Oh, oh, oh!

[Sorry this is so incredibly late. I'm catching up, really. I wrote a majority of this right after Idaho but have just gotten around to posting it. Regionals post is coming soon.]

I had the most FABULOUS time at the Idaho tournament over March 18-20. The week preceding was filled with seehowmuchofyourspeechyoucancramintooneday! along with script submission forms, last minute duo changes, and more double stick tape and magnets than a sane person should be handling at one time.

After frantically scurrying around, trying to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything of significant importance, (mind you, this was the first time Raymond and I had gone anywhere without mom or dad. It took awhile to get out the door. =P) we all got in the car and drove to the M's house, since they were taking us. After mom and dad had left (and I had checked the car 3 times to make sure nothing of significance was left in there), we proceeded to spend the next 2 hours chasing angry chickens and running around their house, making sure we hadn't forgotten anything of significant importance.

And off we went!

Us Poor Washingtonians. So excited about a little bit of snow.

I love this picture.

We had way too much fun on this car trip.

Sarah, who I called "my monkey" for most of the trip, making her "Giant" face for her speech


I have officially adopted her as another of my little sisters.



Self Explanatory.

Sorry for the bad video quality....this was before I switched to using Raymond's camera. This was right about when we reached Spokane.

We were frantically trying to get Raymond's camera set up so we could film us actually crossing the boarder.

Okay, so maybe I was a *little* excited about getting to Idaho....
(Here you get to hear my "Idaho poem" which was composed specially for the tournament)

We arrived at the church,
survived script submissions and registration,
and then stopped at a Mexican restaurant for dinner with the M family, Mrs. M's brother's family, and Mrs. M's parents. Raymond and I were particularly amused by the "deep fried ice cream" on the dessert menu, which we all got to try in honor of Rebecca's birthday.

Rebecca, Sarah, and I all shared a room....and boy did we have good times.
This was actually our second night. The first night into the first day of the tournament was WAY to hectic to worry about taking pictures. =P

Sisters. =)

"Close your eyes and look like you're asleep!"

"AAAHHHH!!!!"

Bright and early the next morning, after frantic showers, inhaling our breakfast, last minute hair fixes, blazers, tie-malfunctions, and other such things as come with speech competitions, we all hurried out into a crisp, cool Idaho morning (translated as: FREEZING!) to drive to the church.

Just to illustrate how cold it was....




We found some of the most amusing things on the way...

Expensive energy drinks, no?

One LONG tournament day later...the mental-craze of the tournament is finally setting in as we marveled over this chicken like thing right outside the tournament...for which the video is unavailable. But know speech tournaments do weird things to your brain. (haven't I said this already?)

On the way home, we took the "Cliff Road", as Rebecca calls it, by Coeur d'Alene lake.

GORGEOUS.

For once I was satisfied with the results of my attempts-at-photography...

Sarah liked the hairpiece I used on day two, and she asked me to put it in her hair when we got home.

Little model <3

Next day...... Semis/Finals breaks. ...... AAAAAHHHHHH!!! This is where Hannah gets overly hyper and excited.Our duo (me and Raymond) broke to semis, but not to finals. My Dramatic Interp. broke to finals, as did my Illustrated Oratory.

Semis and finals have always been my favorite rounds (even though they are the most nerve racking)....I get the adrenaline rush and the energy high and run around frantically trying to find rooms, trying not to be nervous, watching some of the really good speeches, and enjoying myself immensely.

This is the kind of thing you do before you go into a round. Pace back and forth looking at patterns on the walls. =P
(actually, he wasn't waiting for a round. But he did find some kind of odd pattern)

Waiting for the awards ceremony with my friend Gabby...

Our duo placed 12th, my dramatic placed 6th, and my illustrated placed 3rd.

And little Miss Sarah competed in the Junior Tournament they held with "Jack and the Beanstalk" for her dramatic. She was the youngest competitor in the entire tournament and placed 3rd. I have never seen her so happy. :)

(she's the shortest one with the lovely green dress)
All in all, it was a lovely tournament and I had a fabulous time.

ohmygoodnessgracious!!!!!!

So that interview we posted?? Aslan's Country?? The Examiner found out about it and wrote an article on it!!!!!!!! I'm in complete shock and excitement!!!!!!!!

Click here!!!! I can't believe it. I'm soooo excited!!!

Aslan's Country Interview!

I have been co-administrating a Narnia Fans forum called Aslan's Country. Last summer, I was at the Kindling's Fest on Orcas Island and met Dr. Michael Ward, a C.S. Lewis scholar. Dr. Ward made a discovery on the Chronicles of Narnia, and then wrote a book about it.

On the spot, I decided to ask him for an interview to post on Aslan's Country. He agreed - and Raymond filmed me asking him all sorts of questions. Later, in mid-August, we also filmed an introduction to go with it.

Now, we have posted the interview [beautifully cut, edited, and put together by my friend and fellow admin, Matthew] which you can view here. We've also got a discussion opened up on the forum where you can ask Dr. Ward questions.

It'd be awesome to see you there! :)