Jen's List of Movie Trilogies

Every New Year's Eve my friend and I watch some kind of trilogy, but we cannot think of a set we haven't watched (at least not one that we haven't seen at least part of recently), and in searching online, I found it very interesting that it was so difficult to find a list of movies that are trilogies. After about 10 minutes of searching, I finally found something on Wikipedia, but it took too much searching...so, here's my list (in no particular order) of trilogies I've seen:

1. Lord of the Rings
   The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
   The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
   The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
2. Back to the Future
   Back to the Future (1985)
   Back to the Future Part II (1989)
   Back to the Future Part III (1990)
3. The Matrix
   The Matrix (1999)
   The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
   The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
4. The Bourne Trilogy
   The Bourne Identity (2002)
   The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
   The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
5. Jurassic Park
   Jurassic Park (1993)
   The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
   Jurassic Park III (2001)
6. The Mummy
   The Mummy (1999)
   The Mummy Returns (2001)
   The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
7. Blade
   Blade (1998)
   Blade II (2002)
   Blade Trinity (2004)
8. Ocean's Trilogy
   Ocean's Eleven (2001)
   Ocean's Twelve (2004)
   Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
9. Pirates of the Caribbean
   Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
   Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
   Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
10. The Mighty Ducks
    The Mighty Ducks (1992)
    D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994)
    D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996)
11. Mission: Impossible
    Mission: Impossible (1996)
    M:I-2 (2000)
    M:I-III (2006)
12. Beverly Hills Cop
    Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
    Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
    Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
13. Resident Evil
    Resident Evil (2002)
    Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
    Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
14. Crocodile Dundee
    Crocodile Dundee (1986)
    Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
    Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)
15. Rush Hour
    Rush Hour (1998)
    Rush Hour 2 (2001)
    Rush Hour 3 (2007)
16. The Santa Clause
    The Santa Clause (1994)
    The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
    The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
17. Scream
    Scream (1996)
    Scream 2 (1997)
    Scream 3 (2000)
18. Spy Kids
    Spy Kids (2001)
    Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
    Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
19. Final Destination
    Final Destination (2000)
    Final Destination 2 (2003)
    Final Destination 3 (2006)

Alright, I think I've seen too many movies, because these are just ones that are trilogies!!

Christmas with Family and Friends

Family Christmas

This Curran Christmas was a little different than most years. Patrick didn't join us for the Christmas Tree Hunt, which we did in the middle of a beautiful, but cold, snowfall.
This year at Christmas, the Curran Family had an extra person. Patrick's friend from college Nathan joined us for the Holiday.

We had our traditional breakfast of egg bake, coffee cake, and hashbrowns at mom's house.
We opened stockings and gifts at mom's house (with breakfast in between).
We then proceeded to my apartment for games and Christmas dinner, where we were joined by Marisa. For dinner this year, we had:
























Friends Christmas



As usual, Marisa, Theresa, Caytie, and I had dinner and gift opening at Marisa's house for Christmas this year.

For an appetizer this year, we had Pumpkin Soup, which sounds not so good, but was absolutely fabulous.

Then for dinner we had cranberry chicken, green beans, and rice.

After gift opening and numerous pictures from the paparazzi, we relaxed by the tree and watched the cats bat at the ornaments.

Overall, it was a wonderful Christmas Holiday!

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

I understand the interest and controversy over whether to say to people or shop at places that promote or say one over the other. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. I personally use Merry Christmas because the point of the "holiday" is the birth of the Christ, Jesus. That is the reason I celebrate. I give gifts; I put up a tree, lights, and other decorations, but the real meaning of Christmas is that the creator of the world became the savior of the world; to do that, he had to become like us, live like us, but not sin like us. That is the point of Christmas.

Happy Holidays has become popular because people celebrate this "holiday" as a fun day of giving gifts, period. They don't want Christ or God to enter into their lives, thus they have left Christ out of Christmas. What better way to do that then to overgeneralize what the purpose of the celebration is and say Happy Holidays?

I agree with those who say the reason for the season is Christ, therefore, Christmas. However, do we want Jesus' birth commercialized any more than it already is? Is fighting with stores and consumers over whether to say "Christmas" or "Holidays" important? Christ is important, but is using the name of Jesus to sell more toys, electronics, and cars right? I want the point of Jesus' birth to be made, but should it be made while customers are fighting over the last toy on the shelf? Should the name of God be associated with, what has become a commercialized time of the year?

On the flip side, aside from the origins of the actual date of the celebration of the birth of Christ (see BBC Article), the reason that the majority of people celebrate the "holiday" is because their parents celebrated the birth of Christ (or, if not their parents, their grandparents). Why do they celebrate now? What is their purpose now? To hang holly, give gifts, and get together with family? What is the real point? The point is a birthday celebration, and the reason for the season should be made clear...just about everyone began celebrating or now celebrates because of Jesus.

What is the answer?


P.S. - Did you know the word holiday is a conjunction of use over time of the words "Holy" and "Day?" Also, Holy means, among other things: "specially recognized as or declared sacred; dedicated or devoted; entitled to worship or veneration; and unimpaired innocence and virtue, free from sinful affections, pure in heart, irreproachable, and guiltless." If this is what we celebrate, Christ's birth as a "Holy Day," I have no problem saying Happy Holidays!

What do I say? I love Twilight...

I had a new author recommended to me in late May when I had nothing new to read and no new shows on TV, so I had the first book delivered to my Kindle (which everyone should get by the way) and tried it out. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I don't care that I'm not a teenager and it is considered a "young adult" series. So, I finished Twilight (by Stephenie Meyer) and had New Moon and Eclipse delivered to my Kindle. I finished the 3 books that were out at the time in 5 days, and had to wait for three months to read the series finale.

Once the final book came out, I was extremely worried when I saw all the very low stars on Amazon. Nevertheless, I read it anyway (I mean, what 'obsessed' fan wouldn't?). (Not only did I read it, but I got it at 11pm Saturday-as soon as it was available on the Kindle-and read for about 2 hours, then skipped church to read all day Sunday, where I finished at 10pm. I had a nice 24-hours. :) ) I loved it. It "wrapped everything up in a nice neat bow." I personally love that. There is too much crap and unhappy real-life endings in the world that I want this type of ending in the books I choose to read.

I'm not going to write a summary...I'm just saying that I loved the book. It did have a happy ending, and that is what I loved about it. Everyone gets what they want and/or should in the end. Some of it is rough on people, but I think that helps keep the book in the realm of "reality" ;-) Bella gets pregnant, has a half human, half vampire child. Bella becomes a vampire and has no first-year problems. Nice. This way, we don't have to not like her as a vampire (half of the readers wanted her to become one and were probably ignoring what that would really mean - OK, its fiction, but still blood, death, and mayhem...not good.). And wow, Jacob is imprinted on Bella and Edward's daughter. Mmmmm. Problems for them, but they get through them, and this contains the answer to several problems. I liked it. Jacob is finally happy and so is Bella (although Edward seemed a little moody about the whole thing, but that kept it "real," and really, what did you expect, it is his daughter and Jacob).

I loved it, can't say enough about it. In fact, it was my favorite. If I could put the books in order of their appeal to me, it would be:

*Breaking Dawn
*Twilight
*New Moon
*Eclipse

Thanksgiving :: Great Food and Better Company

My Thanksgiving this year was with my Curran family, and we spent it with the Lindquist family, which has been our tradition over the last several years. We got together with the Lindquists for several years when the boys were young, and then the Lindquists went out of town to family for a few years. We started our tradition up again the last few years. We have a later dinner and then relax and play family games.

Although the group picture here is is after dessert (long after our actual turkey dinner), it does show everyone who was there (except the picture taker, me). Left and around the table: Liz, Scott, Lois, ??, Katherine, Patrick, Connie, Alex, Mom, Victoria, and Dad.

Mom and Connie did the majority of cooking. However, like last year, Patrick, Michael, and I each made a dish that we were bringing over to the Lindquist house for our dinner.

Our family makes a lot of the side dishes. We make two kinds of yams. A yam bake with pecans and brown sugar and yams with cranberries and apples, which is my favorite (and what mom is putting together in the picture)! We also make a corn(bread) casserole which is great! We also do a ham, green bean bake, a relish dish with really yummy marinated mushrooms and, of course, black olives! The Lindquists make the turkey, mashed potatoes (yum!), creamy carrots, stuffing (yummy!), and dessert!

After dinner, we just hang out and relax for a while. Some people take naps. Mostly we vegetate for at least an hour while our stomachs settle down enough for us to play some games.

Connie is pregnant and mom and I got to take a look at the sonograms, which was very cool!

This year we played "Family" again, which I love. The game starts with everyone sitting in a circle and each person writes a name on a piece of paper. Any "famous" or well know person from George Washington to Abraham to Papa Smurf. Then, you have one person read all the names twice, but that is all. The object is to try to remember as many of the names as you possibly can. After that, you start with the person after the reader of the names and they try to guess who would have which name. So, I would guess that my mom would have George Washington and ask if she is that person. If not, the it is the next person's turn. If she is George Washington, then mom comes and sits with me and joins my "family" and it is still my turn. I tell mom who I am, and together we try and guess someone else. Once you guess wrong, it is the next persons turn. The object is to get everyone on one family!

Then we also played Apples to Apples, but it was the Bible version, which was just all out weird!