An Update + Bookish Doings + Anne of Green Gables

The flowers blooming on trees nearby. So pretty!

Well, adventurers, I've been gone quite a while. There's no excuse, so I'll just get to the actual post. (Apologies can be somewhat bothersome anyway, can't they?) ;)

Life's been busy, but in a pretty good way. School, everyday errands, fun movies, games, books (BOOKS, people.), and other odds and ends. I'm kinda excited because spring is finally here, so it's getting warmer. And warmer means the pool opens. And the pool opening means I can swim! I used to take swimming lessons, and I really enjoy(ed) it, so I'm thinking of going to the pool and interweaving swimming (treading, free-style, butterfly, breaststroke, etc.) into my workout schedule. It's a really fun, great way to stay fit! Agreed? Agreed. I miss swimming, so this seems like it'll be fantastic. I'm gonna be looking for a new swimsuit... ;)

Aside from that, we've been trying to go hiking more often. We'll be acquiring some rock-climbing gear, and going rock climbing as well! Since Jesse (my older bro and the official rock climber in the family) moved a month or so ago to Colorado, we'll be climbing on our own. Ashley is actually really good at climbing herself (I plan on improving too, guys! ;) But I did do MY FIRST LEAD CLIMB the last time we went hiking with Jesse and his family. It was INCREDIBLE. I was so excited! Jesse thought I did really good for my first lead...), besides the fact that we're also planning on top-roping most of the routes we do, so climbing will also be coming along pretty soon! I'm excited to try harder climbs.

Moving onto BOOKS. The reading challenge I created for 2016 has been going pretty well. I am fifteen books into it. The last book I read was The Young Fur Traders by R.M. Ballantyne for the category A book written at least 100 years ago, which I just finished today. Gosh, some of Ballantyne's novels are so fun! The Young Fur Traders included. He really has a knack for descriptions - scenery and people. Somehow he manages to let you have a glimpse of someone's character without being overwhelming. And his descriptions of the beautiful North American mountain ranges and lakes really are well done... He writes about some things in such a way you can kind of tell he's done it or seen it. (Because he worked for the Hudson Bay Company, and Fur Traders is actually based off of his own experiences! That is SO cool!)

The rest of the books I've been reading? Here's the list.

The books I've read for the challenge so far:

A book set in a place you want to visit: Made to Last by Melissa Tagg
A book that is under 150 pages: Three Little Words by Melissa Tagg
A book set in your favorite time period: Prairie River by Kristiana Gregory
A book that has a main character that is your opposite gender: Renegade by Ted Dekker (This book annoyed me so bad. And then, of course, there was this part in the that brought me to tears. Or I was teary-eyed, at least. It was a fantastic part about God's love...for a character that had abandoned his friends and his mission and God even, in a way, to pursue power. It showed God's love for a renegade, someone who ran. And it's beautiful.)
A true story: End of the Spear by Steve Saint
A fictional book about a historical event: Iron Scouts of the Confederacy by Lee McGiffin
A book by a New York Times best-selling author: Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker (This was so cool. I'm already thinking about a re-read. And I read it last month. That's how exciting it was!)
A book your friend recommends (and loved): The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson
A book that you read with/to a sibling or friend: Fighting the Flames: A Tale of the London Fire Brigade by R.M. Ballantyne, which I read to two of my siblings.
The first book in a series: The Sparrow Found a House by Jason McIntire
A mystery: Wild Rescue by Jerry B. Jenkins
A book you own but have never read: A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot
A book you've already read once: Millie's Courageous Days by Martha Finley (updated by Kersten Hamilton. I love the Millie Keith series! I very highly recommend it!)
A book set in a country outside America: Take This Cup by Bodie and Brock Theone (Enjoyed this one! Lots of deep spiritual insight that I really liked picking up on.) 
A book written at least 100 years ago: The Young Fur Traders by R.M. Ballantyne 

To-read:

Some books I'm reading and/or considering for the challenge. (That's my Nook by The Columbus Code, which has Emma on it! :))

A book over 400 pages: Black by Ted Dekker (His books are exciting - which makes them a little dangerous. You have to take breaks while reading so you don't...well, keep reading? All day? 'Cause you probably would. ;))
A book with royalty in it, real or fantasy: Captives and Kings by Craig Parshall
A book that intimidates you: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (I am going to finish this one - finally!)
A nonfictional book: Facing Up by Bear Grylls
A book (going to be) published this year, 2016: This is going to be either (probably) Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg or A Boy and Wild Horses by Joanne Bischof. Probably the latter. (The first book in the Wild Air series, To Get to You, was so cute! <3)
A book you started and never finished: *inward groan* Probably going to be The Gorilla Hunters by R.M. Ballantyne. Maybe I'll switch it up... ;) (Which would be The Columbus Code or A Home for My Heart.)
A book with a beautiful cover: I don't know! I haven't seen any covers lately that I love, but maybe A Boy and Wild Horses will have a fantastic cover - I really liked To Get to You's! In that case, it would be Like Never Before or Where Hope Prevails by Janette Oke for A book (going to be) published this year!
A book made into a movie: Emma by Jane Austen
A book set in/about the outdoors: Facing the Frozen Ocean by Bear Grylls

And there's that! I keep wondering if one of Bear Grylls' books is going to pop up when my sister draws for me... So far, it hasn't! Maybe next time. (Because, yes! my sister and I draw for each other. We put all the book category numbers on pieces of paper, drop them in a hat, and pick. It's actually been really fun...)

One of my favorite scenes! <3

And Anne of Green Gables? I watched it recently! Yeah, I'd seen it before, when I was pretty young, so I didn't remember a lot of it, and what I did remember was people being mean to Anne - hence the fact that I didn't like it! But, I decided to re-watch it recently, and I found, happily, that it's actually pretty cute! I enjoyed it, and have even been contemplating watching it again... Seriously. And the first two are six hours long. ;) Gilbert is adorable, and Anne is fun (though a bit dramatic sometimes... ;)). Do I recommend it? Yep - if you like period pieces! Speaking of which, anyone up for Pride and Prejudice? I've been thinking of re-reading the novel, actually, because I don't remember much of it. I think that might be due to the fact that much of the time I was reading I was thinking of the scenes in the movie that corresponded with the part in the book that I was at... I AM going to re-read it sometime! Just so I remember... ;) And a friend of mine (Mikayla, I'm looking at you! ;)) just re-read it, so that kinda...encouraged, egged me on?... to re-read it too.

I put my hair up with one o' those snap-bun hair thingies yesterday! Yes, that's random. ;) But I really liked it! It's cute, and it keeps my hair and my bangs, specifically, out of my face ALL DAY. I would totally recommend getting one and using it. Pronto. ;) 

Besides all this randomness, I am planning on another post soon, so stay tuned! Oh, and I just bought two more books today... Chaos by Ted Dekker, which is the fourth book in his Lost Books series that my sister and I are currently making our way through. Also, From the Start by Melissa Tagg. I recently read Melissa's first novel, Made to Last, and have a feeling I'll be reading more of her books in the not-too-distant future... For now, however, my mom is going to read them. And then I might... ya know.

(I had two 20% off coupons for Barnes and Noble to use, so yeah... I guess you shouldn't give me a coupon that involves books if you don't want me to use it. ;))

Is it spring where you are? Swimming (or not swimming, I guess)? Are you doing the reading challenge (or any reading challenge) this year? What books do you have planned for that?

New Year + Reading Challenge

Hey, all! Can you believe we've just entered 2016? It flew by. But it was a great year, suffice to say.

And in this last year, I read a total of 55 books. (That's over one a week, so I'm kinda proud o' that number.) ;) I completed my GoodReads challenge to read 50, and I completed another reading challenge that I did with one of my friends. It feels so great to accomplish those challenges! Really, it does. (And GoodReads sends you an email to sum up your year in books... Totally fun for someone like me.)

Today, I just challenged myself to read 52 books this year. That's one a week. And, yes, I'll probably get more than that number in, but it's a good goal to aim for! But I was looking online for another reading challenge to do with my friend again this year, and I wasn't liking a lot of the ones I found. SO, I decided to create my own, using parts of the other challenges that I found. And I'm lettin' you all in on this one...

The only rule that applies to this reading challenge is this: you cannot count one book for two categories. Meaning: If you read a book set in, say, Paris, which you badly want to visit, and it's over 400 pages long, it can only go for either "A book set in a place you want to visit" or "A book over 400 pages long", not both. 

1. A book over 400 pages long.

2. A book set in a place you want to visit.

3. A book with royalty in it, real or fantasy.

4. A book that is under 150 pages long.

5. A book that intimidates you. (I think this one is War and Peace for me. I NEED TO FINISH IT.)

6. A nonfictional book. (This could be a biography, a Bear Grylls book on survival...which, yes, is probably going to make it on the list for me. :) I got two Bear Grylls books for Christmas! Already started one, too...)

7. A book set in your favorite time period.

8. A book that has a main character that is your opposite gender.

9. A true story. (Again, this can be a biography, a memoir of sorts, a book on WWII...anything, as long as it's a true story written as a true story.)

10. A fictional book about a historical event. (This is where you get to read a fictional book about a true story. ;))

11. A book by a New York Times bestselling author. (Ted Dekker, anyone?)

12. A book your friend recommends (and loved).

13. A book that you read with/to a sibling or friend. (This can also mean that you and your friend/sibling read one chapter a day, alone, and then discuss it together. It doesn’t have to be a read-aloud!)

14. A book set in a country outside of America.

15. The first book in a series.

16. A mystery.

17. A book (going to be) published this year, 2016.

18. A book you own but have never read.

19. A book you started and never finished.

20. A book you’ve already read once.

21. A book with a beautiful cover.

22. A book that was made into a movie.

23. A book written at least 100 years ago. (A Jane Austen or R.M. Ballantyne novel would work for this one.)

24. A book about/set in the outdoors. (Okay, so this one is totally fun. It can be a book about something in the outdoors – snowflakes, thunderstorms, survival techniques, etc. – or it can be a fictional novel set in the outdoors…such as: the protagonist surviving, lost, in the dense jungle of Peru… I’ve never actually seen a book about that, but I know Bear Grylls wrote a few novels about survivalists!)

And that’s the challenge. Are you up for it? If 24 seems like a lot, feel free to mix and match your favorites! Because…reading is about enjoying yourself.

Let’s get creative with this. Let’s expand our mental bookshelves by inching out of our normal reading habits to grab a book you wouldn’t automatically read. Perhaps. Because maybe that book is the start of a new adventure. And what is life without adventure?

To another year of adventuring…in books and in faith and in life.

Happy reading! And happy New Year...

~Micaiah K.~

P.S. That ‘Top Ten of 2015’ post I mentioned? It’s late, yes, but it’s still on the way. It just takes time…that I haven’t set aside yet. (Lots of links and pictures and things to find online…)

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

GUYS! It's Jane Austen tag! And all of you reading this right now...consider yourself nominated. Yup. You are tagged to do this on your own blog.


So, to start off, I'll say that I haven't read many of Miss Austen's books. Or watched a bunch of the movies. I think I've seen two versions of Pride and Prejudice, the 2009 edition of Emma, and the newest version of Persuasion. And I've read Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion (which was my favorite of her novels so far). I guess that's not too bad...but I also don't think I can call myself an avid fan. I'll be answering all the below questions with those books and movies in mind.

Nontheless, I've decided to do this post. (Mostly 'cause I like Pride and Prejudice.)

I've added a few questions of my own making that were not originally in the tag, and there weren't any rules on the blog I got this from about this tag, so here goes...

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a Jane Austen fan do you consider yourself?

Oh, gosh...maybe a three or four? As I mentioned above, I've only read three of her books and seen four of the movies. Plus, I mostly just really like Pride and Prejudice. ;)

Talk about awkward. ;)

If "they" would make a new Jane Austen Movie, and you would be able to be cast in it, which Jane Austen character would you most like to play?

Elizabeth or her sister, Jane. I like both of those characters! I think I'm a little like Jane, but probably not strikingly so.

Is there any felicity in the world superior to a walk?

Absolutely! Like listening to music, or rock climbing, or hiking in the snow... Many things are superior to walking. ;)

Who's your favourite Jane Austen 'villain'? (As in 'villain' meaning 'the bad guy.')

Thinking about it, I realize that most of Jane Austen's villains are similar. But I must say Willoughby - not that I really liked him or anything, but I felt a twinge of compassion for him in the end of Sense and Sensibility. And Mr. Wickham wasn't extremely dimensional. Neither was Mr. Elliot. And I'm really not sure who was supposed to be the bad guy in Emma. Maybe there just wasn't one...?

Is he the bad guy?

Or is it him?

What/Who introduced you to Jane Austen?

My sister, Ashley. I think we watched a lesser-known version of Pride and Prejudice first, and then we watched the 2005 version together. I found the first version we watched really drawn out and rather boring. I know the 2005 movie isn't as close to the book as some other editions, but I still really enjoy it. It's not so very different. ;)

Did you love/enjoy Jane Austen immediately, or has there been a time when you hated (um, prejudged) it?

I didn't at first, because I watched a really boring version of Pride and Prejudice, but then I fell in love with the 2005 movie. And now I've read several of her books, Persuasion being the best.

(What can I say? The whole time I was reading Pride and Prejudice I was thinking of moments in the movie.... That's also probably the reason why I don't remember a whole lot about the book. It's kind of a blur.)

Who, in your opinion, is the funniest Jane Austen character?

Mr. Collins, the Bennetts' cousin. He's annoying, but funnily so.

Do you quote Jane Austen randomly in public?

Emma and Mr. Knightley

Never. Just to my siblings. ;) Actually, I don't think I quote Jane Austen... But we randomly quote movies of all different sorts whenever we feel like it. Mostly just my younger brother and I, though. It's quite fun, because we've done it (and do it) so much that we can now finish the quote the other started. ;)

(He has also memorized a quote from my favorite book, which he hasn't read yet.)

Are children allowed to eat cake on weddings?

OF COURSE!

What is your reaction when you hear that an aquaintance (e.g. A lady at Church) of yours loves Jane Austen?

I've never had this happen, so I can't say. I would probably wonder what movie and character is her favorite. ('Cause I'm like that. Into details and such.) ;)

Who writes better letters, Mr. Darcy or Captain Wentworth? (If you forgot what the letters were, shame on you. Instead, tell me if you prefer strawberries to chocolate or not.)

I remember, indeed. Okay, so I love Mr. Darcy, but Captain Wentworth totally wins this one. His letter is pretty sweet. (It's also not a slightly bitter explanation of unfortunate events.)

Captain Wentworth and Anne

Which Jane Austen heroine do you relate the least to?

Of the ones I know, probably Anne Elliott from Persuasion. She's so very composed. I don't think I would act the way she did around Captain Wentworth if I were her! Her situation was slightly horrible and very, very uncomfortable. But maybe I could. Her troubles would honestly be devastating though. Especially when she's watching Captain Wentworth spend so much time with her relatives (the girls!) and thinking he's falling for one. That would just be...SO sad.

What's your favourite Jane Austen house (from one of the movies)?

PEMBERLY!

From the movies I've seen, I guess Emma's in the 2009 version, or Mr. Darcy's in the 2005 version. (I really like the outside of his... So much space! Side note: I really like the scene when Elizabeth pulls up to Mr. Darcy's house in the carriage with her aunt and uncle. Her face is funny. I can imagine her thinking This could have been MY home. I could have lived here! And this is after she so rudely rejected him.)

What's your favourite Jane Austen dress (from one of the movies)?

Honestly...I don't really know! I haven't seen many dresses in the movies that I've really liked, but perhaps one of Emma's. (2009)

Can you turn off lit candles with your fingers? (Not sure what's goin' on with this question...)

Sure, I can. I've done it (but I don't really care to).

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice

Who's your favorite heroine of Jane Austen's?

Elizabeth Bennett!

Hero?

Mr. Darcy. I like Captian Wentworth and Mr. Knightley too though.

Favorite book and movie?

For the book, I think Persuasion. And then the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, o' course.

What character do you least like?

I think Lydia tops all in horrible-ness.

Well, that's it! To wrap...

Merry Christmas!

We can finally say that again! ;)

What Jane Austen book or movie is your favorite? Are you a fan? Do you like the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice?

~Micaiah~

An Update + Birthdays + Road Trip + Book Challenge

Wow, is that a title... ;)

It has been a long time since I last posted (sorry about that!), but a lot has gone on in the interim. I have been working towards tying up the loose ends of school, and I literally just did my last test in Home Ec. yesterday!

I finally finished the quilt that I've been sewing, and it actually turned out rather well. (I even used an even slipstitch to sew the spot left open for turning the quilt right side out! I was pretty happy with it...) All that's left is some writing and drawing - hopefully those will go easy enough! :)

This last week has been the week of birthdays (still is, actually)! I had my fifteenth birthday on Monday the 27th, and had a ton of fun. I got some great gifts, including a new purse with a compartment the perfect size for a book, the 2009, mini-series version of Emma (we watched the first episode last night. Mr. Knightley is quite a good friend to Emma, and I must *cough* admit that so far he's my favorite character.), a novel - Ashburn by Julia Erickson (which I've already read!), and even some new music - Luminate's Welcome to Daylight - which is great if you're looking for music with a lot of depth and message - and Crowder's newest: Neon Steeple.

My niece, Stephanie, and I on my birthday. She's eating a banana. Her face is so funny!

Tuesday, my older brother had his birthday, and we made him a S'mores Pie. Yes, you heard right! S'mores Pie! It was so good I thought I'd share the recipe with you (thank Pinterest!). It's super sweet, but good. And Jesse liked it so much...I've made it again today. (It's cooling.) It's great for a once-in-a-while-treat!

My pie from today!

All right, enough rambling about the pie. ;)

Tomorrow is my sister's twenty-second birthday. She's requested banana bread for her special dessert, so Mom and I will throw that together tomorrow morning.

(Can you tell I like baking?)

I'm also very excited...because in exactly 11 or 12 days, we're going on a road trip to visit my grandparents! All the way from Washington to Russell, Iowa! That's a 1,600 mile trip through Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, and through parts of Iowa I've never seen...

And I'm actually looking forward to the trip (albeit, it'll be long. Two or three days long.). I'll get to see new places, stop by Waldrug, South Dakota, and Devil's Tower in Wyoming, and I'll also bring a book along. (When Jesus Wept, Into the Depths, and Ain't We Got Fun will be making the trip with me... As long as I don't cave in and read one first! I'll make sure I don't...) ;) I am so excited to go back to Russell - we haven't been on vacation there in nearly three years! - and spend time with my grandma and grandpa. We'll go to tea houses, shop, play Domino Train, maybe kayak and fish, and just hang out. Oh, and my grandpa goes up a few blocks for coffee everyday, so we get to go get frozen yogurt with him! Perhaps I'll do a post when we get back detailing our adventures!

Oh...and one last thing: While there, WE'RE GOING TO SEE TIM HAWKINS LIVE!!!!! I am so excited. Tim Hawkins, the Christian comedian, is hilarious to watch, and I can't wait to see him in person! It'll be so fun!

Aside from all the wonderful craziness (okay, so it hasn't been that crazy), I have been endeavoring to finish a book challenge a friend and I decided to do together for 2015. It's actually a pretty short one, but it's been kind of fun. I have read a book in each category listed except one! I thought I'd share with you:

(Links go to my Goodreads review of that book!)

Read a book that...

Takes place in your state or country... Quiet in His Presence
Makes you cry... The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
You love as a child... Millie's Faithful Heart (based on the books by Martha Finley)
Your best friend recommends... The Heart of Arcrea by Nicole Sager
Features someone that shares your eye color... Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (on the cover I'm pretty sure Marianne has brown eyes, but I may need to read another book in this category!)
Is over 500 pages long... Hebbros by Nicole Sager
Begins a series... Ashburn by Julia Erickson
Is in a genre you don't normally read... Hope in Front of Me by Danny Gokey
Has a child main character... The Island Queen by R.M. Ballantyne
Takes place in your favorite time period... It Took a War by Emily Ann Putzke
Is written by an author you've never heard of... Eric Liddell by Catherine Swift
Was made into a movie... Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Reminds you of someone you love... Bruchko by Bruce Olsen
Includes a Christmas scene... Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke
Is a classic you've never read... Persuasion by Jane Austen (this was actually the first book I read in 2015!)
And last, but not least: Has a great cover... To Be Decided (But I'm pretty sure THIS book - To Get to You by Joanne Bischof - will take this category if I get to read it!)

I've also been reading to complete my Goodreads challenge for this year! Are any of you doing it too? It's a great way to keep track of books, page count, and keep you motivated to read. I really like it! (It's great for keeping the books I've read and want to read in order. I'm not sure how I'd find books to read without it!) Be sure to get an account if you love reading... ;)

To end, I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs from each of the albums I got for my birthday:

'Love is Loud' from Welcome to Daylight:

And Crowder's 'I Am':

Enjoy!

Are you doing any reading challenges? If so, which ones? (I'd love to find some new ones!) Have you watched Emma? What did you think of it? Would you make S'mores Pie - or is it too weird? (It's really good!!)

~Micaiah~

P.S. I probably won't be able to do much, if any, blogging while in Iowa, so I may officially disappear for about three and a half to four weeks! I'll try to post an update or two, but I apologize in advance if I don't get to!

Pride and Prejudice Review

Pride and Prejudice
By: Jane Austen
Rating: 3 stars
Ages: 13 and up 

I adore the movie inspired by this book, Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen created fascinating, wonderful characters that I really like. Pride and Prejudice has been a long-time classic loved by generations of girls like myself. What makes this story so fascinating? The enthralling romance. Tons of dialogue. Incredibly real-in-their-decisions characters - Pride and Prejudice is undoubtedly fun. I found myself anticipating the wonderful conclusion, smiling and laughing at some of Mr. Collin's rediculousness, and really wanting to watch the movie. :) 

Pride and Prejudice is quite fascinating. The story moved along easily and (if you read over a hundred pages in one day, like I did), moved quickly. The story was dynamic, sweet, and interesting.

Characters:

Elizabeth Bennet (main character) was vivacious, to say the least. She was bold and showed it quite often. She's reasonable, and her actions and sentiments were very understandable. A great heroine.

Fitzwilliam Darcy ('hero' of the story) was such a different kind of male character than what I see in books today. At first, he seems proud and self-centered, and he looks down at others for inferiority of birth, lack of wealth, etc. But underneath is such a loveable character. The true Mr. Darcy finally comes out in the last third of the story, leaving you smiling. He changed so much from the first page he entered the story to the last.

Mr. Whickam (most villanious character) is eventually proven to be a blackguardly fellow, but doesn't appear to be so. He was more dimensional than most villians are created to be. Really, though, I didn't like him.

Mr. Collins (Elizabeth's cousin) was so much more annoying in the movie! In the book he was actually a tall young man. (In the movie he is short, has a nail-on-chalkboard voice, and isn't very handsome.) An interesting character who added to the plot and was memorable.

Mrs. Bennet - a most irritating and disturbing character. The only important thing in her life is to see her daughters married well-off - that is practically her only focus at all. Terrily rude, nervous, and so changing in attitude. The poor girls who had her as a mother!

Lydia Bennet (Elizabeth's youngest sister) was most bothersome and...annoying. Most annoying. Really, she was a cringe-worthy character.

Overall:

I enjoyed the book, but the movie will always hold first place in my heart. I would recommend it to classical literature readers.

Also, two of the quotes I like from Pride and Prejudice are:

"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment." (Mr. Darcy)

"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion."