Hello!

I perused the blog this cold winter's night, and saw Amber's post from October. I slap myself in the face for neglecting you all for so long! My sincere apologies, and I hope that you all forgive me.

For my returning post, I have chosen quote, taken from the foreword of the book that I am reading for school right now, Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl. The foreword is by the author and I found a quote within that I believe is inspirational enough for our blog.

"Pearls rarely turn up in oysters served to you on a plate; you have to dive for them."

- Thor Heyerdahl, Kon-Tiki

Greetings Again!

After a long and uncalled-for hiatus, I, Amber Shipp am once again in the world of the Internet to speak to you about the beauty of books, and words, and quotes and such!

Today I have for you a wonderful word.

OVERMORROW
Noun
The day after or over Tomorrow.

Isn't that amazing?  It's a word that I needed all my life yet knew not that I did.
Anyway, please return to your lives, and have fun doing that. And use this word. Yes.


~ Amber Shipp

Just A Little Note...

So, it's been two weeks, and Amber comes back into the Land of Internet today. Before she comes back, I just want to make a little note.

I was scrolling down through former posts until I found our biographies (Our very first posts). I was startled to realize that Amber presented you with her favorite genres, but I (neglectful waif!!) did not. I am here now to remedy that omission.

I READ MYSTERY

There. I'm done now. Carry on.

AJ

Annabelle Says.....Again!! 6/15

Okay, so I've already posted a quote for this month. But I have two very good reasons to post again.

1) I just found another amazing quote.

2) Amber will be gone for two weeks. Therefore, I am "filling in" for her. In the broadest possible sense.

Okay, here it is. The quote you've been waiting for!


"We have eyes, and we're looking at stuff all the time, all day long. And I just think that whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful, tasteful, appealing, and important."

                                       - Eric Carle


Yeah. THAT Eric Carle. Beautiful quote.




Annabelle J.

Annabelle Says 6/15

Hello all,

Before I present you with my quote for this month, I would like to make a small note.

Friends in cyberspace, we appreciate your patronage to our blog. However, we need to know your thoughts as well, so that we can make our blog better. Also, this blog was created for us to share books that are little known with other people, and we would love to know if you read it, and how you like it. There's more than one way to read a book, you know, and if you read it differently than we did, we want to know! So please, comment, comment, comment. Even though I am asking you to please comment, I must also ask that you keep you comments clean and blog-related, for your safety and the safety of others. Thank you.

And out of that slightly more solemn note, here is my quote for this month!!

"My grandma always said that God made libraries so that people didn't have any excuse to be stupid."

                       -Joan Bauer, Rules of the Road


Ah, one of my favorites,


Love,


AJ

The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall

 Okay, this book is amazing. Absolutely awesome. If you like The Lord of The Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia, this is definitely the book for you.

The Minnipins have lived in the Land Between the Mountains for eight hundred and eighty years, ever since the hero Gammage led them through a passage that has long since filled in.

But the old legends have become simply wisps of memory, and the Minnipins have forgotten their ancient heritage. Four hundred years after Gaammage led the Minnipins to their home, Fooley the Magnificent went on his famous balloon ride to the Land beyond the Mountains, and brought back amazing things. Four hundred MORE years later, Fooley's descendants have become the Periods, an elite group of people who control the village of Slipper-On-The Water.


Slipper-On-The-Water is the best, the most uniform and the prettiest of all the twelve villages in the Land Between the Mountains. Everybody says so. Except for Them. They are Walter the Earl, Curley Green, Gummy the Poet, and Muggles. In the course of events, these four, plus the village money keeper, Mingy, are outlawed from the village and go to live near one of the mountains (Frostbite or Snowdrift, I can't remember which). But they soon discover that the Hairless Ones, who played the Minnipins in the time of Gammage, have returned.

And They are the only ones who can stop them.

I suggest this book for all ages, and grownups, too. It's a great family read, and has no real violence and absolutely no language.


5 BIG HUGE STARS!!!!!

Enjoy,


AJ

Annabelle Says - 5/15

I love this next quote. I think that it really applies to Christianity and God driving the devil away from his children.


“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”


                - Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches






Love it! And I know that Amber and GiGi will probably have a compelling comment or two, so I direct your attention to the comments box. If there is empty space there, please don't hesitate to write your own compelling comment.


Love, 

AJ

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer

Okay, this may be one of the greatest books about growing up that I have ever read.

Jenna Boller is a salesperson at Gladstone's Shoes, a chain of shoe stores known for quality and fair pricing. She likes to sell shoes, and she's good at selling shoes. However, her father struggles with alcohol addiction, and when he comes around to the store one day, Jenna is mortified beyond her sixteen years.
So when Madeline Gladstone, the president of Gladstone's, asks Jenna to be her driver for the summer, Jenna leaps at the chance. They take an unforgettable journey from Chicago to Dallas, and Jenna learns a lot more about driving, selling shoes, and life than she ever expected to know.

I highly suggest this book for anyone who can read chapter books. My mother read it to my sisters and I when I was in fourth grade, and I read it over again right after she finished it. It's a tale of growing up and growing strong. Jenna's voice is highly unique and funny. There is no swearing, inappropriate behavior or references to any. There is some mild emotional turmoil, as Jenna struggles with her father's addiction, her beloved grandmother's Alzheimer's, and the death of a father figure. But don't let that stop you from reading this book. I would give it six stars, but I only have 5 to spare. It's a great family read-aloud, or a book to read in your free time.

"I wrote "never punch a man who's chewing tobacco." I think that at the very least this should be a bumper sticker, but I'm not sure what any of this has to do with selling shoes."

""I still feel like he's with me, in every store Floyd and I opened. When I was a child, I'd wonder why in the world did I have a father so all-fired fixated on shoes?" She [Mrs. Gladstone] opened her hands,  grinning. "Sure made me think about selling them a little different."
I looked down. I always wondered why I had a father who was a drunk.
I haven't figured that one out yet."

-Rules of the Road, by Joan Bauer (words in brackets are mine)


Love,

AJ

A Word from Annabelle.....Literally

I think that the pun in the title is appropriate. I digress.


zhoosh |ˈZHo͝oSHʒʊʃ| (also zhush, zhuzh |ˈZHo͝oZH| ) verb [ with obj. ] informal make more exciting, lively, or attractive: the bag is a cool but economical way to zhoosh upmany an outfit.


................ <-- That would be my silence. It is a silence which is comprised of amusement, surprise, and pure gaping mouth. It is owing to the fact that I never thought that 'zhoosh' was a word. I guess I was ... wrong, and I shall attempt to use this word in the future (though I can't imagine how).

AJ 

Quote, Unquote

“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them.... I destroy them.” 

~ Ender, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.

Annabelle Says...

I honestly cannot think of a monthly quote. I'm having major writers block. Oh, wait a minute. I just checked Goodreads (an awesome book site. I highly recommend it) and found a good quote. Okay, here it is.


     "A friend is someone who knows all about you, and still loves you."
                     
                           --> Elbert Hubbard

And that was a very short quote, so I'm going to look for another one.

      "I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living."

                          --> Dr. Seuss


Okay, I admit it. I'm a teenage girl who still loves Dr. Seuss. Admit it!!! There are Dr. Seuss fans in my audience!! *crickets chirping in aforementioned audience*. Never mind.



AJ

Quote, Unquote

"Let others rise, to take our place, until the earth is free!"
~ Enjolras, Les Misérables (The Musical)

Sorry that this quote isn't from a book... but... oh my goodness that moment. - dies -

Vive l'France, sweeties!
~ Amber Shipp

The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

Gaston Leroux

Gothic Horror/Romance/Suspense? ???

8.5/10

The Phantom of the Opera... a myth? A mystery? A prank cooked up in the raucous Backstage of the Opera? The opinion varies over which of these might be true. But the elusive Opera Ghost is none of these. He is a living, breathing, hurting, misunderstood man. And when he finally finds something... or more accurately, someone... to love, he expresses himself in all the wrong ways.

I enjoyed this book very much. It has flaws, like any book, but when it all came together in a wonderful crescendo (haha music terms haha), I began to really appreciate it. I recommend it for a lazy afternoon... and even if you don't like it, well, at least you read it!

I would excersise caution on the part of small children with this story... there are low, subtle sexual undertones throughout... especially with the Phantom's obsession with Christine... but, since this book was written quite a while ago, it is buttoned up sufficiently to allow readers of twelve and above to enjoy without feeling uncomfortable. Other negative content: a few people... get choked to death... Raoul and the Persian are put in a "Torture Chamber", which is a device makes them hallucinate and want to die... I think that's it...

On that note, I would also recommend the musical! It portrays the book fairly accurately, and is very enjoyable.

God give me courage to show you that the nerds are not alone!
~ Amber Shipp

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL READERS OF HOBBLEDEHOYS

Ladies, gentlemen, boys, girls, cats and dogs. I, (Annabelle) and Amber have an important announcement to make. As you may know, February 1st we introduced GiGi Babineaux the Second as an intern. Her internship has ended as of March 14th, and Amber and I have decided whether or not she shall remain a permanent member of our team.

Through an entire half hours worth of deliberations, Amber and I have made the joint decision that she will not. However, you haven't heard the last of GiGi Babineaux. GiGi will become a guest reviewer through Amber, posting the occasional review, quote, new word, etc. We hope that you will enjoy the new "Words From GiGi" section from Amber and will read them as often as they are posted.

We have appreciated the time that GiGi has had with us, and understand her difficulties with availability to write. The act of putting words down can be consuming. If you have any questions, comments or concerns. We hope that you will leave them in the comment area below, and either Amber or I will answer your query as soon as possible.

Love,

Annabelle J.

Amber Shipp
 

Annabelle Says -- March 2015.......the second

Okay, so I know that I just posted a monthly quote, but five minutes after I posted my last quote, I found this one. I LOVE IT!!!!


"Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."

            -G.K. Chesterton, Alarms and Discursions.


So it lacks any moral, historical or literary meaning. So what? It's funny.




Annabelle J.

Words from GiGi

I came across this quote just now and I had to share it with everyone.

"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."
~Sirius Black (J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire)

Live long and prosper!
GiGi

Annabelle Says -- March 2015

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

           -Robert Frost



An amazingly short quote. But it makes it's point!!!!



Annabelle J.

Quote, Unquote

They must make a queer pair of lovers. I know just what it is like. Ecstasies in which they forget to kiss. Pure on earth, but joined in heaven. They are souls possessed of senses. They lie among the stars.

~ Grantaire, "Preliminary Gaieties", Les Misérables, Victor Hugo.

He doesn't even know what is going on and he captures it perfectly.

Vive l'France, sweeties.

~ Ambe Shipp

The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

OH MY GOSH!!! THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!!

Mary Quinn was rescued from the gallows at the age of twelve, and now resides at the Academy, a school for young ladies. After five years, Mary is recruited to The Agency, a covert group of women who use their supposed shallowness to discover necessary information. In essence, they are spies. Mary's first assignment is to work as a lady's companion while discovering the truth about fraud and thievery in the home of a rich shipping tycoon. Through the course of her investigations, Mary accidentally winds up in a closet with young James Easton, a businessman who is also on the trail of the shipping tycoon (Henry Thorold). They form a shaky partnership which continues throughout the book.

This book, an enthralling mystery set in the throes of victorian London, kept me occupied for hours. It is not a romance in whole, but there are some romantic elements. I would suggest this book for teenage readers, solely because of the victorian vocabulary and historical references. There is no swearing, but there are references of prostitution, drunkenness, and some mild abuse. A young boy is described after he is brutally murdered.

I cannot wait to get to the library and check out the next book in this series!! I sincerely hope that you will go to your library and check out this first installment as soon as you can!!

Cheers!!

Annabelle J.

Months later.....


Okay, so it's been roughly four months since I posted the first book in The Agency series, and I want to give you an update on the rest of the series.

IT. IS. AWESOME. Seriously, I can't think of another good, tasteful mystery series for teens and young adults. There is a rather steamy (by my standards) scene at the end of the third book, but the relationship between Mary and James, the evolution of the Agency, OH MY GOSH. And James! I do believe that I have my latest book crush! He is amazing! The storylines are very good, as well, and the mysteries have weight and keep you reading. I stayed up until one AM to finish the third book.

In order, the books are A Spy In the House, The Body In the Tower, The Traitor In the Tunnel (the steamy, suspenseful chapter in this amazing storyline), and Rivals In the City. I highly recommend reading them in order, and as soon as possible. I'm not going to give you overviews or anything, because I don't want to spoil the books, but I will say that I suggest this series for fourteen and up. Mainly because of the romance bits. Also, READ THESE BOOKS!! FIVE HUGE STARS!!


Annabelle J.

Quote, Unquote ~ Valentine's Day Edition

Is it okay for me to do another quote from Les Mis? Of course it is.

I encountered in the street, a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat was worn, his elbows were in holes; water trickled through his shoes, and the stars shone through his soul.
~ Victor Hugo, "A Heart Beneath a Stone", Les Misérables.

So, this is my quote for Valentine's day! A bit late, granted, but I thought it was appropriate. ;)

Vive l'France, sweeties.
Amber Shipp

Words From GiGi

"Friendship is unnecessary. Like philosophy, like art. It has no survival value. Rather, it is one of those things that give value to survival."
~ C. S. Lewis

This is my favorite quote of all time, and one which I happen to associate with Frodo Baggins' and Samwise Gamgee's beautiful friendship.

Live long and prosper!

GiGi Babineaux

Valentine's Day!!

So, Valentine's Day rolls around again. How am I going to celebrate? I'm going to read a mystery novel. Gareth and Gwen's The Fourth Horseman, to be exact. But what are you going to do? Romantic dinner for two? Enough candy to make you sick? If you are A: Not 20, so unable to do the romantic dinner thing or B: Not 5, so you have more common sense than to eat too much, than I have the option for you.

Romance Novel!! Duh! This is going to be like my snow day reads list, except ROMANCE NOVELS. This list will also be significantly shorter, since I avoid most romances when I can. These are the ones that I highly recommend, however.

The Princess of The Midnight Ball & co. by Jessica Day George
The Last Pendragon & The Pendragon's Quest by Sarah Woodbury
The Nine Princesses by Anita Valle
The Iron Peacock by Mary Stetson Clarke
Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Seven Daughters and Seven Sons by Barbara Cohen and Bahija Lovejoy
The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope

NOTE: The main plotlines if these books may not be the romance, but they inevitably end with someone kissing, someone proposing or someone getting married. That should keep you lovebirds occupied for a long while.

OTHER NOTE: These are romance novels, so there is some...behavior...to be expected. Books of warning are Mara, Daughter of the Nile and Seven Daughters for Seven Sons. This last has a questionable description that should bother young men especially.

Felíz Dia del Cariño!!

Annabelle J.

The Time Quintet

The Time Quintet

By Madeleine L'Engle

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Psychological Horror

9.5/10

This series of five standalone novels explores the various adventures of the Murry family, a group of individuals that are above average in intellect, yet below average in normalcy. The series starts with the widely renowned "A Wrinkle In Time", which deals with the properties of space, matter, and dimensions. It continues with "A Wind in the Door", another in-depth and frankly strange look at medical science, life, death, and respect for tradition. The next book, "A Swiftly Tilting Planet", is based solely on time travel, cultural roots, and the connection between people who love each other. "Many Waters" takes on a uniquely Biblical look at time travel, sending two major characters to the days before the Flood. The last book in this beautifully written series is "An Acceptable Time", following the main protagonist's daughter through the trials of broken relationships, how to understand your place in the universe, and most importantly, to be content with what the future has in store.

I absolutely loved this series with all my heart. Its words moved me to tears, with the very way it was written. I removed .5 of a point because the plots sometimes were rather weak, but the very force of emotion in the stories makes up for it.
I believe that this series would be acceptable for ages twelve and up, due to confusing theories about physics that are discussed, and some rather awkward content in "Many Waters". I labeled this series "Psychological Horror", because throughout the whole series, there is the threat of the unknown, and many things gave me chills even now, when I reread them. I can't even really say what makes me uncomfortable, because I had a deep sense of edginess throughout the entire series.
So, this is a great series, but know yourself (if you are a reader) and know your child (if you are a parent). If you are a parent, I would suggest reading these before your child.

So. Yes.

Thanks.

Allons-y!
Amber Shipp

Quote, Unquote

Life is a hideous invention of somebody I don't know who. It doesn't last, and it is good for nothing.
You break your neck to live.
~ Grantaire, Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.

Sorry to be so depressing so early in the year. (Though, to be fair, Grantaire was rather drunk when he came up with this, and not everything he says should be trusted.)

Vive l'France, sweeties.
Amber Shipp

"Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Hello, m'dahlings!
This is GiGi Babineaux, here to post my very first post/review on this lovely website of Hobbledehoys! I am very excited to be here and I hope you enjoy my reviews.

Title: Wonder

Author: R. J. Palacio

Genre: Children's Fiction

Age Range: 9+

Epic Review:

August Pullman is a ten year old boy, about to enter the 5th grade and go to private middle school for the first time after being homeschooled all his life.
No big deal, right?
It probably wouldn't be, except for the small yet rather important fact that Auggie has facial deformities. When he was born, the doctors didn't think he would make it. August beat the odds (as kids with physical problems often do) and is now a sweet, kind, and generous child happy to be alive. That is, until his parents inform him he has to go to school this year. He has a problem with meeting new people, because whenever someone meets him for the first time, they do that look-away thing. Quickly looking down and then back up, and pretending not to notice how ugly he is on the outside.
With the help of his new friends, Jack Will and Summer, and his loving and protective parents and bit sister, August has to learn just how much of a Wonder he really is, no matter what he looks like nor what certain bullies at school say or do.

I would recommend this book for ages 9 and up. Anyone younger might have a bit of a problem understanding or relating to the main character. The book is divided into eight parts, and all of them are in the first person. Three sections are from August's point of view, one from his big sister Via, one from her boyfriend, and one each from Miranda, Summer, and Jack Will--three of August's friends.

Story Rating:

Horrible Beyond All Reason
Alright
Really Good
Totally Awesome
Epic Beyond All Reason

The story was very well thought out and plotted. I give it the highest rating.

Character Rating:

Horrible Beyond All Reason
Alright
Really Good
Totally Awesome
Epic Beyond All Reason

The characters were developed thoroughly and you got to know the characters and root for them.

Emotional Rating: (How touching/inspiring/heartbreaking, etc., etc.)

Not touched/inspired/heartbroken whatsoever.
Slightly touched/inspired/heartbroken.
Moderately touched/inspired/heartbroken.
Very touched/inspired/heartbroken.
Extremely touched/inspired/heartbroken.
Heart Ripped and Destroyed Cruelly because of how touched/inspired/heartbroken I was.

This book touched my heart in a way no other book has and I enjoyed it thoroughly.


That is all for now.
Live long and prosper!

GiGi Babineaux

Quote, Unquote

I shall now display to you a quote.


Why must I unpack my heart with words?
~ William Shakespeare, Hamlet

- flourish - Here ye go.

Allons-y,
Amber Shipp

Annabelle Says

"If you want to know the difference between accuracy and truth, just look at a photograph of Gertrude Stein [left] and Picasso's portrait of her [right]."

                      -Tallulah, Up From Jericho Tel. Brackets are mine.

            

I don't really get this, do you?


Annabelle J.

50!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, this is (drumroll please) OUR FIFTIETH POST!!!! Today we have officially posted 50 times, which means fifty book reviews, new words, inspiring quotes, and helpful advice.

With our fiftieth post, we are celebrating the old, but we also want to celebrate the new. We would like to welcome GiGi Babineaux, our new potential Hobbledehoy!! Here is her bio:

GiGi is a geeky teenage girl who lives in a state known for its plentiful sun, which GiGi insists is not as sunny as it is cracked up to be. She gave her life to Christ a few years back, and she is determined to use her God-given gifts to serve the Lord, and to make a good impression on the world before she dies or Jesus comes back again. Whichever comes first.

While she waits for the inevitable to happen, she spends most of her free time reading books and re-reading books, writing fan fiction, drawing art (or fan art) and fangirling over various fandoms, mostly consisting of Marvel and The Lord of the Rings. She is a fangirl and is burdened with glorious feels. She is also constantly attached to her iPod; the music it plays helps her forget about the world around her. She doesn’t understand people who live without music, because music is her life. She likes to associate all of her life and fandoms with songs. GiGi would also like to note that she likes messing around with the computer and graphics. She is currently working on a music video for the song Spaceman by the Killers, which is coming on nicely. Of course, she loves to write, and would much rather stay inside doing so instead of going outside to play tag with everyone else.

GiGi is sure she would find lots of other interesting things to do (such as invent a lightsaber and/or Neutrino 2000 that works in the real world and not just online and in her imagination), but unfortunately, most days she finds herself up to her pointy ears in school subjects, such as Algebra, Biology and Health. This probably wouldn’t be the case if she didn’t spend half the time she was supposed to be working in her imaginary field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullaby. She often lies inside herself for hours as she watches her purple sky fly over her. And when she gets bored of watching the sky, she has marvelous adventures inside her head with various fictional characters. She gets annoyed when people accuse her of being out of touch with the rampant chaos of the Earth, because she knows only too well what lies beyond her sleeping refuge. A nightmare she had to build her own world to escape from. A nightmare she wants to help turn into a dream.

GiGi is going to be an "intern" from February 1st to March 14th, and at the end of that time, Amber and I are going to decide whether we would like her to remain a temporary fixture here.

So let a new era of posts begin!!! Next milestone: 100!!!



Annabelle J.

1/15 New Word!

lollapalooza |ˌläləpəˈlo͞ozə| (also lalapalooza or lollapaloosa) nounN. Amer. informal a person or thing that is particularly impressive or attractive: it's a lollapalooza, just like your other books.ORIGIN late 19th cent.: of fanciful formation.For Example: Her act was a lollapalooza of a show!! And it is a real word!! This is not a joke!!
Annabelle J.

Quote, Unquote

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."
~ Victor Hugo

Les Misérables

Les Misérables

Victor Hugo

Historical/Political/Inspirational Fiction

9.9/10

Les Misérables is a beautiful and gritty testament to life in poverty in 19th century France. It follows the story of the convict Jean Valjean, who after being released from prison endeavours to make for himself a new life - a life without hatred, sin, or wrong - and follows God with all he has in him.
This book gives us in modern times a glimpse past the historical and political bias of the 1800s. It shows us that not all revolutionaries are murderers, that thieves can change, and that compassion is paramount for living life as God wanted it.

I took off .1 of a point for this book because of unneeded descriptions. However, that is barely a problem if you can sit through them. Negative elements: prostitution, suicide, drinking and drunkenness (two fairly mild instances with the latter), social injustice, child slavery, a few very lovable young men die violent deaths (including stabbed in the chest with a bayonet, shot eight times, and a bullet through the head.), a child is shot,  a fifteen-year-old girl is shot, and there is one very gross sewer scene, but these elements should not surprise a reader that is coming into a book that is named "The Miserable Ones."
I think that a reader of at least 13 years old should be able to handle this book, even with the negative elements, as they are not described graphically. The only problem would be the immense length of the story and the type of verbiage with which it is written.
Foul language includes h--l, d--n, and a couple instances of ba----d and wh--e. These are mainly used by the criminal classes and are not used by any of the characters that one would point to as good role models.
Positive elements: loyalty in the face of death, mercy, drunkenness is highly scorned by more than one character, and all of the other negative elements are vilified as well. One main character does not succumb to pressure on the subject of his chastity.
So, yeah. I probably went too in-depth on that, but I wanted to include everything.
I absolutely adore this book, by the way, and you've probably already picked up on that. :D

Vive l'France, sweeties!
~ Amber Shipp