My Week(s) in Pics ~12/15 - 12/28~

Hey guys!

So I got my pics all ready to go, so you can all take a look! I'm also going to upload another chapter for Glenn's Story. Just a quick reminder, you can read it only on Figment here:  http://figment.com/books/722011-Glenn-s-Story

But here's my past two weeks!

We saw The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug! (Which you should know if you read my review here: http://lorienlobrien.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-hobbit-desolation-of-smaug-review.html)

It was awesome! Check my post to see why it's my favorite movie ever!!!

We briefly thought my uncle was coming over, so before church on Sunday my dad super cleaned the room and reorganized things. It's looks amazing. Me and Ray fit in quite nicely! ^^

Before Christmas, me, Ray, Megan, Karl and my brother had a gift exchange. I got Ray's Obsidian, the latest two of the Lorien Legacies, Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Mousse, and some makeup from my mom! I had a blast, and was so sad when they had to leave after only an hour or so!

Mighty and Strider's new favorite spot is on my bed together. Just this morning they were so cute!

While up in Phoenix Christmas Day, I found these in Grandma's kitchen. I got hooked on them, so my grandma gave them to me. Totally addicted! ^^

Just after Christmas, my dad got bored so he and I went to Walmart (or as my brother calls it, Wally-World!). There I picked up a new lipstick from NYC and two pairs of fuzzy socks. I count them as Christmas gifts.

Two of my pins have gotten a lot of attention these past two weeks. The bottom one is my most pinned pin ever, and the one above is second! I get hits on them both almost every day! :)

I also lucked into a little bit of cash (SCORE!!!) so I went out and picked up the new edition of Lindsey Stirling's self titled album, as well as the number one drugstore bronzer, NYC's Sunny. Love them both! ^^

So that was my past two weeks! I had a GREAT time in Phoenix with my cousins, just sitting around and talking. Also I managed to get close to the end of Warrior (hee hee hee!). SO excited!!

How was your Christmas? Get anything cool?

<3 p="">

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug Review *SPOILERS*

Okay, so ya'll should know that I'm a Hobbitfreak. I mean, my name's really Lorien, as in Lothlorien. I was raised on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as well as scripture. When my dad asked me and my brother to read The Fellowship of the Ring before the movie, we read all of them, including The Hobbit. I've read The Silmarillion, and looked at a lot of The Tolkien Companion.

So of COURSE I've seen all the movies.

And I love them all.

Know this before I talk about the most recent, The Desolation of Smaug, the second of The Hobbit Movies.

I

LOVE

it.

Absolutely love it. I'll explain why in a second.

But first, I want to rant a bit about the only thing in all five of Mr. Peter Jackson's movies that truely bugs me. Kili and Tauriel.

No, not Tauriel as a character, but Kili and Tauriel's relationship.

Now, in Tolkien's universe, in the First Age of Middle Earth, before Morgoth was imprisoned, the elves and dwarves had a falling out. Two kings were fighting like school children over a necklace. Sadly, this is totally realistic because people murder over lesser matters. *le sigh*

In particular, Thranduil's ancestor and Thorin's ancestor were the dudes who fought and ruined a long lasting relationship over jewelry. So I totally bought into Mr. Jackson's tale about Thror and Thranduil fighting again over jewels. Totally believable. And dwarves and elves just don't get along in the Fellowship, in both book and movie.

So WHY did they have Tauriel and Kili, Thorin's NEPHEW get crushes on each other???

It doesn't make sense, but whatever. Because as annoying as this is to the Tolkien nerd in me, there is something to shut her completely up.

*SPOILERS*

Gandalf vs. Sauron.

Oh yes.

GANDALF VERSUS FRICKIN SAURON!!!!

You want to know what my face looked like???

I couldn't BREATHE, I was so overjoyed and excited and just super super HAPPY!!!!

Want to know my fav LotR story EVER?

Filgolfin, High King of the Noldir (elves) vs. Morgoth.

And Mr. Jackson brought in it's equivalent in the Third Age. And for all you Tolkien purists who are like "that never happened," it actually did, before The Hobbit, and during. Although Gandalf faced him with the rest of Istari, the wizards. Which is coming in the third film. *insert fangirl squeals here*

And if that wasn't enough for you, what happened right after that?

Bilbo and Smaug. And then Bilbo and Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, Ori, Bilfor, and Bombur vs Smaug.

That whole sequence had me trying to catch my breath. I never did until I reached the escalators to take me out of the theater. I was just blown away and kept forgetting to breathe. I was so excited.

And then there's the end. I was so sad when Smaug announced he was going to burn Laketown, and I knew he did and killed lots of people. So the dwarves fighting him to keep that from happening was AMAZING and SO MUCH BETTER than what Tolkien wrote. Seriously better.

But of course, Smaug survived (dang it), and flew out, leaving the glitter from the molten gold they tried to kill him with (so much better!!!). And then, my favorite sequence of lines.

"I am fire. I am...death!"

And Bilbo looking as sad as I felt. "What have we done?"

BOOM, BLACK!!!

OMG, Mr. Jackson, the problem isn't a problem. It's an annoyance that I got over very quickly. You know why? It works! Everything works together to make my fav movie of all time, my fav Tolkien movie ever, and made the fifteen-year-old who feel in love with the Silmarillion see it on the silver screen in the best way. Bravo Mr. Jackson, you are AMAZING!!!

4.9999 out of 5 stars!!!!