Author Archives: explorenewness

movie watching – my NEW approach

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shadowlands{source}

I’ll admit I’m not a huge movie-goer, but I DO like the REALLY good ones!  I typically wait until I get several “It’s fabulous” reviews before I spend my precious two hours or so watching a movie 😮

However, I’ve recently come to the conclusion that my opinion of those precious two hours (or so) seems to increase if the movie is based on a book and if I’ve read the book beforehand.  It just seems like the return on my two-hour investment is somehow greater….for some reason.  I recently watched Shadowlands and although I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone by saying “It’s FABULOUS”, I really enjoyed it because I had just recently finished the book “Through the Shadowlands“.   If I would have seen this movie at the local movie rental store, I wouldn’t have known it was based on the life of C.S. Lewis and I don’t think I’d ever pick it up.  Of course, I’ll still watch the highly rated and fabulously reviewed films, but otherwise, I think I’ll make it a point to find movies that are based on books and watch them shortly after reading the book.  I found this website that will help me: Books To Movies.

If any of you know of any movies based on books that are FABULOUS….let me know and I’ll start with those 😮

MAKE it a GREAT day everyone…DO or Learn something NEW!

a NEW camp site shared with siblings and niblings

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panguitchlakePanguitch Lake, UT {source)

How was everyone’s weekend?  I  previous mentioned that I was spending my 4th of July at a family reunion.  It was great!  Especially since I got to go somewhere NEW!  We had about seventy family members camping at Panguitch Lake, so I got to spend the weekend with my siblings and niblings.  I just learned that NEW word (nibling) from The Everywhereist, although it hasn’t made it to my dictionary yet :o)

Anyway…I grew up in “Color Country“….meaning we were surrounded by beautiful mountains and colorful rock formations which we visited A LOT  like….

Cedar Breaks:

cedarbreaks{source)

Bryce Canyon:

bryce{source)

Zion National Park:

zion{source)

BUT…I’d never been to Panguitch Lake.  So I enjoyed that NEWNESS!  And check out these CUTE family reunion shirts  that EVERYONE wore!

shirtsfrontback2

a NEW exploring experience

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exploritorium {source}

I’m SUPER excited to do some NEW exploring in the next several months! I’ll be volunteering at at NEW exhibit in our area that’s all about exploring science and art. It’s a traveling exhibit and last week I went to a training so I could help “facilitate” learning when I volunteer. The trainers were from The Exploritorium in San Francisco and they did a really good job!

Have any of you been to The Exploritorium in SF? It’s now on my list for when we visit there next (not sure when that will be! :o)  But I went to their website and poked around.  It looked like they have some fun online activities and a couple of free apps for iPad that I’m going to check out.

So, it will be a fun NEW experience to watch children (and others)  explore at this new exhibit! It’s called  “The Tinkering Exhibit” and it’s  VERY hands-on!  I’m gonna have FUN!  What NEW thing will you do or learn today?  Hope it’s an awesome day!

NEW photos of my week #24

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flagcollage1

Good morning all!  I went shooting early this morning…not really planning to go on a flag hunt, but it turned out that way:o).  I named my collage ‘July Photo Hunt’….but you’ll forgive me, right? (Since it’s really only June 30th)?  These were all taken within a couple of miles of my home.

I think everyone should go on a flag hunt!!!  Although we love our country year-round, there’s no better time to get some great shots of our beautiful Red White and Blue than this time of year!  Here’s my favorite:

flagbow

And when I was ready to head home (my stomach needed breakfast!)…I decided to drive down one more street…and as I turned the corner, I SQUEALED with delight when I saw this:

flagtrailer

Have a great day everyone.  Do or Learn something NEW!

Linking to

Ni Hao Yall

Little Red House’s Mosaic Monday

NEW Salad Recipes

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vegsalad1

Our family went to a get-together last Friday evening and we were assigned to bring a salad.  So, I took this easy/yummy Italian Veggie Pasta Salad.  BUT…OH.MY!  All the other salads that were there were also soooooo yummy!  I wanted recipes for ALL of them!  I noted the ingredients in one particularly scrumptious salad and then came home and searched for a recipe with similar ingredients.  I think I came pretty close to finding it and I made it for dinner on Sunday.  I need to do that more often!…because  I scored!  Here are both recipes:

Italian Veggie Pasta Salad

1 package colored spiral pasta; Your choice of vegetables (I used broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, yellow pepper and baby carrots).  Boil pasta and mix together with all chopped up veggies; pour 1/2 to full bottle of Bernstein Italian Dressing over pasta and veggies.  Chill at least 2 hours.

 

Chicken Pasta Salad

2 – 8oz packages of bowtie pasta

1 cup celery – chopped

1 can pineapple tidbits – drained

2 cans mandarin oranges – drained

1 -12.5 oz canned chicken (or chopped cooked chicken)

1 package craisins

2 cups grapes (red or green)

1 cup cashews

1 bottle Kraft coleslaw dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Cook the pasta and drain.  Place in a large bowl.  Add all the ingredients and mix well.  Delicious! Serves 15-25