Schtuff twin girls say, volume 4 (Brittany makes return appearances)

And we're at it again...

Kelly: I would love to be a Hobbit. Just for a day or two or ten.
Brittany: You could house sit while Bilbo goes on his adventure.
Holly: He WAS gone for 13 months.
Kelly: I could!!!! Oh my gosh I would totally do that.
Brittany: I would love to have tea with them.
Holly: I would love to take them to Orange leaf. I could just see them standing over there like "aahhhhhhhhh" because they love food.
Kelly: Honey, I do that when we go there.

Kelly: Brittany, I keep telling Holly about all the stuff that's at Plato's Closet because she keeps asking me.
Brittany: They really do have everything.
Kelly: Except scrubs.
Holly: Or puppies. So they don't have everything!

Holly: Devin (other guy I work with) thinks Wiley's gay.
Brittany: Why?
Holly: Because he likes to lay on shoes, and my purse, and all that...'
Brittany: Nah, I'd say he's more like Smaug.  They're his treasures!
Dead.  Holly died.  XD

(A few minutes after the above conversation)
Holly: (notices Wiley laying on her shoes) Wiley, are you Smaug? Are you guarding your treasure?
(Wiley purrs)

Kelly: (while watching America's Funniest Home Videos) Ok, that HAD to have been photo shopped. Or video shopped. Or whatever the video equivalent of photo shop is.

Kelly: (watching an Arby's commercial). Au jus. Au jus. Au jus sauce. Au jus. Bless you. (Holly proceeded to laugh so hard she snorted).

Holly: I'm officially in cell-phone limbo. I'm in cell phone purgatory. I'm scared.

Holly: (in reference to Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, who are often photographed together) I don't see how the world just hasn't blown up because of their awesome.

Brittany: Come on Wiles, let's get crunk.

Kelly: German just sounds like a very angry language.

(while out with friends, one of whom is a photographer.  She asked if we felt pretty)
Holly: (taking a large spoonful of ice cream) No, I feel fat.

Holly: I feel bad for Gollum because he doesn't eat.
Brittany: No wonder he's losing his hair.

Holly: Well there's Aragog, then Aragorn and Christopher Paolini wrote Eragon.
Kelly: It's like different tenses.

Brittany: Oh Wiles, why are you so cute? You have such a handsome face, like Liam Neeson.

Holly: (after watching the DoS TV spots) Smaug kind of sounds like Darth Vader.

Kelly: I'm already ready for bed tomorrow.

Brittany: Oh look, boyfriend is calling. (picks up phone). Hello, boyfriend. (short pause). Yes, this is girlfriend, how may I help you?

Kelly: Peter Jackson! (while watching Jeopardy)
Holly: Um, Kelly, the category is Female New Zealand Directors.

Unplugged

Kelly: A few nights ago, Holly and I were once again talking about the fact that technology seems to be taking over the world. The view were tackling with this post is technology and face-time with friends. I'll share a story. Over Christmas break, a friend of ours invited us to have lunch. We shared some brief conversations and catch-ups since it had been about 7 months since we had last seen each other. After about 10 minutes of conversing, she got her phone out as she had received a text from someone. Meanwhile, mine and Holly's phones were on silent and in our purses. This texting conversation with...whoever (she didn't tell us who it was) continued for the majority of the meal. Now let's bring this back; how would you feel? The impression I was getting from her was that she didn't want to be there, and I really didn't want to be there. It just felt awkward. I remembered the times we would just laugh and be stupid and stay up till 1 in the morning talking about stupid stuff without cell phones getting in the way.

Now please don't misunderstand me. I am NOT against cell phones! I sometimes feel very out of place when I don't have mine, especially when I make my 40 minute commute to work. Yet sometimes I feel really happy and relieved when I forget to leave mine off for most of the day. I think they're great; they're the only way I can get in touch with my parents back in Ohio. It's just a major pet peeve of mine that some people I know seems they can't even function if they're phone isn't right there. It's another pet peeve of mine when I'm with a group of friends and everyone but me is on their phone talking/texting researching God knows what or God knows who. What ever happened to unattached and unchained actual face to face time with people? Seems like it's a lost art these days.

Holly: It really baffles me just how wrapped up our society has become on viewing the world through a small screen.  Earlier in the week I was grumbling about how I had to charge my cell phone again (I turn mine off at night), and I mentioned to a co-worker that I usually have to charge my phone 1-2 times a week.  He was shocked; he said "That's not a lot."  No, it's not.  With the exception of texts to Kelly, random texts here and there and random phone calls to home, my cell phone does not get much use.  It drove me crazy in college when my friends would moan and groan about how little sleep they got because people were texting them all night.  Um...how about you turn your phone off?  "Oh gosh no, I could never do that!" was usually the reply.  Well then....kwitchawhining.  I know it's blunt and I know it's rude, but you CAN turn your phone off every now and then.

Something else that baffles me is Face Time.  Ok, really? You are not having a conversation with someone's face...you are having a conversation with someone's face ON A SMALL SCREEN.  Face time, to me, is actually sitting across the way at someone's FACE.  I'm all about keeping in touch...but really?  I ride a shuttle from UK stadium to campus, and every morning and afternoon, about 90% of the passengers are just attached and totally absorbed in their phones.  Most days I crave face-to-face conversation. although, sadly, I now prefer to text rather than call (I'm working on that...).  Seriously, though.  Put the phone down, look out the window, put some music on, or God forbid actually have a conversation with the person sitting next to you (This has happened to me on numerous occasions and it always brings a smile to my face).

In about a week or so Kelly and I are going to be getting smartphones.  I really hope we don't become one of "those" people.  But here's my guarantee: whenever I meet with you, for whatever reason, my phone will be away and on silent, unless it's an emergency.  I believe one of the most important things we can give someone is our time; let's shoot for 100%.  We owe it to those we care about.

Let's try to unplug ourselves a little more each day...

Asking the question "Why?"

Kelly: Earlier today, Holly and I were at our favorite coffee joint having a conversation that carried over from one that started this morning. I was reading on a website I like called Makes Me Think where people post their thought-provoking stories. Some of them are sad, funny, and mostly very inspiring. A few weeks ago, I read a story where a young lady was at her wedding when she was in the food line and her 10-year old cousin was in front of her. It mentioned that the food was a buffet style, but the 10-year-old said she didn't want to eat anything because that's how she would stay "skinny and pretty." 10 years old. Just let that sink in. I remember not too long ago I was taking my roommate to the grocery store, and I was in a t-shirt and sweat pants. This was on a Sunday, because after I got home from church I took my nice clothes off and put on those. She asked me why I did that. I had never really been asked that before, so I replied that I just wanted to be comfortable and that I really don't like dressing up...which is true. She then said that she was more self-conscious than us because she said "I would never go out like that." Which is fine. It's all fine. Some people are like that, and that's fine with me.

As most of you all know, Holly and I have continued to maintain our healthy eating/walking habits for a little over a year now. The improvements we have seen and felt in ourselves have been excellent! For my new job I had to take a new employee physical; to be honest I was a bit disappointed when I saw that my weight had gone up a bit from the last time. But after this morning's conversation, I was much happier. I'm still at a healthy weight for my age and height. I'm continuing to feel good and feel better about the way I look; I found myself perusing bikinis at Old Navy yesterday, thinking that I would probably look ok in one. I guess the point I'm trying to drive in is that we didn't do these changes to get back into bikinis; we did them because they were doable and we wanted to just be healthier. I am so thankful that God has brought us this far and has gotten us to the point where we are comfortable with the way we look. So what if I'm not in a size 2? I don't WANT to be in a size 2; I just want to use the body that God has blessed me with and make it a bit healthier. Life is too short. But for some people out there, that's what they want. They want to be "skinny and pretty." I just want to be happy with the way I look, and I am.

Holly: My message to the female population is this: STOP OBSESSING.  Just stop it.  It's not healthy!  You are beautiful the way you are.  Seriously.  Please stop.  It breaks my heart to see so many beautiful women beating themselves up over one mistake, one pound they didn't lose, one season in which they weren't "bikini ready", one extra snack they had in the day, etc.  Instead of focusing on where we could be, how about focusing on where we are now?  

I remember back when my clothes first started fitting a little looser, I immediately found myself in that mindset; that mindset of "oh, how much can I lose?  How far can I go?  What do I need to do to keep losing, keep losing, keep losing?" I truly believe if our main goal is just  losing weight, then you're setting yourself up for failure.  Be realistic.  Focus on being healthier...the rest just comes naturally!  Trust me on this one.

I bought a couple pairs of shorts yesterday.  They are a size 8.  I haven't been in single size pants since high school.  I'm not going to lie, I did do a little happy dance in the fitting room.  If you thank God for who you are, who He has created you to be, and for where He has brought you to, it all just comes naturally.  We discussed this in an earlier post...this one, to be exact.  That's why I do what I do.  That's why we do this blog.  We don't do it to keep gaining followers, we don't dig through mounds and mounds of sources to try to tweak it, we don't go out of our way to build our reach.  No, we do it because, almost 2 years ago, God laid it on us, and we just enjoy sharing life with people.  I don't need validation  in the form of a typed comment or a new reader to know that people read what we write, because I've had numerous conversations, face-to-face conversations, from people saying they enjoy what we write.  If you want to chime in, great.  If not, well then, we're going to keep writing.  No snot off our noses.  And that's why I continue these healthier changes.  Yeah, don't get me wrong, it's great to see the physical changes, and to receive compliments, but in the end, I just give it all back to God.  Our bodies were designed for Him!!!!  I think it hurts Him when He hears us ragging on and on about how we constantly want to fix something about ourselves that we don't like.  Just think about that the next time you wake up with a large zit on your forehead, or you skipped your workout, or you gained an extra pound.

30 Days of Sherlock: Your favorite episode

Before we get started, we'll give a brief intro. Holly and I started watching BBC Sherlock around this time last year, due to our current roommate being interested in it. Ever since we've been hooked! There are only two seasons; the third is due out supposedly in October, but the producers have neither confirmed nor denied this date. We decided to do this for the month of July because, if you don't know, Sherlock first started in July of 2010. Anyway, let's get started with 30 days of Sherlock!!!!!!!!

Kelly: I have two favorite episodes. The first one is The Great Game. The Great Game is the last episode in the first series, and I chose this one as my favorite because I think it is really well written. There are so many sub-plots and stories, yet they all come together in the end with a Sherlock, John and Moriarty show down. Plus it's when we are first introduced to Moriarty, and even though he is the antagonist of the series you really get to see his brilliance. It's the villain you love to hate! Also, in the beginning of the episode, I enjoy seeing the relationship between Sherlock and John start to form, and some of Sherlock's quirks start to come out. It's very amusing and a great episode!

My second favorite is the Reichenbach Fall, which is the last episode in the second series (each series only has 3 episodes). The acting in this one is absolutely incredible; you're 100% in within the first two minutes of the episode. Holly and I watched it last night, and I actually rewound after the title credits came on just to watch the intro again; yeah, it's THAT good. The end is also what sells it as well, as last night I realized something. Throughout the series we see that Sherlock is often very cold, doesn't care to show "feelings" and is rather arrogant. Without trying to spoil so much, I think that he did what he did because he cared about his friends. The reason I don't want to spoil so much is because I guarantee that at least one of our readers will start watching the show by the end of this 30 day sequence. Challenge accepted!

Holly: One of the reasons I love being a twin is that while we usually love the same things, we have very different reasons as to why we usually love the same things.  This is one of them.

WARNING: reveals major spoilers if you've never watched.  Proceed with caution.

I have a two-way tie for my favorite episode, and they both fall in season 2: A Scandal in Belgravia and The Reichenbach Fall.  Scandal is the first ep in season 2, and one of the main reasons I enjoy this story is because we start to see what is, in my opinion, a season-wide revelation of Sherlock's human side.  When Sherlock first meets Irene Adler, he can't "deduce" her.  He even glances over to John to make sure he can still use his powers of deduction; he can, but with Irene, it's a big mystery.  Proof that he isn't immune to the opposite sex (aren't we all??? lol).  Later, when she is presumed dead, he falls into what one might see as a depression: he starts composing sad violin music and doesn't eat.  He denies it up and down later, but we all know that Sherlock did fall in love with Irene Adler, even if it was just for a short time.  The way it's written and portrayed just adds to the beauty.

We just watched Reichenbach last night, and what strikes me the most about this episode is how Sherlock and John's relationship has progressed from the pilot to now.  In the pilot, John is nobody, Sherlock's flatmate, "colleague" and not much else.  It goes to the opener of Reichenbach, where John is talking to his therapist, and it takes everything in him to muster out "my best friend, Sherlock Holmes, is dead."  It's not just his friend...it's his BEST friend.  He is visibly shaken and deeply hurt by the loss of his friend.  In six episodes, they're merely flatmates to friends.  John's soliloquy at Sherlock's grave at the end is just so powerful: "I was so alone, and I owe you so much"; he's later pleading for him to not be dead.  Honestly, it's so raw and real it makes me ache inside.  I really can't wait to see how John will react in the third season opener; part of me wants him to just beat the living snot out of him, help him up, and then just hug him.  Really hard.  All will be revealed in time, I reckon.

Readers: if any of you are Sherlockians, what's your favorite episode? We'd love for you all to chime in!

Schtuff twin girls say, volume 3 (with special guest appearances by roommate Brittany)

Our volumes of silly stuff we say has continued for a third time! And our roommate Brittany has made it in here a few times. Please enjoy and we hope you get a good laugh (or two) out of these!

Kelly: Dude, Bath and Body Works sells dish soap.  My whole life is a lie.

Holly: They say that Disney World is the happiest place on Earth.  Actually, I'm pretty sure it's the Price is Right studio.

Kelly: I can't pick up the coffee filters because I passed the boards.

Brittany: Connor wants to read Lord of the Rings to me while I knit. He has a good reading voice.
Kelly: I might sit and listen to him too!

Holly and Brittany: *to the tune of Muffin Man and making monkey bread* Do you know the muffin pan, the muffin pan, the muffin pan?

Brittany: Swoooooooooooo!

Holly: (while making our birthday board). NO!!! We don't have any December birthdays.
Brittany: Put Jesus on there.

Brittany: I think Robert Pattinson looks like a toenail.

Kelly: Peter Jackson was knighted too.
Brittany: Really? For what?
Holly: For being awesome.

Holly: Yoda, don't drag your butt across the floor.  That's not classy.

Kelly: There's a bottom tear thing on the box of plastic wrap!  I've been doing it wrong, and no one has bothered to tell me.
Holly: Well yeah.  It's more fun that way.

Holly: *while looking at pictures from Berea's summer reunion* Oh my gosh, they're all so happy and old.

Kelly: I just did something crazy.
Holly: What's that?
Kelly: I just added up how many jobs I've applied to.
Holly: Oh, how many?
Kelly: Not negative 207

Holly: *while holding a squirmy Yoda* Yoda, why are you rejecting my love?

Kelly: Ewwwww....Holly...we're going to be 24 next year.
Brittany: ....you're old.

(guy on TPIR says hi to someone named Holly)
Holly: Hi!!! *waves at TV*

Holly: Why is The Big Bang Theory trending on Yahoo?
Kelly: Because it's winning.

Holly: Why do I have chest pain? I'm too young to have a heart attack.
Kelly: Probably stable angina.
(A few minutes later)
Holly: Kelly, what's stable angina?
Kelly: Just chest pain.  Most commonly brought on by exertion.
Holly: ...I stood up.

Kelly: (while watching The Hobbit, a wolf howls). IT'S SNUFFLES!!!!

Holly: (while watching The Hobbit). Bifur is looking at Bofur like "I'm getting real tired of your crap, Bofur."
Kelly: He is not.
Holly: Yes he is. Look at him!
Kelly: Well hun. He has an axe in his head. I would look like that too.

Brittany: May I zest your lemon?
Kelly: You may zest my lemon.

Holly: Oh my globbbbbbbbbbbbbb
Kelly: What?!
Holly: This looks so good! Like...SO good! It's like a touchdown!

Kelly: I think it's raining, precious.
Brittany: It is.
Kelly: Man! I watered the plants earlier today! I didn't have to!!!!

Holly: I wonder what Michelle and the girls do when President Obama goes out to do President stuff.
Kelly: Go shopping????

Brittany: Wiley, come sit on me!

Holly and Kelly: (while at the pool with our friend Matthew). Don't wander off. Don't talk to anyone. Don't go home with anyone you don't know.

Holly: (while playing Yahtzee). No! You don't get another check mark.

Kelly: (while watching Sherlock and noticing Martin Freeman's hands) I would be sad to stick those hands, if I ever had to...

(A text conversation between sisters):
Kelly: Okey dokey stokey, I'm going to watch some cute brits and pump some iron...hahaha
Holly: Lol what????
Kelly: Watching the great game and making myself a wee bit stronger
Holly: That is singlehandedly the greatest thing I have heard all day.