Oh Boy

I am going to be a zombie this week. 1500 word research paper about global warming due in just a little over 24 hours. Total words right now. ZERO. I am the golden student.

Goodbye

Everyone that really knows me is well aware that I am not the biggest fan of pets--all kinds. However, for some reason back in April we went to Virginia Beach for spring break and I got two hermit crabs just for fun. I brought them home and then did pretty well. I initially took good care of them and kept their cage clean and moist and made sure they always had water and food. I was an okay little pet owner. However, over time, I became more busy and those poor little hermit crabs just fell lower and lower on my to do list. They are extremely boring, and you aren't even supposed to take them out of their cages and play with them. So they just sat.

After a while I felt guilty and again took care of my pets, but they wouldn't eat. They just sat there ALL day and ALL night looking pathetic and hating life (or so it seemed). I hemmed and hawed over whether I should just let them go and be done, but I felt guilty if I did because I knew those two little hermit crabs would never, ever make it.

On October 10, I just decided that they HAD to go. I couldn't keep them any longer. I decided to just set up their cage with their food open and lots of water near a shady tree in my backyard. I left them, and about an hour later I went back to check on them. They were gone and I couldn't find them anywhere. For some reason, it was kind of sad. Let's just think they are off having a better life somewhere.

Their previous home--in a cage sitting on the counter.

The crabs: the orange and black shell was named Herman and the tan one was named Winston.

Ryan helped me "set them free"

Their set up

New York

This past weekend Andrew, one of our long time friends, invited Gray and I up to West Point. We left on Friday afternoon and Mr. Brimer drove for a long time. I used the car ride to catch up on some sleep. We stopped at a hotel in New Jersey, about an hour out from the academy and stayed the night. The next morning we got up and finished the drive to West Point for the football game.

We got there at about 10:30 and eventually met up with Andrew. Army was playing VMI this weekend, and they won 29-7.

They had parachuters drop out of a helicopter and land on the field before the game started. The parachutes were West Point flags.

Close up of one of the parachuters

Army vs. VMI

The flag they unrolled on the field during half time.

After the football game was over, Andrew showed Gray and I all around West Point. The building designs are very pretty, but Andrew said the gray walls get old. The view by the Hudson River is awesome, though, so we stopped and took a few pictures near it and Trophy Point.

Near Trophy Point

Andrew and Gray--They've been best friends since 5th grade.

Andrew and I in front of the Hudson

Gray and I

We finished walking around and met up with Mr. and Mrs. Brimer. West Point has an awesome library. Mr. Brimer was creeping, and took some pictures of us walking.

We left West Point and we went to Out Back. We enjoyed some good food and then we went back to the West Point Motel where we were staying, hung around, and then got ready for the Halloween dance. Pretty simple but very fun.

All of us before we headed out.

The dance was pretty fun. West Point plebes are pretty interesting to watch. We ended up leaving early and then just walked around the little town outside of the academy, Highland Falls. It's a pretty dead town, but there was a McDonalds, so we went over there and got some ice cream and talked for a while. We all were getting pretty tired, so we dropped Andrew back off and then we went to the hotel. I crashed pretty quickly--practically the instant my head hit the pillow!

Mr. Brimer picked up Andrew the next morning and we all drove around to find some breakfast. We ended up in Newburgh at a diner that was really good. We ate some really delicious food and had a good time just driving around.


We had to take Andrew back. Around 1ish we dropped him off near his barracks and we got on the road back to Virginia. It was definitely a fun weekend--I never thought I would be going up to New York. Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Brimer for everything!

One last picture!

I'm a Delinquent

Today I was sitting in AP Java class at the end of the day and I get called down to my administrator's office, which can never be too good. So as I was walking down, I was trying to think of anything I could have done or any reason I would be called in. The only thing I could come up with was leaving school early too many times, but each time I had a note, so I didn't think that was it.

Well, turns out I was written up. Seriously? Somebody wrote me a referral. I had no idea. Evidence:

Well, apparently my bus driver wrote me a referral because I "was told twice to face forward but continued to sit with [my] back to the aisle and this is a safety violation". It was from October 6, and it is now the 28th. My administrator looked my name up and decided I wasn't the most pressing issue, because I am a good with NO discipline record and great grades.

My administrator didn't care at all about the referral. It was a waste of his and my time. He just dismissed it as a warning and it didn't get recorded on my file. He jokingly told me to frame it or scrapbook it. Blogging about it is better.

Please Hurry

This week will hopefully go by quickly. I have my to-do list already planned out. After I finish all of this I will be in NEW YORK on Saturday morning. With all that crap I have to do and going to school everyday, the week should go by fairly quickly, right? I'm hoping so.

I am the Ultimate Procrastinator

It is 100% true. You will probably never, ever meet someone in your life who procrastinates more than I do. In fact, right now I am using this blog post as a way to procrastinate. You see, I have a 2,000 word research paper on The Scarlet Letter due on Monday. It is Saturday night. I only have 400 words.

Quote

A lengthy but worthwhile exerpt from President Thomas S. Monson's remarks to the Young Women in their March 2009 General Meeting:

My final plea tonight is that you have the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. Because the trend in society today is away from the values and principles the Lord has given us, you will almost certainly be called upon to defend that which you believe. Unless the roots of your testimony are firmly planted, it will be difficult for you to withstand the ridicule of those who challenge your faith. When firmly planted, your testimony of the gospel, of the Savior, and of our Heavenly Father will influence all that you do throughout your life. The adversary would like nothing better than for you to allow derisive comments and criticism of the Church to cause you to question and doubt. Your testimony, when constantly nourished, will keep you safe.

Friday

Overall this was a good week. Parts were long, but it was great. Hopefully the weekend is good as well :)

It is Fall

Ryan had his preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch this week, which he loved. He went to Snead's farm and played on slides, rode on a tractor, and picked a pumpkin. As soon as I came home from school he wanted me to help him carve it, so I did. I couldn't say no to his cute four year old excited face.

Carving it up.

I made him pull out all of the pumpkin guts and seeds.

Us with the finished pumpkin. It is supposed to be "scary".

Life Savers

I make to-do lists like they are going out of style. For some reason I can never use an agenda--they just do not work for me. I forget to write things down and I really don't like having to look at 7 different days of the week to figure out what I need to do. To-do lists are my life savers. I make one at the beginning of the week with everything coming up. I am not the most organized person in the world, but these things help me. Here is my to-do list from this past week. I had a whole page and tons to do:

I love it when I finish something and then I get to cross or check it off my list. It's a good feeling. I am pretty sure I will make to-do lists until the day I die.

Where on Earth

Has the time gone? Really. Ever since school started up again, I rarely ever find time to update this thing. I didn't even pop in to say happy birthday to my mom or harrison on this thing. I am a slacker.

Recently, mom turned 41. FOURTY ONE. Dang, she is old ;). Harrison turned eleven. Suzanne's birthday is this week. Crazy. School is crazy too. I am tired of school and really want this year to be over. Fast forward, please? Thanks.

However, it is fall. I LOVE fall. My favorite. Too bad it doesn't last very long at all. Leaves are changing, it is pouring rain (bleck), and the temperatures are dropping. I love fall colors and smells.

Anyways. Hope you enjoyed this ramble-fest. It successfully distracted me from doing homework for a few minutes.

Oh hey. Here's a cool blog I found. Love it. www.newdressaday.com

Check it out, folks.

Gross

I walked into the bathroom at school today only to find lingering smells of some girl's smoking time. Gross. It smelt disgusting.

Really, do you have to smoke at school?

Everyone is Having One

Everyone is having one of these:

Except my mom. I'd really appreciate it if the good old stork would just drop one off already. Anytime is fine. Ok? Thanks.

How do you know school started?

It's pretty easy. Let me show you.

I study in the kitchen.

Textbooks are the only thing I read.

My backpack goes with me everywhere and my agenda is my new best friend.

I take so many notes my hands fall off.

I look like this everyday at about 3 pm, because I like to be comfy doing homework.

My room looks like this, because I have little time to clean it.

Ah, reading materials.

My sister Suzanne falls asleep every single day after school.

This year better go by fast.

Ocean City: Day 3

The night before, we were up until 5 am playing cards and talking, and so we decided to just stay up for another hour, and then go out and take pictures on the beach and watch the sunrise. We went out at about 6, and took pictures for an hour. After we were done, we came back to the hotel, and we crashed until almost noon. We woke up, had some sandwiches, and then Katelyn and I headed down to the beach for two hours. Fun :)

By the time we got back from the beach and we got all showered off and cleaned up, it was time for some dinner :). We went to Phillips Seafood Buffet, which was both so much fun and delicious. I don't really like seafood, but the non seafood foods they had were good! I had salad, pasta, chicken, ribs, macaroni, etc. YUM. Then, Katelyn got King Crab Legs, so I helped her pick the meat out. I love picking crabs and lobsters. Dinner was fun, and the inside and outside of Phillips were so cool :) For desert, we stopped at Dumser's Ice Cream again, and Ms. Buraker got some Thrasher's French Fries! We met the third little creeper at Dumer's. I ordered Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, but the gave my coconut chocolate chip, so I went in and traded ice creams. While I was waiting, there was a little boy who turned around and said, "You are so pretty. Mom isn't she so pretty." Bahaha. I was laughing so hard.

Then, as we were driving we saw that the Sunsations stores were having a midnight sale, so we decided to go. I got a little scarf and a beach coverup, and Katelyn got a scarf and an ocean city sweatshirt. Cute. We had fun wasting time and trying on little things.

We went to bed and slept very well that night. :)