Pride and Prejudice: Fordyce's Sermons

After some deliberation he chose Fordyce's Sermons. Lydia gaped as he opened the volume, and before he had, with very monotonous solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him with,

"Do you know, mama, that my uncle Philips talks of turning away Richard, and if he does, Colonel Forster will hire him. My aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk to Meryton to-morrow to hear more about it, and to ask when Mr. Denny comes back from town."

Lydia was bid by her two eldest sisters to hold her tongue; but Mr. Collins, much offended, laid aside his book, and said,

"I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit. It amazes me, I confess; -- for certainly, there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction. But I will no longer importune my young cousin."

-"Pride and Prejudice," Jane Austen, Chapter 14

 Some days you need a sister. Some days, you need to have someone call just to shoot the breeze, and then you need to take that opportunity to have a COMPLETE MENTAL BREAKDOWN on them. I had one of those days earlier this week. (Erika, you're welcome.)

I can't even pinpoint why, but everything just started to feel heavy.

Let me assure you: my burdens are small. I have nothing to complain about right now, other than a busy life.

So having the wonderful sister and blogmate that I have in Erika, I basically started freaking out about all the things I SHOULD be doing; all the things I HAVE to do that aren't getting done; and all of the things I WANT to do that I haven't even been able to think about for weeks. And how no matter how much effort I put in, I just feel like I am failing at all of it.

She listened like a good sister, and she made me feel better like she always does. After I hung up the phone, I remembered a scripture that's been running through my mind this month:

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meed and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 

- Matthew 11:28-30

I had been wanting to print it out for my nightstand as a good reminder to pray and study scriptures at bedtime, but hadn't found the chance. So I finally had a few moments around 2am a couple of nights ago, and whipped up the printable. I didn't have time to pick up a copy from the photo lab, so I just printed it out, which is why my copy is kind of purple.

I love knowing I can come to my Savior with the little problems that feel so big to me. And I love that He gave me a sister who is so willing to help me carry them. 

Happy Easter Season!

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Pride and Prejudice: Happiness Printable

Dear Goodreads: You need a 'Report' button on your quotes page so that people like me who are obviously book nerds to the extreme can report when quotes submitted are not actually from the book, but the movie instead. And yes, I do have time to worry about these things. 

Sincerely, 

Probably should be cleaning my house right now.

Yep, That seriously gets on my nerves. But come on, people! "Scars help us know that our past was for real." doesn't even sound like Jane Austen. I don't even know what movie version that must have come from, but I KNOW it's not in Pride and Prejudice. I even searched the text in case I was crazy. Probably should have been doing laundry.

However, let me state that I love me some movie quotes too. "You have bewitched me, body and soul," anyone? And many of them deserve repeating. This one, for example:

"I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve."

I think I needed this quote this week to remind myself of how undeserving I am of the many blessings in my life. We all need that reminder when three of our kids have the stomach flu. ;) So here's a happy little reminder from the Pride and Prejudice film, and you can feel free to use it, print it, whatever :)

Erika and I both have some really fun Pride and Prejudice projects in the works, so we will see you soon!

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Christmas Carols: Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ? 

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne. CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne. CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne. CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne. CHORUS

I love the tradition of singing Auld Lang Syne, because I love to watch people awkwardly pretend they know the words to songs that they obviously don't; myself included. When you look it up, it's actually a lovely set of lyrics. It's adapted from a Robert Burns poem, and there are many renditions out there with slight variances. (So the moral of that story is: don't try to learn it. You're probably going to learn the wrong version anyways.)

Anyhow, I picked a line out of the chorus for a printable, and here it is:

I thought it would be really cute for the drink table at a New Year's party :)

Happy New Year's! 

Christmas Carols: I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the lyrics to this carol on Christmas day in 1863, listening to the bells while nursing his son back to health from injuries sustained in the Civil War. I thought about this carol, trying to process the horrific events of this week.


I talked to my husband, and we cried.

I called my mom, and we cried.

I called my sisters, and we cried.

I stopped talking about it, because there were no words. There still aren't.


I kept thinking, "But this is Christmastime!"


And almost forgetting: This is Christmastime.


This is the season of

 and the season of FAITH.

This is the season when we celebrate that

and we will be together again because this precious Savior was born in Bethlehem all those years ago.


So I choose to celebrate hope and faith in Christmas this year. Some moments, the lights seem a little more dim than usual, and maybe the decorations seem a little less beautiful. But the true meaning of Christmas has never felt quite as important.


The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.




We wish you peace this Christmas season.

(All printables in this post are free to use as you wish.)

Christmas Carols: Angels We Have Heard On High

For this month, we couldn't think of a book we love more than a hymnal, filled with our favorite Christmas songs, so our theme for the month is "Christmas Carols."

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav'nly song?

Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

-French carol, ca. 1862

the Printable above is free for your use :)

I love to think about how much the angels must have sung and rejoiced at the first Christmas. While few on Earth understood the magnitude of that joyous occasion, there were multitudes watching our Savior come to Earth, and rejoicing. I like to think I was singing along "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men," Luke 2:14

DIY Angel Wings Tutorial:

One of my littles needed an angel costume this week to be in a children's nativity. My mom gave us a whole supply of nativity costumes last year (Best present ever!) but all of our wings were a bit battered, so I needed to come up with something quick.

I used a $1.88 bag of feathers from Walmart,

and dollar store fairy wings. I removed the top two segments, (And put a little white paint on them just so the pink wouldn't show through as much.)

and hot glued like a crazy person- starting from the bottom up.

And they turned out adorable! 

You know what else was adorable? A countertop covered in hot glue because it bleeds through the wing material. Word to the wise: wax paper.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Edgar Allan Poe October: Printables

Much to the dismay of my children, I don't do a whole lot of Halloween decorating. I don't get behind the cartoon version of the holiday, and the legit scary version makes me pee in my pants. I prefer to skip right on to Thanksgiving, where we can talk about everything we love, and eat embarrassing amounts of potatoes.

However, I have to admit that there are some awesome Halloween themed literary quotes out there, and I was playing around with  a couple of them, along with some "Vintage Wallpaper" textures that I find super creepy, and I they were just too good to not make a few printables.

Edgar Allan Poe

 William Shakespeare

I think these may have to go up in my entry. My kids will be so proud.

Little House on the Prairie: Words of Wisdom

"There is no comfort anywhere for anyone who dreads to go home."

“The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies.” 

“A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.”  

That Mrs. Wilder was one smart lady. We have had such a lovely month re-reading her beautiful works. My daughters have been enthralled with "Little House in the Big Woods," and "Little House on the Prairie." But my second little lady came to me with the BFG and asked me to read it to her today (Mind you, she only knows how to say approximately 4 words, but BFG is apparently one of them) And so I can see, it is time to move on.

(And no, July will not be 'The BFG' month.)

Check back tomorrow for our farewell to Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Apple orchard.
See you soon!

Little House on the Prairie: Real Things Printable

Lest you think that we have dropped off the face of the planet, I thought I'd pop in to say hello and impart a little gem of wisdom from Mrs. Wilder.

I will be back tomorrow with all sorts of fun stuff to share, but until then I wish you all of what is real :)

Anne of Green Gables: 2 Printables

“Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.” 

“True friends are always together in spirit. (Anne Shirley)” 

 - Both Quotes from "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maude Montgomery

We had a beautiful rainstorm hit us tonight. They are rare here, and so when one hits, we run outside quickly to breathe in the fresh smell of water on parched earth. I told my middle munchkin to sniff the air, and she made a little piggy nose and snort noise, but then her eyes opened wide, and I knew she could smell what I could: a miracle. 

The first printable is in honor of this night's lovely weather.

The second is just a fantastic sentiment of Anne's, and I decided to go for a more modern look just for kicks :)

Have a lovely Thursday!

Anne of Green Gables April: Kindred Spirits Printable

Don't you love how a song can take you back to a place or a feeling from long ago? I know many people feel unfavorably toward music on blogs, but I have to tell you that hearing that Anne of Green Gables theme makes me so wistful for puffed sleeves, raspberry cordial and the "Lady of Shalott," that I cannot bear to take it off of the sidebar. My apologies.

To kick off "Anne of Green Gables April," Here's a printable with a quote of Anne's that embodies my experience with this site; it's been such a joy to find wonderful kindred spirits out there in blogland.

I'm sure Lucy Maude Montgomery had no idea how her Anne's charm would sweeten our lives a hundred years later. I can't wait to spend the next few weeks being inspired by Ms. Mongomery's most memorable invention: Anne of Green Gables.

A Thought for Good Friday

Today I woke up to snow.  Yes.  Snow in April.  At 6:30 AM I hauled the garbage and recycling out to the curb through the white stuff in my brown Mary Jane shoes.  At 6:32 AM I could no longer feel my feet.  I realize that we should be over such storm patterns by now, but sometimes snow just happens.  Even on Good Friday.  It isn't the way I would choose to ring in the Easter weekend, but it feels like a meaningful reminder to me of the season:  Easter isn't about eggs and bunnies and candy; Easter is realizing that even in the worst of conditions--even when our fragile limbs are laden with things we can hardly bear--our lives can and will be better through our Savior and His atonement for us.  

My Friday dawned bleak and gray, but as Joseph B. Wirthlin once said, 

"No matter how dark your Friday, Sunday will always come." 

 May your Good Friday be full of reminders of Easter Sunday to come . . .

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Ode to Irish Authors: A Horrible Error

Well, we thought that it would be a pleasant endeavor to explore the hope filled spring of classic Irish literature this St. Patrick's Day season. We were wrong. It has come to our attention that most classic Irish lit is not what you might call "Cheery." Before anyone gets offended, I would like to say that everything I have been reading has been excellent; but not exactly happy. So as we plan out the coming weeks, I bring you a printable with a lovely phrase from the amazing William Butler Yeats.

Now you may or may not want to know that the rest of this verse goes something like this:

All true love must die,
Alter at the best
Into some lesser thing.
Prove that I lie.

Such body lovers have,
Such exacting breath,
That they touch or sigh.
Every touch they give,
Love is nearer death.
Prove that I lie. 

 So you can see why I kept it to the first two lines for the printable... It's entitled "Her Anxiety" if anyone was wondering. 

And I am out. See you tomorrow!

A Farewell to Jane

 “...and yet, though desirous to be gone, she could not quit the mansion-house, or look an adieu to the cottage, with its black, dripping and comfortless veranda, or even notice through the misty glasses the last humble tenements of the village, without a saddened heart. Scenes had passed in Uppercross which made it precious. It stood the record of many sensations of pain, once severe, but now softened; and of some instances of relenting feeling, some breathings of friendship and reconciliation, which could never be looked for again, and which could never cease to be dear. She left it all behind her, all but the recollection that such things had been.”

-Jane Austen, Persuasion

I love Jane Austen because when I read a paragraph like that, it takes my breath away with it's beauty. We would have a Jane Austen year if we could, but we are excited about what is coming next. We have been honored to meet some fellow Janeites. For example, today we had the absolute honor of being featured at French Garden House. If you haven't been there before, GO! Forthwith! (Threw that one in for Jane.) It is the most lovely shop and blog you have ever seen, and the owner is absolutely charming. And we're not just saying that because she did such a nice feature on our blog. 

Here's one last Jane printable (Well, that's until we feel like talking about Jane again, which will probably be in roughly a day. I promise, this blog is not done with Ms. Austen yet!)

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Lastly, we cannot wait to share our plans for the next couple of months with you! It's Spring Fling time at BeBookBound. We hope that even if you are a Jane Austen fanatic, you will find some happiness in the prospect of Irish fun, A couple of Beatrix Potter weeks, A wonderful Easter, and an Anne of Green Gables April. We can't wait to share with you. See you soon!

Jane Austen Month, Day 16: Happy Valentine's Day

Dear readers that we love so much,

Happy Valentine's Day.

I hope you are out on the town.

I hope you are eating steak and buttery crab legs.

I hope you are watching a romantic movie with your sweetheart. 

I hope that sweetheart is a Mr. Darcy. 

And I hope if you don't have a sweetheart with you (mine's working...) 

you are reading or watching Mr. Darcy.

It's seriously almost as good. 

Better in some ways. 

But most of all, our dear readers, 

I hope you are happy.

Here's a printable. Just a little line of happiness from our Lizzie Bennett.

Day 7: Pride and Prejudice Printable

Oh, Super Bowl Sunday... Why do you have to take up so much of my time? I don't even watch the game because I am not a sports person. And yet, I feel the need to participate. Isn't it un-American to shun it? So instead of something fabulous, here is a printable. Luckily, the words our Jane put into Mr. Darcy's mouth make a ho-hum printable pretty fabulous in and of itself. :)

Pin It Linking up:One Artsy Mama 

Day 4: Of the lazy Persuasion...

My day has been, by most accounts, pretty lazy. The neighbors may or may not have been treated to a vocal performance or two by my little lady today (Totally justified. Who wouldn't lose it and scream at the top of their lungs out the front door for fifteen minutes when somebody else got to carry the carton of eggs...) So you'd think I would be chomping at the bit to get some time with Jane into my day, but I have been decompressing instead.

Forgive me that, and allow me to share with you a bit of romance...

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And a bit of a giggle. I found this on Pinterest and I laughed out loud.

I hope whoever made it isn't offended, but I am a little compulsive, and had to change the wording... Control issues.

The printable on top is free for use. Click on it to download. 

I hope someone tells you that you pierce their soul this Valentine's Day... Well, maybe not exactly that, but something like it :)

More Valentine's Day Printables!

The last post was full of pink, and this one is full of red. Today I am printable-ing three great quotes:

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"I don't want sunbursts and marble halls. I just want YOU." - L.M. Montgomery, from Anne of the Island

If you have any question on the love I have for the Anne series, see the Anne of Green Gables post a few weeks back.

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"Whatever our souls are made of, His and Mine are the same"- Emily Bronte from Wuthering Heights

That whole Catherine and Heathcliff dynamic always seemed strange and unhealthy to me as a youth. But as I have read Wuthering Heights over in adulthood, I have gained a new appreciation for this Bronte sister. (I always loved Charlotte...)


And last but not least, a "fake" Pride and Prejudice quote in two styles. Let me just say that if Jane Austen has heard this quote, I think she approves of it. It is the genius work of Deborah Moggach, the author of the most recent P&P screenplay.

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Okay, couldn't resist a little more pink...

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Oh, Mister Darcy, I love you too. We all love you. :)

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Valentine's Decor Printables

Guess what?! We are officially within a month of Valentine's Day. You should probably know that we are a wee bit obsessed with Jane Austen and her novels in this family (Well, maybe not Northanger Abbey. We're all a little "Eh" when it comes to Northanger Abbey. Sorry Ms. A!) But to celebrate the queen of Regency Romance, we are embarking on a month of Austen madness. *Squeal* Party ideas, food, decor, and Novels; it's going to be a fun month! I am kicking it off with a few Valentine's Decor Printables:

 

This is from a lovely D.H. Lawrence poem, entitled "All I Ask."

All I ask of a woman is that she shall feel gently towards me
when my heart feels kindly towards her,
and there shall be the soft, soft tremor as of unheard bells between us.
It is all I ask.
I am so tired of violent women lashing out and insisting
on being loved, when there is no love in them.

This is my favorite favorite favorite sonnet! I love it dearly, and am so glad that it is quoted in Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility," or it would have taken me a lot longer to find it. Also, when a college professor asks if anyone can recite ten lines of Shakespeare from memory, I proudly pull out this little baby instead of the other ten lines that I know from a certain "Billy Madison" speech.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
   If this be error and upon me proved,
   I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

This is my first attempt ever at something that looks modern. I am a swirly, cursive kind of lady, so don't expect to see a whole lot of this. But I love this quote and it's so playful that I thought it kind of fit. This is from Jane Austen's Love and Friendship: a collection of her very early writing.

Just click on the pictures and it'll take you to flickr where you can download a copy.

I will be back tomorrow with Bronte sisters, some Pride and Prejudice, and some RED! Can't wait to 'see' you then :)

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Printable: Anne of Green Gables

I imagine most fourteen year olds spend their trips away from home talking about boys, putting on makeup, or gossiping about what have you. Not my best friend B and me. No, we spent our days of freedom holed up in B's Aunt's basement watching and re-watching every minute of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea; you can't really stop after the first. Strange behavior for teenage girls? I contest that it was wise; what fourteen year old boys in our acquaintance could possibly hold a candle to Gilbert Blythe?

 

These waters run deep. Of the many reasons B fell in love with her wonderful husband, I think his ability to quote "He called me carrots!" won her over more than any.

To this day, one of my favorite gifts from B was a hunter green velvet bound edition of "Anne."Books really do make the best gifts.

So in honor of the new year, I made a printable of Anne's words of wisdom. True afficionados will know that in the movie, Miss Stacy gets the honor of this line (Tweaked a bit) but as this blog is for the BOOK bound, I stuck with Anne's original, "Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Just click on the color you like best, and you can download, print or alter at your leisure.

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God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen: Christmas Carol Printable

I was speaking with my mother last night and she told me about how she broke down crying at a telemarketer who wanted her to pledge money to save sick children, or what have you, because she didn't have the money to pledge. We both giggle at this wholeheartedly because we are crybabies of the worst kind, and we are constantly making people feel horribly awkward.

This is exactly what I look like when people ask me about my days in Junior High.

But she said this has been her best Christmas season because of not having extra money around; no lists, no pressure, no stress filled trips to the mall. Just a season of enjoying snow and family, and Christmas movies in her spare time.

This is Christmas Bliss.

My non-existent gift budget and I could learn a lesson from my mother's attitude.

 In that vein, here's another free printable, in 4 colors! :)

Okay, I realize this is kind of a cop-out printable because I already made one a lot like it a few posts back with a lovely quote, but I love this song, and particularly the first verse at a time like Christmas when we seem so hurried and worried.

Click here to download: Gray, Blue, Green, or Red

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

let nothing you dismay.

Remember, Christ, our saviour

was born on Christmas Day

To save us all from Satan's power 

when we were gone astray

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,

comfort and joy 

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

I wish you comfort and joy this season, and maybe the ability to love a small budget too :)

***If that telemarketer happens to be one of the two readers of this blog, I urge you to not quit your job- there are very few people in this world like me and my mother. You're safe from here on out.



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