New TMNT Movie Preview Review

I generally do not do reviews like this but I was raised on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I was so excited when I heard about a new movie. I loved the cartoon, the movies, I had the toys, I even had a metal over the lap tv tray that was TNMT, I loved my turtles. 

After watching this preview I am not as excited. The turtles just do not look right. I want my turtles with the protruding snout not flat faced like this. And can I be the one to say who picked Megan Fox to be April O'Neil?  Are you serious?! I could think of so many better actresses to play that part. 

If you want to bring in (more) nerds - Felicia Day

Want someone who is popular right now? - Emma Stone

Want international crowd? - Karen Gillian

And that is just a few but they are all better than Megan Fox. Maybe I am turning into one of those people who think everything from when they grew up is better than anything from any other generation. Who knows, I will go see the movie no matter what and I will have my final view of it then. I hope it is better than it appears. 

So are y'all going to watch the new TMNT? How do you feel about movies of things you loved as a child like the Indiana Jones movie with Shia Lebouf or the upcoming Star Wars?

Book Challenge Update #5

Staying strong with 2 books ahead of schedule and just started 2 more that will be on next month's update. I may surpass my goal! I am running out of ideas of books to read after I finish my series. I still have the rest of the Sword of Truth series and Meg but after that I am at a loss. Plus since I am listening to SOT I like to have an actual book or even a kindle book to read when I am at home. If you have any books you would like to recommend I am all ears.

Temple of the Winds (Book 4 of Sword of Truth Series) by Terry Goodkind - Amazon- Goodreads - Audible

First and for most, I listened to the audio version from Audible and I have for all of the books and the voice actor on this one was different and butchered the pronunciations of the characters and locations. He said Kah-lynn instead of Kay-lynn and it is SOO annoying. Other than the narrator the book was amazing. I like the new characters introduced and hated that some of the older ones had to go. Zedd is seriously my favorite person in the whole series, he is hilarious. There were times in this book that I got really angry or sad but that was because the story is just that good that it brings you in and makes you feel so much. I am ready to get started on the 5th book in the series.

♥♥♥♥ out of 5 (because of the deaths)

Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by Steve Alten - Amazon - Goodreads 

I am amazed it has taken me this long to find this book. A friend read it and knowing how big of a shark fan-girl I am she gifted me this book and I am in love! And I just found out that it is a series. I already downloaded Meg: Origins (like a mini prequel) and am about to devour that...haha see what I did there? Devour like a shark. If you like cheesy Sy-Fy channel movies like Sharknado, Sharktopus, or Paranaconda than you will love this book. This is a short read perfect summer reading book and heck, I would dare to say a beach read. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5  (I do love my sharks)

Meg: Origins by Steven Alten - Amazon - Goodreads

I think I was the one who failed this book instead of it failing me. I read this book after reading Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror ( I didn't even know it was a series when I was given the book and started reading it). After finishing book 2 I found and read this. I like the book but was confused about some parts and was not a fan of how much it jumped around. I liked the back story it gave to Mac and Jonas but I feel that if I hadn't read book 2 first I never would have continued the series after this book. 

♥♥.5 out of 5 (purely because I enjoyed learning about the top secret dive and Mac's history)

Do you have books I should read? I could use some recommendations. 

Previous challenge update posts: January - February - March - April

Book Reviews: Adulting - Something Worth Fighting For - Speaker of The Dead -Ender's Game - Extras - Specials - Pretties - Uglies - The Fault in our Stars 

Shark Book Series!!

Guys I cannot tell you how excited I am that I found a Shark novel that is actually good and on to of that it is apart of a series! Da'Hubby and I were at his best friend Tiny's house over the weekend for Comicpalooza and his wife Sloane  is also a shark lover. We were talking about our love of shows like Sharknado, Shark Week and Sharktopus and she remembers she has had the book Meg by Steve Alten for years. She gives it to me and I devoured the book. I went upstairs that night and read until I forced myself to sleep for the early day.

I swear that girl is the sweetest person ever!

I am in love with this book and I am so excited the read the 3 books that are in the series plus the prequel. I already downloaded the prequel since it is like a little mini book but I want the hard copy of the rest for my book shelf and for future reading.

Synopsis (Amazon)

On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean's deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom.  The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he's sure he saw but still can't prove exists--Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark.  The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds.

Written off as a crackpot suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Taylor refuses to forget the depths that nearly cost him his life.  With a Ph.D. in paleontology under his belt, Taylor spends years theorizing, lecturing, and writing about the possibility that Meg still feeds at the deepest levels of the sea.  But it takes an old friend in need to get him to return to the water, and a hotshot female submarine pilot to dare him back into a high-tech miniature sub.

Diving deeper than he ever has before, Taylor will face terror like he's never imagined, and what he finds could turn the tides bloody red until the end of time.

My thoughts:

I am going to agree with many others who have reviewed this book, it is a book for shark nerds. You cannot go into this book expecting Moby Dick, it is a Sy-Fy original movie in book form. This book knows what is is and does not try to be more than that. Ya, I knew what was going to happen to many characters before it happened but that did not take away my joy of this book. It had actual facts about sharks, whale migrations, and Navel issues. I have read some books that are cheesy but they think that you are stupid Alten does not do this, he does not insult your intelligence. How serious can a book be when it is talking about a 60' shark going on a killing spree? As long as you go into this book expecting an entertaining fast read you will be very happy.

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

All in all this book gets 5 hearts from me because it is about sharks, I plan on reading it multiple times and I love the whole premise. 

What books are you reading now?

Respect *CAUTION RANT AHEAD*

After having a wonder Mother's Day weekend with my 2 step-mom's I have decided many people do not understand how to respect others and how to earn respect.  I am blessed to have two wonderful step-mothers (one married to my birth-dad and the other my ex-step-dad) and without them I would not be the person I am today. They have taught me about not dwelling on the past, how to be a happier person, and how to be a successful adult.I owe my eternal thanks and gratitude to them and they deserve the utmost respect.

Now for the  rant I warned you about:

I feel that respect is a two-way street and that it should be earned not just handed over. I have people in my life and have seen it elsewhere, that demand respect but give none out. If you need a call or a visit on your birthday, anniversary, Mother's Day, Father's Day, or any other day you deem necessary than you better return that favor. If you can only muster a generic text message for me, why do you feel that you deserve more?  Don't get me wrong I do not mind get a text telling my happy whatever, and I grateful for it. But if you say it is rude and disrespectful to do so than don't do it to me and not expect it in return.

I also feel that public shaming is not a good way to try and earn that respect that you are demanding. (I get that it may seem like I am being a hypocrite writing this post but this is not about one specific person, this is just things that I have seen and experienced with many people not just one.) If you spend any time on Facebook at all than you know what I am talking about. People doing the brag/put-down like "my wonder son A got me this for my birthday, waiting on son B to call at least"  or the "so jealous of all the mothers day posts I wish my kids were as thoughtful" but people do it with everything! Let me brag about this trip and then write to someone about how you wish they were there when you never invited them, or worse the people who look at your pictures and ask where their invite was. If you were not invited there was a reason, and if someone rubs it in your face that you were not invited do you really want to be their friend?

I usually try to go above and beyond for the people I care about. I cannot always do so, because money is a thing, but I try. Once I see that my hard work is not appreciated or even ridiculed than why should I try to impress you anymore? I am so happy that you can make others feel guilty for not living up to your ridiculous standards and doing what ever you demand of them, despite their own wishes, but I am not one of them. I will not cower away from my stand on something because you say so. If I do not like to do something that you enjoy, I will not do it just because you want me to. Oh you like to do marathons, spend every waking moment at church/gym, hurt puppies, ride unicorns whatever. Well I don't so you have fun we can do something else that we both enjoy. Don't make me feel bad for not wanting to do those things. Don't ignore me because I went against your wishes on something that is 100% my decision and none of yours.

I know this post is all over the place but I hate going on to social media and seeing people intentionally put people down, try to make them feel guilty or are just rude. Why can't you use the outlet to spread joy. I rarely post on facebook and when I do it is about sharing a great experience with great people. Heck I mainly post news articles that make me happy, like the dives in Australia saving the reef shark.

OK I am going to stop here I can seriously go on all day long on this but I want to get this negativity away from me so I can get back in a good space and have a happy day.

Southern Family Tradition - Mayhaw Jelly Recipe

Living in the South, there are a few traditions that we hold sacred my favorite is making jelly. I got a call on Friday from my grandpa saying he had 2 gallons of mayhaw and needed to get rid of them. I took the fruit over to Momma Bear's house and we whipped up some delicious mayhaw jelly. (For you non-southerners this is the wiki page for mayhaw and the Louisiana Mayhaw Association page )

Preparing your Mayhaw for juice

First you need to wash and make sure you have no stick and leaves in your mayhaw, than throw them in a pot with a little bit of water so they do not stick while cooking - ( less than 1/4 c water - very little) once they are a bit tender it is time to mash.

We just used a potato masher since you just want to break the berries to get the liquid out. Once you have it looking about like the picture it is time to squeeze out the liquid. Some people use a cheese cloth and squeeze it out that way. We used a wire mesh strainer and a spoon to force as much liquid out as possible. And I liquid came out THICK! After the 2 gallons we had about 4 cups of a thick syrup, we added 4 cups of water to thin it out for our juice and were about to make 2 batches of the recipe below.

Ingredients

4 cups of mayhaw juice
1 box of pectin (I used the Yellow box Sure jell)
5 cups of sugar
7-ish pint jars with lids and rings

• Clean and sterilize lids, rings and jars
• Add the juice to a thick bottom pot 
• Stir in the pectin and continue to stir until it comes to a boil
• once at a rapid boil add in the sugar

• continue to stir until it comes to a rapid boil 
• Stir for a minute and a half than remove from heat 
• Skim foam off quickly
• Ladle mixture into hot sterilized jar leaving a 1/4th inch from the top
• Clean rim, and seal with lids
• Water bath for 10 minutes

We made 2 batches with 14 jars total and enough for tasting.

Fresh jelly on warm toast - Cannot be beat!

If you are new to canning or are wanting to learn more, there are plenty of books out there. The Ball website is a great resource, they have this helpful PDF. 

Canning and preserving is a great way to keep your harvest longer but if done incorrectly can make you really sick, so please do your research and keep yourself safe.  

Are you into canning? If so I would love to hear what you make!

Book Challenge Update #4

Well this month I have been a bit of a slacker in the reading department. I just wasn't feeling it at all. I would sit and try to read a book and would get distracted. I haven't even watched much tv or movies, I have just been listening to music and playing games. But according to my Goodreads account I am still doing good I am two books ahead of schedule and I am SLOWLY working on two other books now.

I did finish one book though and it was pretty good.

I enjoyed this book and am stating to read Bewitched which is connected to Beastly. It is a modern type remake of Beauty and the Beast and all in all it is an easy read. I like books that modernize fairy tales, heck I like any fairy tale remake it doesn't even have to modernize it.  I feel like I cannot really spoil this book since it is Beauty and the Beast but it is different enough that I feel you would want to read it. 

I never saw the movie or show or what ever and I do not think I will based on how they made the beast look in the few pictures I have seen. 

♥♥♥ out of 5 

Good, might re-read 

So what have y'all been reading? I need something to get me back in the groove of things

Previous challenge update posts: January - February - March

Book Reviews: Adulting - Something Worth Fighting For - Speaker of The Dead -Ender's Game - Extras - Specials - Pretties - Uglies - The Fault in our Stars 

Fishing, Painting, Playing, Eating, Life

I have been lazy with blogging lately - I wasn't a fan of the journal prompts or I didn't have good answers and I haven't really had anything to talk about but here is what I have been up to lately. 

Please tell my I am not the only one LOVING Taco Bell's breakfast. Yumm AM Crunch Wrap

Watching these grown "men" (AKA Da'Hubby and his brother) play bumper cars with my nephew

Yes I caught that fish but it fell off the hook on to the ground and I was afraid to pick up the floppy fish so my step-daddy did it for me. 

Spying on my step-daddy's mean geese after fishing

Step-Daddy's ducks are growing - this is Donald

Sharing Choco-Tacos with my sister - Well I just ate ice cream

Holding my sister's puppy who is worn out from playing all day at a crawfish boil

Painted my carrot box - in case I forgot what I planed in there

DaHubby's reaction to me saying I need to take a picture to sent to my daddy so he knows to try Mutt & Jeff's (the restaurant we are at). I think he didn't like me making him wait to take a bite until after the picture was done. 

Got a new mug at work - I may not be the boss in the office but I am still the best boss of ME! mug c/o Quill.com for me using Dunder-Mifflin products at work

What have you been up to? I would love links to go see.