The Streets of Elangard, By Hero London

Feeling a bit under the weather today... I think I've been eating too many sweets...

I am only four and a half chapters in... but I can't help it! I LOVE this book! And I am determined to say as many good things about it as I possibly can, so that it will get more attention, and catch the eye of some SMART literary agency or publisher, so that I can one day actually BUY the darn thing and have it on my shelf instead of my computer...

I love fantasy novels. They've got to be my favorite genre of all time. I've read Eddings, Tolkein, Lewis, Paolini, Carroll, Rowling, Owen, Miller... I don't know if you recognize all of those, but they are what I classify as "fantasy authors".

And now I have a new one to add to the list: London.



The characters in this book are so much fun. When you read you can feel Daena-Rose's emotions in your own heart. Whether it's fear, excitement, hesitancy, or interest, London makes it so easy to relate. Plus she is awesomely good at cliffhangers, so you can't help but want to keep reading! Just in the first five chapters there has been so much to think about.

Daena-Rose grew up as a mistreated and abused servant girl. An orphan, she doesn't really remember her parents, but she does recall stories told to her of the great city Elangard. When she hears something she shouldn't have, she realizes her life is at risk, and flees. With the help of the handsome Darrett and the jokester Spartz, she makes her way toward the city of her dreams. But someone is trying to stop her... Why? Who would want to kill a servant girl? Will she be able reach Elangard?

I can not wait to find out.

To read along with Daena-Rose's story, go to ChapterhouseLane.blogspot.com and find a way to follow. We're only halfway through chapter five, so it'll be easy to catch up.

Also, I now have The Screwtape Letters as well as the audio book for A Tale of Two cities so I will be reading the Lewis book first, and then I'll finish Dickens by listening to him.

Happy reading!

Darci - The Page Traveler

P.S.
If you're reading along, what are your thoughts on Daena-Rose's story so far? What do you like, or not like about it? If you haven't been following, do you want to now? What would make it more interesting for you? What would draw you in? i'd love to hear your thoughts in a comment or an email!

Feel free to share this post on Facebook or Twitter with as many friends as you want. This gal NEEDS to be published, so let's give her all the help she can get, shall we?

"Love, Daddy" Letter 1

As of last week, Turner has finally started reading this blog on a semi-regular basis. On Monday, he read my "Love, Mom" letter, and decided to write a letter to Monkey himself. So here it is! Enjoy.




My dear sweet Monkey boy,


I want to share with you my treasures. 


I treasure play time together, rolling and giggling on the floor. 


I treasure each smile. The feelings I get each time I walk through the front door or walk into the room and find you there smiling up at me are really quite amazing and indescribable. 


I treasure your kisses and hugs. At 18 months old you already understand that kisses mean "I love you!" 



You are sweet and generous with your love as your mother & I endeavor to teach you and love you every day. 


Mommy gets more hugs than I do, but that makes each one I get that much more special. 


I treasure cuddle time when we sit and watch your favorite movies, "The Incredibles", "Cars", & "Happy Feet." 


I treasure our conversations as you chatter away the day. I have no idea what you are talking about but know that I treasure every word, and long for the day when I can listen & understand every thought of your heart. 


I treasure Mommy. She is so wonderful & does so much for us. We would be lost without her. Please tell her that you love her and remember to say "thank you"  every chance you get. 

I treasure you. It was impossible to imagine having a child of my own. I was so frightened  when I first found out you were coming. Now I cannot imagine life without my little Monkey boy. 




Silver, gold and jewels so grand 
Can never compare to the touch of my sweet child's hand.




Thank you for loving Mommy & I. We will always be here for you.


Love, 


Daddy

Too Rich For a Bride, by Mona Hodgson

I got this book through a program called Blogging for Books. I thought, Oh! Awesome! I can get the books I want to read for free, just by blogging about them, this'll be sweet!

Well, it wasn't quite that sweet. I could only choose from certain books, from a specific publisher. But, I'd signed up for it, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I chose a book, got it in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and just finished it on Monday morning... early, Monday morning. I couldn't sleep the night before, so I stayed up reading until about 2 am. That's a big deal for me, considering I usually go to bed around 9 or 10. But, I managed to still be productive during the day, and didn't even need a nap :-)

So, here is my official review of Too Rich for a Bride, by Mona Hodgson.



This is a great story. I was excited to read a period piece set in the turn of the century American west. The characters are very well developed, and the references to God, sometimes subtle and sometimes not, are not a distraction from the story, as I was nervous they might be. They provide a good deal of depth to the thoughts and emotions of the various characters.

The things I loved most was, as I read the emotions of the characters falling in love, I fell in love with my husband all over again, and the description in the characters and scenery was detailed, without being overly so.

A couple of things that bothered me:

1. Because the author switches perspectives often, it sometimes became difficult to tell from whose view I was seeing as I read.

2. With the perspective changes, the author focused on two main characters, which immediately alerted me to who would end up with whom by the end of the story. I was disappointed with that, because it gave the ending away early.

Getting through those things was easy however, because it really was a very engaging book. I got six chapters in by reading here and there over a two week period, and then when I couldn't sleep one night I just read until two in the morning until I finished. It was a great sit-down-to-read type book, but not one that was easy to pick back up after a day of not reading.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Hopefully you will too :-)

Thanks for reading!

Darci - The Page Traveler

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, in exchange for writing this review.

"Love, Mom" Letter 5

Dear Monkey,

You are adorable. I love when you pretend magic! Whether with your wand or your hands, it makes me laugh... you've definitely put a spell on us, we love you so much, it's indescribable :-)



Sometimes, Mommy has bad days...
Sometimes, Mommy is in so much pain that even changing your diaper is difficult.
Saturday was one of those days.

Then Sunday was a hard day for you!
You tripped over someone's shoe and hit your face on a corner :-(
Poor buddy...
It's okay though, it will heal soon, I promise.

In the meantime, Daddy's been calling you "Scarface." I'm just glad it's not really that bad.

As for this week, we'll be going on a little trip on Friday!
We get to go see Grandma and Grandpa "C" who live in the mountains!

But before that, I promise we'll go swimming, and go to the library, and have lots of fun!

Thanks for being patient with me, while I learn how to be a good mommy.
Daddy says he loves you.
I love you too.

Love,

Mom

Movies & Books

First of all, I would like to announce,

sadly,

I did not make the top twelve for Blogger Idol.

I'm disappointed, but I will keep you guys up to date on the goings-on, and I'll be voting for my favorite bloggers, which you should do too :-) Maybe I'll follow along and write the challenges too, just to get some good writing practice in. I imagine it'll be easier without the pressure to perform.

Today I'd like to tell you about a couple of fun things that my family loves.

When Turner woke up this morning, he saw that he'd received a text message from a random number in Texas. But the contents of the message were what surprised him even more.

"Hey, are you going to Myst tonight?"

Do any of you know what Myst is?

I'll tell you:

Myst was originally a video game played on PC computers (left cover). You, as the player, are a stranger on the island of Myst. You follow clues and solve puzzles left by Atrus (the main character) and go into and out of books, called Ages. As you do all this, you learn more about the history of the people and places. This was one of Turner's favorite things growing up.


I was introduced to the books first (right cover), because Turner didn't have the game with him when we found his book. So, I read them. And I loved them. They had all the elements that I love, but in a completely new setting and story. It was so much fun to read.

Now, we found out, there is a movie planned for 2013! It should be amazing. With the technology available now, I can only imagine how incredible the movie will be. I really hope they do it well, because they're going to have a lot of people Turner's age, who played the game, getting VERY excited about it :-)


Next, today is the day that Cars 2 is released in theaters!

Cars is one of Monkey's favorite movies. So we're contemplating taking him to the theater for Cars 2. I figure if we go early in the day, or on an off day, that there won't be many people in the theater and it won't bother anyone if he freaks out and we have to leave.

As for me, I have lots of favorite movies, but one series that is definitely at the top of my list is the Pirates of the Caribbean series, specifically the first movie. It ranks up there with my childhood favorite, The Princess Bride.

Now, I believe I've told you before that my favorite books are 2 series' by David Eddings called The Belgariad and The Mallorean.

Now, this also includes three other books that tell the back story and history of the world in which these characters exist.

Belgarath the Sorcerer, tells the back story from his perspective, Polgara the Sorceress, does the same from hers (she's his daughter), and The Rivan Codex is the history, monetary systems, etc. for each of the countries involved in the story.

Thirteen books altogether.

I think they'd look awesome in movie form, but honestly, they're WAY too involved for anyone to try. The characters are endearing and relate-able, and the detail that comes through in the text is incredible. There's not too much prose, which is my problem with Lord of the Rings, and the dialogue is pretty modern, without resorting to slang, so it's easy to understand. There are words here and there that you'd need to look up if you want to really connect with it, but most things you can get from context clues.

What's your favorite story? Whether it's in video game form, movie form, or book form, I'd love to hear about it in a comment or an email.

Have a great weekend friends!


Darci - The Page Traveler

P.S. What should I call you guys? Bookmates? My Crew? Bookworms? What do you think?

The Great Debate: Mayonnaise vs. Miracle Whip

Here is my personal Mayonnaise/Miracle Whip story...

In my parent's house while I was growing up, we generally had Miracle Whip in the fridge.

But whenever I went over to my grandparent's house, they had mayo. I remember not really liking it at that point.

However, later in life mayo became kind of nostalgic because it reminded me of my grandparents. I started eating it here and there on certain things... tuna sandwiches, and especially fresh grown garden tomato sandwiches.

Then I got married.



Turner tells me that while he was growing up, they generally had Mayo in the fridge. When we were married and moved into an apartment together, we bought both for a long time. I remember buying a big thing of Miracle Whip for me, and a tiny little container of Mayo for him (because I ate more sandwiches than he did).

I don't know when it happened, but at some point, I began to prefer the taste of Mayo. I can't explain what it is... Miracle Whip became too sweet, and Mayo tasted... better.

So before you draw your own conclusion, here's a little history lesson via trusty Wikipedia...

Mayonnaise:
A sauce. A stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk, and either vinegar or lemon juice.
The most probable origin of mayonnaise is that the recipe was brought back to France from the town of Mahón in Menorca (Spain), afterArmand de Vignerot du Plessis's victory over the British at the city's port in 1756. According to this version, the sauce was originally known as "salsa mahonesa" in Spanish and "maonesa" in Catalan (as it is still known in Menorca), later becoming mayonnaise as it was popularized by the French.

Miracle Whip:
A white salad dressing and sandwich spread manufactured by Kraft Foods. It is often used as an alternative to mayonnaise in recipes, although it is sweeter and has additional contents.
In 1933, Kraft was a well-established distributor of mayonnaise, yet sales were slipping as a result of the Great Depression.Kraft developed a new dressing similar to mayonnaise, but at a lower price. Premiering at the Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago in 1933, Miracle Whip was an instant success as a condiment on fruits, vegetables and salads.

I know that many people have VERY strong opinions about this. You've heard mine, what's yours?

Darci - The Page Traveler

A Few Updates

Oh boy, oh boy oh boy!

I'm not sure I mentioned it here, but I did in fact decide to audition for Blogger Idol 2011...

And the Top 12 will be announced this Friday!

I'm so excited, I can't wait to see if I made it!

-----------------------

And now I'm sad, because Blogger is being dumb and not letting me upload any pictures or videos...



So I guess this will have to do for today.

Lame sauce.

-----------------------

Oh well, I'll have a funny/controversial post for you tomorrow. I had planned it for today, but it's not quite finished yet. You'll love it :-)

In other news, I am reading a book called Too Rich for a Bride, by Mona Hodgson. It's a pretty good story so far, but not as engaging as I'd hoped. I got it through a program called "Blogging for Books". I don't think I'm going to do it again though, because you have to choose a book from their list, instead of whatever book you want. I'll finish it, (because I basically signed a contract to read it and write a review) but I'm going to move right along after I'm done.

Let's see..... what else.......

We're going swimming today! Yay!!!

Monkey's been fussy lately... I think he might be teething or going through a growth spurt...

Oh, so I have a  funny story about yesterday... I made salsa for the first time! At first Turner said it tasted too leafy, because I didn't chop up the cilantro enough, but after the flavors mixed up a little more, he was like "Wow! This is SO good! I can't fit enough on a chip!" I didn't believe him at first, I thought he was mocking me. But he kept saying how delicious it was, so I guess he was being honest :-)

Then we had BLT lettuce wraps for dinner (yumminess), and afterward really wanted ice cream, but we didn't have any... so Turner went to the store to get us some while I got Monkey ready for bed. Then he calls me when he's on his way home and says, "I got a surprise for you... but I had to use the credit card to get it... "

Bad husband. My response? "Thanks. I reserve the right to make you return it."

What did he get?
Ultimate Editions of Harry Potter 5 & 6...
But did I have the willpower to make him return them?
No. Way.

So we spent the evening eating ice cream from separate cartons, and watching Harry Potter special features.

All in all, a good day. Especially food-wise.

I mean, can it get better than home made salsa, comfort food BLT's, and ice cream from your own personal carton?

I submit that it cannot.


Darci - The Page Traveler

(Lots of questions for you today, let's see who's brave enough to answer them all :-)

P.S.
What do you all think? If I make it into the top 12, will you vote for me? I'm gonna need all the help I can get! So if I make it, I expect ALL of you to tell ALL your friends about my blog, and have them follow me, and vote for me on Blogger Idol. Thanks friends!

P.P.S.
Do you like homemade salsa? BLT's? How do you eat ice cream? Do you prefer it in a bowl, or straight from the carton?

P.P.P.S
I've been thinking lately, I need to come up with a nickname for you guys... I was thinking something like Bookworms, or My Faithful Crew, or Bookmates or something... what do you think? Any ideas? Or do you like one of those?

Day 8: Awkward Obsessions

What does that mean?

Seriously. Because I'm not sure how I should respond.

"Awkward Obsessions"?

Does constantly searching online for the perfect home count as awkward? That's definitely an obsession of mine. Here's one of my favorites:

Isn't she a beauty?

I love imagining myself living in a house like this. I know I will someday. It's hard to look forward to something so awesome when you're current circumstances are so much less, but I try. I know we'll get there. 

Do the Harry Potter books count as an awkward obsession? If so, I definitely qualify... I mean, I don't go out and play (or even watch) Muggle Quidditch, but I DO attend the midnight showings with no shame whatsoever.

On that same subject (I think I've found what some would consider my Awkward Obsession...), we have all 7 HP books on Audio (the american recording, read by the awesomely British, Jim Dale) and so, I listen to them on a very regular basis.

While falling asleep...

While cleaning the house (especially while doing dishes)...

While driving...

While running (or walking, as of late)...

While doing just about anything.

Yes. And the funny thing is, I still hear new things every time through. I'm just starting book 6 at the mo', getting through all of them before the p-a-r-t-y that I'm throwing here in a few weeks.

But I have to say, it's only an awkward obsession when I'm talking about it with people for whom it is not. Which makes sense. If we both have the same awkward obsession, then it's not awkward to either of us, right?

Right.

What's your awkward obsession? Do we share one?

Darci - The Page Traveler

Sorry... couldn't resist ;-)

"Love, Mom" Letter 4

Dear Monkey,

I have a few things to tell you today, that you really should take to heart...

Listen carefully.

1. We play piano with our hands,
not our feet.
If you become a concert pianist, then you can learn to play with your feet...
if you want to.

2. I know you don't like having your diaper changed, but it's either that, or learn to use the potty.
Let me know your decision.



3. When we stop you from doing things, it means you're not supposed to do them.
Going right back to them, is counter productive.

4. You used to sleep through the night... let's discuss that...

5. This weeks challenge was a diaper rash. Next week, it will probably be something else. There will always be things we have to work through, physical or not. But Daddy and I will always be there to help you through them.

6. Getting dressed is not optional. It is mandatory. And that is my final word.

7. Slow down... I can't keep up.


Love,

Mom

_____________________________________________________

Dear "Turner",

As Father's Day was yesterday, I want to publicly thank you for all you do.

You work every day to provide for us, so that I can stay home and raise our son.

You support and encourage me in all of my endeavors.

You tell me I'm doing a great job, whether I am or not, in everything I do.

You love me, and Monkey, unconditionally.

You are brilliant, talented, loving, compassionate, and perfect for me.

I am so grateful I chose you as my eternal companion. 

Forever is a long time... are you ready?

:-)

Love, 

Darci

P.S.

Two questions: what funny things do kids do that make you laugh and wonder what they're thinking?

What do you love about your father/husband/grandfather etc. ??? 

Share your thoughts in a comment or an email, I'd love to hear from you!

pagetraveler@gmail.com

WOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!

WOW!

I am excited, elated,
and ridiculously proud
to announce that my
Alexa Ranking has dropped
UNDER A MILLION!!!!!!!

>>this is a good thing!<<

I am sitting happy at 923,304,
thank-you-very-much.


For those of you who may not know, Alexa.com is basically a website-ranking-website. It's not perfect, but it's the most accurate thing we've got right now.



For a full description of how the Alexa Ranking system works, CLICK HERE.

That post is where I learned about it, and when I read it back at the beginning of May, I did set the goal to get my ranking under one million.

And I've done it.


It's so funny to think that only a month and a half ago I was at like, 2 million, and now I'm up to 923,000.


If I can do it, anybody can.

So all you bloggers, if you want to build your blog, you'd better get crackin! Install the Alexa Toolbar, and watch your traffic and followers go up, up, up!



Have a great weekend! Thanks for traveling with me!

Darci - The Page Traveler

What do you think? Is Alexa a good tool in your opinion? I'd love to hear your thoughts. And thank you all for your support, it means a lot to me that people actually read what I write!

Day 7 and Other News

Day 7: 
What was your last Dream About?

Well...


Hmmm.......



If you're talking about sleep-dreams, then the last dream I remember having (since I rarely remember my dreams, ever) was about a guy I used to have a crush on in high school...


Weird, I know. But after honestly trying to remember a different recent dream, I admitted defeat, and just went with this one.

Excuse me now, while I spend the day with my husband.

Who I love.

What's your most recent sleep-dream, that you can remember?



Now, if you're talking about DAY-dreams, I've got plenty of those.

Here are the most recent:

- Finish my Book
- Make more money
- Move into a 4 bedroom house
- Have 50,000 followers on my blog
- Win Blogger Idol


I can't think of any others at the moment, but there are lots and lots.


In other news, I recently (as in, last night) had a little girl's night with my dear, amazing, beautiful friend Hero, author of Chapterhouse Lane, who encouraged me to continue using nicknames I'd long since discarded for my husband and son. You all currently know them as "husband" and "J-boy". Their new names will be as follows:

This is Turner,

as in The Page Turner.

Or maybe,

Head Turner...

.....rawr.

Back off, ladies, he's mine. I'm the Page Traveler, he is the Page Turner.

It works.

And this guy:

This is Monkey.

He loves to poke holes in his food before he eats it.

He loves to climb anything and everything.

And he's the cutest little thing you ever did see.

He hasn't started jumping on the bed yet, 

but I'm sure that will come with time.

So, from here on out, I am the Page Traveler, my husband is Turner, and our son is Monkey.

Welcome to the craziness.

Darci - The Page Traveler

P.S.

What was your most recent dream? What do you daydream about?

What do you think of the nicknames for my hubby and kiddo?

Share your thoughts in a comment or an email, thanks for traveling with me!

pagetraveler@gmail.com

Hi, I'm a Mormon.

I don't intend for this to be preachy, and I'm not trying to convince anyone to agree with me, I just felt that since I have this little spot to express my thoughts, I'd like for those who read it to know the belief system behind the things I write. My opinions, thoughts, and everything about me comes down to some very basic beliefs, which I will outline here.

I believe that God is our Eternal Father. We are tied to Him just as much as we are to our earthly fathers, if not more. He is the Father of our spirits. He knows us intimately, and wishes for us to get to know Him as well. He wants us to live righteous lives, so that we can return to live with Him after this life.

This is my favorite picture of Christ.
I often feel like this little girl.

I believe that Jesus of Galilee is the Christ. In his life, He taught, served, and loved. He rebuked and chastened when needed. And in the final hours of that life, He suffered immense pain and sorrow, taking the punishment for our sins upon himself, so that He would best understand our pain when we come to Him in repentance. He died on Calvary, was buried in a tomb, and rose again. I believe that He lives today. And through His resurrection, we will live again as well.

I believe that God has called prophets throughout time to lead His people. These prophets are not perfect, they are just men. But they have been called by Him, and given His power, and are strengthened by Him in their weaknesses. They write their teachings, which have become the scriptures we have today.

Current Prophet, and
President of the LDS Church
Thomas S. Monson

I believe that there is a prophet on the earth today. That God, our father, did not desert us after Christ's death, but He loves us enough to continue calling servants to guide and teach us, as prophets have done in the past.

I believe that the first of these modern-day prophets, Joseph Smith, was given an ancient record of scripture, unknown to men at the time, and was able to translate it through the gift and power of God. That record is known today as The Book of Mormon.

I believe that as a child of God, it is my responsibility to be the best I can in every area of my life. It is also my responsibility to repent when I make mistakes. I go to God in prayer, and ask in the name of Christ to be forgiven. I fix my mistakes as well as I can, and resolve to be better. Through this process, I am continually progressing toward the perfection needed to live in the presence of the Father.

I also believe, however, that I will not attain perfection in this life. It is only through the Atonement of Christ that I will be blessed to live with my Father again. There, I will continue to grow, learn and progress even after this life. And eventually, (in the FAR distant future) I will master all things, gaining the perfection I seek.

I believe that through the power of God, I have been united to my husband for eternity. Not just "til death do us part". I believe that God has given His power to men, that the things they bind on earth will be bound in heaven. This includes my family. Our children will all be born into this bond. My children will always be my children. This knowledge makes the parting of death a little easier to bear. Though the pain of separation is still severe, I find comfort in the knowledge that I will see our family again after this life.

I suppose that's most of it. If I didn't explain something clearly, feel free to leave a question in the comments or click on This Link to read more. Please remember that I'm not trying to convince anyone to believe as I do. These are, quite simply, the things I have found to ring true in my heart and mind.

Feel free to share this post. Thanks :-)


Darci - The Page Traveler

The Tale of Despereaux; Hope & Humility

This book is amazing.

And sad.

I finished it very quickly, reading it in only two or three sittings. It's a very easy read, and relatively short. I haven't watched the movie yet, but I'm working on it.

Today, I want to talk about two things that the book mentions. I will be quoting bits of the book, so if you haven't read it, and you'd rather not read snatches, then go no further. But I promise you that I won't be giving anything away by what I share.

First, Hope.

"Reader, do you think that it is a terrible thing to hope when there is really no reason to hope at all? Or is it... something that you might just as well do since, in the end, it really makes no difference to anyone but you?"

This struck me. To me, in my life, hoping is always, always, the better option. We all have a choice, and choosing to hope brings more hope. When I read this question to my husband, he said, "Hope is a black and white matter. Either you have hope, or have a lack of hope, which is despair. Each begets more of itself." And he's absolutely right! The quote says that hoping really makes no difference to anyone but "you", but I disagree. I believe that as we hope, believe, and have faith in our dreams or desires, those powerful emotions rub off on those with whom we interact. At the same time, if someone is lacking hope, or filled with despair, that emotion can effect individuals around that person as well. I believe, and it has been scientifically proven, (though I couldn't tell you the reference) that happy, positive thoughts are hundreds of times more powerful than negative thoughts.

This is good news!

It makes me think of the dementors in Harry Potter. They are such foul, evil creatures, feeding on negativity and despair, drawing the happiness out of any place or person with which they come in contact. But, a SINGLE HAPPY THOUGHT can produce a patronus to repell even a hundred dementors! It was brilliant of Jo Rowling to have written something so utterly true. (Sorry, to those who may not have read HP before, I've read them dozens of times, so the thoughts come naturally to me :-/  )


Second: Humility

"Reader, have you ever seen a king cry? When the powerful are made weak, when they are revealed to be human, to have hearts, their diminishment is nothing short of terrifying."

My initial thought on this, was a quote from a leader in my church, President Thomas S. Monson, who said, "...a man never stands taller than when he is upon  his knees." I was thinking of that quote until I reached the word, "terrifying". Because a man in humble prayer to his God is not a terrifying thing. So it got me thinking, why terrifying? These are two different types, or levels, of humility here. One, is self-initiated humility, (being the one Pres. Monson is talking about, humbling oneself before God) and the other, is caused by events out of an individual's control, as in the case with this king. My husband (the great thinker, remember?) explained it to me this way: the thing that is terrible in this case, is not the fact that a man is brought low, but that this is a king, who is subject to great pride, power, and control, being put in a position over which he not only has no control, but which has completely broken him. That is the terrifying part. That someone so great could be brought so low.

This also makes me think of Jesus Christ. He was a great man. The Son of God on earth, and He was brought lower than any other human being ever has, or ever will... food for thought, ay?

I know that for me, the first time I saw my father cry was a bit frightening. This was my dad! He's tough, he doesn't cry... but he had felt so strongly about something at the time, that he was brought to tears. It changed my view of him, knowing that his heart was soft.


These are the things that stood out to me in this book, the things that got me thinking.
What do YOU think? Do you agree that the choice to hope is better than choosing not to? Do you know anyone who you would be afraid to see brought to tears?

If you have a minute, share this post on facebook or twitter, and let's see if we can get more people in on the conversation here. Also, I'd love to hear what your initial thoughts were as you read those quotes.

Darci - The Page Traveler

P.S. I'm going to have to skip The Screwtape Letters for now, I'll be starting on a new book as soon as it gets here... I'll explain later. The book is called Too Rich for a Bride, by Mona Hodgson, if you're interested in following along.

Day 6: A Celebrity Crush and Why

Aren't they though?

Out of reach, but so desirable...


Blegh...



Sounds like Bella....

Anyway, here's my celebrity crush.


This guy:

Dang he's sexy. And he's ALL mine...

Lets get one thing straight, people:

I LOVE MY HUSBAND.


No celebrity, hot or not, will ever, EVER take his place in my life.



Love him.




Now, down to business.

I had a TON of these celebrity crushes as a teen. I was seriously, unashamedly, a full-out teeny-bopper. And proud of it.

But we'll get to that.

I will share my past, silly teenage crushes in a moment.
If I had to choose a current celebrity crush, It would probably be this guy:

Johnny Depp. So. dang. hot.


It's not because of his religious or political views, because I disagree with him on many things in those areas. But because he's a genuinely nice guy, an AMAZING actor, and has done so many things of which I am a fan! Edward Scissorhands, Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates, Alice in Wonderland, and more.








He looks great all clean-cut,

And he can still do bad-boy: 

I love that he's an awesome musician.

The fact that he's in a band is definitely attractive.

He is incredibly diverse in the roles he plays, and yet whenever I see him in interviews and stuff, he's a really soft spoken, but well spoken, guy. An all around cool cat.




And now, for a blast from the past.
For your viewing pleasure may I present,
My celebrity crushes from ages 12-15.
Enjoy...

Hanson

I liked Zac.

He's the youngest of the three... There in the middle.

This is then...



This is now.

He's a family guy!

I think I chose well.












Here are others.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, then and now
(ish, I think this was a few years back actually)...








J.C. Chasez  from *N Sync...

Nick Carter, from the Backstreet Boys
(didn't like him as much as much as J.C. there is a hierarchy to these things you know...)

So there you have it.

Who is (or was?) your celebrity crush? Do you agree with any of mine? Do you think I must have been nuts? Let's be honest now...


Darci - The Page Traveler

"Love, Mom" Letter 3

Dear J-boy,

Happy 18 months Monkey!

You are officially one-and-a-half years old, and what a year-and-a-half it's been!

In that time you have grown from 7 lbs. to 21 lbs.

And from 21 inches to 28. (I think :-/ )

I loved you from the moment you were born.

And so did your daddy.

From very early on, we could tell you were gonna be just like daddy.

We've loved having your cute little smile, and your infectious laughter in our home.

You make such funny faces!

And are definitely one cool cat!

Climbing in and out of stuff...

Still making funny faces at 8 months!

By the time you were 6 months, you had a favorite toy... even now, you love to go to sleep with "Red Bear".

And now we're on to new adventures.

In the past eighteen months, you have learned how to do all these things (mostly in order):

Roll
Sit up
Grab
Hold
Finger feed yourself
Drink from a sippy cup
Crawl
Squirm out of your bumbo
Climb (yes, he could climb before he could walk)
Escape
Clap
Sign lots of ASL words: eat, all done, dog, cat, fish, please, mom, & dad
Walk
Climb in and out of your high chair
Run / retreat
Use a spoon and a fork
Drink from a real cup (though you haven't quite mastered it yet)

And most recently...






Climb out of your crib.


Boy are the next six months gonna be fun!


Here's the thing, little love, I don't think you're quite ready to sleep anywhere besides your crib yet. You haven't grasped the concept of bedtime = stay put, and I don't think you're going to until you can respond to me verbally. Once you can do that, then we'll move you into a big boy bed. I promise. We even have one waiting for you, as soon as you're ready to take it on!

The past eighteen months have sure been great. Even the nine months before that were exciting, as we anticipated your arrival. Thanks for being such an awesome kid.

You sure make life interesting, and so much fun.

Love,

Mom

Random Weekend Post: Horse Latin

Hibellibo!

Ibif yibou ciban ribead thibis, thiben:

Cibongribadibulibatibons!

Yibou ciban ibundiberstiband Hiborse Libatibin!

If you didn't understand a word of the jibberish above, then I take pride in the honor of introducing you to a new language:

Horse Latin.

I had originally planned to do this entire post in Horse Latin, but I worried that might frighten some of you away, so I held back. (Besides, it's harder to type in Horse Latin, and much easier to miss mistakes...)

Horse Latin is simply adding sounds to existing words. But first, let's get one thing straight:

It is NOTHING like Pig Latin. They are COMPLETELY different.
Just because you know and understand Pig Latin, does NOT mean you will do the same for Horse Latin. Though personally, I think Horse Latin is WAY easier...

Here's the rule:

Place the letters "ib" before the first vowel (or vowel sound) in each syllable of every word.

Easy peasy, rice and cheesy.

Ibeasiby pibeasiby, ribice iband chibeasiby.


One of my favorite memories growing up, was when my dad would tell us familiar stories, in Horse Latin. For example:

Thibe Thribee Libittible Pibigs (The Three Little Pigs)

Wibonce ibupibon iba tibime, thibere libived thribee libittible pibigs.
Thibe fibirst libittible pibig chibose tibo bibuild hibis hibouse ibout ibof stribaw.
Thibe sibecibond libittible pibig chibose tibo bibuild hibis hibouse ibout ibof stibicks.
Iband thibe thibird libittible pibig chibose tibo bibuind hibis hibouse ibout ibof bribicks.

Wibone dibay, thibe bibig bibad wibolf cibame ibalibong tibo thibe fibirst libittible pibig's hibouse

>knibock, knibock, knibock< "Libittible pibig, libittible pibig, libet mibe cibome ibin!"

"Nibot biby thibe hibair ibof miby chibinniby chibin chibin!"

"Thiben Ibi'll hibuff, iband Ibi'll pibuff, and Ibi'll BIBLOW yibour hibouse ibin!"


You get the idea. Stories in Horse Latin are best told around a campfire in the woods, and I promise you, it is WAY funnier when you hear it, than it is when you read it.

Maybe I'll post a video of my dad telling the story of the Three Little Pigs in Horse Latin... Now I just have to get him to do it...

Happy weekend all!

Darci - The Page Traveler

P.S.
Do you speak any funny languages like Horse Latin, or Pig Latin? Did your family have any fun code words or phrases growing up? Any thoughts?

Chapterhouse Lane

Today, I want to tell you about an awesome new project that has just begun.

Friends...

Fellow Bookworms...

Chapterhouse Lane is the writings of an amazing young woman. She has been treading the path of publication for years, and for some reason (unfathomable to me...) it just hasn't happened.

But the time has come to share her stories with the world. And so, young "Hero London" will now, chapter by chapter, show us the tales that have been silently waiting to be read.

I don't know about you, but I am ex-ci-ted. For reeeals.

This girl likes the same kinds of stories as I do. Reading her personal blog has always been a joy for me, and I can not WAIT to see what all is in store for us on Chapterhouse Lane.

I may even take the time, every so often, to share my thoughts on the writings of "Hero"; which I'm sure will all be praising and positive.

Today, my friends, is day one. The beginning of Chapter 1 of The Streets of Elengard is now posted. 

Don't wait. Go. Read. Now.

Darci - The Page Traveler

P.S.

Be sure to leave "Hero" a comment telling her how awesomely cool she is, and find a way to follow her ;-)