It's A Love Story

Once upon a time, when I was young, I dreamt of the day I would be rescued from the Wicked Witch of the West by my Knight in Shining Armor, who would sweep me up, onto his white horse and carry me away into the sunset. Instead I was rescued by a nerd in a white Mazda with no air conditioning! Seriously, who lives in Utah and buys a car with no air conditioning? A nerd car shopping in the winter that's who!

Kenneth wasn't the man of my dreams, but I knew he would take care of me, my father approved and I married him. And as Kenneth likes to say, about 10 years later I finally fell in love.

May 16th will be 15 years since that rainy day we were day we were married. Since then we have been through a divorce (my parents), a 1600 mile move (Salt Lake City to Seattle), the death of most of our grandparents, a successful birth, a major home remodel, all weaved together with a great deal of pain and happiness.

The fairy tales of my childhood all ended with the marriage. But that's really when the story just begins. And 15 years later we've introduced the characters, set up the plot and this story is just getting good! Will it be "Happily Ever After"? Who knows, but at least it will be FOREVER!

It's A Love Story - Taylor Swift
I hate country music, but this is pretty cute...



John Schmidt - Love Story meets Viva La Vida



Anita Renfro - Love Story
This is a great spoof of Taylor Swifts Love Story



Franny's Dream -Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner
Fanny Agnes is a "sturdy girl" hoping her Fairy Godmother will deliver a prince.. or at least the mayor's son? Instead she marries Heber Jensen, a farmer. Together they share a home filled with babies, laughter, and love. By the time Fannny's Fairy Godmother arrives Fanny realized she has found her very own Happily Ever After!

I sent this book to my baby sister for one of her anniversaries. I recommend this book for girls of all ages! Because happily ever is usually realized after it's lived.

And if that's not enough reality for you.. read my blog about Fallen Princesses to see one artists version of not so Happily Ever After...

Fallen Princesses

We all know how I feel about Fairy Tales right? As all young girls do I love them, but I do NOT care for Disney's sanitized versions. For instance, The Little Mermaid? Well, she's supposed to turn into sea foam in the end. Why? Because you can't have your cake and eat it too. It's a story about sacrifice. Reading the original version with your child will lead to a great discussion. As I have said before….

Though we might think the original version of fairy tales might be too frightening for young children they “admit to the child what so many parents try to cover up or avoid. The fairy tale confirms what the child has been thinking all along – that it is a cold, cruel world out there waiting to eat him alive.” It tells the child to, “take courage and if you persist, you can overcome any obstacle, conquer any foe. And best of all you can achieve your heart’s desire,” writes Jim Trelease.




“By recognizing the child’s daily fears, by addressing his courage and confidence, and by offering him hope the fairy tale presents the child with a means by which he can understand his world and himself,” continues Jim Trelease. To only read dramatically altered versions of fairy tales, “you rob your child of their essential meaning.”

Kenneth stumbled across these stories today. Enjoy!

The Disney Blog: Fallen Princesses
JPG Magazine

I must also mention the cruelest part of fairy tales is that as a young girl you may grow up to believe that once the princess gets the prince the story is over. In real life, that is just the beginning!

A few other links you might be interested in...

Wicked the book or broadway playSnow White: A Tale of Terror 1997 (DVD)
And didn't we all love Enchanted 2007 (DVD)

And to read about my own Happily Ever After read my blog Love Story