Right now I am sitting on our purple couch wrapped in the purple fleece blanket that I and my now in-laws and husband helped me to make---all nice and comfy. Well, except that Niklas is now a working man and is at Circuit City until 10 p.m., so I'll be here at the apartment to do whatever for a few more hours. I had good intentions to run today, but that didn't happen after all. Niklas and I slept in today (SO nice), and then got to head to a couple of crafty places to just look at some crafty stuff. Niklas started painting some miniatures again lately after getting some new paint, and after he was showing me his great paint jobs, it made me kind of eager to eventually do some more crafty stuff like I used to as a kid. Even cross-stitch, only, there's nothing out there that is that awesome-looking to me. I want to learn something new eventually, so we'll see what happens with that. A pic of some miniatures painted by Niklas (don't think they were recently painted though):
We also bought our Christmas tree a couple days ago! I keep calling it a squatty tree because it is only 4-feet tall. It's so sadly cute for being such a small fake tree! It already has lights on it, which makes it easier. We like real trees the best---but we would rather have a little one for now that we can enjoy for a few years in our little apartment for now. We looked at some Christmas ornaments also, but didn't get any today. I just love this time of year. It makes me want to go around all the stores and see all the Christmas things coming in. I know a lot of people hate this time of year for that exact reason---but Christmas time to me doesn't have a stressful connotation yet; only the magic and reverence.
Speaking of magic, once Niklas left for work a few hours ago I decided I really wanted to read a book, but didn't know which one. I picked up C.S. Lewis' first book from the Narnia Chronicles, "The Magician's Nephew." As soon as I started to read it brought me back to when I was a little girl and loved to be in the great outdoors with my sisters and by myself on occasion. Childhood had magic in it because anything was possible in my imagination, and it affected how I viewed reality. Reading (so far) about two children exploring a tunnel that runs through different houses, and having little hideaways in the attic, and finding a furnished room in an attic where the uncle of one child has magical rings that can transport one to another world was just what I needed right now. It made me remember how exciting it was to explore and learn new things as a kid---to always feel an adventure in the making, no matter how small. My sisters and I always made up stories and played them out, mostly about animals. We definitely had a lot of imagination that didn't go to waste. :)
I forgot about that "magic" in childhood until I picked up this book. Well, I hadn't completely forgotten it, but I had forgotten the actual feeling of that magic. Hope that makes sense---the wonder of a new adventure just beginning. I have only ever read "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" out of the Narnia chronicles, and now I look forward to reading the whole series and feel that wonder again about a new, magical world.
Anyway, after reading and feeling so wondrous about it all, I got super sleepy and took a nap---and didn't want to get up. I think I was laying here on this couch for two hours until I finally forced myself to just get up. I have been so tired lately. I know it's the late-to-bed, very-early-to-rise-to-get-to-the-gym-before-work that takes its toll throughout the week and catches up to me on the weekends. Ick.
And by the way, forgot to mention that I was finally able to buy the King's Quest games to play on Niklas' laptop!! We even got a monitor cable so the game screen will show on our TV instead. I started playing "The Perils of Rosella" a couple weeks ago and got up to the whale eating me part; but once I got spit out I realized that I had forgotten to get a fish to give to the pelican on the island. : / I haven't played again since then, but I'll have a desire again eventually. Niklas said he thought it was funny how jumpy I got at those games...but it's just from being a little girl and watching my siblings play them and getting freaked out when they died, or the troll was coming at them in the dark cave... It's just creepy, I can't help it! It doesn't matter if it's not realistic looking---it's the idea of something coming after ME... =: O They also have the Police Quest games and the Space Quest games for sale for the PC; so I want to get those eventually as well, but there's no way I'll want to play them by myself... So Diane, if you get back up here for winter, you'll have to come over on the weekends and play the classics. :) It would be like old times, and fun, and...creepy!
And also to Diane---I changed my settings also on this blog so you should be able to post and not have to verify with those stupid word things that you are human. Thanks for sharing the Frozen Hot Chocolate recipe!! I absolutely LOVED that stuff when Amber got it for us for Christmas one year---it was drinking that that I got my first-ever brain freeze. :P
Well, I'm off for the night. My next adventure is to go clean the bathroom. Yay...but it needs to get done. And OH, forgot to mention---Annie Godfrey emailed me last week and invited Niklas and I over to dinner tomorrow evening. She and Kory are living in Rigby now, so it will be fun to see them and their kids. I'll keep you posted! ;) I think I need to watch "Sabrina" tonight. That sounds like a great idea after the cleaning deal and making some dinner. Have a great night!
8 comments:
Karen, you're somebody that should have a separate blog for recipes! I know you collect them from people when you try something you like because I've had a few and gotten them from you! I think I've even put some that you gave me on my cooking blog! which, by the way (if you care) is amberlyplacecookingcorner.blogspot.com
So if you do, put the recipe for the frozen hot chocolate! (and if you don't, put it on this one!) Thanks!
I got way into the Chronicles of Narnia. I love the Christian symbolism. It was touching to me. (Even though we all know I have a stone heart). At the end of the series I realized how into it I was. I wished I was the characters and started to look at reading the series like Gospel study. (It's not but it was a really good set of books!) Anyway, hope you enjoy the books yourself.
The good old days. I miss being young and having that unstoppable creativity. Glad you were able to get some R&R on your weekend, it's always nice.
Testing, testing...
Anyway, you do know those miniatures are Dungeons and Dragons miniatures, right? I just know one of these days Niklas will convince you to play...
Anyway, The Narnia series is excellent. I'm glad it made you remember the magic of our childhood - you should have never lost it in the first place! I still rely on it to make my days more exciting. (There's even a part of the woods outside the park here I wish I could go explore.)
Feel free to toss that recipe Amber's direction as well. ;)
Aww, Alex... your heart is not made of stone. The first time I think I really met you was when Kristine went through the temple for the first time and I remember how you looked then... I'd not call that heartless. :-)
I can understand how busy life can get. I'm going to school full-time, have two jobs, and a newborn. Time really does get lost. Our families will have to get together sometime and do something.
Okay, this is a reply to all of the above...
1) Amber: That is actually a great idea to have a separate blog for recipes. :) I might just have to do that in the future. I just love food, that's my problem! Thanks for the address to your cooking blog---I'll be checking it out. :)
2)Alex: Thanks for the comment! I laughed at the stone heart comment because you are definitely NOT one I would assign that quality. And you express yourself just fine when you talk, so I wouldn't worry about feeling inadequate in that regard. :)
About the Narnia series, I think that's also why I am drawn to them as more than just a fantasy story---it has a lot of Christiam symbolism that is so refreshing to find in a series of books. I am definitely going to keep my mind open as I read them to see how each character correlates to the Gospel. I will enjoy reading them! It's been a long time since I've simply READ, and I forgot how much I love it. :)
3) Kristine: I feel the same way about the good ol' days. Obviously they all weren't that great with the restrictions and rules as a kid (I thought at the time), but I definitely had a ton of fun being a non-self-conscious kid running around outside and indoors. Good times. :) And good times on the rest! SO needed it.
4)Diane: Niklas said that technically the miniatures aren't D&D figures since they are made by a different company, yatta yatta, but I guess that's what most people use them for among other things. I, of course, don't care to ever play---it's never caught my fancy and I really still dislike it. But Niklas plays with a few guys twice a month or so and he is repectful of my wishes not to be bombarded about D&D, etc. He doesn't care if I don't play, thank goodness! I'd rather bond over other types of games.
I've never thought that I've lost that "magic" of childhood, because I can still feel it when I remember past events and I still think a lot about how much fun I had as a kid, etc. I can't explain it well...I loved being a kid, but I don't want to be a kid anymore. I want to be able to still have fun with my own kids someday, but I will need to be a parent to them. I like having the fond childhood memories more than still living those days---because that will all come back, I think, when we have kids and I can relive my childhood slightly through being around them. Okay, I'm so done trying to explain this! :P
5)Mom--totally agree with you! :)
6) Hi Brandon! We'll definitely have to get together sometime. Write me an email and give me an idea of when you guys aren't too busy during the week. Niklas and I are mostly available on the weekends, since the week is so busy and I'm always ti---red. Hope you and Heather and the little one are well. :)
That childhood magic theme... what occurs to me is that we can't go back and do it again, but as adults we can sometimes lose track of the things that brought us joy while growing up. They are often things that will still bring us joy and need to be nurtured in our adult lives for us to be happy (such as having creative outlets, etc.). That's the part we want not to lose and there are probably more "adult" ways to bring those things back in.
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