START SPREADIN' THE NEWS - I'M LEAVING TODAY!!!!!!

SHIOLKNLSGBUAOIHLNTAKLGIHLSK'A;OIHLSGSILHJ;LKSAPIUWNKVSOPIGUSP!!!!!!!!!

Yeahhhhh.....  All the feels.....  : )

Soooooo.....  I'm taking a leave of absence on this blog (and emailing and commenting on other blogs and all that jazz) for the next four days (count 'em - FOUR!!!) while I'll be in....

Yups.  : )

Au rivoir!!!!!!!

~Eowyn~

one day more.

Well, it's actually more like Half A Day More, but that is neither here nor there.

 

It's weird....  Even now, less than twelve hours 'til The Day My Life Begins, it still feels like this entire trip to NYC is just something crazy that my dad and I are doing.  Something in the distant future.  Something so surreal, it's almost unbelievable.

 

You see, when I told my parents that I wanted to go to New York to see a Broadway play for my graduation a few months ago, I didn't really think it'd work out.  It's too insane, right?  So I asked for my own room, cuz that's more do-able.  During the hustle and bustle of finishing up school, doing CollegePlus, doing random summer stuff, and going to my grandparents' house for a week, I completely forgot about asking my parents for a trip to NYC.

 

Then, when they said that we were actually doing it, I nearly flipped.  I guess you could say I reached for the stars with asking for my own room (which I got, by the way).  A line from the song 'Anything Can Happen' from the Broadway version of Mary Poppins comes to mind....

 

'Anything can happen if you let it....  If you reach for the stars, all you'll get are the stars, but we've found a whole new spin....  If you reach for the heavens, you'll get the stars thrown in!'

 

So, today, I've been sending out thank you notes for my many graduation gifts (a month late.... yikes....  My excuse is that I didn't have any stamps.), doing laundry, packing oh-so-slowly, and just doing random things to prepare.

 

I've been checking on what the weather will look like, asking my dad a million times about airport regulations on contact solution and toothpaste, and basically taking it all one step at a time, just like a friend told me to do at church yesterday.

 

Well, I have to go now.  I need to finish up something, but I can't really remember what it was....  : P

 

(Oh, looky there.  A whole blog post and only one exclamation mark.  Well, I'll fix that.)

 

I'm going to NYC in ONE.... DAY............ MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

~Eowyn~

Kindergarten Troubles

Earlier today, my mom was working on kindergarten with my youngest brother, Nut-Nut.  (Whose name isn't really Nut-Nut, just like my little sister's name isn't really JellyBean.  But you all knew that.)

 

He's learning all about the seven days of creation, and they were working on Day Three this morning, when God separated the land from the sea.  I sat and watched while giving a bottle to Miss Bean.  Mom was trying to explain that the plants started growing, each to their own kind, just like it says in Genesis 1:11-12.

 

"The orange trees grew oranges," Mom told Nut-Nut, "and the tomato seeds grew tomatoes.  Do you understand?"  He nodded and she went on.  "Okay, what do cucumber seeds grow?"

 

"Um....  They grow....  Um...."  He fiddled around with his belt and said the same thing over and over – "They grow... um....  They grow... um....  They grow... um...."

 

I was sitting far enough away that I could hear every word they said, but since Nut-Nut was facing away, he wouldn't be able to see or hear that I was about to burst with laughter.  Seriously, it was the funniest thing in the world!!

It went on like this for about twenty minutes.  Seriously, guys.  Twenty minutes.  Finally, my mom said, "This is taking way too long.  We're going to stop right now and pray that God gives you the answer and clears away all the confusion from your mind about this simple, simple thing."  They did just that.

 

When they were done, Nut-Nut started crying, saying he didn't know why.  Mom asked him again – "What do cucumber seeds make?"

 

More of the same, "Ummmmm...."

 

Then I suggested to use something he knew, because I don't think the kid has ever seen an orange tree.  We have three blueberry bushes at the side of our house, and he loves picking the blueberries off it, so I suggested that.

 

Mom said, "What grows on blueberry bushes?  Like the blueberry bushes we have outside our house?"

 

"Um....  Blueberries?"

Much rejoicing happened.  : D  Then, Mom proceeded to ask him about tomatoes, oranges, cucumbers, and peas.  He replied, "Tomatoes make tomatoes, and oranges make oranges!"  (He also said, "Muffins make muffins."   We're still working on that.)

 

I finished feeding JellyBean her bottle, put her to bed, and started editing my novel.  A few minutes later, Mom came in and brought a whole new light on the previous event that I'd never thought about before.  She said, "The reason that it was so hard for him to understand all that was because of spiritual warfare.  The devil only wants to twist the truth in God's word, so evolution is the way he's twisting the truth about creation."  So true!

 

Mom suggested I write about this here, and I think it was a great idea.  An even better idea, though, is to pray for wisdom and for God to reveal truth for all of us as school starts up again.  I'm starting up again on August 5th, and will definitely need some help with a CLEP test I've been studying for for about a month now, not including all the breaks I've had to take because of needing to help finish out our basement.  I'd encourage you guys to do the same!

 

~Eowyn~

It's next week, y'all. Next. WEEK!!!!!

Sighhhhh.......  I can't belieeeeeve my NYC trip is next week, you guys.  Seriously.  It's still pretty hard to believe that I'm actually going to New York to see, not one, but TWO Broadway musicals!!  GAHHHH!!!!  I want the time I have to wait to go by really fast, but I also want it to go by slowly so I can say to myself in a year or so, "Remember how awesome that last week of waiting was?  I felt like I was floating on air....  Little did I know how amazing my trip would be!!"  (Cuz, y'all...  I just know - I know - that it's going to be amazing.)  Also, my dad told me today that he's trying to get us a hotel in the theater district.  YAHOOOOOOO!!!!  I'm going to take millions of pictures, so, like I told a friend, that'll mean frillions of blog posts.  Hope y'all are ready.  If you're all so jealous you'll find out where I live, murder me, then bury me alive and dance on my grave while singing, "What Is This Feeling?", well.....  Ya might want to steer clear of my blog for the next year or so.  Just a warning.  ; )

Ahh, well.  I can feel the green (GREEN!  AND I'M SEEING WICKED!!  AHHHH!!!) oozing out of every pore in your bodies at my tiptoes, so I'll stop making you jealous and tell you about another part of my life that's going on right now.  'kay?  'kay.

On Friday, my family is going to a masquerade ball.  (Well, that is what's going on.....  I know some of you are becoming jealous again, but, hey....)  I'm going as Rose Tyler from Doctor Who, and a friend of mine is going as the Doctor.  (Ten.  Duuuuuuhhhh....)  I'm going to be wearing her outfit from the episode called The Idiot's Lantern (shown at right), and have had much help from Ally.  (THANK YOU!!!!)

I went on a shopping trip for fun (and to look for a few essentials for my costume) with Katelyn and two of her amazing younger sisters today.  We had SUCH a blast!!  I've never really liked shopping before, but it was fun with people you could talk about the clothes with!  I got a Converse t-shirt, plus some pink sunglasses to go with the outfit.  Concerning the sequined top, however....  You guys simply can't believe how hard it's been for me to find a sequined top.  Who'da thunk?!  With all the girlygirlygirly stores that outlet mall had, you would think that they had at least some sequined stuff....  Nope.  Not even a skirt to cut up.  : (  I ended up going to Goodwill tonight after we dropped Katelyn and her sisters off at their house and found a shirt that'll kinda work.  Now all I need is a Tardis and a blue motorcycle and I'll be fine!!  : D  (Actually, I still need to find some fishnet stockings and a pink cocktail ring....  Details, Hogan....  Details.  I'll look for it tomorrow.)  Tonight and tomorrow, I'm going to be working on my skirt and the crinoline that goes underneath.  And for all of you who know that my favorite color is green (GREEN AGAIN!!) and not pink, well, let's just say that I'm getting to like pink a little more.  It's feminine and very pretty.  And it'll encourage me to not climb any trees in my outfit....  (Yeah, I've been known to do that....)

Anyway.  I'm really excited about the masquerade, though!  My younger sister is going in an autumn red formal with a fox mask she made, Arwen is going as a modern Cinderella (boring...), my younger brother is going as The Man In Black from Princess Bride, Nut-Nut is going as the Phantom (YAY!!), and JellyBean is going as her cute self.  As are Mom and Dad.  It's going to be SO much fun.  Swing dancing usually is.  : )

Ta-ta for now - I'm off to seam-rip my skirt, sew it back up again (cuz it was a plus size.....yeah....), and cut up the crinoline, then sew that up again, too!!  (That was too long....  Yups, it's a confuzifying outfit.  *wink, wink*)

~Eowyn~

P.S. I'm working on a blog post full of pictures from my graduation last month (SO. MUCH. FUN!!!!), but it might not get posted for a while....  I'll see if I can do it before my trip, though!

JellyBean

I feel so bad!  My little sister, whose nickname is JellyBean and who you met a few months ago, is nearly four months old and I haven't posted a single picture of her since March!!!  YIKES!!!

To compensate, here are a bunch.  Enjoy.  : )

This was from a few months ago, but it gives you a little glimpse of how big her cheeks are!!

"You're HOW old?!"

Despite Miss Bean's shocked, "Get me Out. Of. Here." look on her face, she really loves Nut-Nut.  And he loves her.  They're SO cute together!!

This child eats EVERYTHING.  Everything goes in her mouth!

 

From a few months ago.  She loves holding her hands.  It's like her comfort thing.  : )

 

She wouldn't smile for me for the longest time, and even when she did, her dimple was hidden!  You can kinda see it here....

She's a pretty serious little girl.  Until we start a raspberry war.  Then she's all dimples and slobber.

JellyBean and Her Intended.  Seriously.  These two are going to get married someday.

Miss Bean being serious again....

"Do you see this look?  This look says, 'I wanted to go to Disney World.'  I'm not happy, Bob.  Not. Happy."

The Dimple.  : )

~Eowyn~

Review - Captain America: The First Avenger

Dr. Abraham Erskine: Whatever happens tomorrow you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.

Synopsis
"It is 1942, America has entered World War II, and sickly but determined Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, The Fantastic Four), is frustrated at being rejected yet again for military service. Everything changes when Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) recruits him for the secret Project Rebirth. Proving his extraordinary courage, wits and conscience, Rogers undergoes the experiment and his weak body is suddenly enhanced into the maximum human potential. When Dr. Erskine is then immediately assassinated by an agent of Nazi Germany's secret HYDRA research department (headed by Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving, Lord of the Rings), a.k.a. the Red Skull), Rogers is left as a unique man who is initially misused as a propaganda mascot; however, when his comrades need him, Rogers goes on a successful adventure that truly makes him Captain America, and his war against Schmidt begins." (From IMDb)

My Opinion

Captain America was one of my first superhero movies. I'd seen Superman (yuuuuuck.... But that's another post for another time....) and Spider-Man (the first of the “old” ones with Toby McGuire – meh...), and didn't really like the sampling I'd had, so, to tell the truth, I wasn't really looking forward to Captain America.  We ended up watching it a few days before the Fourth of July last year and then again on the Fourth for our Patriotic Movie Of The Day.  Flash forward to now, when it's one of my favorite movies EVAH, and Cap is one of my favorite onscreen heroes EVAH, and I have a picture of Steve with an awesome quote that I made as my computer wallpaper.

What makes Captain America: The First Avenger so wonderful? Well, I'll tell ya!

 

The Cast and Characters 

First off, Steve Rogers is just amazing. He's physically strong, yes, but when you look behind that, you can see that he's sweet, has amazing morals (and sticks to them!!), and is extremely humble! Even after “getting strong,” he knows he's still the same guy inside – partially because it's what Dr. Erskine told him over and over – and he isn't prideful about how strong he is or how much he can help people!
One thing I really enjoyed about the storyline because it shows Wimpy Steve before Muscular Steve, so you can see how much he's changed, yet stayed the same.

As for Chris Evans....  He plays Steve to perfection. End of story.

Peggy Carter.  Wow.  : )  She's awesome.  She's one of those amazing heroines you can't help but like, even when they're not at their best.  (Come on.  You can't get much better than encouraging a group of soldiers doing push-ups with a sweet, British-accent-laced "Come on, girls!")  At first, she didn't really think that Steve could live up to what Dr. Erskine thought he could, but she became friends with him even before he became Muscular Steve.  Even then, very few people believed he could do anything other than be a guinea pig for scientists.  She's the one who encouraged him when everything seemed bleak.  Peggy stayed with Steve to the last.  The very last.  *sniff*
Hayley Atwell made me love Peggy so much!!  She perfectly balanced the side of Peggy that had been hardened by the grisly sights of war and Peggy's feminine side.  Loved her portrayal!

Johann Schmidt, a.k.a. Red Skull was a neat mixture of interesting and creepy.  You couldn't help but be infatuated with his life, yet, at the same time, be totally weirded-out by his creepiness!  And after The Bridge Scene (y'all who have seen it know what I'm talking about), when his Big Secret is let out?  Even weirder.  (I, personally, think Schmidt was scarier without the you-know-what on.  Hugo Weaving can do SO much with his eyebrows!!  In a very unnerving, totally un-Jordan Taylor-like way.)
Which brings me to Hugo.  Maaaaaan.....  He did a great job with Schmidt's character and made him the scary villain I love to hate.

And those are all of the characters that the plot mainly centers around.  There are, however, like a million secondary characters that I just can't leave out, so I'll do a quick run-through of my favorites.

Colonel Chester Phillips....  : )  He's the reason for most of the movie's language (more later), but he's so funny!!  "We are going to win this war because we have the best... men.  And they are going to get better."  "If you have something to say, right now's a perfect time to keep it to yourself. "

Buckyyyyyyyy.......  One of the best secondary characters I've EVER seen in a movie.  You can't get much deeper than this character was developed and I loved him to death!  (Or, rather, to the death.  *sniff*)  It was pretty neat to see his change of character during the whole thing.  First he was someone who Steve really looked up to, then, by The First Faceoff, he and Steve had completely changed roles and now it was Bucky who looked up to Steve.

Dr. Erskine....  Such a great guy!  He's the one who first saw Steve as amazing potential.  And I love him for it.  He only has a few minutes of screen time, but he's such a big influence in Steve's life....
Such a great guy.  : )

Howard Stark.  Tony Stark's dad.  Mind. Blown. Howard was played by Dominic Cooper, who played an extraordinarily convincing Willoughby in the '08 Sense and Sensibility.  Needless to say, I didn't trust him in the beginning.  By the end, though, I really loved him.  "Can't see what all the fuss is about...."  *gets blown back by the explosion from The Cube's power*  "Write that down."

Aaaaaaaaaand....  Here's a huge shout-out to....

Richard Armitage as That German Dude With The Awesome Glasses and Awesome Gun (Heinz Kruger)

and JJ Feild as James Montgomery Falsworth.  (YAY FOR AMAZING PERIOD DRAMA FILM ACTOR CAMEOS!!!!)

Random Pictures I Couldn't Fit Anywhere Else  : )

Steve seriously had some of the best lines in the movie....

Bucky's finest moment.

So humble....  : )

Just So You Know...
This movie is rated PG-13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action," plus some language (mostly the Lord's name taken in vain, a few D-words, a few H-words, and a few other random words) and a mild kissing scene.  We watch the movie with ClearPlay, which bleeps out the language and skips a few shots, but I've seen it without ClearPlay a few times.  To see a more detailed account of the language, etc, read the PluggedIn review.

The Bottom Line
This is an amazing movie.  Honestly, it's one of my favorite movies I saw last year and one of my favorite movies of all time.  I love it to bits and pieces, can't ever recommend it enough, and have seen it nearly a dozen times and it still hasn't gotten old.  Patriotism never does.  : )

~Eowyn~

Letters II

Dear church family – You guys are so amazing.  I can't believe that God has blessed me with such amazing friends!  I thought that when we moved from North Carolina to Georgia that I wouldn't find anybody even remotely interested in the things I like or who have the same convictions.  Well, whatdya know, it's only been four years since moving and I can't decide whether I'm a Georgia Girl or a North Carolina Girl!  (Let's just say I'm a Southern Girl and leave it at that.)  Honestly, though....  You guys are awesome.  It makes me laugh the things we talk about sometimes....  How our conversation can change from something like The Avengers and Pride and Prejudice to some really deep topics!  I've loved getting to know you guys and I hope I'll know y'all for the rest of my life.

 

 

Dear Class of 2013 – Well, we've finally done it!!  WOOT!!  Looks like '13 is our lucky number.  ; )  Congrats to all of you wonderful, wonderful grads.  Looks like we'll finally be able to say, like Edna, "I never look back, Darling. It distracts from the now." – Edna Mode, The Incredibles.

 

 

Dear Mom and Dad – You guys are The. Best. Parents. Ever.  I now love the broken microwave to bits and pieces because, even though it has duct tape holding the handle onto it, it means that you found a way around getting a new one, which gave you the means to give me the best graduation present ever.  LOVE YOU!!!!

 

Dear Pixar People – Thank you for making the effort to stay family-friendly!  I had the best pre-graduation party a girl could ask for the other day when all of my friends graduating with me, plus a few other people, went to see Monsters University.  It was awesome and we enjoyed it.

 

 

Dear Richard Armitage – The other day, I saw a quote from you that said: "I don't think actors need to go on pedestals.  I don't buy it.  I think it's a weird thing.  It's like you become someone else, like stepping into another universe."  Why do you have to be so awesome?!

 

 

Dear Hardy Boys TV show from the '70's – B'HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

 

 

Dear Faramir – Sighhhhh....  I don't know why people don't like you.  You're overshadowed by more handsome men, I guess....  If only people could see that it's what's inside that counts!!  If they knew that, how could they read a quote like, "I would not use the Ring.  Not if Minas Tirith were falling in ruin and I alone could save her." and NOT LIKE YOU?!  You are and forever will be my favorite character in the LOTR trilogy.

 

 

Dear Aaron Tveit – If you cut your hair out of sympathy and support for the crew member of Graceland who had cancer, I renounce all of the mean things I said about you when I first heard that you cut your hair.  If not, well....  Either way, please don't cut it that short ever again!!

 

 

Dear Unwritten Community Story – Why must you be so hard on me?  I'm trying to write you and, so far, you've failed to give me so much as a plot to go off of!  All I have is characters and a setting!!  I need more.  I have to write!  Please.  Help me.  You're my only hope.

 

 

Dear Penelope – I love you.  That is all.

 

 

Dear Blog Readers – You will all be eternally jealous of me when I say this, but....

 

 

Here's the official announcement of what The Graduation Gift To End All Graduation Gifts is.  For my graduation, I got a ton of money to spend on something "very special" from my grandparents on my dad's side, then a suitcase from my mom's mom, then a luggage tag and bag from my parents that read, 'Go Places, See Stuff.'

 

 

Well.  I opened the luggage tag and bag, read what it said aloud, and my mom asked, "Would you like to go places and see stuff?"  I could only reply, "Yeah...."  (After all, this was at midnight-thirty, after being at my grandparents' for a week, then moving rooms from upstairs to downstairs with Jellybean – WOOT! – then cleaning, then rehearsing, then graduating, then having a swing dance....pictures to follow, btw....)

 

 

Then, my dad said....

 

 

CUE EPIC MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

"You and I are going to New York to see a Broadway Show."

 

 

GAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!  DSHDIEPP;;SGHKWNPGISNJALKFHGPBJSNDAMGSKBLNASFNLGMJAIDBGS;ND/BOPSI!!!!!

 

 

Yes, it's true, dear readers!!  I'M GOING TO BROADWAY!!!  IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!!!!

 

 

24 days, to be exact.

 

 

SO EXCITED!!!!

 

 

So.  Yeah.  Totally excited.

 

 

What shall I be seeing, you ask?  Well.  We're going to be there two days (actually, we're going to be gone from July 30th thru August 2nd, but we're allowing two days for travel), so I said, "Hey, Dad.  We'll be there two days.  We can see two shows!!"  Muahahahahaha.....

 

 

Turns out, the Special Money To Spend On Something Very Special from my grandparents was for one of the shows, so I only have to pay for one.  WOOT!  (Third time I've said that in one blog post.  *nods*  I'm a little crazy.)

 

 

Enough with the chatter!  I'll be seeing Wicked and Cinderella.  ON BROADWAY.  Totally a dream come true.  (Time to find a new dream, eh, Flynn?)

 

 

So, yeah.  I'm more than a little excited.  Ecstatic, actually.  : )

 

 

I'll also be seeing the sights a little, which is going to be fun!  I've also gotten orders to see specific places, get souvenirs for my siblings, and call certain friends and family from Times Square.

 

 

Needless to say, there will be much NYC posting and pictures GALORE and musical gushing and randomness going on over the next month or so.  So be forewarned.

 

 

I signed up for Camp NaNo this month, but, lolz, we'll see how that goes.  We've been finishing out our basement over the last few months, and during the past week, I've done more painting, grouting, and back-breaking than I've done in my LIFE.  My fingers, fingernails, arms, legs, face, and hair has so much paint in it....  Insane.  *rolls eyes*  But I'm having fun.  Having to charge up my little 2gig shuffle every night so I can listen to the Little Women musical every day while I work.  Fun!  : )  Anyway, that's what I've been doing.  Lack of posting flows out of that.  Terribly sorry!  Howevs.  I know my friends will get tired of me talking about my EPIC TRIP!!! so often, so I'll be posting about it on here.  A LOT.

 

 

So I guess I'll see you guys later.  : D

 

 

AMEN FOR NNNNNYYYYYYYCCCCCC!!!

-Eowyn-