Reel Steel starring Hugh Jackman

Are there any Hugh Jackman fans out there?  Well you won't want to miss his newest film coming to theaters October 7th, Reel Steel.

About the Film:
A action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.  




Keep up-to-date by following the Reel Steel on Facebook. 

Psych!

Do you have a favorite TV show that isn't as well known as most?  In our house that show is Psych.  Psych is a comedy-drama series that runs on the USA Network.  This summer will start the 6th season of this must-see show. If you haven't seen it yet, never fear.  You can catch up with past seasons using Netflix streaming TV shows.  They currently have seasons 1-4 available for your instant Queue.

Psych revolves around Shawn Spencer and his best friend Burton "Gus" Guster, as they help the Santa Barbara Police department solve high priority crime cases.  Spencer acts as the department's lead Psychic by using his heightened observation skills to find clues the other detectives miss.  The opening flashbacks show how Shawn's father, Corbin Bernson, helped him develop his impressive detective skills. James Roday (Shawn) and Dule' Hill (Gus) have the perfect comedic chemistry.  They feed off each other so well that you can't help but laugh even if you've seen that particular episode several times. 

Shawn always introduces his friend Gus to suspects with a different name. Here is a short clip of some of those names:



Everyone should give this show a chance.   It will have you laughing out loud.  And if you can only watch one episode, check out American Duos from season one.  HILARIOUS!!!  This Psych episode is a parody of American Idol and the ending performance is so funny (especially if you know the characters).

Do you have a favorite show that just can't be missed in your house?  Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

The 2011 Grammy Awards

If you love award shows like I do, you probably watched the Grammy Awards last night. No award show experience is complete without tuning in early to catch the arrival of the stars. The red carpet never fails to fascinate me. It is graced by some of the world’s best singers and actors. They are picked apart by the world’s toughest critics. And it is televised to millions and millions of homes. Despite all this, the stylists’ of the stars still keep their jobs. Take Nicki Minaj, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Florence Welch, for example. How was their stylist able to convince them that the dress they chose worked? Or better yet, why was there no one around to advise them against their own choice. Nicki Minaj was wearing all cheetah print from hair to toes, Jenna Ushkowitz was wearing a dress made out of see through black ribbon, and Florence Welch was wearing an all new swan dress. Then there are those like Lady Gaga who decided nobody needed to see her dresso n the red carpet.  So she made her grand entrance while incubating in a human size egg. Of course, there are always the few good exceptions to the red carpet. The stars that choose to keep it simple (like Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, and even Selena Gomez) never fail to stun their viewers with their classic beauty.

 The Grammys this year was not short on surprising  performances. Lady Ga Ga being born from an egg and Gwyneth Paltrow joining some puppets and a big rainbow chicken are the first that come to mind..Of course, let's not forget Justin Beiber and Will Smith's son up on stage acting like they are in their 30's.   However, after I made it through those performances, I was able to enjoy the rest of the show. I was happy to see artists like Martina McBride, Jennifer Hudson, and Norah Jones give a good old fashion performance without all the glitz and glamour. I know it is fun to show your creative side, but sometimes musical artists get a little bit out of control. What were your thoughts on the show last night? Loved it? Hated it? Seen Better?

Grab a Latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

PlayStation 3 House Party!

Thanks to House Party and Playstation, my hubby and nephew were able to have the ultimate Playstation birthday party.  Here is the box of goodies they sent:

Pretty exciting, huh?!?  Everyone had so much fun trying out the new Playstation Move.  The motion controllers, individually calibrated for each person, made for such accurate game play.  House Party sent us The Eye Pet and Start the Party.  Although designed for the younger crowd, everyone wanted to have a turn.  We had so much fun that we went out and bought Sports Champion to add some extra fun to the party. 

If you have a Playstation 3, I would definitely recommend these games.  Endless hours of fun and entertainment for the entire family to enjoy together.  A great twist to family game night!

iTouch Apps: Part Two

Yesterday I posted some of my favorites apps to share and I promised you a few more reviews. There are so many apps out there for the iTouch, iPhone, and iPad that it is hard to decide which ones are worth your time. I thought I would use these posts to share some of my favorite apps. Since I am always looking for new apps, if you have discovered any great ones, I would love for you to share them in the comments below.

Cooking Dash and Miriel the Magical Merchant are two of my favorite games on the iTouch. In Cooking Dash, you play as the character Flo who is left in charge of all the diners in town. The owners and main chefs have left to appear on a cooking show. As Flo, you have to take orders, cook the food, clean up, and take the money. If you aren’t fast enough, you will lose customers. Miriel the Magical Merchant is similar, but a bit more difficult. After a few round you have to star combining ingredients in order to cook the food. Cooking Dash is $2.99 and Miriel is $0.99.

Hidden object games are also fun. They are like ISpy for adults! Some of the hidden object games are very boring, but I found a few that are worth getting. The Big Fish Games like Buckingham Palace and Everest : Hidden Expedition are a few of my favorites. I also really enjoyed Yard Sale by Method Solutions and Jewel Quest Mysteries by Electronic Arts. I think my least favorite hidden object game was Nick Chase. Don’t waste your money. Most of the Big Fish games have Lite versions so you can test them out before you buy them.

I’ve noticed lately that there are many classic games available, but I’m unsure of the quality. I have purchased Yahtzee and The Price is Right and I’ve really enjoyed them. But I am hesitant on buying the Family Feud or Press Your Luck. Has anyone played these apps before? Do you know of any great apps that we all must try? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Ultimate Blog Party 2010

Welcome to Between the Lines!  My name is Kel and I am your typical suburban mom with a lot to say about almost everything.  Many of my readers enjoy reading my daily trivia question or movie quote. While others stick just to the recipes.  My daily post usually focus on topics that pertain to my family and I, but I have been known to explore other topics as well.  

Are you ready for the Ultimate Blog Party of 2010? This fabulous blog party is sponsored by 5 Minutes for Mom and promises to be a great time! Last year, this party was a major hit amongst the mom’s in the blogospehere. These ladies were not only able to discover new blogs and increase their own traffic and followers, but they also won fabulous prizes! I am new to the blogging community and I am excited to take part in this fun little get together with 1000’s of my closest friends! Click on the link below to check out all the important details!

 A great part of the Blog Party giveaway is that they let you pick your own prizes! It is so hard to choose from all the wonderful prizes, but at the top of my wish list is the fabulous Toshiba Laptop, the Be My Guest certificate to Hilton Hotels from Hilton Garden Inn, the $100 gift certificate to Kay Jewelers from an unpink life, The Double Stacked A Lot of Love necklace from Kristen’s Custom Creations, and the $50 gift certificate from Target. Of course I would still be happy if I won any of these other great prizes in order: (US and Canada) 8, 25, 10, 33, 39, or 37. (US) 40, 11, 18,  72, 73, 74, 84, 76, 8, 31, 32, 55, 52, 61,15, 37, or 10. Thanks for all those who donated for this awesome Blog Party!

Theta Mom Thursday and Movie Reviews

It is Theta Mom Thursday once again and I am happy to report that this month I was able to sneak out of the house not once, but twice! I know… I can’t believe it either! This month I was able to go out with the girls one evening for a movie and drinks. I also convinced my husband to hire a baby-sitter and we went to lunch and a movie on a different day. I enjoyed both dates, even though the movies weren’t the best. My girlfriends and I went to see Remember Me, starring Robert Pattison and Emilie de Ravin. Remember Me is a romantic drama that focuses on two lovers that have lost loved ones in the past. This movie starts intense and ends intense. The problem is, the extra stuff in the middle, was very boring! I can’t say that it was the worse movie I’d ever seen (although a few of my friends did say that), but it definitely wasn’t very good. The acting was poor and storyline very slow. My recommendation is to skip it or wait for the DVD.

Luckily, the second movie was much better. My husband and I saw The Bounty Hunter, starring Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston. I’m not sure if they categorize The Bounty Hunter as a romantic comedy, but that seems to be the best description for it. That being said, my husband didn’t enjoy it as much as I did. He is usually happiest when things are being blown up, and unfortunately for him (lucky for me), there weren’t too many things being destroyed in this movie. Although I enjoyed The Bounty Hunter, I probably wouldn’t see it again. Some movies I can watch repeatedly and never get bored. I was glad that I saw this one, but I have no need to re-watch it. My recommendation is, if you need to get out of the house to see a movie, this one won’t disappoint. But if you miss it on the big screen, the DVD will be just fine. Did you find any time to yourself this past month? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Keep Your Kids Entertained While Getting Something Done

We all know that we shouldn’t use the TV as a babysitter, but we all do it once in awhile. Some days we just don’t feel like playing Barbie and other days we might just really need to get a load of laundry done. However, some days it seems nearly impossible to come up with anything to keep our children’s attention. When you need a quick, no-mess activity, grab some stickers, crayons, and a paper plate. Sit them at the kitchen table and let them decorate their plate with stickers and drawings. It will amaze you at how long they will focus on such a simple task. You may even be able to unload your dishwasher, without someone hanging on your leg. Easter egg hunts are also fun and entertaining. Hide 20-30 eggs in your child’s room and give them a basket. While they are having fun, sit outside their door and fold some laundry. You will be able to see and hear their delight and still get something accomplished. If your little one insists on helping you, make a pile of socks for them to match. This is a fun task for them and a helpful one for you.

Books on CD are great when you are trying to prepare dinner. Your children can stay in the same room as you, hear a great story, and you can actually cook! Every few weeks I take the kids to the library to pick out some books on CD. They work really well for during “nap” time too. Even if your child won’t sleep, they will at least get some rest. Dance parties are also fun. While you are cooking dinner, turn on some music and let your kids perform for their dolls or stuff animals. Not only does this keep them busy, but it also helps them get out their excess energy so they sleep better at night. My kids are now at the point that they don’t even need me to turn on the music. They just make their own!

My girls also love to do puzzles. Although this is usually entertaining enough, sometimes a little variation makes it even more exciting. When they need a little extra fun, I let them put together a puzzle on the computer. Websites, such as Webkinz and Nick Jr., have online puzzles made for kids ages 3-99. These types of puzzles also help develop fine motor skills and eye to hand coordination. Another variation on puzzles is to let them create their own. Give them a coloring book and crayons to use while you are getting your chores done. When they complete their picture, help them cut their picture into pieces. Then encourage them to put the picture back together. If you want the puzzle to last longer, glue the picture to cardstock before cutting.


How do you keep your children entertained while you get your chores done? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Is 3-D Really Necessary?

3-D movies have come a long way since we were kids. But is it really necessary for them to take over our movie theaters? With Avatar smashing the box office records, many studios have decided to take their originally planned 2-D movies and transform them into 3-D films. Movies like Clash of the Titans and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows were initially shot with 2-D cameras and technology. I can’t imagine that the quality of these films will be able to compare to that of Avatar, which was shot with special cameras intended for 3-D. We also won’t be guaranteed to see these new films since many movie theaters have not upgraded to projectors that allow them to show a movie in 3-D. With over 15 titles releasing in 3-D this year, it is possible that studios will see a decline in ticket sales due to lack of showings?


Cartoons have also jumped on the 3-D band wagon. This year Pixar will be releasing Toy Story 3, Dreamworks will be releasing Shrek Forever After, and Disney will be releasing How To Train Your Dragon. My children have been fortunate enough to experience 3-D films during a recent trip to Disney World. After about five minutes into the film, they were tired of wearing their “special” glasses. Without the glasses, children have a difficult time enjoying the movie since it will appear very blurry. With this in mind, many parents will probably hesitate to take their children to a 3-D movie. Why not wait until it comes out on video and watch it without creating unnecessary headaches?


Although I really enjoyed watching Avatar in 3-D, I don’t think I want it to become the norm in movie going. What are your opinions regarding 3-D films? Are you excited about Hollywood’s new direction for films? Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Great TV You May Have Missed

With the hundreds of channels now available on cable TV, it is hard to know what to watch. Most of us tend to stick to the main network channels when it comes to Primetime Television, but could we be missing a new favorite? USA, Syfy, the CW, and FX may not be network channels, but they have produced some great series. Psych, one of my favorite shows, plays on USA at 10:00, Wednesday nights. The writers of Psych have created a show that mixes comedy with drama. Shawn, the main character of Psych, is a police consultant whose keen observation skills lead the police to believe he is psychic. Eureka, another household favorite plays on the Syfy channel during the summer. Like Psych, Eureka is a comedy/drama that will have you laughing out loud. Eureka takes place in a fictional town created by geniuses to protect America’s most valuable scientific advancements. With so much dangerous knowledge located in a single town, Sheriff Carter must find a way to keep things in order. Other cable shows you may have missed include Warehouse 13 (Syfy), Royal Pains(USA), Castle(NBC...ok, not cable, but a really great show), and The Tudors (HBO).


Of course there are also many shows on the network channels. Some favorites in our house include NCIS, Chuck, House, 24, Grey’s Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory, and Modern Family. What shows are your favorite? What have we been missing?


Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

A Gaming Family

Gone are the days when video games were geared towards just the boys. My husband, of course, still owns some of the traditional shoot’em up games, but the majority of the games we own are family friendly. The Nintendo Wii has revolutionized the way we play video games. No longer are we confined to playing with just a few fingers. Wii has introduced us to a whole body gaming experience. Among my family’s favorites are Wii Resort, Wii Fit, Boom Blocks, and Dance Dance Revolution. Not only are these games fun (especially with a little added competition), but they also have the added exercise element that helps keep our family active. If you like to have game night with your friends, Kabooki would be a great game for you. Kabooki, a fun team game, is made by the creators of Cranium and shares many of the same categories.


If you have a PlayStation, Buzz is another great game to play with friends and family. Buzz is a trivia game that uses wireless controllers (included in the game package) to answer the questions. The numerous categories and humorous characters keep the game interesting and fun. Plus, if you ever do get through all the questions, you can simply download new categories from the PlayStation online store. Another family favorite for the PlayStation is Rock Band. Although Rock Band doesn’t seem like it would appeal to the female population as much as the male population, we love it. Rock Band is another PlayStation game that you can download new songs from the online PlayStation store. Adding country songs has definitely made it more appealing to my girls and I.


What gaming system and games are popular in your house? Do you love the competition or just the fun of it?


Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion!

Digital vs. Hard Copy

We are living in the age of digital, well…everything. Anything you could possibly need seems to be right at your fingertips. With a click of a button, we can download movies, music, TV shows, books, newspapers, etc… Digital vs. hard copy has been an ongoing debate between my husband and I for years. Which is better? Which is more practical? Although I am losing some ground when it comes to digital music (I mean how convenient is ITunes), I stand firm when it comes to digital pictures and books (for now, at least). Don’t get me wrong, I love my digital camera as much as the next person, but I think we need to take the time to print hard copies of the pictures we cherish. What happens if your computer crashes tomorrow? Are you willing to risk losing all those precious memories forever?

Then that takes us to my beloved books. Could I possibly be satisfied reading from a digital reader for the rest of my life? Would I miss the feel and smell of a real book? I am currently testing out a Sony Reader (on loan from my wonderful mom). I have to admit, it is not all bad. It doesn’t have the same book feel to it, but it is definitely more eco friendly. It also takes up less space and is more cost effective. But are those reasons enough to convince me to stop buying my books??? I guess only time will tell. While there are advantages and disadvantages to both digital and hard copy, we all have our own preferences. Where do you stand in this ongoing debate?

Grab a latte, put up your feet, and join the discussion.

The 2010 Grammy Awards

If you love award shows like I do, you probably watched the Grammy Awards last night. No award show experience is complete without tuning in early to catch the arrival of the stars. The red carpet never fails to fascinate me. It is graced by some of the world’s best singers and actors. They are picked apart by the world’s toughest critics. And it is televised to millions and millions of homes. Despite all this, the stylists’ of the stars still keep their jobs. Take Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, or Ciara, for example. How was their stylist able to convince them that the dress they chose worked? Or better yet, why was there no one around to advise them against their own choice. Then there are those like Lady Gaga who dress to get noticed. Last night, she graced our screen with an unusual light purple ensemble, “complimented” with long spiky things coming out of her dress and gloves. Of course, there are always the few good exceptions to the red carpet. The stars that choose to keep it simple (like Carrie Underwood) never fail to stun their viewers with their classic beauty.