HP Challenge - Day 16 Favorite Professor

I am going to have to say that my favorite Hogwarts professor would be Remus Lupin. Whenever you read about the classes that they have with Lupin it just sounds like fun, he seemed like a great teacher too, one that was really informative to the students. He took the time to help Harry with the Patronus charm which leads Harry to be able to save Sirius and later on teach the DA to use it as well. Plus of all the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers we witness over the years during the books, he is by far the best.

HP Challenge - Day 15 Best Friends

I have always imagined that my best friends at Hogwarts would be Harry, Hermione and Ron. I still to this day think that holds pretty true. I often wonder if I could actually get in trouble like they do, but for all the things they do that could get them in trouble they manage to stay out off it most of the time. Who wouldn't want the adventures that they get to have. I think that is part of what makes the books and overall story so great. We all want to believe that that would be us, running around saving the day and being just plain awesome.

HP Challange - Day 14 Team Voldermort or Team Harry

With the rise of the Dark side in Star Wars we get the rise of the Death Eaters in Harry Potter. There are for sure times when joining the Death Eaters seems like a good idea, mostly because isn't it better to join the force that you think is gonna win?

But that is what makes this entire story so great. Besides knowing that good always triumphs in the end, the characters on the good side of this story seem to be the underdogs. Especially once Voldemort gets back to normal, well normal for him, and he just gets the bad ball rolling and it seems pretty unstoppable. But that is when those that really believe in the good cause band together and help change the outcome. So for me it is Team Harry from the first page, I mean he is the boy who lived.

HP Challange - Day 13 Least Favorite Movie

I don't know if there is a movie that I don't like, but my least favorite would have to be either the 1st or 2nd movie. I understand how crucial they are to setting up the entire storyline however they are for sure the most campy of all the movies. I still watch them often enough, but when it comes down to picking out an HP movie I prefer 3 - 6 because there are some great jokes and writing that makes life better.

Listening

Sometimes we hear things when people speak and we hope that someone else was listening as well because we know that that someone was listening too.

Today we had a great Sacrament meeting. I am eternally grateful that even though I wasn't really feeling up to church today I went to Sacrament anyways. We were graced with the presence of Brother James Welch and his family. He is an amazing performance organist, it was wonderful to hear him play. But even more so it was wonderful to hear the words of wisdom that he and his wife imparted on us regarding Eternal Marriage, especially at his time in our lives when many of the people I know, including me, are feeling rather lost about this topic.

Most importantly I loved the talks today because I knew that what was being said was helpful to one person in particular. And my fondest hope is that that person was really listening and can use what was said as guidance in their own life. Not just regarding marriage but regarding how to turn their perspective around.

HP Challange - Day 12 Favorite Ship

My favorite relationship is probably the Ron and Hermione one. I think that like everyone else it is just interesting to watch the relationship of these two characters grow over the years. From the beginning when they couldn't even stand each other to the very end where we get to know about their family together. Even better than that was everything in between, Viktor Krum and Lavender Brown included. I think that it is really all about watching something that we always knew was meant to be get to happen.

HP Challange - Day 11 Character You Are Most Like

I have never really thought about what character I am most like for the franchise. Sometimes I like to think that I would be a lot like Hermione, good grades and great at magic. I always hated getting in trouble in school so I just tried my best to do what I was suppose to much like her. I don't think that I would be top of my class, or the school for that matter and I really think that I would be much better at flying on a broom.

With these criteria I think that I am more like Ginny. She does well enough in school and is a powerful witch. She is brave and doesn't take crap from anyone. She is great on a broom and well she is from humble backgrounds much like myself. So overall yeah I am most like Ginny which is okay with me because in the end I will have my own Harry.

HP Challenge - Day 10 Horcruxes or Hallows

I remember how awful I felt inside thinking about learning about what Horcruxes were and how they are made. I literally shivered and then to watch it on the movie screen, no way I can get behind the idea. But the Hallows are not only amazingly awesome they also come with a great story. Though parts of the Three Brothers story is tragic what an interesting little side story JK added to the overall plot to make it that much more wonderful. And really who would not want to have an Invisibility Cloak? 

HP Challenge - Day 9 Least Favorite Male Character

Hands down Cornelius Fudge. I am just so tired of listening to his crazy conspiracy theories of how Dumbledore wants his job and how Potter is making up stories of Voldemort. Whine, whine, complain, complain. I was definitely excited when Scrimgeour took over as Minister of Magic.

HP Challenge - Day 8 Favorite Lesson

I was thinking this would be a difficult one until I realized that the Quidditch lesson would be my favorite. I don't know if it is only for first years to learn how to fly on brooms but man i can't express in words how much I would love this lesson.

I have always wanted to be able to fly of my own accord. Just think about how much traffic I would avoid if I were able to use a broom to get around right now. Not to mention how much money on gas I would save. I have never imagined myself as a sports star but if I could play Quidditch I would train everyday to be the best.

HP Challenge - Day 7 Favorite Female Character

This is a three-way tie, although like with the male characters it could be a twenty-five way tie. But I love, love, love Hermione, Ginny and Lily Potter.

A brave best friend, a powerfully magical girlfriend and sister and of course the mother that was willing to give her life for the safety of her son's. What wonderful women, even if they are fictional, we have to look up to in these stories. They are faced with challenges like we may never know and they stand up to it all with a grace that surpasses even the most beautiful swan.

Oh I almost forgot mad props to Mrs. Weasley for being a kick butt mother and raising all those awesome kids, plus being a crazy good fighter when it comes down to it.

HP Challenge - Day 6 Sorting

From the first day that I heard about Hogwarts I knew that Gryffindor was the house for me. Gryffindor values courage, bravery, loyalty, nerve and chivalry. This is everything that I would ever want out of the people around me. And everyone from this house always seems to stand up for right no matter what is gonna happen. You just don't see that very much and i would want to be a part of that.

My Daddy

I don't have any pictures on my computer of me and my daddy, so I am sharing a picture of my family from my brother and sister-in-laws wedding. That is me and my dad on the left.

How very lucky I have been to have my father in my life. He is not a man of many words and sometimes he just doesn't know what to say, but he was never at a lack for words when it came time for a blessing before the school year started or if we were sick. How wonderful it was to have him be an example of what to look for in a husband in regards to being a worthy priesthood holder.

How grateful I am to him for the countless number of times that he checked the oil in my car, changed my brakes or just added some water. For an example of someone who works hard and provides the necessities and a little bit more for his family. How grateful I am for all those times I get upset, my mother can't calm me down and my dad picks up the phone, says his simple words of comfort and a calm washes over me.

I am so very blessed to have a father in my life that continues to grow spiritually and physically. For the example he sets for how to treat his spouse well. And most of all for always make sure to support his children in all their endeavors even when he doesn't agree with everything that they are doing. Happy Father's Day to my wonderful daddy!

HP Challenge - Day 5 Favorite Male Character

This question is even harder than yesterday's question. How do you pick one favorite in a cast of extremely valiant male characters?

I could go with Fred and George because how awesome is it when they just up and leave Hogwarts in a blaze of fireworks? What about Charlie in the background training dragons, I mean how cool is that? Neville is so wonderfully pathetic, Remus is a werewolf, Sirius is a bonafied bad boy, Hagrid ain't afraid of any crazy creature and Dumbledore well he is so awesome it isn't even funny.

Then of course we have Ronnie the Bear and Harry freakin' Potter. I mean need I say more? They get by in school but when it really counts is there anyone else you would want to go into battle with? I don't think so.

HP Challenge - Day 4 Least Fav Female

How does one pick a least favorite female character especially in these books? I mean I could give you a list in other books but I feel like J.K. did a great job of making all of her female characters very strong in their own way. So I will have to take a different approach to this question.

The female character that bothered me the most is probably Lavender Brown. I have to go with her just because she called Ron by Won-Won. That is probably the only reason I can come up with. In every other instance when we hear about Lavender she is not causing any kind of trouble. But seriously Won-Won?!?

HP Challenge - Day 3 Missing Storyline

I know the movies are very different from the books, what I like most is that I can enjoy them all especially when I think about them as separate things. Looking back over the years there have been a couple of things that I missed when they had to do the editing for the movies. Mostly we could all use more Quidditch in our lives. I am grateful that there are organized leagues in colleges across the world that are allowing for this great sport to grow and flourish.

So besides the clear lack of Quidditch in the movies, I do have a couple of other moments that I missed. I know many loved Peeves but I was able to overlook his absence. I wanted so much to see the Sphinx in the Tri-Wizard maze, I loved that riddle in the book. In recent times I have missed the part of the last book when Dudley reveals his actual feelings for his cousin Harry. I wanted so much to see Hermione use her logic to get through the potions chamber in Sorcerer's Stone. I miss the reactions of the Hogwarts girls when they get Firenze as a teacher.

But no matter how much they might of had to take out of the movies, I will always and forever remember the reaction my friend Kristen when she freaked out when there was magically a new actor in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and she couldn't place him as a character from the books. I think to this day if you bring up that movie that might be her first response.

HP Challenge - Day 2 Favorite Movie

Oh man how I have enjoyed this movies many times over the past decade. I have been to every midnight opening for each of these movies, it was never something that I was willing to miss. The t-shirts, the dressing up, loads of sugar to stay awake and the friends that I was able to share the experiences with. With all these memories how do you pick which movie is your favorite?

Although I love watching all of the movies, I think I get most excited when Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire comes on TV. I have very fond memories of the night that my entire college apartment got together, dressed up and went to the theater. The thrills of watching the Quiddtich Wolrd Cup, the Durmstrang boys enter, the excitement of the Yule Ball and the performance by The Weird Sisters. Then the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the return of Voldemort and the sorrowful death of Cedric. At this time I would like to go on record as saying I loved Robert Pattinson back then before this Twilight craze.

HP Challenge - Day 1 Favorite Book

I figure this is it, the home stretch so I might as well jump on at least one 30-day bandwagon. And if I am going to pick one it might as well be one I am interested in And there is probably no better time to do it than the 30 days leading up to the EPIC final installment of Harry Potter, so here goes nothing.

My favorite Harry Potter book would have to be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Not only is it the beginning of the magic, no pun intended, but the it where we get to make new friends in the form of fictional characters. It reminds us about the power and intelligence of younger children and how important it is to break the rules sometimes.

It was a simple story, originally written on napkins in a coffee shop and even from it's pauper origins it changed the way that the world looked at reading and literacy. It brought families together and reminded everyone across all nations that we can, at any age, use our imaginations and believe in good vs. evil.

Extend Your Family

Who makes up your family? Is it just your parents and siblings? How about your Aunts, Uncles and cousins? Do you consider classmates, church members or co-workers to be your family? What makes a family, a family?

I am so blessed to have such wonderful people as part of my family. A lot of times lately I have lost sight of this fact. I think of myself as an island. That I stand alone and that I have to take care of everything myself. I have struggled with my sense of self-worth and wondered if I actually matter to people. I think that we all struggle with that sometimes. We all want to know that something we have done or said has helped or made a difference in the lives of the people around us.

But self-worth is not what this post is about. This is about me remembering that families are amazing things, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. I allow my family to be very large, it doesn't just stop at blood relatives. Though I am close to many of my aunts, uncles and cousins and they mean the world to me, I have always grown close to other people as well.

When I do theater the people I work with are accepted into my family. Then there is church, my branch now, friends from other stakes and even my family ward from when I was growing up. I am lucky to have recently gained a sister-in-law and with been able to accept her immediate family as my own as well. And above all else I have always enjoyed that portion of my family that is made up of my close friends.

How wonderful it is and how lucky I am to be able to have such uplifting and fantastic people to play a part in the movie that is my life. My advice to everyone is to allow your family to grow, allow people to be a part of you. I leave you with my favorite thought from a grand movie Mrs. Doubtfire

There are all sorts of different families, Katie. Some families have one mommy, some families have one daddy, or two families. And some children live with their uncle or aunt. Some live with their grandparents, and some children live with foster parents. And some live in separate homes, in separate neighborhoods, in different areas of the country - and they may not see each other for days, or weeks, months... even years at a time. But if there's love, dear... those are the ties that bind, and you'll have a family in your heart, forever. - Mrs. Doubtfire

Don't Hold Your Breathe

That is the saying everyone knows. The funny thing is that in life there are events that happen where it feels like you are doing just that, holding your breathe.

Right now there are a couple of those events in my life that I can think of. I am at this point, the one towards the end where you are thinking to yourself I can't keep this up forever. And at the same time your lungs just start to burn a bit, but you push yourself to hold on just a little longer. When all you really want is for it to all be over or to be able to feel that relief when that oxygen hits your lungs.

I would give anything to be able to breath again. To know what the decision is going to be and most of all how it is going to effect me.

The Demon Side (Book Review)

I am not very good at reviews but I figured hey let's give it a try. I just read a great self published book entitled The Demon Side by Heaven Leigh Eldeen. 

I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I first received the book as a gift. I stared at it for a couple of days, and it stared back. I wanted so much for it to be a really good read because I didn't want to have to tell my mother that I didn't like it. No it is not my mother who wrote it, it was a friend of my mothers. Good news, it was a good book.

I had a little trouble getting into the book at first. I found the whole concept a little hard to grasp. A demon in a home, taunting residents is not so bad it was the demon having feelings part that was hard for me to grasp. P.S. if you are worried I just gave away anything you are mistaken. At page 10 I was worried about a book from a demon's point of view, considering they are terrible beings. At page 50 I was still wondering what path this story was taking.  About 100 pages in I thought to myself this is such a weird, in and interesting way, book. At 150 pages in I was pretty hooked, I didn't want to stop reading even though I couldn't keep my eyes open. And by 200 pages I was ready for the next book in the series.

My favorite parts of the book were actually the parts that focused on things found in the teachings of the church. The concepts of repentance, being forgiven by the Lord for things that we have done, being one as a family and the concept of a marriage that is more than just an earthly one. It is very nice to be able to have a book that subtly brings up ideas that you believe in personally. I think that is why so many female church members enjoy The Twilight Saga. Overall, this is a good book. It has great characters and the story is easy to understand and follow. The foreshadowing was there but not all up in your face, the author clearly doesn't want to treat her readers like they are dumb. Plus this ending is worthy of any M. Night Shyamalan movie.

Like A Nomad

Lately I have been coming around to this feeling of being a nomad. I guess that I have felt it for some time but it is lately that the realization is actually hitting home. Haha nomads don't have homes.

I have been thinking about what is making me feel this way. Most of my overwhelming feelings these days seem to stem from a lack of structure in my life. Yeah I have work pretty set, but it is all the other time that I spend outside of work that seems to be the problem. I never actually know what I will be doing at night, I know only one thing that my dog needs to be taken for a walk and fed. Other than that it could be sitting at home, it could be movies, it could be trivia, there is no plan for the after hours.

Don't get me wrong what I end up doing in the evenings is a lot of fun. I have wonderful friends that make me laugh and live. What doesn't help with this feeling is the sense of not belonging. This isn't a belonging in the social sense as much as it is belonging to an area. I grew up in California and lived a couple of different places. I was most comfortable at my grandparents house, I spent a lot of time there even if as my family moved to different places around the county. But everything back in that place has changed. My parents house (they moved after I left for college), my grandparents house, the roads, the landscape, everything that you could think of.

I realized on my last trip to my parents that the feeling I get when I visit is more of a sense of familiarization. I know the streets and how to get around but I don't necessarily feel a sense of home. The same can be said for where I live now I guess. I love it but it never feels quite like home. I have moved housing every year for the last 9 years of my life. I hate moving! But I do it because it is what I know I should do. However this leaves a hole in my heart where that home feeling should be. I long for the day when I am no longer a nomad and that space in my heart is full, but I am not sure what will help with the filling. If I have my choice I would like raspberry creme filling like those fancy wedding cakes on TV.