holiday traditions

The holiday season has always felt like a magical time to me. Maybe it’s because I’ve watched one (or 20) too many cheesy Christmas love stories on Hallmark, but I just love the sense of excitement and hopefulness that surrounds this time of the year. Seeing holiday lights on the houses and giant Christmas trees set up in the mall, people bundled up in scarfs and hats and powdery snow falling at night… Okay, so this description is about 1000 times more Hallmark movie than Iowa reality (especially since it hasn't snowed in weeks here!), but you get my point, right? The holiday season is beautiful.

Grandma's homemade apple pie

Last weekend, I spent my Saturday learning how to make my favorite thing in the world: my grandma's homemade apple pie. Let me just start out by saying, my grandma makes THE BEST apple pie in the entire world. At 84 years old, she's had a lot of time to perfect the recipe. But the funny part? She doesn't actually have a recipe. Which is what I learned when I asked her to teach me how to make it.

The choice to have children: public opinion or private decision?

I've had a couple different conversations recently about people asking newlyweds (or any couple) when they plan to start having children, or badgering them that "they better start soon," or some other variation. So when I saw this article about famous women on childlessness, I wanted to share it. (Zooey Deschanel's answer is particularly good, but that's for another post.)

Family pumpkin patch!

Last weekend Adam and I visited my favorite place in the world: my uncle's farm and pumpkin patch. The farm has been in my family for longer than I even know, and I grew up visiting during harvest season and picking pumpkins. I always make at least one trip back every fall to get some pumpkins and see the family. Get ready for lots of photos.

Dad and Grandma had a great time taking rides on the ancient golf cart... Until it broke down.

But the guys took a loot and got it working again. Hooray for manly men ;)



My grandma was happy to see my grandpa's old tractor looking as beautiful as the day he bought it. The best part about visiting the farm is all the family memories there.

And making new memories.

And taking a million pictures.

And a little outfit of the day action. Did I mention fall is my favorite?

10 shows Netflix needs to add to its streaming services

Friends
Does this really need any explanation? It's arguably the best long-running TV show ever made. My sister and I have proven that there is an episode relevant to just about every life situation. Even throughout 10 seasons, the writing stayed strong and the jokes kept on rolling, which is proving harder and harder to do in modern TV. And the finale still gets me after all these years.

Full House
I grew up watching this show more than any other, and I still stand by my belief that it taught me everything I needed to know about life. For instance, how to get your whole family on-stage with the Beach Boys. But seriously, Full House is the original Modern Family.

Modern Family
And speaking of which... I've never laughed so hard as I have at so many episodes of this show. All the characters are great, which is hard to find in a lot of shows. The writing for Modern Family is so good; they can take the most mundane, normal situations and turn them into brilliant plots. As Phil Dunphy would say, "When life gives you lemonade, make lemons."

Family Matters
One of the best things to come out of the '80s is probably Steve Urkel from Family Matters. Much like Full House, it's one of the great shows about family values. It goes about half and half on serious issues (racial profiling, gang violence) and comedic relief (how many times can Steve crash into various rooms of their house???). But I still wonder whatever happened to the little Winslow sister...

I Love Lucy
Oh, Lucy. She always had so much 'splainin' to do. I am a long way from seeing all the episodes in the series, so if Netflix were to actually add it I would be binge-watching for days. So many good episodes, but the one in the chocolate factory always comes to mind.

Lizzie McGuire
Hilary Duff was every 9- to 12-year-old's favorite actress in the early 2000s, right? If you were born in the '90s, don't pretend you didn't schedule your evening around new episodes of Lizzie McGuire, own every one of Duff's CDs and beg your parents to buy you The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Three's Company
This show was big in my mom's generation, and I don't remember how I even came to watch it because I was so young, but I instantly loved it. It's one of the goofiest sitcoms I've ever seen, and I always watched when TV Land used to air reruns at night. Now I'm counting on Netflix to bring it back and remind the world of John Ritters' talent.

Green Acres
I'm really going old school with this one. I'm willing to bet most of my generation has never heard of "Green Acres," which is a cryin' shame in my opinion. The whole show is just one shenanigan after another. Since it aired in the late '60s, it's all cute, wholesome fun, and I miss that in TV today.

Pawn Stars
Not only is this one good for a laugh (mostly at the expense of Chumlee), it's really interesting and filled with history. There's always something to learn, and I'm always down for a contest to see who can guess what the guys will offer and who will cave first. I could (and have) watch this for hours.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
It's "Fresh Prince." Need I say more? Will's crazy patterned pants, Hilary's multitude of hats, Carlton's dancing... I would love to watch the whole series from beginning to end. It's six seasons, so that should only take about... four days?

What shows do you think Netflix should get? What are you watching now? I'd love to hear :)

(Photos via HelloGiggles, Radar Online, Gold Derby, Huffington Post, Evergreen, Disney Channel Wiki, Three's Company, The Red List, Deadline and The Independent)

Sometimes fiction is better than reality

I heard that quote once—in a TV show or movie probably, but I can't remember for sure—and thought of it today after seeing "If I Stay." I read the book several years ago, and the previews practically had me grasping for tissues already. It was so good. Heartbreaking and devastating, but also incredibly beautiful.

I won't give away any spoilers, but I have to talk about how the characters and their relationships in the story. Chloe Grace Moretz plays Mia, who has these amazing punk-rock, hippy-esque parents who encourage her to chase her dreams and live her life, even when it gets scary. And then she has this incredible boyfriend Adam, played by Jamie Blackley, who has his own band, a huge following and isn't afraid to show his emotional side. The family dynamic is so free and supportive, it's impossible to not want be a part of it. Her parents are the most understanding, fun and unselfish people. And Mia's relationship with Adam is beautiful to watch, even through the hard parts.

I love living through stories like this in books, but watching it unfold on-screen makes it seem so much more human—like someone really is out in the world living that life right now. Mia's relationships with her parents and boyfriend are so precious, you can't help but wish reality was a little bit as poetic as it is in fiction.

(Image via That's Normal)