Sick day... And what to do

Wow! Two posts in two days, don't expect this again :)
But I'm sick, so I figured "hey, why not do a post on all of my tips for sick days?" So here it is.
Avoid getting sick:
It's winter, its cold, and sickness spreads a lot easier. Why? One reason is school, sharing a class room with a good fifteen to twenty other people is a good way to spread germs. It's like a chain reaction thing, one person gets sick, they get someone else sick, and so on.
So how do you avoid this? Don't quit school, that's not the point. Do the basic things you are taught as a child: wash your hands, sneeze into your elbow, and do everyone else a favor and stay home if you feel something coming on. Take vitamins and eating healthy helps. Just ask your mom, she'll have a good sized list on this type of stuff.
Being sick
Different sicknesses are, well, different! But one basic thing is to visit he doctor if its really bad. I have has strep about 8 times so I know right away if I have it. Try and identify what you have right away. The longer you wait to go to the Dr., the worse it could get. This is something you don't want to put off! If you have been sick for three days, and you are suddenly worse, GO! It may be that your body is making a big push to kick out the invasion, but it could be something that you need antibiotics for. Better safe than sorry.
If your really congested, you will probably get a sore throat and headache. Fun, right? Some things that help are Viks Vapor. It really helps, especially if you put it on your feet (I have no Idea why it works, but it does), or putting your face over hot water (for the steam). A hot shower works the same. Put some cyanne pepper in your soup or oatmeal or whatever you happen to eat, that stuff is like the miracle cure!
Have a stomach ache? This can be a predicessor to lots of major sicknesses, so you don't want to put off going to the doctor. I speak from personal experience: one time I had strep, the other time it was semonela (no idea how to spell it).
Head ache? I have nothing to tell you. I have never had a headache unless its from congestion.
But a very important thing to remember is STAY HIDRATED!
Entertainment
Here's the thing, thee is no chance that you will be thinking 100% clear when you're sick. Don't attempt to write a report for English, or catch up on any homework on the first day. If you have reading or something easy, go ahead. But any work that you do will be crappy. Wait until you are feeling better to do anything hard-core.
Don't watch any really depressing/dramatic/action movies or TV shows. I'm a HUGE Doctor Who fan, but that is probably the last thing that I would suggest to watch if you're sick. Watch something light and funny. Keep a box of movies and shows to watch when you're sick. When I was younger, my parents didn't let me watch a lot of the Disney Chanel shows, unless I was sick. Laughter is the best medicine! My personal "sick day favorites" are The Brady Bunch and iCarly. If there is a particular show that you want to watch, but it tends to be dark, find a funny episode.
Books. I love to read, and have spent he majority of my day reading The Half Blood Prince.co there is nothing better than a good book to keep you company! Have something that you enjoy doing easily accessable, so you don't have to search all over the house for your 3H pencil so you can finish you drawing. Have a playlist on your iPod with good music that's not to fast, but not depressing. Sometimes it can be hard to sleep when you're sick, so have a movie readily avalible, too. My personal favorite for this is The Incredables. It's not too involved, but it has an enjoyable plot.
Finally, don't forget to excrsise some! Take a short walk, do a few pushups or something. Don't over-exert yourself or anything, just get the blood flowing. It really helps.
Ok, well, just random things about being sick. Ciao!

What i've been up to...

What's happend since I left off:

• I went to CVI (you can read about it On Graces blog, because I'm just to lazy to really write about it). Besides, she does a better job than I ever would! Maybe I'll copy my journal entries for it, but not today. My Ahsoka costume worked out, but the headdress was 4lbs!  Meeting my Lakehouse sisters was awesome! It was the best weekend of my summer, and all of the girls are just so amazing and beautiful and awesome!!!!!!! It was like we had known each other our whole lives!  

My beautiful sisters! 

• I started high school... I really wish there wasn't so much homework involved. 
• I continued to do high school
• I swear I will kill something if I have to do more high school

that sums up my life. Hogh school, high schoool, high school. 

OH! I finished watching Captain America this morning! *dies of feels* PEGGYSTEVEWHY!

Season 7 of Doctor Who started! I cried. PEGGYSTEVEAMYRORYWHY!

'Mark of Athena' came out! PERCYANNABETHAMYRORYPEGGYSTEVE WHYYYYYYY!

I am done shipping canon ships. It never ends well. So I shall happily go on shipping Zutara!

Ok, well I have do go do more school... MTFBWY!

Wrap up of summer

Wow! I've had a busy last month of summer!

We had family out in the beginning of August, and then again at the end of august. the time in between was spent creating an Ahsoka costume and planning stuff with the other TLF girls that were going.

(Ahsoka's lekku, my sunglasses, tea, and math book, and a whole bunch of sewing stuff)

One weekend we went up to our second house, and my brother had friends up so they could make a movie. I became the makeup artist. Actually, I'm not that bad in my opinion:

(bullet hole)

Not long after that weekend my cousins Torri and Elise visited with their parents. It was lots of fun seeing them again after so many years! The last time I saw them we were... about 4, maybe 3? It was really fun and I stayed at Grands house while they were here. While I was there I wrote the poems and drew the pics that are in the "Poems" post. I also found a picture I did when I was about 7 or 8, and re created it. Sorry, they're a little fuzzy.

Well, I think my artistic skills improved a lot after 6 years! I'm going to re-draw this picture again in a few years.

Well, after Torri and Elise left, we had about a week and then Mom's brother came into town for a few days. One day we made a family tree/photo album together with about a hundred old photographs going back to my great-great-grandparents (on my Grand's side, I think).

On Thursday, Aug. 23, my parents and I got up SUPER early (like at 4 am!) and drove to the local airport. Off to CVI!

7 lies about home schoolers

(Before you read this post, you should probably watch the video!)

Background on my home schooled life: I went to school for PreK-3rd grade, home schooled 4th-7th grade, and then went back to the same school for 8th grade. Next year for 9th grade I'm going to do independent study (extra points if you know what that is!)  and then for the rest of high school I'll be going to a Christian school about 45 min. away from where I live.

This post is just going to be my comments on this video.


7. Home schoolers are really sheltered.

Maybe I was sheltered, but not that much. I actually was pretty up-to-speed with the op culture stuff. But that dosent mean that I liked it (although, I loved Lady Gaga and *gags* Justin Bieber in 6th grade. I wend through this weird pop phase.) I read a lot of books, and I went to see lots and lots and lots of movies. I have lots of friends who really know whats going on in the outside world, so I learned plenty of stuff. So yes, I was sheltered, but my parents knew what a healthy exposure to the world was. I also think that I could do pretty well in a creation/evolution debate thanks to the Jonathan Park CDs and my youth pastor.

6. Go to church every day.

Yes, I went to church on Sunday and Tuesday and Wednesday and occasionally Friday, but thats not weird is it? NO, just kidding. I was involved with two youth groups, so thats why I went on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Friday was just for special events. But, I have to say that most of the middle schoolers in both groups were home schooled!

5. Home schoolers dont actually do school.

I hate to brag, but if I didn't pay attention and do school during homeschool, then how did I get honors both semesters when I went back to a private Catholic school that is one of the top schools in our area? Please, if I didn't do school in homeschool, I probably wouldn't have been accepted!

4. Have no friends.

Actually, being home schooled made me much more outgoing, and I made lots of friends! That independence that I learned during homeschool also helped me in 8th grade to win 3rd place in the county Science Fair and getting a solo in the spring concert. I was willing to step out and talk to people.

3. Really Shy.

Some people are shy just because thats who they are, so you probably will find shy home schoolers! But I personally am NOT shy. Like i said before, I'm comfortable talking to people I don't know.

2. No lives

Um... how will home schooling make me have no life! I had a bussier schedule when I was home schooled than I did when I was in school!

Homeschooling:
M-friends over
T-Horseback riding/ karate/ youth group (7th grade)
W- Youth group (6th/7th grade)
Th-Horseback riding/Karate
Fri-Horse back riding (5th grade)/ Park day

School:
M-school
T-School/youth group
W-School
Th_School
F-School

Yeah... home schooling really makes you have no life <- (you do get the sarcasm right!)

1. Do school in pajamas.

Fat chance! My mom made me wear a uniform in 4th and 5th grade! Yeah, eventually (half way through 5th) OB and I convinced her that there was no reason to wear a uniform in homeschool! So for the rest of the home schooling years, I dressed like a normal person.

So, yeah, that was how home school worked for me!

Poems

The past few days I've been staying over at Grands house, and during that time I wrote three poems. Of corse, creativity doesn't strike me until it's almost midnight, so there might be a line or two that makes no sense.

Here's the first poem, it makes me think of the Doctor!

Planet by Shaak Ti/ Aithusa

I know something kind of funny,
Though others think it tragic.
The world will keep on turning,
As if it's spun by magic.

But I know that there is no string,
No rope,
No bind,
No ring.
They say it's "gravity", I know it's not.

You see, I think it's funny,
all the people in my hand.
And what if I were to drop it,
Where would it land?

I hold the world, Yes it's true,
I hold it in my hand.
No "gravity" would save it,
If I chose to let it go.
No string is there to hold it by,
No bind from earth to sky,
No ring to keep it on its orbit,
Just me.
Lonely me.
Holding a planet in my hand.



These next two are pretty much the same, just different POVs.

Moon POV by Shaak Ti/ Aithusa

Oh, the sun,
He burns so bright,
He shows himself with his own light.
But I, the moon,
Reflect my love,
And softly glow in the sky's above.

All below look away,
When the Sun brightens the day.
But when I rise, they stare,
And none will care,
When I do slip away.

Our dance is quick,
A fleeting glance,
A moment quickly slips on past.
I will rise, and he will set,
And go on into the west.

I, the moon,
Shall dance with him.
And when the worlds will end,
Our dance will be slow,
The music soft,
And not quickly come to end.

I, the moon, will dance with him,
And my light will not be soft.

Sun POV by Shaak Ti/ Aithusa

Oh, the moon,
Her light so soft,
Will show herself by night.
But I, the sun,
Will send her my love,
Into the reflecting light.

All below look to her,
And whisper at her beauty,
Her silver glow,
On winter snow,
Will melt the coldest heart.
And to travelers wide,
Shall be their guide,
In selfless kindness.

Our dance so quick,
Can it not last?
But it's gone in just a moment.
When I rise, she will set,
All will quickly vanish.

I, the Sun,
Will dance with her.
In the end,
Our paths will bend,
And put us hand in hand.
The world may die,
But us in the sky
Will dance on with day and night collided.

I, the Sun, will dance with her,
And reflections will not be needed.

A few pics from Europe

Bike in Lucca

Wall in Dabrovnik

Entering Venice

Gondolas in Venice

Grand Cannel

Leaving Vennice

Berries at Guido's garden

Roman Forum

So here are a few of the pictures from Europe! I promise I will upload more later, but I have 650 photos that I need to go through, delete bad ones, edit, take out red eye, and then find the ones I want to post. Also, its been reallllllllllly busy for me lately, between VBS (I had 7 kids in my group!), CVI planning, making my costume for CVI, family visiting, and school starting (OMG I'm starting high school!), I dont have a whole lot of time to do any of the photos. I'll try and get to it soon, though.


ATLA
I have close to 200 ATLA/LOK pics on my iPad. Its crazy! I cannot wait for next season. CANNOT WAIT! NOw every time I drink tea (like right now) I always think of something Iroh would say, in his confusing way of being wise.

Zuko: Anakin, Katara: Padme... in this picture, my ship is real!!

Doctor Who

They said that Amy and Rory would have a "heart-breaking departure". For most TV shows, that means they are off the show. For DW, there will be some HUGE tragedy (like being transported to another dimension, getting your mind almost blown up, having to forget who you are...) that will leave me depressed for DAYS!

Avengers/Super Heros

Yeah, I couldn't get any more original that the poster

I love, love LOVE Marvel Super heros! I went to "Spider-Man" with the girls fromm my POTC blog (Syrena, Mystical Shadow, and Quater Master)  last Wednesday, and then we went to Syrena's house and watched Thor, while we attempted to do yoga... we were a little more interested in the movie. I went to see The Avengers" with my dad and brother, and it is now one of my favorite movies ever!

Merlin

Season 1 preview

Sorry for the bad quality, it was tho only one I could find. Merlin season 5.

I am a HUGE merlin fan, all thanks to my Mom, who is CRAZY about it! I cant wait for next season, which I think will overlap with Doctor Who. I love BBC si-fi/fantasy!

Jane Austin

Actually, I'm not the big fan, but my friend Emmy who just moved to the East Coast. I'm doing this in honor of her. I'm not a big Jane Austin person. Her stories are great, true, but its just not my thing. I do love watching the movie adaptions of her book, though, when I'm in the "I want to watch a really girly chick-flick that is nothing more that a love story" mood. Emmy, on the other hand quotes it constantly! I love how Emmy always is talking about Jane Austin, and then she can switch to Doctor Who with no warning. 

 That scene! I love his so completely love confession to her (which isnt that scene, but whatever)

Ok, my brother is begging me to get off. Bye!

Europe days 12-19

I got back home last night, so here is the rest of our trip.

 Days 12,13,14: Two sea-days, Pompeii

 Nothing really happend on the sea days, other when I watched a U2 (I'm a big fan) concert on the pool deck and got sunburned (what? i had sunscreen on! the sun must hate me!) Pompeii was very hot. I personally didn't like it much because of the heat, and I have already seen multiple crumbling buildings on other tours.

 Days 15,16,17,18: Rome, Italy

 We went to the Coliseum, but it wasn't very interesting. But, then again, I've seen lots of crumbling buildings in the bast few days. Days 16 and 17 were mainly spent sleeping/drawing/reading/going on JC's tumbler. We were in Rome for the hottest days of the year so far. I threw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, making a promise I would go back to rome. I wonder when that will be. It took my dad and his sisters 30 years! Today, day 18, we went to the Sistine Chapel. It is beautiful! Go, its worth the long lines (or extra pay), the heat, and the overflow of people to get in. So if you have the chance, go. after the chapel we left rome and drove to Lucca. I finally get ot meet my relatives! they are on Noni's side.

 Day 19: Lucca, Italy

 I met our family today! Well, only the side that lives in Lucca, but then we go to Ceva the day after tomorrow. Noni had set up times to meet some of the family before the dinner tonight (btw, I dont know how many of these people are related to me). Two of the three families we visited still own the properties that my great grandmother and great grandfather grew up on. *Family history: all of my great grandparents on my dads side came from Italy, my Noni's parents from Lucca and my Nono's parents from Ceva. Noni is a Barsotti, her mother was a Chelini. Both live in Lucca.* So first we met Pietro and Adelina B. We drove up to their house an they were standing just outside their door waiting for us. I had been waiting, like 14 and almost a half years to go to Italy and meet my family, so you can immagine how happy I was! When we went inside, Adelina pulled out a photo album. Most of it was filled with pictures of the last time Dad visited Italy, but in the back of the book, there were a few pages with pictures of me, OB, and Gino. We sat in the living room and talked for about twenty minuets, then Pietro showed us his backyard. It looks like our backyard! Probably because our yard was modeled after his. Ok. I was on a 21 hour flight last night, and I'm tired, so you will have to wait for the rest of day 19.

Europe Days 7-11 (haha! 7/11)

Day 7: Olympia, Greece

Olympia was awesome! Probably because we had a fantastic guide. He was really funny, and he brought everything to life. Greek food is amazing, especially fried cheese. If you ever go to greece, make sure to get the fried cheese pie. The outside is crisp, but the inside is soft and its almost completely melted.

When in the ancient city of Olympia, Dad, OB and I ran the original Olympic track!

Day 8: Athens, Greece

We went to the Parthenon. Actually, that's the only part of Athens I really recommend seeing. It is beautiful, and most of it is original. The city itself? The quality is like the dumpy parts of San Francisco, actually, probably worse. If you go to Athens, do the Parthanon and leave; there is not much more to see.

Day 9: Mykonos, Greece

Beach day! We didn't take any tours, just hung out on the beach. To most people was cold, but to me it was warm. Probably because the ocean where I live is FREEZING. Like, you don't have time to get used to the temperature before your legs cramp. While in the water I met Hanna, a girl on our ship, who likes "Star Wars"! Towards the end of the day, OB and Gino buried me and Hanna in the sand.

Day 10: Ephesus, Turkey

Turkey is amazing! You may be thinking "middle east, Muslim, oppression". That's not what it's like. Many of the women are getting educated, looking for jobs, and being threaded as equal. It is more if a western country.

It's really cool to be there, because Mary (Jesus's mom) is buried in Ephesus. She is one of my heroes, because she went though so much, and she was so pure she could be the mother of God!

I got a few comments on my eye color, I guess blue eyes are unusual in the middle east.

Day 11: Santorini, Greece

Today was quite an adventure! Our family (minus Mom and OB) did a tour of the volcanic island Santorini. First: wine tasting! Because we're not old enough to drink, Gino and I had smoothies. Then we went to a near by town which didn't that've much other than a church that was like a mini art museum.

Then we went to another town where we had lunch. I was going to have octopus, but had a gyro instead, and fried cheese for dessert (i cannot eat enough of that stuff).

Dad and I took the stairs to the port. All 598 of them! I rode a donkey the last 10%.

Europe days 19-26

Day 19: Continued

Next we went to visit the Barsottis and Chelinis, who live in adjoining homes. It was really cool to see where my great-grandparents lived! Not many of the relatives spoke English, but my dad and grandmother were there to help out.

Dinner was lots of fun! One of my relatives, Irene, speaks pretty good English. Actually, most of the people that I sat with did speak pretty good english. Because of that, and my little experience in Italian, I was able to communicate with my cousin Melissa, who is about my age. Irene and Stefani have an adorable three month old son. He's the newest member of the family!

Day 20: Lucca, day trip to Florence.

Today Mom and I took a train to Florence. We got dinner and I sketched the Medecci Palace. On the way back to Lucca, we met a model from Brazil.

There was a concert next to our hotel, the band was Blink-182. We were able to see from right outside the lobby!

Day 21: Ceva, Italy

Ceva is about a three hour drive from Lucca. I read Eragon, I'm almost done! We went through about 125 tunnels; try holding your breath for 2 miles! Yeah, I can't.

When we got to Ceva, we had about an hour to rest and get ready for the family dinner. We had a 10 courses, we had a cake that said something in Italian with our last name, and an American and Italian flag next to each other.

Tomorrow we leave for... Como, I think.

Day 22: Costa (family), drive to Como

When we were leaving Ceva, we went to Costa to visit family before we left. We had lunch with them, then walked through the town (one street with old buildings), and Guido showed us his garden.

On our way to the hotel here in Como, we got a little lost. I'm really tired... yeah. More driving tomorrow.

Day 23: Como/ drive to Isltwalt

We went to the lake house today! I got to stand where they filmed the scenes in AOTC. It's beautiful, and there are a bunch of places to explore.

We drove thru the Alps to Switzerland (MAJOR CAR SICKNESS!! DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE ALPS!) Iseltwald is a very pretty town. We are staying on the lake, which is a beautiful blueish- green.

Day 24: Iseltwald, Switzerland

Dad, OB and I went to a model train show. It was actually pretty cool. Other than that, I read ( finished Eragon) and went on TLF. I tried to update my blog, but my iPad deleted my post. Ugh.

Day 25: Iseltwald

Rented a motorboat.

Day 26: Drive to Genova, Switzerland

On our drive, we stopped at a chocolate factory. It was a really fun tour, which showed the history of chocolate, then how they make the chocolate good. We bought TONS of chocolate, mostly for friends. We leave for home tomorrow!

Day 27: Home (aka: a 21 hour plane flight)

Well, I must have missed a day somewhere, we were in Europe for 28 days, this flight being the 28th.

I watched quite a few movies, and my favorite episodes of ATLA on our way back to America. We were in business class, so we had chairs that completely transformed into beds!

When I stepped out of the last airplane, it was about 8 pm. Wh had flown into the local airport, which is only a few minutes away from home. The sun was setting, and I could smell the ocean.

That song "This is home" was one of the first things to pop into my head.

Moms parents came to see us, and the Jessi picked us up and drove us home.

Now what am I supposed to do now that we aren't traveling? Well, in two weeks I volunteer at our churches VBS, then cousins on my moms side come to visit (thank God they speak English;)) then her brother comes to visit, and then off to CVI to meet my TLF sisters! On the weekends in between all of that, we will probably go up to our second house. When will I have time to work on my Ahsoka CVI costume?
Yay! I get to watch LOK tomorrow!
.........

This is where my journal for the trip ends. Next week I am volunteering for VBS, and the dress for my Ahsoka costume came yesterday! Because can be expecting pictures from our trip to be up by next Sunday. Actually, I'm thinking about making pictures from trips it's own page... Idk.

Have a fantastic summer, everybody!

Europe: Days 1-6 + Travel

As some of you know, I am on a Mediterranean cruise with my family. It's for my dad's mom's birthday. I wanted to post pictures, but because of the bad Wi-Fi, I have to wait until we get back home. The travel plan is: go to Venice for a few days, board the 12 day cruise which we get off of at Rome, then drive through Italy to Luca and Ceva to visit family. Then my Noni, Zia Linda, Zia Diane, Uncle DL and little cousin Gino will fly back to America, while my parents, brother and I will drive up to Lake Como where we will go to the Lake House where AOTC (So Excited!!!!!!) was filmed, then go to Switzerland where my mom lived for a while, then fly home. All of that will take about a month! I am going to copy my journal entries from the past few days.

Day 1: Venice

We arrived in Italy last night, some time around 7:30 (Italian time). We took a boat from the airport to Venice! It was so cool going on a taxi here, because, well... you don't have water taxied in the US, do you? Me on the taxi: :):):):):):):):);)!!!!!. Yeah, that's the best way I can put it.

Once arriving to the island area, we went straight to our hotel. Back home in the US, everyone wants the biggest room, the best room service, the newest TV, the softest bed etc. I'm not really expecting any of that, but I was not expecting what we got, either! There is a bridge, then a little store, then a sign with the Hotels name on it sticking out of the wall! The rooms wear tiny, but I loved it! I have a picture I will post when I get home, its totally non-American.

Day 2: Venice

We went to Morano to see glass blowing. Went on a gondola after dinner. Noni, Zia Diane, Zia Linda, Uncle DL, and Gino came late. I haven't seen them yet, but will tomorrow.

Day 3: Venice, then boarding boat

Again, we got up late. Ed walked around Venice, visited land marks, and went to lunch with Viviana and her mom (Viv was Zia Linda and Uncle DL's most recent exchange student). Before leaving Venice, I got a ask for my "Lady Vader" costume for CVI.

We boarded the boat we boarded the boat, and got totally lost on the wag to dinner. The buffet has SO much food! I'm going to have some of everything.

[no entry day 4; I didn't really do much but sleep]

Day 5: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Today Dad, OB (remember my little brother?) and I walked around Dubrovnik and went into a lot of churches/ monasteries (we found a weeping angel. Don't blink!), ate ice cream, bought stuff at the market, and felt like we were in an oven. There are days when modesty is nowhere near my top priority!

I loved Dubrovnik, it's a port city, so it's something I am comfortable with (we live on the ocean), and it's really pretty. If you have seen "The Prince of Prussia": if it weren't for the fact that most people were wearing their swimsuit, it could have easily made a market scene in the movie, it's loud, hot, and people are sitting on the walls playing music.

Day 6: Corfu, Greece

We took a bus up a mountain (the engine fan thing broke half way up!( and had lunch. Dads side of the family wasn't with us today. Now I'm siting on OB's couch-bed writing this.

Yep! That sums up my time here so far.

Graduation... and stuff

Adding "and stuff" to the end of a thought makes it feel like the thought is complete, but can still be added to. Yeah... that probably made no sense.

News in my life: I graduated from 8th grade!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to miss my class so much; I've known most of them for about 10 years (well, 12 out of 38, but close enough ;) ). On Thursday, Sierra, Blythe, Hayley and I went to a sand dune that people write stuff in sea weed on and wrote "Congrats 8th gr Cougars!" It was one of those days that you just have to scream "YOLO"to the world. Actually, after we finished, we stood on top of the sand dune and spelled out 'YOLO" with our arms. I was the "Y".

We listend to this about a million times while writing on the sand dune!

Friday was graduation. I got very sunburned, I should have been wearing sunblock! But in general the ceremony went well, except for that one time when Jordan said "There goes my future bride" when Veronica walked down to get her certificate. I was trying not to laugh, so I had to silently giggle until I couldn't breathe! I made it down the stairs with out tripping! Yay! 

Ok, let me just say, our school knows how to reward hard work. The graduating class gets a pool party, a awards lunch, the graduation mass and graduation, and then a dinner/ dance on the night of graduation. Oh, and we also get individually announced at the flag-lowering ceremony (which I sang a duet with my friend Marie). 

So then there was the dinner/dance. I sat at a table with Ben and his family, and Mrs. M, the head of middle school. She is such a nice person, I'm so sad she is retiring. Any who, we did the dance party and had dinner and stuff. Then was the hard part: saying goodbye.

I had never thought about how hard it was going to be to leave this school. I had been there from the time I was three, in pre-k, and am now graduating 10 years later, in 8th grade. Well, except for the four years I home schooled in 3-7th grade. Most of these people are like family to me (as in: we have no problem telling each other to shut up when needed). Its like... yeah... sad. 

So we all gathered together inside, and said good bye. I hugged just about everyone twice. And by the end I was crying. Everyone was, even some of the boys. Then Lauren started singing "My Wish", which we sang at graduation, and we all joined in. Then someone (I cant remember who) started singing "13", which we sang for our spring concert.

'My Wish'

'13'

I had a solo in it: "I'm becoming a woman/No one tells all the scared in-betweens/ just how we should be strong be good with so much pressure now" and a whole bunch of small parts.

Yeah, by the time I got home (which was relatively close to the location) my makeup was all over my face, and the only song I could listen to was:

"We are young"

It will always remind me of 8th grade.

Then there was Saturday and Sunday, and that brings us to today: Monday, June 11, 2012. The first official day of summer break and Syrena's thirteenth birthday! Happy birthday, Syrena!

On my Friends: Momo/ Syrena the Mermaid

Ok, so most of you read the POTC blog that some of my friends and I do. Momo/ Syrena the Mermaid is one of  my real life best friends.

What makes her such a great friend? Well... she and I have a lot in common. We laugh at the same things,  like the same books, both freak out about almost nothing, she has a great sense of humor, and is a little spazy. That's what makes her so fun to be around. But what makes her such a good friend? She is always there, encouraging those around her, and strong in her faith in God. She knows the difference between right and wrong, and when it's time to stop teasing/ laughing/ being silly.

How to sum Syrena up in one sentence: Syrena is an amazing person, one of my best friends, and though she is normally quiet, is the one who screams out "HER CRUSH!" for the world to hear.

I should explain about the "crush" statement: Tonight in youth group I was talking to RC/MysticalShadow about boys and friends who have crushes on Paul McCartney (I'll explain later), and then I decided to pul up a picture of the guy I like (no, I am not a creepy stalker, we were in a performance together, and so I have a couple pics of us from that). We are talking about him for a few minutes, then some more friends join in. Syrena is talking to her older brother this whole time.

Anyway, a group of about five of us is sitting on a couch, then she comes over and we talk about guys (just have to say: this is like seeing purple trees, we never talk about guys) and, yeah. So there we are, having this conversation, and my iPads screen is still zoomed in on his face. Our youth leader, Alex, comes over and asks whats up. All with in the same 30 seconds, MysticalShadow slams the cover down on my iPad, Alex asks what the picture on the screen was, and Syrena, who would normally never respond, screams out for all the world to hear "HER CRUSH!"... then she realizes she has said that out loud, and i slam my iPad on my head, and... um... that was super awkward, and we (yes, including me) were laughing our heads off.

As you can see, she is the perfect friend.

My friend Sierra e-mailed this to me. I thought it fit.

Some random pictures from my Grand's house:

Her cat, Pretty Kitty! (Whom I call Kitty Pretty)

Washington DC part two

Ok, so we basically spent our time walking everywhere looking at monuments. What I will always remember from the trip probably won't be everything I learned about history, but more of what I learned about me, my friends, and also all of those random things that happened, so that's what I will tell you.

At the hotels, the boys were on one side of the hall, and the girls on the other. Every night around 10ish, the teachers would knock on our doors to make sure everyone was in the room. I would normally be the one to answer the door. Almost every night, one of our other teachers would be talking to one of the boys across the hall from our room. The weird/ awkward part: he would be standing in the doorway with no shirt on! Like, seriously? You couldn't bother to put a shirt on before you answer the door?

We had to be in our rooms by 9:50 each night, so sometimes we could go from room to room. Girls were allowed in boys rooms and vise versa. You can imagine how that would occasionally get a little awkward. Nothing super awkward or bad happened, thankfully!

On the first morning, Emma knocked on the door, so I go to get it, she also had three guys with her. Jenny had barely woken up! We were all like "Leave!"

On the plane ride home, I watched about four hours of Disney Chanel.

Washington D.C.

Hello, everyone! Last night I got back from a school trip to Washington D.C., and I had lots of fun!

I got up at 1:15a.m on Sunday, got to school by 1:45, then left at 2:00. On the bus most everyone slept. We arrived at the airport at 4a.m. I was SO tired! We checked in our bags and went to wait. The plane flight took about four hours. I read The Phantom Menace novelization by... I think Terry Brooks, but I'm not sure. Then we had a 45 min. layover, then flew for another hour or two. Then we landed and drove for another two hours. FINALLY we got to our hotell at 8:30-ish. I shared a room with Paige, Jenny, and Allie. Paige and Jenny went to sleep right away, so I went to go visit friends in another room. Yep... that's all that really happend on Sunday.

On Monday we went to Williamsburg!!!!!!!!!!! I have been wanting to go there since I got the felicity movie when i was eight, about 6 years ago. It was amazing! Everything I wished, and more! It was beautiful, and then eventually it started raining. That made the trip twice as cool. The buildings that were considered "mansions" in the late 1700's, and they are still large, but they are not that large. What is so amazing about them is the elaborate decoration inside. The marble and diamonds and color and the everything! I was just like "dude..."

Tuesday: Nothing really amazing, just Monticello and some monuments. Well, it was amazing, but I'm half asleep right now, so it dosent seem like it was all that cool. But yeah... I'll finish the rest of what happend last week later, and post pictures.

Ciao!

A little (fat) grey bunny with no name

I was putting my backpack in the car, and Dad was feeding the bunnies for me. From behind the fence, I here him say "Uh oh. 'Shaak Ti', come here. There's been an accident."

I immediately knew that one of our bunnies had died, but which one had we lost? I went over to the cages, still hoping that it wasn't true, but it was. Our fat, soft, grey bunny (well, I think she is actually a rabbit, but whatever) had left us. As I begin to cry, I think back to when we got her the summer of 2010:

We are sort of an "on call" rabbit adoption family. We have three cages, plenty of yard space, and we like to bring them inside. That summer we still had one cage open, so we were just waiting to be e-mailed about an un-wanted bunny. You see, not many people want out door bunnies, they want them already house-traind because they can make good indoor pets. We take the rabbits that are just... unwanted. Either they just happened to not be adopted, or nobody wanted them. 

Any way, I was learning how to work the phones at Dads office, and was in the back shredding papers. Allyson (who was working at the front desk) came back and said "You have another pet."  I was confused, so she told me to go into my dads office room. There was the lady who got us into the whole rabbit adopting business, along with a fat grey bunny named Peanut. I knew that Peanut would make a great addition to Rudy and Ruby, our two other bunnies. 

We wanted to rename peanut, so Mom called her Kula Bula Bunny (after our cat), My dad and I called her Bunny or The Gray Bunny or Gray or Peanut or The other bunny... um yeah... an I don't know what my brother called her. So she never had an official name. 

She drank all of the water in the bottle twice as fast as the other two, ate twice as much as the other two, and was twice as fat as the other two.

She was inside just a few days ago, and passed away in her sleep. I am glad to have been able to provide her last home, and she obviously enjoyed it.

My Favorite Color

 Not enough people want black to be a color of life, but some how associate it with death, darkness, impurity and sometimes hell.

How often are people accused of being "emo" or "goth" for loving black? Or what about when you say your favorite color is black? When I do, I occasionally get odd looks. It is sad that people use "black"  to refer to something spoiled or lost: "a black heart", "black sheep of the family", and "black death" (unless it is called that for science reasons) are all using "black" as describing something wrong, something like death, something bad.

Black just comes across wrongly to people. My mom dosen't let me wear lots of black, just because of what people will think of me if I do. She sais that when and where she grew up, girls my age could not wear lots of black because it was too "mature. I completely understand her reasons, but it is time for the world to get over it's fear of black. Everyone agrees that a little bit of black (like a piece of jewelry, or a design on a shirt) is good, but people shy away from black nails, black dresses, and stuff like that. Also black is considered "sexy". What ever nincompoop came up with that, I have no idea what they were thinking. In my personal opinion: they were drunk.

Black should not be degraded so much as to be considered "sexy". It is a color that to me means: power, peace, serenity, and beauty. If you want a "scary, ugly color" go for the weird yellow-green that blonde hair gets when it has been in too much chlorine. Yuck.

God would never have made black so prominent in nature if it was to be associated with death, but then again, death is only a piece of life where we take the journey from our world to be with Him. Lets not get into that conversation. That will be twice as long as this post!

Any way, have you ever looked into a flower that is bursting with color, and then find little lines, dots, or another design made of black in it? Or what about a ladybug or cheta or leopard or a dalmatian with their black spots? Or have you ever woken up very early in the morning, and outside, the trees are black ageist the almost black sky. If you have never seen that, go to a neer by forest and camp there and get up at five in the morning. Nothing is more beautiful. Well... maybe not nothing, but you get the point.

But I think the reason that black is associated with evil, is because white is accosted with good. Probably because everything that is white looks SUPER clean.
  

Sorry about that, but I had to let the world know that black is my favorite color.

Isn't that a beautiful dress?

Pretty Dresses! (and other stuff)

Before I actually start the post, Syrena and her family are driving across the country because her grandmother is sick. Her Dad is already over there, but if you could pray for them, that would be great!

First Topic: Perspective


It's funny how different people see you different ways. My friend Sierra thinks that I am always looking on the darker side of everything. One time I said something that could be considered "dark"(I wouldn't consider it dark), but anyways, Tristan looks at me and is all like "But I thought you were the happy, bubbly person!"

Its just funny how people have totally different opinions of me.


Second Topic: RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Um.... yeah, if you haven't noticed my 3 posts about how much I love the rain, well I love the rain. You are probably tired about me continually posting about rain, but the rain is so beautiful. Earlier this morning, when I heard the first sounds of rain, I ran outside. Yeah, I love the rain. I'll try to stop posting about it for a few weeks.


Third Topic: Fashion


Ok, well, I'm not really that into fashion. But I'm into big, puffy, 1800's style dresses. Yeah, I'm a sucker for those.

ITS SO FUN MAKING THESE DRESSES!!!!!!!! *cough* um... yeah. 

Ok! So I don't think I have anything more to say today.

The rain

I love the rain. It makes me calm and happy. There is nothing better than the rain falling, wind blowing, and not a piece of blue sky to be seen. That is what I call beautiful.

THE HUNGER GAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Um... yeah. You can probably guess from the title that I am OBSESSED with THG. It was awesome. I found out that there was going to be a movie when I was about half way done with Mockingjay. That was probably one of the best and mos disturbing books (well, other than the Bible) I have ever read.

 But on to the movie. It was amazing. I don't think there are any other words to describe it. It followed the book closely, and there were some added scenes of the game makers, but nothing changed too much. And Haymitch, and Rue (I was crying my eyes out when she died), and Katniss, and Peeta, and Gale (actually, they didn't pick a good Gale, but so what.) and Effie.... they were awesome. It was great to see all of my favorite characters brought to life. 

My biggest disappointment was that they played "Safe and Sound" as the second song in the credits. I give the movie an 11/11. 

One sec, I need a Girl Scout cookie. *gets a few of the lemon cookies and plays with dog. now the tennis ball is stuck in a tree*

That was an eventful cookie break.... 

I'm going to put up some pictures in the "Artwork" page now. Ciao!

KONY 2012

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is something that I have cared about from about  Aug. 2011. I never thought to blog about it before, but now I have.... if you haven't seen, or even already have seen the video, watch. It is more important than what you want to do with in the next 30 minutes.  Its bigger than me, or you, alone. It is us, it is anyone who has a heart, it is everyone who cares. Please, help the Invisible Children organisation FIND JOSEPH KONY.
HELP STOP CHILDREN FROM BEING ABDUCTED, STOP KONY FROM FORCING THEM TO KILL THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES.  PLEASE, IF YOU CARE AT ALL, POST THIS VIDEO ON YOUR BLOG, SIGN THE PLEDGE, AND DONATE!  It is very important to me, and it should be to you, too.... 

Not enough people care, not enough people know. Tell your friends, your family, your teachers, bosses, co-workers, friends of friends, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Oprah (yeah, it's possible). Tell the people who make the laws, tell your state government, your local government, tell congress, tell everyone. This world needs you, and you can make a difference.

Interviewing my little bro.

Ok, so I thought it would be fun to interview my little brother... Let's just see how this goes. ;)

1. What name do you want to go by on my blog?

Him: Oaty Bites!

Me: Are you sure?

Him: Yes! Aithusa, I said Oaty Bites.

Me: ok....

2. What's your favorite color?

Oaty Bites: red, it looks like blood

Me: ok. That is interesting

OB. I don't want to be known as the person who likes blood, so im going to do brown... No, ice white and green, because it's what frozen peas look like.

(he has an obsession with frozen peas. He just left to get some)

3.So why do you like frozen peas so much?

OB: well, idk, they just taste good.
Oh, btw, put it as I drink frozen peas.

4: what is your opinion on communisim?

OB: What's that?

Me: Uh, it's kind of confusing.

OB: oh! Communisim! Like when you read comic strips.

Me: No, do you know what communisim is?

OB: no, that was my best geuss.

5. What are your favorite REAL boy names?

OB: Comic

Me: REAL names. REAL

OB: that was real! Comic?

Me: who names their Comic?

OB: Everyone

Me: I feel bad for your kids.

6. What is your favorite girl name.

OB: Gibby.

Me: that's not a girl name. So seriously, what's your favorite girl name.

OB: Puppy

Me: And I give up...

7. What's you're favorite song?

OB:" I'm sexy and know it". Choose a card. *he stuck out his hand full of Pokemon cards, I take one*

OB: Red
Me: no
OB: I should have known it was brown!

8. Whats you're favorite animal?

OB: Appa and Momo. And puppies.
Me: I wish we had a pet Momo.
OB: And Appa so we could fly.
Me: Yeah.

9. What do you do in you'r free time?

OB: I do a lot of stuff... Ummm...
Me: well?
OB: I make movies, I watch TV, I play with Jenna (the puppy) and annoy Aithusa, my sister.

Me: yes you defiantly another me in your free time.

10: ok, is there anything else you want to say?

OB: bye? Poo? Smegle. Say smegle, I want to say smegle.

Me: ok... Well, thanks for letting me interview you!

OB: that's nice.
......…………………….......................

Ok, so that was a real my little brother. Oh, How the mind of an eleven year old thinks...

The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award :) Thanks, Arda!

Rules:
Post 7 random things about yourself
Award this to 10 other bloggers

Ok... random things about me:
1. I LOVE Tenth Avenue North!!!!!
2. I miss my purple hair
3. why say something in one amazing word if it could be said in 12 words!
4. I dont care if the song says "Its a small world." I personally think its huge.
5. TLF is the AWESOMEST website in the world. luv ya, sisters <3
6. I sort of want a burrito right now...
7. I love listening to the rain! oohh... you should listen to this song:

I tag:
ok, Im being lazy right now, and dont have a lot of time, so I cant go and look up all of the blog adresses that I dont have on hand... so I tag anyone who dosent have this.... sorry.

EEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! *total fan-girly moment*

I have two epic words for you: "STAR WARS"  Ok, and now, to continue on those two epic words, ad "3D" and you get something amazing. 




Ok, so I had heard that the 3D effects weren't that great, but I didn't care. I am not old enough to have seen TPM in theaters when it first came out (even if I did, I wouldn't have remembered it, and I'm pretty sure the audience didn't want to have a screaming baby in the room). So the chance to see a SW film ON THE BIG SCREAN WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Like what am i supposed to say? That I started hyperventilating  when that Lucas Film logo appeared on the screen? 

That when I heard the music above, and saw "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." Star Wars I almost did scream! well, I personally think that it is WELL worth seeing.


Peace! 
~Shaak

Camp, cakes, and crushes, oh my!

Well, the title of this post cant state anything more clearly: I wint to a camp, something happend with a cake, and someone has a crush.

Camp:
I went to camp with my church, and we had TONS of fun! the video is favorited on my YouTube account.  Anyways, it was great to be there, and learn about God. The theme was "Live the AWEfull life". All about how God sent His one and only son to die for us. Not just for rich people, not just for good people, not just for the people who are already going in the right direction, but for all of us. For people like me who have messed everything up, then God pulled it back together again.

Cake:
Well, I spent FIVE HOURS in a car for my birthday... oh what fun. Actually, because I was with all of my friends from church on the way to camp, it was TONS OF FUN!!!!!!!!! Once we got to camp, we went tubbing (there was snow) and had dinner. Well, I had one of the BEST birthday dinners EVER!!!
Here I am, turning 14, and I am with some of my closest friends. Only two were missing. Anyways... while sitting around a table eating camp food (as in: they-should-hire-good-cooks food), I heard over the speakers "is there a *my name here* in the room?" I go up to the front, and the camp directers have me sit down, and EVERYONE in the room STAND ON THEIR CHAIRS!!!!!!! And sing happy birthday to me.

When I got back to my seat, I thought "the only thing missing is cake, and then it would be the best birthday ever." Well, the next thing I know, my mom was bringing out an oreo cookie cake. The BEST cake in the whole world.
The perfect birthday.

Crushes:
Well, what can I say? I'm 14... and so are many of my friends. You can imagine how that turnes out. This girl likes that guy but he says he likes someone else when he really likes the first girl, and then the first girl changes her mind and the guy "suddenly" changes his mind and I was sick during the school dance so I couldn't ask the guy I like tho dance during a "girls choice" song and two of my friends like the same guy, i think, and a good four guys are stalking me, but i dont like them like that and I feel bad talking to them because it may give them false hope, especially because I will probably not marry any of them and *gasp* my english teacher would be horrified if he could see this sentence.

Whew! that was a long sentence!
I just dont want to be caught up in this type of stuff.

Well, thats my rant.

High school

Ugh, I have to fill out SO MANY hugh school applications. Its killing me. I have three schools I'm looking at, and a possible fourth.

What is the real thing that is bugging me is two highly annoying boys from my class who are laughing their heads off at the table behind me, and I'm about to.... Now the librarian just came in and caught them on a phone.

Oh well, what I was saying is that what is really bothering me is all of this pressure that I have on me. All of you probably know what I'm talking about. Like when many people expect so much out of you that it's not humanly possible. Yes, it would be great if I were super-regazza (super teenage girl), but I'm not, I'm just me. But Super -Regazza sounds cool! I think I'll use it as a name in a book.

Well, time for homework.