The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

In 2009 I went to England and France with my family. We saw some amazing things, but I think the most impactful place we went was the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. We visited the cemetery after touring the beaches of Normandy where Allied troops landed on D-Day. The whole place has a haunted feel, but I still get chills when I think of the cemetery. 

It was an incredibly solemn place. Very little talking, only whispers. I don't remember many details of the place itself. I mostly just remember row after row of stark white crosses and stars of David. 

It's easy to get caught up in the fun of Memorial Day. And this year it would be easy to spend the day whining because here in Oklahoma we spent the weekend trying not to get flooded out of our homes instead of enjoying a weekend of barbecues or hours on a lake. But I hope we remember the men and women buried all over the world who gave their lives fighting for us and our country. 

I hope you and your family had a safe holiday weekend. Especially if you've been affected by all this crazy weather. Stay safe, and I'll see you back here on Wednesday. 

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

29.

I turned 29 on Saturday. And yesterday I got this in the mail: 

Yup, that is an AARP magazine. It was just delivered to the wrong address, it should have gone one street over. But the timing of it was quite funny, huh? 

It was a great weekend though. My husband took me to Tokyo Japanese Restaurant for sushi; ok, I had sushi. He had chicken and beef teriyaki. He is obviously not a sushi fan. (He didn't even try it. Or the edamame. That's ok, more for me!)

After dinner we stopped at Bin 73, a wine bar down the block. We ate french fries and had a drink before heading home. Of course, we made a quick stop at the Cheesecake Factory to pick up a couple slices of cheesecake first! 

On Saturday I was surprised by a little party! I'd planned on watching the Bedlam game (don't even talk to me about the outcome though!) with my friend Ashley and her husband, but when James and I got there one of other friends had driven up with her son to join us, and our friend out in DC was Skyped in to say hi! (I call that a party, I'm an introvert. Don't judge.) Plus there were Polo's chips and salsa, Coach's beer, and hashbrown casserole. It was basically the perfect birthday celebration for me! After the game some of us went to dinner, and then back to Ashley's house. Our plan was to try to find the SNL episode when N SYNC performed, but while Ashley's husband searched for it, the rest of us fell asleep on the couch. 

I think that sums up 29. Good drinks and food, wonderful friends, and falling asleep before 10 pm. Oh, and diamond earrings: 

Yes, my lovely husband surprised me with diamond earrings! I also ended up with a winter white coat from my parents, an Amazon gift card (I've already restocked my Kindle with some deals!), and some adorable home decor pieces. 

29 has been pretty good so far. And I have a feeling it is just going to get better from here!

Friday, I'm in Love: (Not-so) Scary Movies

When I was younger, I really liked scary movies. I remember seeing The Ring in highschool and after the movie I was driving home with my boyfriend when we saw a girl walking down the street with long creepy hair. I swear she was wearing a nightgown like the girl in the movie. Ok, it was probably just my imagination, but still. I loved being scared. One night, after coming home from seeing another scary movie, I was walking up to the front door of my parents’ house when someone came running around the corner. It was my dad, scaring the living daylights out of me! (They live on 40 acres, with lots of trees surrounding the house. Trust me, it was terrifying.)

But as I grew older, being scared lost its fun. My mission trip to the Amazon really solidified my feeling about most scary movies (another story for another time). Let’s just say that I refuse to watch any scary movie these days, especially if it features demons or possessions. I can’t even handle the commercials when they come on TV!

Luckily, there are some great not-so scary movies out there that are perfect for Halloween! Here are some of my favorites:

Clue – I remember renting this on video from Blockbuster over and over. Lots of the jokes went over my head when I was a kid, but rewatching it as an adult is hilarious. It’s cheesy and over the top and one of my go-to Halloween movies. Yes, I own this one!

Addams Family/Addams Family Values – As I said earlier this week, I dressed up as Wednesday Addams for Halloween one year, and it was one of my favorite costumes ever. Christina Ricci nailed it in these movies, as did Angelica Houston as Morticia. I loved these movies as a kid and I think I love them even more now. I own them both on DVD :)

Beetlejuice – How can you not like Beetlejuice? First, there is the ridiculously young Alec Baldwin (I didn’t even know that was him for years) and then there is Winona Ryder (loved her in this and the Heathers). Beetlejuice is creepy and hilarious and dark, and I love it. However, I actually don't own it! I want to watch it now, though. 

Hocus Pocus – Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy (you may not recognize her name, but you’ll recognize her) are wonderful in this movie. I haven't seen it in ages, but it usually comes on ABC Family at some point this time of year. I'll have to watch it again soon!

Practical Magic – I definitely watch this one other than around Halloween. Is it an awesomely made movie that won awards? Absolutely not. Does it feature Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, along with that one guy from ER that was always cute in a creepy way? Yes, and it is wonderful. There are a couple scenes that legit freak me out, but I like it anyway! I own this one too, though I usually just watch it whenever it comes on tv. 

So those are my favorite Halloween movies! Tonight I plan on curling up on the couch and watching the Addams Family movies for sure. I hope you and your family have a fabulous and not so scary Halloween!