merry christmas 2008!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

For many years the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had exhibits on the temple grounds during the Easter season. This year, there was also a 'Reflections of Christ' photography exhibit in the Visitor's Center. The photographer was given permission to photograph Pageant cast members for the exhibit. They traveled to various locations in Arizona that the photographer felt looked like the places in Israel where the events took place and recreated the scenes. The photographer worked with a few other individuals to put together a 5 minute slideshow which includes every image from the exhibit set to the hymn 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.'
Remember when you're watching the video that the photographs are real, they aren't paintings. Incredible!

Cozy, cozy

Life is good at Christmas time. This is the best Christmas present ever. I haven't been counting down the days until Christmas, anxious to open my presents. I'm enjoying each moment with my friends and family, enjoying the decorations, snow, movies, hot chocolate etc. so much more. All of the sudden, Christmas Day is almost here.

I've already been spoiled by Nick and his family with gifts. I love his family. I got a pair of aloe socks, a pair of socks from American Eagle, lotion, and a book from his grandma at their family Christmas party.

Nick already made me cd with my favorite songs, and a fleece blanket that he picked out the fabric himself and cut and tied the edges too. What a guy.

I'm at my grandma's now, and I fall asleep to the glowing Christmas tree and fire right next to me, wrapped in the blanket from Nick. It is very cozy.

I got to sing in the Messiah. 3 generations from the Limburg family got to sing in it. My grandma has let me lick the brownie bowl, snitch from her delicious cheeseballs, lick the frosting beaters, and eat homemade gingerbread that was extra from the gingerbread house we're making tonight. I'm stuffed to the rafters. She tried to give me hot chocolate too. I said no, because I would pop. I've been helping make the cheeseballs and deliver them to the neighbors, and practicing the duet I'm playing with my aunt Micaela at the family Christmas party on Chrismas Eve, and helping with the 3 little grandkids all day.

I'm going Christmas shopping tomorrow at the best mall in the world, and I get to see my first cousin once removed, Mariah at the Christmas party!!!

I hope your Christmas is just as cozy as mine.

Yay for Happy Day

Ooooh I'm in a good mood. I got an "A" in my college psychology class. I was so stressed to find out what my grade was today. I worked so stinking hard. And now I don't have to do the 5-page paper for extra credit like most of the other kids in my class. I got two of my finals back from Chemistry and American Literature and I got A's on both of those too. So my final grade will be an "A". And I'm done with my finals, and also my Christmas choir concert. So I was feeling rather jolly today.

And the fact that Christmas is almost here, I will be in Utah in 3 days, and I get to skip the last day and a half of school has me in good spirits. No more stressing over psych, no more studying all day after school, just packing up and getting giddy inside.

The only thing that dampered my mood was the last presentation in psych. (I did mine on Schizophrenia), this girl did hers on abortion. She was against it, just like me. But she had to show very very very graphic pictures of partial birth abortions. Like bloody babies in garbage cans. Um, let's just say I started silently crying and had to close my eyes. I'm already against it. This was not what I needed.
I didn't even know partial birth abortion existed until I knew Obama was for it. Just hearing about it made me cry and want to throw up. So just imagine what these pictures did to me. What is it with me and crying lately?!

But I tried to forget about it and it worked. Yay for the rest of my happy day.

Super Lexi

Yes. My very stressful week is finally over.

• I had final exams all week,
  
• a horrible cold,
• a 15 minute professional presentation on schizophrenia in my psychology class,
• taking care of the house while my mom is gone,
• and the ACT...

let me tell you. My brain is so stuffed full of information, it feels like a rock it's so hard. I could probably hurt somebody with it. So I've been studying and trying to take care of the house from the second I get home until I went to bed.

I went to take the ACT in Q-town, (I took Tashi with me) and stayed over at the Rodenberg's. Gloria and Mike always make sure we're comfortable. It's so cozy at their house. I watched "A Nativity Story" for the first time and I LOVED IT. I went to bed early, but of course I couldn't sleep from the stress of the next morning and had horrible dreams when I did fall asleep. The test was okay. There was a pregnant girl in my class, which seemed like an oxymoron to me.

And when I came home after the ACT, the house looked like...I don't want to use a word this horrible to describe it. Mia and Noah were still running around in their pajamas even though it was 2:30 in the afternoon. And they smelled bad. My dad was in the basement stressed out about the food storage shelves he was building. They were falling apart. So Tashi helped him for 3 hours (and they were successful), and I locked Mia and Noah in their bedrooms until they were spotless. I had to bathe them too. My original plan was to just clean the kitchen. But I did 2 loads of laundry, cleaned the living room, family room, the inside of the car, and finally the kitchen (keeping track of what Mia and Noah were doing at the same time). I felt like a mom. I was actually sweating from running around. It took me 3 hours. Then we finally realized that it was 5 pm, and the ward Christmas party started at 5:30. We didn't have a dessert, so we took the cake Rick gave me on Thursday. I didn't have time to shower. Loveliness.

After the party, Sarah came over, and we watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with our dad. It's a family tradition every Christmas. It's not Christmas without it. I cried at the end - the first time since age 4, since I've been watching it. I AM turning into my mom!!! Oh no!!!

brisingr

I was borrowing this book from a friend. And I just finished it today...I am in awe. I am not a fantasy freak. But I really do love these books. The ending in each one always blows you away. I love the movie too, but it doesn't do the books justice (of course). Lots of people say that his ideas aren't original and it's a mix of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and other fantasy stories. But I say, as long as he's a good writer, who cares? You get sucked into these books, and can't put them down. I had to read the last 2 chapters in homeroom today even though I had a semester exam I needed to study for the next period. And the 2nd book ended on a sad note, and this book did too, to some degree, but the happy news cancels it out for me. I'd been waiting 3 books to find out this happy news. I was the only person who thought that it was true. And from the ending of the 2nd book, it didn't look like it was going to happen. But it did! (I know that doesn't really make sense, but I can't even give the slightest thing away). They're very long, but worth the read. The middle always gets a little boring, but it's worth it because the ending is...ahhhhh!
I totally recommend this series. I'm totally excited for the final book (#4!!!)
Has anybody else read it?

Let it Snow!!!

We got out of school early today!!! I cannot describe my happiness.

I had a horrible cold on Monday. I almost didn't make it home alive. I did my homework and went to bed really early. My dad even came in during the night and turned off my alarm clock so I would sleep longer and not go to seminary. I really didn't want to go to school today, but our semester exams are coming right up and we're reviewing for them and finishing up projects. So I had to go. I almost wanted my parents to come get me after 3rd period, because then all my important classes would be done with. But my dad is taking my mom to the airport 3 hours away. So that was not a possibility.

Our class was scribbling away on our study guides in 3rd period American History, when an office aid brought a note in. Our teacher gasped while she was reading. I thought somebody had died haha. She told us that we were getting out of school in 30 minutes and were to go straight to our next class. This certain teacher hates plans her lessons weeks in advance and hates it when things get in the way. So our study guides are homework now...but at least I'm not in school anymore!!! We were only in our 4th period class for a few minutes before they said the N-town kids needed to leave right then. It was only raining, so we didn't understand why we were getting out, but we didn't care as long as we got to go home!!!

But then the ice hit halfway home. Now I know what they mean when it doesn't really snow in Illinois, it just gets really icy. It's a really really wet snow that you can't play in because it's just slush, (and it never snows enough to play in anyways). But it starts freezing and turns into ice immediately. Icicles were already forming on my car and Eli had to hack at the ice on the windshield so hard. We all stepped into a pile of slush and piled in the Subaru. As I was stopping to turn onto a road, I was tapping my brakes, but we started sliding and couldn't stop. A car was coming at us from the side, and we were about to get t-boned. The car barely stopped in time, and as we turned onto the road, we fishtailed. I drove at 10 miles an hour the whole way home.

I got Mia safely home too. Okay, I'm starting to talk like a mom...
But now mutual is canceled too. I have so much time to work on homework. And school might even be canceled tomorrow!!!

freshmen

I am not going writing a hate blog. (Which has actually become the inside joke among the teenagers in this little town - "I'm going to write a hateblog about you!". I am more upset about myself for this one. I would sit in the front half of the bus every day to and from school.

And then, all of the sudden, one day, he pulled the people who sat in the very back 4 rows of the bus and made them sit in the front 4 rows and pushed everybody back. Supposedly there was a big gash cut open in the back of the seat in one of the last rows. Our bus driver was screaming at us because this was brand new bus, and that was vandalism. And they probably had a knife which was illegal too. He said it would cost $500 to fix the seat. And he could keep a better eye on the people who had been sitting in the back while until they found the culprit. He went on and on, and I was going to be late for work. I barely made it in time.

Those people kept sitting in the front, and our bus driver kept telling us to tell him or the principal who did it, even if they had been threatened. And who ever knew but wasn't telling, was a accomplice too. And if somebody didn't tell soon, he would assign seats randomly for the whole bus. This was getting more and more annoying and upsetting for me. Because it had nothing to do with me. I had no idea in the world who did it, but I was still getting punished for it. People finally started telling.

Yesterday, they brought it down to 2 people, both of them freshman boys. But neither of them will confess. So he assigned us seats. And if we aren't sitting in those exact seats, we can get punished. This shouldn't be happening to me. I'm a junior. If school wasn't 30 miles away, I would drive everyday, but I don't want to pay my parents the money for gas either.

So...I get stuck on a bus with way immature freshmen who swear and talk about the grossest stuff. Seriously that's all they can talk about. Every other word is vulgar. When they were sitting on the back of the bus, you couldn't hear them. But when they were in the front, they were all you could hear unless you were having a conversation with someone sitting next to you, for some reason. And now they're spread out evenly throughout the bus because of assigned seats, so you'll be able to hear them no matter what. They don't get punished for the language.

I know everyone says freshman ruin the upper-classmen's lives because they're immature, but this is not an exaggeration. Why are all my freedoms on the already annoying bus being taken away even though I'm innocent and have been obeying all the rules. Those kids just shouldn't be allowed to ride the bus anymore. And seriously, once it's down to 2 people, why wouldn't you just confess? It's not just going to be let go. Why are people so messed up in this world? I just want to discipline those children until they grow up and start acting like normal human beings. I'm sorry. But it isn't fair for the whole bus to be punished for something they didn't do.

Date!!!

played lazer tag...
I went on a quad date over Thanksgiving break. I had so much fun.

We went to a pizza place...

celebrated Joseph's birthday, bought him some shoes...

and watched Spiderman 1

Random, surprise, group dates are always really fun

Yay for Thanksgiving

I had so much fun at Ella and Charles house. It was a very long drive, but I had so much fun!!! (I didn't even realize that I had repeated myself about having fun.) We knew them when they were in our English ward in Japan. I hadn't seen them since I was in 2nd grade. They came and stayed over at our house a couple of weeks ago to go to the temple. Ella and Charles were as shy as I had remembered them. But all of the sudden they opened up and were just as crazy as me and Tashi. Which made me like them even more - they're just like me when it comes to making friends. I'm really shy around people until I get to know them a little bit. Age didn't really matter. We both love Hollister.
Their kids have the coolest names!!! Eleanor (Ella), Charles, Lucinda (Lucy), Isabella (Ibby), and Phineas (Phin). Baby Phin is the darlingest thing ever. Even Gracie likes him.

Somebody brought a frogs-eye salad to the dinner. Luckily, because aunty gina told me there was pineapple in it a few days ago, I was able to stay as far away from that as I could.

We played so many games. We jumped on the trampoline. And had a potty parade (everyone has to go to the bathroom at the same time after Thanksgiving dinner). They live in a 1918 house. It's so cool. Their family has the most amazing hot chocolate ever. And we got to have Japanese food for dinner the night before Thanksgiving. I felt at home. There's nothing like laughing your guts out with people you don't know very well and having contests to see who can eat the most whipped cream.

Yay for $7 purchases at Hollister

You just want to hold him

Me and Ella have the exact same pair of jeans, we didn't buy them at the same time though

Our Hollister coats even looked alike. With our matching jeans. This picture makes me look short

We're folding napkins!!!

Noah and Ibby playing with Fisher Price pilgrims

Our moms bought Mia and Lucy matching shirts at Gap

The boys just played basketball like the whole time


Charles "goes when he goes" haha I couldn't fix the red eye in that one eye

I took this picture on my mom's camera. I like the lighting

Baby Phin and his mommy

My dad on the computer. Like always

The teenager table

Hope you had as fun of a Thanksgiving Day as I did. We go to the Rodenbergs on Saturday after they get back from Oklahoma yayyayayayayyayayayaya

Turkey Day

Yay for Thanksgiving. We are driving 2.5 hours to our friends house to stay over!!! I will read Brisingr on the way. It is the most amazing book ever. And I'll sleep. Oh glorious sleep. And eat until my guts hurt. And take lots of pictures.

I will get to relax. My 15 page paper is turned in, my rundraiser went better than I thought it would, (which is due the day I go back to school after Thanksgiving), I paid back my phonebill, I got lots of hours, so I'm not in the hole anymore. My final exams won't be as hard as I thought they were going to be (and I don't have a final exam in my college class - happy day!)

So all I need to focus on basically is the ACT (which ties my stomach up in knots just thinking about it) and my 15 minute presentation on my 15 page paper. Hopefully it will just be like giving a talk in church, Only, I have never given a talk that long. Oh well. I'm too relaxed to worry about those things. If I finish Brisingr, I can go on to New Moon and Eclipse. Reading relaxes me beyond belief.

Hooray Hooray Lexi is happy

Twilight Squees Your Pants Off

I saw Twilight on Friday!!! It exceeded my expectations. The only 2 things I would change are:
1. I wish they would have talked about Jasper's power
2. They could have done more with the hospital scene at the end

"Could you believe that, despite everything I’ve put you through, I love you, too?"
- Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 20, p.418

What if I’m not a superhero? What if I’m the bad guy?
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 5, p.92

Do I dazzle you?
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 8, p.168

Do you truly believe that you care more for me than I do for you?
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 10, p.208

I told you — you don’t see yourself clearly at all. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever known. You fascinate me.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 12, p.245

Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 13, p.268

The blush on your cheeks is lovely.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 13, p.275

I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here as long as you need me.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Chapter 24, p.471

I’m sorry if there’s been some kind of miscommunication, but Bella is unavailable tonight. To be perfectly honest, she’ll be unavailable every night, as far as anyone besides myself is concerned. No offense. And I’m sorry about your evening.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Epilogue, p.483

He called you pretty. That’s practically an insult, the way you look right now. You’re much more than beautiful.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Epilogue, p.493

I’m not worth it.
Edward Cullen, Twilight, Epilogue, p.497

I am not obcessed, Nick. I have not read the series 8 times, and I didn't go to the midnight showing. I was just afraid the movie would be stupid and it wasn't!!! Yay!!!

Midnight Twilight

My 15 page paper is done Done DONE!!! It's printed off and everything. That's a big relief. And I am like the ONLY person not going to the midnight showing of twilight. And every girl will be talking about it at school tomorrow. Ugh. I won't see it until Friday or Saturday night.

But I'm really liking Kristen's dress. Him wearing the all black, not so much.


But I am really excited!!!

UTAH UTAH UTAH

I'm about to lose it.

1. My 15 page paper is due on the 24th, we don't have a printer
2. My cellphone bill was $98 (I'm having to rake leaves for my parents to pay it back)
3. So I have negative amounts of money (and don't know how I'm going to get the $5 to see Twilight this weekend)
4. I have a 12-15 minute formal presentation about this 15 page paper on Dec. 10
5. I have final exams Dec. 8-11
6. I'm getting no hours at work
7. I have a fund-raiser for our junior prom
8. I'm taking the ACT for the first time on Dec. 13

Seriously, 12-15 minute presentation? I'm a fast talker. And who makes teenagers sell fruit for their fund-raiser? At least the sophomores sold candy bars which were cheap and yummy, but since this fruit is expensive, we have to beg adults. My friends would really have to love me if they're willing to shell out $24. Fruit. Fruit. Fruit. Migoodness. I'm running out of time on my paper. I'm stressed that I'll do really bad on the ACT. I'm afraid I won't pass my college class (the paper and presentation are half my grade). I'm trying to grow out my hair for prom.

But if I get through all of this...

my reward is going to UTAH for Christmas!!! And I get to miss a couple of days of school for it!!!
That's one reason why I'm so stressed out about money...

So I'm isolated at home for the week, except for tomorrow. I'm working for the first time in almost 2 weeks. And we have a talent show for mutual. But I seriously need to buckle down on this paper.
*peaceful utah thoughts*

Twilight

I'm reading Twilight right now. Because I need to read it again before the movie comes out!!! I try to find time at school and on the bus to read it. I go into my own little world. Twilight's my favorite book out of the 4.

But the reason why I do like reading it, is because I do have somebody that dazzles my frequently. ahahahaha

Yay for Nov. 21

Veterans Day

We went to Springfield, Illinois as a family today. It was a long drive, and very gloomy and cold. We toured the Lincoln's home. We all got to touch the hand railing on the stairs that Abraham Lincoln touched every day. The museum was amazing. I got lost from my dad and Tashi on a walk though tour. So I was taking my time all alone. Seeing the wax figures of a black slave family being torn apart because they're all being sold to separate places...a darkened room with a casket lit up (representing Lincoln's body touring the country)...pictures of all the dead soldiers...it really hit me. I'm so glad to be an American. But I will never forget growing up in Japan. I always wonder how much simpler and how different my life would have been if I hadn't grown up there...
But if the founding fathers wouldn't have done what they did, if the soldiers in the revolutionary war hadn't sacrificed for what they thought was right, we wouldn't have had a free country. There wouldn't have been freedom of religion, and so our church wouldn't have started and my parents wouldn't have met Dr. Samejima (a member of our church) and we wouldn't have gotten Mia and Noah from Japan. 99% of my best friends in Japan are members of the church.
Just thinking about it that way really put it into perspective.
How much more good would have come if George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Joseph Smith hadn't died early deaths?
What would have happened to our country if they hadn't existed, or stood up for right?
They were all amazing men. And I am very grateful for them.

Here's the Gettysburg Address:



And Sullivan Ballou's last letter to his wife. I bawl like I baby every time I read, watch, or hear this. Oh goodness. This was a good man too.

Psychology

My college psychology teacher is psychotic. (very ironic)
I could tell a million different stories about her and how our whole class complained about her to the principal. She told on a girl in my class that was staring at her. This girl got in trouble. What?! She's in the front of the room talking. We're supposed to be listening to her and taking notes. Of course we're supposed to be looking at her. In fact she gets really angry at her if we flip through our textbooks etc. while she's talking. What else are we supposed to do? She keeps telling us we're going to wish we had her back when we go on to real college.
And she's making us write a 15 page paper, along with a 15 minute presentation on it. And then of course there's final exams. I'm so happy that I'll be done with that horrible class at Christmas. I am throwing myself a party when it's done and over with.
So I'm frantically trying to write this 15 page paper, due the 24th of November. ALA style, summarizing 5 medical journals and stating our opinion. My paper is on schizophrenia. Let me tell you, summarizing medical journals is not fun.
And this is ridiculous. I've talked to real college students and they've never had to do any sort of paper that long. The college speech class's longest speeches were 8 minutes long. *sigh of despair*
The paper and presentation are half my grade. Hopefully it goes over well.
I will be writing frantically until the 24th, trying not to write on my blog or get on facebook...

WCC Honor Choir

I went to WCC honor choir last Tuesday. We drove to Western Illinois University, and basically sung our guts out all day. We went over songs that we had only been over a couple of times and tore them apart. We were working an hour on each song. No talking to anyone around you, sitting straight up on the edge of your seat, sometimes standing for a long time. Yes, it was hard.

But it was so fun to have a choir big a loud and professional looking. He made us practice standing up and sitting down so many times. He also let us watch his chorus class sing some songs. They were crazy good. It made us feel like little kids.
And of course this was all on election day.

The concert that parents could come watch started at 7 pm. So I was itching wanting to know what was going on with the election. I wore my republican glasses.

Almost every song we sang, Dr. Stegall would say, I know this composer!

We sang:

Gate Gate (buddhist new age song)
The Last Words of David
The National Anthem
Christmas Time is Here (from Charlie Brown Christmas)
True Light (this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...)
etc

We started with the national anthem, and when we sang it, I had this really strong feeling that America's still going to be okay. And even though the election results weren't my favorite, just the fact that we have the freedom to support and vote anybody we choose.
It was kind interesting that from the very beginning of Last Words of David, it says "He that ruleth over men, must be just, ruling in the fear of God"

Here's 2 videos of Gate Gate and Last Words of David - not of our school, but just so you can get a feel for what these songs sounded like

Last Words of David


Gate Gate


And the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Last Words of David: (it's a really hard song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBnLIzZuNNM

Obama

I am am extremely disappointed with the results of Tuesday's elections.

I know that our country needed a change, and I do admire Obama for a lot of reasons, one of them being that he is an amazing public speaker. I also think that is it great that we all have just witnessed history. One day we are going to look in our daughter's history book and be like yeahhhh I remember that night! It showed that our country is moving forward. And I am not racist at all, I'm sick of hearing that from people who just have no clue whats going on.

I do not agree with a lot of Obama's views. The first one being his religious views. He claims to be such a Christian and everything, now but if that is true then why didn't he get sworn into congress on the Bible? Did you know that he went to a Muslim school for 2 years? And was raised as a Muslim by his Muslim step father. That is something that concerns me because religion is a very important part of my life and I dont want someone running our country who I do not believe is strong enough in his faith. But you can't judge him on only this issue right?

The 2nd thing is his views on abortion, he thinks that it is right to kill babies, living, breathing, babies, human lives. How is it okay not to value human lives? He also supports third term/partial-birth abortion. Which is leaving babies to die after they have been born. Do you know how many loving couples want to have babies so bad and Obama thinks that it is okay for them to just be killed. I'm sorry but that really bothers me. Deeply. Especially in our family.

I know our country needs a change but I don't think that they quite understand the extent of the change that our country is about to go through. It is actually a very scary thought. And it concerns me extremely. I really can't get past the fact that someone who isn't centered on Christ is going to run our country. He was also quoting as saying that he was going to change our country's flag to a symbol to "hope and love" and change our national anthem because the words "bombs bursting in air" suggest war. I'm sick of hearing all day that I'm a racist! Because, for me, this has nothing to do with his race, it has to do with his views and character. That is just my personal opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I could go on forever about this. I really hope I'm wrong and Obama turns out to be an awesome president and gets this country back on its feet but at the moment I'm scared.

I really wish I was voting this year. If I was just 11 months older...
I wasn't super into the politics until I just barely found out what Obama will support if he is voted president.

I didn't even know what "partial-birth abortion" was until I found out Obama was for it. When I heard what it was, my stomach lurched and I wanted to cry. But that's not the only thing.

I could write so much about this, but I found this on Kelly's husband's blog. And this is exactly how I feel. He just says it better. Click here to go to his blog and watch the videos. I love Kennedy's statements: "Obama eats babies" and "I won't live to be a teenager if Obama is voted president". Ooooh I'm nervous for Tuesday night. Don't you like what me and Kennedy went and bought at Rue 21?

College

My brain is on crazy mode. I was wishing I was a senior this year because all my best friends are seniors this year and I felt like I was going to be left behind next year while they're all going to college and going on with their lives. But all of the sudden I'm so glad I'm not a senior anymore. I still have a lot of growing up to do. I still need to take more college classes and catch up on credits. I need more time to work on my Personal Progress. I still need another year of seminary. This has just hit me all recently.

I was so excited to go out on my own. But I am not ready. I need to mature. I keep saying stupid things. I need to learn to hold my tongue more.

I'm just taking my first college class right now. Psychology. And I hate it. I have to write an APA style, 15 page paper on schizophrenia by November 24th. And I have to give an exactly 15 minute presentation on my paper in front of the class. I'm pretty stressed...I just registered to take the ACT for the first time too. I'm very nervous.

I'm just really worried about not getting into the college I want to (BYU duh). My dreams would be crushed. It's scary to think about college. I need to mentally prepare myself for living on my own. I'm not looking forward to the college papers though. But I want to be like my parents who both went to BYU and did amazing. But I'm definitely not as amazing as my mom was in high school. I need to stop getting B's on all my Algebra II assignments.

My mind is just blown over right now. I love high school and hate it at the same time. I feel like every little thing I'm doing right now is affecting my future even in little ways.

Comments?

Anastasia Romanov

I have always been fascinated by Anastasia. I don't know why. As a little girl, I loved the movie, and as silly and stupid as it is, and I still do. My mom hated it. And wished that she'd never surprised us and taken us to see it at the movie theater. I loved reading books about and looking at pictures of the Romanov family.

I really hoped that she had survived. (Now they know that she didn't) And kind of hoping that I'd find out that I really was part of a royal family too, and that I really was a princess. Me and Tashi having Russian names probably had something to do with it.

I love Meg Ryan, John Cusack, and Angela Lansbury's voices.

This song just makes me happy and takes me back to being a little girl and watching this over and over again with Tashi. The good days. Am I the only one that really likes Anastasia?

Home Sick

I'm home sick from school today. I'm not terribly ill, but I don't want to look like him.

Whenever I start to feel sick I know it's my body telling me to:

1. get more sleep
2. eat healthier
3. have more time to myself and to meditate
4. relax and enjoy what i have

I know I'm a weirdo but it's true. I need time to myself everyday. I need to think deeply about what happened through the day. I need to read books. I need to quilt. I need to listen to good music. I need to play the piano and imagine I will be an amazing composer like Patrick Doyle someday. I need to write in my journal and pour out my deepest thoughts. I need to cuddle up in my Ikea bed with my Ikea duvet and super soft black blanket my mom found. I need to paint my nails. I need to try on clothes and wish I have more. I need to dance to the music I listen to. I need to sing. I need to daydream and get all tickly on the inside. And I need to read my scriptures.

But usually each day leaves me with just enough time to read my scriptures. Which is the most important. But I go crazy if I don't get to do the rest of the things I mentioned above. Which is why today I will be shnuggled in my comfy bed, resting, daydreaming, reading my amazing book, and every so often I will get up to quilt or play the piano.

Not lopsided anymore!!!

It doesn't look lop-sided anymore!!!

Here's the new block. Notice the real 1930's feedsack in there, passed down from my mommy and her large antique/vintage fabric collection.

This one just makes me happy

Emma Woodhouse is my kindred spirit

Of course I love Jane Austen. And Pride and Prejudice is good too. But it is not my favorite (gasp!). Emma is my favorite. I relate to her so much better than Elizabeth Bennet. Or any of the other Jane Austen characters. And I am constantly being scolded. (Badly done, Emma!) I have decided she is my kindred spirit. And I think Mr. Knightley is way more amazing than Mr. Darcy. But that's just me. What's your favorite? And why? I found this video on youtube, and it makes me happy. (How he gets all jealous of Frank Churchill *sigh*) Emma and Mr. Knightley just make me happy. And it's happy because it's an old song. Ooooh I'm all tingly inside. Jane Austen is genius. Me and Tashi are having a Jane Austen marathon and I'm planning on reading Emma when I'm done with the book I'm reading right now.

Quilting

I'm in a quilting frenzy mood. It takes me so long to make one of these blocks and attach it onto the quilt top.

But I worked on it all during general conference. It's fun to do while I talk on the phone. Or while I'm watching movies. Or eating peanut butter m&m's that make me hyper. I'm working on the block that will fill that empty spot on the bottom right. I'm using bright, 1930's reproduction fabrics. But all the yellows in between the blocks are real feedsack (thank you, mommy!!!). I love hand-piecing. You don't need the sewing machine with you, and it's not noisy. The perfect thing to do when you're watching Jane Austen movies.

This is what my quilt would look like neon. I can't help messing around with pictures.
Am I the only teenager that quilts?

I promised I'd post about homecoming. I wasn't as excited for the homecoming at my new school this year. Because I won't lie, our football team stinks big time. My old school's football team didn't lose a single game until state. So it was really fun to watch them play and get all "school-spirit-y" for homecoming. But our homecoming week was so much fun here. Everybody really got into it!!! There was class color day (the juniors were yellow), twin day, pajama day, crazy day, and spirit day. Everyone dressed up so much.

The classes were easy, no homework, and we had fun things during homeroom everyday (volleyball games, karaoke, dance-offs, pep rallies, and hall decorating). Everyone opened up a lot more, became more friendly, showing "themselves" more, showing more school pride. I loved going to school everyday that week. I feel a lot closer with my classmates. I think the seniors are having a harder time because they combined schools their last year at high school, but we have an extra year. I think we'll be an awesome senior class. And 2010 is a cool year.

2020 would be cooler, I have to admit. But we're into the teens of the 2000s! School's still school, but I like it a lot more now. Especially because our principal let us walk to Casey's during our digital photography class to go buy treats. (Look at Marley and Kyle's amazing footie pajamas!!!)





Amber is adorable.

They put tubes in their hair! Of course we got slaughtered at our game 60-6. And I didn't get asked to the dance. But it's okay because I got asked to the one in Q-town, which was a way bigger school and much more fun.

And just a side-note. Look at the difference between what the girls wear to homecoming this year at my new school (1st picture), and what the girls wore at my old school to the homecoming this year(2nd picture). I'm not saying anything against either side, it's just very different. Let's just say if I wore the kind of dress the girls at my old school wore to a dance here...I would stand out very much

new school

old school