Sunsets and Billowy Clouds

Darcy Speaking: 

Okay seriously I am the biggest sucker for sunsets and pretty clouds. Like I could show you countless pictures of a billion pictures of clouds. I carry my camera with me everywhere so whenever I see a beautiful sunset or a billowy fluffy cloud I whip out my camera and snap away (I really should stop because normally I am driving and I am pretty sure it isn't the safest thing!) But really below are some of the pictures I took within the last couple days and they are stupendous! 

I also need to keep my windshield and window clean from bugs because seriously the camera has a problem of focusing on those instead of the awesome works of art which are nature.

I love sunsets!

Silly Literature and Powerful Mantras

Darcy Speaking:

Okay so I was reading another blog and they had a book spotlight of Elixir by Hilary Duff... Yes you heard me correctly Hilary Duff. I was simply curious just because I really liked Hilary Duff growing up so I wanted to know what this was all about. First off it was a good book but... I thought the writing was kind amateurish and it felt rushed and Twilight kept coming to mind. I don't want to give too much away but that sort of sums it up. But!!!!!... It was a good book!! There were no sparkly vampires and it sort of keeps you guessing of what will happen next. So I would recommend it to someone who is looking for a fun quick read... Oh but there is a sequel and then the third book doesn't come out till April 2013. 

The second book once again felt a little rushed and amateurish but it kept me wanting more just because it was an interesting concept that she was working with so I kept reading and am now upset that I have to wait till April to read the next one. I did find a 4 page excerpt online though of the third book that sort of helped me to fill satisfied till I can get my hands on the next book. So yes once you read Elixir I would then read Devoted. They were fun quick reads.  

Good Job Hilary!

So our beds are still not in the apartment so we are not moved in yet. We should get them over there on Wednesday though so maybe we will be sleeping in a new place on Wednesday night. Tonight I went to a FHE activity with my brother (Yes I am the annoying tag along) So since I am the worlds shyest person (trying to get over that by the way) I give myself pep talks in the car on the way to social gatherings. I am not making this up. They go a little something like this:

You are Fun

You are Vivacious

Funny

Smart 

Talented

Sexy

Outgoing

Etc. Etc. Etc. 

No really they do. I really say these things. Because guess what? They are true. I think that everyone needs to have pep talks with themselves like this just to buoy up their spirits and let them know that they are someone and mean something. So even though sometimes I come home from these social gatherings and not a single guy talked to me, I can know that I am still someone and someday some guy who is not afraid of a girl who is 6'0" will see these qualities in me. I am waiting for someone who will appreciate me for me. I won't settle and I won't come away from something trivial feeling defeated. 

Okay so now that I am done on the soapbox I will let you all go and recite your mantras!

Obsessions, Film and Vacuums

Darcy Speaking:
Okay so lately I have been caught up in watching new t.v. well it is new to me.

Downton Abbey.

I love love love love that show. I started the first episode the other day but Briana never wanted to watch it so I had to wait till I had another opportunity alone. Then I watched a second episode. Finally this past week I sat down and during the third episode my mom joined me and we were hooked. HOOKED. My mom was like "This is like a soap opera!" It really is. It sucks you in and leaves you guessing, and hating people and loving the love! Really. So since the first season was on Netflix I didn't have to worry about buying it or renting it. The second season, now that is another story. I forgot to look at Wal-Mart today to see how much it was. Then I went to Hastings but apparently it is a very popular show! So no luck there. I will be checking back. Why don't I just check the library some of you may be saying. I did. I put myself on the waiting list but I didn't want to wait 80 days to get my hands on the second season! Yes I am hooked and dying to find out what is going to happen! My mom was like just go buy it! Because she is just as antsy! 

So yes I highly suggest this show! Oh except for the very first episode towards the end. I don't approve of watching guys kiss... Really I fast forwarded that sucker so fast but all was well afterwards! So yes go ahead and watch it... just be ready with the remote the first episode towards the end.

Now onto other matters. 

Mirror Mirror. 

Loved!!! So funny! I really think that the previews didn't do this movie any justice at all. I was laughing the whole way through. Briana and I are going to watch it again after dinner. I thought I didn't like Julia Roberts but these last couple years have changed my mind. I think she is a good actress. The only thing about her that bugs me is the way she walks. It is so manly. But other than that I like her. I am going to give this movie 4 stars! Loved. Oh and it doesn't hurt that Armie Hammer is really really good looking, and tall!

So today Briana and I went over to our apartment to vacuum our room and take a few boxes of clothes and dvd's over. Yes dvd's. I love them that much. The room was filthy! We took my moms rainbow vacuum because it works marvelously. The water after we vacuumed was so disgustingly dirty it was like the girl before us never vacuumed the whole time she lived there. Yuck. So for good measures we vacuumed twice. The room is small but big enough for our beds and we are excited to be moving in. Once we get the beds over there I guess we will be kicking ourselves out of our moms house. Sad Day. Oh and The Lucky One comes out on DVD August 28! And Wimpy Kid, Dog Days comes to theaters August 3! Should be a good month! 

Now off to eat some dinner!

Phillies!

Briana Speaking: I love baseball! I wrote on my old blog about how I became a Phillies phan. I'll post it here well part of it at least.
Sports. I've always liked sports with the exception of football (it's terrible). The only sports team I ever really liked was the Utah Jazz. Basketball was the only sport I really watched. I can tolerate soccer but only for a few minutes. I love volleyball but never really watched it. I never formed an opinion of baseball though. I never watched a game. I got the gist of the game and heard it was boring but never thought anything of it I didn’t even know what teams were out there except for maybe the New York Yankees. Now, although I liked basketball I didn’t pay much attention to it. My brother has been watching the Jazz since he was a wee lad so the games were always on.

2008 World Series: Phillies vs. Rays. My Dad was in Philadelphia and had a chance to go to one of the games. My interest in baseball was peeked but I didn’t look into it. 2009 World Series: Phillies vs. Yankees. I came home to a baseball game on the TV. Darcy says “Briana you missed it. There is this pitcher who is really cute. Hurry it might show him again.” Since I wanted to see this pitcher, who I later knew as Cole Hamels, I was kind of forced to watch the rest of the game. After that I was hooked. It wasn’t until a while into the next season (2010) that I was able to see Cole Hamels. That is how I became a Phillies phan! I didn’t find it boring or slow it was intense and entertaining. Now I have a blast knowing the players and their positions. After falling in love with baseball I started not only watching the basketball games my brother watched but paying attention and remembering the team and learning the names of a couple players from other teams here and there like I've done with baseball. I still know a little more about baseball than basketball but I've started to understand it and really enjoy it. I did enjoy basketball before but now it's invigorating to see the Jazz play. And an awesome part about the Jazz is they are the UTAH Jazz. Therefore it's super realistic for me to hope to go to games and meet players and their announcers.
here is the link to my old blog and you can read more http://barryana.blogspot.com/

The above picture is of Cole Hamels. 

So in high school at lunch I didn't like to walk around the school with friends. I would hurry and eat my food and then go to the library. Once I was in the library I would look at the magazines to see if there was anything in Sports Illustrated about the Phillies. The last one I read said that after this season Cole Hamels would be a free agent. When I told Darcy this she was so upset. I was too but he was the reason Darcy had become a Phillies Phan. So we've been keeping up with that. This morning I woke up and checked my phone, like always, and saw that I had a message. It was from my brother and it said "Hamels got signed for another six years" I jumped up out of bed saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

I'm watching the game right now and they're talking to Hamels now and he said when he broke his arm when he was 16 the doctor told him to find a new sport and that he'd probably never throw again. ha ha he showed them! He's now like the best left handed pitcher in the league! He's now talking about his first career home run the other night. I wasn't able to watch that game but when I read that I just started laughing. If you've ever watched him you know why I would get such a chortle out of it. I'm just happy he's staying. I had to say bye to one of the phillies because he became a yankee. I do not tolerate the new york yankees! they are the only team I hate. His name is Raul Ibanez. When Jayson Werth went to the nationals I was pretty sad but I don't mind the nationals. So as long as they weren't playing the Phils I could cheer for him. 

the first picture is Raul Ibanez and the second is Jayson Werth

I was going to post a picture of the entire phillies team this year but I couldn't find a good picture. Just know that I love everyone on the team right now!

Here is the roster! I just wanted to copy the names but this is good too!

http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=phi

#	Pitchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
43	Phillippe Aumont *	L-R	6'7"	260	Jan 7, 1989
37	Antonio Bastardo	R-L	5'11"	195	Sep 21, 1985
56	Joe Blanton	R-R	6'3"	235	Dec 11, 1980
52	Jose Contreras  60-day DL **	R-R	6'4"	255	Dec 6, 1971
79	Justin De Fratus *	S-R	6'4"	220	Oct 21, 1987
63	Jake Diekman	L-L	6'4"	200	Jan 21, 1987
34	Roy Halladay	R-R	6'6"	230	May 14, 1977
35	Cole Hamels	L-L	6'3"	200	Dec 27, 1983
57	David Herndon  15-day DL *	R-R	6'5"	230	Sep 4, 1985
47	Jeremy Horst	L-L	6'3"	215	Oct 1, 1985
38	Kyle Kendrick	R-R	6'3"	210	Aug 26, 1984
33	Cliff Lee	L-L	6'3"	205	Aug 30, 1978
58	Jonathan Papelbon	R-R	6'4"	225	Nov 23, 1980
66	J.C. Ramirez *	R-R	6'4"	250	Aug 16, 1988
53	B.J. Rosenberg *	R-R	6'3"	220	Sep 17, 1985
55	Joe Savery	L-L	6'3"	235	Nov 4, 1985
44	Michael Schwimer	R-R	6'8"	240	Feb 19, 1986
40	Michael Stutes  15-day DL *	R-R	6'1"	185	Sep 4, 1986
46	Raul Valdes  15-day DL *	L-L	5'11"	190	Nov 27, 1977
49	Vance Worley	R-R	6'2"	230	Sep 25, 1987
#	Catchers	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
31	Erik Kratz	R-R	6'4"	255	Jun 15, 1980
51	Carlos Ruiz	R-R	5'10"	205	Jan 22, 1979
23	Brian Schneider  15-day DL *	L-R	6'1"	210	Nov 26, 1976
62	Sebastian Valle *	R-R	6'1"	205	Jul 24, 1990
#	Infielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
18	Mike Fontenot	L-R	5'8"	165	Jun 9, 1980
13	Freddy Galvis Restricted **	S-R	5'10"	170	Nov 14, 1989
74	Cesar Hernandez *	S-R	5'10"	175	May 23, 1990
6	Ryan Howard	L-L	6'4"	240	Nov 19, 1979
29	Hector Luna *	R-R	6'1"	190	Feb 1, 1980
7	Michael Martinez *	S-R	5'9"	175	Sep 16, 1982
27	Placido Polanco	R-R	5'10"	190	Oct 10, 1975
11	Jimmy Rollins	S-R	5'8"	180	Nov 27, 1978
26	Chase Utley	L-R	6'1"	200	Dec 17, 1978
24	Ty Wigginton	R-R	6'0"	230	Oct 11, 1977
#	Outfielders	B/T	Ht	Wt	DOB
9	Domonic Brown *	L-L	6'5"	205	Sep 3, 1987
64	Tyson Gillies *	L-R	6'2"	205	Oct 31, 1988
15	John Mayberry	R-R	6'6"	225	Dec 21, 1983
19	Laynce Nix	L-L	6'1"	220	Oct 30, 1980
3	Hunter Pence	R-R	6'4"	220	Apr 13, 1983
10	Juan Pierre	L-L	5'11"	175	Aug 14, 1977
8	Shane Victorino	S-R	5'9"	190	Nov 30, 1980

Something I love about baseball is that the players don't have to be a certain height or weight as long as they are good.

Na Na Na Na Na BATMAN

Darcy Speaking:

Okay my movie lovin' self is going to come out. For those who don't know I love movies. I literally love them so much I ache. I am a freak I realize this. So anyways. I wanted to talk about Batman today. First off in lieu of the awful events that took place the night of the premiere I wanted to say that my heart and prayers go out to the people and families that were affected. But I won't let wicked people deter me from having a good time and enjoying things.
So the movie!! OH. MY. GOSH. Yes it was that good. I remember when I was little I didn't ever like Batman. I mean I honestly can say I never saw any movie that did the awesome cartoon character justice. They were super cheesy and lame. So when I was in 8-9th grade a Batman movie called Batman Begins came out. My brothers went and saw it and I did not. Oh how I regret that very decision every day of my life. I didn't watch that movie until one day we were sitting in our suburban and that was the movie of choice playing in the car dvd player. So I was forced to watch some of it. SUCKED IN. Really. I loved it! I had to go home and watch it from start to finish and I never went back. Ever since that day it has literally been on my top 10 favorite movies of all time. I won't even tell you how I felt when I finally realized that it was Christian Bale playing Batman (but realistically I hadn't seen him in a movie since Reign of Fire and even then the movie wasn't that memorable and at the beginning of Batman he is all bearded and disguised, trust me it makes perfect sense) So anyways I fell head over heels in love with Batman. Then the second one came out in theaters and everyone loved it so much especially since the passing of Heath Ledger, and lets face it he did the best job of playing Joker in the movie. I will admit though the first movie still had a bigger slot in my heart.

So while waiting for the third movie to be released I read a graphic novel of Batman of when he is older and oh my goodness I love that book so much. So Batman is now held in high esteem for me. So it was Thursday and the third movie was to be released that night. I didn't have tickets because I have basically sworn off midnight movies because they are overrated. But I didn't want to be left out and I usually keep up on movies really well. So... Off to the theater to reserve last minute tickets! It was at a small town theater so it wasn't crowded at all and we got seats in the back.

The amazing graphic novel that I love!

So after the movie I couldn't stop grinning. It was so good. I won't give much away but I called several different things and it was just too good! I loved this movie more than the second one, but I will still love the first one the most. I did love this movie a lot though. The way it is filmed, the story line, the landscape and buildings. Mwah. So good. Oh and Christian Bale and Joseph Gordon-Levitt did so good. I also think that it was amazing that Tom Hardy wasn't even recognizable as Bane. Really good job!

The cast of The Dark Knight Rises

So that is the tale of all things Batman!

A Day at Lagoon

Briana Speaking.

So yesterday Darcy, and our brother, and i went to lagoon. This was the first time I’ve been in about 10 years. i haven't been on a roller coaster in that time. It was terrifying and AWESOME! The first thing we went on was the white roller coaster. This is not a small roller coaster. i was screaming so much people were turning around laughing and looking to see if i was dying. My brother seemed slightly embarrassed by me. we all had a good laugh. i screamed on the rest of the rides too just not as much except for when we went on the rocket. it takes you SO high and drops you and you don't know when it will shoot you up or drop you depending on which you choose. It’s horrifying. Darcy after riding all the major rides we went to my brothers work lunch. It was yummy. After lunch my brother left which made Darcy and me sad because we did have fun with him. After that we proceeded to ride these awesome rides it was very fun i laughed so hard. o yeah, so Darcy and i walked by the haunted house ride and were like "lame" and we were saying how we never went through the entire ride with our eyes open; but i said "we can't just not go on it. Let’s see if it's as scary as when we were little" i wasn't willing to find out. We both had our eyes closed screaming. All the kids before us were afraid and now we know why. OK a word of advice to those of you planning to go to an amusement park in the future #1 eat a good breakfast #2 drink lots and lots of water #3 bring a water bottle with you. it was so hot yesterday! i was sweating profusely all day long! I’m a sweaty person anyways but this was ridiculous! And it was like no one else was sweating! What is that about? It’s probably because none of them were wearing clothing! i just can't believe the way girls dress. Most of them, if not all of them, were extremely short shorts and they were hanging out of their skimpy tank tops thinking they were all super cute! it was disturbing. i don't care how skinny you are! Have a little self-respect! All in all though, i thoroughly   enjoyed myself at the good old lagoon. Although i didn't have my dad or older sister to sit by on the scary rides like i did when i was little i loved it and hope to go again soon. The only thing bad about the day was the ride home and trying to get to sleep last night. at moments I’d still feel like i was on a ride and get scared and I’d be dizzy. There is more to our day at the amusement park so Darcy will have to tell you about that.

We went to the singles ward again today. I’m going to miss the ward we've been going to (our apartments in a different ward) it's a good ward. Lots of cute, tall guys. I think i look all right today i hope they thought so too ha ha ha. Well i guess that's all. Have a nice night

O My Life

Briana Speaking:

First of all I would just like to say how excited I am for tomorrow. Darcy and our brother and I are going to Lagoon!! I have not been since I was really young and I thought I remembered it fairly well until Darcy started mentioning roller coasters and other aspects of the theme park I don't remember at all. So whilst i am very excited i am also very afraid. i haven't ridden a roller coaster since i was little. There is a ride called the spider (i think that's what it is) and from what i remember i loved it but at first i didn't. i remember being tricked into riding it with my older sibling and me crying but at least i got to sit by my dad. I'll just have to be brave. Darcy is mentioning these rides and i remember hating a couple but I’m guessing it's like food. i believe in tasting foods i know i don't like just in case my taste buds have changed so I’m not missing out on something i could possibly love. i will treat it like that and be willing to ride those seemingly scary rides and roller coasters even if i am afraid of heights. SO EXCITED!!

I love putting new music on my iPod it's magnificent. 

Onto the next. o my life. so i went from planning to go to one beauty school (which i call the beautist colony) and living at home and driving but now the plan is move out and go to another colony the only thing that worries me is i don't have a job. I've never really had a job... I've now applied to a few places and hope that turns out well. This is just a lot of change to take on all at one time but whatever. I'm now just as excited about the colony as i was when i first started I’m also excited to get out of the house, and i really need that. To prove that let me tell you what I’ve done today: nothing. See? Ha ha as you probably know I’m lazy but even I’ve grown tired of doing nothing. At first i was so bored i did dishes then folded laundry (weird huh?). i grew tired of that also and decided to eat. This didn't work out because now i feel like a fat lard (nothing new). i at like 5 smores from the microwave. i think it was only 5...anyway that's not the point. i don't know what the point is. ha ha I said I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and my brother said "get skinny, get married and have your husband take care of you" i like the way he thinks but i guess i didn't really let it sink in seeing as i had that many smores.

Next order of business. i need to finish reading the Book of Mormon to get my young women's medallion. I really need to pick up the pace if I’m to get it done before i move out which is very soon. But I tell you what, it's a very good book!

Next order of business. the Dark Knight Rises. it was very good and highly enjoyable. I’m also happy I read my DC comics character beforehand. I felt like I knew more than everyone else, ha ha. Waiting to get into the movie was a little less fun. Parents shouldn't let their middle school aged children out of the house. They are an annoying embarrassment starving for attention (no offense to any middle school children). I don't think I was really like that because much like now i never left the house and kept pretty much to myself although I have to admit I was a bit silly. also the theater we went to (midnight showing) decided they wouldn't have it be first come first served in getting into the theater. They gave us numbers based on when you bought your tickets but since they had two theaters we still got great seats. Also my prayers go out to those affected by the shooting in Colorado.

I guess that's all I have to say. The end 

All Creatures Great and Small

Darcy Speaking:

Okay so I just finished reading the Harry Potter series for the second time last week. SO SO good! I think I enjoyed it a billion times more this time just because I was older and it was like a new story because I hadn't read it in years! I was loving it. I even loved the fifth one this time (I hated it the first time because Sirius died but I was okay this time, well almost okay, I wish he didn't die!) So I was so worried as I worked my way through the books because I kept thinking, "Oh my gosh once they end how will I go on with life?", "Will I ever be able to read again??", "These are so good!" As nerdy as that sounds, well as nerdy as that is, that is what I was thinking. See problem is that I have been having a hard time lately reading. As in it has been months since I have enjoyed reading a book. Nothing was capturing my attention. So I was so happy when Harry Potter was keeping my interest so that was a great thing... the thing that worried me was that I would never love to read again. Really it was a fear!

The Harry Potter books that I love!

Okay so during reading Harry I would think "What do I want to read?" And James Herriot just kept coming to my head. I have never read these before. I know my mom has mentioned several times how good they are but they just sat and sat on her bookshelf. Oh my gosh guys. SO FUNNY!!!!!! Like really. My mom told me that there was a real rib tickler in there that she still laughs about. She told me to tell her when I got to it. I   was at work in the break room when I read it, I was literally laughing out loud. I also read it to my mom the next day and was crying! CRYING! For those that don't know James Herriot is a Scottish Veterinarian who moved to Yorkshire and is a beginning vet who works under a more experienced vet. He tells of his life living with the veterinarian Siegfried and his brother Tristan. He tells of his time going out to the different farms scattered throughout the countryside and of the farmers and also of the animals. It is really well written and easy to get into. It is so entertaining and the best part is...  there are 5 books!!!!! Yippee! I really really recommend it to all!!

The first book All Creatures Great and Small 

(I couldn't flip the foto for some odd reason!)

So there you have it folks! Books that I have been enjoying lately! I hope you can enjoy them too!!