Beauty and the Beast Review

I recently had the opportunity to watch the new Beauty and the Beast which will be in theaters on March 17th.  I have had several moms reach out to me to ask questions about it, and I thought it would be best to answer some of your questions here.  

It is based on the original story and it is literally adapted off of the original version.  Disney has brought this movie to life, and it has definitely delivered! The cast they chose is phenomenal. If you read the background on Belle herself she is the oldest Disney princess in her 20's so the fact that they chose Emma Watson is spot on.  All the actors were great, and I got a huge smile on my face when I saw Emma Thompson revealed at the end. 

My favorite part of the movie is how it actually looks. I mean wait until you see the costumes and all the visual effects.  Wow!  Yes, the movie is flamboyant. The costumes are grand, the singing is grand and the scenery is breathtaking so be ready to be swept away. 

For those of you wondering whether the new Beauty and The Beast is appropriate for your little ones, I personally would not take my four year-old daughter to see it.  She gets easily scared and this life-like adaptation would be a bit much for her.  Though, I would definitely go see it again!  For those of you who have little ones, who are not easily scared and do not get bothered by any of the Disney villains, then they will most likely enjoy it.  

This is movie is perfect for all Disney-loving mamas like myself, pre-teens and teenagers and anyone else who loved the original.  This movie is so great I actually think a person who has never seen the original will still enjoy it.   

The new Beauty and The Beast is my favorite adaptation Disney has done so far, and when Luna is old enough we will definitely be watching it together. 

Motherhood: Dream Big Princess

Before having Luna I remember my husband and I distinctly having the "princess" conversation as soon as we found out we were having a girl.  We wanted to avoid boxing her into the princess world and open her up to all possibilities.  We even went as far as calling her Lil P because we were trying to avoid the word princess altogether.  

Then she began to get a little mind of her own and fell in love with all things Disney, and we knew the princess magic was unavoidable. As parents, we learned the word princess can have a negative connotation, but in reality it is in our power to mold it into whatever we believe embodies the term. I love showing Luna that being a princess is a lot more than fancy dresses and castles which are awesome, but how about wear a dress while you build a castle! It has become the perfect opportunity to teach her to dream big. Now we have no qualms calling her princess.  In our world, especially since she's our only child, we just cannot avoid it. The great thing is we are helping to guide our princess into becoming her best self no matter what she chooses.

When Disney began this new campaign to inspire all princesses to dream big, I was immediately on board.  Watch this beautiful video:

To my Luna and all the princesses of the world: #DreamBigPrincess and know you have the ability to make your dreams come true.  As princesses you have the ability to become leaders of the world, creators of new technology, bridge makers, creators of life and so much more. 

Lendy Lately

How's your week going so far?  As you can see I am having a much better week. I have been catching up with chores (mostly lots of laundry), clearly enjoying mama and Luna time and catching up with friends because last week's dental fiasco took me completely out of the game.  It's good to be back. Being in recovery gave me the green light to catch up on some reading and TV binging.  It was painful, but nice--if that makes any sense. Here's what else I have been up to lately...

We recently went to Disney on Ice, and it blew us away! Disney--you always have a way of sweeping us away with your magic. Totally worth it. My only suggestion would be to dress the kids up in Disney gear you already own and let them take a Disney toy from home this way you don't have to make any unnecessary purchases.  

I will be traveling next week so I am in full preparation mode.  I have made my packing list, outfits, and re-read this post about on How to Prepare for a Creative Retreat.

We have been watching the Santa Clarita Diet. At first, I clicked on it because I love Drew Barrymore (Isn't she everyone's dream friend!?). When we watched the first episode, my husband and I both thought what the heck is this, but then we couldn't stop laughing. Warning: If your are not into weird and bloody, this show may not be for you.

I am reading The Trespasser and it is a serious page turner, and I'll admit another of my guilty pleasures is reading this magazine every month. 

I have been sneaking off to my local Thrift Town because I am in search of all white dinnerware similar to these.  It is also a great place to find Disney tees and so much more. I bought Luna this Disney Princess tee and a few others for 70 cents each. I haven't posted a thrift store haul in awhile, but here is my last one. 

We reorganized our office to suit my work-at-home needs (special thanks to my awesome husband). A trip to The Container Store is about to go down.  I like this clear desk collection and this monitor riser is beautiful.