Academy Awards 2020 Predictions

It's Oscar time! The award show is a lot earlier this year, so I'm a little bummed that Allison and I didn't get everything watched. Out of the 9 Best Picture nominees I watched 8 movies! {The only one I didn't watch was Joker and I didn't want to see it - I felt my own struggles with anxiety would make this one a little too much for me.} I also watched 5 at home which always makes a different reaction. What's crazy this year is I liked almost everything I saw - that's definitely a rare event!

Note: If I highlighted it red, I didn't see it. If it's underlined, I watched it at home.

Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, JoJo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell

My vote: Laura Dern was phenomenal in Marriage Story. I thought her acting and ever aspect of it - her makeup, hair, outfits, mannerisms - were so thought-out and perfect.

Best Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

My vote: Brad Pitt - I loved his character and the way he played him. I honestly fell asleep during The Irishman so no offense to those 2 guys but zzzzz.

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saiorse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell

Renee Zellweger, Judy

My vote: Geez, I'd be happy with either Scarlett or Saiorse winning - I love Saiorse so much and would love to see her finally win, but Scarlett's performance in Marriage Story was really top notch.

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Adam Driver, Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Jonathan Pryce, Two Popes

My vote: Adam Driver - I thought he was great!

Best Original Song

'I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away', Toy Story 4

'(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again', Rocketman

'I'm Standing with You', Breakthrough

'Into the Unknown', Frozen 2

'Stand Up', Harriet

My vote: I added this category this year as it's really easy to listen to these songs ha. I know my girls would vote for 'Into the Unknown', and I do LOVE that song, but I thought 'Stand Up' was a really beautiful song and might be my favorite!

Best Picture

Ford v Ferrari

The Irishman

JoJo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Parasite

My vote: 1917 or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - I really liked 1917 as a story and as a production - it was made so well! Brent and I were both also really impressed by OUATIH - it seemed so realistic and it was so entertaining and then there was a huge twist at the end that made us both react!

Drew's Horseback Riding Adventures

I realized I have mentioned Drew doing horseback riding, but I haven't really talked about it much, so I thought it'd be something worth blogging about.

Drew has been saying for MONTHS that she wanted to take horseback riding lessons. I have no idea where this idea started for her, but once she decided she wanted to do it, she asked about it non-stop.

You can even see here on the first day of school

{before she'd ever ridden a horse}, her chosen profession:

Horseback riding instructor

I wasn't opposed to her trying it out, but we had just signed up for 2 dance classes and adding another activity felt time consuming AND expensive. However, she then got wishy-washy about one of the dance classes that we had just signed up for, so I used horseback riding as a bribe to get her to really give her class a good effort, and it worked!

There is a family that used to be at our school that gives lessons at their home. Given they are a family business and work from their home, it made the lesson price a little cheaper. I thought this was a great way to try it out for the first time!

At Drew's first lesson, she spent a lot of time learning about the care of animals. She groomed her horse, cleaned out his hooves, etc. She also learned their body parts and safety with them.

She then learned how to lead the horse - she thought this was neat to be able to get the horse to walk with her.

Drew and Brown Betty

Then she finally got to get on the horse and walk around the ring and yard! She was in heaven! She started to learn how to use her body and reins to control the horse.

Her second lesson she spent a lot more time on the horse, and we talked about learning to trot and even run {eventually}.

THEN the owners asked me if Drew would be interested in spending 2 hours working - grooming the horses, feeding them, cleaning out the stalls, and really getting to learn all about owning and caring for horses which would then be followed with a lesson. She was SO excited to do this!

What happens after you spend 3 hours working with horses?

She was so sore after that lesson and having such a great time!

One really big benefit to horseback riding that I have learned {from a mom friend who is a trauma therapist with 3 daughters who all take lessons} is that girls who ride horses lose their virginity 5 years later than the average! She told me she had read some research on this through her work, and now I can't wait to sign Paige up too, ha.

Anyway, that is a little more about Drew's newest hobby. She is really loving it and has SUCH a way with animals. This girl has such a gentle heart. I don't know if she'll want to do this for 2 months or 20 years, but I love watching her.