So, I just turned 20, okay, + 9 last week. Had an okay birthday, I ended up catching Anya’s 24 hour stomach bug and was sick all day on my birthday, but luckily I feel better now. Travis caught it Sunday, but he was better the next day as well. Luckily it was just one of those 24 hour things. Granny and Pop Pop came out on Saturday and had a grand time with the grandchildren, Anya and their first grandbaby, Chance! Anya was much more playful and accepting of them this visit as well. They came in bringing her a stuffed Bermese Mountain Dog, so that helped matters a bit. She carried him around most of the day and started playing with them shortly after receiving the toy. She was spoiled very well, but I guess that’s the grandparents job. Travis and I were able to treat ourselves to a movie Monday night so it was nice for us as well. We actually went to see “Snakes on a Plane”. Its not an Academy Award Winner or anything, but it was fun and that was the most I jumped and screamed in a movie in a long time if ever. Its Rated R for good reason. Snakes really bite people pretty much everywhere in this movie, even in the eye! It was rather graphic, but I wouldn’t say it was a horror movie. It was more along the lines of “Anaconda”, but a bit more graphic than that as well. I would put it in the genre of a thriller. It had good action and once it started it was a pretty quick movie. And once the snakes are released on the plane it is an edge of your seat, cover your eyes in this part type movie. Seeing it once was enough, although if we really felt like seeing it again…I guess I would, but I really didn’t like the snakes. I think part of the problem was the music and the snakes just coming right at the screen. It has Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Margulies, from ER fame, in it. Not for kids under 16 in my opinion. I’d give it 3 stars out of 5. A fun movie, but don’t go into it expecting anything more than a fun film that will make you jump out of your skin and question whether there are snakes under your seat!
Okay, so we got to watch “Poseidon” last night and I have to say it was good. If you have ever seen the original “The Poseidon Adventure”, which I first saw it with my Mom one afternoon when I was a teenager-we sat down and watched it together and “The Towering Inferno” one afternoon; anyway, if you have seen the original then this one is pretty similar, however, its much shorter than the Ernest Borgnine, Gene Hackman version. This one stars Kurt Russell, Richard Dreyfuss, Emmy Rossum (Phantom of the Opera), Jacinda Barrett (Ladder 49), and Josh Lucas (Hulk and Sweet Home Alabama). The cast does a great job and the movie is very intense. The first 15 minutes is pretty general character introductions, but once the wave is seen in the distance then the intensity starts and does not stop until the end. A few key scenes are very similar to the original, however, the ending is a bit different. Overall, I’d give it 3 stars. Its not “Titanic”, but its still a fun disaster film to watch with the intensity and special effects of a lower budget “Titanic”. I’d give it 3 stars for ages 10 and up and 3 stars for couples to watch as well as adults. Kids under the age of 7 probably shouldn’t watch it, but I don’t think it would really hold their attention anyway. It runs about 90 minutes or so and is rated PG13 for intense scenes of disaster and peril.
Another weekend is over and Anya has a little stomach bug, but seems much better today. She got a little sick yesterday during her nap and again late last night, but it wasn’t as bad as she was in April this past year. Plus, she’s been eating pretty good today and playing. Hopefully, its just a short 24 hour bug. We went to lunch on Saturday to our favorite Thai restaurant and we went shopping for some new cookware Friday night. That’s about it for us. Will be renting “Poseidon” this week so I will post a review on it after watching. Also, added a few new links and Anya’s Gallery for photos is now under Allison’s Favorites category, just click on it to see new photos of Anya. Will update those later this week too. 
Anya and I made our weekly visit to the animal shelter today and got some good news. Both Oscar, the terrier mix, and Tahoe, the border collie both got good homes with a family. We were very happy to hear this news. Now there is a Newfoundland named Nellie there that we really liked and a beagle mix named Caramel, both owner surrendered animals, but Nellie has been abused. Larkey the polydactyl cat is still looking for a home.
Anya and I accompanied our friends Braydon and Serena today to the Henderson Multigenerational Center. Braydon is 1 month and 9 days younger than Anya and Serena is just a couple years older than me so we get along really well and she is by far my best friend out here. The Multigen Center has several pools including an indoor one and lap pools. They also have a Aquatic Play area that has a beach entry and zero depth so it makes it easy for toddlers to walk around and play in the giant sprinkler type water features. We had a great time and Anya has been napping since 12:30. Its almost 2pm now so she’s having a great nap. Serena and I think we should take them there a couple of times a week so not only they get used to the water but also because they wear themselves out and sleep better. School starts out here on August 30th and we will probably go more then too as long as its still 100+ degrees out here and it will be a lot less crowded. Although it wasn’t really bad today because we got there when they opened. I will post some new photos of Anya soon too.