It's Christmas!

Happy Christmas to all and to all a happy Christmas! I was the first one up this morning. It was still slightly dark out. I turned on my Christmas lights and watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Jim Carrey one, of course. My favorite Christmas movie. It's Christmas. So bye! :)

Talents

Part of the lesson at Church today was on the parable of the talents. If you're unfamiliar, feel free to read the scriptures below before reading on.

Matthew 25:14-30 NIV
¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

This is talking about money. The two were able to multiply what they'd been given. The third was greedy and tried to hide it away. In doing so he gained nothing. Rather he lost even that through his wickedness. He was thrown into the darkness, where there was a weeping and gnashing of teeth! Intense! God gives us so much. We need to be good stewards of it. To me this is talking about more than just money. Everything we have has been entrusted to us by God. Our wealth, our families, our gifts and talents. We should use all we have been given to glorify God. When we use our talents, they improve and become stronger. We may also acquire new talents. The more we do good for God, the more He will bless us, making us even more capable to do His work. By building our skillset and skill level. He sees how we glorify Him and He LOVES that. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. People often tell me that I sing well and should sing in front of people more often. But sometimes I don't think that I am actually that good. You know. Compared to so many others. But recently I'm realizing that it shouldn't matter what I think. It only matters what God thinks. So no matter how I may feel about it, I am going to try to be a better steward with the gifts that God has given me. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be sent into the darkness with gnashing of teeth. No thank you! Talents, get ready to be used! I posted a video on YouTube yesterday of the song I wrote to God. It's not perfect. But I did it in the hopes of glorifying God. If you care to check it out, you can find it in yesterday's post.

There was a quote I heard in Church today. I really liked it.

"In God, invest. And you will be blessed."

Make Good Choices

It's what my mommy always says. So I decided to edit one of the many photos I've taken of my beach and put the quote on it. Yeah. I love how it turned out. You? So I posted it. Instagram.

Kalbi and Dragons

Quick story of the day. My sister was driving, my mom was in the passenger seat giving directions, and  I was in the back seat reading. My sister was getting all confumblulated over my mom's directions and it got a little heated. A little argument ensued. My sister pulled over, and she switched seats with my mom. So my mom was driving, while trying to explain to my sister her side of it. It was hard for me to concentrate on reading because of it all, so I put my book away and looked out of my window. Which I never do. Look out my window that is. I read the sign above a door that said Kiawe Grill. "Mom, is that Kiawe Grill the same Kiawe Grill?" So obviously, she parked the car and she and I went to check it out. The moment we opened the door, I was hit with the sudden smell of deliciousness that I had long forgotten. This was it! We ordered. While we waited, it started getting nice and smoky, grilly up in there. Oh, love. We took our food back to the car and dug in! Kalbi! Gahh! So good!!! I've missed this. Just look!

Kalbi!!!

In Kiawe Grill. Don't you love it?!

Okay. Enough of that talk.

The last thing I read before putting my book down and glancing up out of the window was this:

"Fairy tales are more than true-not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten."

-G.K. Chesterton

I love that. Yes, there will be problems, challenges, difficulties, arguments etc. But we can overcome. We can slay the dragon. I know today's incident was just a small, possibly bad, example. (But hey, you take what you can get.) My mother and sister arguing and getting lost, only to stumble across one of our favorite restaurants ever, that we'd thought had all closed down. Sometimes, in the middle of a terrible situation, great good comes out of it.

So get out there and slay those dragons! You are more powerful than you think! More courageous than you can imagine! Go!

Oh, and by the way, I turned three years old today. Spiritually, that is. Three years ago, I decided to make Jesus Christ the Lord of my life, and was baptized into the Kingdom of Heaven. Time sure does fly by.

Cruise...

Song of the week:

Cruise REMIX - Florida Georgia Line ft. Nelly

"Baby you a song. You make me wanna roll my widows down and cruise."

It's so fun! Haha. :)

I also really like the covers done by...

Tyler Ward & Crew

and

Max Schneider and Alex G

Boundless

I woke up and instantly began to finish reading Boundless by Cynthia Hand. Which I did. It was the third and final novel in the Unearthly series. I am sad it's over, but I cannot contain my excitement at how much I loved it. You know, for me, it's all about the ending. And boy did I love love love that ending! I cried. Tears of sadness. Tears of joy. Oh, Tucker. Sweet sweet Tucker.

Quotes! From Hallowed and Boundless :)

"I'm having an argument with myself. And I'm losing. So not a good sign."

"Death is a transition, I try to tell myself, a passing from one plane of existence to another. It's not the end of the world. That's what Mom has always told me. But I guess that depends on how you define the end of the world."

"Then nothing can ever truly separate you, not even death. Love binds you."

"That's the hardest part. The absence of certainty."

"You learn to find your happiness, kid. You figure out those things that give your life meaning, and you hold on to them. You try to stop worrying about the stuff you can't control."

"I made them go away, just by my refusal to be afraid of them. I took control of my fear. I conquered it."

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."

"'Haven't you guessed by now?' I say, my heart hammering. 'My home is you.'"

These are the beautiful covers of the three novels.

This is the novella that comes between Hallowed and Boundless.

"My home is you."

Jump! Jump! It's the Last Day of School!

For our last day of school, we brought in our bounce house. Yes, our bounce house. My family got it way back when, around the time of my sixteenth birthday, I believe, and we've had it ever since. It's pretty sweet. My dad brought it to school and set it up for us. The kids were so excited watching him set it up. I think that's the most patient they've ever been. Sitting on the sidewalk in anticipation, watching my dad put it together, and blow it up. It was so much fun. Obviously, I bounced as well. I can't believe the school year it over. That sure was fast. Fed-Ex speedy. We received many goodies today as well. Baked goods, leis, gift cards, etc. I ate so many sweets I thought I'd explode! Haha. Thankfully I did not.

After work, my mom, Gayle, Asya, and I went to see Fast & Furious 6. Obviously! Oh my goodness gracious! That was sooooooo good! I'm like, I need to go see that again. Now. Way to start off the Summer movies. Epic. It was pretty epic. If you have not seen it, do so now! It's a MUST MUST MUST watch. I'm not going to say anything because I don't want to give anything away. But it was hilarious. The driving was fast, furious, and flipping amazing. The fighting was boss. Ahh, I loved it! 5 out of 5 big fat shining stars! And because I am still processing. Processing. Processing. But what I do know, and am so excited to know, is that there will definitely be a 7! I mean, hello, after the credits. Gah! Tokyo Drift!!! It all started twelve years ago, back in 2001, with The Fast and the Furious, and it has grown and grown and grown. Faster. Faster. Faster. Let's go over the timeline shall we. For the record. The Fast and the Furious - 2001. 2 Fast 2 Furious - 2003. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - 2006. Fast & Furious - 2009. Fast Five - 2011. Fast & Furious 6 - 2013. And for future notice, Fast & Furious 7 - 2014. More specifically, July 11, 2014!! I can't even wait! It's only a little over a year away! How speedy is that!

"You don't turn your back on family, even when they do."

Elephant's Eyebrows

The audiobook I'm listening to is The Diviners by Libba Bray. It's set in the 1920's, and I enjoy the different sayings. I've heard of the "cat's meow", the "bee's knees", but I've never heard of the "elephant's eyebrows". Haha. I love that. You're the elephant's eyebrows. Teehee. While listening, I came across a line that I really love. I don't know the exact punctuation, I'll have to get the book and see. But these are the exact words. And I adore them.

"In its way, writing was like healing. A cure for the loneliness he felt. Sometimes the cure took. Other times, it didn't. But he kept trying."

I'm not even half way through with it yet. It's quite long. But I really like it. It's very different than what I'm used to reading. Here's the summary from goodreads:

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

Pandemonium & Chocolate Chip Cookies are Fine By Me

Today we made chocolate chip cookies! For our Storybook Share Day tomorrow. I clock in for for work and my mom says, "Kiko, can you makes cookies or something with the kids for tomorrow's share day?" I obviously reply, "Yes!" I magically find two eggs and the recipe for Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies on the back of the large package of chocolate chips we have. We had all the other ingredients. Success! So we had our second food prep of the week. Cheehoo.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. I told you about it yesterday. Remember? Well, I finished listening to it today while I was on my break at work. Aaaahhhhh!
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!! He's ALIVE! I knew he would be. I knew that he could not possibly have died at the end of the first book. I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't. I knew that he was alive and that he'd come back. As Pandemonium went on, and Lena and Julian started to fall for one another, even more I knew he was alive. I was like, OMG, he's going to come back at the end of the book, but Lena and Julian will be together. He will come back. I knew it would be this way. I had a gut feeling. I just knew it! And I was right. So happy, she was promising Julian they would stay together. "You and me. I promise," she said. "Don't believe her." Hardened, stony eyes. Auburn hair. Boy brought back from the dead. Alex. Gaaahhh!! I need Requiem now! I have no idea what's going to happen next. I am very VERY excited to see...

"If you want something, if you take it for your own, you'll always be taking it from someone else. That's a rule too. And something must die so that others can live." -Pandemonium

"That is what hatred is. It will feed you and at the same time turn you to rot. It is hard and deep and angular, a system of blockades. It is everything and total. Hatred is a high tower." -Pandemonium

Exercise
Walking w/ two 5 lb weights (50 min)

Fine By Me - Andy Grammer ft. Colbie Caillat

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up." - Paul Valéry

Audiobooks

We made Banana Muffins today. They are one of my favorite things to bake. It's definitely the thing I bake most often. We always find ourselves with overripe/browning bananas. Some people like to eat bananas like that. I am not one of those people. So what do I do? I make Banana Muffins! They are so deliciously tasty. The perfect way to not waste bananas.

You know I love reading. I also love listening to audiobooks. Especially when they are read with such emotion and I can just close my eyes, listen, and imagine I'm there. That's one thing I really love about audiobooks. I can close my eyes and be fully consumed. When you watch a movie, you see what you are shown. When you read a book, you get to create the images in your mind as you read. When you listen to an audiobook, you create the images in your mind while having the emotion and diction of the words come through another's voice. It's like watching a movie, but better, because you get to "see" what you want. Visualize it the way you see it. I am not sure if you are able to comprehend anything I am babbling about. But I understand what I'm saying. Haha. I also love audiobooks because I can listen to them in the car, when I'm doing dishes, when I'm running errands, when I'm waiting in the dentist's office, when I'm lying in bed at night in the dark before I go to sleep, or when I go running/walking (which I did today by the way.) It's on my phone, so I always have it with me. It's perfect! I borrow them through the library, and they show up on my phone through OverDrive. I heart technology.

The current audiobook I am listening to and absolutely loving is Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. I adore Sarah Drew's voice. Her narration draws me in and I can't stop. She speaks with passion and fire. Which is perfect. I read Delirium (the first book of the trilogy) a while back. But listening to Pandemonium (the second book of the trilogy) now makes me want to listen to the audiobook of Delirium. I did that with The Hunger Games trilogy. I read them as each of them came out. But right before the movie came out, I decided I wanted a refresher. So I audiobooked that business! Which was very very fun. Oh, I love audiobooks.

Oh! Oh! Oh! Stolen by Lucy Christopher! The audiobook! Narrated by Emily Gray! Iloveloveloveit! You know how I feel about accents. Emily Gray is a-ma-zing. Gemma has a British accent, and Ty has an Australian accent. Swoon. Go listen to it if you can. It's a crazy story. But I couldn't get enough. That's another thing I love about audiobooks. Accents! I can hear it perfectly in my head. Reading it, I may accidentally put the wrong accent on it. But if it's an audiobook, I can hear it! Here's the cover of Stolen, and a couple quotes from the book.

Exercise

Walking w/ two 5 lb weights (45 min)

Random song that I love.
Catch Me - Demi Lovato

Before I fall too fast
Kiss me quick but make it last
So I can see how badly this will hurt me when you say goodbye

Keep it sweet, keep it slow
Let the future pass and don't let go
But tonight I could fall too soon into this beautiful moonlight

But you're so hypnotizing
You've got me laughing while I sing
You've got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
Your love is where I'm falling
But please don't catch me...

See this heart won't settle down
Like a child running scared from a clown
I'm terrified of what you do
My stomach screams just when I look at you

Run far away so I can breathe
Even though you're far from suffocating me
I can't set my hopes too high
'Cause every "Hello" ends with a "Goodbye"

But you're so hypnotizing
You've got me laughing while I sing
You've got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
Your love is where I'm falling
But please don't catch me...

So now you see why I'm scared
I can't open up my heart without a care
But here I go, It's what I feel
And for the first time in my life I know it's real

But you're so hypnotizing
You've got me laughing while I sing
You've got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
Your love is where I'm falling
So please don't catch me

If this is love please don't break me
I'm giving up so just catch me

Funny still from tonight's episode of New Girl. I had to take a picture of it with my phone and post it here. Classic Nick Miller. :)

The Great Gatsby

It was one of those days. I woke up and thought, "hey, I feel like wearing a dress today." So I did. With some black tights. And my converse, of course. Hair braided. Work was fun. Kids were happy. I was happy.

This week has been Teacher Appreciation Week. So we teachers got lots of yummy goodies. Delicioso. Manapua. Apple Napples from Zippy's (I didn't eat any of these though because I don't like them.) Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. Fudge. Cocoa Puffs from Liliha Bakery. Yummy. Tummy.

After work I went out with my friends to the movies. Guess what we saw. The Great Gatsby. Oh my goodness! That was seriously amazing. I was not expecting that. I was visually stunned. So colorful. So beautiful. The camera panning. The little details. Down to the various colorful patterned pillows that Gatsby sat on while Nick and Daisy were dancing. The music. Jay-Z. Beyoncé. I love how they took current songs and 1920's-fied them. Crazy in Love, as it played when Gatsby was bringing the flowers under the many umbrellas to Nick's home. Gatsby was literally "crazy in love" with Daisy. I mean, every thing he did was out of love for Daisy. What he thought she'd want. What he envisioned for his future. He created his entire world just for her. So hopeful. So enraptured by all that he remembered of her. All of his dreams. Disillusioned. I liked how they played up the clock scene. Gatsby fumbling nervously like a little boy. Shaky shyness. I now understand why they also had a 3D version. I felt like I was flying at some points in the movie. Soaring over the city. I loved the written words. And how it snowed typewriter letters at one point. Snowing letters! So different. So fun! The letters dissolved. And flowed. Gatbsy's parties. They looked so fun. I love all of the outfits! The dresses! The head pieces! Gorgeous. The glitter. The fireworks. His mansion was humongous. Fast driving. The slow motioned parts. So delicate. This movie had so many different aspects that added up to amazingness. So much going on. The contrast between the gray "slums" and the colorful "exotically rich" lifestyles. The significance of the green light. The way that it felt word for word out of the book. For the most part at least. The actors were marvelous. When I got home, I was still trying to comprehend all that I saw. It's taking control of my mind's eye. I'm still a bit overwhelmed. But in a good way. A really good way.

Crazy In Love - Emeli Sande feat. The Bryan Ferry Orchestra

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Learning and Pencil Drawings: Day 53

"Learning is never a bad thing. And neither is changing your mind about things... It's always good to reevaluate. To think and consider all sides."
                        -Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

Food Intake
Life Cereal and Milk - 4
Cheese and Crackers - 10
Carrots and Hummus - 4
Apples
Lucky Charms - 2
Graham Crackers and Milk - 8
Tortilla, Refried Beans, and Cheese - 6

Exercise
None

I drew this on the table paper when we ate at Macaroni Grill for Bevon's going away party. I just came across it and wanted to post it up here for fun. If you can't read the words, it says, "Hello. I'm Charlie! This is my turtle, Ty!" Don't ask. Just go with it.

I drew these two the other day.

Optimus Prime action figure.

One of the boys in my class as a super hero.

Safekeeping

Safekeeping by Karen Hesse

Book Description from Amazon.com:

Radley’s parents had warned her that all hell would break loose if the American People's Party took power. And now, with the president assassinated and the government cracking down on citizens, the news is filled with images of vigilante groups, frenzied looting, and police raids. It seems as if all hell has broken loose.

Coming back from volunteering abroad, Radley just wants to get home to Vermont, and the comfort and safety of her parents. Travel restrictions and delays are worse than ever, and by the time Radley’s plane lands in New Hampshire, she’s been traveling for over twenty-four hours. Exhausted, she heads outside to find her parents—who always come, day or night, no matter when or where she lands—aren’t there.

Her cell phone is dead, her credit cards are worthless, and she doesn’t have the proper travel papers to cross state lines. Out of money and options, Radley starts walking. . . .

Illustrated with 50 of her own haunting and beautiful photographs, this is a vision of a future America that only Karen Hesse could write: real, gripping, and deeply personal.

I am so glad I picked up this book from the library. I was just browsing one day, when it caught my eye. I knew I had to read it. Having finished it, I know I was right. It was a hidden treasure waiting to be found. This book is hope amidst great tragedy. An unwanted, but nonetheless necessary, journey. It shows what you can accomplish when you have no other choice but to keep moving.

With all of the imagery (through words and photos,) you can't not feel like you are there in that time. It's real. Scary real. As though something of this nature could very well happen. As though it has happened or is happening.

Radley traveled far from home. Forced to either be strong or wither away. Radley was able to find herself. She realized what she was capable of. And who she wanted to be.

Reading this book makes me remember all that I have. I should take advantage of it, rather than take it for granted. I have more than enough. I have a loving family. I have a home. I have food and clean water. I have electricity. I have safety. I am blessed day in and day out. Reading about Radley's time in Haiti, working in the orphanage, made me even more eager to go and serve in a third world country. Or something along those lines. That would be amazing to work at an orphanage. All those poor babies who need someone to hold them, someone to love them. I want to be that person.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"These fleeting moments of kindness give me hope that the world is not completely lost."

"As long as you live, it is never too late to make amends. Take my advice, child. Don't waste your precious life with regrets and sorrow. Find a way to make right what was wrong, and then move on."

"... you are so young. You have so much yet to learn, about yourself, about the world. The way you live your life now, that is how you make amends to those you have lost, that is how you honor them."

Now go. Read this book. You will most surely not regret it.

The Help

I finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett a little bit ago. Then I watched the movie for the first time. My friend let me borrow the book and DVD. I thought I'd do a combined review. But let me first warn you that there are going to be spoilers. Because, you know me, I love talking about my books! And movies.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Synopsis from Kathryn Stockett's webiste:

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women–mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends–view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.

There is so much that I want to say about this amazing book. I have so many favorite bits and pieces. I hope I can remember them all. I guess I'll get started. Here we go. My favorites.

Favorite supporting character(s):

Mae Mobley. Because she is so cute and sweet. Her innocence is beautiful. I love her relationship with Aibileen. How she looks up to her. How, due to her fact that her mother isn't very good at mothering, she sees Aibileen as her real mama, saying, "Aibee, you're my real mama," and then, "I'm your baby." So cute!  As Aibileen says encouraging words to her, "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." Thank you, Mae Mobley, for going on Aibee's pot. And the pot in Hilly's front yard. Coloring the picture you drew of a black you. Secret stories. Listening. Being you. Playing in the mud. Being a good big sister. Loving. You precious little girl.

Celia Foote. She's the best. I love love love her. Bubbly. Loving. Color-blind heart. Sweet as pie. From Sugar Ditch. Appreciative. So kind and warm-hearted to all. Friend to Minny. My absolute favorite part of the book was when that naked lunatic was in her yard yelling about his "pecker pie," and Minny told Celia to stay inside and lock the doors and went out with a knife chasing him. She'd gotten knocked down. Miss Celia comes running out with a fire-poker and starts hitting him. Again. And again. And again. Then she took care of Minny. She saved Minny and went all crazy on that man. I love the relationship between Minny and Celia. Love. And how she and Mister Johnny tells Minny that she will always have a job with them, if she wants it. Oh yeah, I love Mister Johnny too. How he loves Miss Celia so much. Oh, they are so cute together! Beautiful, loving couple. Gorgeous! Swoon.

Favorite quotes (some of them anyways, because there are so much more):

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”

“That's the way prayer do. It's like electricity, it keeps things going.” 

“Once upon a time they was two girls," I say. "one girl had black skin, one girl had white."
Mae Mobley look up at me. She listening.
"Little colored girl say to little white girl, 'How come your skin be so pale?' White girl say, 'I don't know. How come your skin be so black? What you think that mean?'
"But neither one a them little girls knew. So little white girl say, 'Well, let's see. You got hair, I got hair.'"I gives Mae Mobley a little tousle on her head.
"Little colored girl say 'I got a nose, you got a nose.'"I gives her little snout a tweak. She got to reach up and do the same to me.
"Little white girl say, 'I got toes, you got toes.' And I do the little thing with her toes, but she can't get to mine cause I got my white work shoes on.
"'So we's the same. Just a different color', say that little colored girl. The little white girl she agreed and they was friends. The End."
Baby Girl just look at me. Law, that was a sorry story if I ever heard one. Wasn't even no plot to it. But Mae Mobley, she smile and say, "Tell it again.”

“Today I'm on tell you bout a man from outer space." She just loves hearing about peoples from outer space. Her favorite show on the tee-vee is My Favorite Martian, I pull on my antennae hats I shaped last night out a tin foil, fasten em on our heads. One for her and one for me. We look like we a couple a crazy people in them things.
"One day, a wise Martian come down to Earth to teach us people a thing or two," I say.
"Martian? How big?"
"oh, he about six-two."
"What's his name?"
"Martian Luther King."
She take a deep breath and lean her head down on my shoulder. I feel her three-year-old heart racing against mine, flapping like butterflies on my white uniform.
"He was a real nice Martian, Mister King. Looked just like us, nose, mouth, hair up on his head, but sometime people looked at him funny and sometime, well, I guess sometime people was just downright mean."
I coul get in a lot a trouble telling her these little stories, especially with Mister Leefolt. But Mae Mobley know these our "secret stories".
"Why Aibee? Why was they so mean to him?" she ask.
"Cause he was green.” 

“Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision. You gone have to ask yourself, "Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?”

“Write about what disturbs you, particularly if it bothers no one else.”

“They say it's like true love, good help. You only get one in a lifetime.”

"We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought.”

Main Characters (In three words):

Aibileen. Wise. Mothering. Friend.

Minny. Hilarious. Strong. Self-less.

Miss Skeeter. Dreamer. Driven. Unafraid.

It's movie time!

This movie was excellent. I always say that books are always better than the movie version. That's a given. They go into more detail. Because they can. Because they are a lot longer. Squeezing six hundred pages into 2 hours takes some cuts here and there. But they did an amazing job with this movie. It hit all of the main points necessary to get the message and feel of the book across.

The movie was a lot less sad than the book. It was happier somehow. The movie left out the really downcast parts. Such as Minny's beatings. They mentioned them in the movie, but didn't show it. I like that they did that. Hilly wasn't as evil in the movie as in the book. She was a snobby-nose-in-the-air-holier-than-thou, foot-stomping-tantrum-throwing white lady. Granted, she did terrible things in the movie, but it wasn't as bad at book Hilly. I loved when she was eating the pie in the movie. Classic. Miss Walters, Hilly's mom, played a much bigger role in the movie than she did in the book, that's for sure. She was more of a problem in the movie. She laughed at Hilly eating the pie, she told Hilly to read the book and that it was probably about Jackson. Miss Skeeter's mom was also less bad in the movie. They made it seem like she kicked out Constantine because the other lady told her to. Rather than it being her decision. Speaking of Constantine's daughter Rachel, now that was a big change. In the book she looks white because Constantine is half white from her father. Where in the movie, she is black. In the book, when she showed up at the house, it was the first time Miss Skeeter's mom had ever seen her, rather than in the movie how she was portrayed to be somewhat of a family friend.

I love love loved Miss Celia and Mister Johnny in this movie. They are just the sweetest, cutest couple. Oh my my. I loved the depth of Celia and Minny's friendship in the book, but I love how it was in the movie as well. They looked out for each other. Celia is so bubbly and funny. I just love her. Obviously. But you already knew that. Mister Johnny is so sweet. I love the scene in the movie when Celia cooked Minny a dinner feast and she and Johnny told Minny that she would always have a job there as long as she wanted. True thankfulness for Minny. Oh, I love them. All three of them.

My favorite part of the movie is when Minny is walking towards Celia's house, carrying bags of groceries. Mister Johnny pulls up in his car and asks her if she needs help with them. She glances over at him, and then begins to run away screaming, "Miss Celia!" throwing groceries and dropping them everywhere. And then picking up a fallen tree branch for defense. It was hilarious to say the least. So darn funny. I absolutely love it.

The movie was full of hope and love. Sadness and joy. Cries and laughter. Breaking through boundaries. Overcoming obstacles. Finding your true purpose and reason for life. Knowing who you are. What you can accomplish with a dream. We are all just people.

The Help movie trailer

iHeartRADIO: Day 45

I have juice dribbling down my chin and fingers from the juicy orange I am currently consuming. Yummmmm...

Hey You-know-who-you-are, I missed you at work today. I greatly look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Yay hey! And thank you so very much for reading by blogs. The only one who reads my blogs. Every. Single. One. of them. Thank you. I makes me happy. I love you!

Another thing I miss about Ohio are the radio stations. I am currently listening to iHeartRADIO on my phone. Akron 98.1 WKDD. One of my favorite stations. I love this app! :)

Ooh! My song just came on! Ho Hey! :) See... I love iHeartRADIO. Ha, I heart iHeartRADIO.

"I belong with you.

You belong with me.

You're my sweetheart."

Food Intake
Apple
Granola Bar
Animal Crackers
Water
Cheese and Crackers
Pizza
Water
Graham Crackers
Milk
Chicken Noodle Soup w/ Cheese
Orange

Exercise
None

Because I Am Furniture

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas.

It took me about two and a half hours to finish this book. I devoured every single page. I couldn't put it down. And I didn't want to.

Here's the book description written on the book's cover flap:

ANKE'S FATHER IS ABUSIVE. But not to her. He attacks her brother and sister, but she is ignored, forced to be an invisible witness in a house of horrors. Believing she isn't worthy of even the worst kind of attention, Anke feels about as significant as the living room sofa. Until she makes the volleyball team at school. In a sport where you have to yell "Mine!" to play the ball, Anke learns for the first time how to make herself heard. As her confidence on the court builds, she finds a voice she didn't know existed. And it's not long before she realizes that if she can make people hear her while she's playing volleyball, then maybe she can be heard at home, too. 

     Author Thalia Chaltas leads you straight to the heart of Anke's darkly complicated world in this devastatingly powerful novel in poems.

SPOILER ALERT! Sort of. Maybe. So go read the book :)
I have way too many thoughts running through my mind right now. They are racing a mile a minute due to the amazing-ness of this book and the rapidity of which I finished it. I love Anke. (Pronounced Ahn-Keh.) Her journey is incredible. Through the pain, she finds her own strength. And voice.

This is the very first page. And I was hooked...

This is one of my favorite parts of this book. Anke is ready. To truly speak up. Here she's talking to her sister, Yaicha.

"Every day,
every day he rips you open,
chips off pieces week by week,
till a few years from now you are not even a 
   mouthful of sawdust.
A drawn-out killing.
Well, I'm tired of all of us doing nothing.
He has to be stopped."

"Nobody can stop him."

"Nobody can stop him?
Good.
To him I have always been
Nobody."

And I LOVE this. Oh, her words! Her descriptive, beautiful words!

Staring into the starred darkness
makes me feel
stronger,
a simple truth.

With all the
dizzy galaxies
           hot gases
                     dust at the speed of light
                              neutrinos running through
                                  everything,

no matter how powerful someone is
           here on Earth
they are just as small as me
to the vast greatness of
outer
space.            

Once Upon A Time: Day 10

Work today. Then I went to the library to pick up some more books. Hot Yoga. Home.

I've been catching up watching Once Upon A Time. I like that TV show. I'm still on the first season. But it's really fun to watch. It's cool figuring out the characters, seeing their stories and figuring out why some are the way they are. Such as why Regina is the way she is. And I'm excited to see where it all goes.

Food Intake
Club Crackers
Water
Panda Express - Plate Leftovers [1/2 Orange Chicken, 1/2 Mushroom Chicken, 1/2 Chow Mein]
Egg salad
Club crackers
Animal crackers
Fat free milk
Almonds
Water
1/4 cup 2% Milk
1/2 cup Life Cereal
1 Tortilla
2 Tbsp Kraft Mexican Shredded Cheese
Spaghetti Factory Leftovers - [A little bit of Chicken, Broccoli, Spaghetti with Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese]

Exercise
Hot Yoga Flow (75 min)

"It's the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is hope.

It fuels our dreams. And if you're in it, you need to enjoy it. Because

love doesn't always last forever. You need to be with the person you love.

Now go. Find your love. Find your hope. Find your dreams." - Belle