The time has finally come that I know for sure when the American Girl dolls will be on QVC. They are listed on QVC as being scheduled for September 11, 2010 from 4pm-6pm. It is set to be a 2nd Anniversary show for American Girl Dolls. They usually have amazing sets that you can not get anywhere else. I have purchased 5 sets from them in the past year through these shows.

What dolls will be on the show? Well, we don’t really know but I can venture a guess. I just got an email yesterday notifying me that Felicity and Elizabeth and all of their accessories are going to be archived soon. I would expect that they would both be on the show with some of their outfits and accessories. They usually include dolls that are going away so that they can get one last push out of them. I would also expect the newest Girl of the Year Lainey to be on there. Last year they included Karissa who was the Girl of the Year at the time. We might even get to see some of the My American Girl dolls but probably not since those are the newest and they have to be customized which might be too much hassle for a QVC show. Of course they usually include some of the Bitty Baby items.

Set your alarms now. Remember that most of the time the shows don’t start until the posted time but the items show up online earlier than that. I have also seen the items change online as they sell out or get closer to air time. I can’t wait to see what they have this year. Let me know what you get!

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I just finished watching the rebroadcast of the Jimmy Kimmel Live Twilight Show and I had to come right over to discuss it with you guys. First I have to say that I love the sense of humor that all the cast members have. They really made the show enjoyable. I also have to say that I love the addition of all of these new cast members. They are interesting and beautiful and make the movie seem like it has so many more dimensions than just Bella, Edward and Jacob. The bad part? I can’t really stand the attitude of Kristen Stewart. She looks uninvolved and bored the whole show and when asked a question she is sarcastic and sort of demeaning to the fans. She almost seems like she feels too good for the rest of this world. Understand that my watching this comes from a place of not liking Bella in the books and not liking the choice of Kristen Stewart to play the part of Bella. I have said from the beginning I don’t like the way Stephanie Meyer portrays Bella in the books as a desperate damsel in distress. Add to that the fact that Kristen Stewart is no where near the picture of Bella I had in my mind and she just doesn’t fit the storyline to me. I think it just tops my annoyance to see her in interviews and shows and realize she never really answers a question. I know that it is rare for celebrities to want to keep their private lives secret. I also know that it is totally her right to not answer personal questions but she avoids even the most innocent of questions. She answers with sarcasm and a little bit of distaste. She was asked a very innocent question about whether there were any scenes from the book she wished had made the movie that hadn’t and she jokingly replied that she wished she had gotten to cook for Charlie the whole movie. With all of the amazing scenes from the book she could have taken the opportunity to make people even more interested in the books and movies and instead made herself look like an inane idiot. I really like Peter Francinelli. Perhaps it is his maturity that I enjoy but he is witty and interesting and seems to enjoy and appreciate his fans. He is a real star. I also have to say I am impressed with the maturity of Dakota Fanning. You would never guess she was so young. She certainly has a much better presence than Kristen does. So there is my opinion of the show. What did you guys like or dislike about the show? Where there any questions you wished you could ask them?

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Starting on Monday June 21st Burger Kings all around the nation will become over run with teenage girls and hormonal women of all ages. The fast food chain is going to be running a Twilight themed promotion that will give customers a chance to win prizes via scratch off cards. They also are launching an online website with extra features including sneak peeks and games. I have to say that this was a brilliant move on the part of BK. I can’t say that they have been keeping up with the pack in sales in the last few years and their kid’s meal promotions have been lacking to say the least. Amazingly the group of fans that follow Twilight will do ANYTHING to get their fix, even purchase BK food instead of McDonalds. If anything can pull those customers away it is this promotion. Not only will the teen girls be begging their parents for a trip to BK but the moms who love this series will be offering their kids to eat out when they normally wouldn’t. Great idea!!! I can’t wait to see how this thing works for BK and will be amused to see the frenzy this might cause. Enjoy!

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Hello Harry Potter fans! Today was the day and I have heard rumor it was quite a day! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened today at Universal Studios and some friends have relayed to me that there were waits of hours long just to get in to the HP area! That doesn’t even count the waits to see the attractions or ride the rides. I was watching The Today Show this morning and Al & Ann were airing from US. I have to admit I am a Disney addict and not usually swayed by US attractions but I sure would like to visit one day. They really did this one right this time. It looks amazing and they paid such close attention to the details. They have dining areas that offer HP themed beverages and foods. They have shopping areas that are HP themed. They finally did something that makes this Disney girl wanna see Universal Studios. I can’t wait to hear reviews of the rides and the attractions. The thing I love the most about Disney is that the attractions and rides immerse you in the story that they are based on. Harry Potter is truly an amazing story to try to tell. There is so much magic and make believe that it is easy to imagine all of the terrific ways you can go with this new land. I think perhaps Universal Studio may have taken a page from Walt’s book on imagineering and I can’t wait to one day check out this new land of fantasy.

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It has been quite some time since I read and reviewed the book The Time Traveler’s Wife. If you remember I had a little bit of an issue finishing this book since it didn’t quite keep my attention and it was long and drawn out. However, once I was done with it I really liked the storyline and characters and kept thinking this would make a great mini series. Something that you could draw out all summer long and update their happenings each week. It would be so much more interesting to see what happened at each of their meetings than it was to read about them.

I thought my prayers were answered when I saw they had made a movie about the book. I thought at initial glance that the actors chosen fit well with the vision I had in my mind of what these characters would have looked like. I really thought I was in for a treat. I settled in not long ago and ordered it On Demand and got my popcorn and got ready to be entertained. I was sadly disappointed. It seems this story just doesn’t play out well in a typical movie format either. Too much of the story had to be cut out in order to fit in the time constraints. It made the story seem disjointed and confusing. Instead of seeming like a sweet love of a lifetime over the decades kind of story it plays more as a freak show with his jumping back and forth being the main focus instead of the undying love they shared.

I still think this book could work for television but I think my original idea of it being a mini series or a weekly television program would work so much better. Each weekly show could focus on a different jumping event and the types of feelings and emotions tied to those jumps. They could really hone in on the relationship between Henry and Clare and what effect his jumping has on their relationship. I think I could really enjoy a show like that. What do you guys think? Would you watch? Did you guys see this movie and enjoy it more than I did? Why or why not? I guess the old saying is true…never read the book first! Enjoy!

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I know you guys have been waiting a long time for us to discuss this set of books. I haven’t forgotten about my promise to discuss them but I have to say this one was even tougher than the Twilight Series. I have researched and read the books. I have researched Dan Brown. I just can’t find an interesting angle on this set of books. It isn’t that I don’t find the subject matter interesting. I am a lover of mysteries and thrillers so technically I should love this set of books. I also have to say that I have seen the Tom Hanks movies on the first two books and enjoyed both of them very much. I read all the way through The Da Vinci Code and found myself enthralled by the end of the book. I had already seen the movie Angels and Demons before reading the book and so I couldn’t bear to finish the book because it was so close to the movie that it just seemed redundant. I liked the movie very much though. I have been trying to read The Lost Symbol for a while now and can’t seem to get past the first third of the book. I think part of the problem is that this book seems much more technical and scientific than the other two. I find my mind wondering when he first starts discussing what Catherine does in the secret pod she uses as an office. That said I would like to discuss some of the points I do find interesting in the series.

I think as a whole it is interesting to consider that the premise of these books could be true. I for one had read several books and done some research about Jesus as an adult before reading The Da Vinci Code. I found it hard not to consider the possibility that he would have had a wife and possibly a child. When you think about it he lived in a time when Jewish men were expected to be married and have children. It would have been a point of contention in his culture had he not been married or a father. In my mind it would not have lessened my belief in Him as the Christ of the Bible. However, I also considered and realized that he was born for a purpose. He may not have known that purpose as a child but I would think that by the time he was 33 he was well aware of what he was going to be doing. He would also realize that a wife and child or children would not only make his calling more difficult but it would also create a situation where he would have to leave this family. I don’t imagine that he would wish that on anyone. I think he knew what he was born for and what his Father had in store for him and he was tunnel visioned in his determination to complete his task. These are the reasons I can’t believe he was married and had children with Mary Magdalene.

I also find it interesting to consider the existence of anti-matter. I am not an avid scientist and quite frankly I am not that interested in how things work. I am however interested in how people work. I found the storyline of the Vatican covering up scientific strides to be one that is very believable. I loved the part of the book where the Carmelengo asks "But who is more ignorant? The man who cannot define lightning, or the man who does not respect its awesome power?" I loved the speech that Dan Brown wrote for the Carmelengo! I found so many parts of that speech that spoke to me. I love that he was able to blend the need for science and the church. I also loved the line "Show me proof there is a God, you say. I say use your telescopes to look to the heavens, and tell me how there could not be a God!" Amazing! This is the exact fight I have in my heart all the time. I think about the intellect of the existence of God and laugh at how silly it all sounds and then I see the intricacies of the human body and laugh that I could even question how it was made. I think that the issues that the Vatican faces in the modern world are because of their failure to embrace the fact that people long for information about God and in our modern world they will not just accept things as stated by the Vatican.

I guess in the end what I love about this series is that it makes people question what they believe, it makes them search for more information of proof one way or the other and it makes people realize that each person is responsible in the end for their own beliefs. We should never turn our faith over to any one church or church leader. These books help people to see that perhaps faith in a human, fallible leader to facilitate our relationship with God can only lead to hurt and let down. People are flawed and they often do things that are beyond the comprehension of others. These books show in interesting ways that point. I would still love to hear what you guys have to say about the books. I would love to know if you find them to be believable or simply works of fiction. What parts do you find most believable and what parts are just too outrageous to ever occur? Do you think that his books got progressively more interesting or do you think that he became too technical and scientific? Thanks for hanging on so long for this discussion. I really wanted to do more with these books but I just couldn’t get much out of them. I can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say! Enjoy!

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It won’t be long now! In just over a month, on November 20th, 2009 the movie edition of New Moon will be coming to theaters. I thought this was a good time to get you guys talking about New Moon again. I had to go back to read my previous posts about New Moon from when we did the book club discussions. I thought I remembered hating New Moon and feeling totally let down after reading Twilight. So much so that I almost didn’t move on to the last two books. When I went back and read what I had posted at the time of the discussion I realized that I might have actually liked New Moon the best.

Why would I like New Moon the best? Well I am in the Team Jacob site and I love that New Moon is so much about Jacob and Bella and not as much about Edward. I remember hating that Bella had all but given up her life after Edward left but I now I realize I like the Bella that was left behind much more than the one that was with Edward.

Here is the real question though…Will New Moon the movie be as good as Twilight if they stick to the book and Robert Pattinson doesn’t have a big role in the movie? I mean Edward was gone for much of New Moon so he certainly can’t have a huge place in the new movie. Will Taylor Lautner be able to carry New Moon the way Pattinson carried Twilight? I think he can. I think people were dying to love Jacob in the first one but he just didn’t have a big enough part. If they do this movie right they could have another mega hit!

What parts of the book do you hope to see in the movie? Are there any parts that you can’t imagine how they will pull off in the movie? I never thought I would want to talk about any part of Twilight again but I am interested in what you guys think about this new movie coming. So let’s hear it!

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This sale is over but check here for the latest information on the coming show in September 2010!

Hello American Girl fans! I know you are all getting ready for Christmas and so this newest QVC deal will be perfect timing. They are going to be having some very nice sets and deals on tomorrow 9/13/09 starting at 3pm Eastern time. They currently have a Charissa set and also a Gwen/Sonali Set up for sale and the prices are not bad. They are supposed to be adding other dolls and sets tomorrow. I can’t wait to find out what they put up. I have gotten something at the last 2 QVC sales. For me it is about getting more for my money. I can get sets at QVC that include the dolls, books, clothing and accessories. I love the full set! I would definitely make sure you check through out the day on the website since they often put things up for sale before the television show starts. Just click on the QVC link here and search for American Girl and they will show you a listing of everything they are currently selling. I hope you guys get some great deals and please let me know if you buy something!

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We all know about the famous set of books written by Mario Puzo that chronicles the life of Vito Corleone and his family as one of the head mob bosses. What I didn’t know is that those original books actually contain holes in the time line that leave the characters with lost years in their lives that the readers don’t have answers for. A few months ago I decided to buy the Godfather books through a closeout site. What I didn’t realize until I started to read a few weeks ago is that the books I ordered were not the original books. I did some research after getting these books and realizing I hadn’t gotten The Godfather I, II and III. Well silly me I just assumed there actually was a Godfather I, II and III. Come to find out there isn’t.

The Godfather original was published in 1969 by Mario Puzo and made in to a movie in 1974. The movie was such a great success that it was decided that a sequel was needed. Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola then co-wrote the two sequels to The Godfather but neither were written as a book. The were written straight as scripts for the movies. In 1984 Puzo finally put to words the "sequel" to The Godfather as a book and titled it The Sicilian. While we all know the story as it goes in the two movies that followed the original The Sicilian is the actual sequel to the book.

Finally in 2004 there were two more books written on the subject. These two books were written by Mark Winegardner and are titled The Godfather The Lost Years and The Godfather’s Revenge.  Winegardner provides us with a time line in the final book that explains where the movies and books fall in detailing the life of the Corleone family. Here is what I got from that:

The book The Godfather written by Mario Puzo and the movie The Godfather both cover the time period 1945 – 1955. The Godfather Returns (I have also seen it titled The Godfather: The Lost Years) covers the time period 1955-1958 an also the time period 1959-1962. This book also has flashbacks to Michael’s early life from 1920 – 1945. The Godfather II movie covers the time period from 1958-1959 and the early life of Vito from 1910 – 1939 as flashbacks and The Godfather III movie is set from 1979-1980. Finally The Godfather’s Revenge book is set in 1963-1964. I really found this all very confusing. I guess the issue is that the two later movies were not based on books but were written straight to script. The books I received were the ones written by Winegardner and it would appear I received very early or very late copies as they don’t look the same as the books appear on his website. The photos on the cover are mysterious but feature closeups of people. The covers as they appear on his website are much more reminiscent of the puppet master theme seen with the movies. With red and black contrasts. It also seems that at some point the book I have that is titled The Godfather: The Lost Years was renamed to The Godfather Returns. Very strange but I imagine that is why I got them so cheap.

Now my problem is that I don’t have a copy of the original The Godfather.  It is all very confusing because they are written by different people and cover different time periods. I am hoping to get the original book so I can start there and work through the books and hopefully get a full picture of what this story is all about.

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I was looking around tonight to see what kind of Twilight and New Moon merchandise they had out there lately and I was amazed to come across a Twilight Store at Barnes & Nobles. To me that says volumes about how popular this series is and the importance it holds in the retail numbers of book and merchandise sellers. I don’t think I have ever seen a major book retailer like Barnes & Nobles create a whole separate store (which is really just a subcategory of their main site) for a book or series before. Imagine the money that can be made off of people browsing the store. The best part is that they also posted a video section where they have interviews with Stephenie Meyer about Breaking Dawn, Eclipse and The Host and they also have a Stephenie Meyer Pop Quiz for fans to test their knowledge. What a great way to give their customers information and also put all of their Twilight Needs in one place. You can order the books in hard cover, soft cover and special editions. You can also order the Twilight DVD. I also some Twilight themed gifts like book marks and some chess piece book ends like the ones on the cover of Breaking Dawn. I also noticed that you can now get the paperback with the front covers changed to match the movie photos instead of the traditional covers. You can also get magazines that feature the movies, book or stars. Finally you can order the Twilight Soundtrack from Barnes & Nobles. They truly are becoming one stop shopping for Twilight fans and they are very reasonably priced. One of the really great things about them is that they offer free expedited shipping for orders over $25. You get your order in about 3 days and it is free! Amazing deal for people who love Twilight and everything to do with the popular series.

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