Back to blogging

Well, here I am blogging again. I went through and deleted my old posts because it had been so long, and I wanted to start anew.

I will be blogging about a variety of things, including being geeky mom. There are so many topics I will explore from our crazy life, such as adoption, foster care, special needs parenting, freelance writing, marriage, geek culture, faith, etc.

A little about me:

My husband and I have been married for more than 10 years. He works in the information technology industry and also plays on the worship team at our church. Hubby is slightly addicted to World of Warcraft and will only go to superhero or Star Wars movies with me (not that I’m complaining because I love those too).

I’m a freelance writer. Last year, I stepped down from a regular job, so I could be more available for some extra care one of my kiddos needed. It was quite the leap of faith but has been very rewarding so far. Plus, I’m totally in my pajamas right now.

About four years ago we adopted three amazing kids from foster care. Superboy is obsessed with Minecraft, Boo loves dinosaurs and pretty much anything scientific that he can get his hands on and Tink alternates between wanting to be a superhero or a princess.

Our boys have some special needs, especially Boo, and I’m sure I will blog about from time to time.

We are a super-geeky family. We don’t do sports, but we go to renaissance festivals and comic book conventions instead. We may not shoot hoops, but we have epic lightsaber and wooden sword battles. And lots and lots of Nerf wars (wear protective head gear upon entering our home). We can’t tell you who played in the Superbowl, but we can tell you which Hogwarts house we’re in. I’m Ravenclaw, in case you were wondering.

Thanks for coming along with me as I share our adventures and struggles!

A trip to the jungle

A movie about kids being sucked into a video game? Sounds like the coolest plot possible to my 8yo son. So, one day during winter break, we dropped his younger siblings into the Playcenter at Harkins for some mommy-son movie time.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is out on digital and Blu-ray this month, so I thought I would share my thoughts on the film.

I resented the idea of this movie at first. I mean, why does the classic need to be updated? I loved the original movie. I went into the theater prepared to be annoyed, with the “I’m only here for my kid” attitude.

Truth be told, though, I enjoyed this movie more than I expected. I had several laugh out loud moments, especially if you are familiar with gaming at all.

More importantly, Superboy, my 8yo son, thought it was the funniest movie ever made. So, does it really matter if I’m mad that they remade the classic? They did not take away from the original (even made a few references to it) and it connects with kids from this generation.

We will laugh forever about the “cake weakness.” It’s like the two of us have our own inside joke now.

The cast was amazing and hilarious, specifically The Rock, Kevin Hart and Jack Black. I was excited to see Karen Gillan since I’m a big Doctor Who fan, and I was pleasantly surprised that Colin Hanks showed up toward the end. I’ve loved him since his Roswell days (that show is rebooting this fall, but that’s a blog for another day).

I really liked the concept of these teens having to go into another type of body than they usually were and learn more about themselves in the process. The adult actors did a hilarious job with this. I particularly identified with the nerdy girl who was suddenly the sexy female fighter character. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.

This movie is rated PG-13, so proceed with caution. Every kid is different and what content they can handle varies. My 8yo was fine, but I wouldn’t take my 7yo. There are some swear words, and the latter still hasn’t mastered the art of not repeating everything he hears. Loudly. In public.

There is some penis humor, because Jack Black’s character is a teenage girl stuck in a man’s body, but many of those jokes went way over my kid’s head.

Before I decide if I should take my oldest to a PG-13 movie I haven’t seen yet, I check out the parental guide on IMDB, where they break down everything that gave it that rating. I review it all and make my decision, and sometimes mentally prepare myself for any questions that may arise from the scene.

I find this easier than the random questions that kids throw at me out of the blue, like that time my 5yo asked me where babies come from while waiting in the lobby at church.

Bottom line, this movie was better than my expectations. Was it perfect? No. Is it my all time favorite movie? No. But is it my son’s. Yep. For now, at least.

And the good news for him is there is already talk of a sequel.

Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle is available on digital download March 6 and Blu-Ray March 20.