Leaving

Well this is it for a while. Tomorrow afternoon we’re heading to my grandparents house and will get back (Lord willing) Jan. 9th. I love going to my grandparents’ house, but the car ride isn’t so fun. The first 2-3 hours aren’t so bad, but after being crammed in the back seat for about 6 hours even going to the moon starts to sound pretty good. Ah well. Since I really don’t want to fool with my grandparents’ ancient dial up internet connection, I won’t be blogging till I get back. Hopefully you can survive without my input on the world for a little while right? Have a blessed, safe, and happy new year’s, and tomorrow afternoon when you’re relaxing in your house watching your big plasma screen TV, just think about me crammed in a car laden with luggage, two little brothers, and having to deal with my family having to stop to go to the bathroom every five minutes. Okay maybe we don’t stop every five minutes, but it sure seems like it sometimes. ttyl.

Well another Christmas is come and gone. All that excitement and momentum leading up to it and then suddenly *poof* it's over and done with. I got quite a lot of neat stuff this year. I'll list a few of my favorites:

A new stereo for my room delivered by "Santa" who bears a striking resemblance to mom and dad. Is pretty small but very nice and fancy. Perfect for setting on your dresser. Beware however if your dresser has many odds and ends lying around on it. Clearing it off to put the stereo on it is no picnic.

I also received three CD's to play in the (you guessed it) new stereo. The first is the soundtrack for the Narnia movie which is one of the best CD's out there. The music is simply breathtaking and I could listen to it a million times and not get sick of it. Okay maybe I would but that's not the point here. I also got two Casting Crowns CD's. Casting Crowns is one of the only Christian bands I enjoy listening to. Very powerful music and can be very comforting at times.

Also the strange package that felt like a video cassette that I mentioned in one of my previous blogs contained the computer game Mall Tycoon 3. This is definitly one of the most enjoyable computer games I have ever played. In it you get to run your own mall. You get to hire staff members, create stores, keep track of your customer's likes and dislikes, etc. Yes the janitors and mechanics never do their jobs unless you are constantly monitoring them, and yes the criminals who arrive at the mall all have the same hairstyle, but hey what do you expect.

Sky High

Here is a review for the Disney movie "Sky High"

This movie centers around a high school freshman Will Stronghold, (Michael Angarano), who is the son of legendary superheroes Steve Stronghold also known as "The Commander", (Kurt Russell), and Josie Stronghold also known as "Jetstream", (Kelly Preston.) Will's dad who has super strength, and his mom who possesses flying abilities, expect Will to become a legendary super hero like themselves which puts a lot of pressure on Will. After being sent to Sky High, (a training school for superheroes), he discovers that he possesses no super hero powers, and wonders if he ever will possess them. Since he has no powers he is thrown in sidekick class along with his best friend Layla, (Danielle Panabaker), and discovers that his father is disappointed in him for not possessing powers. Meanwhile on his very first day menacing Warren Peace, (Steven Strait), becomes his arch enemy, and he develops a crush on senior student Gwen Grayson, (Mary Elizabeth Winstead.)

This movie is hilarious, has a pretty good story line, and has great actors in it. Steven Strait did a great job portraying dark, menacing, Warren Peace, and Angarano did a great job portraying Will. A few of the final scenes were a bit cheesy, but not too bad considering it's geared toward kids. The plot is pretty easy to follow, but not to ridiculous or simple. I give this movie four stars out of five, and recommend it for all ages.

Well it's here. The slowest week of the year. I know it's just two days till Christmas, but it seems like about two years. Funny how you think you're too big to do anything you enjoyed as a kid before Christmas comes around, but then around Christmas time you start acting like you're 8 years old again. It's a little harder to get in the Christmas spirit right now though as it's 68 degrees outside. Yes you heard correctly. 68 degrees. Have been sitting around the tree guessing at presents. Unfortunately one of mine feels like an old video tape a person might plug in their ancient video player. Hopefully that's not what it is, (right mom and dad??) Well don't really have much else to say. Will post a move review later.

Check out this link. This is really neat video about a twelve year old child prodigy who has visions of God. Very interesting. Is an extremely talented painter. There is a commercial before it starts. http://dynamic.cnn.com/apps/tp/video/bestoftv/2006/12/14/beck.akiane.child.prodigy.cnn/video.ws.asx?NGUserID=aa570a1-6893-1166214706-3&adDEmas=R00&hi&cox.net&73&usa&650&73101&37&-&-&-&

Christmas worries

About two weeks ago as our family headed home from church on a Wednesday night, my dad had a momentous announcement. We kids would get to open one of our Christmas presents early. And not just any present. The present addressed to all of us that had been stumping us for what seemed liked ages. We jumped out of the car and ran into the house like a pack of lions and tigers and bears were on our tail. We ran to the tree, grabbed the present, and started ripping. And *drumroll* there was the present we’d been waiting for. Our very own, and not to mention expensive, camcorder. So after about a week of screaming and yelling in frustration after we found out we bought discs that wouldn’t play in the camcorder, and almost breaking the thing in frustration, we finally figured it out. Now my bros and I are contemplating making a murder mystery. Guess who gets to be killed numerous times? So when I mention getting killed several times in one week, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Besides worrying about that, our grandparents are coming tomorrow, and all the usual Christmas bustle is going on. From worrying about whether someone will guess what present you got them from your obscure clues, as to whether you’ll get the flu, or as to whether Mom will like that custom made football you got her, there’s a lot to worry about over the Christmas season, things a lot more serious than what I mentioned. Even though it’s a great season, it’s still a great time to contemplate these verses from Matthew chapter 6. These are verses 25 and 27 "Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?....Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Now that’s good stuff.
P.S. If you bought your mom a custom football, it might be time to start worrying.

Christmas program

Christmas time is here, and with it comes the numerous Christmas choir programs at church. Our youth choir program was last Sunday, and seemed to go pretty well. (Much better than I thought it would.) First of all we had to wear thick heavy robes and had to walk into a heated sanctuary carrying candles dripping hot wax. You get the picture. By the time we made it through the first song I was seriously starting to burn up with the heat, and on top of it all I had to sing a solo later in the program. I love singing, but solos make me extremely nervous. (I'm taking voice lessons so I guess I'll have to get used to singing solos. lol) I was starting to get lightheaded as my solo entrance got nearer and nearer, and my heart started pumping loud enough to wake the dead. I got through it though, and I think I did pretty well. Anyways we got out of there candles and all without burning down the church and the brand new hymnals with it.
Nothing else is really going on right now. Tonight is our church's Christmas party which isn't the most fun since it's geared toward younger kids. Coloring Christmas pictures, rolling around in large tubes, etc. aren't as fun now as they were when you were a kid. Oh well. At least food is involved.

Here is a review for the Nancy Drew computer game "The Curse of Blackmoor Manor" from Herinteractive. (For more information on Nancy Drew computer games visit herinteractive.com)
This game allows you as Nancy Drew to travel to London, England to creepy ancient Blackmoor Manor. Linda, (the wife of Hugh Penvellyn who is the owner of Blackmoor Manor) has retreated behind her bedroom curtains refusing to let anyone see her. Nancy has been sent to Blackmoor by Linda's mother to determine what is wrong with Linda, but Nancy is soon trapped in a mystery involving alchemy, a strange curse, and the Penvellyn family. The suspects are Mrs. Drake; Hugh Penvellyn's elderly stern aunt who has been in the family for years, Nigel; a young man doing research on the manor for a novel he plans to write, Jane; Linda's 12 year old step daughter, and Ethel; Jane's tutor. Nancy must follow the clues to unravel the secret behind Linda's supposed illness, and must find out whether Linda really is turning into the Beast of Blackmoor Manor as she soon begins to fear.

This game has much suspense, and is one of the most terrifying games of the bunch. It certainly should not be played by the faint hearted. It is also one of the most challenging games. Many of the alchemy puzzles can be very confusing, and I had to refer to the Nancy Drew forums on many occasions for help with the moving rooms and the alchemy lab. This game is very entertaining though, and will last you for a while. The graphics are excellent, and the manor is not hard to find your way around. This was not my favorite game, so all in all I give it three stars out of five. I am now eagerly awaiting the next game that I have ordered "The Secret of the Old Clock"