Reach for the Stars! ~ Lesson 5

This is something I grabbed and tweaked from my LOTR book. I don't have many other characters lying around and I know this guy a lot better than most of the others, or somebody I just think of at the moment.

NERVOUS - Trojan was usually superb at hiding his feelings under an expressionless mask, but now his face was white, making his hair an even greater contrast to his skin. His lips were tightened into a thin line and his eyes darted here and there. His hands were clasped together so tightly that his knuckles were white. Huntram suspected that it was to keep from biting his almost non-existent fingernails again.

ANGER - At Maab's words, Huntram nervously glanced at Trojan. The man's face had hardened and he seemed to tremble with suppressed rage. His eyes became narrowed orbs of hate, and he snapped harshly, ""And how is it that you two travel this land in which you have no business?"

In the book, you almost only see Trojan through Huntram's eyes, which is why everything here is from his point of view.

Reach for the Stars! ~ Lesson 3

Character: Maab Kuldar the Dwarf
Physical traits: The typical dwarvish attributes are standing short, stocky, bearded, fully-armed, and filthy - and Maab is no exception!
Personality Traits: Loyalty, toughness, bravery, and a perky attitude mingled with soft-heartedness are the trademarks of this axe-bearing character. But even dwarves have their bad sides. Like most of his kin, he is as stubborn as can be. A fiery temper frequently shows, but it is not an hasty temper that will flare up for the wrong reasons. He is wise in choosing in whom he can place his trust... or his hate.
Likes/Dislikes: As long as there are more orcs to decapitate, this dwarf couldn't be happier. Also among his chiefest joys are a good smoke and plenty of meat. Almost the only thing that riles Maab's temper is anyone who stands in his way or threatens him. He fears no living thing - except horses when he has to ride them!

Character: Huntram Shaster
Physical Traits: This 15-year-old has blonde wispy hair that is never combed for long and usually has hay in it. He is tall for his age, all arms and legs, and doesn't move as if he quite knows what to do with them. He is always sunburned and chewing on straw.
Personality Traits: Huntram is an adventurous boy, and hopes to get out of the farm one day to see the world - until he is dragged out of the farm to defend the world. Then he realizes that his home is where his heart is - but even that doesn't break his constant resolve to be great at what he tries. His valiant efforts are all too often disastrous. He loves his little brother, who ultimately got him into this "mess", and stays close to him through danger after danger.
Likes/Dislikes: Huntram's favorite thing in the world is normal, everyday farm life in the Iron Hills. He likes the old plow horse, even though the creature is as stubborn as a dwarf. Never having the knack for learning, he never went to school, and later found out how dull it was when he must learn - or die. He hates the schedule his wanderer friends are used to: going to bed only when it was too dark to ride, and getting up at the first morning light!

Reach for the Stars! ~ Lesson 2

Peregrin Took
What is it that draws people to Pippin in THE LORD OF THE RINGS? Is it his fun-loving personality that people can relate to? Is it his cute red curls, funny accent, and delightful hobbit shortness? Is it his ability to break out in song and remain cheerful no matter what the situation? Or his pure love for his friends and the little things that remind us how big his heart is and how brave he really is? He is my favorite character in this movie and book for all of these endearing traits, and especially for his line, "I'm not likely to grow anymore - except sideways."

Gage Ironshanks
I know that you've never heard of him - only a select few have. He is a character I have created in a book I am writing that has no current title. This man hardly warrants the name, having seen only seventeen winters. Gage is an outcast, taken with fits of madness that lead him to do things even he cannot imagine. His scruffy appearance, piercing eyes, and dark demeanor render him almost inapproachable. His tattered cloak flies in and out of trees like a bird of prey. His continuous acts of violence and his frequent proof of a soft heart through it all keeps me, his creator, in suspense. The black sheet that seems to cover his character from my eyes exasperates me. I want to erase everything I have written about him, but it is impossible to do so. His two-sided personality eludes my pen with amazing dexterity as I try to pin him to the page. He is my enemy, yet I am somehow restrained from obliterating him. Perhaps I will one day overcome my forbearance with him and wipe him from the face of the earth.


Ok, whoa. That was WAY dramatic! But, oh well, it's true!!!:)

I hereby call an INTERNET REVOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VERSE OF THE DAY: "You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden…” Matthew 5:14

We had one Soccer Saturday!!!! J-dude had a game first and the Tigers won like 13-2. THEN we zipped to to where Dad was coaching Jess's game and watched the second half of his 11-0-ish win. Sticks had a game after lunch, but Swoosh broke the winning streak:( Boooooo!:P

Lets go back in time to J-dude's 7th birthday. He opened an envelope and pulled out a ticket. He didn't know what it was at first, but Sticks took one look, gasped, and did that spin he does when he can't believe something and it's so cool. It was a ticket to the opening Colorado Rapids soccer game against (guess who) LA GALAXY!!!!!!!!!! For those of you who don't know soccer, David Beckham, the biggest soccer player in America and almost the world, is on that team along with Sticks's "friend" Landon Donavan - the awesome short guy from the USA Men's National team. Turned out Sticks got a ticket for his early birthday present, AND... we skip back in time to where we were before.

So the go to the game early, hoping to catch David Beckham for pictures and autographs. We girls and littleuns had macaroni & cheese with hot dogs for dinner. Yum! Then we girls watched A NEW HOPE until the guys came home. Well, we didn't really WATCH it, per se. We were kinda busy laughing about how Obi-wan has the same clothes on as he does 20 years earlier and the New Yorker way to say "Garbage Compactor" (Jazzy, ya feelin me?). But the guys came home with David Beckham jerseys on, ice cream, and these cool loud horns. Turns out they didn't get to meet Beck, but Dad got some cool pictures of him! BUT!!!!!! Rad as this guy and Donavan and Ruise(sp) are, CO won 4-0!!!! The guys say it was so cool. Sounds so cool!!!!!

It's snowing outside, but believe it or not folks, SPRING IS HERE!!!!!!!! I can tell because the little flowers in our yard are out and the little birdies are back!!!!!!!! All I've seen mostly in the bird line are big noisy geese and the occasional crow. But the little birdies are here!!!!!!! HUZZAH!!!!!!!! Thank you God for little birdies!! They are very much nicer than big ones.

Ah, and it comes to it now. The fateful moment. A bit back, I started posting of the Girls of God Blog after a long delay. I noticed a little something. These blogs may be familiar. You may even be an author of blogs like Undercover, Soli Deo Gloria, or Extreme Revival. Anyway, I noticed that some of these blogs were getting, well, slow. Nobody commented anybody else. Sometimes posts took a long time too, but it was the lack of encouragement that bugged me most. I thought, "We are all friends in real life that share the same beliefs in a lost world- why don't we talk about it and encourage each other on the most widespread thing on earth - the internet?" I thought I should do something about it, but I wasn't sure quite what besides just commenting people myself. THEN I felt a revolution coming on. THEN it turns out I wasn't the only one! My dear bestest friend Emy has started a blog called Jesus Freak Teens for anyone who wants a internet revolution like us!!!!! I think the next step is to promote each other's devotion blogs when we can, comment each other, post on our own blogs, and most of all pray for each other. My point:

I hereby call an INTERNET REVOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you'll all join me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reach For the Stars! ~ Lesson 1

Book: The LORD OF THE RINGS
Character: Frodo Baggins
Setting: Middle Earth
Problem: The Dark Lord Sauron's Ring of Power
Plot: Frodo the hobbit must destroy this Ring of Power - or give up their free lands for lost. He is joined on his quest by his friends, who have personal battles of their own to fight. Braving terrible dangers, the fellowship sets out on its journey to Mount Doom - the one place the Ring can be unmade.
Solution: Through the perils of backstabbing traitors, evil wizards, ravenous orcs, and other vicious devices of Sauron, the Ring travels across Middle Earth to the fires of Mount Doom, and is cast into the flame.

FIREPROOF

Provident Film and Sherwood Pictures (or, the FACING THE GIANTS people) are working up another movie and the trailer is OUT!!!!!!!!! The movie is supposed to be released August 2008 so tell me what you think!!!! More on J-dude's birthday later!

Happy Birthday Lane!!!!!

Welcome to your blog party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For your 14th birthday, I thought it would be fun to go here:

Of course all the animals are tame so you can pet them. After we have hours of fun with tigers and hippopotamuses and all that jazz, it's time to go... SWIM WITH DOLPHINS!!!!!

They don't bite and the water's fine!!!!!!! Also nice to have some hot weather for once. Letsee... what next... Oh! You must be kinda hungry, so lets go to...
You'll probably only eat salad, but oh well. Now it's time for presents. I got you:

Baby lion cubs!!!!! There are five, and their names are Dog, Cat, Bunny, Horse, and Charles-Lorenzo Humperdink.

Well, I think that's as awesome as a birthday can get! Oh, wait. I forgot. Johnny Depp, Geoffry Rush, and Kiera Knightly stopped by to say happy birthday, but you were swimming with dolphins. So they just told me to tell you happy birthday for them. Shame you missed them.

So there ya have it!!!!!!! Hope you had fun at your blog party and have a great 14th year!!!!!!! *it sure beats 13 I can tell ya that*:P Well, Luvyalots!!!!!!!

AZ Bound

Going to Arizona for Sticks's soccer tourney!!!!!!!!!! See you when the weekend is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God Bless Yall Bunches!!!!!!!!!

Farewell Favre

VERSE OF THE DAY: Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. Proverbs 19:20

You know I've said it (and cried it) before and I have. You know he's said it (and cried it) before and he has. But now the nightmare is reality - Brett Favre, the 38-year-old, 17 season, hall of famed, number 4 quarterback for the Green Bay Packers is really gone.

Gone.

He has retired and we shall never see him throw a football again. America shall miss him so and all Packers fans shall spend this never-forgotten night with pillows drenched in tears over our "mentally tired" quarterback. Toria and I found out at the exact same time, so we talked about sorrows and weeping and gnashing of media teeth on the phone. You may notice I am being very sorrowfully subdued about this. I thought he would retire last year and got my tears out and my heart close to healed. He was my favorite best awesomest, so I cried as he did in 2006 and gave my heart to Peyton. A worthy recipient, but Favre came back!!! But I knew it was coming: he would have to leave soon. And somehow I know now... inexplicably... unexplainably... that it is time for him to - not step down as some would say - but set in concrete his hall of fame place and set in stone his fans' support and love.

This is NOT defeat.

This is NOT retreat.

This is Victory.

It is finished.

A good career ended.

A living legend in place.

A drug addiction.

A Super Bowl.

A wife with breast cancer.

Two daughters.

A number 4.

A big "G".

Seventeen years throwing pigskins.

Thousands of fans.

A Hall of Fame.

Nothing left unsaid.

Nothing left undone.

It is finished.

Brett is Victorious.

Favre 4ever.

Stuff I'm up 2

Gotta babysit in a few minutes. I toured the CCU campus yesterday and got a bunch of papers I need to look over. I'm planning on getting what they call "An English Major with an Emphasis on Creative Writing". Neat-o!!!!!!! I should talk to Lana about the whole CLEP ordeal. Lana, did you CLEP any classes? But it's cool, the CCU student writers put out a magazine with their work! How cool is THAT??? Really cool!!!!!!! Got my Peyton Manning jersey in the mail this week!!!!!!!!!!! I love it and it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Got pics, but they're not on here. Also got a couple new Sanctus Real cds on my iPod. Dad has decided that he really likes them! They ARE good. Also got a Dc Talk doubletake cd with the albums JESUS FREAK and SUPERNATURAL. Me likey!!!!!!!

I would like to draw your attention to the Girls of God blog. I post on it semi-regularly and it is NOT an abandoned blog!!!! I'm putting the KJ52 song, DEAR SLIM lyrics up here. I mention it and show the video on the GoG blog. The lyrics would've made it a WAY long post, so I'll stick em up here. It's a good song. There's actually 2. This one's the first one, the second one is when Slim heard this song.

Dear Slim I never wrote you or been callin

My name ain't Stan son, nah we've never met and

My name's KJ let me begin by introducing now

Myself to you and these very reasons I'll be writin

Why I took the time, the who what where and why and

The purpose of my verse, the reasons I'm reciting

What I hope your learnin from the truth I pray your finding

And every word I'm writin down upon the dotted lines and

See I heard ya first album, was called Infinite

I shook my head cause nowadays you soundin different

What drove ya take your whole persona and be flippin it now

What makes a man totally change see I ain't getting it

See was you sick of getting booed when you was rippin it

And sick of never havin dough and you your wanted to put an end to it

What good's all kinds of dough

Plus all kinds of flow

To gain a world of fans but suffer the loss of soul

CHORUS

La la la la la la,

La la la la la la la la

To whom it may concern x4

Dear Slim I never wrote you or been calling

This is my 2nd letter cause see son I gots a real problem

It's that to you that I'm always catching these comparisons

And after shows I got these people coming up to me sayin

You sound like Slim Shady son you sound like Eminem

And I be like now really man, do I gots to go through this again

See I used to get mad and sick of people saying that

Till at this one show this one day I met this one cat

He told me how he used to listen to you but now he listens to me

Had your LP but threw it out and bought my CD

I'm like for real he's like yeah he said my music made a difference

It got him away from all your words and images

I gotta mention this, now what about the effects you have on kids

You ever stop to think about the millions you influence

Or is it just irrelevent is it true life you telling it

Or just the way for some record companies sellin it

The only thing we got in common is our melanin

Or lack of it but anyway now this is what I'm sayin

It's for you that I'm on my knees now daily prayin

Prayin that God opens your eyes now to what I'm relayin

Now I'm praying that it's your heart that will soon be changing

Prayin one day that you'll be calling upon His name and

But anyway I'm signin off now don't keep me waitin

This is KJ another cat just trying to make it

CHORUS

Dear Slim I heard about the stuff you's going through

See I could relate to you cause son I'm about as old as you

See we both know what it's like just to be growing up to be in a neighborhood

When you's the only one and only kid that's white

Or to get booed when you on the mic just because your skin is light

It ain't right but sometimes you know that's life

But really tell me what you do

You just push on with hopes on that someday you'll put on your crew

I hope you understand that I ain't even dissin you

And even though its a song you'll probably never listen to

See what I send to you is this

Is that a life without Christ is just a life that is never fixed

Hope you remember this now a few sentences

About a living God who loves you and plus forgives

And I'll be praying for your ex-wife and plus your kid

It's hard to live in a world as crazy as this one is

And even though now it really might sound redundant

God's got mad love for you up in a mad abundance

You'll sell a couple mill I'll probably sell a couple hundred

There's more to life then selling records and just getting blunted

But anyway that's really all I gots to say

Just another word from an emcee now around the way

Maybe some day we meet each other in some way

Till then one love one God one way

CHORUS

VERSE OF THE DAY: Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2 (I like that there one!)

So.... why am I posting???? I dunno.... hmmm letsee. Oooo! The dog got sick all over the house, but you probably didn't want to know that:z Then Mayfee broke a bowl:z I got BOOKS from the library!!!!!!!!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got MANNING and THE LAST SIN EATER yesterday. Finished MANNING today and shall start LAST SIN EATER later tonight. Bekah told me to and she and EmNm both said that that was a jolly good movie. Been sick. Still a bit, but I get around. But not as far as the Tobymac/Jeremy Camp/Matthew West concert last night:( Horrid and sad!!!!:( Oh, well. It was Sir Luke's birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Sir Luke!!!!!!!!!!!!! And thank you (and Nan too apparently) for bringing Emy THE HOBBIT!!!! I tried to tape Super Bowl XLI for Toria today. Watched the whole thing and for some perverse reason it didn't tape!!!!! The rage!!!! I'll try sometime else. I almost know every play, I've watched that game so many times!!!!!! We maybe might do something fun tomorrow like a hike or something! I found a cool hebrew word in Isaiah! It's Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. Took me a bit to actually say it out loud. It means: "Quick to the plunder, Swift to the spoil!!!!!!!" Whoa!!!! Neat I says!!!!! I think I'll use that sometime! I used an my last iTunes card on a PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN soundtrack. It's DEAD MAN'S CHEST. The organ music isn't as.... full as I expected. When Davy Jones plays the music box song in the movie it sounds SOOO resounding and neat and amazing. Not AS much on the cd, but it is good and I like it. Not EVERYBODY can put a soundtrack together like Howard Shore ya know!

Like I mentioned, Emy is reading the hobbit!!!!!! That makes me happy, but she knows not what Gollum/Smeagol sounds like. So, here it is:

"They're thieves. They're thieves. They're filthy little thieves. Where is it? Where is it? They stole it from us, my precious. Curse them, we hates them! It's ours it is, and we wants it!"

"Cold be heart and hand and bone and cold be travelers far from home."

"They do not see what lies ahead when sun has failed and moon is dead!"

"Musn't ask us, not it's business! Gollum, gollum!"

But Smeag looks REALLY evil in that picture.

"There is a sample of how Gollum talks. I don't suppose you want to hear any more" as Gandalf would say. So, here's something a bit more lighthearted: Boromir reminiscing about his beloved city.

"Have you ever seen it Aragorn? The white tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, it's banners caught high in the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home, by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?"

Man, someday I want to be called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets! That would be the best thing EVER!!!!!!! All eyes are on You, Lord. All eyes are on You.

Valentine's Day!!!!

~*VERSE OF THE DAY: Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21*~

Valentine's Day was funfunfun!!!!!! Made a chocolate cherry pie and watched Superbowl XLI again while knifty-knitting a cool scarf. Twas nice!!!! We all put our valentines for each other on the plates before we eat then look at them all. That was fun. Mom and Dad got us all new mugs and chocolate. J-dude got everybody presents. Then we all take our valentines and put them on our beds then eat. We had chicken spaghetti!!! After we ate we watched Funniest Home Videos and I taught Lucy how to knifty-knit.

Yesterday I got a valentine from Emmers and a letter from Toria!!!!! I like mail!!!!!!! Yesterday was also Lady's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you Lots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talked to her today and it was funfunfun!!!!!!

The little boys had a soccer game today and Jess scored 2 goals!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! It so stinks I wan't there!!!!!!!!!!! Blogger is having Spell Ckeck and Picture uploading problems so I can't post the oh-so-cute pictures:Z Well, everybody stay beautiful and His kingdom come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peyton Manning's Best Commercials for Toria

VERSE OF THE DAY: But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. Psalm 13:5

NFC won the pro bowl. Arrrg! But they only had Peyton in for a few minutes and that was why:) But Lifehouse played at halftime and Adrian Peterson was MVP and gave the praise where it belonged. So great! Tyree did too, during his interview for those outstanding catches in the superbowl. Despite Mike Vick and all these other scandals, there is good in these famous athletes.

Just made some brownies with Mayfee. He had a beard of chocolate licking the beaters! But he loves to make stuff. Got all my valentines done and so did Bird. Huzzah!!!!

Watched Monster House last night. Junk. But not as junky as the bridge to terabithia!*Yiick!*

Talked to Toria on the phone last week. So COOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was fun making her guess who I was:P She has NEVER seen a Peyton Manning commercial so I told her I'd put some up here for her to watch! Enjoy darlin!!!

"The Winnie the Pooh one":P

Priceless Pep Talks - Minivan

Priceless Pep Talks - Gut

Peyton Manning Mastercard Commercial

The Manning QBs

Manning Family ESPN Tour

And here's some Favre stuff!

Deanna Favre Intro

Brett Favre Mastercard Commercial

SOUNDS OF THE GAME with Brett Favre


This should be good for ya girly!

Funny boys

VERSE OF THE DAY: *~Children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.~* Psalm 127:3-5

Here are some funny things about the guys around here lately:

• J-dude ~ He gave me a nice birthday card that said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGIN!!!" on it. Heehee! It was so cute! And he apparently taught Jess to spell it too! He called me "Mawmaw" as a baby. He was always kinda Meggy's boy. Now he's Sticks's henchman, but when he has something to spout, or a greivance to file he'll come and sit on my lap still.He's got really pretty eyes and when he learns a new soccer move he shows everybody until he's sure you saw the whole thing. Then he forgets he already showed you and shows you again! He does have a rocket leg! He's learning to read well. He's a loyal guy, and if you're on his side there's no way he's gonna leave. He watched RETURN OF THE KING recently with Drallen as his interpreter and eye coverer (I think the only part he couldn't watch was when the heads were catapulted and it WAS night). He wasn't scared, even when Shelob showed up! He thinks things through and deliberates before making a decision. He loves macaroni & cheese!

• Jess ~ He slurs profusley as he talks! He's a social guy during soccer games, but he does play pretty good in the big room with the guys! He likes XBOX and nerf guns and loud noisy fun! He has HUGE eyes!!!!!!!!! When he was little he called me "Deegan". It was awesome! As middle "little" he keeps his brothers moving! He's got big huge hands and feet. If meat's on the menu, he will have 7 helpings. Definatley the biggest carnivore we have! He's a good reader, but he likes to tell his own stories in between sentences:P Thinking things through IS NOT how he rolls!!!!!!!!
  Mayfee ~ He's got the most attitude of any guy we've had. I guess he's where Bird learns it because they play together a lot. Mayf is his own man and doesn't feel like he has to follow the big guys in order to be one himself. J-dude especially thought that way, but Mayf doesn't do anything unless he wants to, or is commanded by an authority. Like I said, Mayf and Bird are the best playmates and they make up pretty quick in a fight. He's got these eyebrows that can twist any which way!!!!! It is hilarious!!!! I'm pretty sure he could make them come off his head like the cartoons if he wanted!:P He's got a sweet little face. He's good at helping make brownies and the like. He's small for his age and real snuggly. Not like he'd actually LET you snuggle him or anything:P He barely eats anything. I mean, gimme a break, there's so many more fun things to do! He's got one of those open-mouthed giggly smiles! Cute!

• Sticks ~ He's a soccerman. He calls himself a Landon Dono-fan:P Ever since he snuck up on the man himself and high fived him, got his autograph on a rad card, and talked to him he's been Donofanned whenever he sees him on tv. He likes electronics and always beats Dad at FIFA 2007! He likes select books, but doesn't really care about reading them. He likes electronic MONOPOLY (I hate it. Why play? People just cheat and fight and are selfish with money and I spend the whole game {as banker mind you} telling players to shut up and PLAY FAIR!) He's gotten away with only changing a handful of diapers in his whole life. I dunno how, but it's amazing!!!!! He makes up goofy jokes. He's got great impressions of people!!!!!! It's hilarious, nobody else in the house can pull off as many mimicky faces as him. He can do women crying for no reason, sleepy MLS soccer players, bad actors doing what they do best, Thousand Foot Crutch guys' appearances, "welcome to CHILI'S" statues, etc. Oh the wonderful things Mr. Brown can do! He's a pretty good spy too!!!!!! I'm ryming and I don't think I like it. Sometimes he likes to come in the room when I'm reading to the girls and he always likes the story. But then the next morning he rolls his eyes and says he never did. Weapons are too cool!

That's just a little of the funnycute around here. Grandma and Grandpa just left:( Dad's doing... something and Zeke's with Mom.

Will Turner is staring from my calendar. I liked Jack better I think, but Elizabeth is next. Eli Manning is looking to pass above Will. Emy and me are below Will, and letters and cards are below Emy and me. Over my head are Britter, Bekah, and Cole. Above them is Aslan and his prophecy. On either side of him are 2 wooden Ms for Mall and Me. Across the window is Glamdring the Foehammer and on the adjacent wall is Richard the Lionhearted. And on either side of this screen are.... two speakers.

Did I mention before I saved 70 bucks on new bedding things? Well I did!!!!!!! Coupons ROCK BOAT!!!!!!!!!!! Now I have another coupon and I can go get a curtain rod for the preeety purple curtains Grandma made!!!!! My books are some due tommorow too, maybe I can go to the library today. God bless us all, every one!!!!!!

I'm handicapped: I can't see in the dark.

VERSE OF THE DAY: This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Dad's back!!!!!!!!!!! He came in sleepwalking yesterday, then slept a little nap (it was more like a... hibernation) then came out and watched the superbowl again! I still got tense even though I knew the score! Now he's feeling pretty good! Grandma and I went to Emo's and ate some... I don't quite know what, but it was good! Then we found BLOCKBUSTER and got THE VILLAGE and THE BRIDGE TO TERIBITHIA or something like that for Dad. We kids and Grandma watched the Village last night. That is a better movie every time I watch it!!! Helped Grandpa with his NEW YORK TIMES crossword puzzle yesterday too. Whenever he finds an impossible one, he sends me to the internet. Heehee! Found this vid of Eli and Peyton after the Superbowl on an NFL site. You have to turn it up to hear anything they're saying, besides the fact that they're speaking in football/brother code, but it's really sweet. Thought Toria'd like it!

Peyton's a good brother:) And I got to say my line! When the Pats were in the locker room I said: "THE PATS ARE NOT PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It was glorious!!!!!!!!!! And more football on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!! The Pro Bowl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE GIANTS ARE THE SUPERBOWL XLII CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!

Dad just had a successfull nose surgery right now. Dunno much bout dat, shall tell more later. Now for some happyhappyjoyjoy....

THE NEW YORK GIANTS ARE THE SUPERBOWL XLII CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Eli Manning is the MVP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joy and Escasy and Thank You God and Happiness and No More Pats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad SAID he wanted the Patriots to win. But he didn't really. I wrote a bad poem about Eli's season, but I'm not gonna put it up here.

Some direction from the Mann...

"YEAH!"

The Big Beautiful!

Brother hug

Peyton was up there watching the whole thing. I watched what they said to each other right after and they talked about the game a bit. Peyton kept on saying, "unbeliveable" and "I love you man". So sweet! Must go 2 bed now, but more later!

Good throws make good catches. Horrible throws make outstanding catches.

VERSE OF THE DAY: For you are all children of the light and of the day;we don't belong to darkness and night. 1 Thessalonians 5:5

Livin life. So here's what's new...

Grandma H made me some curtains and pillowcases to match my quilt. And are they awesome! Haven't hung the curtains yet, I still need to get a rod. Linens & Things is having a sale, so I think Mom and I will go there. Zekey threw a tantrum when Mom dragged him away from the dog's water. He put his head down on the ground, snot and tears running freely. I just finished listening to the audiobook of Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy. That is a great book! Now I'm finishing the Pride & Prejudice podcast. Reading INKHEART to get an idea of the movie. Some bad language, so I'm a bit concerned for the watchers' welfare on account of Hollywood's lean toward that. But I dunno, maybe it'll be good. I hope it will! In church we're starting a new series on heaven. You don't hear a lot of sermons on that, and it was pretty good! There's so many things to imagine about it that we don't know. Also reading FAIREST out loud to the girls and it's just great! Reading Jane Eyre and skipped ahead to make sure she marries the guy. She does, so no worries. Here's where they meet the dwarf in my book - the rough copy.

The woods were quiet. Very, very quiet. Trojan walked along, gathering firewood - dead firewood, and keeping a watchful eye for Human Orcs. It seemed impossible that they could be so near in such silence. He picked up a dry branch and turned back toward the camp. He heard a twig crack behind him. Trojan whirled around, hand on his sword. Nothing. Just woods. He slowly walked backwards towards the camp, and heard somebody breathing behind him. If this was Huntram or Lendryn, he thought, they had better hold sufficient reason for stalking him. He turned his head, and there stood a small, stout being, with a firey red beard, axe at the ready. The dwarf received a face full of wood, while Trojan whirled around again. A rough looking man darted behind a tree and fired an arrow at him. Trojan dodged it and let out a eagle call, which was the emergency signal for the others. He ran towards the tree, but the bowman was gone again. "He must be a ranger or an elf" thought Trojan, facing the dwarf. The axe swung here and there with a couple of near-misses. Eldarion rushed up and the surprised dwarf felt the cool of metal on the back of his neck. He froze. Trojan and Huntram kicked around in the bushes for the bowman, but he was nowhere to be found. "Drop your weapon!" Eldarion snapped to the dwarf.

"Never!" he barked back. "I pledge my weapons, not surrender them!"

Eldarion raised his brows. Lendryn could tell he was impressed. "Rarely have I seen such bravery, nor such foolishness. Tell me," he said, allowing the dwarf to turn around. "Since you pledge your weapons, I wonder who you pledge them to? The highest bidder, perhaps?"

The dwarf looked disgusted. "You jest! Once a dwarf's loyalties are set they are set in stone! My allies are those who hate Gastro and the Human Orcs"

Eldarion nodded musingly and sheathed his sword. Huntram expected the dwarf to strike, but it did not. "We may keep the same company then. What is your name?"

"Maab Kuldar of the Iron Hills."

"That's where we're from!" Huntram blurted excitedly.

"Silence!" Eldarion snapped.

Trojan was still angry. "And who was your friend?" Maab looked curiously at him. "That sneaky fellow with the bow."

"He is Gage. And he's not with me."

"And how is it that you two travel this land in which you have no business?" Trojan asked in a rough voice.

Maab looked his hate. "I have not pledged my loyalties, not to you, cloaked man. What do you suspect of my business to ask it? And how comes it to be your business to ask mine?"

Eldarion took over. "Why are you in Mirkwood?"

"I could ask the very same question to you!"

People could only toy with Eldarion for so long. He raised his voice and drew his sword again. "It appears that you are at our mercy, so if you want to spare your life than you will do yourself a favor by answering what I ask you!"

Maab's face became more controlled but he remained undaunted. "I do not give information until I know who I am giving it to. Who are you and your companions? Where do yout loyalties lie?"

"This is Trojan Strongsword of Gondor. These are Huntram and Lendryn Shaster. This is Brithil the Elf from Mirkwood. Our loyalties lie away from the king."

Maab waited. When he got no further introduction, he asked "And you?" Eldarion glanced at Trojan, who kept his eyes on the ground and shook his head.

"I am Cyras of Gondor. Now tell us your business."

The dwarf seemed hesitant to answer. "I seek a man."

"What man?" Trojan snapped.

"Eldarion son of Aragorn." Trojan, Brithil, and Eldarion maintained their expressions, but the boys gasped and looked at Eldarion. It did no harm as Eldarion was already speaking. "Your search is over, Friend dwarf. I am Eldarion son of Aragorn." Trojan made an astonished noise and looked as if their whole quest had been betrayed. Eldarion continued, "If you are a spy which I see that you are decidedly not, we are too many for you. If you are a friend, look into my eyes and see that it is so."

Gee whiz, that is awful. And the only reason Eldarion knows he's not a spy is because he has certain abilities. It's not foolish assumption. Please don't think any less of me for having a terrible bit of scribble on the internet. I'd better leave, the spell check on this thing is going nuts! Heehee!

Sticking an open can of mayo in somebody's ventilation would be the BEST thing EVER!!!!

Getting around to this....

8 Things I'm Passionate About:
1. My perfect God Jesus, the Mind behind the universe. He's loving, merciful, dangerous, and works everything out just the way it's supposed to be.
2. My awesome family! They're so funny, abnormal, just to my taste, many, and more than less than unhelpful!:P
3. My friends! They still keep in touch with me and do things for me even though I can't hang out with them anymore.
4. Reading!
5. Writing. I hate and love it, as I hate and love myself.
6. Hanging out with fun company. Could be shopping with Mom, telling jokes that make no sense with the girls, catering to Bird's every whim, Adumadapia (not many will get past that one!), nerf gun fighting with boys, or watching TV with Dad!
7. Thinking about how different things compare with other things in the Bible.
8. Jesus Christ - wait, used it. televisiaphonernetting

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
1. Complete that book I'm writing. Lord only knows what will happen to it after that, and I'm not making any plans as of right now.
2. Going whale-watching would be really cool.
3. Get married
4. Graduate high school (preferably in AR) and college (preferably at CCU)
5. Direct a full-length movie
6. See my brothers play in an MLS soccer team and score goals.
7. See THE HOBBIT as directed by Peter Jackson and as scored by Howard Shore
8. Seconds before I die, I guess I would want to just dramatically save somebody from getting runned over by the LAKEWOOD TRANSPORTATION bus or something.

8 Things I Say Often:
1. What?
2. Dude!
3. Bird, just wait a minute!
4. Cool!
5. Show them no mercy for you shall receive none! (Algebra is SINISTER!)
6. That would rock the boat!
7. Awesome!
8. Heeheeheehee!

8 Books I've Read Recently:
1. I'm reading INKHEART
2. ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine
3. MEET MOLLY out loud to Louie
4. TWO TOWERs by JRR Tolkien
5. An ELSIE DINSMORE book, don't member which...
6. THE NEW REBELLION by... I don't member right now and it's dark in my room
7. Psalms, yup the whole awesome thing!:P
8. Listening to PRIDE and PREJUDICE audiobook, does that count?

8 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over:
1. LET THAT BE ENOUGH by Switchfoot
2. MIND'S EYE by DC talk
3. NO ORDINARY LOVE by TobyMac
4. ATMOSPHERE by DC talk
5. ALREADY OVER pt. 2 by RED
6. PIECES by RED
7. ONE WORLD by Tobymac
8. EVERYTHING by Lifehouse

8 Albums I Love:
1. PORTABLE SOUNDS by Tobymac
2. END OF SILENCE by Red
3. JESUS FREAK by dc Talk
4. THE RETURN OF THE KING by Howard Shore
5. NO NAME FACE by Lifehous
6. THE ART OF BREAKING by TFK
7. THE NEW WAY TO BE HUMAN by Switchfoot
8. THE BEAUTIFUL LETDOWN by Switchfoot I guess

8 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends:
1. They are VERY beautiful! ;)
2. They are funny
3. They have amazing personalities (Uh, yeah that's a good thing:P)
4. They pray for me
5. They shove me around
6. They like the same things I like
7. They think up... things. At least one of my friends has gotta be famous someday, I mean, I know this many brilliant people and none of them end up famous? I don't think so!
8. They besides INSANE, they have pretty good psychiatrist skills:P!

8 Things I've Learned This Past Year:
1. You don't get ANYTHING until God's ready, no matter how ready you suppose you are
2. Living almost a year without a dad in the house in UNCOOL. I wouldn't recommend it, if you're thinking of trying it out folks!
3. If your friends are really friends, they stick it through with you
4. God knows what he's doing and is not concerned of what we think of his plan
5. I am under Bird's finger. She can (and does) tell me to "do __ now!" and I mechanically move
6. Tagg kids can do anything inevitable or inescapable with realtive comfort and make it fun. We all amazed ourselves this year!:P
7. When your sister says she doesn't have a crush on anybody, you shouldn't say, "Yeah sure." Ok, ok, ok, I'm kidding!!!!!! What I meant was Five little brothers are better than four!!!
8. God's mercies are literally new every morning!

8 People I'm Tagging:
Everybody reading this!!!!!! Especially Mom. I'd like to see her copy and paste! Heehee! Kidding! Mom is getting more computer smart!

2 good things

VERSE OF THE DAY: He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 1 Timothy 2:6

#1 best: A few days ago, I received a birthday box from my awesome gorgeous Arkansas friends!!!!!! Thank you yall wonderful sweet girlfriends!!!!!! I loved ALL the stuff and all the cards and all the notes and everything!!!!!!!!!! It is doubly great to know I am still thought about in the magical land I fled by the prettiest girls in it!!!!!!!!! So the title of this post should really be, "4 good things" but oh well. I am coming to see yall soon and I'll give you all the biggest squeeze ever!!!!! I love yall and miss yall bunches and muches and all other expressions that have the general or somewhat relative meaning of the phrase: "A LOT".

PS - While speaking to all Your Coolnesses, if yall could pray about the productiveness and controlledness of my Bible study, It would very much appreciated. I haven't been as "on the ball" with it, per se. Thanks!<3

#2 best: It's not THE BEST, but it is a "good thing" so I shall say: Eli Manning (aka: BOY) is going to the SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!!! Deathly sad for the Packers. Shed three tears for Favre. Wanted them to win somethin awful. But I just can't manage to be MAD at Eli!!!!!!!! I've never wanted the Giants to lose before, and it's good to have another Manning in the Big Bowl, especially as this one almost lost his job earlier this season. It was below zero out there, seriously, and like a teen QB vs. a 40s QB. Good ol' Favre. I hope he doesn't leave us now. But I must say I am happy, very, very happy for the Manning boy. Now the Superbowl will be torment: a long, slow, grinding, defeat that crushes confidence, body, mind, and team under a white, silver, red, and blue cleat. Pain and sorrow for Archie's baby:( I'll hate to see him lose, but it'll be be beauty miraculous if he wins. And for the record, I BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, little excerpt from the Tagg dinner table tonight: Sticks the 11yearold, at a very slight mention of the subject, says in a 1% clueless, 20% exasperated, 89% "I'm older than I am" voice, "How come women (word said in a contempty attitude) always for no reason start crying?" followed by a graphic (and pretty good) impersonation of Boo-hooing. Dad says, "Son, if you could get the answer to that, you could write a single paragraph "Why women cry for no reason" and charge thirty bucks and every man in America would buy it." LOL

Snaps for Brothers!

True Peyton didn't lead his team to fame and fortune. But his dear brother, Eli Manning took his New York Giants to Dallas to beat..... ROMO and the DALLAS COWBOYS!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy for the boy and happy that the Cowboys never got any better than the Colts. Now let us watch an inspiring clip of Peyton beating Eli up.

God Bless us every one!