Fun News: The Help

Y'all, I have news that is gonna bring a big fat smile to your face if you are a reader.

The Help has been made into a movie and it being released in August.

I KNOW!! Shut the front door.

I just watched the trailer and all I want to do is run to the library, check out the book and read it again, cover to cover. It's rather long, to the tune of 544 pages but SO worth the investment.

Check out the trailer and mark your calendars for August 12th. I am almost giddy...I can't think of a time of recent that I've been so excited for a movie to come to theaters.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Y'all, I have a big fat crush.

A crush on my brand new, shiny iPhone, that is.

My man has been trying to get me to leave the Blackberry camp for years and because I'm not much of a game player, I didn't think I really needed an iPhone.

Then we decide to fire our phone company and the new one we joined just happen to have iPhones.

To my great delight, I have owned my precious for almost a month and I could not be happier with my choice. The keyboard is taking some adjusting, but I'm making it just fine, thank you very much.

Of course, I sought out great protection for said device by purchasing a pink Otterbox in advance which just happen to arrive the afternoon I came home with my new treasure.

Fate, I tell you.

True to my word, I haven't been playing many games beyond Fruit Ninja and Words With Friends (which my man hijacks quite frequently, I might add.. as he still has a Blackberry because he needs a phone, not a toy, hmph) but I am loving all the apps.

Some of my faves?

411
Cozi Calendar (thanks, Nicole!) ..although I wish the reminders popped up on the screen instead of coming through my email. But the color-coding makes up for that.
My Fitness Pal
Groupon
ShakeIt Photo
Kindle

New to iPhone like me? Check out these apps:

The Weather ChannelNike Training

Lose It!

My Fitness Pal (currently using this one instead of Lose it and I like it...the database of food is pretty darn amazing but can I tell you that 1200 calories IS NOT ENOUGH. I am SO hungry, dang bathing suit season)

100 push ups

Google

Amazon.com

LPM-SMT (this is scripture memory through Beth Moore's blog)

USA Today

Fox News

AllRecipes

Epicurious

Urbanspoon

Flashlight

Bible

White Pages

TripAdvisor

OpenTable

Red Laser

CardStar

Around Me

Spring Pad

White Noise

GooCal (to link Google Calendar to iphone)

Dream Bot

Find Iphone

Currency

Emoji Free

Angry Birds Free

Angry Birds Rio Free

Fruit Ninja Lite

Cut The Rope Lite

Other fun things? I was able to go into my iTunes library and create my own ringtones. My man's ring tone is Danger Zone. Ya know, the one from Top Gun...circa 1986? How dang fun is that? Although I did date myself a bit when it went off the other day at the chiropractor where all the girls are maybe early 20's. And then they started asking me about my favorite decade of music.

OH MYLANTA. I'm only 37, girls.

The only 2 things that I'm working through are emails pushing through in a timely manner and not cheek dialing.

The email dilemma was solved today through the miracle of the internet. Have gmail or yahoo mail and it's not coming through your phone in a timely manner? Go here for gmail and if you have yahoo:

Delete your Y! Mail Account.
Turn off and then turn on iPhone.
Add your Account.
Turn iPhone off.
Go to your Computer and log out of your Y! Mail. Log back in.
Turn iPhone on.

Magic, I tell you.

Oh, and if you are a gmail user and you are receiving a duplicate sent message in your inbox whether you send it from your home computer or from your iPhone...click here for a remedy to that problema. That used to drive me bananas on my Blackberry and apparently there is a fix for Blackberry gmail email issues on that page as well.

And as for the cheek dialing... as soon as you dial, hit your home button and your apps will replace the keypad. Now, it might open up apps but it's better than conferencing in your mother-in-law like I did last week.

Laugh away....I am an IPhone novice.

I can hardly stand how fun it is and it makes standing in line, or just waiting in general, a much more pleasant experience.

What about you? Have any favorite apps?

Cell Phones For Soldiers

Lots of blog posts floating through my head but not quite clear enough to make it to the screen. I'm hoping the words will come in a few days. It's truly crazy how sometimes the words flow so easily and then other times it's truly like putting together a huge puzzle with missing pieces and no picture to guide you.

But in the mean time...do you have an old cell phone that needs a home? Cell Phones for Soldiers will provide a pre-paid postage label for you to ship your old cell phone and they recycle it and use the proceeds to buy calling cards for troops in need. Click here to print a label and be sure to erase all the data off your phone before you mail it.

Pages of Happiness Follow Up

Before we left for Scottsdale, I blogged about the joy of having 5 books to read on our trip. Little did I know that because I married Mr. Adventure, we wouldn't be doing much sitting....and my reading would be on the plane and maybe a little here and there.

Y'all, I rode in a hot air balloon, saw the Rangers play at Spring Training and climbed a dang mountain. See specs below and please, be very proud of me.

Trail Length: 1.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,264 feet
Summit: 2,704 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous

We had to rock climb the last part. Yes, you heard that right. Was it a beautiful view? Yep. Do I wanna do it again. NOPE, with a capital NO.

But, anyhoo....here's the follow up scoop on the books I read:

Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick

I liked the characters in this book a lot. Fun story line, not predictable. Left me wondering 'what now?" for all of them.

Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'Easter by Lisa Patton

Meh...decent read. Had elements that were fun to discover as we visited Vermont last December and that is where the book is centered.

Skipping a Beat by Sara Pekkanen

Didn't like it a first but then it grew on me. I got a little stressed and flipped to the end on this one to see what was going to happen. I know, cheater cheater red bug eater. Sue me, I can't handle plot stress.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Y'all....you have to read this book. LOVED it....would read it again in a heartbeat. If you liked The Help, you'll love this one as well.

Alamo House by Sara Bird
Never read because when I flipped through the pages, the content and language made me a bit uncomfortable. I know, call me a prude, but I didn't want to want 4 hours of my life back after I finished the past page. Should have known, it was about a bunch of t-sips. wink, wink

All were found at the local library...give them a try!