The 18 inchers and a date!!

Hi everyone!  Well, it's been nasty and rainy for the past week or so.  (That also is why some of the pictures are so dark - even with a light on, it's not that bright .)  So all of us dolls have basically just been hanging around on our own shelves, disgusted with the weather.  You know that feeling like what you humans have when it's a rainy morning and you just want to roll over and go back to sleep, all day long?  That's what we felt like.  

But regardless, Saturday, I decided enough was enough.  Sure, it's nasty OUTSIDE, but we're inside. 

"Want to go for a walk or something?"  I asked Flynn.  

Flynn, who was still somewhat stiff from his rather unspectacular fall from Maximus Wednesday, said he was just going to go sit on the windowsill and watch the rain outside.  

"Okay, if you're sure."  I said, beginning to climb up the shelf to go see if Merida or Rayne would go on a walk with me.

"Wait," Flynn said. 

"What?"  I asked, turning to look at him over my shoulder.

"C'mere," he said, and with a sigh, I started my descent.  

"Yes?" I asked. 

"Just be careful, okay?  Last time I declined going out somewhere with you, your arm had to be replaced!"  

I laughed. "I'll be fine."

I jumped up onto the shelf (he was on the 'deck'), bent down a bit and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. 

Then I went back up the shelf, pausing only to turn to wave at him.  

I turned to the other shelf, and said hello to everyone up there.  

"Anyone want to go for a walk?"

Rayne and Blondie shook their heads, but Merida was up and ready to go.  Although her legs usually bothered her during rain, she was restless and wanted to go.  

She and I quickly made the descent to a chair that was up against the shelf.  

"Why don't we go to see the 18 inchers?  I want to go see Angus, and that's where he's displayed at.  Tangled Fan has to have her displayed with Elizabeth because Angus is from that same doll collection.  Actually, Angus' name is really Patriot."  Merida rattled on.  We went from the chair onto a trunk, which was at the foot of the bed.  

The walk on the bed was kind of hard, because it's not a hard surface (naturally!) and Merida was having a really hard time walking across it.  Finally, we got to the head of the bed, and Merida climbed onto a pillow, jumped onto a dresser, and knelt down to help me up.  Once I was up, though, she ran for Angus.

She started petting and talking eagerly to Angus, and her gleeful grin made me remember that she was modeled to be a 16 year old, two years younger than me.  

But as I stopped watching Merida, I realized I was being watched.  By six HUGE dolls that made me feel dwarfed.  I put one hand to my stomach to urge my sudden nausea to go away, and gave a nervous, shy wave.  

Two dolls responded to my wave.  

"I'm Elizabeth," the one in the front said, "and this is my twin sister, Christy." 

"Hi," I said.  

"Glad to meet you! We love to see new faces."

"Same here," I smiled.  

Suddenly, I felt a tug at my skirt.  I looked down, and saw a tiny doll, who looked exactly like the 18 inchers, only smaller.  

"Hold me!" she exclaimed.  She sounded really young.  

I obliged, and held her on my hip.  

Then, Elizabeth began with introducing the other four 18 inchers.  

"This is Josefina.  The one sitting beside her is Nellie; the one beside Nellie is Kailey, and the doll wayyy up there on top of Butter, the horse, is Kailey's sister, Hailey."  

I nodded a greeting to all of them, and everyone except Kailey smiled at me.  I get the feeling that Kailey didn't exactly enjoy new faces, but I didn't say anything.  After all, I had thought that Merida hated me, when in reality, her legs just ached.  

Each of us talked for awhile  - except Kailey and I.  When I went to talk to Kailey, she just mumbled something and turned away.  I realized there were two other dolls like the one I was holding - Hailey told me that they were called 'Mini dolls'.  Their names were Julie, Samantha, and Nells.  

Finally, we ended up leaving.  Merida said her legs were really starting to ache, and  she wanted to go back home before they hurt too bad to walk.  

When I left, I almost wanted to bring Julie with me - she was the 'mini doll' I had been holding - because when I left, she clung onto my skirt and pleaded with me to come back soon.

I don't think I'd have much trouble coming back again - although I was a bit intimidated, because their FEET are about as big as my HEAD!  

Once we got back home, Merida propped her one leg up, and the four of us chatted for awhile - just about general stuff.  

However, after a good long while of talking, Flynn popped his head in.  

With a wave, he asked if he could 'steal' me.  

"Ye could steal her, but come to think of it, stealin' is bad."  Merida teased. 

Flynn chuckled. "Sure."   

I stood, said bye to the others, and then followed Flynn.

"I thought you didn't want to go walk," I said.  

He shrugged, and I didn't question him further.

Instead, I took him by the hand and surged forward, chatting about basically anything.  He had a grin pasted on his face, as if every word I spoke enchanted him.

Finally, he spoke.  "When do you want to have the wedding?"

"Oh, I dunno.  Sometime this summer would be nice.  I was thinking on some holiday, but I don't think that would work.  What do you think?  Any specific time?"

He took me by the other hand as well, and said, "Why not July 4th?  It's a holiday, and it's in the summer!"  

I stood, speechless.  I mean, July 4th was only in a handful of days!  I thought we'd be engaged for a good while before getting married.  But you know me with decisions.  Especially important ones like this!

"I already asked everyone, and they all agreed that they could come that day.  If you decide to have it then, of course."  

I turned my head away.  "I-I don't know, Flynn.  I mean, really - we've only known each other for a few WEEKS, and been engaged for one of those weeks, already!  Don't you think we're going too fast?" 

He shrugged.  "In all those Disney movies, the characters get married to total strangers two days after meeting them!"  

"But this is not a movie," I countered.  

He nodded.

"I'd just be afraid we'd get judged for going that quickly."  

I took my hands from him and wrapped them around my torso, thinking hard.  

"It doesn't really matter - I just thought it would be an option."  Flynn said, trying to catch my eye.  

Goodness, what if even you readers thought we're going too fast?!  I don't want to lose any readers just because of that.  But at the same time, I didn't want to disappoint my fiance.  And really, I WAS about as ready as I could probably ever be.  Good grief, it would make living on a shelf with just him a lot more comfortable - since Tangled Fan moved us, I've been feeling horribly awkward.  Come on, really!  Wouldn't you?!  

So I looked slyly at him.  "It's an excellent option.  July 4th it is."

Then I turned around on my heel and grabbed him up into a hug, suddenly quite excited for July 4th.  

And really, that's not that far away.  

It's only four days away, really.  Wow.  I really need to get off here and start planning!  Like now!  I'll try to pop in and let you guys know how everything's going, but you might not hear as much out of me till the wedding post!  Goodness gracious, I didn't know you could be excited and terrified at the same time.  And I STILL need to figure out who's going to be my maid of honor!  Oh boy.  

Meeting Maximus (stand-in) and Wedding Talk

Hi everyone!
This morning, I woke up bright and early.

"Why don't we go out for a walk or something?" I asked Flynn, who was already up.  

Gesturing, he suggested we go see the horse Tangled Fan had found for us - the Maximus stand-in.  

I jumped up and down - I was so excited!  

We started making our way down.  We had to shimmy down two drawers from the dresser, hop onto a bin, and then jump to the floor from there.  

Flynn leapt down to the floor with no problem.  Unfortunately, I chickened out.  What if I fell and broke something?  I'd just gotten my arm fixed YESTERDAY, for goodness' sake!

"Jump," Flynn called. 

"I-I'm a bit..."

"Scared?"

"Yes."

"Well, jump.  I'll catch you.  You can trust me," Flynn said, holding his arms out.  

I still wasn't sure.  I swung one leg down, then the other, then slid down just enough that I could see how far down I still could fall.  

Finally, I just held my breath, shut my eyes, and let myself drop.  

I landed into his arms, and he let out an 'oof' and staggered back a couple steps.  

"Sorry," I said.  

He got a sneaky grin on his face, and said, "Oh, that's fine.  As long as I don't...drop you by accident.." and then he pretended to drop me.  

"Hey!" I giggled. "Stop it."  

He let my legs drop down, and then I took a couple steps back and put my hands on my hips.  "Real funny."  I tried to look mad, but after an honest attempt, I just dissolved into laughter.  He chuckled and linked his arm through mine, acting as if he was going to swing me into a square dance.  

"You have no serious bone in your body, do you?"  I said once I could finally stop laughing. 

"I do.  A very tiny, miniscule serious bone, but I have one."  With a straight face, of course.  

I rolled my eyes, and then I caught a glance of the horse.  

I froze in my tracks.  It was gorgeous!  

I slipped away from Flynn and ran for the horse.

"Oh, he's gorgeous!  I love him."  I exclaimed, throwing an arm around his neck and using the other hand to pet his nose.  

Flynn came over and I glanced at him.  

"Isn't he just perfect?"

"He's pretty nice.  You wanna ride him?"

"Of course!" I exclaimed.  Then, an even better idea came across my mind. "Why don't we ride double?  He could carry us both, right?"

"I'm thinking so," Flynn responded, and I quickly leapt into the saddle, offering my hand out to him.  

He took it and I helped haul him up onto the horse's back, behind me.  

Once we were both on Maximus, I gathered the reins and clucked to him.  

He walked just fine, and then went into the trot just fine when Flynn asked to go faster.  

But then, Flynn told me to give him another nudge, so he'd run.  

Maximus gave a series of crowhops (if you don't know what crowhopping is, it's when a horse jumps sideways or straight in the air, because they don't want to do something or because they're feeling their oats.)  Anyway, then he loosed a hard buck, and I almost tumbled over his neck.  Then he settled and cantered.  Suddenly, though, something felt different.  I tried to swing him back around to check to see if Flynn was still behind me, but he wouldn't turn, so I stopped him and backed him up till he was back where he'd started running.  

Sure enough, Flynn was on the ground.  

With a gasp, I threw the reins aside and clambered out of the saddle.  

I was at his side within seconds, and pulled him up into a sitting position.  

"Are you okay?" I asked nervously.  He seemed kind of shaken, but he nodded.  

"Yeah..just gotta catch my breath.  Not easy falling off a horse!"  

"No, I imagine not," I still hovered over him, concerned.

When he was ready, I offered him my hand and helped him stand up.  His face was smeared with dirt and he seemed a bit stiff-armed.

First, I carefully brushed the dirt off his face, and his white shirt, too.  

And then I touched his arm.  

"You okay?"

"Yeah.  I just fell on that side.  My arm hurts, my leg hurts.  Basically everything on that side hurts."  

"Oh, I'm so sorry!"  I exclaimed, putting a hand over my face.  

He pulled my hand from my face and told me not to worry about it.  "But I don't think I'll be riding anymore today."  He added with a grimace.  

"Okay,"  I untacked Maximus and then set him loose; he trotted back to the spot where he had been kept.  

Then I took him by the arm and we walked back.  

It took quite awhile to get back up to the shelf, and by the time we were up there, it was getting kind of dark.  

I helped him over to the chair and made him sit down.  

"Do you need anything?" I asked.  "Ice, maybe?"

"No, I'll be fine if I just rest awhile.  I didn't break anything, don't worry."  He said.  

"Well, I'm gonna worry anyway!"  I said.  "Even if you don't like it." I added, with mock reproach. 

He chuckled.  "No, really.  I'm fine.  Why don't you go visit with Merida and the gang?"  

"No, I'll just stick around here-"

"Rapunzel.  Go.  All I'm gonna be doing is sitting  and napping anyway."

I shook my head, but he stood up and gave me a nudge towards the deck and told me to go anyway.  So I did.

When I got up to the shelf, everyone turned towards me and grinned.  Since it was so dark up on that shelf, we decided to go down to the floor, where it was brighter.

Blondie sat on the heater, and Merida and Rayne stood and we chatted.  

Mostly, we talked about wedding stuff.  

"Have you decided on a date yet?"  Blondie asked.

"Nah...I was thinking about talking about that with Flynn today, but he actually fell off a horse, so he's just resting, and I didn't want to disturb him any."

"Ahh," Blondie and Rayne said.  

"Och, I fell off a' Angus awhile back.  He's a lot taller'n most horses.  He'll just be a bit shaken, is all - he'll be fine," Merida said.  I nodded.  I'd seen Angus before - it was actually one of the 18" dolls' horses - Patriot, I think was his catalog name?  

"Why don't you try on my wedding dress?  I want to see what you look like in it."  Rayne asked.

"Oh, I'd be afraid something'd happen to it," I said.  "Better wait till it's the actual day."

"What if you don't like it and it's your wedding day, and you can't fix something else for your dress?"

She had a point.  So, that was how I came to be following her to a spot where we could exchange dresses in separate, private spots.  

When we came back out, I smoothed the gown with my hands. 

It was so soft, and I loved it!  

"Oohs" and "Ahhs" came from the three of them, and I ducked my head in shyness.

I pulled my braid up around over my shoulder, and Merida exclaimed, "Oh, you HAVE to have it in a braid for your wedding!  Like the braid in your movie, even better!"  

Blondie nodded in agreement, and Rayne gave me two thumbs-up.  

I looked slyly to the side.  "But what if I wear it loose?  Or cut it short?"  (Of course, I'd never cut my hair short.  I think it looks best long.)  

Merida came around and linked her arm with mine.  "Then, of course, we'd have to  come up with another name for you.  You can't be shorthaired Rapunzel!"

Rayne linked her arm with my other arm. "You just have to wear it in a braid."

"Definitely!"  Blondie agreed.

Blondie stepped aside. "Who are you going to have as your maid of honor?"  

"I have no clue," I admitted.  

"I'd like to be a flower girl.  I've always wanted to be one."  She said with a smile. 

I nodded.  But the thought of who would be my maid of honor made me zone out.  

I looked at Merida.  She was a good friend.  But what if her legs were bothering her the day of the wedding?  And actually, why couldn't her legs be fixed, like my arm had been?  But regardless, I wouldn't want her to be in pain, and have to stand around the day of my wedding!  

And then I looked at Rayne.  She was also a good friend.  She even let me use her dress for the wedding!  I probably should let her be my maid of honor.  But what if Merida was mad or upset because of that?  And if I chose Merida, would Rayne be upset?  

I may use one of Merida's lines again.  Och.  

Who do you think I should have as my maid of honor?  

I'm not good at decision making - obviously.  So drop a comment and let me know - Merida or Rayne for the maid of honor!

I'm baack!! My side of the engagement & homecoming (=

Hi all!! I'm baack!!!  Sooo glad to be back!

 And...

My arm works!  Woooohoooo!  

(In case you haven't noticed, I'm in a generally awesome mood right now.  Wouldn't you be too?!)  

I can move my hair and actually brush my hair now!  Yay!!

And if you haven't already heard via this post, Flynn and I are officially engaged.  

I suppose before I show any pictures or continue into the homecoming, I should tell my side of the engagement.  

So after Flynn left Sunday, I was feeling pretty drained - emotionally, mentally, and I don't know what all else!  I wasn't sure what I wanted, either.  I mean, I did like Flynn - come on, every time I as much as saw him, I got all butterfly-ey in my stomach.  (I know, butterfly-ey isn't a word but that's the best description I can think of :P).  But weren't we going a bit too quickly?!  We'd known each other for quite awhile if you count the time we were beside one another at the warehouse.  But still.  But after I'd thought a long while, I was pretty okay with it.  

And then I overheard Tangled Fan saying that if she couldn't fix my arm, she would likely get rid of me on eBay.  I'd been told about eBay before by Rayne.  Whatever dolls weren't liked or whatever, were sold on there.  Um, no thanks.  

So I asked one day, just generally, if dolls were sent to eBay if they were engaged to a doll here.  When Tangled Fan said no, that they'd likely stay together if they were engaged, and not be sold or anything, I knew what I had to do.  I didn't want to be sent to eBay just because I was dragging my feet a little - especially if Flynn was okay with being engaged already!  

After my surgery, Tangled Fan explained that my arm surgery either might not completely fix it, if at all, or it would fix it completely and everything would be all happy.  

So when he visited again Tuesday, I was really awkward and quiet because I didn't know what to say to explain that.  So I finally just let 'er rip.  

And then Flynn kind of hesitated, and if I'd had a stomach, I probably would have felt like my stomach was likely dropping clear down to my plastic toes! So much so that I just had to sit down, before I threw up or passed out or something - I was fairly certain of my fate at that point.  I know there are thousands of other Flynn dolls out there, but they weren't my Flynn.  They all have different personalities, you know.  

But then he grabbed my arm and fairly yanked out the ribbon.  At that point, I REALLY almost passed out, but from excitement.  I could hardly wait till he was done braiding my hair and fixing the ribbon onto my hair, and as soon as he did, I wheeled around and grabbed him into a kiss.  So there - we're engaged now, so I'll let you get to enjoying our pics!  Phew, this is gonna be one lonnng post.  Sorry!

I think this should be our official engagement picture.  :P What do you think?

In this one, we were trying to make that heart sign with our hands, but Flynn's hand is, like, HUGE compared to mine, so it's a pretty funky-shaped heart.  But you get the idea :D

Once we were done with engagement pictures, we were finally able to go back to the shelves.  

First we made a pitstop to visit Rayne, Blondie, and Merida.  

As soon as we entered, all heads turned to me. 

Merida was the first to jump up and grab me into an excited hug.  Then she held me out at arm's length and exclaimed, "Your arm!  It's fixed!"  

I laughingly held my arms up and everyone cheered.  Who knew us dolls could get so excited about someone's arm surgery going well?

But Rayne knew something more was going on.  

Pointing, she asked, "Did I see something in your hair?

With a small...okay, fine.  With a HUGE grin, I pulled my hair up to show the ribbon, and she clapped. 

"Wonderful!  Any plans made yet?"

"Not really,"

"Oh, you can wear my dress and veil!"

"Oh, no - they're yours!"

"I'd love for you to wear them.  It would look GORGEOUS on you."  

"Well..."

" 'Why, yes, Rayne, I would LOVE to wear your dress!' "  She said, laughingly.  

"Okay..why, yes, Rayne, I would LOVE to wear your dress!" I giggled.  "No, really, thanks."  

  

Blondie threw her arms into the air.  "Oh, it'll be an awesome wedding - I know it!"  

We all chuckled.

So then we talked for a good while.  So long, in fact, that Flynn finally decided to just go back down to our shelf and sit.  I suspect his back was getting to him, what with having to stand stooped over for such a long time.  

Before I left, I unbraided my hair (which had become somewhat messy), and tied the ribbon at the top of my head.  

Yes. I know.  I look like I'm wearing rabbit ears. :D  

Flynn met me just before I entered the shelf.  

"Home, sweet home," he trailed off. "Er...shelf, sweet shelf."  

I laughed and he grinned.  I was glad he was back to his silly self!  

"It's...nice," I said.  "Different from the other shelf, but nice.  It just feels kind of weird being down here alone!"  

He nodded and patted the box (it was a Hallmark 2012 ornament...of me.  Tangled Fan is quite the, uh, Tangled.  Fan.  Heheheh) and I clambered on top of it to sit.  He took the chair, and we talked for a good long while, just about stuff in general.  

I daresay that I look forward to many a night of doing exactly this with Flynn!  (=