Betsey-Candace

Okay, so I finally watched Phineas and Ferb: The Movie yesterday, and let me just say that it. was. awesome. Usually I find that when people (they in the "they" building) try to take an amazing television series and turn it into a movie, the product that they come up with is completely and utterly stupid. Either they mess up the characters, or they can't come up with a plot so you're sitting there watching the clock tick by on an hour and a half. But not so with P&F. It had all the elemental quirks that makes Phineas and Ferb amazing, but without seeming trite or overdone. It strongly kept my interest through all 78 minutes, and I actually had to relocate to the basement to watch it 'cause I was keeping the sibs up with my giggles. So yeah, it was pretty cool. :)

One of the really cool characterizations in P&F was the Candace from the 2nd dimension. She was a cool karate-master/spy/tough-as-nails-resistance-leader/way-awesome big sis. In fact her characterization was so well done (and also because Candace is my alter-ego) that I was inspired to create my own Candace costume. I did make some modifications so I wasn't showing quite as much skin as dear Candace, and unfortunately I could not find a cool belt with gadgets on it. But my little bro was kind enough to lend me his airgun for a cool prop so that became my weapon of choice. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, presenting Betsey-Candace!!

Fact: Candace and I are both the oldest in our respective families.

Fact: We both have a serious bossy complex.

Fact: Our siblings drive us nuts.

Fact: We both experience frustration at the bust-proof-ness of our siblings. 

(And yes, I did just make that word up.)

Fact: We both love Ducky Mo Mo.

When I showed these to the sibs, Suzy remarked that I look a lot like Vanessa. Okay....

I guess she could be right. I must admit that I would not mind being saved from imminent danger by Ferb, either. :)

*sigh* Oh Ferb, I'm waiting for you!! :)

Funny Commercial

One of the funniest commercials ever. Enjoy!

A Guide to Christmas Decorating Safety

Statistics show that over 83% of household accidents happen in the bathroom. The other 17% occur during Christmas decorating.* Over 25% of emergency room visits during the period of Nov. 12th through Jan. 7th are because of an accident when decorating for Christmas.* 
 Decorating for Christmas is a wonderful pastime, but it is important to have a thorough knowledge of the perils that lurk in order to have a safe decorating experience. The Commission of Christmas Decorating Safety (CCDS) has compiled this manual of rules and regulations to help the ordinary consumer follow safe Christmas decorating procedures.

Section A: Stockings

1. Stockings are not allowed to be hung from a mantel, radiator, bedpost or bookshelf. They must not weigh over 2 pounds 2.5 ounces when filled. The Department will ration exactly 2.5 lumps of coal to each household for each bread-winner to dispose of as they see fit. Each lump of coal weighs exactly 7 ounces.
2. Stockings must not be made from socks, shoes, nightcaps, long johns or any article of clothing that consumers habitually wear. It is dangerous to the public health.
3. There must be a regulation pamphlet by the milk and cookies that will direct Santa Claus to the stockings. He often forgets about them, and the Department will not be held responsible for any more lawsuits regarding this matter.

Section B: Presents

1. The Department has allotted 3 presents per person. Those who have more presents than the allotted amount must donate them to the Persons that Spread the Wealth Association (PSWA), where they will be distributed to those that are less fortunate. 
2. Presents may not be wrapped using tape, ribbon, or scissors. These are serious safety hazards to the white panda bear, and anyone found using them will be prosecuted.
3. No wrapping paper may be used that is colored with snowmen, gingerbread men, reindeer or Santa Claus as these shapes are discriminatory against those racial groups. 

Section C: The Tree

1. All Christmas trees must be over the height of 1.3 feet and under the height of 5.7 feet. This enables the maximum amount of people to help decorate the tree. Any tree smaller than 1.3 feet is a shrub. There is a considerable risk of injury/contagious disease/death from overbalancing when decorating any tree taller than 5.7 feet. Any trees that do not meet the height requirements will be towed away at owner's expense.
2. All ornaments must be made of artificial plastic. Wood, paper, fabrics, glass and metal are not allowed. There are to be no sparkles, glue or artificial substances of any kind attached to them. Such substances can be easily swallowed by small goldfish and are extremely dangerous to their health. Ornaments may not be hung on the top branches or the middle branches. If they are hung in the restricted areas they are an extreme risk for falling on small children's heads. No ornaments are to manufactured in the shapes of snowmen, gingerbread men, reindeer, or Santa Claus, as these shapes are discriminatory against those racial groups.
3. Christmas trees may not have lights. They could be mistaken for alien signals and the Department has issued strict orders against any communication with the outer worlds.
4. Absolutely NO tinsel may be used for decoration on the tree as it is very sharp. One gentlemen was taken to the emergency room last year because a piece had severed his foot. Blood poisoning spread and his entire leg had to be amputated. NO TINSEL!

This manual will be updated every 6 hours to comply with proper regulations.


 *Statistics are fake. Please do not pay any attention to them as they are used merely for promotional purposes. Thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

:)

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for...

• Parents who love me and help guide me through a tangled life
• Siblings who drive me batty 
• Dr. Pepper
• A wonderful church family who helps me grow in the Lord
• Five wonderful cousins who live 30 minutes away
• The gift to play the violin
• Oreos
• Fairy tales
• God giving us His word so we know how to glorify Him
• A little brother who is already showing signs of being a wonderful man of God--love you, buddy!

There are so many many things that I have been blessed with beyond measure. I thank the Lord for giving me each day another day to glorify Him and to walk in His word. I thank Him for saving me from a horrible fate, for rescuing me from my own sin and clothing me with His righteousness.

I am also thankful for turkey.

Fall

There's something about fall that always gets me. The brilliant colors, the crisp air, the playful breezes that knock one off one's feet. Everything seems to come alive, in one last great burst of life before winter settles in to lull things to sleep. The weather is perfect, cold enough to wear my favorite coat, but warm enough to go without a scarf and boots.
I love looking out of the back windows and seeing a shifting sea of crimson and orange. My favorite time is when not all of the trees have turned yet, so some are green with occasional bursts of orange. Along the road I take to symphony there is one tree that I always look for, as it always turns earlier than the rest. I drive through a sea of green, and then just around a turn there is this flame of scarlet, shooting proudly towards the sky. It catches my breath every time. I love walking through the carpet of leaves on the ground, crunching busily. I love watching the wind catch a tree, whirling the leaves off of the branches and tumbling them to the ground. I love the smell of pumpkin pie baking in the oven (even though I don't actually like to eat it, shocking, I know). The smells of cinnamon and vanilla wafting from candles lighted throughout the house, the sunshine on my sisters' hair, the toothless pumpkins grinning on doorsteps, all of these bring me joy.
Every fall I realize afresh how much stuff the Lord has created, how creative His mind is, and how short I fall of His glory. I am always brought to a new awareness of how far I stand from Him, and how enormous the sacrifice was for Him to bring me closer. May my every thought give Him glory.

Dish Therapy

Washing dishes. One of the most therapeutic rituals known to man. You start by stacking all of the dirty dishes in neat piles by the sink. This creates an illusion of order, deceptive though it may be, that is very pleasing to the brain. You start the water flowing from the faucet, methodically go through the piles of dishes and scrape off all the leftover food into the garbage disposal. Make sure to stack the dishes neatly on the other side. Your mind will already feel more relaxed, as the dishes now do not appear dirty until closely inspected. Now stop up the sink and fill it with hot water. Then squirt some soap in the water and gently swish it around with your hands until there are towers of bubbles rising from the sink. This creates a pleasing picture--the sparkling, delicate bubbles against the textured dishes is a beautiful contrast. Now take a dish from the pile, submerge it in the sink, and start scrubbing it thoroughly with a brush. This is an integral part of the exercise, as scrubbing a dish vehemently will remove any feelings of frustration and anger. If bubbles splash out of the sink and onto the floor, so much the better. Your heart will feel visibly lighter the farther down the pile you go. When you have finished scrubbing the dish, turn on the faucet and rinse the dish under it. Now place the clean dish on the opposite counter for drying. Make sure that there are always lots of bubbles in the sink, and that there is a faint smell of lemon in the air. When all of the dishes have been scrubbed, pull the stopper out of the sink and let the water drain.

 There is a pleasant gurgling sound as the water drains out of the sink that will tickle your funny bone and bring a smile to your lips. Now find a soft, clean towel to dry the dishes with. Softness is very important, as your hands will be rough and possibly chapped after all of the soapy water. Not to mention that the softer the towel is, the more your thoughts will stray towards teddy bears, yellow smiley faces, ice cream cones, and feather pillows. Start drying the dishes, making small circular motions with the towel. This will make a soothing sound that will lull your brain. When all of the dishes are dry, place them neatly away in the cabinets, and take a long look at the rows of sparkling ceramic-ware. Shut the cabinet door and take a deep breath. The ritual is finished. Don't you feel better??? :)

Challenge!!

I have decided to start a challenge. I know, I know, the blogging world is full of blog challenges/goals/stuff to do regularly. One of them even ended up as an Oscar-nominated movie! And that movie just so happens to be one of my most favorite movies on the planet (come on, who doesn't like a movie that's dedicated to food?), but anyway. Ahem. I have decided to blog something every day for one month. A paragraph, a sentence, a word. Something.
Why have I chosen the busiest time of year, when everyone is running around like three-year-old kids on sugar highs, and when nothing is certain until about 17 minutes before it's supposed to happen, you ask?
Well, the reason I have chosen to do such a crazy thing is because that I have noticed that when I am writing a lot, my thoughts are more organized and I am able to communicate with people TONS better. A little while ago there was a period of about three weeks when I was swamped with college essays, Shakespeare papers, emails, and lots of other miscellaneous writing stuff. There were thoughts and ideas flying all around in my head, and trying to wrestle them into concrete form on paper was really good for me. It totally forced me to think about what I was trying to say, and as a result my conversations with people were a lot more fruitful.
And I've also decided to do this because I need something in my life that is regular, and certain--something I KNOW that I will do each and every day. I mean, all this waiting on college applications, and audition results, and things is really stressful!! So yeah.
And also because I've always wanted to do a "blog challenge".......*sheepish grin*.