I Love Les Miserable

I have a new obsession.

Les Miserable

The story is so wonderful. Jean Valjean is one of my new favorite literary heroes. Cosette, Inspector Javert, Marius, Fontine, Thenardier, Enjolras, Eponine…

The music, the costumes, the cast, the set, the whole production is exquisite!

I’ve seen some videos on YouTube of other productions but this one is my favorite.

Its funny, sometimes the main hero or heroine isn’t my favorite. I really like Eponine because I love the songs she sings.

Have you seen Les Miz? Which song is your favorite? Which character is your favorite? Or least favorite? Who would make up your ideal cast?

Here are two of my favorite songs.

One Day More

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S0P6tXOw11s

On My Own
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ug4-fLYKwzs

"Is it clear to others that you love them?"

I’ve been seeing some stuff that needs to change.

Some areas that need to be cleaned up and straightened out.

One of those areas is my relationship with my siblings.

“Is it clear to others that you love them?”

Wow, that’s convicting.

I love my siblings, they bring so much joy to my life but quite frankly that can be annoy me slap out. They give me sensory overload. :)

But to be honest I expect too much out of them. I need to work on being more understanding.

Selfishness is the root of so many sins. Actually I can’t think of a sin that doesn’t have its root in selfishness. Dying to self is so difficult. But I’ll do hard things or die trying. ;)

Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it..yet. Tomorrow is an opportunity to do better, to be more kind, considerate, and selfless.

"Selfishness is not living like one wishes to live, its asking others to live as one wishes to live." ~Oscar Wilde

Caledonia

Thursday is Saint Patrick’s Day! I love St Patrick’s Day!!

I’m planning on wearing green on the days leading up to it. I like to get really into it.

I’m going to listen to Celtic music, watch the Today show and Good Morning America for Irish dancing and the amazing group Celtic Woman. My family loves Celtic music. Its one of my favorite styles.

I might even put on a thick Irish accent….maybe..

Our favorite Irish group is Celtic Thunder. Did you know that their new CD “Heritage” is number one on the charts right now! It just goes to show that people still appreciate good music. We got the CD last week and its really GREAT!

Our favorite song by far is “A Place in the Choir” you should just see Lily Kate, it makes her dance.

But we also love “Galway Girl”, “Home from the Sea”, and “Gold and Silver Days.”

This is from their very first show, its one of my favorite songs of theirs.

Our Cousins are Coming!!!

Today's the day we've been waiting for! There first visit with us in our new home! We're so excited!!

Wow, I look pale in this picture. We need some sunshine. :)
We have so much fun when we visit each other. Late nights nights talking, singing, and reading blogs. Good Times. :) You should just here our harmony, its quite...interesting.:) Me, I stick with the melody but Lydia is learning to harmonize with Aunt Monica. She's getting better, I'm glad because its a lot more fun.

the great classics that we've never read

                                                         A lovely stack of vintage books, thanks Google images.

“A classic is a book everyone talks about and nobody read.” ~ Mark Twain

Yeah its true, how many times have you heard about “War and Peace”, “A Christmas Carol”, and “Ben Hur” and how great they are but you’ve never taken the time to read it for yourself.

I’ve never read any of these books either. I’d like to. Sometimes we think that they will be a massive, daunting book that will go on forever, and ever, and ever…

They will lull us to sleep

Yeah, I’ve read some books that do seem to never end. Ever read “The Pickwick Papers?” If you have you’ll know what I’m talking about. This book was written by Dickens when he was beginning his literary career at the age of twenty-four. He was paid per word and he thus made the story large, and with as many words as he could cram in. It is a very long, detailed, story. And I most likely wouldn’t have finished it if it hadn’t been for school. It was good but I don’t plan on reading it again anytime soon. ;)

But on the other hand there are some books that are just as good as as I had heard they would be, in some cases better.

Here are a few that I have really enjoyed:

“A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens. There is a huge difference in “The Pickwick Papers” and “A Tale of Two Cities.” A completely different style. This book was wonderful. I love it. And just for the record I like Sidney Carton the best.

“Emma” by Jane Austen. This is my favorite Austen book. For three days it was glued to my hands. No movie adaption has come close to “Pride and Prejudice” but I like this book better than “P&P.”

“Gone With the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell. Besides the fact that there is a lot of stuff that I skipped it was on the whole a good story. Wouldn’t recommend it to young teens but if you know which parts to skip (and since the movie is one of my favorites I know where those are) it is a very good story. Loyalty to your home and gumption to keep going play major roles in this book.

“The Scarlet Pimpernel” By Baroness E. Orczy. I’ve been listening to this on librivox.org and it is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. It takes place during the French Revolution as does “ATOTC” and is so good.  I love it, I love it, adore it.

So that concludes my little ramble, thank you and good night. J

Confessions of A Guinea Pig

Being the first born is interesting. It has its pros and its cons, its up and its downs, its benefits and its drawbacks.

Sure, you get to do everything first but then again you have to do everything first. You sort of are the one to break your parents in as they break you in, you’re their first child and they want to be the best parents that they can be. As a children you’re expected to be the model of obedience. You want to be perfect. But you can’t because there’s one thing in your way…your human nature. Oh boy.

I was corrected for things that my brothers would easily get away with. Haha. J

But I did grow up being disciplined and I’m a pretty disciplined person now so I guess it was good for me. J

Here’s some things that I have dealt with as the firstborn, if you are too, can you relate?

My mom felt like I needed to be reading when I was five, she started teaching me when I was four,  I didn’t read well until I was seven.

I had chores and jobs to do early on; I didn’t have a bunch of older siblings to do them for me.

I had my parent’s undivided attention. My dad would play with me on the floor, and my mom would read books to me.

I was the first one to reach adolescence and become a teenager. That was a big deal.

My parents and particularly my mom had the excruciating job of teaching me how to drive. Or maybe I had the excruciating job of my mom teaching me how to drive but I have a feeling is the former. Haha

A babysitter is never needed because I’m a live in. J

I had the huge blessing of seeing Titus, Levi, and Lily Kate come into the world. I wouldn’t trade that experience for ANYTHING.

Because I’m the oldest I’m a pretty good caregiver. I know how to change a diaper, burp and bathe a baby, and buckle a baby’s car seat. I know how to take care of children. I’ve had lots of practice!

I’m an excellent children’s book reader!

I once asked Gabe if he wished he was the oldest. He promptly replied, “No, because I’ll live longer.” Which can be translated, “I won’t die first.”

I want to be healthy at 100! Haha

God has placed you in the family that He wants you in. He has put you in the perfect place in your family. He knows that it is the ideal place for you.

I read that the many of presidents were firstborns, and that middle children are good peacemakers. Comediennes often are the youngest in the family. Only children make good entrepreneurs. Every role has its blessings!

what strange creature's brother's are. ~ jane austin

I’ll be honest. My brothers are wonderful gifts. They’re not bad at all, they’re just balls of energy that keep going, and going, and going like the Energizer Bunny. They challenge my ability to hold my tongue and use a kind tone, it provides ample oppurtunity to do hard things! Meal time is SO loud sometimes. Does this happen to other people? Please tell me it does. J

But I was thinking about it and I came up with a few thoughts on the subject of brothers. I would love to hear your's as well. J

If I didn’t have brothers I wouldn’t have picked up a children’s book after I outgrew them.

I would always have perfectly calm, peaceful days.

I would have a pretty boring Christmas, there’s nothing like seeing them open the gifts you give them.

I wouldn’t have a Levi to shower over the top affectionate compliments.

I wouldn’t have a Titus to jump onto my lap and leave me black and blue after he hugs me. That boy is HARD!

I wouldn’t have a Gabe to watch “I Love Lucy” with.

I would be really selfish. Not that I’m selfless by any stretch. Sometimes I’m ashamed at how selfish I can be towards them. It’s a thing I’m always working on; it’s a small hard thing that takes daily diligence to conquer. Sometimes I win, and other times I loose.

I wouldn’t know how much boys can eat!

I wouldn’t know how a little boy’s brain works.

If I didn’t have brothers I wouldn’t know that a dog is vital to a boy’s existence.

I wouldn’t know how great they think gross things are.

I would have a perfectly clean bathroom.

I wouldn’t know every Veggie Tales song by heart.

I wouldn’t have a puppy that I really like more than I ever thought I would.

I wouldn’t have a little brother to sing to at night when he won’t go to bed.

I wouldn’t be able to listen to Levi sing at the top of his lungs.

I wouldn’t have any brothers to tease.

I wouldn’t have any brothers tease me.

I wouldn’t have any need for inner dignity…because my outward is nonexistent at times.

I wouldn’t feel like I needed to pull my hair out.

I wouldn’t have them to laugh with.

We would have peaceful meal times and quiet Bible studies.

I wouldn’t be able to tell you all about Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone.

I wouldn’t be interrupted in the middle of a conversation.

My brothers are weird, energetic, fun, kind, funny, and interesting.

Without them my life would be peaceful, normal, and boring….very boring.