Source: penniesonaplatter.com via Donna on Pinterest

Dare I try this? Oh these looks so wonderful!

Source: hookedonhouses.net via Donna on Pinterest

Ahhhhhh.....

this appeals to me %100

Source: happythoughtsdarling.wordpress.com via Donna on Pinterest

The movie Summertime (1955) was on tv. I have never seen this movie before. It is set in Venice and it is shot with love and beautifully styled. Kathryn Hepburn's character felt sorry for herself for the first half hour so I lost interest in the story...
but my goodness, it is one gorgeous movie.

Source: crazyhorsewoman.blogspot.com via Donna on Pinterest

I have heard for years about the stunning cinematography in the movie The Black Stallion (1979).
Finally I saw it.

Caleb Deschanel is the cinematographer.

Could this be Zooey's dad?

Yes. It is. Wow.




Start at 3:40 to see some spectacular riding and filming.

Source: google.com via Donna on Pinterest

I am excited to say, I searched this morning and found the name of the person who created this fantastic Airstream.
Designer Craig Dorsey.

I just love everything about this.

Don't you?


I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Lots of love!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Every day, I stop at Target to get my chai.
I have to wait for the store to open.
I wait about 30 minutes.

This wait used to bother me.

Now I love the quite, the stillness, of sitting in the car.

I don't get that quiet and stillness on my couch anymore. Nope. I don't.

So I wait until the Target opens and I get my Chai and I wander quietly around the store, picking up this and that.

And then I go home, down the road where people drive too slow, and meet with the Whirlwind.

Said Whirlwind is sleeping now, she is worn out from puppy class last night.
She pulls and pulls and pulls me and I feel like I have just worked out with Bob or Jillian.
The teachers noticed Ginny pulling and suggested a little harness for her.
I took it and learned how to use it and it is already working nicely.

Like I said, the pup is sleeping so I am going to go and sit on the couch and enjoy it while I can.

Happy Friday!
Enjoy the weekend.

Sunday is the big finale to Downton Abbey.
I can not wait.

I'll post a few Pinterests tomorrow.
Things will be a little different, tho.

Perhaps we will go to the movies this weekend.
I'd like to see a few more Oscar noms before the big show in a few weeks.


Take Care!

Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. I have my next question from Patrick set to go :o)
Monday!

This is Maggie. She hears Ginny.
She is more terrified than curious.
I am sure.

This however is not really a new thing.
This is how Maggie looks when Katie comes around.

She's a charmer.




This is Ginny.
She is a good girl, except when she is not.

And let me just say...I think all labs look like boys.
It's hard for me to think of her as girly.

Sorry honey.



*****


I am going to start a new feature on this blog.

Things my husband tells me when he comes out of the bathroom.

He is not a chatty guy.
He is not a conversationalist.
But he reads in the bathroom and always has a fascinating tidbit of news.

Here is my favorite from this week.

What actor received the most votes for the first academy award?
This actor did receive the statue? It went to someone else.

Do not google.

Just take a wild guess. I did not guess correctly;
I think I guessed Al Jolsen or Rudolf Valentino.



Encourage one another,
Donna