5 Halloween Movies To Watch On Netflix This Week

1. Sleepy Hollow. This is a Halloween classic, and with Tim Burton as the director and Johnny Depp as the awkward and skittish Ichabod Crane, it's a no-brainer. Watch it, get creeped out by it, and love it!

2. The Addams Family. Oh, the beloved Addams family! If I had to choose a dark and sinister family to be adopted into, it would be this one. They are hilarious and don't take themselves too seriously. It's one of my favorite shows/movies, and it makes Halloween that much more spectacular... or should I say spooktacular? P.S. What's with Christina Ricci being the creepy movie golden girl? (She's in Sleepy Hollow, too!)

3. Corpse Bride. And we are graced with another Tim Burton film yet again! (You can watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on Netflix as well, FYI.) And Johnny Depp! But you already knew that Tim Burton is practically synonymous with Johnny Depp/Helena Bonham Carter—what a bunch of fantastically zany weirdos. I want to hang out with all of them... in the Addams Family Mansion! Wouldn't that be wonderful?

4. Wuthering Heights. So, I bought a vintage copy of this novel with a beautiful teal hardcover and detailed gold lettering, but didn't get around to actually reading it before watching this. I knew it had supernatural undertones and a dark plot, but I was genuinely freaked out in a couple of scenes, so I don't know if I can handle reading the book. I do most of my reading at night, and I am obviously easily spooked. Pretty sure my dreams would turn into nightmares and I would start convincing myself the shadows on the walls were ghosts. But it is a great story. I will get around to reading it one day, however the movie will suffice for now, and it is perfect for Halloween. (And I now see why Ralph Fiennes was cast as Voldemort—I am pretty sure Heathcliff is just as evil, if not more.)

5. Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest. What better way to end this list than with a happy and adorable Halloween movie? We watch this at least three times per week, and it is so cute! I've always loved Curious George, which is apparent since we dressed up as George and the Woman in the Yellow Hat for Luke's first Halloween! Add it to your list, even if you don't have kids! ;)

Happy Halloween!

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5 Podcasts You Should Listen To

Podcasts are something I have always been interested in. Or, perhaps I have always liked the idea of listening to podcasts, but never got around to actually listening to them until recently.

It was all a cosmic, happy accident. I was in major need of some downtime, sick of my music playlists, but still wanting something to feed my soul auditorily. Voilà! Podcasts! I started with Elizabeth Gilbert's "Magic Lessons", because I know Liz's voice, and I trust it. (Eat Pray Love is practically scripture to me, no matter how banal that sounds.) My gut did not let me down and it was everything I was hoping it would be. And thus started my love for podcasts. They educate, inspire, and entertain!

So, without further ado, here are the podcasts I have listened to recently and recommend!

1. Magic Lessons by Elizabeth Gilbert. This podcast is the juicy overflow from her most recent book, Big Magic (which I have yet to read but it is on my upcoming to-read list). It addresses the path of creativity, and how to find that extra nudge and overcome fears associated with the pursuit of creativity. Also, her voice is calming and sounds like warm honey. So there's that.

2. Radio Headspace: Dallas Clayton and Inspiring Creativity. Clearly there is a theme going here, but I like to think we are all creative by simply being human, and we all need to listen to these stories! Dallas Clayton is a genius. A true modern poet and artist in a world full of Etsy shops and "artists" everywhere. He has a magnetic authenticity that draws people in. His positive outlook on life and the explosion of color with which he creates helps distinguish his work. But there is something electrifying and candid and utterly splendid about his perspective.

3. One Part Podcast by Jessica Murnane.  I found this lovely podcast through a great food blog I read, A Cozy Kitchen, and I was instantly hooked. Jessica talks about relevant topics (to my interests) and has that friendly, girl-next-door vibe. She is a pleasure to listen to and really knows how to engage with her readers and guests alike. Definitely one to bookmark!

4. Happier with Gretchen Rubin. The very first podcast I listened to of Gretchen's was about the "Four Tendencies" and it BLEW my mind! (I am a Questioner/Rebel, for the record—surprise, surprise!) I had Matt take the quiz too, then I spent the next three days analyzing and dissecting what it meant for our personalities and relationship. It was eye-opening to say the least, and helped me to change some of my less-than-desirable habits.

5. Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin. I love Alec Baldwin. Wacky antics and anger issues aside, the man is insanely talented and hilarious. And sharp. I am extremely nosy about people's lives, specifically celebrity figures, and Mr. Baldwin gets the scoop on all the people. I just listened to the one about whether Warhol did in fact like Campbell's soup. Spoiler alert! He did.

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Teaching Kids Life Skills

Ever since Luke was old enough to push a chair to the kitchen counter, he has been helping me in the kitchen—two years as my sous chef and apprentice baker! We started with the basics of letting him clank and pound the mixing cups and spoons. His next promotion was to the enviable position of cake batter mixer (even though he was extraordinarily messy and would only power through a couple of stirs before getting distracted.)

He is now fairly skilled in the kitchen and has climbed the ranks to egg cracker, master mixer, and assembly line manager. He gets paid in baked goods and his benefits package includes an annual library membership and 20 hours of Netflix vacation per month. (If you are interested in a position, please inquire within.)

This weekend his job was preparing our Pillsbury™ Grands! Cinnamon Rolls. Luke unrolled the package, took a spoon to the can and made it pop like a champ. (That's always the best part of making Pillsbury goods... POP! He thought it was hilarious.) Since he came dressed as a puppy, I gave him a pay raise of one extra spoonful of icing. (This kid is living large!) We also made bacon and eggs, and threw in some grapes on the side to make it a grand weekend brunch! And grand it certainly was!

I really do love Luke's curiosity and willingness to help. Even though it makes more of a mess and takes double the time, these are the moments where I am not only bonding with him, but teaching him life skills. He is learning the basics of measuring, working on his counting and numbers when setting the timer, and finessing those fine motor skills by opening containers or drizzling on the icing.

I like to envision him in the future as the kid in his freshman dorm who knows how to make a mean apple pie, or that he will sweep his future wife off her feet by preparing Julia Child's beef bourguignon—it will be our own version of The Princess and the Pea to see if she can appreciate the beauty of his cooking skills, but we will call it The Princess and the Beef instead.

Most importantly, I hope someday (when he is a famous chef at a Michelin star restaurant) he looks fondly on memories of cooking and baking with me in the kitchen, knowing it was the place where his love and knowledge of food was instilled. I know it sure is making my days and memories more sweet.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by General Mills through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Pillsbury™ Grands! Cinnamon Rolls, all opinions are my own.

Who Is Your Celebrity Crush?

If you read the blog A Cup of Jo, you probably saw today's post titled, "Who Is Your Celebrity Crush?" Considering I have a weak spot for silly, trivial questions and quizzes, I had to satisfy my curiosity to see who everyone picked! The pick of the day was Andy Samberg, and I was all "Hey! I think he is sexy, too! My husband kinda looks like him!" (Proof of that right here when he dressed up as Hot Rod for Halloween in 2012. Perfect timing for that plug!)

As fate would have it, it just so happens that my celebrity crush is a buddy of Andy's and it all began after seeing him on SNL and Hot Rod (it's on Netflix, and you should definitely watch it).

It is the one, the only...

(Drum roll, please...)

 Mr. Bill Hader!

I used to be ashamed to admit that since he is "not conventionally good-looking." I randomly posted about it a few years ago on my personal Facebook and everyone gave me the internet WTF side-eye. But there is something about him that makes me all twitterpated. What it is, I am not entirely sure. Obviously he is hilarious and a talented actor, but I genuinely find him physically attractive. Maybe it's the broad shoulders? Perhaps he reminds me of someone on a subconscious level? I don't know. I just like the guy, alright? Apparently I am not alone since a few people listed him in the comments on Cup of Jo after they saw Trainwreck. I got a little defensive and huffy and thought, No! Bill Hader is MINE! I am the loyal Bill Hader admirer! Bye Felicia!

You probably thought I would have picked Justin Timberlake or Chace Crawford if I had a "freebie", which sounds like an obvious run-of-the-mill answer since all I ever seem to do is ramble on about JT and Gossip Girl. NOPE. I would be super nervous if I ever met them. But Bill? Bill is comfortable and real. Bill is just a normal dude, and I like normal.

So, now I must ask YOU the question of the week! Who is your celebrity crush?

P.S. I would like to note that Paul Rudd is my runner-up. Apparently he is incredibly nice. My brother used to own a driving service in Park City and one of his buddies drove Paul Rudd around for the night during Sundance. He ended up giving the driver his exceptionally nice parka, which was then given to my brother for reasons I still don't understand, other than the fangirl moment it provided me. Oh, and that he was probably beyond wasted and scratching his head the next morning, asking himself, "Where the hells bells is my fur-hooded parka?"

P.P.S. If only Bill Hader had been in the place of Bobby Moynihan, my celebrity crush dreams would have been realized in the SNL "Single Ladies" sketch. If you like it then you should have put a ring on it, Bill, Paul, and Justin!

P.P.P.S. Uh, hi. Uh, my name is Dave and, uh, I like to party. 

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