Clockwork Princess Quotes

Too many good quotes for one blog post, but here we go:

"Dying a little faster for love. And there are worse things to die for." Oh Jem.

"Jem-- Jem is all the better part of myself." Will. Darn right he is.

" 'You saved my life.' Will had said. A smile spread across Jem's face, as brilliant as the sunrise breaking over the Thames. 'That is all I ever wanted.'"

"'It is a very strange thing to be in love,' [Jem] said. 'It changes you."" *sigh*

"It was like I saw your soul in the notes of the music." Tessa to Jem

"'Every heart has its own melody.' [Jem] said. 'You know mine.'" Jem to Tessa

"Don't you dare speak about it as if Jem has all of the choice about it and I have none...This engagement was not forced on me,  nor do I have any illusions about Jem's health. I chose to be with him for however many days or minutes we are granted, and count myself blessed to have them." Tessa

"Hope is not an illusion." Will to Tessa about Jem, what a tangled love triangle

"I can tell you that the end of a life is the sum of the love that was lived in it, that whatever you think you have sworn, being here at the end of Jem's life is not what is important. It was being here for every other moment. Since you met him, you have never left him and never not loved him. That is what matters." Magnus to Will

"You endure what is unbearable, and you bear it. That is all." Magnus to Will about losing loved ones

"And now I need you to do for me what I cannot do for myself. For you to be my eyes when I do not have them. For you to be my hands when I cannot use them. For you to be my heart when mine is done with beating." Jem to Will

"'You can be assured that no one will be coming to rescue you now.' [Mortmain]... 'Then I will have to rescue myself.'" Tessa. Boo yah!

"There must always be a first...It is not easy to be first, and it is not always rewarding, but it is important." Jem to Charlotte on becoming Consul

"'I lived for you,' [Jem] said. 'And I lived for Will, and then I lived for Tessa-- and for myself, because I wanted to be with her. But I cannot live for other people forever. No one can say that death found in me a willing comrade, or that I went easily. If you say you need me, I will stay as long as I can for you. I will live for you and yours, and go down fighting death until I am worn away to bone and splinters. But it would not be my choice." Jem to Charlotte

"I told you before Jem, that you would not leave me... And you are still with me. When I breathe, I will think of you, for without you I would have been dead years ago. When I wake up and when I sleep, when I lift up my hands to defend myself when I lie down to die, you will be with me. You say we are born and born again. I say there is a river that divides the dead and the living. What I do know is that if we are born again, I will meet you in another life, and if there is a river, you will wait on the shores for me to come to you, so that we can cross together." Will after he thinks Jem has died.

"There was human goodness in the world, she thought--all caught up with desires and dreams, regrets and bitterness, resentments and powers, but it was there, and Mortmain would never see it."

"Life was an uncertain thing, and there were some moments one wished to remember, to imprint upon one's mind that the memory might be taken out later, like a flower pressed between the pages of a book, and admired and recollected anew."

"Listen to me. I am leaving, but I am living. I will not be gone from you entirely, Will. When you fight now, I will be still by you. When you wlak in the world, I will be the light at your side, the ground steady under your feet, the force that drives the sword in your hand. We are bound, beyond the oath. The Marks did not change that. The oath did not change that. It merely gave words to something that existed already." Jem to Will

"There are things no magic can destroy, for they are magic in themselves." Tessa to Elias Carstairs

"One does not question miracles, or complain that they are not constructed perfectly to one's liking." Jem to Tessa

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Clockwork Princess

Oh, Cassandra Clare, we have had such a love/hate relationship the past week. Over Spring Break, I re-read Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince and fell in love with my boy, Jem, all over again. I was so worried that he was going to die, because let's face it, it appeared that Will and Tessa were the ones who were going to end up together, despite the fact that Tessa and Jem were engaged... (Spoilers ahead)


The book started off well. Then, as I was laying in a sunbeam in the living room, watching the Tigers game, I noticed what looked like a date written on the inside cover of the book jacket. Curious, I took the book cover off to examine it. I was surprised to find that it was an extensive family tree of the Herondale, Carstairs and Lightwood Family. As I was looking at it, I was sad to see that Jem had no death date, presuming that Cassandra Clare didn't want to spoil when he died. Then to my horror I saw Will Herondale and Tessa Gray's names linked by a line signifying marriage. After processing what that meant I started spluttering and threw the book jacket across the room. Why the heck would you put information like that on the book jacket when the series isn't finished??? When people reading the book do not yet know how it turns out and that they get married?????

I was furious. I took to twitter and facebook railing on Cassandra Clare. Poor Momma was there to witness the whole thing. I went to grab the book jacket to continue studying it (Hey, it was already spoiled, why not?) Momma grabbed it from me and threatened to hide it from me so that I wouldn't keep looking... Not only was I mad that it was spoiled, I was also so mad at the outcome. I mean, I could pretty much see it coming, but I still held out hope that Tessa and Jem were the endgame. It crushed my dreams.

It was tough to keep reading. I felt betrayed and angry and like I already knew what happened, so why keep reading. It's sort of a strange sentiment, because I do love re-reading books, but there's something different about knowing the outcome the first time through a book. Finally, I was able to get back into the book...

I quickly realized that I would not be able to continue reading in the presence of my family; I was going to cry too many tears, so I had to stick with reading in my bedroom :)

When Will left Jem to go save Tessa, I about died. It was so heartbreaking. That is the part I read before bed one night. I stopped reading right after that part and continued crying for at least five minutes. I am no big fan of Will's, but I love the relationship between him and Jem and it was so sad to see them parting ways for perhaps the last time.

Then Jem died and I was sobbing uncontrollably. Cody was clutched in my arms and his fur was wet from my tears. It took several minutes and me getting up for water before I calmed down. I'm not sure why his death and his character affected me so much. Other characters I've loved have died and never have I ever had such a strong and emotional reaction. Momma asked if knowing that it was coming made it any easier, it did not.

That night I kept reading and I truly wish I had not. Because then Will found Tessa, told her Jem had died, they cried together and then slept together. WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?! Several hours after finding out that their fiance/blood brother had died and they were sleeping with each other. I do not understand that. I know that they loved each other and finally felt like they could tell each other. I guess they thought they were going to die anyway, but seriously. I was sooooooooooooooo mad. I felt like it was such a betrayal to Jem's memory. I mean, sure, in the future they can be together, but so soon after Jem's death. Not OK.

Then they're fighting Mortmain and who should show up, but Brother Zachariah, I mean Jem!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Again, What???????????  I had this beautiful, heart-wrenching good-bye to Jem and he wasn't really dead. I should have been rejoicing that he was still alive, but I was just enfuriated. I couldn't believe that Cassandra Clare would do that. Trick us all with such an emotional ploy as making us think Jem died and then having him still be alive. It felt like a cop-out and I was not happy.

But I still trudged on. Tessa turned into an awesome angel. Jem/Brother Zachariah came back to break up with her/heal her. Tessa got better. Gideon and Sophie got engaged. Charlotte became the Consul. Will and Tessa dated. Cecily and Gideon dated. The book ended. I was less mad, but still not happy.

Then came the epilogue. Oh the epilogue, what a perfect epilogue. I think that Cassandra Clare should teach J.K. Rowling how to write an epilogue. I am so very grateful for this epilogue. It was perfect.

After 150ish years, Tessa and Jem were going to meet up for their annual meeting on their bridge. And who should show up in 2008, but Jem in blue jeans and no longer a Silent Brother. Blue jeans? Our Jem? What? A cure for his illness was found so he left the Silent Brothers. Seems like kind of a slap in the face to the Brothers, I mean, do they really want someone who only wants to be a part of them until he can leave them? But I didn't care, because here was Jem, healthy and whole. Sure Tessa had married Will, had kids and watched Will die. But here was Jem, ready to love her and she was ready to love him!!!!!!!! *Sigh* It was perfect, did I mention that? Just when we had been convinced that Will and Tessa were the endgame, oh snap, Will died and now Jem and Tessa get to be together. Everyone's happy! Including Jillibean.

It was a very rocky ride, but if you can judge how much I love a book by how many tears I shed, then I guess I loved it! It did end on such a happy note, that I will probably forget all the anger...

The Casual Vacancy

The world was so excited when J.K. Rowling announced that she was going to publish her first post-Potter book. This was to be an adult novel, a very different type of book from the Harry Potter series. It came out awhile ago. I heard sort of mixed reviews from it, so I didn't buy a copy right away. A couple of months ago I decided that I should read it. There was an approximately 15-person waiting list for it at the library...

But about three weeks ago I got a call that it was in. I was a little wary, because I could only have the book for two weeks, as others were waiting in line and I would be heading home for spring break before the two weeks were up. I was going to need to power read to make it through, or be OK with playing late fees. I did manage to finish the book in time and return it before I left :)

Beware that a few spoilers lie ahead: Also beware that I will make completely ridiculous and unfair comparisons between this book and the Harry Potter series. As I was reading and now, I realize that these are not fair, the Harry Potter series is a singular and amazing journey that could never be replicated. However, they are comparisons anyone who reads the book is destined to make.

I really, really wanted to like this book. I looooooooooooooove the Harry Potter books so much and I think that J.K. Rowling is a genius and an incredibly amazing writer.

I was majorly disappointed. I have incredibly neutral feelings about the book. It was fine, but it wasn't anything like her other writing. I went in knowing that it was an adult book with more adult themes and language. I'm fine with that. I read other "adult" books and thoroughly enjoy them, but it was if J.K. Rowling said, "I would like to write a book that is the complete opposite and as different as Harry Potter as I can." If that was her mission, than she succeeded, but I would argue not in a good way.

The story revolves around a small town in England and their relationships and politics. The characters' lives are intertwined and as the story unfolds you discover the various ways characters connect. Imagine, the movies Valentine's Day or He's Just Not that Into You in book form. Sounds great, right? Except, I found it very difficult to keep the characters and their relationships straight in my head. When you're seeing them on screen in those movies, it is easier to keep everyone straight, but there were so many intertwined characters, I was always having to ask myself, "Who is that? Is that so-and-so's wife, mistress, etc?" I had a hard time remembering who was on which side politically and frankly wasn't very inspired to remember these details. Perhaps if the characters had been more engaging, I would have found it easier to keep track of them all.

There was also the fact that I cared little about any of the characters. I was hard-pressed to find a single character that I wanted to root for or who was what I would consider an upright citizen or at all likable character, which made it very difficult for me to feel connected to the book. There were cheaters, liars, drug addicts, kids skipping school to smoke and have sex, nosy senior citizens, people way too wrapped up in boring politics and just all-around jerks. There is one point where a small child dies, usually a tear-jerking moment for Jillibean. While reading, I took a deep breath as if I was going to start crying and realized that I didn't really care and did not really need to cry. And it was a kid, dying. And I felt nothing.

I can't tell you how many times I cried reading the last several Harry Potter books. Mr. Weasley is attacked, sobbing. Sirius dies, many, many tears shed. Dumbledore dies, lots of crying. Fred, Tonks, Lupin die, waterworks. Harry walks to certain death, I am inconsolable. Little kid dies in The Casual Vacancy, I feel nothing.

Besides this, the writing was just not engaging. In Harry Potter, the writing and language are beautiful. "There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them." That line is beautiful and just one of many examples of the lovely ways Rowling composes her writing. I love the way Rowling plays with language and uses such beautiful phrases and sentence construction in Harry Potter. In The Casual Vacancy, that sentence would probably be: "After knocking out a troll, they became friends." It is just such plain, boring language. Now I understand that the magical and whimsical and other-worldly nature of the Harry Potter books probably lends itself to this type of language more than a story about small-town politics. But I came in expecting a very different, more adult story, that I though would at least be recognizable as Rowling's writing style. If I hadn't seen her name on the cover, I would never have guessed she was the author.That was very disappointing. I know she wanted to write a different type of book, but it was a bummer that she couldn't keep the wonderful writing style employed in the Potter books.

Overall, it was a very disappointing read. I never felt compelled to continue reading one more chapter or much of any real emotion. 

Sisterhood

I was pretty excited to see that ABC Family was having a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Double Feature on Saturday. So after a long, emotional, awesome night watching AVPSY Friday night, a Saturday running errands, prepping wedding shower invites and soaking in all of the AVPSY joy on the internet, I settled in to watch the double feature.

I first read Sisterhood of the Traveling pants when I was in eighth grade. I had an elective class called Novel Club, which was basically a class where you did book clubs :) Some of my good friends were in the class and the first book we chose to read was Sisterhood. It was so much fun to read and discuss together. We classified ourselves and our friends according to their corresponding characters. I was a Lena: shy, modest, intellectual. We swooned over Kostos, worried about Bridget, cried with Tibby when Bailey died, were shocked and angered when Carmen got blindsided with a step-family. We had very heated discussions about whether or not Carmen's dad was justified in canceling their tennis plans when a wedding crisis came up. We were quite divided on this subject and got very into this argument; I'm pretty sure our teacher had to tell us to move on... Then  when Carmen's dad sat calmly eating with his new family after Carmen ran away, we were united in hating him. :) At the end we wrote and acted a skit that involved the four girls on a talk show. So much fun!

We continued reading the books and loving them. I love that the books celebrate positive relationships between girls, when we see an ever increasing amount of girl drama in the world. These girls showed us how to be real, true friends amidst  the drama of growing up and boys and high school. They were always there for each other and loved each other, even if they were mad at each other or were far apart. And while they made their share of mistakes, they were at their core good examples. When I think about some of the examples in the media that young girls are exposed to now, I wish girls would look up to the sisters, instead... Even though we remained a few years younger than the girls, we grew older and grew up with them. We saw them graduate and face a future where they wouldn't see each other every day, before we were faced with the same thing ourselves and learned from them.

When my friends and I graduated we created our own rip-off of the traveling pants. No, we did not all fit into a magical pair of pants, we sent around a notebook in which we recorded important parts of our lives and then sent it on to our fellow "The Book" members. We even made up our own set of rules regarding The Book, a la Sisterhood. It was a great way to keep in touch our first couple of years in college. We also met each summer and at Christmas for a party. After the first year or two, the actual book became more trouble than it was probably worth and we stopped passing it around. We all had busy lives and it was hard to commit to writing and passing it around. We continued to keep in touch and meet for our semi-annual parties until we graduated from college. So many people I met in college were amazed at the way we kept in touch with high school friends. But we were all so important to each other that it was worth the effort to keep in touch. I feel so blessed to have had such amazing relationships with these women. They were such a big part of my life for so long. And while we haven't all kept in touch after college, all ten lovely ladies will always have a special place in my heart!

I love the movies, too. I think it's funny that when the first movie came out Alexis Bledel (Lena) and Amber Tamblyn (Tibby) were the most famous for their roles in Gilmore Girls and Joan of Arcadia respectively. However when the second movie came out, it was Blake Lively (Bridget) and America Ferrera (Carmen) who had bigger careers for Gossip Girl and Ugly Betty. The fourth movie is like a conglomeration of the next three books, but still great. And sure there were changes to the movies, but they kept the spirit and message of the books.

Then came the last book, Sisterhood Everlasting. I unfortunately was majorly spoiled about the book (thanks a lot Barnes and Noble's review). I knew going into reading it that Tibby drowned. It definitely colored the way I read the book. As soon as Tibby didn't show up on time, I was literally sobbing, "she's dead! She drowned." I could see it coming and none of them knew and it was torture waiting for them to figure it out. I was bawling long before they knew anything was wrong. I think Momma thought I was crazy, but I think it was ten times worse, knowing what was coming and them being blissfully unaware. But, of course I loved the story and was glad to be back in a world with my friends.

So I sat watching the movies last night, thinking of my friends, remembering the good times and missing them like crazy!

Crossed

Beware, many spoilers lie ahead :)

I have been reading soooooo much lately and I love it. School had gotten me so busy (which I'm not complaining about :) But I hadn't had much chance to read and my life was missing some good, solid reading time :)

After finishing The Power of Six I read a few books that I bought at the Scholastic Warehouse Book Sale (Prom and Prejudice, Julia Gillian and Gregor the Overlander).

Then I got Matched and Crossed for Christmas and they were the next on my to read/re-read list. I read Matched awhile ago and loved it. I loved it again re-reading. I read most of it on the car ride to visit Big Sis, Bro-in-Law and Lil E. Lil Sis wants to read them after I'm done and I made some comment about how I hadn't chosen a team yet. I remember reading it the first time and liking Xander, but I hadn't committed yet. I think part of it was that I felt I was being led to believe she would end up with Ky, and after having my heart broken by Cassandra Clare enough times, I didn't want to chose the "wrong" guy.

Upon second reading, I still wasn't sure, but was leaning towards Xander. After reading Crossed, I'm pretty firmly entrenched on Team Xander, though I did come to appreciate both guys more while reading Crossed.

I didn't mind the alternating perspectives of Crossed. I liked getting insight into Ky and his feelings for Cassia. I liked getting more of his history and knowing where he was coming from. Although I agree with some reviewers that at times I would be reading and couldn't remember which character was narrating. Especially when they were together, I'd have to check to see if the narrator was mentioning Cassia or Ky, so know that the other one was speaking.

I worry that The Rising is going to be like District 13 from the Hunger Games. The people of the Rising seem to be as controlling as the Society members. After arriving they immediately decide where Ky, Indie and Cassia will be most useful and send them there. Sounds a lot like the Society deciding careers for the citizens. I have a feeling that the Rising is not going to be the happy solution Cassia hopes it will be.

For some reason, I didn't that Xander's secret, that he was part of the Rising, was that shocking. Maybe because I love Xander, I always expected him to be on the "right" side, but it wasn't surprising to me. It made me love him more, though.

I hated how Ky was so easily going to leave Cassia and let her go off to the Rising without him. I understand that he couldn't trust the Rising and he had past dealings with them that were catastrophic. But this girl has just left civilization, risked everything in her life, her family, her friends, Xander, her career, her civilian status, her life!! to find you and be with you. And after being reunited for only days (weeks? I lost track of time) you're willing to give her up? I couldn't believe that he would separate from her so willingly after she sacrificed everything for him? Sign me up for Team Xander. I know that he ended up following her, but that hesitation too much for me to overlook.

Plus, I loved what Xander has risked for her and that he was still supporting and loving her even after she'd turned her affections to Ky. He saved the compass, even though it wasn't even hers, but Ky's. He somehow managed to get her blue tablets and put messages in them for her. He convinced the Officials to let him visit her while she was at the work camp, he sent her messages even when she'd chosen Ky, he chatted up the officer so she could make a trade with the Archivist. Basically I love me some Xander, but I understand the love for Ky, but I can't get over his momentary abandonment.

Major Questions I have left: Who was the last chapter about? Ky or Xander? Upon first reading I assumed it was Ky she was going to meet. But then I thought about it and wondered if it might be Xander. I re-read it and it doesn't mention a name or any info that would give it away. It seems more plausible that Xander would be able to meet her, since they're both in Central. Both of them are in the Rising, so really it could be either...

Who is the Enemy? Is it the Rising? I hope not, since they've killed so many innocent civilians. Is it some entity we don't know about yet? Society killing off those they deem undesirable? The farmers?

Who put Ky's name in the Matching system? I'm leaning towards either Ky or Xander, but there seem to be more clues pointing to Ky.

Memorable Quotations:
"Because in the end you can't always choose what to keep. You can only choose how you let it go."

"If you love someone, if someone loved you, if they taught you to write and made it so you could speak, how can you do nothing at all? You might as well take their words out of the dirt and try to snatch them from the wind.

Because once you love, it is gone. You love and you cannot call it back.

Ky is heavy in my mind, deep in my heart, his palms warm on my empty hands. I have to try to find him. Loving him gave me wings and all my work has given me the strength to move them."

"I don't fool myself that I hold her together-- she does that on her own-- but holding her keeps me from flying apart."

"Does loving someone mean you want them to be safe? Or that you want them to be able to choose?"

"I love Ky. But I don't understand him. He won't let me reach him. I have made mistakes, too, I know it, but I am tired of chasing him through canyons and out onto plains and stretching out my hand only to have him take it some times and not others."

"Love changes what is probable and makes unlikely things possible."

"When you first love, you look blind and you see it all as the glorious beloved whole, or a beautiful sum of beautiful parts. But when you see the one you love as pieces, as whys--why he walk like this, why he closes his eyes like that-- you can love those parts, too, and it's a love at once more complicated and more complete."

The Power of Six

Wow, has it really been since September 26 since I've posted? Life (i.e. teaching) has been crazy busy!! But I'm going to try to make some more time to post.

Last night around 2:00am I finished The Power of Six, the sequel to I Am Number Four. I bought this book months ago and just now got around to reading it. I knew that I needed to re-read I am Number Four before reading it and I just didn't have the motivation. I contemplated just watching the movie, but I wasn't too enthusiastic. I think I was remembering the movie and not the book.

Because when I re-read #4 I couldn't put it down! It is such, such, such a good book! I'm glad I didn't just watch the movie.

I started The Power of Six maybe three days ago. Even after a long week at school and it being a Friday night, I just had to finish last night, I couldn't put it down. Ir was sooooooooo good. I laughed and cried and wanted to beat people up. If you don't want to be spoiled, don't keep reading.

At first I wasn't sure I liked switching between 4 and 6 together and 7(?) off in Spain. But after some time to get to know Marina I really liked her. When her Cepan died, I bawled. I really did come to care about them.

Let's talk about when 4 went to meet Sarah. First of all bad idea, how can you leave 6 fighting Mogs and just decide to go see Sarah. I was kind of bummed when all book 4 was thinking about 6 and wanting to be with her. In the first book, he was totally in love with Sarah and I didn't like that as soon as they were apart, he basically forgot about her.

But, then she was being a complete jerk. First I was super mad at her for pressuring him to turn himself in and be with her. I thought it was totally out of character for her to care more about getting what she wanted instead of him saving the world...

And then she went and turned him in. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I was shocked and appalled and freaking out at her. I could not believe it.

As I'm typing I'm considering that maybe she was trying to convince him to turn himself in, so she didn't have to do it, but still? Not OK. If she really loves him like she did in the first book, she wouldn't have done that. period.

I also couldn't believe that 4 left Sam behind in the Mogs' cave. He's basically a helpless human and you are an extremely powerful alien, just grab him and drag him out of there! I was not happy with 4.

Despite all of that, I thought it was an awesome book!! I loved meeting more of the Lorian and finding out about what happened to the second ship. I loved the emotions and even that it made me mad, because that means I was emotionally invested :)

Red Skirt

A couple of days ago I was walking around my cute little downtown, getting a lay of the land. I snuck into an adorable little bookstore. I could have spent forever in there! Plus they have a wall where authors sign their name/do an illustration. The best one was the author of Amelia's Notebook, who drew a sketch of Amelia. So cute!

While I was there I saw a sign for a book talk and signing to be held the next night. Not having anything to do and looking for a little culture, I signed up. I also bought the author's book and Thirteen Reasons Why (which the lovely Busy Bee Lauren highly recommended.)

So last night I went back, not having read the book, to hear the book talk, because I love to read and I love to meet authors. I don't usually pass up the chance to get a book signed either. (My sophomore year at Grand Valley I went to the Community Reading Project Author talk and signing without having read the book because I heard about it just the day before. I was one of like two people there who hadn't read it, but I'm still glad I went...)

I decided to dress up a little bit, well, dressed up compared to the shorts and tees I've been wearing to work in my classroom. I wore a cute purple plaid dress that Momma altered so it's not so low cut, a black and white polka dot headband, some cute gray peeptoe shoes and a fun beachy, wicker bag. (My camera is still out of commission, sorry for all of the pictureless blogs!)

I walked into the bookstore, with my book clutched in my hand (actually it was in my purse) and I was seriously the youngest person there by probably at least 20 years. Now, the author is a Michiganian. Her book is called The Red Skirt and is about her life as a nun and her decision to leave the convent. So I guess I should have figured that most of the audience would be older women, but it was still weird. Another young woman about my age did come in, albeit with her mother. It turns out she was a former student of the author!

The talk was very interesting, mostly about how she decided to write, her writing process, trying to find a publisher. Which was nice, especially since I hadn't read the book yet. She was very careful not to give too much about the book away, which I appreciated.

Then I waited rather impatiently in the book signing line. Lots of the people actually knew the author, which led to some lengthy conversations. Luckily Big Sis was texting me to keep me from being too bored (Sidenote: Can we discuss the fact that Google Chrome does not recognize texting as a word...)

When I was second in line, Patricia, the author, looked at me and said, "Oh, I know you. What's your name? I know you, right?" Cue me being awkward and saying I didn't think we knew each other and no I was not a former student. I'm just a twentysomething to enjoys going to book talks on books she's never read to get an autograph from an author I've never read, for fun! :)

We were chatting when it was my turn and I mentioned that I had just moved to town. She said, "You are going to make great friends here. It just takes time." It was so sweet. She didn't know me at all, but she really lifted my spirits with her comments. She also wrote a lovely note in my book about the adventures I'll have and wishing me luck.

I haven't read the book yet, but from what everyone around me was saying it's excellent!

Sorry!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I spent my second spring break visiting with family and friends around the midwest and then hosting a visit from Big Sis and Lil E. Today, instead of writing a fabulously interesting post about these happenings for you I spent the day doing two things.

1) Reading City of Fallen Angels. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Craziness. Will discuss in depth later. Also, I found a typo, it is on page 422. Look for it.

2) Reading Mark Reads the Hunger Games Basically, I feel as if I just re-read the whole series in the span of about one week. Be warned, he uses lots of bad language, but I loved his responses to each chapter.

So later this week I should have some lovely posts about the last week of my life, but today I enjoyed good books and beautiful sunshine!!

Fly Away Home

Last night I was flipping through the guide on our TV and saw that the movie "Fly Away Home" was on. I was so excited!! Lil Sis was very jealous when I texted her about it :)

If you haven't seen this movie you must! It came out in 1996, so it has lots of awesome fashion :)

It is the story of a girl who moves in with her dad after her mom dies. Anna Paquin plays the little girl, Amy.


Jeff Daniels plays her dad. I love Jeff Daniels: he's from Michigan, he wrote a song about the Tigers, enough said.


She rescues some goose eggs and raises the baby goslings.


The geese imprint on Amy, so she has to teach them to fly and migrate south for the winter. Her dad creates these two planes that look like geese, so the two of them can fly the birds south to a preserve.


It's a pretty legit movie. Also it's based on a true story.

Right after the movie came out, Lil Sis and I saw a book at the library called Fly Away Home. We figured it was a story about the movie, so we checked it out.

Boy were we in for a shock. It is the story of a boy and his father who live in an airport because they have no place else to live. It is an excellent story, very touching, but not when you are 6 and 8 and thinking you are checking out a feel good story about a girl and some geese...

Dr. Seussical

Islands of Adventure, where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter also houses a Dr. Seuss Island. After exhausting all of the adventures of Harry Potter World we headed to check out the Dr. Seussville.

It was so cute and fun! Plus we got 85 cent pop refills in our butterbeer mugs! It was much less crowded than the Harry Potter Island. Here are some of my favorite shots of the afternoon:










Such a fun time! I can't wait to share these pictures with my future students on Dr. Seuss' birthday. We went on two rides in Seussville- A spinny Cat in the Hat ride and a Seuss creature Merry-Go-Round.

The Rest of the Delightful WWoHP

After the rides, we lunched at the Three Broomsticks...



There are some really attractive pics of us chowing down on our enormous turkey legs, but I will spare you those beauties....

After lunch we hit the shops along Diagon Alley. There was a line to get into the wand demonstration, but we didn't mind a wait in the sunshine as we finished our butterbeers. Lil Sis and I split a regular, cold butterbeer and a frozen butterbeer. I didn't care terribly for either of them, but we both preferred the frozen. Poor Lil Sis had to drink 1 1/2 of our two butterbeers, because I just couldn't drink anymore... But it's not so bad waiting in line, when you've got a gorgeous view of Hogwarts behind you!!


This lucky girl got to take part in a wand demonstration. When she swished and flicked her wand around, things fell off shelves and when the right wand found her a cool glowy light came on. It was legit.

Then we wandered around the other shops in Diagon Alley- The Owl Post-



Honeydukes-


I love love love the cute pink staircase and the candy jars on it. The $10 price of chocolate frogs, not so much. I ended up buying a sugar quill.

Zonko's Joke Shop-



Real Extendable Ears!!
The shops were super crowded and made me claustrophobic, but they were so cute and fun!

Some more shop windows-
A Quidditch Supply Shop


A Book Shop full of Gilderoy Lockhart's books






Me next to some random cauldrons


An adorablespice snowman with a festive Gryffindor scarf


After the shops, we watched the Triwizard Spirit Rally Show. It was basically the Strong Sons of Durmstrang and the Beautiful Daughters of Beauxbatons performing.


We never got to see the Frog Choir before, which was kind of a bummer...


Lil Sis and I were getting ready to have our picture taken by the Hogwarts Express, when all of the sudden a conductor pops up to join our picture :)


Some views of the beautiful scenes of Hogwarts/ Hogsmeade-



Doesn't Hogsmeade just look perfect?? *sigh* Hogwarts too :)





We had such a fantabulous day!!!!!!!!!!! We ended up going on all of the rides twice :) It was one of the best days ever!!! We also spent some time on the Dr. Seussland Island, but that's the makings of another post...

The Amazingness that is Harry Potter World

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had soooooooooooooooo much fun at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!!! It was so perfect and epic and awesome! It was one of the best of Lil Sis' and my lives :) So very very fun.

When we first got into the park (right when the gates open of course) we rushed straight to the Harry Potter island. Well we tried to run, but about halfway there one of us got a cramp and we had to slow down... (hint as to who got a cramp, Lil Sis is training for a 5K...)

When we got through the gate in Hogsmeade *squee* we were literally skipping down the brick lane! It looked sooooooo very perfect, but we couldn't stop and take it in because we were rushing towards Hogwarts and the ride inside- The Forbidden Journey. When we got to the start of the line we had to put all of our stuff in a locker, but it's nice because they time the lockers so that you get the wait time for the ride plus about 15 minutes for free, after that you have to pay, but it's nice that they adjust the time you get free based on how long you'll have to wait...

The line for the Forbidden Journey is awesome, because you get to travel through Hogwarts as you wait in line.
The Mirror of Erised


Mandrakes in the Herbology greenhouse!


House points :)


The tapestry marking the entrance to the room of requirement.


The statue at the entrance to Dumbledore's Office.


These portraits were moving and talking to each other. So sweet!


Inside Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore was talking to us, but you can't see him in the picture.


Hanging with Ron, Harry and Hermione in the DADA room.



The portrait of the fat lady outside the Gryffindor Tower.

Inside the Gryffindor Common Room


The sorting hat!!


Then we got to the ride. It was awesome! You're basically sitting in a row of four seats that travels around the castle on adventures- flying away from dragons, fighting dementors, getting attacked by the Whomping Willow and Aragog. It's a mixture of moving on the track and video screens. The Whomping Willow and spiders, etc are also real. You get dragon's breath and spider saliva sprayed on you :) It was epic.

After that we went on the Flight of the Hippogriff ride. The wait was only five minutes. Score! Hagrid's Hut!


More of Hagrid's Hut.


Lil Sis and I waiting in line :)

It was a pretty fun ride, low intensity, a mine-ride type feeling.

Next we headed over to the Dragon Challenge, which is actually two racing dragon-themed coasters. Lil Sis had never been on a upside-down roller coaster, but she was determined to do it, since she had to go on all the rides at Harry Potter World! We had to put all of our stuff in a locker again. I left my camera, but Lil Sis brought hers.

There was some fun stuff to look at along the way as well. Me next to a Cedric Diggory banner. There were banners celebrating all of the champions leading up to the ride.


An awesome pic of Lil Sis with Hogwarts in the background!!


The Weasley's Flying Car


The Goblet of Fire :)


The Triwizard Cup, watch out, it's a Portkey.

After this, we were basically walking through a cave tunnel. It was dark and narrow and kind of claustrophicy. Once we came around a corner and were like, ooh whats around this corner, expecting something cool... it was a drinking fountain...

When we had just one group of people left in front of us to get on the ride. They said that there would be a slight delay. Then a cleaning person came out to clean off the roller coaster, I guess someone puked on it. Lil Sis was a little freaked out. But eventually we got on. We had to stow our flip flops under our shirts and then pull the safety restraints down, because our feet were dangly and we didn't want them to fall off.

It was so much fun. I love the Raptor at Cedar Point and the Dragon Challenge ride was a lot like the Raptor- feet dangling, lots of upside down fun :) We went on the blue track first, then we went and got a new lockers and got in line for the red track. The blue track goes upside down in a loop more times, but the blue track does more upside down twists, if that makes any sense...

This post as become super long and we haven't even gotten to lunch and the sun coming up and warming us up, so I'll have to do the rest of the day in another post :)