Category Archives: movies

out with the old IN with the new! best of 2011. goals 2012.

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it’s that time…the LAST WEEK of 2011! icanhardlybelieveit.

let’s review 2011. last january started off with snow and ice:

but spring came…so did family…and the Atlanta, GA lds temple re-opened!

the temple made it possible for our friends to become a forever family!:

i turned 24:

the summer’s garden was a success:

(some of the first fruits!)…cinnamon and kids came to visit…we enjoyed july 4th together

(and i succumbed and chopped off all my hair)

my two best friends had their FIRST babies in the same week! i took prego pics of both:

and my SISTER had her fourth…happy new little nephew to ME…this is miles august ayres:

me and miles…i made it back to utah after like 4 years…for B’s wedding! and a reunion of friends:

mine and elissa’s reunion was WAY overdue.

same with ry guy.

and i even MET my blog bestie in PERSON!! miss chelsea vose.

and the year got even better, joe beau came to visit…

and as you just saw..Christmas came, and so did my favorite Virginia family.

i try to reflect on the last year and it’s happenings. funny how it always feels like so long ago and yet also that the year sped by. i had to reference back to my old 2011 NEW YEAR blog post to see my list, how far i’ve come and what progress was made.

so, referring back to that list of goals, i DID in  R E V I E W:

- take more pictures: purchased a DSLR which was a major catalyst

- be more social? …eh, yes and no! haha.

- get back to school: i DID take some online classes in 2011. got a 4.0 in them! win!

- get in shape?: i joined a gym and fell in love with zumba. i would say a definite improvement/obsession for a healthier lifestyle was made. win!

- i HAVE done some painting in 2011. wish i’d done more.

- did i make it back to Puerto Rico? pick-up my old guitar skillz? or was there a boda? no, no, and…no. life goes on.

all in all, 2011 was a rough year for me. no lies. and although there weren’t many HUGE events for me…there was a lot of personal reflection and growth. i feel i have come a long way (but still with a long way to go). i feel i am so much more honest with myself and much more trusting in God and His timing. i also was employed full-time all of 2011…and blessed with a great job this year, too! i will count my blessings.

as for my Whitney Tutt 2011 BEST OF list…looking back, i have very little to offer as far as movies and music and all of that this year. so…please excuse my pathetic list.

MY top 2011 album releases:

haha…love how i had to throw in the Biebs there.

Feist, Wilco, Coldplay, and Adele all had noteworthy album releases in 2011 as well. I just haven’t spent too much time listening to them to be able to properly rate them. OH…and Pitbull…Planet Pit has some good ones! ha!

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M O V I E S. i was the worst at seeing movies in 2011. but i did make it to THE END:

also, of course i saw the new Twilight. i should be ashamed of the few times i made it to the theater this year. i didn’t see the new X-Men. or Green Lantern. or Thor. or Cowboys and Aliens. or Bridesmaids. or The Adjustment Bureau. or…well. what DID i see?

that i can remember…Limitless. Fast Five. Super 8. Something Borrowed. Pirates 3. HP7. Breaking Dawn. Jane Eyre.

oh…i did thoroughly love this movie, if you have even heard of it, came out in Feb:

and, i’m such a fan of the 80′s classic, i loved the new one:

so, that’s that.

B O O K S!

my 2011 favvy:

and that concludes my 2011 review.

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NOW

time for my 2012 goals. considering the last couple months of 2011 have been rather positive. it gives me hope for the NEW YEAR!

i mean, i WILL be spending my first two weeks of the new year in Italy. what better way to ring in 2012?! i feel like the year will be as eventful as it’s start.

2012 GOALS:

1. Thanksgiving Day half-marathon (with my sisters, that’s the plan)

2. maintain health and fitness (which will be needed to accomplish #1 – i also have new yoga dvds i need to try more regularly)

3. allow my hair to grow out at least long enough for a ponytail. ha! dye it less. :)

4. be more assertive

5. work on my sewing skills

6. practice piano often

7. maintain an eternal perspective

8. develop my art more – paint/draw more (aka: spend less time on Pinterest and more time actually DOING the great ideas)

9. complete one book a month

10. notice/do more for others. serve.

11. try a new recipe each month (i have so many “pending” to be attempted)

12. figure out my “continuing education” plan

13. travel somewhere new

14. work on my “technical” photography knowledge

15. true love

…i think i can handle those. realistic. attainable. worth it. i’m ready.

2012…bring it!

love, whit

Breaking Dawn has made me a zombie today…at least it’s Friday…

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friday love.

and here i am…last night…trying to “fit the part” for my first twilight saga movie midnight showing! haha…i’m just a little in love with my (one-of-a-kind!) shirt. (that i’ll only wear once)…

today i’m paying dearly for the lack of sleep last night. thank goodness it’s FRIDAY. and now the weekend. with no plans other than my saturday Zumba class. but, no matter…time to get things done/figured out!

love, whit

more books becoming movies…

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i feel like almost every book i’ve ever read that i really got attached to is making it to the big screen. i don’t know if i should be excited or nervous about it.

i mean, in my opinion, the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings movies were excellent. yes, the books are always better. but i feel the movies did the best they could given the 2-3 hr time slots they have to work with.

more recently – One Day, a story i so very much love, became a movie. a flop really. i doubt if many people who saw the movie would be inspired to read the book. it was a disappointment to say the least.

The Help. i’ve heard great reviews. but refuse to see the movie until i finish the book. so i have nothing to say about it yet.

The Twilight Saga. ok, i was one of those who read each book in a day. and yes, i enjoy the movies very much. but, of course the movies aren’t exactly like the books. yet i love them all the same! ha. “team jacob” all the way. haha!

Into the Wild. the book is always better. but i did like that movie a lot.

anyway…then summer 2010 i read The Hunger Games series. go figure…they’re making them into MOVIES! i saw the trailer for it last night…

let’s hope for the best.

but seriously…Hollywood must be hard up for story lines because i swear that ALL that’s coming out these days are “based on the books” movies. or redoing already done stories/books. makes me wish i was a writer…i could make mega bucks having a book AND a movie.

am i the only one that finds it interesting that EVERY book i read lately is becoming a movie??

i read Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series too (well, books 5 and 6 are yet to be released). and…yeah, that’s right. they already have the movies casted! my goodness.

and today – from reading a couple blogs, i found out that more of my favorites are movies now too. Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. excellent book.

Also his earlier Everything is Illuminated – that is an incredible book that was also made into a movie. (the movie i very much love though! i highly recommend both the books – and the movie)

maybe i’m behind, but i had no idea they’d made a movie of this one …comes out in December…

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and yet another – my childhood FAVORITE. Is now going to be a movie. So they say. Roald Dahl was my author of choice as a child. I had all of his books. The BFG was my top pick. I seriously read it over and over. I even used to read it aloud to my grandparents and my parents. whoever would listen really. Dreamworks has the movie rights – so i’m hoping that means it will be done justice.

so what’s next? pretty much all the jane austen classics are movies. they made Jane Eyre into a newer movie now. (i love jane austen-esque stories). I’m pretty sure they’re taking Janet Evanovich to the movie level now. Dan Brown – been done. i’m not going to continue with a list, though i have myself convinced that every book will eventually also have the caption on the front – “Now A Major Motion Picture”. guaranteed, there are probably more in the making that i just haven’t caught wind of yet.

it’s frustrating because when i find these things out, i can’t decide if i’m excited or nervous about what the movie will do to my perception of the stories.

I’m waiting for my #1 - The Catcher in the Rye to become “a major motion picture.” and by waiting, i don’t mean anxiously. quite honestly…i hope it doesn’t ruin it for me.

you know, i’m not quite sure if all of this is actually inspiring people to read, or just come up with the excuse that they “saw the movie.”

and i’m not quite sure if i’m venting here or not. half the time after i read a great book, i get antsy when i hear the movie is coming out because i get to re-live the story in a different way! and the movie is great! but then, 10 times out of 10, i come out of the movie let-down that it just wasn’t the same as the book. which is a given in every case. but still. and then, 8 times out of 10, you wish they hadn’t made a movie of it at ALL because the movie offends the book. ha. whatever. i can’t make up my mind. i’m babbling now…

love, whit

photo challenge days 4, 5, & 6

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let’s face it – i’m no good at this “photo-a-day” challenge thing. 30 days will end up taking me probably 3 months. i seriously hope less. but anyway…

DAY 4 – SOMETHING GREEN

mr emerson, i do love you.

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DAY 5 – FROM A HIGH ANGLE  – i really don’t find myself on rooftops or bridges or high-up places all that often, which could have made for a better shot. but whatevs. i’m a little over 5 feet, does that count? boring.

DAY 6 – FROM A LOW ANGLE

can you please take another look at the beautiful sky this afternoon?…let’s allow this to replace my DAY 3: CLOUDS photo from before…

for kicks, i took a shot of the well-stocked fridge. it just seemed so full today! nevermind that most of it is fresh cut fruit and veggies. and the bottom drawer is LOADED with jalapenos from the garden. i made some fresh pico de gallo today to try and use up the over-abundance of tomatos and jalapenos….i’m afraid it only made a slight dent in our stock. it’s always interesting to see the insides of people’s fridge…or maybe it’s just me.

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this week brought MAIL! i love mail.

all the way from RiO! my friend, erika, from my BYU days is in Brazil serving a mission. letters like this make my day.

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movie review: ONE DAY

i’ve been very excited for this movie to come out. i mean VERY. only because i absolutely  L O V E D  the book. i won’t lie, i was rather offended to find the theater practically empty on opening weekend. it is what it is though. what can you expect when Captain America, Harry Potter, Cowboys and Aliens, and all these other big events are still in theaters. people would always rather see the super natural and things blowing up over a british love story. but i’m a sucker for real life love stories. anyway…i enjoyed the movie – but probably because i’m so very attached to the story and book. i think if anyone sees it and hasn’t read the book, they will probably not like it as much. having to cover over 20 years of story…the movie moves quick and a lot is missing. i was sad about that. but…

the books are always ten times better. i recommend both.

love, whit

move like a jellyfish

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500 Days Of Summer. loved that movie. i think i need to watch it again.

yes, this is going to be a shallow entry. sorry. it’s one of those days where i can’t help but say i have a huge crush on the following people. we’re all allowed our “dream guy” (or girl)…and i feel like sharing my top picks.

#1 (yes, my numba one) – john krasinski

yes, i think it’s love.

#2 – zac efron- YES PLEASE!

# 3 – jim sturgess, with an accent too :)

can i say i’m so very excited that his new movie, One Day, comes out this weekend – a book i very much love. he’ll be the perfect Dex.

and #4 – a perk to following FIFA – Fabio Cannavaro

VIVA ITALIA!

yes…a girl can dream.

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I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep

-Jack Johnson

so last night as i’m laying in bed, watching Jack Johnson: En Concert (i LOVE this film – it gives me happy thoughts before i sleep) it just really made me want to go to France (where the concert tour begins – and continues throughout europe)…and, of course, crave sunny days by the water.

“Love is the answer,
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like why are we here? and where do we go?
And how come it’s so hard?
It’s not always easy and
Sometimes life can be deceiving
I’ll tell you one thing its always better when we’re together…”

-Jack Johnson