Saturday movie review: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

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As I sat down to write my movie review on the HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE, a New Zealand adventure/comedy/drama starring Sam Neill and Julian Dennison that premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, a few choice words came to mind. Rather than attempt to deftly weave those words throughout my review, I'll just lay them on the line right here, right up front.

Choice words for HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE:

offbeat • poignant • outrageous • hilarious • sweet • silly • memorable • coming of age • wacky • well done • charming • delightfully deadpan • madcap • touching • must-see

hunt for the wilderpeople

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE ("wilderpeople" being a twist on "wildebeest") is one of those films that flew so below the radar that finding it — after seeing Sam Neill interviewed on...

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Friday flashback: How to make a pillow chaise for children

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My bonus grandson, Bud, turns 9 tomorrow and we'll be celebrating his birthday (along with his dad's, which was Wednesday) on Sunday. Brianna requested I make Bud a pillow chaise like the ones I made Bubby and Mac a few years ago — back before Bud was part of the family — so he's more comfy lounging on the floor on movie nights.

Bud's favorite color is red so I gathered the goods to create a red birthday chaise.

pillow chaise for children 

As I'll be spending a portion of today putting the present together, I figure it's a fine time to feature the post on doing so as today's Friday flashback. (Speaking of time, it's likely time I create a pillow chaise for Jak, too, as he wasn't around either when I made the original ones for his brothers.)

HOW TO MAKE A PILLOW CHAISE FOR CHILDREN
(Originally published January 10, 2013)

Every once in a great while, I surprise myself and do something that exceeds my expectations. Most recently, it was the making of the pillow chaise lounging thingees I gave my grandsons for Christmas. They turned out far better than I expected, and were received with far more appreciation than I thought might be the case, especially considering they weren't toys — which, as I learned here, are far preferable to practical presents.

What? You missed my post about giving Bubby and Mac their pillow chaises? Well take a look at their joy and ability to play slug in front of the television, thanks to a soft and comfy gift from Gramma.

pillow chaise for kids

At the time I posted that, many readers wondered...

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Snow, buds, and the truth about #SpringtimeInTheRockies

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If you've been on social media a bit lately, you've likely come across the hashtag #SpringtimeInTheRockies here or there. If you live someplace other than the Rocky Mountain region, the hashtag may have conjured romantic visions of some sort or another.

For residents of the Rockies, the hashtag reads #ThatCrazyPsychoBullshitOfSpringtimeInTheRockies, the italicized part an unwritten given for those who know what springtime in the Rockies truly entails.

To wit:

I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado — the Rockies. On Saturday we had snow (which I shared on Facebook):

On Monday, there was sunshine and...

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My MS anniversary

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My MS anniversary

Twenty-five years ago today, on April 24, 1992, my daughters' elementary school held its annual school carnival. While the girls — Brianna in fourth grade, Megan second, and Andrea first — visited booths with their friends, Jim and I manned the cake walk.

It was a good night…

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Saturday movie brief: Recent stinkers to avoid

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During intervals between must-see movies making it to my mailbox from Netflix or streaming services finally showing a film my husband and I have long waited to see, we opt to watch movies we just kinda-sorta thought might be fun or interesting. Movies that might rise above our relatively mediocre expectations.

The following movies we recently watched on DVD were in that category. Each offered something or another that caught our eye, that we thought might capture our attention to while away 90 minutes or so in front of the TV screen.

They all pretty much stunk. We wasted our time and I'm here to warn you not to waste yours.

movies that stink

THE MEDDLER

The trailer made it seem this film might resonate, elicit a chuckle

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Friday flashback: Tie-dye for tots... and older kids, too

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I've been publishing Grandma's Briefs for eight years. Which means I have an archive jam-packed with activities and other grandparenting goodies I posted long ago that deserve to be shared again for those grandmothers and others who may have missed them the first time around.

The following is one of my favorite — most simple and most colorful — crafts I've done with my grandsons. Which is why I've chosen it for my first Friday flashback feature.

Enjoy!

TIE-DYE FOR TOTS... AND OLDER KIDS, TOO
Originally published April 23, 2013

My youngest grandson, Mac, doesn't have the penchant for craft-making that his older brother does. Bubby's attention span can handle a craft that has, say, six or eight steps, knowing there's a grand payoff at the end. Mac, on the other hand — because he's younger and always on the go, go, go — can handle a craft with one quarter that number of steps, and instant payoff of some sort is key.

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), finding a craft that pleases both can be a challenge. This one, though — a tie-dye project of sorts — was a success. Mac created one or two and was done; Bubby made one after another until the food coloring bottles were nearly empty. Yes, success!

tie-dye-craft-for-kids

What you need:

• Coffee filters

• Food coloring...

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