{Potter Predicament & The King and I}

We Finstads are big Harry Potter fans. Huge. Borderline obsessed. However, the recent release of the film 'The King's Speech' (our newest film obsession, for obvious reasons) has caused a bit of discord in our lives. You see, the worst part of having an obsession with the Potter franchise is not the expense of the books, DVDs, and other minutia, nor is it the hours lost that are spent gaping open-mouthed at the television as Harry defeats He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named yet again, nor is it even dealing with non-Potterphiles, or worse - AntiPotters. No, ladies and gentlemen, my greatest loss is the ability to watch any of the HP actors in their other works and see them as anything but their beloved wizarding characters. Since several of the actors are also in TKS, as well as other recent blockbusters, I'm having a bit of a mental battle. A few examples...


Michael Gambon as meanie King George V? I think not, Dumbledore!


Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill? Get real, Pettigrew!


David Thewlis as Nazi-enabling Father in 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'? Please, Lupin...


Professor Slughorn, just what do you think you're playing at, acting as Bridget Jones' dad? Get back to your potions classroom!

And please, Gary Oldman as ANYTHING other than Sirius Black? I think not.


The only exception I have is Helena Bonham Carter. Perhaps because I can so easily relate to her as the King's wife in 'The King's Speech', as she stands by her stammering husband.


How blessed are we that this is currently the biggest threat to our sanity? :)

[#FirstWorldProblems}


I dug this little guy out of our garden yesterday. I'm no gardener, so I'm not sure if he's a leftover from last year, or perhaps a late bloomer this year. The unseasonably warmer weather of the last few days got me thinking about our garden this year. We enjoyed last year's garden so much, and we'd love to plant another, but at the same time we're hoping to move this year, and we'd hate to put all the work into a garden, only to abandon it before the harvest. Now that's a #FirstWorldProblem if I ever heard one :)

{February Menu}



Has anyone tried out menu planning as a New Year Resolution? How's it going? I want to know what's on YOUR menus!

1- Egg salad sandwiches
2- Leftovers (Jean in New York)
3- Leftovers (Jean in New Jersey)
4- Leftovers (Jean in Haymarket)
5- Turkey burgers
6- Chili dogs & potato skins (Super Bowl)
7- BBQ chicken quesadilla
8- Beenie Weenies (Boy Scout Day)
9- Leftovers (Jean in DC)
10- Crock*pot Italian chicken
11- Tacos
12- Chicken cordon bleu
13- Cheeseburger soup
14- Steak, shrimp, onion rings, potatoes, spinach salad, champagne cocktails, red velvet cakes (Valentine's Day)
15- Spaghetti & meatballs
16- Bacon-topped meatloaf
17- Cube steak
18- Homemade pizza
19- Leftovers (Jean in Richmond)
20- Enchiladas
21- Lasagna (President's Day)
22- Chicken Tenders
23- Red beans & rice
24- Baked chicken
25- Leftovers/eat out (Jean in Arlington)
26- Crock*pot BBQ chicken
27- Wings & salad
28- Chicken bacon ranch casserole