My Little Pony

So Brynn is very much into "My Little Pony." You can download episodes free from Netflix and she watches about 10 a day. The funny thing is that Adam and Max (and even Kam a time or two) watch them with her and they LOVE them! It's quite funny.

Jazz 100 Club Part 2

Keller invited me to see the Jazz vs. Magic game this past week with his 100 Club connections! We ate a sweet buffet dinner at the top of Energy Solutions and then basked in the front row tickets for the game. And what an awesome game! I was telling Jon that I had never seen a really good Jazz game live. And lo and behold, we took it into overtime! I wish I had a picture of Keller and I on the court, but these photos below will suffice. I could smell the players... and it was good.

Hugo Cabret

As a school teacher, I've been a long time fan of Brian Selznick. He's done some great things in the past and his "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" was a genius book. I loved how his illustrations told most of the story. Kids love it because it's a gargantuan book that they can read in just a few days. I was a little worried when I saw that Martin Scorsese was directing the adaptation. The same man behind "The Departed?" Sunday afternoon we watched it as a family and I LOVED it! The performances were amazing (particularly Ben Kingsley), the score by Howard Shore was fantastic and overall it was just a beautiful love letter to the magic of cinema! If you haven't seen it, please do.

Mel, Mel, Mel...

Braveheart was on TV the other night and Lindsay and I watched little bits here and there. It's definitely one of the worst films ever made in terms of continuity. I can't believe how many mistakes there are in this movie. I love the film for the emotion, the score and the acting, but it's horribly made. Years ago, Mel was kind of a Hollywood figure to look up to. He made a variety of choices in his films, became a better actor as he went along, branched off into directing and had a strong, long-lasting marriage and family. Now he's divorced and an apparent drunk, violent, racist. Ah, Mel. What the heck happened?

Happy Birthday, Max!

I wish I had a more recent picture. We have been terrible at taking photos lately. This is Max at our Christmas Carol cast party in 2011.

Our wonderful Max just turned 7! One more year and he will be baptized. Lindsay was watching a home movie the other day of when he was born and she commented that she couldn't believe 7 years has gone by. He is such a great young man. He is bright, creative, peaceful, emotional, stubborn, loving, nostalgic (weird for a 7 year old), and has the cutest smile in the world.

Best Trilogy?

So I am sitting in Nephi, UT waiting for our blasted minivan to finish with its $750 repairs so that I can join my wife and kids down at the ranch. I can't remember the last time I've had so much fun.

So I was thinking-Kam and I just started watching the Bourne trilogy. Great, great films. What is the best trilogy ever made? There are some excellent ones out there. I will list a few down below and ask you to rank what your top three favorites are. Mine are ranked as follows (although I am not including all trilogies here):

I only saw these films once when I was just out of high school. I do remember that they were long, but affecting.

I love Mad Max. They sometimes seem to take themselves too seriously though.

I wanted to be McFly when I was a preteen.

What a great creation and vision. Yes, there was a fourth, but many consider the first three to be the core. I love Aliens and I'm one of the few who loved Alien 3.

These films are a part of Radebaugh history. My parents fed me Star Wars. But of course, I have to go with the original three.

Again, there was a fourth, (which I did enjoy) but most people write it off and only acknowledge the first three. I love all three just about equally, but have to tip the scale just a bit toward Raiders.

Perfection!

Drama, action, score, story, character, acting, intensity...love it.

Nothing. Nothing will ever replace these as the best three films ever put together.

Osmond Brothers and Disneyland-What's Not To Love?

Peeking from behind a post at Haunted Mansion. Notice a baby-faced Kurt Russell at the top.

Years ago I remember seeing an old Disneyland episode where the Osmonds go to Disneyland and Kurt Russell is their tour guide. I've been trying to get a copy of it for years--even talking to the Osmonds directly, but found no luck. I know, I know--but I love anything associated with Disneyland history. I finally found it on Youtube (because what can't you find on Youtube) and burned it onto a disc. I finally watched it today and it was the sappiest thing I have ever seen! And I mean that in the best way. It had great shots of classic Disneyland. It was basically an extended advertisement of what Disneyland had to offer at the time. It was on TV right after The Haunted Mansion opened, so it had some great information about the creation of the attraction. I have included one section of the episode. If you've got the time, have a go. I love the chippy on the omnibus doing the 60's dancing!

2 Great Albums in 2 Weeks!

I love great finds in music! Last week I found Civil Wars and am still loving the album. Now I have stumbled upon this gem and it's an absolute revelation! There's nothing better than finding new, sweet music.

Gotye (pronounced go-tee-aye) is Belgian/Australian and I first heard one of his songs on the radio a few weeks back. I didn't know who I was listening to, but it was one of the coolest songs I had ever heard. I tracked down the album and it's a winner. Every song is great! I feel like I'm listening to the best of Sting, Peter Gabriel and Ray LaMontagne mixed together, but still something with a unique sound. His album "Making Mirrors" was only $7 bucks when I bought it, but it's jumped back up to $10. I promise you won't regret it! Awesome, awesome sound.

Happy Birthday to my Baby!

My sweet little Brynn turned 4 this past week. I love this girl so much! She is a cuddler, a giggler, a sneaky bugger, and the most beautiful thing I have ever known. If you have the ability, have a little girl. They give life meaning.

The other day I came home from school and went up to her room where she was watching a Donald Duck cartoon. She was sitting in her small princess chair and I picked her up to throw her on her bed. As I was stepping over her chair, I tripped and went tumbling (I'm turning into my dad). Luckily I was able to flip over so that I didn't land on her, but unfortunately I landed on her doll house and slammed my tailbone--or at least the hole where my tailbone used to be. Crap, that hurt! It scared Brynn like mad, but she just looked up at me with wide eyes and asked if I was okay. I said I was and then she ran downstairs in tears. Later that night she woke up from bed and came downstairs on the couch with Lindsay and I for a bit (this is when we cuddle). After a few minutes I took her back up to bed and as we were walking up the stairs she grabbed me by the face and said, "Daddy, make sure you don't trip over in my chair." I couldn't keep a straight face. I love my little girl and hope she never finds anyone she loves more. :)

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is a true movie star. There are actors out there (Colin Firth, Viggo Mortensen, Daniel Day Lewis, Kate Winslet) and then there are "movie stars." Not to say that Tom Cruise is not a great actor--I think he is fabulous. I don't think there is a movie I have seen him in when I have not loved his performance, but he is just on a different level when you think of the whole "Hollywood" thing. He went through a bit of a crazy phase that really hurt his public image. I am bummed that happened because what I have read about him seems like he is totally genuine in many ways. Actors love working with him, directors love working with him, and he is awesome to his fans. I saw a behind the scenes special on TRL (MTV's Total Request Live from the early 2000s) where the hosts said that during the commercial break he took the time to go around to every fan in the audience and shake their hand and talk to them. Awesome. Take a minute to read the following article from Jeremy Renner from M:I-4.

Jeremy Renner on MovieLine

The Civil Wars

I saw their live performance on this year's Grammys and I love their new song with Taylor Swift, so I decided to give their album a try. I don't want to buy albums these days that I won't listen to over and over. I have bought a couple in the past few months that have not offered me repeat listens. But this one has stuck. Great instrumentations (I just created a word there), great harmonies..the album just soars. I'm really liking "I've Got This Friend" and "Poison and Wine." If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. It is so choice.

Family Cruise 2012

The Radebaugh couples took a cruise this past President's Day week. 7 days through the Western Caribbean. It was a great time with much stuffing of faces and sleeping in without worrying about kids. I would love to take my kids on a cruise someday. Someday...

Leaving Miami

This was our deck of the Carnival Glory. It was fun to come up here at night and watch movies.

Mom and Dad Rad

Classic Kevin

The beautiful Rad girls on one of our dress-up nights.

This was a favorite place. Parrot Tree resort on Roatan, Honduras.

Our ship and some of us out there snorkeling.