Love is in the Air

Late Valentine's post so don't be confused if my tenses are different! (I went a lot overboard with this post so be prepared!) Ah, it's Valentine's Day which means love is in the air! The cheesy cards, over-sized teddy bears, and the box of chocolates that won't last a day. I'm a sucker for anything romantic. I am admittedly a hopeless romantic and even if I know it's a Hallmark holiday it's a holiday I can't help but love. So in celebration I wanted to share some great books, movies, quotes, and music on this magical day of love (I know I'm so cheesy). There's actually another special event that happened today which is actually why this post is really late. My new cousin was born today. I got to hold her. She's teeny tiny without her blanket. Every time there is a new baby the adults, especially my mother, tries to figure out who the baby looks like. I really can't tell but you can tell just by looking at her with her pretty lips and eyelashes that she's a girl. She's so lucky. She's going to have one of the greatest birthdays with (I'm sure) lots of pink to her future birthday themes. I hope you all had a relaxed, fun filled day. Happy Valentine's Day!

Falling in Love with Books: Sweet Romances to Cherish

Shug by Jenny Han

Do you remember when you had crushes when you were a little kid? How you would try and avoid them or catch glimpses of them in class or in the hall? I remember acting foolish and embarrassing myself. Oh how innocent it all was. Shug starts to develop feeling for her best friend but he's oblivious of those feelings. A new crush is always tentative and exciting. You get butterflies and while Shug was discovering these new feelings she has had to deal with feeling inadequate compared to her sister. This is a sweet coming of age story with emotions of first love conflicting with family trouble. Sometimes I like to read about young love and not the ever complicated teenage love so this book is perfect for that. It brings about memories - good and bad with the overall feeling of crushing on a guy for the first time.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

You know if I'm going to be talking about romance books I have to mention Flipped! It's the ultimate sweet romance. Juli's love for Bryce is enduring. She falls in love when she's young and doesn't know much about guys. Chasing him around doesn't help her get an in with Bryce but she keeps on doing it when she realizes that Bryce isn't that great of a guy. When she starts realizing that he starts falling for her. Boys! They don't know what they've got until they lose it. Bryce turns about to be a great guy and shows more integrity at the end of the story. Juli teaches him how to be brave and how to be a better person. That's what love is all about? The other person makes you feel more alive and helps make you a better person because you lift each other up. You don't bring each other down. I wish more girls knew when a guy just isn't good enough for them and vice versa. Flipped shows how people should treat each other and what can happen when you meet your better half (I don't care what the ending was like I know what happens in the future).

How Not to be Popular 
I must mention Jack and if you don't know who he is just know he's my ultimate fictional boyfriend. No one can compare to Jack. He's this complete goody two shoes that has such heart. I melt just thinking about him. Maggie doesn't want her heartbroken by meeting new friends and then moving like she always does so she sets up a plan to have no friends by basically dressing outrageously and hanging out with the nerdy kids. Her plan backfires of course. She learns to trust her feelings and fall in love with Jack. It's a really sweet romance like all of these other books here. It's a teen book but the love is just so obvious and genuine. There is no bad boy. You don't feel the slightest bit weary of their love for each other. It's perfect. Her feelings towards Jack might seem to her complicated but really it's not at all. It's simple and wonderful and Jack just makes me swoon.

Sleepless by Cyn Balog

The romance in this book is very unconventional. First of all the guy's been dead for years and years. Eron is a sandman and one of the people he watches over is Julia that he can't help but fall for. Eron is hilarious because he doesn't understand the cultural references of that day. He just stands there looking confused and when I imagine his face I just laugh out loud. His complete sincerity, loyalty, and gentlemanly behavior makes this books romance an unconventional but wonderfully thrilling read. I know I could have picked from a number of more popular books but I couldn't help pick Sleepless to showcase. I wanted to show you all sweet books that don't have too much drama with love that is pure, sweet, and sometimes innocent. Hopefully I was able to do that for all of you.

Falling in Love with Movies: My Top 12 Romance Movies

This is in no particular order. I was making a list of movies. I didn't plan on showcasing so many but here they are anyway:

Sweet Home Alabama: This has to be my most favorite romance movie of all time. I've watched it repeatedly sometimes back to back. There's just something about it. Maybe it's, its southern charm or Melanie coming to realize that her adventure is with Jake or the undeniable love that Melanie and Jake have for each other.

"What do you want to be married to me for, anyhow? 

So I can kiss you anytime I want."

The Notebook: Do I even have to say anything. Once in a lifetime love doesn't just come around that often. Allie and Noah's love endure all obstacles. They were made for each other. Who could not resist Ryan Gosling's charm anyhow?

"Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late. 
I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year. 

You wrote me? 
Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over."

The Breakfast Club: This is such a great classic with everyone of them feeling like outsiders or different in their own way. I love who they all end up with (poor Brian doesn't end up with anybody). What I would give to have had them make a second movie!

Bender- "Remember how you said your parents use you to get back at each other?"  
Claire- [nods] 
Bender-" Wouldn't I be OUTSTANDING in that capacity?" 

Pretty Woman: Is it weird that I like this movie so much giving her... career? I just love the scene where Julia Roberts comes back to the shop that turned her down and gloats in their face. I really love the contrast between her and her guy. She's really loud and he's this observant guy who falls for a girl he wouldn't think he would ever fall for.

"I'm gonna treat you so nice, you're never gonna let me go."

Becoming Jane- I've never read a Austen book but I loved her story. The way she describes it Mr. Darcy was who she was in love with. I loved the passion and conflict in their love. I wanted them both to be happy and admit they were perfect together. The end was just splendid and I wonder if it really did happen

"You'll lose everything. Family, place. For what? A lifetime of drudgery on a pittance? A child every year and no means to lighten the load? How will you write, Jane?" 
"I do not know, but happiness is within my grasp and I cannot help myself." 
"There is no sense in this." 
"If you could have your Robert back, even like this, would you do it?"

Sleepless in Seattle: There is just something about Tom Hanks that you can't help but love. I find it that when he saw her without knowing who she was it was so unrealistic that he stopped and stared. It's a good thing that movies don't have to make sense. Love is love whether realistic or not. His love for his deceased wife was heartwarming. He has a thing with Meg Ryan. This is the second great love movie I see them in. They work perfectly and have such distinct voices.

"People who truly loved once are far more likely to love again. Sam, do you think there's someone out there you could love as much as your wife?" 
"Well, Dr. Marcia Fieldstone, that's hard to imagine." 
"What are you going to do?" 
"Well, I'm gonna get out of bed every morning... breathe in and out all day long. Then, after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breathe in and out... and, then after a while, I won't have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while." 
"Tell me what was so special about your wife?" 
"Well, how long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together... and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home... only to no home I'd ever known... I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like... magic."

Moulin Rouge: This movie is so tragically beautiful. It's one great musical with music I can't help but think of from time to time like Roxanne. When I think of that song I think of the gritty way it's sung in the movie. I love the absolute certainty and mixed emotions the main characters feels. He discovers love and tragedy at the same moment.

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."

Dirty Dancing: Need I say ANYTHING!? Swayze is... He makes all the girl's swoon. I love how he doesn't realize that he's falling for this girl until it's too late to go back. I like how Frances "Baby" was discovering this new love and different side of herself no one could have foreseen. I really would like to think they remained together but I don't know. It looked like they were okay going their separate ways.

"I've never known anyone like you before. You think you can make the world better. Somebody's lost, you find them. Somebody's bleeding-"

"Yeah, I go get my daddy. That was really brave, like you said."

"That took a lot of guts to go to him! You are not scared of anything."

"Me? I'm scared of everything! I'm scared of what I saw. I'm scared of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life.... the way I feel when I'm with you!"

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: The things this girl goes through to try to get this guy to dump her. It's so hilarious and so embarrassing. I was dying inside most of the time. When the shift happens in the movie the romance turns irresistible and sweet. She got to know him and see a side of him that she was refusing to see before.

"I understand you've been an inspiration to Ben in more ways than one. And I must say, you look rather inspired yourself. There isn't a diamond it the room that sparkles like a woman in love."
"Oh, no, no. I'm not in love."
"No? I guess I was mistaken."
"No, no. I mean... I've only known him for ten days... You can't... I can't be..."

"Ben is a very lucky man."

"Mr Warren, please don't tell him. Please don't tell him."

Stardust: An actual book to movie romance that I love! Tristan is so naive but he's in love so what do you expect? Unfortunately he's in love with the wrong girl until he meets the right girl - a star. He's the perfect gentlemen and he really grows into a man while he's on his adventure. The star he plans to bring back is initially angry with him trying to take her home to his girl but she starts caring for him and maybe gets even a little jealous. It's a great action, adventure, romance.

"You know when I said I knew little about love? That wasn't true. I know a lot about love. I've seen it, centuries and centuries of it, and it was the only thing that made watching your world bearable. All those wars. Pain, lies, hate... It made me want to turn away and never look down again. But when I see the way that mankind loves... You could search to the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful. So yes, I know that love is unconditional. But I also know that it can be unpredictable, unexpected, uncontrollable, unbearable and strangely easy to mistake for loathing, and... What I'm trying to say, Tristan is... I think I love you. Is this love, Tristan? I never imagined I'd know it for myself. My heart... It feels like my chest can barely contain it. Like it's trying to escape because it doesn't belong to me any more. It belongs to you. And if you wanted it, I'd wish for nothing in exchange - no gifts. No goods. No demonstrations of devotion. Nothing but knowing you loved me too. Just your heart, in exchange for mine."

You've Got Mail: Again Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan just make the greatest couple in movies. It's kind of sad what happens though like the small business should just give up because they can't provide what the chain business can do. Anyways their denial (it's everywhere I know) lasts a very long time because these two people are stubborn. The ending scene is so romantic and lovely. The reveal of each other after so long and Meg's reaction.

"You know, sometimes I wonder..." 
"What?" 
"Well... if I hadn't been Fox Books and you hadn't been The Shop Around the Corner, and you and I had just, well, met..." 
"I know." 
"Yeah. I would have asked for your number, and I wouldn't have been able to wait twenty-four hours before calling you and saying, "Hey, how about... oh, how about some coffee or, you know, drinks or dinner or a movie... for as long as we both shall live?" 
"Joe..." 
"And you and I would have never been at war. And the only thing we'd fight about would be which video to rent on a Saturday night." 
"Well, who fights about that?" 
"Well, some people. Not us." 
"We would never." 
"If only." 
[pause] "I gotta go." 
"Well, let me ask you something. How can you forgive this guy for standing you up and not forgive me for this tiny little thing of... of putting you out of business?" 
[Kathleen starts to cry] 
"Oh, how I wish you would." 
"I really have to go." 
"Yeah, well... you don't want to be late." 

Wristcutters: A Love Story: This is my one unconventional movie that I love. A lot of people might think I'm weird right now but it it the truth. I love that I learned about Gogol Bordello (band) here. Zia is so dedicated in finding a girl he killed himself for when she ends up killing herself. They are both trapped in a sort of limbo for all of the people that committed suicide. It's actually a really great story if you are into weird stuff like this. He ends up falling for another girl and doesn't realize until it's too late. Or is it?

"Hi." 
"Hi. You remember the other day when you were talking about missing things from life and, uh... and how you wanted to go back and I told you I didn't miss anything?" 
"Yeah." 
"Well... when I'm here... with you, I kind of miss myself the way I used to be." 
"What were you like? I was... I was happy at a time. Obviously before I came here, but..." 
"Yeah." 
"Something about being here with you reminds me of that. It's just, I don't know, it's just weird to me that you can feel that in a place like this. We're all... We're all dead." 
"You know what? Most of the people that I knew before I got here were either half dead or just completely dead already. You know, completely dead. And you're doing pretty good, Zia." 
"You think so?" 
"Yeah, definitely." 

Falling in Love with Music: Two Heartfelt Love Songs

A Thousand Years

"I have died everyday

waiting for you

Darlin' don't be afraid

I have loved you for a 

Thousand years

I'll love you for a 

Thousand More"

Total Eclipse of The Heart

"And I need you now tonightAnd I need you more than everAnd if you only hold me tightWe'll be holding on forever"

Happy Valentine's Day!