Here we go a campin'...

Flashlights. Check. Bug spray. Check. Pillow and sleeping bag. Check check. Toothbrush. Check. Camera. Check. Getting ready for a few nights out in the woods has taken me almost all day (it shouldn't but I just found out I was going today). I am not much of a camper, but if it is time that I get to spend with friends I hardly notice those darn bugs. And luckily for me we are going to be staying at a place that most campers would consider a hotel. We will have cabins, a pool, and an AIR CONDITIONED dinner hall (I know where I will be spending most of my time). This will be my fourth time at this camp site and I really like it. I am hoping that the rain cools the temperatures for the week, but last I checked it is supposed to be pretty hot with chances of rain and thunderstorms... hopefully not.


As for right now I will be staying indoors enjoying the book I just started reading, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See. (I read Shanghai Girls (another one of her books) and found the Chinese culture to be quite interesting.) I am learning how much the Chinese girls were willing to go through to be considered beautiful and bring their family honor. I never would have thought small broken feet would be a sign of beauty. I am not sure how it will end, but I will blog more about it when I finish along with some camping stories (I am sure I will have plenty).

The Art of Rollerblading

I believe rollerblading
is one of those things,
like many others, that
can be an easy or it
can be a hard thing
to learn. For me blading
has come quite naturally,
which is quite a rarity
in the world of
skaters so don't get
your hopes up.
For those of you beginners,
I say just try it out.


Yes there will be falls
and yes there will be
some pain, but the wind
rushing by your face
and the wheels spinning
beneath your feet
as you speed down a
hill makes it all
worth it! So to you
beginners, let me
give some helpful
tips that will make
learning to Rollerblade
a little easier.
Firstly, before you even begin,
make sure the blades that you will be using are your size
and do not pinch your feet in any way. I would suggest pink
Barbie Rollerblades. They are adjustable and provide top comfort.

The next thing
is in the planning
of your route.
If there are going
to be hills invite
only people that are
bigger and stronger
than you. They will
be very helpful
on the uphill struggle,
trust me!




When blading, remember
it's not like walking,
its like sliding across
the kitchen floor
wearing socks. The
direction your feet
are pointed is where
you are going to go,
so keep you feet straight.
Try to stay near the
grass,it will provide
a safe, well a soft,
landing in case of
crashing.



I wish you the best of
luck with your
rollerblading adventure.
Remember what I
have told you and
maybe someday you
will be good
enough to keep up with me.

Mom for the weekend

I used to pretend that I was a mom when I was little with dolls. This weekend I played mom, but with real kids. The dolls were so much easier! I babysat four kids and my brother for three days (including nights). I was not near home, actually I was in Illinois, so I couldn't run home and get things or ask my mom to come and help. You know how two year olds ask questions like no other, yeah that is how I felt, asking question after question. Most of them went unanswered or were just silly questions.
I thought that I would share... so here they are, the questions of a weekend mom:

Why do I eat more when I drive?
Is my car supposed to be making that noise?
Was that a police man?
How much above the speed limit can I go without getting pulled over? What about a ticket?
Why do kids get up before the sun on the weekend?
Where am I supposed to go?
Am I lost?
What is that truck doing?
Where is the sunscreen?
Why do kids come near me to jump into the pool?
What does aloe gel do for sunburns?
What time do I have to start making dinner in order to have it done by 5:30?
Should I cover the casserole with tin foil to cook it?
How much are these kids going to eat?
How am I supposed to sleep when I am all sunburned?
Why doesn’t the underside of my forearm get sunburned?
When do you normally go to bed?
How long have you been playing video games?
Did I make enough pizza? Am I going to get some?
What's that smell?
Does your mom let you?
What is in the cat's mouth?
Where are the band-aids?
What day is it?
What does a wart look like? Or is this a bee sting?
Do I turn here? (asked quite a few times on the way home)
Why are there adult boutique stores on the side of the highway?
Why are highways so hilly?

I am not sure what it was about people on the side of the road holding cardboard signs, but I never really felt bad for them. Yeah they would claim they were homeless or broke, but I would always tell myself that they were probably drunks and needed more money for their next shot of alcohol. I would always lock my doors and look away. However a song has recently changed my thoughts about these people. Carrie Underwood’s Change has made me stop and ask myself what I can do to help people. Especially the first verse that says,
“What'cha gonna do with the 36 cents
Sticky with Coke on your floorboard
When a woman on the street is huddle in the cold
On a sidewalk vent trying to keep warm
Do you call her over hand her the change
Ask her a story ask her her name
Or do you tell yourself
You're just a fool
Just a fool
To believe you can change the world”

I am reminded of a boy who wanted to change the world; well he did in the movie called Pay it Forward. This is such a touching movie about a little boy who developed a theory of randomly helping three people who would in turn help three people each. These random acts of kindness would spread and change people and the world. People did not think his plan would work, but throughout the movie they are proven wrong.

And as Carrie Underwood sings, “Oh the smallest thing can all the difference. Love is alive. Don't listen to them when they say, You're just a fool Just a fool To believe you can change the world”
It is amazing how some songs and movies can inspire to do such great things. Someday I hope I can change someone’s world even if it is a small thing.

Its official

I still cannot believe I am done. That I am now technically a college student. I am so thankful for my parents, teachers, and friends that helped me get her and was glad to celebrate with them.

Integrity

I have been working on making a little book (folder) of stories that tell of times that people I know showed integrity. I loved hearing or reading each story told by various family members and friends. I learned quite a bit about each individual and have a higher level of respect for each. To some integrity can be as small as not drinking a soda that they didn't pay for while for others it can be never telling a lie.
I have realized that the hardest part of integrity (at least for me)is not choosing to have integrity, it is following through with the choice when you know that there are others who are not and they seem to have an advantage. For example people cheating on a test. For me cheating is never an option, but it is so hard to take a test knowing that my grade might be affected by someone who cheated. Although sometimes I feel like I can never do as good as the people that cheat, but I know that later down the road of life when it really matters, I will be able to pass the test.

The Last Stretch

I couldn't have asked for a better last week of high school (aside from wanting it to last longer!). It has been such a nice "do everything one last time" type of week. Yesterday I went on my last field trip to an outcrop with my Earth Science class. We rode a yellow school bus (my last time in a Twinkie) to some place outside of Camdinton to look at rocks and then went to Haha Tonka for lunch. It was fun to spend some time with friends outside of the classroom setting and to listen to stories from my teacher (I love stories).


The whole crew.


(Mr. Snyder) I am going to miss that guy, even with all the teasing!

Another last was giving blood, which, to me, is part of high school. today was my last time donating in the Kickapoo gym and thankfully I didn't pass out like I have in the past. I got two t-shirts (one for donating blood the other for project grad.) which I will be adding to my huge stash of school shirts. (In high school if you join anything or go to things, you get t-shirts and I will miss that!)

Tomorrow is the memories assembly and the last day for seniors (I am going to be coming back Friday to take two finals and say some last good byes).

I cannot believe how fast this year has flown or my whole high school career for that matter. I wish I could go back... all the way back to when I was a freshman so that I could change a few things. Like slowing down and enjoying the time that I had in high school. I wish I would have branched out and made more friends instead of waiting for others to come to me. I wish that I would have thought more about the classes that I took and prepared for my future better. I wish I spent less time in my room and more time out with friends. I wish I went to more sports events and showed my school spirit. I wish I would have been thankful for the protection that high school provided me rather then find ways to get out class. I guess there are a few more things that I would like to change than I thought. Hopefully, five months from now I won't care about all of these little things. But for right now I can't help but think about the could have and should have dones.

I guess what I am trying to say is I am not ready. I am not ready for tomorrow's memories assembly (I have a feeling I am going to be crying all day.) I am not ready for finals on Friday. I am not ready for Tuesday when I graduate. I am not ready to leave the people who I have grown up with or the people who have taught me. I am especially not ready to leave those of whom I have become friends with and those who have become role models to me.
The hardest part about leaving is saying good bye.
And I am not ready.