My 2013 Christmas

I ended up having an excellent Christmas season in spite of a few family changes.

My folks moved out to West Texas. So there was no Christmas at Mom's this year. I didn't get to see my sister or brother at all. This Christmas was just me and my husband.

The best Christmas present ever arrived at the house the day after. We threw around the names Xena, Medusa, and Siren. It was not until we were reviewing the meanings of the names that we settled on Medusa. Xena was the Goddess of war amd strategy. Siren was the mermaid that would sign a song that would enchant sailors and lead them to their deaths. Medusa is of course also from mythology.  It is Greek from guardian or protectress. Therefore,  I was sold. It is a name she can grow into.

The great news of the season does not end there. My sweet baby cat, Artemis was pregnant. On December 27th she had her kittens. This made me a grandma. She did fabulous since this was her first litter. So I am happy to report that momma and babies are doing beautiful. At first we thought she was just going to have two kittens. However turns out while we were at work she at 4 more. So we have a total of 6.

My second Mom was a sweetheart and posted a gorgeous picture on my Facebook.

I hope everyone had a truly blessed Christmas. I will update at least once a week from now on. Much love and many blessings until next time.

WWE Batista Returning

According to Wrestling News Source, the WWE officially announced that the animal, Dave Batista, will make his return January 20 on Monday Night Raw. No word yet on if he'll be a face or a heel. 

Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 2

Bella awakens from her transformation from human to vampire, not only keenly aware of her new abilities, but also of changes within the coven as Jacob has imprinted on her child, Renesmee. It also appears that Bella's father, Charlie, has been attempting to contact the Cullens for updates on Bella's illness. They intend to tell him she didn't survive, which requires that they move out of Forks, Washington to protect their identities. Jacob, desperate not to lose Renesmee, tells Charlie that his daughter is in fact alive and well, and explains that Bella has had to change in order to survive.
Several months pass uneventfully, with Carlisle monitoring Renesmee's rapid growth with Bella, Edward, Jacob and the rest of the Cullen family worrying what will become of her with such a rapid growth rate. On an outing in the woods, a bitter Irina sees Renesmee from a distance, as the immortal child (creating one is strictly forbidden because immortal children remained mentally on their transformation age, thus being uncontrollable). Irina decides to go to the Volturi for reporting a supposed crime.
Later Alice sees the Volturi and Irina coming to kill the Cullens, and leaves with Jasper the next day, unnoticed, leaving a note, where she tells them to "gather as many witnesses" as they can before the snow covers the ground because that is when the Volturi will come. The Cullens begin to summon witnesses, including, for example, the Denali family. One of the Denali, Eleazar, later encounters that Bella has a special ability: a powerful mental shield, which she can extend to protect others from mental attacks like Jane and Alec, with practice.
As some of their potential witnesses are attacked and prevented from coming to support the Cullens, Carlisle and Edward finally face the reality that they may have to fight the Volturi despite their efforts to do otherwise. Some witnesses hesitate, but ultimately agree to stand with them in battle.
The Volturi arrive, led by Aro, who is eager to obtain the gifted members of the Cullen coven as part of his guard. Although Aro is persuaded that Renesmee is not an immortal child, he still insists she poses a risk. Alice and Jasper appear to attest to the existence of other children like Renesmee, and Alice shows Aro a vision of the future. In the vision, Alice realizes that Aro will not change his decision, and a battle ensues, during which both sides undergo heavy casualties, with Aro and most of the Volturi dying. After the vision ends, Alice reveals to Aro that the vision will come to pass if Aro will maintain his pursuit of Renesmee. Two more witnesses then arrive: a fully grown vampire-human hybrid and his aunt who have been living peacefully and undetected for 150 years, proving Renesmee is not a threat. For the sake of self-preservation, Aro orders his guards to retreat but not without giving one final glance to Alice and Bella.
Back at the Cullen home, Alice glimpses into the future, seeing Edward and Bella together with Jacob and a fully matured Renesmee. Edward reads Alice's mind and feels happy that Renesmee has Jacob to protect her. Alone in the meadow, Bella finally allows Edward a peek into her thoughts, and as the final lines of the novel read, "And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever."

The 10 Unspoken Rules of Marriage

I thought that this was a very interesting article. It was sent to my email by a friend. Which I found to be incredibly helpful seeing as how I am a newlywed. Therefore, I thought I would share some of the information with all of you.


Every married person knows to be faithful, stay truthful and be there for her partner through good times and bad--they're in the wedding vows, after all. But most seasoned couples would admit that some unspoken rules are vital for getting past rough patches and growing stronger as a couple. According to experts in this article the 10 less apparent (but equally as important) marriage rules to live by.

1. Don't criticize your partner's parents or friends. You know how it is-your family can tick you off but no one else had dare speak ill of them. That's why you should tread carefully with your in-laws and your husband's dearest friends. "Even when he's venting to you, your contributions can put him on the defensive," explains Leslie Beth Wish, EdD, a Florida-based psychologist and licensed clinical social worker.

 2. Tell your spouse about any ex encounters. Whether you get a Facebook friend request or run into an old flame at your kid's soccer game, keeping the news to yourself could backfire, despite having zero feelings for the ex. "If there's nothing to hide, why hide it?" says Deb Castaldo, PhD, a couples and family therapist and professor at Rutgers University School of Social Work in New Brunswick, NJ. "That leads to an air of secrecy and dishonesty," she says. Just clue in your hubby matter-of-factly.

3. Keep unsolicited advice to yourself. Offer your support, lend your ear, but avoid speaking in an "I know what's best" tone. "We give advice because we're trying to be helpful, but it's seen as criticism when we offer too many corrections," says Harriet Lerner, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Marriage Rules: A Manual for the Married and the Coupled Up. This goes for everything from your husband's outfit choices to how he deals with a work issue. Give your spouse space to make decisions and gain confidence through trial and error-and ask that he do the same for you, says Dr. Lerner. "What matters in a relationship is not that things get done 'right,' but that two people are dedicated to contributing to each other's happiness." 

4. Don't take charge all the time. Whether you fold all the laundry because you don't like how your husband does it or you manage the finances because you don't think he's as careful, you may feel more at ease doing all the work. But stop! "The spouse who does the rescuing can become tired of that role," says Dr. Wish--and resentful that everything is on her shoulders, even if she volunteered for that burden. Get in the habit of asking your partner, "What do you think works best here?" or telling him, "I could use a hand cleaning out the pantry." These requests will foster the idea that you're teammates.

5. Don't bring up past arguments. Or at least put a statute of limitations on them. "People repeat ancient disagreements because they haven't resolved the problem," says Dr. Castaldo. Letting things fester often causes marriages to break down, she says. It's important to address issues as they happen and come to some sort of resolution--agreeing to disagree counts. "Leave it there, and respect each other's opinion," she says.

6. Choose your battles, but don't stifle your feelings. "There's going to be toothpaste globs here and Post-it notes there; that's human nature," says Dr. Wish. "You have to be able to say, 'this isn't important.'" Or if it is, speak up. "Tell your partner why it bothers you and that you'd like to work on a solution," suggests Dr. Wish. You'd be surprised what you could learn about each other.  A simple request like: "Honey, it'd be great if you could pick up the dry cleaning while you're out" beats getting mad that he didn't offer to help with errands. 

7. Don't post private thoughts or photos publicly. You may not want to be tagged in a politically charged rant he starts or he may not want you to share photos of the kids. And you each deserve the other person's respect for those wishes. "Discuss the ground rules regarding posting about yourself, as a couple and about the other person," says Dr. Castaldo. And no matter what, don't take your grievances with your husband to the masses for support.

8. Log off. When your attention is focused elsewhere, your spouse is bound to feel unimportant. So make quality time a top priority and restrict tech gadget use if necessary, says Dr. Wish. "Pay attention to the concept of ratio: How much time am I spending doing this compared to how much time I'm spending with my family?" she says. Create a rule that works for your household and stick to it.

9. Don't use the "D" word (divorce, that is). Even in the heat of an argument, avoid threatening to pack your bags or head to the lawyer's office. Besides the "D" word being downright hurtful, repeated warnings may result in a spouse calling the other's bluff. "We act as if the intensity of our anger gives us license to say or do anything," says Dr. Lerner. "But threatening divorce is never useful, and it only makes the probability of separation more likely." 

10. Be each other's number one. In other words, be wary of outsider influence, like a friend putting relationship-threatening ideas in your head or work or hobbies competing for your attention. "Happy couples have just as much conflict as those who divorce, but they know ways to get through it," says Dr. Castaldo. "A couple has to have a strong boundary around themselves and they can't allow anybody to get in between."

To read more on this article go to http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/10-unspoken-marriage-rules-must-182400206.html

The 10 Best Foods For Your Baby

There are lots of healthy, baby-friendly foods out there, but some stand out from the pack. These ten culinary superheroes are loaded with essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious. These top 10 foods for babies are listed as squash, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, blueberries, avocados, meat, prunes, garbanzo beans, and mandarin oranges. As a mother I found some of the items on the list to be a bit of a surprise. Many parents are surprised to discover that their babies really enjoy these foods, either from the very first bite or after a few exposures, according to the Baby Center Medical Board. After introducing any new food, wait three days before moving on to the next new food to identify any possible allergic reaction. If your baby's still a beginner at eating solids, grind or puree the food as needed.(Find out more about preparing homemade baby food.)

Squash

Squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, is naturally sweet, and has a pleasing, creamy texture.

Lentils

Crammed with protein and fiber, lentils pack a powerful nutritional punch. They're also one of the cheapest healthy foods you can buy.

Dark green leafy vegetables

Leafy greens boast high amounts of iron and folate. While spinach is perhaps the best known of this group, there are many other varieties, including kale, chard, and collard greens.

Broccoli

Brimming with folate, fiber, and calcium, broccoli is also known for its cancer-fighting properties, says dietitian Kate Geagan, author of Go Green, Get Lean. And thanks to its sulfur compounds, it has a unique flavor that can help expand your baby's tastes.

Blueberries

The deep, brilliant blue of these berries comes from flavonoids called anthocyanins, which are good for your baby's eyes, brain, and even urinary tract, says Stephen Gass, co-author of Mix and Mash: Adventures in the Kitchen for Baby and You.

Avocados

"Avocados are a rich source of unsaturated fats," says nutritionist Leanne Cooper, author of What Do I Feed My Baby: A Step-by-Step Guide to Solids. "In fact, the fat composition is somewhat similar to that of breast milk." Concerned about your baby eating fatty food? Don't be. "Unsaturated fat is the good kind of fat, and babies need it for brain development," says pediatrician Ari Brown, co-author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year.

Meat

Many of us don't think of meat as a typical baby food, but it's one of Brown's top choices. "Meat is a great source of zinc and iron," she explains.

Prunes

Prunes have lots of fiber and can help relieve constipation – which, notes Brown, your baby may experience after you introduce solids.

Garbanzo beans

Like lentils and other beans, garbanzos are rich in protein and fiber, says Geagan. They're also inexpensive and versatile.

Mandarin oranges

High in vitamin C and antioxidants, mandarin oranges are a supreme finger food. "Babies really love the flavor," says Hosenfeld.

This article came with different serving suggestions. This article and those suggestions I just mentioned can be found  at http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-ten-best-foods-for-babies_10320505.bc?page=2 for your reading pleasure. I suggest sweet potatoes, peas, applesauce and cream corn as well due to the fact that my son loved them. I also recommend if you can getting either a food processor or a blender and making your child's food.  This let's you know exactly what is going into your child's food and belly.

Crib or Bassinet? Which is better?

I have had a lot of my girl friends having children lately? Sereval of them have asked me which do I think is better. When you kids are younger I recommend going with a bassinet. This gives the child a more secure feeling because he or she was used to being inside a tight living quarter for the last nine months. I have also figured out that when you swaddle your child and lay him on his back to sleep in a bassinet there is less room for him to move in. Therefore reducing the likelyhood of a SIDS related death. If you choose to go with a bassinet I strongly recommend the Safety 1st Nod A Way Baby Bassinet. I loved it. It was an excellent product. The built in viberates helped to sooth and lull my son the sleep.

However, if you decide to go with a crib I recommend the Graco Lauren 4-in-1 Crib n Changer Combo. It is amazing. The crib can convert to toddler, daybed, and full-size bed when needed. It was super easy to assemble and it is easy to clean. Now I will admit that this crib is a bit pricey, $429.99, so you know. However it is well worth it. My son is five now. We had gotten both the crib and the bassinet before he was born. My son still has this bed. It is converted ito a Toddler bed at the moment. This beautiful crib surprisingly still looks as gorgeous as it did the day we got it home. 

Disclaimer: I am just a mother that has used these products before with my kids. I am not a paid spokesperson for these companies and have not recieved any money for my opinions about these products

Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

As we all know, the season for colds and flus are upon us. As I write this blog, I actually have the flu. Therefore, I thought you might like to know how you can naturally combat a cold or flu.However, I should state that if you have a cold that last longer then a week or continues to get worse please go see a doctor. These are some of the things I do when I get sick:

1.Staying Rested
Resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your immune system with the battle. As we all know having the flu can be exhausting and draining. Therefore, it is okay to sleep.

2. Gargle
Gargling can moisten a sore throat and bring temporary relief. Try a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water, four times daily. To reduce the tickle in your throat, you can try an astringent gargle -- such as tea that contains tannin -- to tighten the membranes. Or use a thick, viscous gargle made with honey or a mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar, which is a popular folk remedy. Steep one tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice in two cups of hot water and mix in one teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling. Just so all the parents know, you should should never give honey to children less than 1 year old.

3. Drink Hot Liquids
Hot liquids can relieve nasal congestion, help prevent dehydration, and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat. My personal favorite hot drink is a cup of green tea with andioxidants that has a little bit of honey and lemon juice in it.

4. Steamy Showers
The steam from the shower helps to moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. If you're dizzy from the flu, you can still run a steamy shower, but it is best that you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath. This prevents the likelihood of you slipping or even falling in the shower.

5. Vitamin C
I strongly recommend vitamin c even when you are not sick. It helps strengthen your immune system. This way your body is better equiped to combat illnesses. If like me you do not like orange juice, you can get vitamin c in pills or apple juice. If you decide to go with pills a recommend the 500mg chewables. The reason behind that is the other pills can leave a bit of an after taste in your mouth that is not too pleasant. You need to take two pills twice daily while you have the crud

6. Hot Toddy
I have a friend tell my parents about this. I do not know why but it works.  You mix1 shot glass of whiskey, 2 - 3 tablespoons honey and 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice.Combine the honey, whiskey, and lemon juice in a coffee cup and microwave just until it is hot around 30 seconds (but not too hot, you do not want to lose the alcohol in the whiskey!)" The first one you drink slowly, then make a second one and drink it fast then go to bed, cover up, and sweat it out! It sounds crazy but it works!

7. Ginger & Garlic
Ginger and garlic both clear up congestion and while helping to build up immunity. Both of these can be found in pill forms. I strongly recommend the odorless garlic. I get the 550mg of ginger root and 1000mg odorless garlic from my local health store, Jacks Natural Foods. I recommend taking 1 ginger and two garlic twice daily while you are sick.

Marriage Commmunication Book

I  am reading a book by Dr. Les Carter entitled Distant Partner How to tear down emotional walls and communicate with your husband. It is a good book that can help enhance marital harmony and also help you feel more anchored in your life by giving you choices that can lead to personal stability. I definitely recommend this book to engaged and married couples.

Michael Clark Duncan dies

I just found out about Michael Clark Duncan today. This is a big loss to the acting world. I must admit I have seen lots of Mr. Duncan's movie but my all time favorite of his was The Green Mile with Tom Hanks. He was excellent in his role.

DIY Fabric Lampshade

Supplies:

lamp shade

fabric (enough to wrap around your shade)

scissors

pen/pencil 

newspaper

fabric glue

spray glue

hot glue gun/glue (optional) 

 Step 1:  Lay newspaper out flat on a table.  Start with lampshade on one side and start rolling it along the newspaper tracing the top and bottom as you go.

 Step 2:  Cut out the lampshade shape you traced from you newspaper.  Wrap around the outside of your lampshade to make sure it fits properly.  Trim down edges as necessary.

Step 3:  Lay your newspaper cut out on top of your fabric.  Trace around the edge of your newspaperadding a 1/2" to each side.  Having an extra 1/2" on each side will allow you to fold the fabric over the edge of your shade so you can glue it on.

Step 4:  After your fabric is cut, lay it face down and spray a thin layer of spray glue/adhesive to the back side.  This stuff is very sticky and dries permanently, so make sure to not let it get on things you don't want to be sticky.  I found it works best to lay down a tarp outside and spray my fabric on top of that.

Step 5:  After you have sprayed the back side of your fabric, quickly put it on the outside of your lampshade.  Make sure to smooth out all bumps and wrinkles.  If your fabric is patterned, make sure that your pattern is straight.

Step 6:  Fold over one of the edges of the end of your fabric so it overlaps, creating a seam on your lampshade.  Use a little spray glue or fabric glue to make sure your fold will stay in place.   

Step 7:  Fold the edges of your fabric over the edge of your lampshade and glue down using fabric glue.

Step 8: (Optional)  Secure any loose edges with hot glue making sure they will stay in place.  If you feel like your fabric is on your lampshade well enough, you can skip this step.

You're finished!

This was retrieved from http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/diy-fabric-lampshade-recover-tutorial.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sixsistersstuff%2FTUsn+%28Six+Sisters%27+Stuff%29

This has been the best source of help in finding or being able to make a lamp done in nothing but monkeys for one of my girl friend's nursery for her son, Joshua. Therefore, I felt like I should help share in the knowledge for other new moms that might be going through the same issue that we were going through. I also plan to use this idea again when my girl, Bonnie has her daughter, Katie, in November. 

What to take to the hospital when you have a kid

I decided that since I have a lot of friends becoming first time mothers that I would make a list of important things to take to the hospital. I hope it also helps other first time mothers.

Car Seat- this let's you bring your child home for the hospital

Baby Outfit - size newborn this gives you something to take pictures of your baby & also bring the baby home in

MP3 or IPod - have this completely loaded with tons of relaxing music

Camera - to take pictures of your little bundle & this joyous time in your life

Hard Candy - this keeps your mouth moist

Lip Balm - this will keep your lis from drying & cracking

Socks - this will keep your feet from getting cold & help keep you comfprtable

Overnight Pads - this is because you will bleed after giving birth to your child

Cotton Briefs or Hi-cut underwear -
Breast Pads - this will keep the leaking to a minimam

Nipple Cream - this helps prevent your nipples from cracking due to breast feeding

Brip Clothes - this is due to the fact that  your baby will spit up

Blankets - these baby blankets come in handy for swaddling your newborn bundle of joy

Wanted

In Chicago, Wesley Gibson works at a dead-end desk job with an overbearing boss, takes anti-anxiety medication for panic attacks, and has a live-in girlfriend who cheats on him with his best friend Barry. One night in the pharmacy, Wesley is told by a mysterious woman named Fox that his father was a recently murdered assassin, and the killer, Cross, is after him. Cross and Fox engage in a shoot-out followed by a car chase in the streets of Chicago. Wesley manages to escape and Fox has a shoot-out again with Cross, causing a car accident that knocks Wesley unconscious. Fox brings Wesley to the headquarters of The Fraternity, a thousand-year-old secret society of assassins. The group's leader, Sloan, explains that Wesley's panic attacks are actually the untrained expression of a rare superhuman ability; when stressed, the drastically increased heart rate and adrenaline levels result in bursts of superhuman strength, speed, and reflexes – demonstrated when he successfully shoots the wings off of a fly. The Fraternity can teach him to control this ability, so Wesley can follow in his father's footsteps as an assassin, beginning by inheriting his fortune. Wesley is initially reluctant and returns to work, only to finally snap when discovering several million dollars in his bank account. He excoriates his boss in front of the entire office, and on his way out, smashes Barry in the face with a computer keyboard. Fox is waiting outside to take him back to the Fraternity headquarters — an unassuming textile mill.

Wesley is then subjected to brutal training; among other forms of combat, he learns to fire bullets to curve around objects. Afterward, Wesley is shown the Loom of Fate, a loom that gives the names of the targets through binary code hidden in weaving errors of the fabric. Those the Loom identifies will apparently cause tragedy in the future; but only Sloan sees and interprets the names fate wishes to see dead. Wesley is initially reluctant about killing people. Then Fox reveals that in her childhood, a hired killer burned her father alive in front of her—and said hitman was supposed to be killed by the Fraternity before that, but the assassin failed to pull the trigger. She now considers preventing such tragedy her mission.

After several routine missions and a chance meeting with Cross, in which Wesley is shot in the arm with a deliberately traceable bullet, Sloan grants Wesley's wish to avenge his father and sends him after Cross—but then secretly gives Fox a mission to kill Wesley, saying that his name had come up in the Loom as well. Analyzing the bullet that hit Wesley, it is discovered that the manufacturer was Pekwarsky, a bullet-maker living in eastern Moravia, the birthplace of the Fraternity. Wesley and Fox travel there and capture Pekwarsky, who arranges a meeting with Cross. Wesley faces Cross alone on a moving train. Fox steals a car and crashes it into the train, eventually causing a derailment. After Cross saves Wesley’s life by preventing him from falling into a ravine, Wesley fatally shoots him. Before dying, Cross reveals that he is Wesley's real father. Fox confirms this, and explains that Wesley was recruited because he was the only person that Cross would not kill. Fox then reveals the kill order on Wesley and raises her gun, but Wesley escapes by shooting out the glass underneath him and plunging into the river below.

Wesley is retrieved by Pekwarsky, who takes him to his father's apartment, located across the street from Wesley's old home. Pekwarsky explains that Sloan started manufacturing targets for profit after discovering that he was targeted by the Loom of Fate, and did not tell the Fraternity members that they were now nothing more than paid killers. The gang hang some of their friends in order to get to him. Cross discovered the truth and went rogue, and started killing Fraternity members to keep them away from his son. Pekwarsky departs, stating that Wesley's father wished him a life free of violence. Wesley, however, decides to take out Sloan after discovering a secret room containing all of his father's weapons and maps.

An enraged Wesley assaults the Fraternity's textile mill-fortress and battles his way through it, killing nearly every Fraternity member in the process. Upon entering Sloan's office, he reveals Sloan's deception to the master assassins present in the room. Sloan reveals that all of their names had come up in the weaving, and that he had merely acted to protect them. Were they to follow the code, every one of them should kill themselves on the spot. Fox, who believes in the code more than anyone due to her own experience, turns on her fellow assassins, and curves a bullet that kills every Fraternity member in the room, including herself, but not before she throws her gun to Wesley to distract him from trying to save her. During all this, the Loom of Fate is destroyed, and Sloan manages to escape.

Wesley, penniless once again, is left aimless. A man is then seen at a computer, much like Wesley at the beginning of the film. Sloan appears and points a gun at the back of the man's head. At that moment, the man turns around and is revealed to be a decoy. Sloan is then killed by Wesley using a long-distance bullet. The film ends with Wesley stating his accomplishments, then breaking the fourth wall by asking the audience "What the heck have you done lately?".

The Bucket List

Blue-collar mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) and billionaire hospital magnate Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) meet for the first time in the hospital after both have been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Although Edward is reluctant to share a room with Carter, complaining that he "looks half-dead already," they become friends as they undergo their respective treatments.

Carter is a gifted amateur historian and family man who had wanted to become a history professor in his youth, had been "black, broke, [and with a] baby on the way" and, thus, never rose above his status as a mechanic at the McCreath body shop. Carter loves showing off his knowledge and his favorite show is Jeopardy!. Edward is a four-time divorced health-care tycoon and cultured loner who enjoys nothing more than tormenting his personal valet/servant, Thomas (Sean Hayes), who later reveals his name is actually Matthew. Edward prefers to call him Thomas because he finds the name Matthew "too biblical." Edward enjoys drinking "Kopi Luwak", one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

Carter begins writing a "bucket list," or things to do before he "kicks the bucket" (i.e. dies). After hearing he has less than a year, Carter discards the list. Edward finds it the next morning and urges Carter to do everything on the list (and adds more things to do), and offers to finance the trip for the both of them. Carter agrees, despite the protests of his wife, Virginia (Beverly Todd).

The pair begins an around-the-world vacation. They go skydiving together, drive a Shelby Mustang, fly over the North Pole, eat dinner at Chevre d'Or in France, visit and praise the beauty and history of Taj Mahal, India, ride motorcycles on the Great Wall of China, and attend a lion safari in Africa. Atop the Great Pyramid, looking out over the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, they confide about faith and family, revealing that Carter has long been feeling less in love with his wife and that Edward is deeply hurt by his estrangement from his only daughter, who disowned him after he drove away her abusive husband. In Hong Kong, Edward hires a prostitute (Rowena King) for Carter, who has never been with any woman but his wife. Carter declines and, realizing that he loves his wife, asks to return home. On the drive back, Carter reciprocates by trying to reunite Edward with his daughter. Edward angrily storms off. Carter returns home to his wife, children, and grandchildren where they have a nice family dinner telling stories and sharing jokes while a frustrated Edward stays home eating frozen dinners alone.

The family reunion is short-lived. In the preparation for a romantic interlude, Carter suffers a seizure and is rushed to the hospital. The cancer has spread to his brain. Edward, who is now in remission, visits him and they share a few moments, where Carter reveals with great amusement how the Kopi Luwak Edward enjoys is grown in a Sumatran village, is eaten and defecated by a jungle cat, and is harvested because of the special aroma of the gastric juices. Carter crosses off "laugh till I cry" from his bucket list and insists Edward finish the list without him. Carter goes into surgery, but the procedure is unsuccessful and he dies on the operating table.

As Carter dies and the news is given to his wife and family, Edward finally attempts to reconcile with his daughter. She not only accepts him back into her life but also introduces him to the granddaughter he never knew he had. After greeting the little girl with a kiss on the cheek, Edward crosses "kiss the most beautiful girl in the world" off the list. Edward delivers a eulogy at the funeral, explaining that he and Carter had been complete strangers, but the last three months of Carter's life were the best three months of his. He crosses off "help a complete stranger for the good" from the list.

The epilogue reveals that Edward lived until age 81, and his ashes were then taken to the Himalayas by his assistant Matthew. As Matthew places a Chock full o'Nuts coffee can alongside another can, he crosses off the last item on the Bucket List ("witness something truly majestic") and places it between the cans. Carter's narration reveals the two cans contain their ashes and that Edward would have loved this, because he was "buried on the mountain, and that was against the law."

This movie helped me realize that we as people are not getting any younger. One day it will be our last day here. Just like me, I am sure we all have things we want to do before that final day. Therefore, I decided that since I have a heart condition and several other health issues that I would start my own bucket list of things I would like to do before I die. I strongly recommend it to anyone.

Hitch

Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) is a professional "date doctor" who coaches other men in the art of wooing women. While coaching one of his clients, Albert Brennaman (Kevin James), who is smitten with a client of his investment firm, celebrity Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta), Hitch finds himself falling for Sara Melas (Eva Mendes), a gossip columnist who is determined to unmask and ruin the so-called "date doctor" after one of his "clients" had a one-night stand with her best friend. Sara doesn't realize that Hitch refused to work with this "pig" and that all of his clients "like women". While Albert and Allegra's relationship continues to progress, Hitch finds that none of his tried and tested methods are working for him, despite being a master of the art. After Hitch is unmasked, he and Sara break up, and Allegra and Albert follow soon. Finally, Hitch confronts Allegra and convinces her to reunite with Albert, before reconciling with Sara. In the process, he makes the startling discovery that he doesn't really do anything significant besides allowing his clients to get the attention of the woman and giving them confidence, and that most of his customers (particularly Albert) really were successful by just being themselves.

Big Miracle

Big Miracle is a 2012 family drama film starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski. The film, directed by Ken Kwapis, is based on the 1989 book Freeing the Whales by Tom Rose, which covers Operation Breakthrough, the 1988 international effort to rescue gray whales trapped in ice near Point Barrow, Alaska. Three California gray whales, trapped in a hole in the ice of the Arctic Circle, are discovered by television news reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski). Their plight is publicized after he does a feature on them, which he hopes might be his opportunity to move up to a larger TV market. His news story draws international attention and sets into motion a massive effort to free the whales from the ice.

Drawn into the collaborative rescue work are several normally hostile factions: Inupiat whale hunters, a Greenpeace environmental activist, an oil executive, ambitious news reporters, the National Guard, the American president and politicians on the state, national and international levels. Also joining in the effort are two entrepreneurs from Minnesota, who provide de-icing machines to help keep the hole open. Finally an enormous Soviet ice-breaker ship arrives to remove the last barrier before the whales.

This was an amazing movie that was very well done about an actual true story. I strongly recommend it. My husband and our friends that watched it with us all loved it. This is a movie that will tuck at your heart strings. 

Hatchet

Sampson and his son Ainsley are fishing in a swamp. While Ainsley is urinating, Sampson falls silent; Ainsley goes to see where he is and finds Sampson's corpse. He quickly grabs his harpoon, only to be murdered by an unknown monstrous being.

During a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, there is a group of friends including Ben and his best friend Marcus. Ben decides to go on a haunted swamp tour, and Marcus agrees to join him. The two find the tour closed because the guide, Rev. Zombie, was sued for negligence. Rev. Zombie suggests that they try a place farther down the street, owned by the over-the-top, inexperienced tour guide Shawn. Marcus decides to leave but changes his mind upon seeing two topless girls: Misty, a ditzy porn star, and Jenna, a bossy, boastful, up-and-coming actress. Their sleazy director, Shapiro, is also present. Ben pays for himself and Marcus and Shawn leads them to his tour bus, where the other tourists, Jim and Shannon Permatteo, a Minnesota couple, and the quiet, hot-tempered Marybeth are waiting.

Shawn does not know what he is doing, which the others realize as they arrive at the swamp. Shapiro has Misty and Jenna strip down and film a scene for Bayou Beavers as everyone boards the boat, while a homeless swamp-dweller warns them away from the swamp. Shawn leads them through swamplands and past abandoned houses, including one where Victor Crowley, a deformed creature, lived. Shawn mentions "one night Victor's dad goes crazy and whacks him in the face with a hatchet" while looking at "ghost lights"; however, Shannon sees someone in the trees, and Shawn accidentally crashes into a rock, sinking the boat. To reach land, they must walk across a broken tree. Jim is bitten on the leg by an alligator, making him, Misty and Shapiro fall into the water. They reach shore and run to safety, while Jim bleeds profusely. They realize that Shawn is not a tour guide; he is just a college student looking for money. Marybeth takes out a gun she brought and informs them that her father and brother, Sampson and Ainsley, disappeared while fishing nearby, presumably at Crowley's hands. She then tells them the real story of Victor Crowley.

Long ago, presumably the 1940s-60s, Crowley was a deformed boy who was kept hidden from the world by his father. One Halloween, a group of kids decided to scare Victor by throwing fireworks into his house, but it was engulfed in flames. Victor's father tried hacking down the door with a hatchet, but because Victor was pressed up against the other side of the door, he hit him in the face with the hatchet, killing him. Victor's father died of a broken heart ten years later. Marybeth believes Victor roams the swamp as a vengeful spirit.
Victor mostly kills people near his house, which they are standing in front of. Shannon becomes infuriated with how scared everyone is and decides to help her husband into the house. Jim and Shannon are killed by Victor. Marybeth shoots Victor but this only makes him fall. While fleeing, Shapiro is separated from the group and killed. After finding Shapiro's corpse, Shawn, Jenna, Misty and Marcus stand guard as Ben and Marybeth get weapons only to come across Sampson's and Ainsley's bodies. The four are startled by noises in the bushes that turn out to be a small animal. Jenna is attacked and injured by Victor just as Marybeth and Ben arrive with weapons. Ben hits Victor with a shovel making him fall and get stabbed with a pitchfork. Shawn tries to get the shovel but Victor grabs it first and kills him with it. He then kills Jenna while the others run.

The survivors decide to lure Victor back to his house and set him on fire with the gasoline tanks in the shed. Ben goes into the shed to retrieve a gasoline tank while Misty stands guard and Marybeth and Marcus act as bait. Marybeth and Marcus discover that Misty is missing, and her corpse is thrown onto Ben by Victor. Ben finds a tank and throws it on Victor while Marybeth and Marcus set him on fire, but it begins raining and the fire is extinguished. The three begin running through a cemetery and find the gate locked; Ben is tackled by Victor, who spits blood in his face before he is dragged to safety. They start running away, but Marcus is grabbed by Victor and killed. Victor grabs a gate pole and chases Ben and Marybeth, throwing it into Ben's foot. Marybeth bends the pole until it is pointed at Victor, who impales himself upon it. Ben and Marybeth board Sampson's boat and flee; Marybeth is snared by seaweed and pulled underwater. She sees Ben's arm sticking into the water for her to grab, but is pulled up by Victor, who is holding a dying Ben's severed forearm. The film ends with Victor holding her screaming.

Vantage Point

U.S. President Henry Ashton (William Hurt) attends a political summit in Salamanca, Spain to promote an international treaty. Displayed with eight differing viewpoints, an assassination attempt on the president occurs, relayed in a time span of 23 minutes. Each time the events unfold from the beginning, a new vantage point is shown revealing additional details, which ultimately completes the story of what actually took place during the incident.

From the first vantage point, GNN producer Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver), directs various media personnel from a mobile television studio as the president arrives at the gathering. Mayor De Soto (Jose Carlos Rodriguez) delivers a short speech and then introduces the president, who is shot twice as he greets the crowd from the podium. An explosion outside the plaza soon follows. Moments later, the podium itself is destroyed by a secondary explosion, killing and injuring numerous people. As the smoke clears, GNN reporter Angie Jones (Zoe Saldana) is seen lying dead in the rubble.

The second vantage point follows Secret Service agents Thomas Barnes (Dennis Quaid) and Kent Taylor (Matthew Fox). Barnes notices a curtain fluttering in the window of a nearby building that was allegedly vacated. He also observes American tourist Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker) filming the audience. After the president is shot, Barnes tackles a man rushing to the podium named Enrique (Eduardo Noriega). Taylor pursues a lead to a potential assassin. Following the second explosion, Barnes barges into the GNN production studio and asks to view their footage. He calls Taylor, who reports the direction of the suspected assassin's escape route. Barnes then views an image on one of the camera's live feeds that startles him and prompts him to run out.

In the third vantage point, Enrique, who claims to be a Spanish police officer assigned to protecting the mayor of Salamanca, sees his girlfriend Veronica (Ayelet Zurer), being embraced by a stranger and overhears them speaking about meeting under an overpass. When he confronts her, Veronica assures Enrique of her love for him as he hands her a bag. When the president is shot, Enrique rushes onto the stage to protect the mayor, but is tackled by Barnes. While being detained, he witnesses Veronica toss the bag he gave her under the podium, causing the second explosion. Enrique escapes as the agents who previously had him in custody, mount a chase while firing shots in his direction, failing to subdue him. Enrique confronts an unseen individual at the overpass and asks if he is surprised to see him still alive.

The fourth vantage point revolves around Howard Lewis who is chatting with a man called Sam (Said Taghmaoui), while a little girl named Anna (Alicia Zapien), bumps into him and drops her ice cream. Later, Lewis notices Barnes looking at the curtain fluttering in the window of a nearby building, and captures the footage with his camcorder. Following the second explosion at the podium, Lewis chases Enrique and the pursuing Secret Service agents. At the overpass, Lewis views the pair of agents from afar shooting in the direction of Enrique as he greets an individual in a police uniform under the overpass. Seriously wounded, Enrique falls to the ground. Lewis sees Anna who had earlier become separated from her mother, trying to cross a busy intersection. An ambulance races down the road about to hit Anna, as Lewis runs out to save her.

The fifth vantage point begins as President Ashton, having been informed of a credible assassination threat, has returned to his hotel room with his aides while his body double proceeds to the gathering in the plaza. The first explosion, which occurs just outside the hotel, is revealed to be a device detonated by a suicide bomber disguised as a bellhop. Seconds later, a masked assailant bursts into the president's room, shoots his advisers and then proceeds in abducting Ashton.

By the sixth vantage point, terrorist Suarez, previously seen as Sam; shoots Ashton's body double using a remote-controlled automatic rifle placed in an adjacent window next to the one with the fluttering curtain that had drawn Barnes' attention earlier. The rifle is retrieved by Taylor, whom Barnes sees leaving the scene wearing a Spanish policeman's uniform on one of the GNN live feeds, even though he tells Barnes that he's in pursuit of the assassin over the phone. Barnes realizes Taylor is actually part of the terror plot. The man Enrique saw embracing Veronica is revealed to be sharpshooter Javier (Edgar Ramirez), whose brother is being held hostage to ensure Javier's cooperation with the terrorists. Javier kills the guards and aides within the hotel, and kidnaps the president.

Ashton is later placed in an ambulance with Suarez and Veronica disguised as medics. Javier joins Taylor in a police car to a planned rendezvous at the overpass. Barnes commandeers a car and chases Taylor and Javier. Barnes however, gets into a collision with a truck, allowing the duo to escape. At the overpass, Enrique, who did not die in the blast at the podium as intended, confronts Javier and Taylor. Enraged, Javier shoots Enrique, mistakenly believing he had knowledge of his kidnapped brother's whereabouts. Javier is then shot and killed by Taylor when he demands to be brought to his brother, who had been killed earlier by Suarez. Enrique dies of his wounds as Barnes reaches the scene on foot firing several rounds at Taylor, who attempts to flee. After crashing his car, a critically injured Taylor is dragged out by Barnes. He orders Taylor to reveal where the president has been taken, but Taylor dies. Meanwhile, Ashton regains consciousness in the ambulance and attacks Veronica, distracting her and Suarez just as Anna runs into their path. Suarez swerves causing the ambulance to flip over just as Lewis pulls Anna out of its way. Barnes runs to the ambulance where he sees Veronica lying dead. He shoots Suarez dead and rescues the president.

This is a wonderful movie but I strongly recommend watching it from beginning to end. It can be hard to follow if you miss any part of it. I loved this movie though. It definitely made you think "Who did it?" just like in the game of clue.

The Tourist

The film opens with Elise Clifton-Ward (Angelina Jolie) being followed by French Police, working with Scotland Yard under the direction of Inspector John Acheson (Paul Bettany). Acheson has spent years hunting Elise's old lover, Alexander Pearce, who owes £744 million in back taxes and is believed to have received 20 million dollars worth of plastic surgery to alter his appearance completely. At a cafe, Elise receives written instructions from Pearce: board a train to Venice, pick out a man who resembles Pearce, and make the police believe that this decoy is Pearce himself. Elise burns the note, then manages to evade the police and board the train.

On the train, Elise picks Frank Tupelo, an American community college teacher. She spends much time with him, seeming to start a romance. In the meanwhile, the police have managed to salvage the ashes of her burned note and assembled them to extract information regarding her rendezvous as well as her ruse. But an informer from the police station mistakenly communicates to Reginald Shaw, a gangster from whom Pearce as accountant stole $2.3 billion, that Pearce is travelling with Elise on the train to Venice. Shaw immediately proceeds to Venice.

Elise invites Frank to stay with her at the hotel room that has been arranged for her in Venice. Pearce leaves further instructions for Elise to attend a ball. Elise abandons Frank, who is then chased by Shaw's men. While trying to escape from them, Frank is detained by the Italian police ostensibly for his own safety, only to have a corrupt inspector turn him over to Shaw's men in exchange for the bounty that has been placed on Pearce's head. Elise rescues Frank just before he is handed over, leading Shaw's men on an extended boat chase and escaping. She leaves Frank at the airport with his passport and money, urging him to go home for his own safety.

Elise is revealed to be a Scotland Yard undercover agent who may have become Pearce's ally. Because of her fears for Frank, she agrees to participate in a sting operation. At the ball, as Elise wanders around trying to spot Pearce in the crowd, an envelope is placed on the table in front of her by a man who then quickly disappears into the crowd. Elise sees that the envelope is for her, and believes that the man must be Pearce himself. She tries to follow him through the crowd, calling out his name, but is stopped by Frank who has managed to enter inside under a pretext.

Frank claims to be in love with her, and invites her to dance with him. But he is hauled away by the police, while Elise opens the envelope and finds a note mentioning a rendezvous point. She then heads off in her boat to this new rendezvous point. Shaw and his men tail her in their boat; both parties are followed discreetly by the police boat in which Frank is held handcuffed to stop him from obstructing the investigation.

When Elise arrives at the destination, Shaw takes her prisoner, threatening to harm her unless she reveals the location of the stolen money. The police monitor the situation inside the rendezvous room through audio and video links. Despite Elise's peril, Acheson repeatedly turns down police requests to intervene with their snipers. While the police are occupied in monitoring the situation, Frank escapes from the police boat and confronts Shaw, claiming to be Pearce who has undergone plastic surgery and offering to open the safe if Elise is allowed to leave safely. Shaw is skeptical and makes a counter offer that Frank should open the safe if he does not want to see Elise being cut up. Chief Inspector Jones (Timothy Dalton) arrives at the police stake-out, overrides Acheson, and orders the police snipers to fire into the room, killing Shaw and his men. Jones lifts Elise's suspension and also terminates her employment.

Acheson receives a radio message that Pearce has been found not far from the rendezvous point, and rushes to the location where police have detained the suspect. But the man claims to be just a tourist who has merely been following instructions texted to his mobile phone, to be present at certain locations, for which he has been receiving payments. Meanwhile, Elise tells Frank that she loves him, but she also loves Pearce. Frank then suggests a "solution" to this dilemma; to Elise's surprise, he opens the safe by entering the correct code, thus revealing that he is really Alexander Pearce. He and Elise then take the money and depart, leaving a cheque in the safe for the full amount of the taxes he owes. The police find the cheque when they return and blow the safe open. Acheson now realizes that Frank has indeed been Pearce all along, and wants to pursue him; but Jones determines that, with the taxes now paid fully, Pearce's only crime is that he stole money from a now-dead gangster. Jones orders the case to be closed. Frank and Elise sail away to a new life together, with Elise taking in and getting used to the new and completely altered face of her old lover.

The Skeleton Key

Caroline Ellis (Kate Hudson) is a New Orleans hospital aide who takes a position as a private hospice caregiver at an isolated plantation house deep in the bayous of southern Louisiana. The lady of the house, Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), looks after her husband Benjamin Devereaux (John Hurt), a stroke victim who is expected to die soon. At first, Caroline is unsure about taking the job, as Violet is very hostile towards her, but with some prompting from the family's estate lawyer, Luke Marshall (Peter Sarsgaard), she accepts the position.

Caroline soon finds the mansion has a dark past. Finding her way into a secret room in the attic, she discovers dolls, a book of spells, potion jars, and other instruments of magic. Violet tells Caroline that the room belonged to two house servants who had worked at the house in the 1920s. Mama Cecile (Jeryl Prescott) and her husband, Papa Justify (Ron McCall) were renowned practitioners of hoodoo, a form of Afro-Caribbean folk magic. The couple, it is revealed, were lynched when it was discovered that they were performing spells with the children of the house owners.

In order to find answers about the ever-present hoodoo magic, which seems to be the root cause of Ben’s illness, Caroline goes to a local gas station where she earlier saw hoodoo artifacts. There, an old woman tells her of one of the most powerful hoodoo conjurations, the conjure of sacrifice. Caroline had discovered a record with this title on it and feels as though it had something to do with Ben’s illness. The old woman tells Caroline that this powerful spell is one of immortality, in which the caster sacrifices someone and gains the remaining years of their life. Caroline senses that Ben is in danger.

After a failed attempt to get Ben out of Violet's grasp, Caroline seeks the help of Luke. Luke is aware of Caroline’s suspicion of Violet. At Luke's house, Caroline discovers clues leading to the revelation that Luke is in league with Violet. Just as Caroline is about to act, Luke captures her, ties her up and gags her to take her back to the manor. Caroline is held captive but manages to get free and scatter brick dust throughout the house, which, according to hoodoo tradition, is meant to keep away those who mean one harm. This enchantment succeeds in keeping Luke away, but Violet gets to Caroline and blows a powder in her eyes (probably goofer dust) that distorts her vision. After a brief struggle, Caroline manages to push Violet down the stairs and breaks her legs. With Luke and Violet now downstairs, Caroline flees to the attic to find that the room has been set up for some kind of ritual. She follows the instructions on a piece of paper that she snatched from Violet earlier and forms a protective circle around herself. However, the protective spell was a trick intended to capture Caroline instead of protect her. Violet comes into the ritual room and explains that hoodoo magic only works on those that believe in it, and "they" have been waiting for her to believe. Caroline realizes that it was in fact she who was in danger and not Ben. Caroline tries to deny the fact that she now believes in hoodoo but cannot convince herself.

Violet pushes a mirror at Caroline, which initially contains the image of the little girl, then of Violet, and ultimately of Mama Cecile. The mirror smashes into Caroline, knocking her unconscious. Caroline then wakes up and walks over to Violet, who is barely awake. It is revealed that the soul of Mama Cecile is now inside Caroline's body, and Caroline's soul is now in Violet's body. Luke's body is revealed to be possessed by the soul of Papa Justify. Ben, who was previously the host to Papa Justify's soul, is revealed to be the real Luke.

Caroline/Mama Cecile gives Violet/Caroline a liquid that causes a pseudo stroke. This prevents her from talking so she can't reveal the presences of Mama Cecile and Papa Justify. When Caroline's friend Jill (Joy Bryant) arrives at the Plantation, Luke/Papa Justify informs her that "Ben" and "Violet" left the house to "Caroline," thus leaving Mama Cecile and Papa Justify to continue occupying the house. The film ends with Caroline and Luke looking at each other helplessly, trapped in Violet and Ben's bodies. When "Mama Cecile" and "Papa Justify" were lynched after performing the same spell with the children, it was actually the children who were lynched while occupying Mama Cecile and Papa Justify's original bodies, with Mama Cecile and Papa Justify actually living on in the children's bodies.

The Prince & Me

Paige Morgan (Julia Stiles) is a pre-medical student at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Denmark's Prince Edvard (Luke Mably), on the other hand, shirks his princely duties (including opening a cabinet meeting) by instead racing sports cars.

While watching television after a cabinet meeting, Edvard sees a commercial for a reality show set in Wisconsin called College Girls Gone Wild, featuring drunken co-eds flashing their breasts. After meeting with his parents, King Haraald (James Fox), and Queen Rosalind (Miranda Richardson), Edvard announces his intentions to attend college in America - specifically, Wisconsin. While his parents do not want him to go, Edvard tells them he will go with or without their consent, and that he does not want any help or money. The King then dispatches Edvard's assistant, Søren (Ben Miller), to chaperone the trip to America.

When Edvard arrives at the university, he orders Søren keep his identity a secret, and to call him "Eddie." Also, his limo nearly hits Paige. Later at a bar Eddie sees Paige again, where he flirts with her. Eddie then asks Paige to take off her shirt, like the girls in the College Girls Gone Wild advertisement did. Paige angrily drenches Eddie with the drink hose, and bouncers escort Eddie (and Søren, who came to his rescue) from the bar. To Paige's annoyance, she and Eddie are also assigned as lab partners for an organic chemistry class. Since the class is important for Paige's medical school ambitions, she warns Eddie to not get in her way, and reprimands him after he sleeps through one of their lab experiments. After running out of money, Eddie gets a job in the deli section of the bar, even using Paige as a reference. Paige reluctantly helps him during his first day. Eddie later asks her out, but she refuses.

After Eddie helps Paige learn how to interpret Shakespeare, Paige is goaded by a friend to invite him to her home for Thanksgiving. While there, Eddie takes part in a lawn mower race, even beating the Morgan family's rival. However, a fistfight ensues. After patching up his wounds, Eddie and Paige kiss.

Back at school after the Thanksgiving break, Eddie and Paige sneak off to the library stacks to pursue a romantic encounter of unspecified nature. While there, the Danish paparazzi appear, begin taking photographs and reveal his royal identity. After confronting Eddie, Paige leaves him.

At the end of the day, Eddie is notified by his mother that his father is very ill, leading him to return home. While Paige faces a panel of professors questioning her about Shakespeare and love, she realizes that she loves Edvard and runs to find him, only to discover that he has already left for Denmark. She goes after him, and upon arriving in Copenhagen her trip is delayed, as a parade honoring the royal family is blocking traffic. Paige is recognized by the crowd, and Edvard finds her and takes her to the castle on horseback.

The queen objects to Edvard's choice to marry Paige, but the king tells him that if he loves Paige, he should marry her. Edvard proposes and Paige accepts.

Paige struggles with conforming to the lifestyle of royalty, however, the queen warms to her. Then, she takes Paige to a little room with jewelry to get ready for the coronation ball. During the coronation ball, Edvard and Paige share their first dance and then sneak off together. After being left alone, Paige remembers her dream for Doctors Without Borders. When Edvard returns, she tells him that she does not want to sacrifice her dreams, and that she cannot be queen. She then returns to Wisconsin and graduates from college, where she has been accepted to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Edvard arrives after the graduation, where he admits that he would be willing to wait to marry her until she finishes medical school and achieves her dreams. She confesses that Denmark may not be ready for a queen like her, but he says that he is, leading them to kiss passionately.