Confession Time: A HP Love Affair

Thanks to this post by Running off the Reese's, I felt guilty about hiding something from you all. Something extremely serious and life changing. Something that may make you look at me differently. And something that is totally definitely related to running.

Are you ready?

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In case yesterday's Valentine's card didn't give it away, here it is: I love Harry Potter. The Harry Potter books are some of the best books ever written, hands down. Its the most enthralling, well thought-out, addicting story.  Butter beer, extendable ears, Hungarian Horn-Tailed Dragons, every-flavored beans, chocolate frogs, horcruxes, Firebolts, it's all amazing.  If you disagree, I bet you $100 you haven't read them.

In November JMan and I were lucky enough to get to travel to Orlando and visit Harry Potter World for ourselves.  This was our 2011 Vacation and it was a blast - we went to Orlando for half the week where we went to both Universal Studios parks, Wet n' Wild (which it seemed too cold for but it was PERFECT because there were no lines whatsoever), and experienced some of the best miniature golfing the world has to offer, and then we went to Atlanta for the other half of the week where we visited some of our bestest friends and their adorable children.

Harry Potter World was everything I dreamed of and more!  I do wish it had been bigger - more shops and such.  As empty as Universal Studios overall was, Harry Potter World was PACKED.  We didn't even go in Olivander's because the line was too long.  The Single Rider Lines are amazing though and made the ride waits totally quick.  Butter Beer is the best. thing. EVER.

How is this related to running you ask?  I used to think Harry Potter was stupid.  That there was no way I would EVER enjoy such a story.  I did not like fantasy.  I even read the first two books in 2005 and wasn't crazy about them enough to keep reading.  Then, in 2008 I started running - started training for my first marathon. And I started listening to the books on my iPod while I ran.  Holy Jim Dale, the best narrator of all time.  And the rest is history.  I not only became addicted to running, but I became addicted to Harry Potter.  And so did my husband, who has now listened to each book multiple times (don't tell him I told you!).

Pumpkin Juice = eh.  Butter Beer = Deliciousness.

Whats the moral of the story? Harry Potter is awesome, you don't know you really don't like something until you try it, running is awesome, and listening to audio books while running is also awesome.

All of this leads me, however, to the unveiling of my Valentine's Day present to JMan (the idea of which I got from Running off the Reese's, who is unknowlingly enabling my dorkness):

 

  

You can't really tell from the picture but our names are all etched at the bottom of the glass.  It fit our little family perfectly because each of the 4 characters in my family clearly and obviously displays the characteristics of one of each of the houses.  JMan, brave and courageous, a clear Gryfindor.  Me, a lifelong student and a scairdy cat, a clear Ravenclaw.  Cooper, the king of loyalty and good-naturedness, a clear Hufflepuff.  And Henry Cat, evil and conniving, manipulative and violent, a definite Slytherin.

Christening the gift with some delicious Pyramid Apricot Ale.

I think JMan liked his gift!

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All was well.

Hope you don't think less of me now!  Who else is a closet Harry Potter fan?  Been to Harry Potter World?  How was your Valentine's Day?  What did you do?  I got some more Cadbury Eggs. :-)