Sunday sunshine

tbmadeamistake · February 2014

I get to go to Target today

Eta: C and I got new pillows for the whole house, bday candy on sale, and some more supplies for poor DH and his lack of tonsils. We are now watching Surfs Up while DH naps, and I got him a copy of the newest Superman movie to watch when C is sleeping tonight.

jenn72178 · February 2014

@Lilygrace48 have fun at Tar-get (French)

I'm excited that Walking Dead is on tonight and I already have dinner prepped and ready so I won't spend all night in the kitchen. Yay.

chickpea912 · February 2014

Around 1:00 AM last night, I was chatting with the husband of one of my August 10 moms who lives in Philly (we're near DC) - we've decided to invoke Project Kid Surprise today - we're going to meet roughly midway (just outside Baltimore) for lunch at Panera (his daughter's favorite place) and surprise the girls, who consider each other - at 3 1/2 - as best friends. Then, to dogpile surprise on top of surprise, we are taking them to go see Frozen. I think it's the singalong version, so while the girls won't really benefit from having the words on the screen, at least we don't have to worry about them being loud or anything.

My child has seen four movies in the theater in her life so far, and this will be her THIRD time seeing Frozen. I swear I don't normally spoil my child like this, but I won't lie - I am SUPER stoke for movie theater popcorn. And to see our friends. But mostly the popcorn.

Ashes92813 · February 2014

Ohhhh Target is wonderful! They finally put groceries in mine. I haven't seen Frozen but I've heard it's great.

I'm going to brunch and to see Porgy and Bess today and can't wait. I love musicals/concerts/comedy shows. I'll pretty much go see anyone.

Enjoy your day ladies! ☀️☀️☀️

BMaidPlanner · February 2014

@Ashes92813 Porgy and Bess is so good.

We were forced to clean some yesterday (DH did a TON) because our landlord was stopping by so I am waking up to an apartment that is not driving me crazy.

Walking Dead tonight!

7 boxes of girl scout cookies arrived on my doorstep yesterday. No shame.

chickpea912 · February 2014

skamber said:

@chickpea912 this is such a cute idea. I love that you all are doing this. Enjoy your popcorn!

I'm excited for them. The last time we surprised them, we met on the National Mall - we were talking towards M's BFF and her dad (and my DH who met them earlier), and I kept saying, hey, do those people look familiar? We finally got close enough that they saw each other and they RAN to each other and just started jabbering as if they had to catch up. I mean, seriously, what do three year old actually have to talk about!?! It was pretty adorable, though. I'm looking forward to the surprise element here.

@Ashes92813 I really like Frozen. I haven't unleashed too many of my rants about gender and children and society and stuff here lately, but it is actually a "princess" movie I can support 100%. And that's saying something, since I typically have a knee jerk reaction to some of this stuff - this is a movie with some great messages - I feel like Disney was doing a BIG makeup/apology thing while making a great movie.

Read247 · February 2014

I'm having brunch with my BFF today!

we only get together about once a month so this is awesome for me. I'm hoping I can talk her into getting a manicure with me afterwards so I can squeeze in more time.

I'm making breakfast for my DS and DH now since he usually is the one that cooks. He gets to sleep in and be taken care of, and I get breakfast twice!

deepoceanmama · February 2014

chickpea912 said:

skamber said:

@chickpea912 this is such a cute idea. I love that you all are doing this.
Enjoy your popcorn!

I'm excited for them. The last time we surprised them, we met on the National Mall - we were talking towards M's BFF and her dad (and my DH who met them earlier), and I kept saying, hey, do those people look familiar? We finally got close enough that they saw each other and they RAN to each other and just started jabbering as if they had to catch up. I mean, seriously, what do three year old actually have to talk about!?! It was pretty adorable, though. I'm looking forward to the surprise element here.

@Ashes92813 I really like Frozen. I haven't unleashed too many of my rants about gender and children and society and stuff here lately, but it is actually a "princess" movie I can support 100%. And that's saying something, since I typically have a knee jerk reaction to some of this stuff - this is a movie with some great messages - I feel like Disney was doing a BIG makeup/apology thing while making a great movie.

1. This sounds like the BEST day ever. Lucky M!

2. I totally agree on Disney. I wrote a paper for a grad class last semester in how gender roles are established in childhood largely by the media (Disney's Mulan being my particular least favorite). Then, I wrote another paper later in the semester about revisionary urges within that same media to subvert traditional gender roles (starting most prominently with Wall-E). I haven't seen Frozen, but now I'm excited.

Ashes92813 · February 2014

@Chickpea912, now I really want to see it! Good to know Disney is becoming a little more progressive!

chickpea912 said:

skamber said:

@chickpea912 this is such a cute idea. I love that you all are doing this.
Enjoy your popcorn!

I'm excited for them. The last time we surprised them, we met on the National Mall - we were talking towards M's BFF and her dad (and my DH who met them earlier), and I kept saying, hey, do those people look familiar? We finally got close enough that they saw each other and they RAN to each other and just started jabbering as if they had to catch up. I mean, seriously, what do three year old actually have to talk about!?! It was pretty adorable, though. I'm looking forward to the surprise element here.

@Ashes92813 I really like Frozen. I haven't unleashed too many of my rants about gender and children and society and stuff here lately, but it is actually a "princess" movie I can support 100%. And that's saying something, since I typically have a knee jerk reaction to some of this stuff - this is a movie with some great messages - I feel like Disney was doing a BIG makeup/apology thing while making a great movie.

EmbracingChange · February 2014

I'm going to take my new to me car in for a wash, hit up Walmart(only freaking store in this town) for window dressings for my kid's room, and actually cook dinner tonight. I haven't make more than a Nutella sammich since last Monday. We had a really busy week, I ate enough McDonalds to preserve me for 100 years and I'm sick of it. I want a steak!

I feel a hardcore cold coming on so I feel terrible. Sinuses, ears, throat, headache, neckache... So I'm having a hard time finding good things about today.

chickpea912 · February 2014

deepoceanmama said:

1. This sounds like the BEST day ever. Lucky M! 2. I totally agree on Disney. I wrote a paper for a grad class last semester in how gender roles are established in childhood largely by the media (Disney's Mulan being my particular least favorite). Then, I wrote another paper later in the semester about revisionary urges within that same media to subvert traditional gender roles (starting most prominently with Wall-E). I haven't seen Frozen, but now I'm excited.

@deepoceanmama I love whenever you speak - it's always so interesting.

Tell me more about your thoughts on Mulan. It's one of M's current favorites, and it has been one I've largely been okay with - she sticks to her guns in protecting her family, she obviously goes against the norm with her actions and shows that girls can be as tough as guys, etc. But I will admit that I haven't watched it closely, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. In my mind, at least, it's way better than many of the princess movies - DH has already decided that Little Mermaid will never be allowed in our house. It makes me sad, as there are pieces of that movie that I think are great (her curiosity for the world unknown, etc.), but I agree with the very problematic messages in the majority of the movie.

deepoceanmama · February 2014

@chickpea912, d'aww. I love when YOU speak.

First of all, I agree that Mulan isn't nearly as offensive as some of the early princess movies, where women are encouraged to endure abuse and "fix" broken men at their own expense. My biggest issue with Mulan is that it wants so badly to be a revisionary film--and appears so much to be a film about strong, independent women--but that it kind of secretly sends another message. For example, the film DOES seem to call out gender norms as performed (Mulan can become a man because she learns to perform that role; "masculinity" isn't necessarily something innate, but is rather something that can be practiced and learned). This is great, and so important for kids to hear.

BUT, at the end of the day, isn't Mulan just another helpless princess who needs a man? Yes, she joins the army and uses her considerable brains to save the country, but what does that all amount to at the end of the film? Despite her performed masculinity, she can't help but fall for the hot commander and ultimately fall into the traps of traditional femininity. When offered a position on the emperors counsel, she refuses, preferring to the return to the domestic sphere where she "belongs.' When she gets back to her family at the end of the movie--a hero, with the sword of the great dead soldier, recognized by the emperor, etc. etc--her grandmother says something like "she brought home a sword; why couldn't she bring home a MAN?" And, of course, Disney gives us the gender-traditional "happy ending" there, and the man she should have brought home turns up. Mulan's great success, then, is celebrated at the end of the movie as she returns to traditional femininity and marriage, rather than strength and resistance to social norms.

I'm a cynic with Disney movies, though. And don't get me wrong--I'll let my daughter watch Mulan. I just think it's interesting that, even as we try to move away from societal standards, we lean on them over and over.

Wall-E, on the other hand, is fucking brilliant and actually really progressive on gender. So, there is hope.

deepoceanmama · February 2014

My Sunday sunshine is that today is the day I write the conclusion to my 100-page master's thesis. It will feel good to have that sucker under my belt.

chickpea912 · February 2014

deepoceanmama said:

@chickpea912, d'aww. I love when YOU speak.

First of all, I agree that Mulan isn't nearly as offensive as some of the early princess movies, where women are encouraged to endure abuse and "fix" broken men at their own expense. My biggest issue with Mulan is that it wants so badly to be a revisionary film--and appears so much to be a film about strong, independent women--but that it kind of secretly sends another message. For example, the film DOES seem to call out gender norms as performed (Mulan can become a man because she learns to perform that role; "masculinity" isn't necessarily something innate, but is rather something that can be practiced and learned). This is great, and so important for kids to hear.

BUT, at the end of the day, isn't Mulan just another helpless princess who needs a man? Yes, she joins the army and uses her considerable brains to save the country, but what does that all amount to at the end of the film? Despite her performed masculinity, she can't help but fall for the hot commander and ultimately fall into the traps of traditional femininity. When offered a position on the emperors counsel, she refuses, preferring to the return to the domestic sphere where she "belongs.' When she gets back to her family at the end of the movie--a hero, with the sword of the great dead soldier, recognized by the emperor, etc. etc--her grandmother says something like "she brought home a sword; why couldn't she bring home a MAN?" And, of course, Disney gives us the gender-traditional "happy ending" there, and the man she should have brought home turns up. Mulan's great success, then, is celebrated at the end of the movie as she returns to traditional femininity and marriage, rather than strength and resistance to social norms.

I'm a cynic with Disney movies, though. And don't get me wrong--I'll let my daughter watch Mulan. I just think it's interesting that, even as we try to move away from societal standards, we lean on them over and over.

Wall-E, on the other hand, is fucking brilliant and actually really progressive on gender. So, there is hope.

@deepoceanmama I totally see all of that, and some of what you brought up has been brought up by DH when we've discussed this in the past. We disagree on Beauty and the Beast, for example, and I'm the first to admit that I don't watch these movies with M closely enough to be able to truly opine on their value and drawbacks.

Wall-E is one of DH's favorites - probably the only animated film on his list of 100 (yes, my husband ranked a list of his favorite movies and blogged about it... just like he created a rubric for "measuring" the fifty states to rank those as well) - I should go back and watch it with new eyes - you have inspired me

hlp2709 · February 2014

We are having family pic. done later on today and the sun is shining so it should be a good day. Hope everyone can enjoy the day and relax a little before the week starts.

ahastin1 · February 2014

Everyone on here is making me feel lazy and unproductive...but I guess my Sunday sunshine is I get to do nothing today except play with my fur babies and figure out what to eat next. I love these days.

hubbs173 · February 2014

Waiting for my flight back home from NYC!!!! I enjoyed an amazing Boars Head sandwich (hard to find back home) and I get to see my hubby!!!! Here's hoping for a smooth flight home!!!!

Mia081081 · February 2014

I am going to ikea to get some more storage for the toddler/baby room. Probably going to hit chipotle. Excited!

wtfisup · February 2014

There are things to worry about, like H securing a new job by fall. But far more importantly, I have a loving, kind, wonderful partner to spend my life with, and he is healthy. We have an easy, happy relationship that gives my life more meaning than anything.

Money and jobs can be changed, lost, or gained. But it is not so easy to find a relationship that is both your source of energy, your joy, and your sanctuary. My connection with him is the greatest wealth I'll ever have, and when other concerns creep up in life, I remember that and feel at peace. For that, I am so thankful. There is nothing more sacred.

MNOpea · February 2014

Lot of sunshine here today! Until last night Dh has only been able to feel baby kick/move once, last night he felt him about 5 times! Woohoo.. This morning (probably in a couple hours) my sister and nieces are coming over for a chocolate milk and donut date, yum. And finally, even though it will be very cold we are going to the beach this afternoon! Yay!

bebemac · February 2014

I'm going to get all fancy today (read: take a shower) and go on a date with H (read: go to Costco and eat a slice of combo pizza)!

Read247 · February 2014

deepoceanmama said: @chickpea912, d'aww. I love when YOU speak.

First of all, I agree that Mulan isn't nearly as offensive as some of the early princess movies, where women are encouraged to endure abuse and "fix" broken men at their own expense. My biggest issue with Mulan is that it wants so badly to be a revisionary film--and appears so much to be a film about strong, independent women--but that it kind of secretly sends another message. For example, the film DOES seem to call out gender norms as performed (Mulan can become a man because she learns to perform that role; "masculinity" isn't necessarily something innate, but is rather something that can be practiced and learned). This is great, and so important for kids to hear.

BUT, at the end of the day, isn't Mulan just another helpless princess who needs a man? Yes, she joins the army and uses her considerable brains to save the country, but what does that all amount to at the end of the film? Despite her performed masculinity, she can't help but fall for the hot commander and ultimately fall into the traps of traditional femininity. When offered a position on the emperors counsel, she refuses, preferring to the return to the domestic sphere where she "belongs.' When she gets back to her family at the end of the movie--a hero, with the sword of the great dead soldier, recognized by the emperor, etc. etc--her grandmother says something like "she brought home a sword; why couldn't she bring home a MAN?" And, of course, Disney gives us the gender-traditional "happy ending" there, and the man she should have brought home turns up. Mulan's great success, then, is celebrated at the end of the movie as she returns to traditional femininity and marriage, rather than strength and resistance to social norms.

I'm a cynic with Disney movies, though. And don't get me wrong--I'll let my daughter watch Mulan. I just think it's interesting that, even as we try to move away from societal standards, we lean on them over and over.
--_--------------_-------------------------
See, I disagree. I don't think her "falling for the hot commander" she is "falling into the trap of traditional feminity." I don't think it makes her character any less strong. I know plenty of female soldiers who fall in love and I don't see them as any less of a role model for young girls.

And as for her turning down a seat on the emperors council, she does but she doesn't. At the conclusion of Mulan she wants to go home and see her family, but in Mulan 2 she DOES work for the emperor with Chang as her partner. The second one sucked, so I can understand not watching it though... The way I see it she saved her father, she saved her friends and she saved ALL of China. She was the hero of the story and I like that the commander was not intimidated by her strength and brains as so many men in real life can be. He fell for her character not her beauty. I think that's a great message for little girls.

Side note: if the story was about a male soldier and he got the girl at the end it would be considered romantic. He would be seen as "having it all." Saved the world and got the girl. It doesn't make him any less masculine or less of a hero. So why when the story is about a woman do we feel as though she failed somehow by falling in love?

winterstar1 · February 2014

Reading all of these makes me smile

My sunshine is I'm in my hometown this weekend and my family threw me a beautiful surprise baby shower. They had originally been planning to have it in April, but my grandfather's health hasn't been the best, so they moved it up a bit. It was so much fun and made me so incredibly grateful for my amazing family. My bonus sunshine is I don't leave till Monday morning, so I still have all of today to spend time with them

bebemac · February 2014

@jfochtman How neat! I bet you're having so much fun. Enjoy your time there and give your grandpa lots of loving. Grandpas rule!

Read247 · February 2014

bebemac said:

I'm going to get all fancy today (read: take a shower) and go on a date with H (read: go to Costco and eat a slice of combo pizza)!

Hahaha. I thought you were talking to me!

Read: take a shower!

Read: go to Costco and eat a slice of combo pizza!

I was thinking: hmmm...sounds like a good idea!

ricecakes1216 · February 2014

This is day two of my four day weekend. We are painting the baby's room and probably going to a movie this afternoon. Should be a good day.

deepoceanmama · February 2014

Read247 said:

See, I disagree. I don't think her "falling for the hot commander" she is "falling into the trap of traditional feminity." I don't think it makes her character any less strong. I know plenty of female soldiers who fall in love and I don't see them as any less of a role model for young girls.

And as for her turning down a seat on the emperors council, she does but she doesn't. At the conclusion of Mulan she wants to go home and see her family, but in Mulan 2 she DOES work for the emperor with Chang as her partner. The second one sucked, so I can understand not watching it though... The way I see it she saved her father, she saved her friends and she saved ALL of China. She was the hero of the story and I like that the commander was not intimidated by her strength and brains as so many men in real life can be. He fell for her character not her beauty. I think that's a great message for little girls.

Side note: if the story was about a male soldier and he got the girl at the end it would be considered romantic. He would be seen as "having it all." Saved the world and got the girl. It doesn't make him any less masculine or less of a hero. So why when the story is about a woman do we feel as though she failed somehow by falling in love?

I don't think she failed by falling in love; I think the film failed to fully undercut what it means to be traditionally feminine. It frustrates me that Mulan can't be the hero of this film WITHOUT falling in love. I don't think that there's anything wrong or anti-feminist about falling in love (I'm married, having a baby, etc.), but the film is trying so hard to be a feminist film that its reliance upon traditional plotlines and gender roles is irritating. Yes, soldiers can fall in love and still be strong, feminist heroes. I agree. I am strong feminist who fell in love. But Mulan's great triumph at the end of this film is her marriage, not her strength or heroism in battle.

I haven't seen the second one, so I can't speak to that at all.

To your side note: if the film was about a male solider who got the girl at the end, I would be just as frustrated by reliance upon standardized gender roles in film. Just for the record.

((Sunday sunshine: I love that we can have a conversation about gender roles in Disney movies before I've even finished my coffee. Happiness.))

edited to clip the quote tree.

bebemac · February 2014

@Read247 Do it! You know you wanna!

winterstar1 · February 2014

bebemac said:

@jfochtman How neat! I bet you're having so much fun. Enjoy your time there and give your grandpa lots of loving. Grandpas rule!

Thanks so much, it really has been great. And Grandpa's really do rule!

lol, we love him so much. He has had 8 heart attacks in the last 15 years but he has the strongest will to live of anyone I know. We consider every day with him a blessing. Ps. Enjoy your pizza! I've never had Costco pizza before, but I bet it's tasty!

Read247 · February 2014

@deepoceanmama - ok, that makes sense I see what you're saying. I'm curious: what did you think of Brave?

bebemac · February 2014

emilyh107 said:
Last night DF and I had a special date night together. We went shopping for the baby, got some great things, and he took me to eat hibachi since I have been craving it. It's been so long since him and I have had a date night. We sat with some great people at dinner and it was so much fun. This morning he brought me breakfast in bed, cuddled a while and he told me he wants to take me shopping today to get me some new maternity work clothes because he knows I need them. Love this man.

Read247 · February 2014

@bebemac - second breakfast and then pizza??

lest12 · February 2014

DH has worked the last 8 nights straight... he has tonight off and we are going to go out for a date night. We haven't been out for a nice night in a while, and he's been working really hard, so we are both really looking forward to it. We have a gift certificate to a really nice place in town, too, but I secretly want to save that for an excuse to go out post-baby and go to a local place we like tonight.

Also, I don't have to work tomorrow, and my boss is out of town all week... and we had figured out some maternity leave stuff last week, which went great. So I have zero of my usual Sunday-anxiety, yay!

Read247 · February 2014

ugabamafans said:

bebemac said:

I'm going to get all fancy today (read: take a shower) and go on a date with H (read: go to Costco and eat a slice of combo pizza)!

DH and I have been know to "get fancy" and go get a hot dog combo. Love it.

That's my usual because its only $1.50!!

colllydon · February 2014

My building manager finally realized I was pregnant so he cleaned off my car and snow blowed around it. B-) pretty excited about it.

BMaidPlanner · February 2014

hubbs173 said:
Waiting for my flight back home from NYC!!!! I enjoyed an amazing Boars Head sandwich (hard to find back home) and I get to see my hubby!!!! Here's hoping for a smooth flight home!!!!

I hope you had fun here despite the weather!

nicolemcm · February 2014

Well, it happened yesterday, but our travel system came in (we had to have it shipped from another BRU store about 3 hours away since they were out of stock and it's a clearance item). Anywho, DH assembled it and we lurve it so much.

And now, I'm just waiting on DH who's making brunch for us (and our fur baby).

Sareynoo · February 2014

Cuddling with DD, she woke me up with kisses! I'm about to make maple bacon and pancakes with an iced coffee. Planning on getting a lot of chores done today, hardly anything makes me as happy as a clean house does.

momof5sept18 · February 2014

Early this morning I didn't have any Sunday Sunshine. BUT! I can finally contribute lol.

I got TWO hours of sleep after being awake for 48 hours and I'm so excited. The two hour would of been impossible but my two awesome tots slept in this morning and I was finally able to fall asleep.

Also, DHs Grandma is coming over! I love that woman! I'm having her first great grandbaby, and she is so excited and adorable! Oh, and DHs aunt is coming over. (:

Now to clean up my house some, I did most of it this morning but I'm gonna finish it now, well, after I have coffee. I haven't had coffee since December. And today is a coffee day!

Luckily, DHs aunt and grandma won't be here until DH gets home from working.

momof5sept18 · February 2014

Early this morning I didn't have any Sunday Sunshine. BUT! I can finally contribute lol.

I got TWO hours of sleep after being awake for 48 hours and I'm so excited. The two hour would of been impossible but my two awesome tots slept in this morning and I was finally able to fall asleep.

Also, DHs Grandma is coming over! I love that woman! I'm having her first great grandbaby, and she is so excited and adorable! Oh, and DHs aunt is coming over. (:

Now to clean up my house some, I did most of it this morning but I'm gonna finish it now, well, after I have coffee. I haven't had coffee since December. And today is a coffee day!

Luckily, DHs aunt and grandma won't be here until DH gets home from working.

deepoceanmama · February 2014

@read247, I liked Brave. I still think Merida is a bit stereotypical (is the "tomboy" any less restrictive than the "princess"? I don't know. I'm genuinely conflicted on this--it's REALLY hard to characterize a woman in a children's film without relying on archetypes. But I'm not sure I HATE archetypes--as you note, men are restricted by them as well, so it's not always a gender issue). And I do kind of hate that the whole film rests on the teenage-girl-who-hates-her-mom paradigm, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I think Merida is cool and edgy and, yes, brave in a lot of ways. She's certainly no Ariel or Lady.

I think Disney (and Pixar specifically) does its best work when it's not specifically focusing on women and/or trying to subvert the princess archetype. But I really don't mean to be such a grouch about children's movies. I really do love them, even if I find fault with their gender characterization.

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