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

General Conference

Conference was really good. Last time was when I really got something out of Conference and came to appreciate it, because we were assigned in seminary to take notes. I got what I needed at that time, and I still remember what most of the talks were about without even looking at my notes or the ensign or whatever. So I was all ready to take notes this time, but I ended up just quilting the whole time. The time went by amazingly fast. (I finished 1 and a half on my grandmother's flower garden quilt!!!) It didn't even seem like there were enough speakers. I really liked Elder Holland's talk about angels, the General Young Womens President's talk and Boyd K. Packer's talk. I'm so glad that we have a prophet, especially one that is so optimistic about the future and loving towards all people. A lot of the talks were about enjoying the time now and not fearing the future. Missionary work, gratitude, and helping those with trials (service) were other big themes I noticed. I liked how they talked about Joseph Smith a lot. I've become a lot more interested in him and his teachings ever since we moved to Nauvoo. I'm turning into a church history buff.

I love Elder Uchtdorf's accent. The way he pronounced Moroni...it was awesome.
And I really like this video. I hope you like it too. I will post about homecoming next time!

Run, run, Nick, run, run!

Nick deserves this post. He joined Cross Country his senior year. And he's good! There were over 250 kids in his first race, and was #14!!! He ran so hard that he passed out after the finish line and doesn't remember anything. But his family said he collapsed and had to be put on oxygen. He thinks he's a wimp for that, but obviously it's a guy thing because I wouldn't have run that hard in the first place. Why is it that guys can push themselves that hard? It's crazy. And I know how it feels to run. I did cross country last year. And I would have done it this year at this new school, but supposedly I have a heart murmur. Which my doctor in Utah said was fine, but my doctor here says I shouldn't be in school sports where it's competitive and I push myself really hard. (Like region track this spring when I ran the 2-mile that I hadn't trained for, and my heart hurt for the rest of the day) So I can still jog, but no school sports for me. That's called a wimp. Haha


Your legs get so big when you do cross country. It's a very physically demanding sport. You're not on a team where you can trade off with other players. You have to push yourself as hard as you can. You burn so many calories, you're hungry all day and eat huge meals. Our coach last year let us eat anything we want, even junk food because you definitely burn it off.
Cross country gets kind of pushed out of the way. Dang it, now I'm really missing it. Stupid physicals that tell you things you don't want to hear...

Good job, Nick!!!

Sending you lots of proudness from way out here in western Illinois!!!