Over the long holiday week, my husband and I had a chance to catch up on some movies we’d been wanting to see. We both enjoy watching films, and while we still prefer experiencing them in theaters, we can’t make every screening, so being able to screen new titles at home is a huge plus and makes for a fun date night. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Superman.



Superman in Theaters and Available to Stream




Superman movie poster
Courtesy:Warner Bros. Media



 I missed the opportunity to go to the screener of Sinners in April, and with “Maycember” being a real thing, Sinners fell off my radar for a bit. I need to watch as many films as possible since I’m a member of Nashville’s film critics association, and was happy to see two recent box office films available for streaming. Today, I’m discussing Sinners, available to stream on HBO Max. Did I think it was a good date night option? I’ll let you know and try not to add any spoilers.



Evil Is Waiting!


Sinners Now Streaming on HBO Max
Courtesy:Warner Bros. Media 


 Are you looking for a fun film stream tonight or this weekend? Then check out Wolfs on Apple TV +. As a member of the Music City Film Critics Association,  I recently received a press screener pass for this and must say, my husband and I really enjoyed Wolfs. Clooney and Pitt teamed up again to bring their own special brand of comedic timing to this film. Here’s my no-spoiler review. 




They are not Partners, They Are Wolfs!



Wolfs Film
Courtesy: Apple TV+


With Valentine’s Day arriving on Monday this year, I know a lot of married couples are celebrating this weekend, instead of trying to juggle a weekday date night. In fact, my husband and I just had a great day date and plan to have a simple evening at home of Monday. To some this may sound boring- but trust me, if done correctly, you can still find ways to add romance and a little spark to these at home celebrations. If you need a refresh on the art of flirting like you did when you were dating your spouse, this book is for you. Read on to learn about The Flirtation Experiment and how to win a copy.


Spark up your Marriage!



The Flirtation Experiment book



The awards season for 2025 wraps up this Sunday, March 2, 2025 with the airing of the 97th Academy Awards. It’s a long-standing tradition for my husband and I to tune in for this event. We’ve been watching the awards together since the early 90’s and consider it a fun date night.



The 97th Academy Awards: How and When To Watch: 




The 2025 Academy Awards

Plan A’s are Overrated

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, July 23, 2012

By now most of you have caught on to the fact that I like to plan things out. I like being prepared.  Sure, I can do spur of the moment… sometimes, if the Moon is in the right sign.  No, seriously, I can be spontaneous on some events, but a whole month of them?  
 

Welcome to our July.

plan b
Source
We have by way of events beyond our control had to be adaptable, flexible.

 We have had to look for the silver lining as our 4th of July party plans were squashed by a no burn- no fireworks of any kind ordinance.

 We had to buck up when our road trip was put off because my husband, who was already b-u-s-y was asked to fill in for another person.  

We made peace with staying put and swimming, until our pool grew some nasty algae and needed to be treated with some major chemicals.

We completely understood when our sitter cancelled the night before our special date night at a lovely restaurant. Yes, reservations were required and I cancelled them without complaint.

Some would say this was a streak of bad luck, but I say July was a flexibility test.  And I’m happy to say, we all passed with flying colors. Who needs Plan A’s all the time? They are so boring, having every detail planned out.

I have watched with admiration and love as our daughters have taken all of this is stride and still come out happy.  A little disappointed here and there, but always game for one of our Plan B’s. They even came up with some stellar and fun ideas on their own.

They reminded me that a little spontaneity is a very good thing.

I hope your July has been all you hoped and planned for, but if not, look around for a Plan B. Ask your kids/friends/family for input.  I bet you will have fun too!

If you love holiday films, you are really in for a special treat this year, because there are several holiday films rolling out and I can’t wait to share them with you. Let's kick things off with Red One, which is in theaters starting today, 11/15/24. Make note of this one for a fun date night.


Red One Kicks off The Holidays!





Red One Kicks off The Holidays!

iPhone 6 Cell Phone Wallet Case review and giveaway

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, March 27, 2018
I have a friend who always shows up at our coffee dates looking stylish, pulled together and amazingly without a purse. I’ve often marveled at her ability to walk out of the house with just her phone, keys and her cute little wallet, so when I had the opportunity to try this pretty iPhone case I happily agreed to give a no purse outing a try. 


iPhone 6 Cell Phone Wallet Case (sponsored)

I’ve always been drawn to the classy look of pearl jewelry. I think it started with my admiration of my Grandmother’s pearl lapel pin. Then my Mom and aunt's pearl necklaces and matching earring sets grabbed my attention and before I was ten years old, I knew I’d someday have my own set of pearls. Fast forward to today, where I own several pieces of pearl jewelry. My newest addition is a lovely pair of stud earrings, from The Pearl Source Power Pearls curated collection of the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. 



Add Power Pearls Earrings to your Wardrobe:




Add Power Pearls Earrings to your Wardrobe



I was sharing with my daughter Melissa that I wanted to learn how to take better flat lay photos like hers recently, when she said she would be happy to teach me by showing me how. I’m so stoked to be working with her because she slays flat lay photography and is on top of all things beauty and fashion. We’ve decided to do a new blog series together called All My Favorite Things. Welcome to the February Edition, we hope you like it.



My Favorite Things in February:




All My Favorite Things February Edition



I’m all about sharing love this week and what better way to say I love you than a perfect gift for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day? 

Here is another helpful way for you to decide on the perfect gift. Join us for a Valentine’s Day Gifting Twitter chat tonight 8pm to 9pm.

FTD Flowers Director of Floral Design, Michael Skaff, will be available to answer all your Valentine's Day and floral questions.  Also, there will be a date night prize pack given to one participant in the Twitter Chat. 

Twitter chat
Courtesy: FTD Flowers

We’d love for you to participate in the chat – we’re using #VDayGifts as the hashtag to track the conversation, and will be tweeting from the @FTDFlowers handle.  Sounds like a fun way to spend an hour!


And FTD Flowers has a great Facebook contest for you to enter: 


contest
Courtesy: FTD Flowers

Go share your worst HERE; you just might be glad you did if you win. Good luck on both FTD Flowers contests!



Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I may be eligible for a gift for sharing this with my readers. All opinions are my own.


Happy Friday! I hope you've been enjoying all the cool giveaways I've shared over the summer, and the summer of giving isn't done. I've teamed up with my favorite group of bloggers to bring you a cool back to school giveaway hop! There are so many fun and cool prizes to win. Starting here, on my blog. I'm giving away a Blu-Ray + DVD copy of Dream Builders. A perfect after school or family movie night prize.


Back To School Giveaway Hop!


Back to school giveaway hop

With award season right around the corner, my invitations to press screeners are picking up, which is an exciting time. I love sharing insights into upcoming films and today’s post features The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which I got to see on Tuesday evening. It's in theaters this Friday, November 17, 2023 for your viewing. Here are my thoughts and an official trailer.



Everyone Hungers For Something:




Everyone Hungers For Something
Courtesy: Lionsgate

Summer is in full swing, so I’ve been busy switching out some home decor items to better reflect the season. Think lighter blankets and bedding, decorative pillows and placemats and an often overlooked item, candles! I change out my candles seasonally. If you love floral scented candles, you may want to try these two at your next summer gathering. 



Floral Scented Candles for Summer:




Floral Scented Candles for Summer


Happy Halloween and Merry Christmas! I have never had the opportunity to meld these two holidays together before, but I had to share this feel good movie before it opens in theaters Monday! I just finished watching the screener provided to me by Lev3l Digital as part of their blogger program and I in the merriest of moods! Are you ready for the holidays? Then read on to learn all about this family friendly movie and how you can win it on DVD.



                         Christmas Jars Movie #ad #giveaway

The Back to School Countdown Begins

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, July 08, 2013

Happy Monday to you! Did you have a great fourth of July weekend? I hope so.  

We had a most excellent weekend, taking a less-is-more approach to it all.  We didn’t plan a thing, except to be together, cook good food and have fun.

This approach worked so well, that we all agreed that our 4 day weekend was like a much needed vacation.  Our souls needed this break in the action and we aren’t even a fast track family. 

It’s a good thing that we had this respite, because now there are only 32 days left of summer vacation. Oh my. The powers that be (the school board here in middle TN) have decided that a start date in the middle of some of the hottest days of summer would be A-Okay. 


bus

Pitching a fit is a waste of time. Planning now for a smooth back to school transition in our home is a much safer bet. 



Here is my plan of action:


1. Start the bedtime routine change now.

 If you are like us and take a more lenient summer bedtime routine, it’s time to nip it in the bud.  Don’t wait until there is a week or two before school starts or everybody will be tired and crabby all day.  Parents: this means we have to go to bed earlier too. No more late night TV.

2.  Set a dinnertime.

Make sure dinner time is early enough that food is digested before bedtime, but not so early that your family has powered through what they ate and need a snack right when they should be brushing their teeth. This is especially tricky for me with a growing teen and tween. They are always hungry! (Yes, girls are always hungry too at this stage.) I aim for 6:30pm to 6:45pm.

3. Clean out their closets.

 Do this early, if you haven’t already AND make them try on every piece they want to keep. With my girls, I go one step further and ask them to see how many outfits they can make. This is a true sanity saver when you are back to school  clothes shopping and they are looking at all the cute jeans when you know they really need tops.

4. Clean out or prep our drop zones.

Every family is different, with a different system in place, but I have found that having the kids place their backpacks, incoming papers, permission slips etc. in specified places daily works for us.
For instance, backpacks must be cleaned out, repacked for the next day and be sitting by the front door for the morning. Period.

5. Listen now.

School can be stressful with some years more stressful than others. Both my daughters happen to be entering a grade that is particularly stressful: 9th and 5th respectively. You can probably relate to the freshman nerves, but may be wondering about little 5th graders. Trust me: this is the year the cattiness and cliques start.  I have set aside private time and chatted with both my girls about going back to school.

They were very illuminating conversations that helped me map out this first plan of action, but I know it won’t be the last this year.  I still need to plan my back to school supply shopping strategy and then there is this biggie to think about:

there is only 169 days until Christmas. 



When do your kids go back to school?


When Last We Spoke Movie Review and Giveaway

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, August 05, 2021

The dog days of summer are upon us and while some are enjoying their last bit of summer by taking road trips and vacations, here in my town, school starts back tomorrow! If you are feeling a little frazzled from all the busyness this season brings, I’ve got a perfect way to relax and take a trip back in time as well. When last we Spoke movie is a wholesome and charming story set in a small southern town that I think is perfect for a family movie night.


Great Family Movie!


When last we Spoke Movie

Many good things are happening this month in the US, abroad,  and on the blog as we continue celebrating Women’s History Month. If you caught the  95th Oscars on Sunday night, you probably noticed women supporting women throughout the ceremony and I was thrilled to see the subtle shift. Women supporting women is top of mind today as I share a woman-owned business that offers free tax filing and tax credit help for Moms and families. 




Free Tax Help! 



Free tax filing help for 2022

Happy first Friday of February friends! I’ve had a very productive week, which means most days I was eating lunch on the fly and grazing my way through the afternoon until I’d cook and eat a proper dinner. Do you know those kinds of busy days where you eat a hand full of almonds here, and an apple there? I decided today I was going to treat myself to a proper lunch, so I used the leftovers from last night and made a Roasted Red Pepper BLT Wraps for a quick lunch. It was so, so good! I want to share this simple lunch idea with you and give you a chance to win some wraps too.


Quick Lunch Wrap:

 


Roasted Red Pepper BLT Wraps

Fun Family Games Gift Guide

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, November 07, 2022

Even though Halloween was just seven days ago, I decided to start sharing my gift guides today, so that you'll have ample time to consider the products and make an informed purchase decision. I wish we could slow the holidays down and not push them out right on top of each other, don't you? To that end, I'm starting this year's guides off with a fun family games gift guide that just might come in handy for all your gift giving needs year round.



Game Night Fun!



Fun Family Games Gift Guide

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