Vacations and Visitations

Aloha. Recently I returned from a visit to Maryland with my family. We went to visit my other family - aunts, uncles, cousins, and such, along with other shenanigans. It was good times.

I got a new shirt, hat, and pair of jeans. :] Not to mention that I tend to enjoy car trips until I get carsick. I like to listen to music and read and just veg out. (By the way, in case you are wondering - carsickness consists of a headache and slightly upset stomach for me. No vomiting was involved, kthnx.)

Basically not much has happened around here since Christmas aside from this trip. I've gotten some new clothes due to the wonderful after-Christmas sales and such. And I've been reading books I got for Christmas or bought with my Borders gift cards. Good good.

As for another announcement, the blog now has a chat box!! yay! So um....leave a post if you stop by (basically talking to Katie, Katie, and some other miscelaneous VD people).

After-Christmas Recovery

Christmas was good. Good good. I got my Twilight hardcover box set. :] And lots of other things that I don't feel like getting into at the moment. The gist of it is Twilight and a bunch of winter riding stuff which I am very thankful for.

Also, I have another week off school, as I don't go back until January 5th. This is very pleasing news. Yesterday we went shopping. The PacSun at our mall is going out of business. This news upsets me greatly, as it is like, my favorite store. Maybe I'll get over it, maybe I won't. But for now it's okay, because they are currently having a massive sale, and I got some dirt cheap shirts, a nice pair of skinnies, and dirt cheap bermuda shorts. So I'll mourn later, like when they actually go out of business. I never got much there as it is expensive, but still. Upsets me muchly, that's all I can say.

Aside from all the innate happiness of Christmastime, we are going to Maryland tomorrow to visit my aunt and uncle and cousins. I don't really want to go. It's not that I don't like visiting my family, because I do, but...let's just say, the timing isn't great. I suppose I'll have to suck it up, we're going and we'll be back Tuesday. As if I have a choice anyway....*cough*. Maybe we'll do more shopping. That would be fantastic.

That's basically it for right now. Also, a new layout is coming soon, though maybe not until new years. I suppose I could change the banner so it's more current. But then again, maybe I'll be lazy. Also, new profile pic.

Just an update. Shalom.

Finally Free, Finally Strong

SSNOOOWWWWW DAAYYYYY!!!! =D

So. We have tons of snow. My sister woke me up and was like 'you have to get in the shower!' and so I scurried and washed my hair over the side of the tub, only to be told 5 minutes later that school was cancelled. So I went back to bed (with wet hair, even) and slept another 4 hours. XD

When I got up I made dippy eggs which, the first time, filled my kitchen with smoke.....again. -.- It worked after that though.

I also wrapped gifts today. And we made chocolate chip cookies. =] The dough for the sugar cookies is in the fridge right now, so we'll have those to make yet too. With icing and sprinkles, mind you. Yeahhhh. So. It's been a nice relaxing day so far. I took some pictures of the snow and all.

That's basically it. Last night before dance we went to wally world (a.k.a. Wal Mart) and I actually got most of my Christmas shopping done. Sooo I only have a couple more things to get. =]

Feliz Navidad!!

I Want To Be Evergreen.

Christmas layouttt. I like it a lot. =] Oh and I made the banner at the top.

Anyway. Today we're getting our tree. I'm excited. x] And tonight is the youth group 'Guys in Disguise' thing at the mall. People dress up and you have to find them and get their signature. It's big fun. Win.

Last night was formal that I didn't go to, so me and some friends went to the mall to do Christmas shopping. We were in Deb for like 45 mins trying on dresses. =p it was fun. But we didn't have much luck with the Christmas shopping part. I got like, one thing. XD But oh well. it was fun.

Bad news. I can't ride for 3 weeks. =[ Not for the next two weeks because one of the horses got another horse sick, my instructor has to keep them in isolation for a while until the epidemic is over with. And the week after that is 'Christmas break'. So yeah. I'm going to be so out of shape by then. XD

But other than that things are fine. It's colddd. Haha my room is all decorated. I have lights up and everything. XD I go all out with decorations. Christmas is my favorite holiday.

So just a brief update. I'll try to be more consistent. =p

The Future is a Question Mark

Hmmm. Nothing much since Thanksgiving. Yesterday (Black Friday) we went to the mall around 10. Ahahahahaha. Lots of people. Ahahaha....*goes insane*

I'm kidding. I didn't go insane. But it was crowded and there were long register lines. XD I only got 2 shirts. But I love them both. x]

Hmmmmmmmm...not much else. Today I put Christmas lights up in my room along with some other miscelaneous decorations. And I cleaned a little. Haha. I'll finish tomorrow. Maybe. =p So..yeah. Oh, I took some photos of lights today. Playing with my camera.

I basically took a bunch of pichas that look somewhat like this. I like it. So that's all. Just an update. Peace.

Hahhy Thanksgiving!!

If you don't understand my reasons for spelling 'happy' like that, then you need to go watch Switchfoot podcast episode 29. ;]

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving!!! Whoo!! I must say I really enjoyed sleeping in this morning. Really. And that I don't have school until Tuesday. =D AND that I'm going to go see Twilight on Monday. =DDDDDD

So yes. Lovely 5-day weekend. Plus food. Yummm. And hardly any homework. Yayy. Oh and riding. Plus I might have the opportunity to ride this weekend at someone's house that my mom works with..? Omgsh. This is like the best weekend ever.

However, I do have some rather sad news. Switchfoot just sent out a newsletter and the new CD release has been pushed back to summer. Not spring. This also pushes the plan back, as they will most likely be touring in my area during the school year, not the summer like I wanted. *sigh* Of course, even if it is during the year, I have full intentions of staying as late as possible at the show. It's just...I might have school the next morning. XD So a slight lack of sleep there. Of course, it will all be worth it. But still.

So, that is a bit of a downer. But hey, Christmas is coming soon, it's a happy time of year. I'll survive. ;] Anndddd I asked for a Switchfoot t-shirt for Christmas. =]]

Mmm. Life is good right now. Good.

You Blink and You're Over the Brink.

Ughh. So. Much. Homework.

Although, I must say my main concern was finishing this 4-page research paper for Tuesday, and what do you know, I'm on the 8th page and I still have some more to write. Wow. That's never happened to me in my life. That's for sure.

Other than that, I have a 2-3 page rough draft to write for english, as well as some random worksheets and an algebra quiz to prepare for on Tuesday. So no, saying I have tons of homework is not an exaggeration in this case. I don't handle stress that well. But I'll get it done. It'll just stress me out a lot in the process. =D *smiley face drips with sarcasm*

On another note, I'm still obsessed with Switchfoot and Twilight. I'm asking for the Twilight box set for Christmas. =D And I've still been listening to Switchfoot constantly and watching podcasts.

Oh! I had a riding lesson yesterday. It was good. We worked on using a driving seat to get a canter depart. It's a lot of work. It was intense. XD But it went well. It took a while, but Boaz started cantering the first time I asked. And we're going to keep working on it.

Not much else has happened, I should probably get started on that english paper. I stopped in the middle of this blog and finished my research paper on John Hancock. Haha. It's 9 pages, with like two lines on the 10th page. I hate it when that happens. XD

Just Blurring the Lines

Updates, updates, updates......well. As far as everyday life goes, I guess some things have happened. I had a chorus concert last Monday. It was pretty good. =] Anddd I finally had my riding lesson!!! WHOO!!!!!!! It was well. I was intensely bucked twice in a row. Fun. I stayed on. And it was easy. So I mostly enjoy it because now I have a story to tell. Haha. =D

Other things.....I love Switchfoot. And you knew that. But what you didn't know is my latest plan. I suppose I'll go ahead and explain it in somewhat of its entirety. So you see, I've always wanted to be one of those people who knows Switchfoot personally, who they talk to and recognize. I know, that's every fan's dream (or fam's, in this case). But you see, when I am determined, I do everything in my power to make it happen.

On to point two, there's this fan club called Friends of the Foot. And here's the beautiful part. For $50 a year you get a pass for meet and greets (along with a guest) good for ANY show during the y ear. You also get a t-shirt, exclusive downloads, and an autographed 'best of bootlegs' cd. Amazing, right? Yes. So when I thought it would be nearly impossible to actually meet them, here's this option right at my fingertips.

And get this? I HAVE THE MONEY. Eeeeep!! Now excuse my fangirly-ness. I promise I would never be fangirly in front of them. ;] So..I have the money! This is totally possible!! Thing is, I'm totally going to save it until the new cd comes out. Then once I know the dates for the spring tour and when they'll be coming to my area, I'll order it. This. Is a dream come true.

Now before I get all sappy I'll state that I won't take anyone's crap about 'oh, that's never going to happen.' Because frankly, I don't care what you say. Though I won't let anyone shake my dreams, it starts to take a toll on you hearing negative comments all the time. Which is exactly why I'm not sharing this plan with anyone I know, basically. I refuse to be brought down by negativity. Now, I am perfectly aware that it will be difficult, nay, even nearly impossible. But do I care? No. I have a plan and I am determined. So no comments. I'm doing it no matter what anyone says.

Clearly, I feel strongly about this. It's true. And I'm very excited to meet the guys. XD So no comments. No nothing - unless it's support or shared joy. Because remember, I cannot be shaken. I've been listening to Switchfoot constantly and imagining the moment. I'll do it. I'm determined. You people don't know me. When I'm determined there's no stopping it. So basically, no, I'm not 'in love' with them. I don't think about them that way ever. Just no. All I want is to be a real life friend of the foot. And I intend to do so.

A Feeling We Both Know Inside, but Couldn't Find the Words

"..I couldn't write this verse. I've seldom been so sure 'bout anything before."

Ew. Monday. I was lulled out of my sleep this morning by my mother and I immediately shot out of bed groaning because I remembered it was Monday. I. was. so. angry. GAH!!

Anyway, the day went fine. We had pictures, which I just found out about last night. And thank God - I might've just worn sweats. XD But yeah. It was okay. Tonight is our band/orchestra/chorus concert. Sooo no dance tonight. The concert will most likely take a couple hours.

I don't really know what else to say. I'm feeling very switchfoot-obsessive. So I've been checking out some different sites and stuff. Yeah. Not much else. Cheerio.

But everything inside you knows there's more than what you've heard
There's so much more than empty conversations filled with empty words
And you're on fire when He's near you
And you're on fire when He speaks

You Can't Shut Me Up, You Can't Shut Me Down.

Well. Yesterday wasn't as great as I had planned. =[

My riding lesson has to be rescheduled because yesterday morning my trainer called and said that her daughter-in-law was going into labor so she was at the hospital. Of course I'm happy for her, but yeah. XD I haven't ridden in two weeks. I feel deprived. Lol.

I guess other than that it was okay. We went to lunch with my dad, that was pretty nice. My sister went to a sleepover last night so I basically had the computer and the TV to myself, which was also nice. =] And I did some reading for english so I could feel like I did something productive...it worked! =D

Uhm today I woke up, did chores, got on the computer, and did homework. I actually did a nice amount of homework, I only have a little left for tomorrow. So I feel good about getting work done. And not much else happened...I just stayed home. It was pretty cold today. Darn. I hope I don't freeze at the bus stop on Monday. Oh yeah, and I'm sick. Which isn't fun, but I also have a chorus concert on Monday, and I don't really want to be sick for that. At all. So I took some pills and I hope I get at least well enough to sing without snot dripping out of my nose Monday. =p
Lovely, right?

The Average, the Obvious.

Today would be part 2 of my 4-part weekend. Yes, it is Friday! I might like Friday's more when I don't have school. In fact, I most definitely do.

Today is especially happy for two reasons...
1. My daddy is taking my sister and I out to lunch, to wherever we decide to go. Yummm. =p
2. I have riding today. I am very happy. I haven't ridden in two weeks. This is a joyous thing.
But this morning my dad woke me up at 9, and frankly I have no idea why.

So, there you have it. To be a responsible student I should probably do some homework...but, ya know, maybe. If I feel like it. *grins* Hey, I still have two more days, right? Yes. So yesterday I was particularly lazy. I think all I did was get on the computer, watch TV, and eat. Oh and I got a shower and dressed myself somewhere in there. Oh yeah! I went to my youth group at 6:30 and we packed boxes for OCC - which I mentioned in an earlier blog. It was really fun, we wrapped the boxes all nice and wrote letters to put in them and stuff. We got like 20 boxes. It was a good time. The kids get so excited over those little shoe boxes with practically nothing in them. It means the world to them. It's amazing how little you have to do to make a real difference.

So that was fun. I'm glad I went. I've not much else to say. I think I would have to have done something yesterday to be able to talk about it. Unless you want to hear me ramble on about nothing, because that's mostly what I did. So I suppose I did do something, just...nothing worth mentioning other than youth group. Huh. I'll use that as an argument sometime.

Every Lament is a Love Song

Today is Wednesday, but it's also Friday. And here's why. Because I have a 4-day weekend which starts tomorrow. Can we say 'yay parent-teacher conferences'? I think we most certainly can.

On thus note, I can also celebrate the sleeping in factor! Not having to get up at 5:30 = later nights. Anndddd that I only have like, 2 homework things to do for Monday. This is going to be simply amazing.

Tonight we went to youth group, they played a lot of hockey. I sat out that part. I kinda suck at sports. XD But it was still fun. Tomorrow the youth group is packing our boxes for OCC - Operation Christmas Child. I think I wrote about it a while ago, but last year around Thanksgiving I went to the OCC headquarters in North Carolina and helped out. The first day we went through all the boxes, looked for donations, and then stacked them on palletes. For the next two days we went through and took out anything that wasn't supposed to be in there, like glass/breakables, liquids, loose candy, etc., and replaced them with a bunch of stuff that was ready for the occassion. It was a really cool thing. =] But yeah, we're hoping to get 20 boxes to send.

Friday I have riding! I didn't get to go last week so I'm pretty anxious.

Nothing really, other than that stuff. I'm kind of hoping to have weekend plans but I'm not counting on it. And right now I'm having some pretty serious stomach crampage so I'm thinking about eating something..=p

Fall-ishocity

I just invented a word. On that note, yay for new colors! It's all nice and warm and red for fall. Of course, red is a good Christmas color too...not much brilliancy on my part, there. Oh well. I'll come up with something. But for now it's staying like this.

So last night (or technically this morning) was daylight savingssss. Yuss. I like an extra hour of sleep. It does me great good. I never knew my body was used to what time I get up. I literally woke up an hour earlier than I normally have to get up on Sundays. It was pretty weird. But yeah, sleeping seems to be one of my favorite pastimes nowadays. Probably because most recently I find I don't get enough of it. Kind of like...when you're deprived of something, you appreciate it more. Well, you know what they say. You don't know what you have until it's gone.

But it's not like I don't get sleep or anything. Because I do. I just don't get quite as much as I would like to. But that's probably true of nearly everyone, so I have no room to talk.

Anyway, also last night, we did end up going to my grandparents' house to visit the relatives. It was nice. We had pizza and cookies. =] And more importantly, I didn't have to entertain my cousins. My other cousins were there as well and so they entertained each other. Which worked out quite well for me.

So today I'm doing homework again. I have to make an interview with a signer of the Declaration of Independence. I'm thinking the easy kind of questions that I can easily look up online, or make up some halfway legitimate-sounding answer. Oh yes. Big fun.

Oh and after church today we went to Wendy's for lunch with friends of ours. I swear the whole church had the same idea. We saw a lot of people there. XD

Trick or Treat? Whatever, Smell my Feet.

The answer is yes. Hahaha, and no, I'm not that bitter about it. I just thought it was a funny title.

Anyway, I did go trick-or-treating last night. Happy Halloween? Sure. My friend and I were Jack and Jill. She was Jack. It was pretty funny. Other than the freezing numbness and the dramatics, it was fun. Mostly the candy. =] But seriously, I didn't know trick-or-treating was so dramatic. Long story. I don't really feel like getting into it. XD But yes, I had a good deal of fun.

I'm on my high school dance team, and we performed this past Wednesday. I suppose it was pretty good, everyone said it was, regardless of how I feel about it. XD We had mess-ups, but I guess it wasn't that noticeable. Oh well. It's over with. =]

Not much else. Today we are supposed to go to my grandmother's because my aunt and cousins came down from Maryland to visit, and we were going to go see them. But I guess not, now? Darn. I just wanted to go for dinner. Excuse me for not enjoying playing spongebob with my cousins. XD

School....eh. Had 2 tests this past week. Got a 96 and a 98! =DD Yessss. Success. So this week was the end of the marking period, report cards next week. I'm not worried, I already know what my grades are. And I'm doing fine. XD Dance is good..riding is good, though I didn't go this week.

Oh and we are getting our kitchen redone. It's looking pretty cool, but every day when I come home I'm overwhelmed by paint fumes. It's not very wonderful. But hey, what can I do? XD Should be done within the next couple weeks! It's gonna be cooolll.

So, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth yet. And I don't plan on it anytime soon. ;]

The Thirstiest Grounds Can't Take the Rain

Ughhh. Rain. All day. Lots of it. Greeaaattttt.

Aaanyway, it's Saturday, so that's good. Yesterday was the concert at church and then coffee house thing, then I went back to a friend's house for a sleepover. We hung out and ate and did stuff and then popped a movie in at 4:30 and all fell asleep withing the first 10 minutes. And my one friend had to wake me up at 11:30 because I was still asleep. It was weird. I'm usually the first person up. But I got like 6 hours of sleep! Incredible. Then I went home and today I did my final draft for english and a power point slide for my english presentation on Wednesday. Along with some Saturday chores, of course. Oh, and I had a riding lesson yesterday. It was pretty good. Still on Boaz. We haven't really clicked yet. It was cooolllddd yesterday, too. Brr.

As for the rest of the week it was good. I did pointe on Thursday for the first time in like 3 weeks because I had ingrown toenails. Those things completely suck. I tell you the truth. They hurt. XD I still need some decent toe pads though, I borrowed my friend's other pair because I HATE MINE. They do evil things to me. =[

Uhhhh other stuff, nothing too new I guess. Halloween next week. Yay? I'm not planning on doing anything. I don't like walking around in the cold that much. A party would be fun. Well, with the right people. Maybe I'm picky. Or maybe I don't feel like being festive this year. XD Oh and I ordered a new backpack. The one I just got broke like the first week of school, the zipper on the front stopped working and call me picky, but I don't like it when things continually fall out of my backpack. The other zippers were being stupid, too. Oh and it got a hole during the first week of school. So I ordered an L.L. Bean one. They are good and sturdy, I had one before. So yeah.

So...that's basically it. Riding's good, dance is good. The cold is just miserable in the morning, I tell you. Once we were waiting for the bus and I looked up and said to my sister, 'LOOK! There are stars out. This is not right. I should be in bed right now.' And it's true. There was the moon and some stars oh so beautifully lit in the dark sky. It's not healthy to be outside waiting for the bus that early. It's sick and wrong and should be illegal.

Well, You Can't Beat That With a Stick.

Ah, life. Let's see, today is Saturday, and frankly it now seems to me that a week passes with hardly any time or waiting involved at all. How interesting - though I definitely prefer it like this. That way the school year goes faster. I just wish it would slow down more on the weekends.

Yesterday I had a riding lesson - which went well, I will add. I think my instructor is keeping me on Boaz for a while, at least. We did a lot of cantering and cavaletti, it was fun. I was sure I was going to be sore today, but surprisingly my pain is minimal to none. =D Then we went to get sandwiches for dinner and I got stared at quite a bit; what with me being all clad in my lovely disgusting half chaps and boots.

Today I did a 3 1/3 page rough draft for a persuasive essay for english that's due Monday, and it only took me like 2 hours. I was so proud of myself. XD I still have a rather tedious history assignment but I'm not doing it today - it's due on Wednesday.

So yeah, my week is going fine. Normallll as ever I guess. Did a bunch of chores today and..stuff. But OHMYGRAVITY the Twilight saga box set is out!! YUSS! This is so perfect. And they're all hardcover. <33 I must inform my mother so she can get it for me for Christmas. So I guess that's all for now. ;]

*runs off to tell mother*

No Rubber Bullets Now

I suppose life has been going wonderfully, what with this four-day weekend and all. Yep, it's Monday and the last day of my weekend. It was wonderful. Really.

Friday I had my riding lesson, and it went well. Boaz has quite a lovely canter for a big scraggly horse. And then I went to a corn maze with some friends and we stayed out until roughly midnight. =] That was very fun. Sorta cold, but fun. Saturday was our youth group coffee house thinger, which was a great time. And it was all set up with couches and tables and chairs and we had a great time.

The rest of the weekend droned on in relaxed silence, little tasks being done here or there. I really appreciate weekends more when I don't have homework. It's quite lovely. So tomorrow it's back to school again...but at least it's only a four-day week. I can't think of much else to say at the moment.

Life is good. And I suppose I'll end this meaningless rant right there.

Time is Measured in Cups of Coffee

Wow. It has been long, if I do say so myself. Frankly, a lot has happened in the last month. Sort of. School has been...school. The stress comes and goes with the tedious assignments. Dance has gone on, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Riding has gone on, though once a week is hardly enough to satisfy me. The most significant thing that happened in the past month is that I am now in love with a certain Twilight saga. I didn't even know I liked romances, and well, maybe I don't - except the ones with vampires in them.

Ah yes, I love vampires. I found myself reading the book in every spare moment I could find - on the bus, in the car, everything. It's a rare occasion that I become so obsessed with a book (or series). I guess in a way I'm picky about what I like. Sure I'll read something for school and possibly like it, but that's different. That's me trying to pick out something I like about the book in order to get through the whole thing. With this, I wasn't expecting to like it so much. I just sort of read, and it just sort of happened. You can ask my family, I was glued to these books. I kept getting copies from a friend as I needed them, and you could not pry me from them with the jaws of life. I've always had a thing for fantasy. I don't know what it is, but something about it is just...well, magical. Okay, obvious, right? But it's true, it's magical to me. It thrills me and captures my emotions and makes me believe, at least while I am reading it, that anything is possible.

Sappy? Yes, but hey, this is my life. It can be sappy and magical if I very well want it to be.

Needless to say, I finished the series. Actually, just yesterday. And you'll never guess what I want for Christmas. That's right, the whole set - hardcover. I frequently destroy paperbacks, and these have to last forever, or at least until I can afford to replace them. Did I mention I love Twilight?

As for everything...sane, well, it's cold. I've been wearing a lot of long sleeves. This morning at the bus stop I about froze my butt off. But it's fall - fall is somewhat nice. Our house is all decorated and the best thing in the whole world is walking in to a nice warm house from the cold with a fire burning in the stove. It's delicious, I tell you. Delicious.

So I've been doing homework, dancing, riding, and reading in my spare time. Life is hectic. Life is stressful. Life is fun. Life is thrilling. Life is boring. Time passes. And life goes on.

Laborious Day, the Day of Labor.

Well, it's Labor Day today. Which means NO SCHOOL!! =O Yay!!! So, we're actually doing stuff today. Well sort of. My parents are doing work outside, later we're going to my grandparents' house for dinner, like we always do at this time every year. We may be going on a bike ride but I'm not sure, it might be too hot.

As for Saturday and Sunday, not much. On Saturday we stayed home, did chores and Saturday type things. Yesterday we went to church, and then to my grandparents' house (other grandparents) to visit and then ended up staying for dinner. It was nice, I had a nice time. =]

So not too much has gone on. Tomorrow I go back to school and to the painfully normal, grueling schedule of waking up before six and catching the bus at ten of seven. Where before returning home I am required to attend seven periods of teachers and schoolwork. Oh well, that's life. Life goes on, we grin and bear it, grin and bear it.

As for September...I guess you could say I am anxious. I'm looking forward to fall, it's a wonderful time of year. Fall smells nice, like dead leaves, which, apart from the unappealingness of the title, actually has a wonderful smell. Fall is beautiful, because all of those sweet-smelling leaves change colors into shades of yellow, orange and red before they fall to the ground, caught in the cool breeze. Fall is chilly and crisp, the season where I will have to wear long sleeve shirts and jackets to school; and a coat even, as the season nears winter and the wind nips at your nose and ears, turning them a pinkish color. I look forward to these things. First the nice decorations around my house and the warmth of the fire from the woodstove, knowing how chilly it is outside yet staying in the warm where maybe a pie could be baking in the oven. Then the fun of halloween, even if I don't do much myself, but putting up the fun lights and decorations and getting in the spirit. Fall is truly a wonderful time of year, one of those "in-between" seasons, preparing us for winter. Of course, there are things I love about winter, too, but the time will come to talk about that. ;]

Oh and I almost forgot! Today's banner:

Ahh, I just love it. Love it, I tell you. The lyrics are from This is Home, the song they wrote for the Prince Caspian movie, so this song is on the soundtrack for it. Amazing song. <33

As for one last tidbit, the blog may be recieving somewhat of a makeover soon, but hey, you didn't hear it from me. :X

Gone, Like Summer Break is Gone

Well....FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!! EEP!!!!

Okay, so it went well over all. =] Of course, it was stressful but it was Freshman Orientation day, so it was only freshman and we had a special schedule. First everybody met in the gym for a class picture, then the advisors took their groups back to their rooms to discuss things we need to know. Then there were health screenings, picture ID's, tours, etc. Then was lunch in one of the cafeteria's (there's three. =P), and back to the advisor's room.

Then......GO THROUGH YOUR SCHEDULE!!! =O So basically it was just to walk your schedule and have a general idea of where your classes are. You go to your class, you meet your teacher and they explain the course and stuff. It was a little stressful, because you kind of have no idea where you're going...but it worked out. x] Then we went home. I loved to have this day just for Freshman to sort of figure out the school, their schedule, etc.

The past 2 days have been fine. Wednesday was a 1-hour delay schedule because everyone had to fill out those papers and get lockers and stuff. So all the classes were shortened. Yesterday (Thursday) there were house assembly's for Red, Blue, and Gold every two periods, so not much work was done because if a student was in a house assembly then they're not in the class so they can't get homework or anything. Today was normal, I went to my classes, did the normal stuff. I have homework. =P But the good news is, I don't go back until Tuesday because Labor Day is on Monday. =D

So basically, school is...okay. I mean, it's school. It's not very fun. =P However, grades are important to me so I still work and do my best. It's really different from when I was homeschooled, but that's an adjustment I have already begun to settle into. Not much else to say, it's going.

In other news, I start riding a week from today. *is excited* =D. The thing is, I have a lesson with 3 or 4 other people, and that's too many for the arenaaaa. o.o So....Idk, I guess it will work out, just be a little crowded. I'm excited to find out who I'm riding. x]

Dance starts...next Thursday for me. 2 nights a week, since I'm not competing this year. Mondays and Thursdays. My life is quite hectic. =P

And.....today's siggy!
=D I love it. Lyrics are from the song "Faust, Midas, and Myself" from the Oh! Gravity albumm. Amazing songgggggg. <333333333333 Love it. =]

I. Don't. Wanna.

Ughhh. School starts TOMORROW. I think I'm going to die. XD Not particularly looking forward to this. Which means, this is my last day of summer. I intend to live it up, although I'm not sure how 'different' it will be from any other day. XD

Anywho, enough of my complaining about life. It treats me well, really. I don't really have much to say. Nothing too interesting happened this weekend. I've made some banners, listened to Switchfoot (of course), blah blah blah, etc., etc. So, yeah, nothing too new. Haha, ironic. XD

Yesterday I got my backpack ready and everything. =P I have too much stuff to take on the first day of school. x] And I overuse smiley faces. Anyway, today I'm home alone again. Mom started school today (she's a teacher) and my dad's at work, and so is my sister. It's nice, I really like being home alone. I can just kind of...do whatever I want basically. I'm thinking maybe I'll draw or something today. I really want to get back into art, I just haven't really had the time or the willpower, I guess. So I'll try to make time to do that.

I was talking to some friends last night, and well, it's really unhealthy how much I love Switchfoot. I mean, really, it is. It can't be good for me. Yet, I simply can't help it. The music is awesome. All the lyrics are amazing, there can't be on line that doesn't have some deeper meaning. I love it how Switchfoot songs actually have meaning, not like the useless crap out there that there seems to be way too much of. *dies* Yes, it's simply unhealthy, I tell you. Unhealthy.

Chasing My Tail and the Rising Sun

Today's banner:I like it. Nice and simple, but cool. =]

In other news...*sigh*. Summer. Is. Nearly. Over. You know, normally I'm excited for school to start. And it lasts for at least a week or so. But...I'm not this year. I just want as much of summer that I can absorb in these last 3 days. But ever since orientation, I am feeling better about it.

So like I said, on Thursday night we went to freshman orientation. The principals and guidance councelors talked and then everyone got to walk around the building and see where the classes are. So, I think that helped, because now I at least know where my classes are. One thing that stresses me out is getting lost in the hall and being late for my class, resulting in my teachers hating me. XD Well, all the teachers are pretty understanding the first week or so, so I don't think that will be much of a problem. Idk, I just don't feel ready for school yet. But I'll have to get over it, because I start Tuesday. =P

In other news, I rode yesterday morning. =] It was great, I love going up to the barn and just spending time with the horses, forgetting everything else that's going on. Rachel was really good too. Yes, everything with her "training" is really coming along nicely. She canters a lot better, and a lot longer now. Of course, there are still some things we need to work on, but like I said, it's definitely coming along.

Ah, I can't find my MP3 player anywhere. I think it made me realize how addicted I am to music, Switchfoot in general. My mom and I were in the car one morning and I really wanted to listen to Switchfoot...I was like, dying. XD So...I really hope I find it. Because if it's lost..well that would completely suck. =[ Anyway, enough of my troubles. Overall, life is pretty good.

Only 3 more days of summer...eep.

Sing to Me the Song of the Stars..

..Of Your galaxies dancing they're laughing, You're laughing again.

Okay, random title. But we were singing it on AIM. x] Anyways, today's banner!

TIMMY!!!!!!!!!! =D Haha, I find this one quite hilarious.

Anyway, today was fine. Kind of boring, I was home alone all day. Hung out, did some chores, yeah. Haha, actually at one point I was re-watching Switchfoot podcasts with a friend (the one who's doing this different-banner-every-day challenge) on AIM. That was fun, and occupied some time. x]

I changed the blog colors from green and black to blue and black. I'm deciding if I like it. x] I think I do, so..it will stay like this for a while. I love how I talk as if I have readers...lol. XD

Eeeep, tomorrow night is Freshman Orientation at the high school. Ah, I only have 5 more days of summer left......*is sad*. Well, I guess I'm going to have to own up to this and stop worrying. God will work everything out, and I know that...I'm just nervous. One thing that gets me stressed out is when something is coming and I don't have everything I need. In this case, not having all my school supplies, that worries me. Or worse, not having my schedule. Eek! And that's very important, because I need it for tomorrow, because at the orientation you can walk around the school and see where your classes are. I definitely want to do that.

Anyway, my schedule came yesterday, I believe. Phew. XD And so did my new sneakers. =] So, now that I have everything I need, school supplies, schedule, blah blah, I think I'm less nervous. I don't even really know why I'm nervous in the first place, it's just high school. It's just that I've never been to public school I guess, so this is a huge change for me. But I imagine everything will be fine. I'll just keep praying about it. Life goes on.

Fairly Interesting Day

Well today, my mom had to go to work early and will be back around 9 tonight. So this leaves my sister and I home alone for a whole day. As a result, my grandmother called to see if we wanted to do anything. So she picked us up and we headed to Walmart for school supplies that we needed. Which resulted in also making a trip to Staples and K-Mart. =P

So yes, today was more interesting than normal. =]

Yesterday I was home all day, too. If you couldn't tell already, I am a Switchfoot nerd. And a very PROUD one at that. So between spending the day on the computer and talking with a close friend on IM, who is also obsessed with Switchfoot, we created a Photobucket. Yes, that's right. A whole account dedicated to Switchfoot banners and avatars. We call it, TheUltimateSwitchfootSiggyPlace. =]

This PB has over 400 banners and still counting. Though the majority of them are created by other people, it is simply an amazing collection. This led to me challenging said friend to use a different banner every day on a forum we both belong to, and see how long it would last. And so, she took this challenge. I am very interested to see how long the banners will last, especially with a continually growing collection. How exciting. =D

And so, today's banner is:

Lyrics are from the song Learning to Breathe. And also, this banner was made by me. =]Let's see how far this little challenge takes us.

Time to Update.

Hola friends. =] 

Just a quick update. Summer has been going great. I've been riding every Friday, working with Rachel. That's going well. We've come pretty far! *sings* And I can't go back, back to how it was.....*stops singing* Sorry. XD 

Also I had that 6 week summer intensive for dance, ended a few weeks ago. It was fun. =]

Life has been treating me well. I'm getting my braces off in about 6 weeks! Very excited about that. This year will be my first time ever in public school. I'll be a freshman. Well...let's just say I have mixed feeling about it. I mean I'm definitely looking forward to it. Since I've been homeschooled for so long, I started getting not so diligent, with working so much on my own it's easy to procrastinate. I think this will make things easier and keep me more motivated. Although I am pretty nervous about the whole thing. =\ I start on August 26th. I will definitely update soon about school.

Other than that, nothing all too exciting has happened. Life goes on. =] I'm just relaxing and enjoying the rest of my summer while I still have it.

Hhmmmm..

Nothing much to say. Just an update I guess. The summer is going pretty well. Dance started and of course I've been riding once a week. Fun fun. =P. Life has been pretty quiet lately, been a few places here and there, nothing too out of the ordinary for me. Guess I'll show some horsey pics. ;]

This is mah boyy!! He name is Barnabas, he is a paint. Probably around 15hh, and I'm not sure how old he is. =P. He's not the easiest horse. He can definitely be a butthead, but..I don't know, sometime over the last year, we just kind of clicked. It's not some real strong bond, but you know, it's a start. I love him. =]. XD.

Here's a better pic, so you can see what he looks like. ;]. Ain't he gorgeous?? XDDD.

This is Sammy, a pony I was riding last year. I've always guessed he was a Quarter Pony, but I really don't know. xP.

Here's some of the guys. =]. The chestnut in the front is Boaz, the palomino is Quincy, and that would be Sammy's butt. XP

This is Quincy, the old lesson horse. He's a Quarter Horse, and a sweetie. =]

This is majesty, a boarder. He's an Arabian.

This is Absolom. Being a happy horse. XDD. I like this one. Lol.

Well that's it for now. Maybe I'll add some newer pics later. =]

My trip!

Self-explanatory. On Tuesday, June 24 we (my youth group) left for Creation! We were on the road for about 2 1/2 hours, and part of that is spent sitting in line. Once we got there, we spent a couple hours setting up our campsite. Yes, a couple hours. About 60 people probably went and there was a lot to set up. This includes 3 tents together for the guys, 3 tents together for the girls (not camping tents, the kind you would eat under) , 1 tent for the kitchen, 2 stoves for the kitchen, 2 showers to set up and hook up with the water tank, and lots of other small things to prepare. Yeah, we brought a whole moving truck full of our stuff. Oh, and we also had a refrigerator, a big chest freezer, and a pantry which were kept in the truck. To sleep, we have this tradition of hanging hammocks in the tents. To all who oppose, hammocks are very comfortable to sleep in. You can lay completely flat in them if you want, and they're just all around comfy. Most of the youth group loves them! =]

So here is our home for the week! This is only showing 2 of the tents, the third one is behind me. A lovely bedroom, if I do say so myself. ;]. Although, when it rained the rain would come in between the cracks of the tents, but that's not a problem as long as you move your stuff away from the cracks. It does get kind of annoying though when you go to climb into your hammock for the night and everything is a little damp. You sleep nonetheless, because of the exhaustion of that day, it's just something you get tired of. Also, we take plastic totes and/or footlockers to put our stuff in. That way, if the lid is on the dew doesn't get in there and make all your clothes damp. Truly a good idea on the part of our wonderful youth leaders. Now for the music and speakers!! Every day you have to go down to the main stage and lay out your tarp, and that's your spot in the audience for the whole day. So, at around 4 a.m. some of the guys would take our tarp down. We always got a wonderful spot, and I applaud greatly the people that got up so early. =]]. So, at 9 was the first event of the day. There would be praise and worship and then a speaker. After the speaker a couple bands, another speaker at around 11. After the second speaker we usually went back to camp for lunch. We always had wonderful lunches too, like hot dogs and burgers and one day enchiladas. Yum yum yummmm. There were dinners just as good, home cooked!!! Ahh, food is the best. =P.

Well, some of my favorite artists/bands are Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson, Switchfoot, Kutless, Toby Mac, Sanctus Real, Newsboys, and SOOO MANY others I just can't think of at the moment, XD. I only got pictures of Switchfoot, Kutless, Hawk Nelson, and Jeremy Camp though. So here they are!!

DISCLAIMER: I apologize for the extremety of

low quality in these pictures, all the close-up ones are of the big screen so..yeah. =P

NOTE: Captions are beside the pictures.

ANYWAY, Jon Foreman!!! He grew his hair out since last year. Not particularly a turn on for me, but I love this guy. I'm completely obsessed with Switchfoot at the moment. And hopefully all other moments following. WHOO! And now for more horrible pictures...

<- I like that one. =D. I just now noticed that little boo-boo there on his elbow. XD. I know, I'm kind of pathetic. But still. XDD. And this one is higher quality than the last one. XD.

...Mmmkay yeah..this one is downright crappy. >.<. BUT anyway, he completely came into the crowd, and this is NOT a picture of the screen. It was freaking awesome. =P

<- And this is him coming out of the crowd. Yes, it's of the screen. =P

HAWK NELSON!! One of the few pics I could get of the stage that turned out pretty darn well. =P Let me just say, this is one of my favorite bands. <33

Gotta love Jason Dunn. Then again, I do love him!! He's awesomeee. Andd I'm only adding 2 pics of Hawk Nelson because they're basically all the same.

Kutless!! He's so buff. =P

Lol, this was when the screen was changing, like fading into another angle. I thought it looked cool. =P

JEREMY CAMP!!! AAAHHH!!! Lol, let me make known right now, he is my FAVORITE. I'm sorry. It's a place of honor. It has sentimental value. It can't be undone. And also this is NOT a pic of the screen. Loove him. *melts* =P

=D Looove him.

Did I mention I love him?? XD

Anyway, overall, you could say Creation was AWESOME. Not just the music, it was just an amazing time, fellowshiping with each other and stuff. And of course how moving the speakers were, the whole week was just downright awesome. I can't wait until next year. <3

Creation??

So...what is Creation festival?? Well..I will tell. =]. Basically it is a 5 day Christian music festival. The biggest Christian concert in America. There are also many amazing speakers and new artists putting themselves out there and being more recognized, as well as many amazing and very popular artists and bands. Here is a brief description taken from the website:
"Hundreds of thousands of people have been spiritually enriched and made life-changing decisions for Christ and we give God all the glory. Many who originally came as a youth or young adult are now returning with their own children and grandchildren! By the grace of God, Creation has been passed from generation to generation as an event that God uses to touch people with His good news!
Each day is jam packed with music, teaching and activities for all ages including the hottest bands performing on our Main and Fringe stages, Creation Worships tent, seminars, climbing walls, kids activities, vendors, and more! The laid back atmosphere allows you to choose your own pace. Although there is a wide selection of musical artists to choose from each day, The Creation Festival is about much more than music. Creation is also about honoring the Word of God. Each year many fantastic speakers join us at the festival. Their seminars provide a variety of vital and relevant messages to challenge and inspire you in your relationship with the Lord.
The Creation Festival is all about changing lives and glorifying our Creator. Our prayer for at CREATION '08 is that people will be changed, restored, and challenged to serve the Lord and to make a difference in this world. Plan on joining us!
'It could be the highlight of your summer, maybe your life!'"

Last year I went to this festival with my youth group and it was an amazing time. There are about 100,000 people who attend. That's a big number!!! It's such a cool thing to be surrounded by people who love the Lord, it's a great atmosphere. The speakers and bands are all very moving, and during Creation I'm always at a spiritual high. It was definitely the highlight of my summer, and maybe even my life. ;]

The First Blog

Well this is the very first blog ever. I guess I will stick with the theme of blogging, and just tell you what's going on ;]. Creationfest 2008 is tomorrow!! Whoo!!! Very excited about that. Going with about 50 people from my youth group. The rest of the summer, well I'm riding and dancing as usual. And in my spare time I'm volunteering at a local horse rescue about 5 minutes from my house. Fun fun. So, nothing too much is going on right now, except creation of course. =]. Summer dance classes technically start tomorrow, but because of creation I will not be going until next week. I'll keep you updated. =]