Decemeber's one busy month!

Christmas is usually what December is remembered for. But thats for those who don't have birthdays in this "splendid" snow coverd month. It's also for those who don't have anniversaries in the bitter cold weeks. It's also for those who haven't had anyone die in the dark days of midwinter.


For this month, my family is partiularly weighed down.


Starting of course within the first week by Ally and I's birthday. And for those anit-Amber and Allysen people (I'm sure theres a few out there) who still want to party like its 1985 or 1941, you can celebrate Pearl Harbor.. not sure why you'd want to though.. perhaps "observing" would be better, start less global drama that way, hmm?

Both Al and I had awesome birthdays, though I'm a bit jealous, she was winged to Texas to snoodle Jillies baby, though I got fantabulous home made dinner, and got to watch Nick cheat his way to the top spot in a Yatzee type game thing he has. I'm so proud of him!


The next big day, would have been my Parents 26th (I may or may not have made up that number) wedding anniversary BUT on the 12th the 3rd oldest of the Hill-clan poped the all important question to the lovely Brooklyn, and we were all sent the update in family status via text, which then had me dancing in the middle of Target.


WE LOVE YOU BROOKLYN! WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!


So this would normally be where my family tackles Geg happily, had he been in Utah at the time of course. Though his location really didn't have any affect to the lack of celebration because the next day our Papa Hill died, after a long battle with his insides. (I'd get more technical but I don't know the whole story so I don't feel I should) 15 years and 13 days short of his beloved wife and my wonderful Grandma Hill.


Papa we'll miss you.


Now would be the time I spout sentiments about my parents anniversary, but WAIT another big day:


on the 14th I finally finished decorating my christmas tree!! I have been informed that this is the last year I can have my "white trash" tree.. I love it, but sadly it took me fourteen days to complete it!! Freaking stupid popcorn strings.



Still it's cute, don't you agree:



Next big day: The Gingerbread Massacre.


See that cute little Ginger couple at the bottom? Gone. See the Happy go lucky guy on the right. Gone. See the guy behind him? He is remarkably untouched.


The next day to celebrate with gifts of the awesome sort, would be the Parents anniversary. Sadly I'm a little blog happy and that day has yet to happen, so I can't really say anything about it. Christmas has a similar fate, it may only be ten days away, but I still don't have future seeing powers :( Same goes for the rest of the stuff I can't remember or forsee..


Other things of note:
I've finished my first edit and moved on to my second. AND the unlucky folk to have experienced the first draft are beginning to finish.. Alive!


Um... Voice lessons rock, only I haven't been in a while because decemeber is far to busy for it's own good.


leessseee... Nope, that's it. You may now get back to your regularly scheduled lives. (if you want, by all means read my blog again, I don't judge)

When at first you don't succeed.

The Claw.

Everyone has been tempted once or twice by this arcade staple. The big mocking game that offers incredibly cheap, while still intriguing prizes. This game serves only two purposes: To take your money, as well as your sanity. And convince you beyond all reason that you need whatever it holds.

There are only a few reasons you would ever play this game. You are either A.) High (sugar or drug related) or drunk, or cocky as heck. B.) 10 years old and think you’re invincible, and jonesing badly for that monster truck. Or C.) Dared by all your cohorts and now pride won’t let you leave without that bobble head.

I am only mortal and have also been tempted by this monster machine. Three times in my life to be exact. My first encounter was inevitable, everyone needs their dreams crushed once, or dropped inches from the box. My second time was years afterward when a group of my friends and I instigated situation C, then by sheer luck discovered the weak link in the dream dropping chain. It didn’t matter that the coveted toy inside was miniature Care Bears, when life gives you a broken arcade game, you take it for all it’s worth.

My third time brings us up to last night. When I was getting a late dinner with Grant and Jason at the Gateways food court. It wasn’t really flashy, or emitting brain-melting music, what it had was giant super balls. I don’t consider myself a tomboy, but I do like my bouncy balls.

So after eyeing the machine half the meal, even walking up to it to ogle the toys, Grant handed me 50 cents and told me to go nuts!! I’m not sure if he really meant for me to literally go nuts, but after I aligned the claw just right, watched it descend upon my prize, miss it by centimeters, and still come up with a ball, I did just that!!

It was amazing!! I wasn’t even embarrassed to be the center of attention. Which I was, I even got congratulations from passerby’s. I got my toy! And it flashes, and bounces, and has a snowman in it!!

The evening ended on a very good note, and now the ball rests after being thoroughly used and abused. Don’t worry I promise I wont let it go to my head.. and I wont try to get another one.
Such luck only happens once. ((dang it.))

No more Reasons

I'd like to take this time and apologize. I'm sure you've all noticed I suck at the blogging game, I do and I'm sorry.

When I find time to write, I normally don't think "BLOG!" I think "How the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks did she get into that jail!?!" And then I go on a research bing. Don't be fooled people, I may spout crude, rude, sarcastic nonsense about research, but I love it. Dearly. No I'm not smirking. Or twitching.

So, news on the home front. I've begun editing, and I've learned a lot about myself. It's quite harrowing really, you see I don't always type things (ie: words) that I think, I suppose it's the whole philosophy of "If I know what I'm talking about, so should you." The worst part is, I don't know what I'm talking about!

I've also learned that when ever I try to type lane, I inevitably type lance, Ya I don't know why.

I'm on page 71 of 122, almost there. And can I say, I'm dangerous to my own health. I almost had a mini heart attack because I was (at least I thought I was) far enough in the story to be introduced to Turner, and he wasn't THERE! I flipped page after page looking for him, finally coming to the conclusion that I forgot to add his parts in to my final draft.

Which of course wasn't true, I had. I'm not that insane (yet, give me a few more pages and I just might get there) I finally found where he jumps in, I think I might move him up a bit.

So after 6 hours on my couch with my lappy, my cat, a bowl of extra mild super liquidy salsa (I don't like the chunks, but I like what the chunks do to the juice so I soak my chips in the salsa juice!) my binder of story (yes I printed it out) and my red pen (that apparently had a leak if my red hand/face was any indication later) I was done editing 60 pages.. it was a definite learning experience.

Over at Fifthwind my fellow novelish finisher Wishingstar (we finished at the same time) asked about the next step: Editing. and I've been taking advantage of her request and reading all the tips and advise, and have made a game plan for myself.

Fifthwind, our leader extrodinar of course had great advise, but so did Grammer and Miss. Shadow. So I'm combining them all.

I know what I'm doing, but I don't know how to explain it right now, so I wont bore you with "well see I'm doing this cause..." I'll have to write later on it.

See, this way if it doesn't work I wont have to delete this blog!! Win win right?

They're coming to take me AwAy!!

Is this just me? Someone tell if it is, because I’d love to know. But I have this feeling of.. impatients, anxiety, and plain nervousness about writing!

It’s one of those feelings like: You KNOW you have to do something, but plum forgot what it was, and gosh dang, it was important too.

That thing of is, I know what it is I’ve forgotten. I haven’t written. Uh oh, just got an idea.. is this what a withdrawal feels like?

Geez, I only wanted a month off, is that too much to ask for? Well alright, I might be able to understand some of those feelings, but where is this “times running out” feeling coming from? Seriously, it’s making me re-evaluate my life and make sure I’m ready for something major, kinda scary!

Maybe it’s just my A.D.D going into hyper drive. What I wouldn’t give to just sit and be still. Have nothing to worry about. Though even when I have nothing to worry about, I worry about wasting time.

I wonder if you can rent 2 year olds. A handfull of two year olds could probably wear me out. But then I’d just go to sleep, and not get anything done, and then when I woke up I’d be upset because I hadn’t done anything.

Maybe I need to rethink my whole stance on medication. Actaully that wouldn’t work, then I’d just worry about side effects, and wondering if I was going to die. *crossing medication off list forever*

*sigh* Maybe I should just write, see where that gets me *taps pen on teeth*

Nah, I’ll just go kill some Sims characters cleverly.

Jack of all Trades.

Just call me Jack. Or Amber.

In any case, here I sit sick and bored, and sleepy. As odd as it sounds I have been sick all week but still managed to be extremely busy, which could explain why I've been sick all week.

What have I been doing? Nothing really, nothing huge, grand or important. But to me, stuff I've wanted to get done for a long time, and something I didn't plan on doing but still had lots of fun with.

I could go on and on, and I kinda want to BUT for the sake of everyone I'll just have a little show and tell.

So you've seen some of my clay stuff, well I've got more for you, and still more to come.

Heres what I got so far.


For those of you who don't watch Anime, (sadly I think thats all of you) This cute little guys name is Bonta-kun. He's from Full Metal Panic, which in Grant and I's opinion is one of the BEST animes out there. He's pretty much like a Micky Mouse in the show, well until the Hero uses his costume as battle gear, which explains the fatigues.


You don't even have to watch Anime to know what this guy is, even though he technically is Anime. POKEMON. Gotta catch them all. I actually haven't watched Pokemon for years, but I do like the show, and think Pokemon are very cute!
This is Squirtle, I made him for my little brothers birthday. Don't you love his tail? It was actually harder then it looks. It also fell off while he was cooking, which was nothing, Bonta-kun was decapitated.

Well meds are kicking in, so I'm going now. Bye.

Be FREE little Novel!

So, if you weren't texted a billion times (and I think you all were at least once), if you didn't see the million updates on Facebook, if you're not my friend on Twitter (please don't be my friend, I'm not proud of signing up and am in a program for recovering tweets) and if you weren't at Coldstone last night at 9:00pm then you don't know.

I FINISHED MY FREAKING NOVEL!!!!!!!!

I actually kinda finished it on the 28th because thats when I outlined it. Ever since then I've been thrilled to bursting point. And last night I exploded.

October 7th, 2009 @ 8:25ish Izabell and Turners story was completed.

I almost cried!

I also .. well vented isn't the right word, I exploded on my friend Jennifer H. who was SOO kind to come take me to get ice cream (thats the coldstone I was talking about) She had no idea I was insane.

Everything I said came out in loud, and I was shaking and laughing, and MAN! I was on the biggest high of my life. Oh I just remembered, I took IBUprofin that night because I wore a brain sucker head band to work.. ok it all makes sense now.

Anyway, it's finished and now, I don't know what to DO. When I was writing there seemed like a million other things I wanted to do. However now I'm done, I don't know what to do.

Things I do remember that were on my list:
1- Learn to draw good so I can write a Comic!
2- Learn to draw REAL good *drool*
3- Read all the books I can get my grubby little hands on
4- Win Sims (think about it)
5- Make two fabulous Anime figurines while I watch NEW Anime shows
6- Watch ANIME!!!!! (how I've missed it)
7- Polish and see if I can publish my book
8- crochet more
9- learn to write short stories
10- write short stories
11- start next book.
12- Do singing lessons with my sister in-law
13- Learn Salsa dancing! (I tell ya Grant, they'll pair me up with a Hunka-Hunka Burn'in love if you don't come with me)
14-Get a job at Five Alls so I can be a medieval bar Wench!!

:D Sorry I had to add the "write" ones because.. I like writing! I know I should compile my story together and get things started for the polish.. but I'm going to give it a break for a while. The first thing Grant asked was if he got his wife back.. Yes my love you do!

For now.

K later guys

Writing a Novel is fun to do.

Or is it?

Actually it is :D

Somedays.

Holy freaking COW! I can't wait until it's finished grrrrrrrrr....

If I have to google search one more thing I'm going to cry.

WoW! I had no idea that dervived from THAT!

This is so neat, I can't wait to finish this scene.

Poor Will.

Ugh.. whats another word for "said"

Grant I'm thinking of this word, it means this: *insert long unintelagable description* what is it?

If crinolines (hoop skirts) were that dangerous and annoying, why did women continue to wear them for half a century??

Poor, poor Will.

Dear Mister Drill Seargant Man: If I write 1800 today can I skip tomorrow?
Dear Stone: No, but if you want to write 1800 today be my guest.

AH!!!!!!!!!!! Lap top died again before I saved :'(

Cloud move. Cloud move. Cloud move. Cloud move. Cloud move. Cloud move. Cloud move.

Grant: How do the words come?
Amber: They aren't
Grant: Oh?
Amber: *steam coming from ears* I've been researching *annoying question I can't find an answer to anywhere though I havewhole internet and about a dozen books scattered around me*
Grant:*lucky to leave room alive*

*posts on writers forum*
Todays Word Count is: 79,264


Ok so thats pretty much the gist of it all. Luckily Grant is very supportive though he's about as tired as I am. 900 words takes me anywhere from 30mins to 4 hours to write, depending on if I fully outlined the section, or had a dream about it, or have to play catch up *shifty eyes* Anyway I also have about a million other people supporting me as well, and thats not counting my cross dressing cheerleaders on Fifthwind.

And I want to publicly thank them all. THANKS QUASI FANS!! I honestly wouldn't be this far if it wasn't for peoples like you. Oh and the Boot Camp, but thats also based on not wanting to look stupid in front of your peers.

Ok gotta save my brain for another round of 900 tonight.. or in a second if I decided I want to write at work or not. Which if I don't I'll just do more research.. ((come on this is why I picked fantasy so I didn't have to have any actual facts...*cry*))

The Cake that Beat the Rest.

Or actually didn't however I think it's probably the coolest cake I made EVER!!

Making it was also a LOT OF FREAKING FUN!!

Why? Well I had my lappy set up on the counter while I baked and created, and I was able to send some of those creative juices just surging around into my novel! I wrote some of the best stuff I've got yet in those cake making hours.

It was a good day. So... want to see that cake? It's pretty killer awesome. Ok ok stop you're making people stare.

DA da:

Isn't it pretty? Ok bad angle but it's still nice... *loves* It was for the sis's 20th Happy Happy. (Translation: This cake that I am in love with, was created for my sister Kimberlys celebration of her 20th year on earth.)

Lets see thats.. a Royal Icing Crown. and Buttercreme flouncing with sparkles.

Ok on to the next Blog.

Duels Update

After reading my duel Grant now thinks I want to burn all my cabbage patch dolls.

I'll say this once.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*grabs extremely large bag of cabbage patch dolls and runs away.*

Duels

So I've joined a writers forum, and on that forum we have practice duels. Little things to test our range, or just to have fun with. I normally don't do them because I'm comfortable with what I write.. BUT on occassion I'll say something really snarky on the forum somewhere else, or hit someone for being snarky and I'll get a penance duel.

I was talking about lolli-pops and I got slapped with a penance duel. And I liked it so much I'm posting it here. Oh by the way, our duels have a topic, they are created to push us our of our comfort boxes.

This one was : An Interesting Crop.

Enjoy.


"Yes all of them must go." He said walking along the dark corridor talking on his cell.

"No I don’t care." He said indifferently "What part of all of them do you not understand?"
He leaned up against a dark wall and flipped a switch. Twelve rows of lights flicked on shining down on very crowded tables.

"No you can not keep one, their dangerous man! Or is that something else you don’t understand."
Rolling his eyes he walked along a row of tables.

"I can say whatever I like." He drawled bored out of his mind, he should have never gotten family involved.

"Fine, you know what, I’ll do it." He hit the glowing red phone button and looked out at his crop. They really were quiet cute, unnatural, but cute nonetheless. It was a real shame he had to do this.

Casually he walked over to the supply shed and pulled out a gas can and pink gardening glove. He felt a slight pang as he put her glove in the can opening and lit it on fire. Sighing he cast a last glance around the cabbage patch they had grown together. It deserved this, though it wasn’t fair.

He placed the makeshift bomb on one of the tables and left the room.

He wasn’t even to his car when it exploded. Unable to help himself he looked back, then quickly left. He shouldn’t have done that, now the image of firelight dancing off their plastic heads would haunt him forever.



Hee.. hee..

This, that and the other thing.

Sorry I haven't written in a long time. I kinda feel this is a blog for the GRAMBER Bies, and not just the Amber Bies. Though if I wait for us to do something it will take a long time, because while we have great exciting lives, we don't do much.

What DO we do you ask? Well here this should eat up some time.

We've been watching a lot of netflixs lately: Princess Tutu and Mystery Science Theater 3000 get a lot of show time in our house lately.

We play with our puppies! Cloud plays with us.

Grant went to scout camp.

I've almost reached 60k words with my novel.

Our basement is ALMOST ready for sheetrock.

I bought a new expansion pack for Sims 2, and I've also actually followed through with an entire Sim from birth to death.. it was.. boring, but I'm glad I did it.

I ate a raspberry poptart and lived.

I thought I lost my hair, but realized after taking it out that it had been on my head the WHOLE time. (only 2 other people will get this but I had to make mention of it)

Grant whooped butt on Halo!!

We showed dusts bunnies whose boss in our house.

The hubby created the niftiest music books ever.

And lastly we went to Bear Lake over Raspberry Days!! (No Raspberrys where hurt in our vacation, we all got different flavored shakes NO raspberrys)

I leave this to last because I actually have pictures of this trip \o/

The chaos!! I tell you there were 20 billion Raspberry shake stands and they were all PACKED!

I thought this was a sweet picture, I think I'll make Grant photoshop it later tonight.

I also love this picture of Kim, look at the happy!!

Two sweet girlies!!

Gegs cutie girl Brooklyn

You can't be at a beach and not bury someone

And if I had to guess I'd say Nick volunteered

Apparenlty also a beach favorite: Tourture the pug.

I think this is an awesome castle, they worked hard. And got BURNT!

So I brought something that turned out NOT to be my swim bottoms. So we improvised. Got my moms handy pocket knife from her purse and went to town on my already shredded jeans.

Haven't blogged in a while. How about a rant?

For the most part I’d like to think of myself as a very up beat person. I don’t hold grudges, and get over things rather quickly. Life is just to short to be upset.

That said there are a few aspects of life I will lay down my flower and put on some boxing gloves for. There are only a few and those who know me steer clear of them because I will fight it, and I fight dirty. Fortunatly for them it’s relatively easy to avoid the subjects.

Well not so easy as all that.

Yesterday I was offended to the enth degree by someone I already wasn’t on very good terms with due to previous acts of ignorance. I wanted to call them out then and there but was restrained do to the playing field. Which was ****, and I was told it would be VERY rude to post such a public back lash. That only made me want to do it more. I was however talked out of it, so to speak..

The compromise was that I could blog about it, on a blog that, that person wont probably ever read. I still don’t see where the compromise is, but eh *shrugs* I still get to vent. And hopefully stop others from doing the same thing.

Alright, so I’m sure you’re all on the edge of your seat to know what this is all about huh? Well why don’t I tell you what happened to offend me so much THEN I will explain why.

Me: Did a quiz
Allysen: comments that she got the same result.
Offender: “Hate to state the obvious ladies, but you are twins.”

(side note a mutual friend got the SAME results too, are we triplets?)

Ok class see anything wrong with that statement? Yes! You’re right she is implying we are a single entity.

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with that thinking? No Jimmy that’s incorrect. Twins are TWO different people go out into the hall and never come back mmk?

Hello everyone I’m Amber and I’m a fertenal twin. I’ve been free from the twin stigma for five years *claps* My sister and I however have never been closer *claps*

Thats right, I hate being a twin. I hate everything there is about being a twin. On the upside though I don’t hate my sister, I thought I did at one point because she was the source of all my problems and discriminating. But she’s just as much a victim as I am.

If twins are alike (not visually I’ll talk about that later) it’s because they were raised by the same parents!! Just like other normal non-twin siblings. Twins go to the same school at the same time because they were born in time for that age group, just like all of their classmates. Twins are nothing more then siblings that came at the same time! They are seperate individuals, and deserve to be treated as such!

I am not a shell, I am not a ghost, I am not lacking by myself, I am a normal person. Give twins the right to individualize! Unless you yourself are a twin you will never know what it’s really like. Its not accurate to say that I’m compared to my sister, people just expect us to be the same. Living my life as a twin has been the pinnacle hardships.

Never to have anything for yourself, nothing to claim as yours. And why should there be? Its so cute to dress twins the same way: They have matching wardrobes. They have one birthday, one party, one/same gift. They have the same school, classmates think its only right to be both of their friends. Why should they be treated as individuals when so obviously there’s only one person!

One thing you learn well as a twin is to be selfish, if your not you’ll never have anything that is your own. No matter how hard I tried to separate myself it never worked, I only caused heartache. I didn’t think it was such a bad idea to have separate birthday parties one her way one mine, but apparently that’s just not done with twins. Eventually I gave up my birthday, it was not a special unique day that I could call my own.

If by some miracle people noticed we were different they got upset and preferred us to act like twins.

To quote book I recently read: “It’s a curious Idea. I should have thought the opposite, wouldn’t you? That you could expect them to be more alike than dissimilar?”

How cruel is that for a growing child? The author spoke of shadows, and ghost twins there she had some insight. We are very much shadows of each other, where one succeeds, one learns the other does as well, due to over active parenting or school teachers. theres no singular triumph.
Can you imagine sharing every Event in your life? Graduation, Birthdays, First days of School, First Car, all those firsts are not yours to cherish but to share.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister. A love that transcends all sibling affection, it’s the very fact that I’m a twin, which has diminished our relationship. Where teens would rebel against parents, or teachers; I rebelled against my twin, as hard as it was to leave my family I did gladly and don’t regret a thing, it was necessary to achieve a life outside of our forced unification.

How humiliating is it to be objectified as the ultimate sexual desire. Oh if I had a nickel for all the times I was asked if my sister can join us on a date.

Life as a twin is not as glamorous as anyone thinks. Of course I can’t speak for all twins. But I can speak for myself.

Please for the love of humanity treat twins as seperate beings. I can’t tell you how agonizing it is to be called Twinner, or asked where my other half is. I think for my entire time at school I was called Allysen as much if not more then Amber. And the worst part was, no one CARED. Apaprently you’re not expected to tell twins apart, and they(the twin pair in question) doesn’t care either, comes with the territory.

Oh and then theres the “Which ones Which” game and people tell you all the tricks they have to tell you apart. Ambers got a higher voice, Allysens taller; the game goes on and on then people start priding themselves on Not needing tricks we just look different!! Ya THINK!?

Heres were being a Fraternal (two seperate eggs) twin and an Identical (one egg splits) twin differ. And I will grant nontwins the uncertainty of telling them apart, I can’t even tell Identicals apart sometimes but I do my utmost to learn about the individual and thats how I tell them apart. Ie: John dresses this way because he’s more picky and likes to look nice.

They are still differnt people, they just LOOk alike, not their fault. Again tell me you’ve never seen a family that all the kids look the same and none of them are twins? Same thing.

Have I ranted enough? I’m getting tired. I think I have. Well class hope you learned something and wont make the same mistake as Mrs. Offender did.

Long time no Blog.

So apparently I haven't blogged in a while. Last night My wonderful husband told me I needed to blog again since the last one was in March, and not really about our familys happenings. Which I contended with: Why don't you blog, and Our family watches Anime, 'watching' is a verb and considered a happening.

I do feel a little bit guilty, we have done a lot since I last posted. Stuff worth mentioning too.

Lets see. We went to California with Grants Brother and his wife (aka Garrett and Mandy), we saw Wicked with Jason (aka our bestest buddy), We got central air (aka freezing your house in 20 seconds or less) I learned how to make Laundry detergent with my Mum. Grant re-wired our entire house without causing any major damage to property or person. We made awesome Mothers Day gifts I created a quiet book that was killing me softly with its felt. Most recently we went to Lake Powell, and that was like 3 days ago so I'm not THAT behind.. erm..

So I was going to wait for pictures to post this but that might take up to much more exciting time and THEN I will have to update this again... and I'm very lazy and quiet frankly beginning to hate the written language.

And its not even because I haven't written in a long time and find it boring or irrelvant, I've BEEN writing. 900wpd to be precise. Ok well to be MORE precise 500wpd for a month then 900wpd since July 1st. Why? Well you may as well ask, doesn't mean I'll tell you but you can ask anyway.

Never say I wasn't merciful.

I should have Some pictures up later, I'll try to do that today. Sorry for the pathetic post but I need to get it outta the way.

Love you all :D

Pictures?

(sorry this is all I got for now)

So Geg (jacob) went WAY natural on the trip..Hot huh?

What tubbing without tub wars?

I didn't know this picture was taken..

Take a look at that water!!

Writing...

In which the wearer of the swimsuite was not aware of its see throughness

And lastly, what a good hair style without its accessories?

More to show off

Sorry about this peeps, its kinda tacky posting a gratification only blog before I've posted the all important "whats been happening in the past months that you've neglected your blog" blog

Oh well. My blog my rules.

So I me my, am a wiz when it comes to clay I've decided, why have I decided this? Here I'll show you.

My Subjects:

My Creations:

You count them 1 Mokona and 2 Mokona, but then you have to stop, because there are only 2 Mokona.

I tried to get creative but and I ended up with this:

Hey gimme a break it's not that bad..

If you're wondering if these creatures are from Anime.. Yes, yes they are. They are called Mokona, and Mokona is Mokona. Confused? Mokona is their name and the name of their kind. They're awesome, thus their likeness incased in clay forever.

We all knew this would happen.

Just a matter of time really. I mean come on, people write about what they like and what they do and such like right? So its only natural for me to write about my interests. So far I've kept to the absolute bare minimum requirements of displaying these particular interests, because - and its ok really I understand- some have strong feelings concerning this.

But all your lucks run out, and its time for me to write...

WARNING WILL ROBISON POTENTIALLY VERY LONG BLOG AHEAD:

Where to start.. where to start... ANIME!!! Thats where. If you haven't been on the recieving end of one of my Anime salse pitches yet prepare to experience it NOW! Just kidding.. kinda, I am about to tell you all of an amazing collection of Anime shows. Complete with all the best Japanime features: Cutsie Animation, Strange and Odd Characters, Great sound tracks, potentially creepy story lines, completely original and fun Ideas!!!

Introducing: Hayao Miyazaki

The director and sometimes creator of great shows such as: Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke

They are produced by Studio Ghibli who have linked up -so to speak- with Disney so you know they gotta be good!!

We've watched a lot of Hayao Miyazakis' shows, and I haven't yet been compelled to write a blog about them. Seek out corresponding books, Yes. Share new findings with family, totally. Create Sims look alike Characters, Oh Heck Ya!

However this show just SCREAMED (in my ear all night LONG!) to have a blog writen about it.

So here it is

Spirited Away totaly lives up to Hayaos amazing Standards. Its cute, thought provoking, has a good moral, and is fun to watch! And unlike some the voice actors ROCK, what with Jason Marsden, Daveigh Chase, and Susan Egan (Megera on Hercules). It comes in Second on my Love Watch List, the First being Howls Moving Castle:

Tad Da -~>

Which really only finds its self there because of its Originator, the book: Howls Moving Castle By Diane Wyane Jones. This movie features the Voice talents of None Other than: Jean Simmons, Billy Crystal, Blythe Danner, Crispin Freeman(drool..) and Christian Bale!(drool again!) You gotta give it a shot trust me. Or just read the book, it'll make more sense if you do actually.

I just relized theres SO many I can't name them all here but I can (shhh yes I can and you can't stop me) list a few more that we've seen and liked!!

Whisper of the Heart. Wasn't my favorite but you know, its got Ashely Tisdale and Cary Elwes in it.

My Neighbor Totoro. VERY cute show, though I think ages between 2-4 will enjoy it most, very child friendly, however I think the cat bus is a bit creepy but only on an adult level, the littles should find him most enjoyable :)

(sorry its small, its all I could find)

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Now this ones a classic, WAY fun. However I don't think I'll share with you the voice talents. Why? Because it ruined it for me! I just HAD to go find out and my reward was to forever more see HIS face when I watch the show.. ::gag:: But I will tell you this Uma Thurman is one of them.. bet you can't guess WHO

Alright time to wrap it up. *le sigh so many shows so little time.

Anway feel free to indulge as I do or to abstain as I don't know how. They're fun and new(ideas and such) thought I'd share

Welcome Home Elder Hill!

He's HOME! And this time for reals. His plane landed at 7:30 pm March 2nd. We weren't there at 7:30 oh no we were early! Which really doesn't help the anxiety much, but there we were!

Now I don't have any pictures of the arrival because we thought the camcorder would give a better depiction of the events! And boys does it, Audio-Visual hysteria captured for time and eternity. Only thing, this blogger lady doesn't have a clue how to get the video on here so TOUGH LUCK BOY-OS!

What pictures I do have are from Tuesday (the day after) So these I'll have to do until his homecoming, or if he decides to create his OWN blog and put more up between now (Friday) and then (Sunday) but I doubt it, he's too busy catching up on Movies/TV shows and Video Games. :P

Oh and Cell Phone Novelties:

Did I mention games?

But whats home without family?
Allysen and Joey came down from their new home in Washington State.

Nick couldn't wait to show Jake his Lacross skills

The Chaos!
Everyones together at last!! (except Nicks been put to bed and I'm behind the camera.. the injustic of this picture is lying next to me: The Tri-Pod!! I so could have been in this picture!)

Oh and food:
Before you are fixings for the Sushi Grant made for everyones enjoyment. And when I say everyone I mean Jacob, Grant, and Joey, and Kimberlys disgust after being tricked by her own plan and having to swollow her words along with the sushi!

Grant making said sushi! Good thing my moms islandbar is LONG we used it all.

HE'S HOME!! HE'S HOME!!

(jacob is second from the left)
Well not YET but as of 7:30 tonight my baby brother will be home from a 2 year mission induced Absence!!!!

It's completely surreal, when he first left it felt like he'd NEVER come home 2 LONG years!

Then life just went on, every monday we'd hear from him, and we'd all look forward to that, but after awhile it just felt normal! Like this is how it is. So now that he is coming home.. its just so WEIRD! Don't get me wrong I can't wait!! Today will probably be the absolute longest day of his whole mission! For us more then him though...

As of last night we are ready and set for his return, complete with Welcome Home banners and Elder Hill Posters and, because sense just vanishes after 10:30 at night a Irte A Casa poster which Grant helped us translate.. not really sure HOW it translates but I asked him how you say"Go Home" in Spanish, and it took him a while to respond... Anyway the posters made and my little brother is excited to show it to Jake.

For those of you who are doubting our pure intentions with Nicolas' sign-enthusiasm ... Yes we actually DID steal Nicks poster with his cute little picture of him and Jake and put the mean sign on the back of it. Why? because we ran out of posters!! Are we ashamed of ourselves? No, no we're not. In fact it had us rolling around laughing for hours, heck I'm still giggling, and I wouldn't past Kim or Allysen to be doing the same

Well that's all I have to say really because anything further I write will just be more varying statements of He's COMING HOME!

There is more to life then Cake.

But wouldn't life suck without it? Not literally of course (could you imagine *giggle..) but you can't say that cake doesn't just liven everything up! Whats a birthday without cake? What a wedding without cake? Whats a podiatrist visit without cake?! Just another day, that's what it is! So in the words of Marie Antoinette "LET THEM EAT CAKE!"

And they shall! Just not yet I have to fulfill the blogs title statement:

Yes there is more to life then cake, contrary to myself above. What is it you may ask? (For those of you saying Pie your punishment is to go buy me one and bring it here so I can have pie and you can't! Pie? I ask you...)

Any who sport fans, what I'm actually talking about is lately Grant and I have been squishing our money into the house. All of it in fact, but we're pretty pleased with the results so we're OK with eating rice for weeks on end (I'm kidding. We like rice, really!)

What we've got now instead of a very scary room that we still affectionately call the dungeon, is my craft room!!! And where once was an insignificant L'd off space in the main room is a cute little bedroom for working out in and/or hiding.. er storing things.

And I even have pictures to prove it; and their numbered, Aren't you special? (that's not a rhetorical question btw) :

1-Dresser I had growing up-also an on going project
2- Yes I really do keep my money in a piggy bank. Which I made btw
3-Audio distraction
4-Visual and Audio Portable Distraction
5- Antique Monitor and Computer (hey they were free, and work wonderfully for my needs ie: writting & surfing the interwebs)
6- its a cork board that I like to call my muse, it holds all sorts of inspirational things..
7-Story Binder

8-LOVES!!
9-Yes thats a pillow on a kitchen chair, and I like it JUST FINE thank you very MUCH :P

10- (box in corner) Contains ready to go projects, which I like to think I can get to when I'm ready

11-Awesome Sewing Machine, currently residing upstairs for unknown reasons

12- (i'm sorry you can't see) Zidane my fictional boyfriend
13-(again sorry) Daggers' name Sake: Princess Garnet aka Dagger

14-Binder full of odd written goodies
15-Yes.

16-Stick-it labels so I can find things

17- the most awesome pictures in the world

18-(on top of 19) The Angel from a couple blogs ago

19- Sharp things go in here

20-My Motto is: If it fits in a box, it goes in a box.

21-ok if you enlarge the picture you can see that 21 is a Sims expansion pack..my guity pleasures

22-(is pointing to top two shelves) Literary Inspiration, which also double as suitable distractions.

23- What I do with bags that are not in use.

24-again enlarge photo, its the big pink binder, which also happens to be my first ever scrap book I did myself. Please for all that is good if you ever see it don't open it

25- Grant made this whole shelving system. His talents astound do they not?!

NEXT ROOM!

1- Object in which to exercise on if so compelled ...heehee

2-Another spot for the Portable Audio-Visual Distraction

3- ANIME!!!! and Star Wars. Ultimate Movie combinations!!

4- Awesome new windows. Check out the awesomeness.

5- Crib Mattresses. Because we can.

6- Hidden stuffs

7- This little alcove will -once we eat enough rice- have a desk or vanity in it

8-Link Costume

9- Aragorn Costume

10- Obe Won Costume

11- M'Lady Costume

12- Potentially cruel and unusual punishments.

Hey Doc! I've written relatively short blogs lately so you just buck-up there, its almost over.

I haven't talked about CAKE yet remember?

So I was inspired to create this next work of cake by Bakerella.blogspot.com It didn't turn out nearly as cute as hers did, and I have only myself to blame, I skimped on the fondant, and I can't dip a chocolate to save my life :( however I persisted and was rewarded with a fairly decent finish.

Piece of Cake

Actually it was 5 pieces of cake, and they looked something like this:

Personally I think it's the best cake yet.

And I'm not done ...

just you wait