January 8, 2013

my nose in a book

When I was but a girl, I enjoyed reading. Ya know. Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High(My mother did not approve, for the record).

But then I grew up and went to college and had absolutely no time to read for fun.

The only time I was in the library was for researching scientific papers.

I grew to loathe the library.

Like when we were dating in college, John had to drag me in there.

I found the library so depressing and I was so burnt out on my research, I just wanted to cry at the mere thought of going.

And then we got married and had kids.

No time to read there, either. It was just too aggravating for words to be interrupted every 5 seconds, so I just did not bother.

And realistically, I still don't really have time to read, I suppose. Twain is still a young yipper snapper who constantly making outrageous demands from me, 24/7.

"I'm hundry(hungry)!"
"Make my blantet lite a stware"(make my blanket like a square--during naps and bedtime)
"Wipe my tushie!!!!"

Oh the exhaustion of it all, I could just pass out.

But somewhere along the way...that little thing called reading...began to creep up on me unawares.

It started with a book here and there...and then I read the Chronicles of Narnia. And was hooked. Just enamored beyond belief with the hobby of reading.

I was so bummed when Chronicles of Narnia were over. I missed Narnia.

But then I started reading Anne of Green Gables.


And was happily transported from Narnia to Avonlea, with Anne Shirley and Gilbert(Dreamy)Blythe. (I'm convinced that is his middle name).


I laughed.
I cried.
And mostly wanted to shout to Anne and Gil "HOOK UP ALREADY".

Anne and her pride. I found it extremely vexing.

You are killing me Anne Shirley.

KILLING ME.

But regardless of your ambivalence to Gil...I love thee Anne...ever so much.

After finishing the book, I did something I have not done in a very long time.

I went to our library today. EEK! It is simply a splendid place when you can get more books on Anne. I'm convinced that is the sole purpose of our library.

I can hardly wait to dive in.


I mean, seriously I cannot wait. Look at these two hotties.


And while I was at the library, I picked up a DVD. I feel giddy.

I was a little shocked when they charged me $2.15 for the movie. I mean, isn't the library supposed to be free? I guess times have changed. I don't know. Maybe they have always charged for movies. It's ok though, because I get to keep the movie for a whole week.

So, I got to thinking about my favorite fictional couples and here is my top 5 list.

1. Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe
2. Katniss and Peeta (obvi)
3. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy(Pride and Prejudice)
4. Shasta and Aravis(from Horse and His Boy)
5. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.

Tell me. Who are your favorite couples?

42 comments:

  1. Hmmm...strange they charged you. Ours our free to borrow.

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  2. I need to find time to read... the toddler is the worst. If I sit down on a couch or chair, she goes crazy. If I'm on the ground, she's trying to rip the book from my hands or trying to read it herself! During naps, I'm occupied with other things and if I decide to read, she wakes up. She knows. Nighttime? Too tired!

    One day I'll read again.

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  3. Hi! I'm new! :) Our library videos are free so hmmmm. And I HAD to comment. Because Gilbert's middle name is definitely Dreamy. The love affair between Anne and Gil will forever make me weak in the knees. I like your blog and how you dress all your little men.

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    1. thanks for popping by!

      and yes, weak in the knees best describes the phenomenon.

      thanks for your kind words!

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  4. Love Anne and Gil!!! I just might have to reread those books! My favorite series is the Mitford series... love em!

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  5. Oh my gosh Davi I am the biggest library nerd ever. I L-O-V-E the library. I love reading. I always have. Whenever I have moved to a new town...ok, only three actual moves, but each time my comfort spot has been discovering the local library. It's kind of like how I can find comfort in just roaming the isles of Target. Does that make any sense? Anyone else feel like Target is one of the most relaxing places on earth? (I totally bribe my kids and they get to share a $1.36 bag of popcorn and it buys me an hour of aimless bliss).

    My kids and I go to the library almost every week. They get to choose two movies and two books. Sometimes a CD for the car. And the best part...100% free! (unless I have an overdue charge, oops). Too bad your library charges for movies, but it's still worth it! A week of a new discovery! Oh man, it's the best. I love the library and it's really fun watching my kids share my love for the library.

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  6. davi.
    girl.friend.

    anne is one of my most favorite characters.
    so glad you're enjoying these stories!! the best.
    love ya, happy new year! xo

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  7. so wait. is this your first time reading/watching?
    zomg!! exciting!

    ok, i'm done.

    xo

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    1. I must admit to you..I have NEVER read any of the books, but have watched all the movies. I ADORE Anne!!!
      I'm thinking I want to read them with my girls when she gets around that age,how fun!

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    2. hannah--i watched the movies once or twice and LOVED them. but never read the books. i was surprised by how much i loved the first book. it had so much more details about what the characters were thinking. loved every second of it.

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  8. I too LOVED the first Anne book-- its the best of the series in my opinion!
    And as for other favorite couples? Don't forget Emma and Mr. Knightly-- he was totes dreamy too.

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    1. Lin, it's been too long since I've seen Emma! what a fun treat to look forward to seeing again.

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  9. Ah Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books, got my frist copy when I was 13 and have read it every year for the last 11 years:)Narnia- you should read it to your boys and enjoy it all over again, I've read the books a few times and it never gets old! Jane Austens Persuasion is amazing, you won't be able to put it down, oh and I know Harry Potter is witch craft and all that but I read the books for the first time last year and if you see it just as a fantasy kids book its a really good read!

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  10. I absolutely love that you have Aravis and Shasta on that list!! Their relationship is hilarious, and I will always remember how CS Lewis describes it: two people who would fight and make it up again, and as they grew older they got better at making it up. So they decided to get married as to go on doing it more conveniently. So great :)

    "The Chronicles of Narnia" is probably my all-time favorite series just because it was read to be when I was 5 :) "The Horse and His Boy" seems to be forgotten because it is just inserted between the main story line - but it is such a favorite of mine!!

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  11. I only liked the first couple of Anne books, despite loving the movies. I must say, I grew increasingly irritated by the way she won everyone over. Read ALL of Jane Austen's books next! Not the ones she wrote as a teen, though. And Girl of the Limberlost! That one was kinda weird, but oddly fascinating and made me love moths. Lol. And I loved Johnny Tremaine and Pricilla as a couple, along with Mr. Knightly and Emma. Anne and Gil are fabulous, too.

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    1. oh sister, you are funny with the moths. i shall read jane austen's books next:)

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  12. LOVE Anne of Green Gables... oh man those books and movies do a number on me! I grew up with her and "Christy" books and movies- remember those?! Good stuff.

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    1. i am not sure if i read any christy books, and i must confess my memory of my childhood is sketchy because i was always off in dreamland or another planet. i'll have to ask my sisters.

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  13. Matthew and Mary from Downton Abbey! (Although Mary bugs a little, Matthew makes up for it.) The white banners for their wedding last Sunday were just dreamy!!! Please tell me you saw it! You would've loved her dress!

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    1. i have never watched downton abbey because we don't get tv. but my neighbor says you can watch parts on netflix and such. she wants me to watch with her:)

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  14. Winnie and Jesse from Tuck Everlasting!

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  15. Loving everything about this post! I am a HUGE Anne Shirley lover. I could go on and on. And Gilbert, oh Gilbert.
    I'm glad that you've found a renewed appreciation for the library! They are magical places for sure!
    Happy reading!

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  16. They charged you at the library? That makes me a little sad.

    My favorite book couple ever is Claire & Jamie from the Outlander series. (Book 8 is coming out this fall supposedly and I'm over the moon excited.)
    :-D

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  17. so, i have never read any of the anne books! guess i need to make a trip to the library myself. i love to read and am trying to read two books a month this year! and if you are looking for more hard to put down books (but not great literature) check out francine rivers. her books keep me hooked. and that is weird about the fee, our library doesn't charge for dvd's. unless of course you keep them past the due date...lol.

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  18. Love these books. Also try L.M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon when you finish with Anne. It's a good little series too.
    I spend far too much time in the library as do my kids, although that is never a bad thing. I can't choose a fav couple because that almost seems impossible. And when pressed I would always have to choose the couples from my books, right? :)

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  19. I read Anne of Green Gables a couple Christmas' ago and my mom go me the movie for Christmas...love it! love to read. One of my favorite things is finding a good book and getting completely lost in it. You need to read Harry Potter. You'll love it.

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  20. I love all the Anne books!!! And libraries are the only place I go because I never buy books unless I know I will read them a hundred times. :P odd that they charged you. :/ I was sad to see rapunzal & Flynn as number 5, shouldn't they be like ONE? Haha just kidding. I would have to agree with the other person who mentioned Emma & Mr. Knightly. You must see the BBC movie. I swoon.......

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  21. We just got thought the chronicle of narnia! I am sad it's over too. My 10 yr old was so sad that he reread the whole series in one week! Whoa! Reading good literature is a blessing! Thank u for your entertaining posts! :) they make me smile.

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  22. Yay! I love Anne......all the books. Sooooooooooo good! I also recommend the Emily of New Books. As well, a different author, Budge Wilson, wrote a prequel to Anne of Green Gables called before Green Gables. This was written just a few years ago. I was excited to get it, but definately didn't love it. Found it very sad and depressing.

    Enjoy the DVDs - I really liked them and that surprised me because I love the books so much and didn't think the characters would match how I imagined them (but they did, hooray!)

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  23. If you love Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, you should read/watch Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. It's a BBC miniseries, and oh my. Mr Thornton. He's like Mr Darcy but 7 times better. If Mr Thornton asked me to marry him...well. You will LOVE him.

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  24. Hands down.... Darcy and Elizabeth :))))

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  25. I must read Anne of Green Gables. I have never read it. My favorite book is Jane Eyre and I love the connection between Jane and Mr. Rochester. It's somewhat similar to Pride & Prejudice in the sense that it keeps you waiting until the VERY END to see what will happen between them. If you have an iPad or iPhone you can read it for free. :)

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  26. I will always love the Anne series, and those movies...probably the best film adaptation from a book there ever was.
    I love Todd & Christy, from the Christy Miller series. My sister had them. I have reread those so many times! So cheesy but so good.

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  27. I am so glad you've found Anne! I met her on my 8th birthday when my parents bought me "Anne of Green Gables". Anne has been a bosom friend since that day :)
    I even wrote about it here: http://nonamenotions.tumblr.com/post/13098093864
    Glad you've found book bliss too!

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  28. Ok, wow.

    Girl. After. My. Own. Heart. :) Love it!

    Anne of Green Gables is legit my one of my favourite book/movie adaptations. And visiting PEI is definitely on my Bucket List... yes.

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  29. Anne... fave!

    I love your couples list!!!! I'd add Anne and Captain Wentworth :)

    Speaking of Jane Austen, have you seen any of the video series "Lizzie Bennett Diaries"? It's an adaptation of the story in modern-day using video-blogs and other social medium. SO well done! I recommend it {it's mostly clean}!

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  30. oh.my.gosh! i wanna be friend in real life! you just named all my favs!!!

    i so loved the babysitter club!!

    i read anne again, with my daughter this past summer! loved it! ( i think i loved it more than her)

    i was so happy after college to read a book i wasn't forced too.lol. no joke.

    p.s. i love your couple list mostly #5 ;)
    p.s.s. movies are free at our library? that is crazy?

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  31. I was obsessed with Anne when I was a girl. I felt some deep connection because my middle name is Anne.
    Such a great couples list.

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  32. ahhhhh! BSC!!!!
    my fav as a child.
    i've started my almost 9 year old daughter on them now.
    ack!
    i hope she likes them as much as i did.
    i keep hoping they aren't too rique for her.
    i mean, there's talk of BOYS in them.
    but then i pinch myself and think... c'mon steph... that was like 25 years ago that you read them.
    in the 'dark' ages, apparently.
    so i'm just assuming they will be appropriate for her since she reads all kinds of 'fairy' chapter books now.
    (no, i don't pre-read everything she reads... don't have time for that b/c she's a reading MONSTER!!!!)

    did you ever read taffy sinclair books?!?! ha ha ha ha ha!

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  33. i'm sort of a sucker for christian fiction.
    have you read redeeming love by francine rivers?
    i read that sucker over and over again.

    i think i read anne before by all i remember is the movie.
    i was that kind of kid though, typically preferring the movie :)
    i didn't really like to sit still much when i was a child.

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