There's Still Time!

There's still time for you to enter my Disney/Pixar Keep Calm Contest! I will be accepting entries until June 3rd, so hurry and get yours in! Rules are listed in this post, and a list of eligible titles are in this post. 


Here are some entries to inspire you:

Explaining My Header...

The header is one of the most important things on a blog. I know this, just as you do. A header can gain or discourage followers. So, that is my topic for today. My header.

I'm certain most of you were wondering about my header. Let me explain it...


You will notice that it is comprised of many small photos glued atop a large picture of a white flower. Why I picked the white flower, I don't know, I just like it. And that's that. But what do all the pictures mean? If you'll be patient for a minute, I'll tell you.


On the left side of the header, the first picture you will notice is on of a beautiful lady in a coral gown accompanied by a man in an old fashioned suit. That, my friends, if you hadn't already guessed, is Emma. The 2009 version. And in my opinion, the best Emma adaption on the face of the earth. You can disagree with me if you'd like, but it's true. I love Emma!! 

Beside Emma is a photo of some flutes. Sure, she likes music, you're thinking, but why is it specifically a flute? Because I play the flute. I also play the piano, but I couldn't fit a picture of that on my header. One of my favorite songs played on the flute is "In Dreams" from The Lord of the Rings. Ah! Superb!

Beneath Emma is a stack of books. Why books? Duh! I love reading! That wasn't too hard to figure out! :)

In the bottom left hand corner is a winter scene of a little girl and a lamppost. If you didn't recognize Lucy Pevensie from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I am truly ashamed of you. Not only is that one of the best movies to grace the screen, but the book is an amazing read! Yes, I am an avid Narnian fan, of sorts.

The last picture on the left hand side is one of a girl's hands holding a pen and a notebook. This one probably shouldn't be too hard to decipher: I love writing, if you hadn't guessed. I love writing... a lot!

Moving to the right side of the header, you will notice a small photo of a castle. The castle is a depiction of my love for fantasy. That good, old fashioned, epic fantasy like Narnia and LOTR. I also like castles and big old houses that have rooms and passageways above a sane amount and that you can get lost in going to the dining room. 

Just to the right of the castle is a Bible. I am a Christian, a sinner saved by God's amazing grace. I believe that Christ died for my sins and the sins of the world, that He suffered so I might be saved, and that He rose again from the dead. I don't just claim to have a part in religion, but to me, Christianity is more of a relationship than a religion. My very existence on this earth is for the glory of God and edification of others. There's so much I'd like to say on this particular picture, but I think I should save those discussions for later posts. 

Next, we come to a picture of Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice made in the year 1995. That is my favorite adaption of P&P, and again, you may disagree with me on that. You're allowed to be wrong. And yes, because I have two pictures of period drama films, that means I am a fan of period drama. :)

Beneath Elizabeth is Rapunzel, one of my favorite Disney princesses, from the movie Tangled. Why? Because she learns and grows during the film instead of waiting like a damsel in distress. Nothing against princesses, but I don't prefer the love at first sight theme in most of the movies. However, Rapunzel is not without her faults, but I love the "I've Got A Dream" and "Mother Knows Best" songs!

We're almost done! Just two pictures left! The stack of cookies on the bottom is, in fact, a stack of gingerbread cookies. My personal favorite. Since I'm allergic to chocolate, my desserts and sweet treats must lie in different avenues, and I love gingerbread cookies!!! Just sayin'....

And last, but most certainly not least, a picture of three horses complete with riders in medieval garb. The Lord of the Rings!! Probably my most favoritest movie ever! I don't think I could describe my love of LOTR in one small post, so I save my rantings for later. But, this movie. Is. Epic. 

We're done with the pictures... onto the words. Lianne Taimenlore is, of course, the name of my blog, paying tribute to the first story I ever wrote. Or began writing. I'm not done with it yet. *sheepish grin* 


But what about that part about the living under a maple tree? For privacy reasons, I'm not going to disclose where exactly I live. Maple trees surround my house, and I love maple syrup. I love climbing maple trees, and I enjoy making maple syrup with my family every early spring. (REAL maple syrup tastes soooooooo good!!) Yes, I'm a little obsessed with maple trees. So, hopefully, that explains all that.


And there you have it! Now you understand why my header is what it is, and what everything means. But I am curious: What think ye of my header? With a name like Lianne Taimenlore would you have expected something else? Do you like it? Or do you think that I need a new design? :)

Beautiful People: Villain Edition

This is the first time I've participated in Beautiful People. I've long seen and read the posts by bloggers, giving an inside glimpse of certain characters, but there was always a thought that kept popping up... What is Beautiful People? 

Well, I'm not wondering that anymore, but if you are, go to Further Up and Further In and Before My Penn Has Gleaned and check it out!

My beautiful villain is Lord Vernd from Children of a Legend. And I'm sorry, but I don't have a picture of him. This is how I've described him, so you draw the picture:

Vernd approached the window, and his face was lit up by the pale light of the moon. The chiseled features were sharp and, even though he was not a young man, the fire in his eyes burned more deeply and more hot than any fire any youth could conjure. 

.....

The man was dressed completely in black, and despite the heat, his clothes were all made of the finest materials, and his black boots shone impeccably in the late morning sun. His thin, black mustache was curled on the ends, and his expression was filled with a vengeful glee.

And now onto the questions:

1. What is their motive? To rid the world of the one man who dared come against him: the Dragon Tamer. To rule Dron with an iron fist and an unopposed reign.
2. What are they prepared to do to get what they want? More than prepared. Whatever it takes, he will do it, even if it comes to murder and deceit.
3. Are they evil to the core, or simply misunderstood? Misunderstood will never define Lord Vernd. He is definitely evil to his core. 
4. What was their past like? What about their childhood? Was there one defining moment that made them embrace their evil ways? I don't know much on his past. He's power hungry, obviously. Embracing evil ways has come naturally to him for most of his life, but the one defining moment that left an impact on him would be the final physical battle he had against the Dragon Tamer. Killing one of the hated dragons and driving the Tamer away was a great victory, and since that battle, his iron fist has tightened and his cruelty thickened. No one dares to oppose him now. 
5. Now that they’re evil, have they turned their back on everyone, or is there still someone in their life that they care for? (Brother? Daughter? Love interest? Mother? Someone who is just as evil as they are?) He truly cares for no one but himself. His success is what motivates him. He  can have moments that could be thought caring as he shows interest in some of the people around him, but his interest is always brought on by what he can profit from it.
6. Do they like hugs? Never. Touch. Lord. Vernd.
7. Are they plagued by something? (Nightmares, terrible thoughts?) I wouldn't say plagued, but he does have an obsession with fire. *shudders*
8. Who are they more similar to: Gollum or Maleficent? Maleficient, I'd say. Gollum can be sneaky, as Lord Vernd is, but the majestic evilness and sheer power of Malificent would make me say that would be the better comparison.
9. If your villain could have their choice of transportation what would it be? A large black stallion with fiery eyes and sharp hooves.
10. If you met your villain in the street, how afraid would you be? Are they evil enough to kill their creator? Would I be afraid? It really doesn't depend on who I'd be, whether I was on his side or not (I would definitely be the latter), but yes, I'd be afraid. His reputation doesn't speak kindly of his dealing with other people, and if he had the mind to, he would kill me, I have no doubt. However, I would try to flatter myself with the thought that I would escape him and join the resistance against him before he had the chance to kill me. 

And, the most important question of all: Does the dark side really have cookies? That would depend on a number of things: what kind of cookies, who made them, who ate them, and how old the cookies are. Rather a difficult question to answer, in my opinion. ;)

Snippets of a Story...

I realize that it is a little late to be posting snippets of my stories this month, but better late than never! Hope you enjoy these! They're all from Children of a Legend.

If Davin had known the reason for his father's apprehension, if he had interpreted his hesitation differently, if he had only a small glimpse of reality and what lay before them, he would have wished the road to town to continue endlessly without ever reaching a destination. 

Children of a Legend

“Here's the inn!” His father announced.

Davin looked up at a huge heap of rotting wood and shriveled joints. Windows, where there existed panes in gaping holes in the wood, were creased over with so much dirt that totally defined the opposite of transparent. The front porch looked about as steady as a tent built by a toddler, and Davin was sure he saw a family of rats lurking in the shadows under the steps. A sign, long fallen from its place on the roof and enjoying its home on the ground, bore the words: the neW Bonnie In Ov MArNDiD.

Davin couldn't help that his jaw dropped. “This is where we're staying?”

Children of a Legend

Ceterra whispered to her father, “Are you well? They haven't mistreated you, have they?”

“I have small scrapes and bruises from when the guards dragged me in here, but nothing major to boast of. My cell is cramped and fetid, my cell mates are rats, and my meals, if they can even be called that, are far and few between. But do not worry about me, Terra. I am told that I have been more graciously received into this prison than most criminals.”

“Have they told you anything about what is to happen to you?”

“I have heard rumors that I am to have a trial at the end of the week. They're not substantial rumors, but they give me confidence.”

“But if they happen to find you guilty?”

Gransen paused. “I'd rather not think of that.” He hurriedly changed the subject. “How is your mother faring? Is she with you at Lady Nafferus's house?”

“She's with me, Father. But I would not deceive you to say that she is holding up well.”

“My poor Vystera. Her nerves were never very strong, and I fear this shock may take its toll. Promise me, Terra, that you will look after her.”

Ceterra's cheeks were stained with tears. “I will always look after her. We will await your return together.”

“I love you, my dear Ceterra.”

“I love you, too, Father. Farewell.”

Gransen's fingers squeezed hers. “Until we meet again.” He withdrew his hands, the chains and shackles clanking dimly against the stone walls of his cell. 

Children of a Legend

When the last bite had been chewed and swallowed, Podderlan set down his plate, leaned against the rock at his back, and released a satisfied sigh. “There's nothing like some well cooked squirrel on a chilly night like this.”

“Squirrel?” Davin wondered if his own face mirrored Brice's in its look of plain horror and immense disgust.

Podderlan laughed heartily and slapped his leg. “I was teasing you boys. There's no need to get so agitated over a bit of meat. That was actually rabbit. Caught them myself about an hour before I meet you at the Jembernot.”

.....

Brice collected two blankets and threw one to Davin. As he settled in, tucking his chin against his arm and chest, Davin heard Brice start squirming restlessly beside him.

“Bricentus, what's wrong?” Rodnal called across the fire. “Do you have fleas or something?”

“That really wasn't squirrel, was it?”

Rodnal chuckled. “Do you really think I would serve you a squirrel?”

Brice visibly relaxed only to pop up a moment later. “Would you?”

“Go to sleep.”

Davin couldn't help smiling as Brice arranged his blanket around his shoulders and grumbled quietly, “Old codger.”

“Heard that.”

Children of a Legend

Snippets of a Story is a monthly blog thingy hosted by Katie S. of Whisperings of the Pen. Be sure to stop by her blog and check it out!

I've Been Awarded!

Marissa of the The countryside Lady has given me an award! Thank you ever so much, Marissa!

It seems as if along with this award come 10 random things. I am obliged to follow the pattern, and I promise to do my best to keep all 10 random. But, of course, you should know that I am just a very random person. :)


My ten random things:
1. I've already posted 7 random and unusual things on one of my other blogs, The Silver Key of Poetry. Check it out here!
2. I love blogging, gingerbread cookies, classical music, and good books.
3. Chipmunks, cats, and chihuahuas are some of my least favorite animals. If you want to know why, I have stories...
4. I do not cry during movies. At the most, I will tear up a little at death scenes, but at the most romantic and heart throbbing moment when most girls would dissolve into tears, my sisters and I are laughing at the suitor's teeth or the heroine's hair. It's hard to take movies just as they are.
5. It's hard for me to recommend movies to people, because in many films, there's something my family has to either mute or fast forward. We also have a parental guardian, for which I am truly thankful.
6. I sometimes wish I was an elf from Lothlorien.
7. I talk to myself. 'Nuff said.
8. I am literally lost without my family. I love them more than words can describe and I can't ever imagine what my life would be like without them.
9. I love reenacting movies. Epic conversations (The Scarlet Pimpernel), whole scenes (The Lord of the Rings), good musical dance numbers (The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band), and sometimes just random lines (Emma 2009).
10. One of my favorite verses: "For with God nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37) I love this verse so much because I have personally see God do the impossible. It is truly awe inspiring. 


There were so many people I'd love to give this award to, but alas! I may only name six here, so I will do my best to award those who have not yet received this award.


And the six bloggers I award are:
Jessa Bri
Miss Elizabeth
Sarah
Rachel
Hayden
Rachel

In Which I Give Everyone An Apology

And there you have it... my apology!


But why the need for an apology? Well, sit back, for it really comes in two parts: a story and an explanation.


THE STORY
Once upon a time there lived a girl who dearly loved blogging... (Oh, wait... that's me. Let me change to first person...) I dearly love blogging. One day, as I happily typed away random posts on my laptop and enjoying myself by stalking other people's beautiful blogs, a very dear friend of mine came and stood behind me. She watched me for a minute and then kindly tapped my shoulder. "That's not right, Kiri. You've made a mistake."
What?! Me? A mistake?! "Preposterous!"
My dear friend pointed to a picture on my laptop. "Bolt is not a Pixar film."
My jaw dropped. "No! It is... isn't it?"
"I'm sorry to say that it is not."
"Since when?"
"Since it came out in 2008 under the name of a Walt Disney Studios Production and not under the label of a Pixar film."
Still not willing to believe her, I scurried to Wikipedia and looked up a list of Pixar films. It was true. Bolt was not listed among them. 


THE EXPLANATION
Now that may or may not be how it actually happened, but you get the idea. When I set up my Disney/Pixar Keep Calm Contest, I believed I would only accept posters with Pixar quotes, themes, characters, etc. I am truly sorry if the way I worded things made you believe otherwise. I had no intention of misinforming you. 
And at the start, I thought Bolt was a Pixar film. I was giddy with delight imagining all the Rhino, Mittens, and Bolt quotes I would see. And I was devastated when I discovered that Bolt was simply only a Disney film, not Disney/Pixar.
I apologize for my heedlessness and pure haste. I was so excited about this contest that I did not think it all through to make sure I was clear.  
HOWEVER! This was my mistake, and I feel very bad about the whole thing. Very sheepish, in fact...

Anywho, the blame is mine, and I am prepared to do my best to remedy the mistake. 


That being said, here is what I propose:
1. Because I believed Bolt to indeed be a Pixar film, I will still accept posters from that movie. 
2. Because of the confusion, I will keep the contest open a few extra days. The new deadline for poster entry will be June 3.
3. If anyone wishes to enter different posters, I will accept that. I only ask that you please verify which three posters you want in the contest and get your entries in before June 3. 
4. And to avoid anymore confusion, the eligible movies are the following:
        Toy Story 1, 2, & 3
        A Bug's Life
        Monster's, Inc.
        Finding Nemo
        The Incredibles
        Cars 1 & 2
        Ratatouille
        WALL-E
        Up
        Brave 
        And as I've already said... Bolt


I apologize again, my dear blogging friends, and I hope you all can forgive me!

Emma Week!

Abilaine of Miss Emma Woodhouse and Miss Woodhouse of Elinor, Elizabeth, and Emma are hosting a Jane Austen Emma Week from June 8th to 15th!! Check it out here!

I made this poster for the big event... I love Emma! :)

Not Royal Academy, I Suppose...

This beautiful weather of spring is perfect for going outside and drawing with chalk! Yesterday, two of my sisters (Teddy, age 9, and KT, age 3) and I had fun coloring the short sidewalk between our kitchen door and driveway. Here are a few of the pictures that we drew...

This was my attempt at the kingdom's sun Rapunzel draws in the movie Tangled.  

And here's the real one... much better, in my opinion. :)

And Teddy drew a scarlet pimpernel! Sink me, m'dears! Isn't it divine? :)

Of course, they're not Royal Academy, I suppose... not even close to Bert's sidewalk drawings from Mary Poppins. Bert's were definitely better than a finger in the eye!! 

Oh, by the way... Don't forget to enter my Disney/Pixar Keep Calm Contest!!

So Why A Disney/Pixar Keep Calm?

My contest promotional poster... ain't it lovely? :)

I'm hosting a Disney/Pixar Keep Calm Contest! Check it out here if you haven't already seen it!!

I'm sure what most of you are wondering, "Out of all the contests she could have done, why did she choose to do a Disney/Pixar Keep Calm?" You are allowed to think that, and here I shall endeavor to answer your thoughts. And yes, I realize all of this I should have written yesterday, but I was so eager to begin the contest that I plumb forgot to include all the "whither to"s and "why for"s. 

So, first off, why do a contest at all? Because they're so much fun! Not only will it give my followers enjoyment to enter (which I hope they will find enjoyment in entering...), it is excessively diverting for me to see what entries everyone comes up with! 

Second, why a Keep Calm? For the wonderful world of blogging, Keep Calm contests seems to be very popular. And for me personally, I'm sure you all know by now that I love Keep Calm posters. So, choosing to have the contest be a Keep Calm, you could say, was mostly for my own pleasure. How selfish of me, right? ;)

Third, why Disney/Pixar? Well, once I had settled on a Keep Calm contest, I racked my brain, searching for a theme. I didn't want to be redundant and do another one with period drama (including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Little Dorrit, Bleak House, etc.) as there have lately been a few such lovely contests. I love all that period drama, but there's more to life than that, unfortunately. "Branch out!" I told myself. "Try to think of something new!" So, I thought. Most Keep Calms are from movies, and the top three themes I came up with were Disney/Pixar, The Lord of the Rings, and musicals. Out of those three, I chose Disney/Pixar because I have often times seen bloggers mention favorite Disney/Pixar films, such as Up, The Incredibles, and Toy Story. So, in truth, the Disney/Pixar theme was due to you, my wonderful bloggers. See? I am not so selfish as you assumed.... ;)

As for the contest itself, I'm planning on having it run for about two weeks. The poster entry is May 29th, a tentative date I might push to May 31st if I feel you may need more time to get your entries in. Then, after the deadline is past, then it's time for the input of the blogging world. I shall put up a poll on my blog to let you all choose your favorites. And from the top three favorites, I shall choose a winner. If the winner wishes, I shall even award them with a "Disney/Pixar Keep Calm Contest Winner" button. :)

So, there you have it, bloggers! If, for some reason, you or someone you know wishes to enter the contest nand doesn't have a blog, posting on someone else's blog is totally fine, or you may comment and I will arrange for you to email your entries to me. 

I hope you all have fun with this!!! I'm eager to see all of your posters!!

A Contest At Lianne Taimenlore

For the last week or so, I've been tempted to hold a contest here at Lianne Taimenlore. But the question always arose: what kind of contest? There are simply so many different and lovely things that could be included in a contest that it is rather difficult to choose just one of those lovely things. But I sat, and pondered, and thought, and sat some more, and I believe I have finally made my choice:

A Disney/Pixar Keep Calm Contest!!

I have seen many Keep Calm contests around the wonderful blogging world, depicting many things. And as you know, I rather adore the adorable Keep Calm posters. And this specific contest is all about Disney/Pixar.


Rules:
1. Please do NOT include any crude or inappropriate content in your posters.
2. Your poster must have something related to Disney/Pixar on it, either from a Pixar movie or a short.
3. Your poster must have the words "Keep Calm."
4. The limit, for practicality's sake, is three posters. 
5. The deadline for poster entry is June 3rd.


I hope you all have fun with this! I'm eager to see what posters you will come up with! Please link back to me and share this contest with your friends!


If you are looking for assistance in making your Keep Calm posters, here's some links that I've used for my own posters:
http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/#create
http://www.mybannermaker.com/

Announcement!

Lianne Taimenlore has over 10 followers! 12 to be exact!  Wow! I never knew myself to become so popular in the wonderful world of blogging! While 12 may not seem to be very many to some people, it is a milestone for me. I thank each and every one of you who kindly put up with my ramblings here, for without you, I would indeed be friendless and followerless. And yes, I just made that word up. :)


AND because the following number is into the double digits, what better way to celebrate than with a little... celebration? I'm thinking about hosting a small contest of sorts in the next few days to commemorate busting into double digits and to allow you, my dear followers, to have some fun and excitement! Check back later for the big event!

I'm also working on adding to my posts a little thing I like to call the–lovely–name–picture–thingummy–appearing–at–the–end–of–every–post thing. I've made a few of these, but have yet to actually show them on my blog. :)

Of Sunshine, Potatoes, and Emma

Happy Saturday, everybody! I hope you all enjoyed the beautiful day! 


Oh, the odd title? I'll explain that... :)


Well, where I am, under the maple tree, it has been a beautiful day. The Lord gave us a perfectly gorgeous, warm, sunny, slightly breezy day that feels more like it should be a part of summer rather than spring! 


And because the day was so nice, we had to spend it outside: planting potatoes. A whole four rows of taters. When you have a family as large as mine, you need a whole four rows. And then when we ran out of spuds to plant, there was lettuce to fill the rest of the afternoon. While planting can easily become a despised chore, I've found that when you're working alongside your loved ones and have a pleasant tune running constantly through your head, it's not so bad. 

No, these weren't the potatoes I planted
today, but I couldn't help imagining
mounds of real mashed potatoes dripping
with gravy as I worked... odd, considering
it was over 80 degrees outside! :)

That brings me to Emma. It's random, I know, but the main titles to Emma 2009 have been replaying over and over in my mind. I half expected to turn around and see Mr. Knightley standing behind me, saying, "Badly done, Kiri! That row was not straight!" By the way, if you want the song stuck in your head, too, it's one of the many selections on my player on the sidebar. :)

So, fellow bloggers, how did you spend your Saturday? Did you do anything worth the writing, or write something worth the reading? Do comment and let me know! :)

Facts About My Family

Rachel and Sarah of Our Family View From Us Two are hosting a Family Facts Blog Event this month! Enjoy! :)

What are some of your family's favorite phrases, exclamations, or sayings? Favorite phrases? We have way too many!! Mostly, we quote movies, so I'll give you a few of the best ones: "Toss me. Don't tell the elf." (The Lord of the Rings); "Sink me!" (The Scarlet Pimpernel); "I don't have that on my computer." (National Treasure); "You told me last year..." (Pride and Prejudice 1995); "Oh, beetle, how I weep to see..." (The Treasure Seekers); "Where'd you get the locomotive headlight?" (Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase). And then if you had to add just one more not from the movies, my family's absolute favorite word is SWELL. 

What's the number of boys to girls in your family? One boy to five girls. Yes, I am one of five sisters. Pity my one, lonely brother. :)

What is your favorite tradition your family has? Christmas is always the time that's filled with traditions. Every December we countdown to Christmas with our "Christmas Box." Each night, there's a special message written, hidden in the box corresponding to the day, pulled out by eager little fingers, and read. The message, usually written in poem form, will tell us what we are to do that night: eat a Christmas treat, bake cookies for friends, watch a Christmas movie, drive around and look at Christmas lights, share something special we enjoy about the season, read and/or quote Luke 2, sing carols, etc. Even though I'm 18, I still look forward to this every year, and Dad has entrusted me and my sisters (the older ones) to write the notes for some of the nights. Though we don't rhyme as beautifully or as hilariously as our dad, it's still a lot of fun! 

What do you call the midday meal at your house? We don't usually call meals at our house. We eat meals and call our friends. ;)

Is the majority of your family morning people or night owls? Night owls, definitely. We'd like to be morning people, but somehow it's harder to get up earlier than it is to stay up later. 

What is your favorite vacation location? :P My grandparent's small beach house next to the Atlantic Ocean. We've gone there every summer for about as long as I can remember and to me it's always been a place of relaxation and family time. We're not really big beach people, but we enjoy taking walks together in the sunset and going biking.

Are your family's weekends usually full of activities such as sports, parties, and outings, or are they more of around the house, fix-it-uppers? Our house is just one of those houses that is in constant need of fixing up, so it's easy to guess which of the two our weekends will be. ;) If we have parties, they're usually always on Friday night or Sunday after church with family or close friends. 

What is the nationality/ies your family comes from? (i.e. Scotch, Russian, etc) My mother's side is mostly English, while my father's is partly German. That together makes us Germish, if you don't take into consideration the fact that we've also got bits of American Indian, Irish, Scottish, and a lot of other stuff thrown in.

Do you go away for holidays, or celebrate at home? Depends on the holiday. Usually for Christmas, we like staying home and doing a family celebration. For Thanksgiving, our new tradition for the last three years is to have a sleepover at our cousins' house the night before the big day so we can bake together. But Fourth of July, Easter, Mother's and Father's Days... they happen wherever we feel they should happen, whether it be at our home or someone else's home.

How did your parents meet? Oh, this will be a long answer. But it's pretty awesome, considering I and my siblings were the result. ;) Moving on... They met at college, specifically in choir. Dad first saw Mom on campus and thought her pretty, but it took him awhile to actually gather enough courage to speak to her. For her part, Mom thought my dad odd and labeled him a geek. They went on a few dates, but she never really thought much about him. It wasn't until a horrific car accident leaving her in the hospital with 70 stitches in her face and Dad started visiting her frequently, that Mom changed her mind. At this point, Dad knew that she was the woman whom he wanted to marry, and prayer was his constant companion. He asked the Lord to give him a peace about it, about whether he should pursue Mom, about whether God wanted him to marry my mom, and God pointed him to a verse in Psalms: "I will praise Thee forever, for Thou hast done it." And Dad knew. The rest of the story (after they went on more dates, which included one totally set up by my dad's sister, involving a nice restaurant and a plant that continually dripped upon whomever it felt like) is your usual glorious story ending: "And they lived happily ever after, to the end of their days."

Another Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Katie Bugs! I love you!! :)


My adorable little sister is turning 3! It seems like just yesterday we were on our way to the hospital to see her tiny, newborn face. And now today, she's all of 3 years old. How the time flies! 

Don't I have the cutest little sister in the whole world? ;)

Pictures courtesy of JB Photography from Life Of A Michigan Homeschooler.

Keep Calm and Quote Marianne

Marissa of The countryside Lady is having a Keep Calm and Quote Marianne Dashwood Contest! 


This is actually the first time I've participated in a Keep Calm Contest, but I've long adored the random posters I've seen floating around the wonderful blog world. :)


CONTEST Rules
1. No curse words.
2. Must be off Sense & Sensibility, and Marianne must be saying it. :)
3. And would be more pleasureful if a picture of Marianne is included.
4. Please have KEEP CALM as the first phrase.
5. And have fun while doing SO!! :)


Here are my entries:

 Let me know what you think! :)

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)

Sink me, I've finally seen it! And now I can understand why everyone loves Sir Percy Blakeney so much. 


Please note: major spoilers ahead. If you have not seen The Scarlet Pimpernel and do not wish to know what happens in the film, you may want to stop reading here.


For years, I have avidly avoided anything that had anything to do with the French Revolution. The bloody beheadings and the killing terror never held any appeal for me. Who could ever find something to enjoy during that time? It was always my least favorite part of history. I've never relished seeing innocent death and gory scenes in movies. So, naturally, when I discovered that The Scarlet Pimpernel was set during the French Revolution, I wrote it off as a movie that I wouldn't want to watch. 


You may be screaming, "Why?!? Why didn't you want to watch it?!?" And now after viewing the film, I would have to agree with your screams. 

What possessed me to give The Scarlet Pimpernel a second chance and watch it? Well, wonderful world of bloggers and blogs, it was you. In the many blogs that I follow, more than once Sir Percy's name came up as the name of a well loved hero. When I first saw it, I scratched my head. Sir Percy Blakeney? I hadn't heard his name before. Who was he? I was familiar with all the other heroes, such as Mr. Knightley, Gilbert Blythe, Arthur Clennam, and Mr. Darcy. But Sir Percy Blakeney? Interested, I read more. Sufferin' cats! He's the Scarlet Pimpernel!

Contrary to my previous views of the French Revolution, I was not turned off when I learned of Sir Percy's identity. Oh, no. Rather quite the opposite. I had to see if this Scarlet Pimpernel was worthy or not of everyone's praise. So, I looked the movie up on youtube. I watched probably an hour's worth of the Scarlet Pimpernel and decided. Yes, he was worthy. And now I just had to see the whole movie.


And, of course, I couldn't watch it without my family. My mother and father had seen it many years ago, and they were both eager to see it again. In fact, they quote it quite often ("Oh, the English and their stupid sense of fair play!"). My sisters (Beth Grace and Jessa Bri) were excited to see it, too, so after hearing my praise of the movie, they ordered it from our state electronic library system. My brother was easy to convince into watching it. I showed him the scene in which Sir Percy and Paul Chauvelin meet ("Why look you here, sir, at this limp cravat!"), and he spent the next forty consecutive hours quoting the Scarlet Pimpernel even though he had not yet seen the film.


The movie took a full two weeks to arrive at our home library. It was agony waiting that long. But  somehow, we managed. 

When the opening scene of the movie came on, we were all ready for it. As the plot unfolded and the characters became more real, every moment added to my opinion of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Yes, I confess, I did glance away at some of the guillotine scenes, and I obviously and mentally cringed when profanity crossed the screen. But the daring antics of Sir Percy kept  me on the edge of my seat! His costumes were, at the same time, unbelievably and outlandishly unique! The way he risked his own life to save the condemned lives of others, some of them people that he didn't even know, was greatly commendable. 


Then the conflict thickened. The evil Chauvelin obtained the letter Percy sent Armand St. Just and discovered that his own assistant was working for the Scarlet Pimpernel! And there were only 40 or so minutes left to watch! What was going to happen? I'll tell you what happened. The disc we were watching cracked up. 


Yes, it cracked up. I suppose the movie had been lovingly watched and handled a few too many times and was becoming too scratched for proper viewing. Oddly enough, the sound still worked and we were able to hear everything that was going on, but the picture was no longer clear. We could only see stuttering images and pixels and static. Disappointed, we listened and imagined the last 40 minutes. 

We were thankful that my dad had seen the movie before, and he obligingly filled us in on what there was to see, if we could see it. The ball at which Marguerite plays a double agent and alternately helps Chauvelin and the Scarlet Pimpernel; the foolish decision of Armand; the moment at which Marguerite discovers who the real Scarlet Pimpernel is; the escape of the young French heir; the epic duel between Percy and Chauvelin. It all sounded so wonderful! And I'm certain it looked wonderful, too.




Needless to say, my sisters ordered another copy of The Scarlet Pimpernel and we must now wait another two weeks to actually see the end of the film. 


However, you will understand me when I say that I am not Sir Percy's biggest fan. You may credit it to missing 40 minutes of seeing him onscreen, if you wish. I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Scarlet Pimpernel, but I cannot say that, due to profanity and my usual dislike for the French Revolution, it has become my absolute favorite movie. Sink me, I do apologize to Percy's avid fans. But can you count me in the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel? Odd's fish, m'dear, I ask you: how could I be counted otherwise? :)