10 Motivational Movies for the New Year!

Happy New Year! Every year, most people come up with goals or resolutions they hope to accomplish throughout the year. Whatever your plans for 2017, I wanted to share some movies I find inspirational, heart-warming, or just plain enjoyable to watch. If you’re having trouble getting started with your goals, maybe these will help! Or they can just be an excuse to break one of your resolutions (you can’t watch a movie without buttery popcorn and a soda, right?)…

Without further ado, I present 10 motivational movies for 2017!

 

If you want to be more adventurous this year…

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 

It is impossible to watch this movie and not be struck with a desire to travel more, explore the world, or at least step out of your comfort zone. From cheering on Ben Stiller’s lovable Walter Mitty character to admiring the beautiful scenery, this movie will push you to jump off the couch and book a flight somewhere new.

 

If you want to be more thankful for each day this year…

About Time

I literally cannot watch this movie without crying. The premise sounds a bit silly, but this movie is anything but. Amazing acting, a phenomenal soundtrack, and moments that tug at your heart strings, means everyone will love this one. Warning: it will make you want to hug your parents ASAP.

 

If you’re hoping to find love this year…

When Harry Met Sally

This movie is a classic for a reason! Full of funny moments, it will remind you that almost every love story has a few twists and turns before happily ever after.

 

If you want to improve your culinary skills this year…

Chef

“Healthier lifestyle” resolutions mean many people will find themselves spending more time in the kitchen this year. While Chef may not showcase the healthiest foods, it’s still an enchanting movie that will leave you wanting to pull out your skillet and knives.

 

If you’re hoping to overcome something this year…

The King’s Speech

Unexpectedly hilarious, perfectly portrayed, and based in fact, this movie shows that even royals in the public eye have struggles they must overcome. Only an amazing film could make you feel sorry for a king.

 

If you want to read more this year…

Pride & Prejudice

Considering this is one of the most beautiful, romantic movies of all time, it may just nudge you to pick up the book version after you finish it. The soundtrack alone makes this one worth watching.

 

If you want to embrace being yourself this year…

Little Miss Sunshine

Quirky, heart-warming, and laugh-out-loud funny are all perfect to describe this one-of-a-kind movie. It’s the perfect movie to watch when you’re doubting the importance of your individuality.

 

If you want to be more courageous this year…

The Help

Unlikely alliances, a desire for change, and courage are the themes of this book-turned-movie. They’re themes anyone can relate to, which leaves everyone rooting for Skeeter and the maids she’s trying to give a voice to. (Full disclosure: the book, as usual, is even better than the movie!)

 

If you need encouragement to Keep Moving Forward this year…

Meet the Robinsons

The Disney film got lost in the shuffle somehow, and I so wish it hadn’t. We follow orphan Louis on his journey as an inventor with the dream of finding his birth mother. The eccentric characters he meets along the way teach him it’s okay to fail as long as he keeps moving forward with his goals. The ending will undoubtedly leave you crying happy tears.

 

If you’re hoping to start fresh this year…

Good Will Hunting

Emotional, gripping, and hopeful, the journey Matt Damon and Robin Williams take the audience on proves it’s not your past that defines you and that it’s never too late to start fresh. It may be just the push you need to start a new chapter in your life.

 

There you have it, ten very different movies that all offer a different source of motivation. If you have a favorite inspirational film I left out, let me know!

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on these links or make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small percentage of the profit at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

 

Continue Reading

Christmas Gifts for The Disney Fan

disney gifts

Pretty much anyone who has ever met me knows that I am a huge Disney fan. The music, the movies, the parks, the man himself…I love it all! I couldn’t resist creating a gift guide for the Disney Fan in everyone’s life, so check out what I think another Disney lover would enjoy!

Disney Tee

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 2.00.36 AM

I often refer to Disney World as my second home. Whether they’re in the parks, planning their next trip, or reminiscing about Disney memories at home, any “Disnerd” would love this cute tee.

Limited Edition Magic Band

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 1.59.05 AM

If you know someone who goes to Walt Disney World often or has an upcoming trip, it would be fun to surprise them with a limited edition Magic Band. These are used all over the resort now, and one with their favorite character would be fun to show off during a trip!

Disney Music

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 2.01.48 AM

One of my favorite parts of the Disney legacy is the music. This collection includes over 50 songs from Disneyland attractions that will keep any true Disney lover happy at home until they can make it back to Walt’s original park. I may or may not have teared up previewing some of these songs…

Fun Decal

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 2.24.46 AM

Disney lovers want to display their love wherever they can, so they would never turn down a fun decal! Whether it goes on their car or their laptop, this inexpensive gift will “stick around” and be appreciated for a long time.

Character Vans 

Screen Shot 2015-11-30 at 12.14.54 AM

These awesome Disney Vans came out this past year, and they have so many cool options. They’re available in multiple styles for girls, guys, AND kids, so you could knock out half of your Christmas list just by snagging a few pairs! From different prints to tons of characters, you’re sure to find a pair to suit everyone.

**Extra tip! Wrap their gift in a Disney-themed Backpack! Not only would this be great to carry around the parks or at school, there are countless options, so you’re sure to find your friend’s favorite character!

Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 2.31.06 AM

Trust me, from a true Disney fan, I guarantee any Disney lovers in your life will be thrilled to get any of the gifts above! And if they don’t? Feel free to pass them along to me. 😉

If you need more gift ideas, check out my guides for The Fashionista, The Foodie, and The Homebody! And not to fear…I have a few more guides on the way! Happy shopping!

DottedSiggy

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small percentage at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

Continue Reading

Disney World 2013: Part 7

Well, we’ve finally reached the end of our Disney World recap journey…we woke up on December 9th, shocked that our week of fun had flown by so fast! We packed up, checked our luggage for our flight, and headed to grab our last Pop Waffle for the foreseeable future…IMG_1879 IMG_1878After breakfast, we decided to hit up the arcade. We had the place to ourselves, and the thing that drew us in was this incredible PacMan Air Hockey table. Louis and I try to play a game (or 4) of air hockey every time we go to the movie theater, and we couldn’t pass up this awesome version. 

Yes, Louis completely stomped me (as usual) with a score of 1310 in comparison to my 640…oh well. I’ll get him next time!

We had a few credits left on our card after PacMan Air Hockey, so we decided to shoot a couple hoops…

IMG_1881IMG_1883

Louis totally beat me again! I guess my middle school basketball glory days are far behind me.

IMG_1884

 

Our last bit of time was spent hanging out in our hotel lobby admiring the different decade mementos and people watching. We were super envious of all of the people checking in and just beginning their vacation as ours was drawing to a close…

 

IMG_1877 IMG_1874 IMG_1876

 

Before we knew it, we needed to head out front to wait for our Magic Express Bus to take us to the airport…

 

IMG_1886

 

How was it already time to leave!?!

 

 

IMG_1887

 

We got to the airport, grabbed some McDonald’s and waited around for our flight. When we finally made it back to Austin, we took the shuttle to our car. Or so we thought! We were dropped off on the WRONG side of the parking lot! It was HUGE, and we spent about 30 minutes wandering around in the middle of the night in 30 degree weather before we finally found my car! After that it was a quick drive back to San Antonio, and we returned to our cozy apartment.

Each of our trips to Disney World have been special and unique, and our 4th trip was no exception! The time we spend together at Disney is always fun, relaxing, exhausting, magical, and wonderful! I can’t wait until we get to go back again, and I’m so thankful we had this fun week to enjoy together.

siggy3

 

Catch up on the rest of our trip here!

Disney World 2013: Part 1

Disney World 2013: Part 2

Disney World 2013: Part 3

Disney World 2013: Part 4

Disney World 2013: Part 5

Disney World 2013: Part 6

Continue Reading

Our Disney Adventures Through the Years

Anyone who knows me (and probably some who don’t) knows of my love for Disney. Specifically…Walt Disney World. I never get tired of reading about it, looking at pictures of it, and most importantly visiting it. Anyone who knows my sweet husband would probably assume he’s not a Disney fanatic like myself. How wrong they would be.

When Louis and I were going into our sophomore year at Texas A&M, we came up with the crazy idea of taking a trip to Walt Disney World together. Going in, I’m sure Louis was annoyed to be spending thousands of dollars to be going to (at the time) what he thought of as a children’s theme park. Fast forward 4 years and 3 trips later, he understands the magic. 🙂

Moments into our first trip Louis was as hooked as I had been since my first trip as a 4-year old. Since that trip, Louis surprised me with a trip in 2010 for the most romantic proposal ever imagined, and we returned for our honeymoon in 2012. It’s only been 11 months since we were there, but I’m having serious withdrawals. Watching Disney classics, listening to Disney music, and planning dream trips (“Babe…I got it down to $3000 not including food and souvenirs!”), just don’t fill the void like a trip does. Tonight, I sat down and looked through our 797 (literally) Disney trip pictures. I decided to do a little compilation of some similar pictures from each of our 3 trips. Enjoy!

Airport Terminal 2008-Louis' 1st trip!
Airport Terminal 2008-Louis’ 1st trip!
Airport Terminal 2010-I was running on ZERO hours of sleep after Louis surprised me with the trip!
Airport Terminal 2010-I was running on ZERO hours of sleep after Louis surprised me with the trip!
Airport Terminal 2012-Hours after our wedding!
Airport Terminal 2012-Hours after our wedding!
Animal Kingdom in 2008
Animal Kingdom in 2008
Animal Kingdom in 2012
Animal Kingdom in 2012
Tree of Life 2008
Tree of Life 2008
Tree of Life 2010
Tree of Life 2010
Tree of Life 2012
Tree of Life 2012
Magical Express 2008
Magical Express 2008
Magical Express 2010
Magical Express 2010
Magical Express 2010 #2...heading back to the airport!
Magical Express 2010 #2…heading back to the airport!
Magic Express 2012 - Leaving Walt Disney World until our next trip!
Magical Express 2012 – Leaving Walt Disney World until our next trip!
Meeting the stars of cars in 2010
Meeting the stars of Cars in 2010
Meeting up again in 2012
Meeting up again in 2012
Cinderella Castle 2008
Cinderella Castle 2008
Cinderella Castle 2010
Cinderella Castle 2010
Cinderella Castle 2010 #2...moments before Louis proposed! (Check him out clutching the ring box in his pocket!)
Cinderella Castle 2010 #2…moments before Louis proposed! (Check him out clutching the ring box in his pocket!…Also please note that Louis is wearing the same shirt to propose that he wore on our 1st trip in 2008.)
Dinosaur 2010
Dinosaur 2010
Dinosaur 2012
Dinosaur 2012
Expedition Everest 2008
Expedition Everest 2008
Expedition Everest 2010
Expedition Everest 2010
Expedition Everest 2012
Expedition Everest 2012
On Expedition Everest in 2008
On Expedition Everest in 2008
Post Expedition Everest in 2012
Post Expedition Everest in 2012
Epcot 2008
EPCOT 2008
Epcot 2010
EPCOT 2010
Epcot 2012 during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival!
EPCOT 2012 during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival!
Hollywood Studios 2008 - Our favorite park!
Hollywood Studios 2008 – Our favorite park!
Hollywood Studios 2010
Hollywood Studios 2010
Hollywood Studios 2012
Hollywood Studios 2012
Hollywood Studios 2012 #2
Hollywood Studios 2012 #2
Louis in front of Cinderella Castle in 2008 - he looks SO young!
Louis in front of Cinderella Castle in 2008 – he looks SO young!
Louis in front of Cinderella Castle in 2010 - All grown up :)
Louis in front of Cinderella Castle in 2010 – All grown up 🙂
Louis in front of Cinderella Castle in 2012
Louis in front of Cinderella Castle in 2012
With the Big Cheese in 2008
With the Big Cheese in 2008
Meeting up with Sorcerer Mickey again in 2012
Meeting up with Sorcerer Mickey again in 2012
Entering Magic Kingdom in 2008 - Louis had no idea what he was in for!
Entering Magic Kingdom in 2008 – Louis had no idea what he was in for!
Magic Kingdom Entrance in 2010
Magic Kingdom Entrance in 2010
With Peter Pan in 2008
With Peter Pan in 2008
Ran into Peter again in 2010
Ran into Peter again in 2010
On the plane in 2008!
On the plane in 2008!
Plane in 2010
Flying home to show off my engagement ring in 2010
Plane in 2012
On the plane after a LONG wedding day in 2012
Rocking ponchos in 2008
Rocking ponchos in 2008 (a necessity for Splash Mountain)
Ponchos are still essential in 2012
Ponchos are still essential in 2012 (for rainy days around Hollywood Studios!)
Rockin' Rollercoaster in 2008
Rockin’ Rollercoaster in 2008
Still Rockin' in 2012
Still Rockin’ in 2012 (in almost the exact same spot 4 years later!)
Magic Kingdom love in 2010
Magic Kingdom love in 2010 (the trip where I tried to show off my engagement ring in every picture…)
Still in love in 2012!
Still in love in 2012!
Tower of Terror Line 2008
Tower of Terror Line 2008
Tower of Terror Line 2010
Tower of Terror Line 2010
Tower of Terror Line 2012 - still one of our favorite rides!
Tower of Terror Line 2012 – still one of our favorite rides!
Mr. Potato Head in 2008 at Midway Mania, Louis's favorite ride!
Mr. Potato Head in 2008 at Midway Mania, Louis’s favorite ride!
Mr. Potato Head in 2010
Mr. Potato Head in 2010
Mr. Potato Head in 2012...still Lou's fave!
Mr. Potato Head in 2012…still Lou’s fave!
Waffles 2008 - Our #1 Breakfast choice!
Waffles 2008 – Our #1 Breakfast choice! (POP waffles for our resort…Pop Century!)
Waffle 2010
Waffle 2010
Waffle 2012 - It's not a Disney trip without Mickey waffles!
Waffles 2012 – It’s not a Disney trip without Mickey waffles!
Buzz & Woody in 2008
Buzz & Woody in 2008 (this picture was early proof of how much Louis loved loves me)
Buzz & Woody in 2012
Buzz & Woody in 2012 (I think Woody got taller? Didn’t know toys grew! Disney Magic I guess…)

It’s so fun looking back through these and reminiscing on all of our memories. We are pretty happy people, but we are never happier than when we’re at Walt Disney World! Hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane, and I hope I have more recent Disney pictures to post soon!

Until then,

I hope all your wishes come true!
I hope all your wishes come true!

CoralSiggy

Continue Reading