2 Top 5 Inspirational Football Movies

The wait is almost over for college football to start up again!  If you're looking for a movie to help you get in the spirit, or you need something to watch as you bum around the house on your day off from work Monday, here is a list of my Top 5 Football Movies based on inspirational true stories.  Enjoy!

5. Invincible

When the coach of Vince Papale's beloved hometown football team hosted an unprecedented open tryout, the public consensus was that it was a waste of time--no one good enough to play professional football was going to be found this way. Certainly no one like Papale--a down-on-his-luck, 30 year-old, substitute teacher and part-time bartender who never even played college football. But against these odds, Papale made the team and soon found himself living every fan's fantasy--moving from his cheap seats in the upper deck to standing on the field as a professional football player.

4. Blind Side

Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, is taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle. 

3. We Are Marshall

A true story, based on devastating events, set in Huntington, West Virginia, about a small town steeped in the rich tradition of college football. For decades, players, coaches, fans and families have come together to cheer on Marshall University's "Thundering Herd." For this team and this community, Marshall football is more than just a sport, it's a way of life. But on a fateful night in 1970, while traveling back to Huntington after a game in North Carolina, 75 members of Marshall's football team and coaching staff were killed in a plane crash. As those left behind struggled to cope with the devastating loss of their loved ones, the grieving families found hope and strength in the leadership of Jack Lengyel, a young coach who was determined to rebuild Marshall's football program and in the process helped to heal a community.

2. Remember the Titans

Based on the true story of the explosive events that took place in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971 when African-American football coach Herman Boone was hired to guide an integrated but racially polarized high school team--the T.C. Williams Titans. Angry, stubborn and a rigid taskmaster, Boone faces a cool reception from the team's players as well as an awkward relationship with assistant coach Bill Yoast, a local white man with seniority and a tradition of winning who was bypassed for the job. It's made clear that Bill has feelings of animosity for having to be an assistant under a black man. As the two men learn to overcome their ignorance and bigotry and realize that they have much in common--integrity, honor, and a strong work ethic--they work together to transform a group of angry, unfocused players into a dynamic winning team of responsible young men. In the process, they also unite a divided community and ensure that Virginia will always "Remember the Titans."

1. Rudy

Rudy grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of 5 people and has set his sights upon joining the team. -IMDB.com

Descriptions from movies.yahoo.com 

Let me know what you think.  Did I leave off your favorite movie?  Totally get the order wrong?  Let us know with some feedback below.

-Raleigh

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0 How To Ice A Cake In Less Than 10 Minutes!

Hey friends,

Since Sunday was my mom's birthday, I decided to bake her a birthday cake!  This is my second birthday cake to make and I must say, it was easier than the first time.  To take away some of the stress, I broke up the process into three days.  The first day I made the frosting, second day baked the cake, and third day decorated the cake.  Below is the recipe, pictures, and a short video I put together on how to ice a cake.  Enjoy!

Cake: Duncan Hines White Cake Mix
(Make sure you just use the egg whites to make the cake light and fluffy!)

Buttercream Icing: Wilton's Recipe
(I made five batches of this and doubled the recipe to cut down on time)
1 tsp clear vanilla extract (Michael's and JoAnn's Fabric sells it)
1 tsp. butter extract
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. milk or water (I used water)
1 cup solid vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
1 lb. confectioners' sugar (1 box)

1. Sift the confectioners' sugar into a large mixing bowl.
2. Measure remaining ingredients into the same bowl.
3. Blend on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.  Scrape bowl when necessary.
4. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy

To convert stiff icing to medium consistency, add one teaspoonful of milk or water to each cupful of stiff icing.  (I did this for my colored icing...I added about 3 teaspoons of water to my one batch to get my desired consistency).

Level the top of your cake to have a flat surface for your icing

Make sure to ice the cake on the stand that it will be served on

Birthday cake icing = YUM!

A work in progress

Ready to start decorating!

Mixing the colored icing is fun :)

Lu Lu was jealous that she had to stay outside and not be the crumb catcher!!!

Rough sketch...better to plan ahead before starting!

Finished product!  Can't wait to eat it :)

Here is a step by step video I put together to help explain the process.

How to Ice a Cake in Less than 10 Minutes!

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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1 Packin' on the LB's

Hey everyone,

This post is going to be a quick one today but I promise that next time I post on the girls there will be lots of fun pictures!!!!  I've got a praise report....the girls gained weight last week!!!!!  We took them to get weighed last Thursday and they were both six pounds, one ounce!!!!  Woo-Hoo!!!!!!  Seeing that weight made me feel so much better about starting them on formula with the breast milk.  Guess it just proves that they needed more milk in their tummy :) 

Another praise is that their eyes are still on track.  We will have to continue to have check-ups over the next month or two but our doctor said that we are in the safe zone for not having to have laser surgery.  That is a huge relief.  Next week we will go see the pediatric optometrist to make sure that they don't become near-sighted and need glasses. 

Today, we are taking Adeline to have her heart looked at by the pediatric cardiologist.  This is just a follow-up to the time that she got fluid around her heart in the NICU.  That was such a scary day but the problem seemed to have resolved itself while she was still in the hospital so I am hoping that we will get a good report when we go this afternoon.

On a total side note, I have to say how much I love our Montgomery friends.  Last week, two of our best couple friends came over and brought dinner for all of us to eat.  They thought of everything from flowers to coordinating paper plates.  The food was delicious but the quality time with friends was the best part of the evening.  Since we have been in isolation for the past five weeks, I didn't recognize how lonely I had been until our friends came over.  We haven't been going places and I realized that the world doesn't stop just because I'm not taking part in activities outside of the home right now.  It was a much needed dose of friend time for us.

Also, on Sunday the twins decided to wish my mom happy birthday!!!!!  They will be seeing their Ganny soon and I know mom is so excited to get some loving from the girls :)

Alright, that is about all I have time for today.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and getting ready for some college football this weekend.  War Eagle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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2 Book Review: The Shack

The Shack
William P. Young
272 pages
2007


Description:
Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.  Against his better judgment he arrives as the shack on a wintry afternoon and walk back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.
In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain? The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book.

Review:
If you haven't heard of The Shack, then you probably live in....well, a shack. The Shack came out in 2007 and hasn't really lost any of its momentum since.  Because of it not being "new" when I read it, I thought I new everything about this book already.  I had heard what takes place at the shack itself and some of the big ideas it presented.  Let me say to anyone who is in this camp - there is plenty of revelation to go around.  On the same note, I had a lot of expectations for this book as well as preconceived ideas of what this was about.  I will honestly tell you that this book did not disappoint.

The Shack will make you question fundamental principles in your beliefs only to bring you back to the original truth you knew all along - only now your belief is stronger than it was before.  As I said before, the book feels familiar.  Even if you know nothing about the book - one chapter in and you know exactly where its heading.  The strength of The Shack is how it responds to your expectations.  Some might say that it turns them upside down, but I think a more appropriately, it clarifies them.  I am not going to tell you that you should or will agree exactly with how everything plays out in The Shack, but it will make you question them none the less.  Questioning things in life is not evil or a lack of faith, it's actually critical to make sure we haven't stopped moving closer in our relationship to Christ.

The first third of the book plays out much like a crime drama.  They are there to help you understand exactly where the lead character is in life so that you can fully understand the significance of what is about to take place.  The last two thirds of the book is like one giant breath of fresh air.  Literally each page makes you feel as if you are learning what it means to have a relationship with Christ again.  The book feels as if it had a checklist of misunderstand things it needed to properly explain, and each word reveals a new mindset.  The amazing thing is that these revelations are not really new mindsets but new perspectives of established beliefs.

At one point in the book, Jesus describes "the church" to Mack.  He states, "It's simple, Mack.  It's all about relationships and simply sharing life.  What we are doing right now- just doing this - and being open and available to others around us.  My church is all about people and life is all about relationships.  You can't build it.  It's my job and I'm actually pretty good at it."  Those three sentences alone have blown away mine and Christen's prayers for what this blog could be!  And that's just the blog, now apply that to your whole life - you see what i mean.  Later, Jesus speaks of his presence and says, "You might see me in a piece of art, or music, or silence, or through people, or in Creation, or in your joy and sorrow.  My ability to communicate is limitless, living and transforming, and it will always be tuned to Papa's goodness and love.  And you will hear and see me in the Bible in fresh ways.  Just don't look for rules and principles; look for relationship - a way of coming to be with us."  Again, it's not that he is trying to drastically change what you have been taught, but to change the way you think about it.

Recommendation:
If you haven't noticed, I really loved this book.  If you haven't read this book, READ IT.  If you have read it, read it again - it won't hurt you - or pass along the book to someone else.  If this were a classroom, this would fall under the required reading list.  Even if none of this sounds appealing to you, read it because it's an extremely well told story.  Honestly, you could buy this book for a non believer and they wouldn't know till a third of they way through that it is not just a very well written mystery novel.  I actually dare someone to try that and just see what happens when they actually reach "The Shack".  In all seriousness, this book is excellent.  You will truly miss out on an opportunity to connect with Christ like you never have before.  Please, do it for yourself, read this book.

Post some feedback below or over in the community forums and let me know what you think about the book.  If you read it when it was fresh, let some of the newcomers now how amazing of and experience this book is.

-Raleigh

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1 Christen's Crafts: How To Make A Picture Memory Board

Happy Friday everyone!

After the nursery post, I have had several friends ask me how to make a picture board.  It is a very easy project that can be done in one afternoon.  Below are the steps and the items you need to make your very own memory board!  Enjoy!

What you need:
1 foam board (cut in half)
Quilters Fusible Batting
Fabric to cover board (1/2 yard should be plenty)
5 buttons
1 spool of ribbon
Scissors
Staple Gun
Needle & Thread
Hot Glue Gun
Iron and Ironing Board
Razor Blade Knife
Pencil

To begin this project,  lay your foam board on your work space and cut it in half with your razor blade knife.

Next, you will need to cover your board with your Quilter's Fusible Batting.

 As you can see below, I had enough batting material to cover the back of the board on all sides.  If you cut about two feet of batting that should give you enough to cover the back of the board.  Depending on the thickness of your batting, you might need to do a double layer to make the board thicker.  If you need to do this, just fold the batting over and then cut two feet so it will be thicker.

 Once your board is covered with batting, you staple the batting to the back of the board.  I started with my sides and then stapled the top and bottom.  Put one staple in each corner and then a couple in the middle to secure it to the board.  Make sure your staples are long enough to stay in the board. In order for your corners not to become too thick, cut out a square on your left and right side corners before you staple the top and bottom pieces  to your board (see picture below, bottom right corner).

After the batting is secured, now is the time to place the fabric on the board.  Make sure your fabric has been ironed so there are no creases on it before it is secured to the board.  Just like the batting, make sure you have enough fabric to secure it to the back.  My fabric length is longer than my batting to make it easier to staple it to the board.

After all sides of the fabric are stapled to the board, now is the time to secure the edges.  To do this, simply fold your edge over to make a triangle.  Using your hot glue gun, glue the triangle portion of your fabric to the straight edge of your fabric.  When you do this, you create a clean line that won't be seen from the front of your board.

The next step is to attach your ribbon to your board.  You will have six pieces of ribbon that will overlap to create a diamond look on the front of your board.  To begin, we will attach the corner pieces to the board.  Using your hot glue gun, glue an inch of the ribbon to the top left corner.  Once the glue has dried, pull that ribbon on the diagonal of the front of the board to the bottom right corner.  Pull the ribbon tight and make sure you have about an inch to secure to the back of the board before you cut.  After cutting this ribbon, secure the bottom right corner to the back of the board with your hot glue gun.  Repeat this process for the other diagonal piece.

After you have your corner pieces secured, now is the time to do the middle pieces.  It is important that everything is centered correctly so your ribbons are spaces evenly when finished.  Lay your ribbon horizontally so it is aligned with the center diagonal and make a mark with a pencil on your center sides.  Then, lay your ribbon vertically on the center and make a mark with a pencil on your top and bottom center.  After doing this, start with the left center and secure the ribbon to the back of your board with your hot glue gun.  Then, run the ribbon so it meets your top center and secure that to the board.  Do the same thing on the right side.  After your top ribbons are secured, repeat the process starting with the left middle meeting the bottom center.

The final step to finish your board is to add your buttons.  You will have five buttons to secure to each point where your ribbons cross over one another.  Thread your needle and loop it through the back of your button.  Then, over the center of your ribbon, stick your needle through your fabric so it comes out of the back of the board.  Once your needle has pierced the back of the board, stick it through again to the front and loop it through your button.  Do this about three times until it is tight and then tie your thread in a knot to keep it in place.  For added security, you can hot glue the back of your board where the thread is to make sure it stays in place. After you have completed this step, just add some fishing line or one of those grooved edge picture holders to the back of your board to hang it to the wall.

Voila!  You have just made your very own picture board!  What an easy way to showcase your favorite pictures!  If you make a board, send it to christen@theuncontainabletruth.com so we can add it to our site :)

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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0 Sewing Wars

The other day, I was reading my friend Stephanie's blog and her post was about how much she loves to sew.  She is an excellent seamstress and I am very impressed with her work.  Recently, I was given a lovely sewing machine from my gracious in-laws and have been trying to learn how it works.  It is a Baby Lock Ellure and it has the capabilities to embroider, as well as, sewing. 

I got it right before the girls were born so I haven't had much time to really learn how the machine works.  Sewing is a hobby that I have wanted to pick up for years but I had no idea where to begin.  None of my immediate family members sew, which made me completely clueless on how the process works. So, the other night, I decided to be brave and try to monogram a onesie all on my own.  This is how it turned out.

Y'all, I tried for THREE hours to monogram these onesies and just failed miserably!  I couldn't get the material to stay inside of the hoop, then couldn't get the hoop to snap to my machine, and finally I jammed up the thread into a big ball.  I was ready to throw my machine out of the window by the time I was finished.  I just couldn't believe something that looked so simple could be so difficult!  It was so frustrating to me because usually I can pick up on crafty stuff.  Oh, no, not this time!  After throwing a temper tantrum, Raleigh looked at me point blank and said, "You need help."

So, I got help. While my parents were watching the girls last week, I went to a sewing class and an embroidery class.  Y'all, I feel like a new person!  Having a teacher explain how my machine works and the steps that it takes to make a garment made all the difference.  I think the biggest challenge for me with sewing is that I am not familiar with all of the steps.  It is a very methodical process yet there are so many variations of tools to choose from.  Take monogramming for example.  You know the rough stuff that is on the inside of your t-shirt that is attached to the monogram?  That is called a stabilizer and there are like a million different options.  Also, the vast amount of monograms to choose from can be rather overwhelming.  Do you buy a computer software program or just download them from the Internet?  Once they are downloaded, how do you get them to your machine?  Then, how do you center it on your machine?  Did you know that there is a completely different foot that is attached to your machine to monogram rather than sewing?  Who wudda thunk?  Not me, that's for sure.

So, after my lessons I worked hard this weekend and actually knew what to do.  I ENJOYED the process!  Never did I think that was going to happen!!!!!  The first thing I worked on were these monogrammed onesies.

I did Maralee's first and spaced the letters a little too far out.  Then, I did Adeline's and got them a hair too close.  But, for them being my first official project they turned out pretty well I thought.  The other project that I am working on are their christening gowns.  We are hoping to have them christened in October or November so I have about two months to work on them.  At first, this task seemed rather daunting, but I figured the best way to learn was to dive head first!  I think doing a difficult project will really teach me the proper steps on how to make a dress.  Also, I have an amazing teacher that tells me every stitch and cut to make before I actually do it.  You see, that has been my problem.  I have been scared to start any sewing project for fear of messing up the fabric.  Last year for Christmas, Raleigh let me pick out fabric to make custom valences in our living/dining room.  The fabric is STILL rolled up in the corner of my office waiting to get cut.  Maybe when I finish these dresses I will finally be brave enough to start that project!  In the meantime, the dress that I am making them is called a Babbett day gown.  So far, I have stitched together the sleeves and sides of the dresses. 

Friends, I really hope to master the art of sewing.  Having twin girls means twice the amount of dresses so if I learn how to do this I can save us some major bucks.  Plus, it is something special that I can do for them and one day they can give to their children if they want to.  One of my best friends growing up always had on smocked dresses and I was always so envious of her outfits.  Now, don't get me wrong, my momma always had me in cute clothes, but I wasn't in smocked dresses :) 

Do any of y'all sew or embroider?  What programs do you use?  Do you have any favorite websites to get appliques or fonts?  Do you have any easy pattern suggestions for making girls' clothes?  I am all ears!

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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0 Movie Review: Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love the movie was a great adaptation of the book written by Elizabeth Gilbert.  It tells a story about a woman that leaves her New York City lifestyle to  travel around the globe to Italy, India, and Bali in search of everything.  Julia Roberts brings the character of Liz to life as we watch her transform from sad to happy by the end of the movie.  It is an intimate story of one woman's quest to find pleasure, peace, and love on a year of self discovery.

While the theater seats were occupied by majority females; I wouldn't necessarily describe this movie as a typical Julia Roberts film.  The beginning of the movie starts with Liz being very sad and confused about her life.  When she first arrives in Italy, she is majorly coping with a horrible breakup and her character is battling depression.  We see a lonely woman that finds comfort in food.  Soon, she meets new Italian friends and enjoys the essence of the city.  By the end of her stay in Italy, she starts to find healing and is ready for the next segment of her adventure.  Her stay in the Indian ashram is probably the most difficult portion of her journey for self-discovery because she has to spend a lot of time dealing with her mind.  The film did not go too deep into spirituality or her views on God but it did show the difficulty of clearing out space in one's mind to find peace.  The last leg of her journey was in Bali, and here Liz finds the balance between pleasure and peace.  By chance, she also discovers what it means to love again. 

I enjoyed this film but I didn't walk away in love with it.  I think the reason I wasn't in love with the movie is it was a rather sad film.  That doesn't make it bad, but right now I don't want to watch anything sad.  I want to be swept into a fantasy land of happiness when I go to the movies. It was a beautiful movie that was a cross between a Food Network and Travel Channel film.  I, like many others who saw it, want to travel more after seeing this movie.  Julia Roberts did a great job portraying her character and it was a great version of the book.  They used some of the exact lines from the book, which I thought was great.  All in all, it was a good movie that made the viewer ponder their own lives and that continual search for peace and happiness.

Till next time, let your light shine!

Blessings, christen

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