Hallmark Gifts for Mom

FUN AND AFFORDABLE HALLMARK GIFT IDEAS FOR MOM

No doubt your Mom raised as Hallmark says, "Good, kind kids who are a great gift to the world." Who better then to offer up a special gift idea for your Mom than Hallmark, whether it be for Mother's Day or on any day of the year? 

On this page you will find gathered together six wonderful Hallmark gift ideas including the Blooming Expressions flowers; the Mom and Me Recordable Conversations To Keep book; a shadow box picture frame; the There is No One Like Mom CD; the movie Soldier Love Story; and, a fun Mom-themed coffee mug series.

I am sure that you will find something here that is within your budget and perfect for your Mom.

BLOOMING EXPRESSIONS FLOWERS

There are an assortment of Hallmark Blooming Expressions flowers available, including pink and red rose versions. Each vase features a variety of expressions like, "I Love You" and "You Are the Heart of Our Family." I like the idea that this item is an everlasting gift that mom can use to decorate her table, dresser or desk. They will bloom for mom forever!  Find your Blooming Expressions flower on Amazon by clicking right here.

MOM AND ME CONVERSATIONS TO KEEP RECORDABLE STORY BOOK

Some of the most beloved gifts given to Moms are those that are personal in one way or another. A Hallmark Mom and Me recordable book fits that bill very nicely. With a Mom and Me recordable storybook, a young Mom records the voices of herself and her children having an informal and fun chat.

The book provides fun, open-ended questions like, "If you and your mom had a super power, what would it be?" and "What do you want to be when you grow up?" With this special memory book, mom records their thoughts NOW so that she will have them as a treasured keepsake when they are grown up. I sure wish that I had done something similar when my boys were young.

A Hallmark's Mom and Me Recordable Storybook is the perfect gift idea for any mother with young children. You can find the Hallmark Mom and Me Recordable storybooks on eBay by clicking right here. 

SHADOW BOX PICTURE FRAMES

With Hallmark's personalized shadow boxes, you can frame pictures of your family along with small mementoes and quotes. Whether you choose to do the decorating or you leave it up to mom, there are a variety of frames available. See the Hallmark Shadow Box frames on eBay by clicking right here.

MUSIC CD FOR MOMS

Hallmark's There Is No One Like Mom CD features music by various artists including Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Elton John, Diana Ross and Sting and is an appropriate and affordable gift for moms everywhere. Find it on eBay by clicking here.

SOLDIER LOVE STORY

In Soldier Love Story, a ten-year old boy named Jared's life fell apart when his parents divorced. His Dad seems to put his job ahead of him and his mother makes him move in with his Grandma in California so that his mom can take a job there. When the boy's classroom writes letters to U.S. troops who are posted in Afghanistan, a sergeant named Vince who himself had no father takes a shine to the boy and corresponds with him in a fatherly manner. When Vince returns from Afghanistan, he is warmly welcomed and becomes a boyfriend to the boy's mother, with the understanding that there can be no commitment because he will likely be sent back to Afghanistan.

Soldier Love Story was originally called Meet My Mom. It is a lovely story and would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift for any Mom who loves Hallmark movies and in particular for any Mom with a connection to the Armed Forces. It is a hugely popular Hallmark movie with viewers praising it because it combines a bit of romance and family with a lot of respect for soldiers.

Please note that this is not actually a Hallmark movie. Rather, it is a made-for-tv movie that first aired as the lead movie for the Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Mother's Day in 2009. That's good enough for me. It is still a great movie choice for mom. Find  Soldier Love Story on Amazon by clicking right here.

KEN SHELDON MUGS FOR MOM

Of course, there's nothing quite like a mug for Mom, especially if she loves her cup of tea or coffee. If she does, she will appreciate using a mug every single day that you chose with her in mind. I enjoy the sentiments on these Ken Sheldon mugs, of which there is a series that includes various pieces, not just coffee mugs, and pieces for dad, too. Find all of Hallmark's Ken Sheldon items on eBay by clicking right here.

What will you be giving your mom for Mother’s Day this year?

See you 

next time!

Brenda

Treasures By Brenda

More Gift Ideas for Moms:

Our Name is Mud coffee mugs for Mom.

Coffee Mug for an Awesome Mom.

The Best Hallmark Movies Ever 

Vintage Taylor and Ng Coffee Mugs

A Clowder of Black Cat Coffee Mugs

Note from Author: This page previously published in part elsewhere.

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Columbo TV Series Reviewed

 

Who remembers Columbo? If you grew up in the '70s or even the '90s then you may know who Lt. Columbo is. The series began on NBC in 1971 and ran until 1978. I was so disappointed when NBC canceled the series.

 Then, Columbo was picked up by ABC in 1989 and ran until 2003. I don't think we ever missed an episode. In 1989 we moved to Western New York, not far from home in Pennsylvania. Moving is certainly a stressful undertaking, a new town, new schools for the kids, making new friends. This may sound crazy, but the series coming back was like having an old friend in the living room whenever it aired.

Columbo The Complete Series:

Lieutenant Columbo was played by (Peter Falk) a Los Angeles Police Dept. homicide detective. Columbo was not your typical whodunit mystery. Each episode opened with the crime being committed. So, we all knew from the beginning of the show who did it. This popularized what is called the inverted detective format.

During the rest of the show, we watch Columbo solve the crime with his relentless approach of questioning, picking apart the killers alibi, and bringing them to justice. 

To me, the show was more like a comedy, as he would arrive at the crime scene in his old beat-up car, wrinkled suit, trench coat, and smoking his cigar. The suspects become irritated with his persistence and line of questioning. His famous phrase was "Just one more thing". He came off as an incompetent, bumbling detective. It would always be at the end of the episode when they finally figured out how smart Lieutenant Columbo really was.

Some Fun Facts About Columbo:

• The clothes he wore in the show were Peter Falk's own wrinkled suit and trench coat.
• He frequently mentions his wife but she never appears in any of the episodes.
• Columbo's first name is never mentioned. He is known simply as "Lieutenant Columbo".
• Bing Crosby was originally offered the role of Columbo.
• In season two they introduced a Basset Hound as Columbo's dog. The dog's name is never mentioned. 
• The beat-up car Columbo drove was a 1959 Peugeot convertible, Model 403. I read somewhere that only 504 of these cars were manufactured in 1959.

This TV series is surely a classic we still watch it whenever we can find it on television. I still marvel in the endings when Columbo outwits the killer and finds that one clue the killer didn't count on.

Enjoy watching your favorite episodes with this Columbo Complete Series Edition

Columbo: The Complete Series

 

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The Mountain Between Us - Book Review

In every life, there are mountains to be crossed.  For some, those mountains are physical.  In other cases, the challenges are emotional or relational.  For Ashley and Ben, in The Mountain Between Us, those mountains come in all three forms.  On the surface, their story appears to be one of wilderness survival, but as we delve deeper, we will see that it is really about crossing over into your own truth after braving the storms of life.

As the story begins, Ashley Knox, a magazine writer, and Ben Payne, a surgeon, are about to be stranded in Salt Lake City as all flights are being shut down by a massive storm system.  Ashley is desperate to get home for her wedding, while Ben has surgeries to perform.  Given the situation, the only option left to them is to charter a private flight around the line of growing storms.  The plan is to fly to Denver while there is still the possibility of making it home.

Mid-flight to Denver, their pilot has a heart attack and makes a crash landing in one of the most remote and rugged areas of the country (the High Uintas Wilderness of Utah).  To make matters worse, a flight plan was not required, so no one knows the whereabouts of these three passengers (or even that Ashley and Ben got on that plane).

Now, with their pilot dead, and Ashley seriously injured, Ben must figure out a way to keep both of them alive.  Stranded at a very high elevation in the midst of winter storms, without food or other necessary provisions, the odds are not good for them to make it.  Without hope of a search and rescue operation, their bleak situation will cause both Ashley and Ben to reflect on the things that matter most in life.  During their odyssey of searching for a way to survive, both will discover what it means to truly live and love.

There are many things I liked about this book.  First, I must admit that I am really into wilderness survival stories.  There is just something about rising up above your circumstances, no matter how bleak, that speaks to me.  Nobody survives a devastating accident without being changed in critical ways.  It is the story of that transformation that greatly appeals to me.  I think, too, that it is impossible not to insert yourself into the situation to reflect on how you would handle things, or be changed by such life-altering circumstances.  One of the things I enjoyed most about the story is how Ben uses the few things available to him in a MacGyver fashion.  It was interesting to see how he came up with creative solutions to daunting challenges.  In a life-or-death situation, I would want Ben Payne by my side.

I appreciate how author Charles Martin tells a story.  He makes me care about his characters and they become real to me.  Though this book has been newly released as a movie, I'm glad I chose to read the book first.  The reviews for The Mountain Between Us, in book form, are much better than those for the movie.  It seems that many moviegoers felt a disconnect between the two leading actors.  That is so different from what you will experience about the connection between Ashley and Ben in the book.  The two become very bonded, though neither character violates any promises made to spouse or fiance during their time together in the wilderness.

This is a good book to read during the holiday season.  It reminds us that love conquers all and that we can each climb and cross any mountain that rises up in our lives.

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Leap Year (2010) Movie Review

Leap Year is such a delightfully adorable story about a young woman who has everything she wants, but not what she needs. 

I'm not sure how I have missed this movie until now, but on the chance that you have never seen it either, I want to tell you about it. If you have viewed it before, then perhaps you need to take a break and watch it again.  It is sure to make you smile, even laugh out loud.   But, mostly it is simply enchanting, which is totally appropriate since it takes place in Ireland. 

Oh, did someone mention leprechauns?  Well, I have to say, Declan reminds me a great deal of a leprechaun.   He even jumps and clicks his heels.   But most of all, he brings good fortune into Anna's life. 

Yes, this is a sweet love story that is a little predictable, yet it is so charming you won't care that you know what to expect.  You'll simply be glad you are along for the ride and listening to the witty banter between these two hearts speaking the language of love. 

I have always been a hopeless romantic.  I was once even dubbed the Forever Hopeless Romantic Contributor.  Here on Review This Reviews, we have broken the bounds of those niche walls, but that doesn't change who I am.  A great romantic movie still appeals to me more than any other genre.

Leap Year - The Movie

Anna Brady (Amy Adams) and Dr. Jeremy Sloane (Adam Scott) have been in a committed relationship with each other for 4 years.  However, they are not married and Anna wants to get married.  When she thinks Jeremy is about to propose over dinner one evening, she is greatly disappointed to discover diamond earrings in the small jewelry box instead of a diamond engagement ring.  Jeremy is oblivious to Anna's feelings and doesn't hesitate to excuse himself from dinner early when called away for a medical emergency.  

 Leap Year - Amazon Video RentalCheck PriceWhen Jeremy leaves to attend a cardiology convention in Ireland, Anna is reminded of an old Irish tradition.  Each Leap Year, on February 29th, the woman can propose to the man.  After all, that is what her own grandmother did decades ago.  She decides it is time for her to act!  Otherwise, who knows how long it will be before she is engaged, much less married.

Anna's flight to Dublin, Ireland is diverted due to weather.  They are forced to land in Cardiff, Wales.  Because she is determined to get to Dublin, she hires a boat.  Then, the boat is forced to dock in Dingle because the storm is simply too dangerous to continue.  It is in Dingle that she meets her cheeky, tall, dark and handsome leprechaun.  Because Declan (Matthew Goode) needs the money, he agrees to drive her to Dublin and that is where all the fun begins.

Watch Leap Year for Yourself!  

If you find yourself searching for a great romantic comedy, Leap Year will be the perfect choice.  If you are also a hopeless romantic, be sure you pay close attention to the brides speech during the wedding in the movie.  You will love it!

You may even find yourself wondering if you only had 60 seconds to get out of a burning house, what would you grab?

 Leap Year - Amazon Video RentalCheck Price Leap Year on DVD or Blu-rayCheck Price

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Leap Year (2010) Movie Review Written by:

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Saint Teresa and The Letters Movie Review

The Letters

The Letters is a beautiful movie summarizing how a Catholic nun became a Nobel Peace prize winner based on her humanitarian work with the poorest of the poor in India. On Sunday morning, September 4th, 2016, I woke to the news that this woman has been canonized as Saint Teresa. The Letters gives us an inside look at why this humble and caring woman was so well-loved.  In this movie, we watch bits of the personal journey that moved her from residing within a convent, to Mother Teresa of the Missionaries of Charities working in the slums of Calcutta, and finally to sainthood. Religious or not, I highly recommend the movie The Letters.  

The Letters Movie Review 

The Letters introduces us to a nun, living in a convent in Calcutta, just after World War II.  India has become an independent country and the nation is changing. Sister Teresa saw this change from the convent windows and while traveling by train.

The movie is a quiet and non-linear story line that moves back and forth between Father Celeste van Exem disclosing the content of the letters written by sister Teresa and the scenes of her life as she was living it. 

Father Celeste van Exem reveals to the Vatican priest that she wrote of her loneliness, fears, and doubts as she moved from the convent to the streets of Calcutta. As she transitioned from sister Teresa to Mother Teresa. She never had intended that these letters be made public as that would put the focus on her. She wanted the focus to remain on the people who were in need. And on the Missionaries of Charities work she had begun.

Despite any feelings of doubt she had, we watch this nun advocate that she be allowed to live outside the walls of the convent in order to help the people. And we watch as she effectively helped the poorest of the poor, the sick, and the dying.

Sister Teresa, played by Juliet Stevenson, moved humbly through the streets of Calcutta. For me, her accent, patterns of speech, facial expressions, lowering of her head, and hunched posture all rang as genuine. I believe that Juliet Stevenson remained in character and I feel that the mannerisms portrayed are some of the reasons Sister Teresa, a Christian woman, was accepted in this area of Hindu-Muslim violence and strife.  Acceptance and trust by the residents of the slums was earned over time and we are given a notion of some of the initial distrust of the "Christian Woman". 

What The Letters is Not

There are criticisms that the movie is too slow and boring. And that it is falsely advertised as "a drama that explores the life of Mother Teresa through letters she wrote ..." I do not share these criticisms but that is likely because I went in to the movie with absolutely no expectations. In fact, I half expected to find a heavy-handed religious movie and half expected to shut it off midway through. But for those who have read the advertising or have seen the previews, it is important to know what the movie is not.

• The movie is not action-packed or drama filled
• The movie is not reading of or detailed examination of the letters
• The movie is not an explanation of how a convent came to be in Calcutta, and how/why girls came to live there
• The movie is not an explanation of the political changes Calcutta was going through at the time
• The movie is not an in-depth look at the caste system, or why that is such an important factor for some of the nuns as well as the residents of Calcutta

What The Letters is to Me Personally

I had considered writing this movie review because the movie is an amazing movie about compassion and true charity. However, those who know me would literally laugh at the thought of me watching a "religious" movie and following it with a strong recommendation for others to see it too. I am not someone who practices any formal traditions associated with religion. Yes, I was raised with exposure to a variety of beliefs and religions. I can still quote verses learned in countless vacation bible school programs as a child. However, as an adult, I tend to skirt anything "religious".  

Approximately a week ago, I stood at the DVD rental box.  I wanted to watch movies, but I did not know what I wanted to see.  I was in the mood for movies, but wasn't sure what I was in the mood for.  I chose The Letters by chance and with a small hope that the scenes in India would be worth the rental fee.  But truthfully, I expected to be bible-thumped and expected to return it without watching the full thing.  Not only did I watch the full thing, I am considering purchasing it for my permanent movie library.  

I loved the scenes in Calcutta. The movie was far too short to give an in-depth look at the lives of those Mother Teresa touched. But we clearly saw the difficulty of outsiders and Christians being accepted by the residents. Fortunately, Mother Teresa's humility and honesty allowed doors to open.

Despite some negative reviews, I think this was a very good movie given it's length. Had it been longer in length - a mini series perhaps - it would have been able to deeply explore how Sister Teresa earned the trust of the people, obtained the material things she needed in order to be effective, and her doubts as she did all of this amazing work.  I agree that there were creaky parts of the film (as discussed on Roger Ebert reviews) such as the political climate, the news reporting, and so on. But in my opinion, even the "creakiest" portion did not detract from my enjoyment of the movie.  I guess I'm not surprised by clumsy portions when an entire lifetime, leading up to sainthood, is being summarized in less than two hours.

After watching this movie, as a non-believer, my heart is full.  In an overly simplified explanation, I think this movie shows us perfect ways to be a strong woman, the most effective way to provide charity, and the best way to witness for God.  It is good to know that there are quietly strong, humble, generous, and effective women doing good work where it is most needed. I will watch The Letters again.

Related Links:

For more information such as a full cast list, and to view an official trailer, see The Letters on the IMDb site.

The official site for Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center.

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