It is no secret that I am a movie buff and the Oscars have always been something fun to watch. I have always loved the dresses, the genuine joy (Roberto Benigni), the opening numbers (Billy Crystal) and funny hosts (Ellen). I have gone through phases where I did a ballot and phases where I binge watched everything so I would know what was going on. This year’s Oscar experience was like none other before and might just be the year that changes it all for me.

This year I was home and my Honey was flying across the country. It was really quiet here and I realized that half the fun is having someone to say “Look!” or “Are you kidding?” My brother started texting me right after the opening number and we “chatted for 30 min. about things not related to Oscar at all. 15 min. into his text-fest, my sister texted and we continued to “live text” the rest of the program.  THE MOST FUN!!! My sister gets me and I get her and it yet I don’t remember ever watching the Oscars with her. It was super great.

As far as the show itself goes, I was disappointed. I was disappointed in Neil Patrick Harris; coming out on the stage naked was uncouth and crass and took one of the few “classy” events left in entertainment and brought it low. If it’s a sign of my age then I am actually glad to be over 40 – he should have known better or someone should have told him, “NO!”

I hadn’t seen any of the movies up for best picture. Actually, throughout the night I think that Guardians of the Galaxy, The Lego Movie, and How to Train Your Dragon2 were the only films I had seen. It is a testimony to the heaviness of 2014 that I only saw light-hearted pictures but it made for a difficult viewing last night. I wasn’t invested and didn’t have opinions. And now, after all is said and done, there are still only a few I actually want to see (Grand Budapest Hotel, The Theory of Everything, and The Imitation Game).

Top Ten Moments of the Night: 1. The performance of “Glory” was phenomenal. (and John Legend’s acceptance speech wasn’t too bad either.) 2. Jason Bateman presented Best Short Film. 3. Lady Gaga blew me away with her Sound of Music tribute – amazing. 4. Jason Bateman presented Best Short Film. 5. NPH’s joke and Idina Menzel’s “revenge” on John Travolta – AWESOME. 6. Eddie Redmayne gets the sincere joy award from me – so sweet. 7. Did I mention Jason Bateman presented? 8. Watching Meryl Streep come out of her seat to fist pump support for Patricia Arquette. 9. *** Emma Stone on the red carpet stopping her interview to squeal and say, “Look! It’s Mark Ruffalo!” Adorable. 10. I am not sure I can think of a number 10. I liked hearing Anna Kendrick sing . . . and Jason Bateman presented Best Short Film.

What did you think of the Oscars? Did you even watch?

Life is zooming by at super speed and I feel like I can’t account for all the minutes. Valentines Day came and went with little to no “hurrah” at our house and now it’s almost Little’s birthday. BUT before I move on to that momentous occasion, I thought I would post the kids’ valentines from this year for posterity (and so I remember what we did and don’t repeat the same thing NEXT year.

Oh Yes – adorable, right? And there was Laffy Taffy stapled to the cards.  So fun. And this is the first year I just handed all the supplies to the kiddos and they did all the work. So bittersweet.

How was YOUR Valentines Day?

1. R5
(it’s a band, Mom)

2. We were riding in the van and listening to a Christian radio station. KB chimes in from the backseat, “This song is either about Jesus or a girl.” From the mouths of babes. . .

3. “Today at school I was telling Kale things he could do that would make girls like him. He said they were good ideas and I told him, ‘That’s why they call me (whispering) the love whisperer’.” I whispered back, “Nobody calls you that.”

4. I have been telling KB that “Kisses are for family” ever since Chris Rogers planted one on her in preschool. Yesterday Bubba said, “Mom, you know that kisses aren’t just for family, right? But it’s gross unless you are a teenager.” I said, “If you are a Kicklighter then kisses are for family.”