a theme blog, finally

I have always admired theme blogs and have been thinking about what I could do.

Well, I've done it. A blog for all historical romantics. I plan to post anything about history that may be interesting, and add a bit of my own romantic spin to it.

Check it out.

a true love story

As a "hopeful" romantic, I have often found myself attracted to stories about love. Most people know me as the obsessive Titanic fan, and while I have attempted to write my own love stories, I have not felt the pure tragic beauty of love as I do when I watch the film or read Romeo and Juliet. Admittedly, I was a lover of Twilight, but upon returning from Paraguay something has changed. I no longer feel the attraction to fake, over-the-top romances as I once did. Nothing against the book, but my heart is no longer in it. Which might explain why I am having so much trouble reading the fourth book.

Today, reading an assignment for my fiction into film class, I discovered what I have been missing.

"Rappaccini's Daughter" did the same for me that Titanic or Romeo and Juliet has done--if not more. I was entranced by the prose that truly read like poetry. The tragic love story was not just a love story, but an exploration of morality. For a moment, I seemed to understand why love stories are so attractive, when told well. "Rappaccini's Daughter" was a romance the way romances ought to be. Like the poisoned daughter of Rappaccini, a love story is beautiful, yet terrible. A story that reminds us of how beautiful and tragic life really is. The story no longer exists as romance but a reminder of morality and the meaning of life... a meaning I will be searching for until the end of mine.

"By all appreciable signs, they loved; they had looked love, with eyes that conveyed the holy secret from the depths of one soul into the depths of the other, as if it were too sacred to be whispered by the way; they had even spoken love, in those gushes of passion when their spirits darted forth in articulated breath, like tongues of long-hidden flame; and yet there had been no seal of lips, no clasp of hands, nor any slightest caress, such as love claims and hallows" (Hawthorne).

painting from jonathonart.com

school bag in hand

After a long, yet stressful break, school is starting once again. I have to admit I am a bit relieved to have a break from the break. I realized today, however, that this will be my last real vacation until the end of May when Jeff and I return from Europe (yay!). While other BYU-Idaho students end their schooling with a week's worth vacation before the next term, we begin the very next week...

The above is a picture of my books. A lot more than I had planned on, eight are for one class. Luckily one of those books was written by Roald Dahl. I am very excited for school and work. I just hope things go well. I have a lot of reading to look forward to. More than half will be books I have looked forward to, however.

**A gold star for any who can name the movie/song where they say/sing "School bag in hand."

in loving memory

Harriette Louise Berrett Hymas
December 25, 1926 - December 29, 2008

Photos of Halie's Wedding

These pictures were taken by Daniel. I don't know his last name, but he did a fantastic job. If you would like to contact him, let me know and I can get you his email/phone number.

a snowy wedding

Halie and Brett got married yesterday, December 27. It was a stressful week with illnesses, Christmas stress, technology issues, etc., etc., etc. I never thought I would be so relieved to take down a Christmas tree.

Halie and Brett had a fresh snowfall for their pictures. Halie didn't even feel the cold--I say it was the adrenaline. They took beautiful photographs and are after a luncheon and reception, are now spending their honeymoon in Salt Lake City.

Christmas Cookies

I decided to have some Christmas fun making Christmas cookies. Along with these, I made some pretty great memories with my Papa who sat at the kitchen table talking to me, and sleeping on the floor, while I listened to my favorite Christmas music and baked my cookies. Once they had been cooked, I was just going to frost them simply and quickly, but after a while, I began to really enjoy myself. I grabbed some toothpicks to give the frosting texture and created the fur on the top of the red stocking. Then, I carefully created a red and white candy cane and it went from there. It was a lot of fun. The only downside is I have only decorated about nine cookies in the last hour... At least their pretty!

I got the sugar cookie recipe from AllRecipes.com. They were really delicious with a hint of nutmeg and almond flavoring. I suggest both the recipe for the cookie and the frosting. Delicious.

Is the picture big enough, Camie? ;)