Reading Worlds...

Seeing as I can't sleep, I'm just going to do it now so I don't have to worry about it later. Phooee.

Two Stars and Lower:

1. Coraline-Neil Gaiman
I was thoroughly disappointed in this book. I thought it was boring, especially after all of the good things I heard about it. I will never read this book again.

Three Stars and Higher:

1. The Shakeress-Kimberely Heuston
I thought this was an interesting book. I really liked it a lot. It tells the story of a girl and her siblings who go to live with the Shakers. When she grows older, she realizes she doesn't like that life, so she leaves to make her way in the world as a doctor/healer. She comes across a new faith and has to decide between love and what she feels is right. Very good read.

2. Dante's Daughter-Kimberely Heuston
About the daughter of the poet, Dante, it paints her as an artist and very clever. I liked this a lot.

3. Climbing the Stairs-Padma Venkatraman
The author should get an award for her last name, seriously. The book was just as good; when a girl's father is horribly injured, she and her family must go to live with her father's father. The traditions of India are strictly enforced, and she has to find a way to keep living despite the changes.

4. The City of Ember-Jeanne DuPrau
Some people hated this, but I actually liked it. I thought it was clever and I can't wait to read the next one, which is sitting on my shelf waiting it's turn for August.

5. Little Sister-Kara Dalkey
This has been added to my favorites list. Mitsuko begins a quest to find her sister Amaiko's soul after a tragic loss. She faces demons, devils, and even gods to set things right. I loved, loved, loved this book.

6. The Heavenward Path-Kara Dalkey
The sequel to Little Sister. It wasn't quite as good, but I still loved it.

7. Shift-Jennifer Bradbury
When a boy tries to escape his father, his friend is blamed for it. This was well-written, and if you can get passed the few swears slipped in, it's great.

8. Peeled-Joan Bauer
The pen is definitely mightier than the sword. A high school paper reporter sets out with her friends to stop the town paper from making a mountain out of a molehill, and save the town in the process.

9. A Great and Terrible Beauty-Libba Bray
Okay, this wasn't as great as it was cracked up to be, but I still enjoyed it and want to read the next one.

10. Summer of Pearls-Mike Blakely
Interesting read, about the pearl rushes along the coast of the United States.

11. The Dead of Night-John Marsden
Second book in the Tomorrow series. Way good. I am so excited to read the third book.

12. Chanda's Wars-Allan Stratton
When a dream sends Chanda with her younger brother and sister to her mother's family, terrible things happen. But does good come of it? I'm not telling.

13. Fire and Hemlock-Dianna Wynne Jones
One of the weirdest books I have ever read. Ever. And I loved it. I still don't know what happened, so I'm going to have to read it again.

14. Castle in the Air-Dianna Wynne Jones
A sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, a young man sets out to rescue his princess and meets several more along the way.

15. Mira, Mirror-Mette Ivie Harrison
I was disappointed in this book as well, but it was still good. Just not my favorite.

16. The Thief-Meghan Whalen Turner
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm currently reading the second in the trilogy. A young thief is given a chance to escape prison if he can steal a certain mystical item. And, as he says, "I can steal anything." Loved it.

Only 17 this month. 10 less than last. Dang it. I must be getting busier.

i should post something...

Nothing happened today. I guess it's because I was so tired from rehearsal last night, or more like the drive home. I don't remember another time in my life where I could actually have parked on the freeway without causing a traffic jam. Dead stop for twenty minutes. But that is probably an exaggeration. It was more like five minutes.

I did finish my Theatre 1013 class today. All of my assignments are completed and turned in, and by the way it's looking I should have a high "A". I even passed the non-required final. Oh, joy. Now I just need to finish my Health 1100 class and the last term of English 11 and I'll be ready to start a new school year. Oh...joy.

Speaking of which...Schedule Time! This is how it looks. For the moment, anyway:

First Semester:
A1-Seminary
A2-Released on MWFs, Communications 1050 on TTHs
A3-Algebra II (I know...sigh)
A4-Released (for the mo)
A5-Meteorology 1010 on TTHs

B1-Advanced Woods
B2-Released on MWFs, Communications 1050 on TTHs
B3-Released (for the mo)
B4-Released (for the mo)
B5-Meteorology 1010 on TTHs

Second Semester:
A1-Ballroom
A2-Released on MWFs, English 2010 on TTHs
A3-Algebra II
A4-Released
A5-Philosophy and Ethics 2050 on MWs

B1-Advanced Woods
B2-Released MWF, English 2010 on TTHs
B3-Seminary
B4-Released
B5-Philosophy and Ethics 2050 on TTH

Woot. It is going to be changed a bit on Monday morning, because I want to see if I can add Jewelry or Health Science. Hmm...we shall see.

It really sucks that school is starting so soon. The summer has been almost nonexistent, and I'm not the only one who's feeling that way. It's just so queer having to go back, and it's even stranger that I'll be a Senior. *gags* That's horrible.

I'm going to go and feel sorry for myself.




Kidding.

rainin' inside...

Well, my friend's production of "Singin' in the Rain" turned out WAY better than I thought it was going to be. I think I mentioned how painfully slow the orchestra was on the night of the dress rehearsal I watched. Painfully slow. They stepped it up quite a bit, so closing night it sounded a ton better. I was glad, because everyone worked so hard all summer and the orchestra arrives unprepared to foul them all up. Not really fair in my opinion.

My friend, Mike, played Don Lockwood. He was doing an amazing job, until he tweaked his knee during the tap number of "Moses Supposes". Whoever was in charge of cleaning up the whipped cream that Tia/Kathy threw at ????/Lina had not finished their job. The rest of the play Mike had a slight limp. I felt badly about that, because as a joke, my sisters and I had purchased a stem of daisies to send backstage to him.

Before we let the delivery girl leave the the flowers, we went over to a garbage can and picked all but one of the petals off, leaving behind three empty heads and one bright blue petal standing straight up on the fourth. On the note we wrote "He'll break a leg....he won't break a leg...he'll break a leg...he won't break a leg...he'll break a leg...". At the end of the night, Mike said he'd laughed his head off, and then thought aloud "Maybe I should have pulled that last petal off...but it was so cute and funny I didn't want to!" We also sent a big bunch of daisies, purple, yellow, and orange, to his little girl and my adopted little sister. Love that kiddo!

We went to the show with my Nana and our two directors for Oz, Steve and his wife Kara. In 2001, my mom played Kathy in "Singin' in the Rain" and Steve played Cosmo, Don's best friend in the show. Mike played Don that year as well and directed it. It was kind of cool to watch them all, two in the audience and one onstage. Kind of like a memory lane trip, I suppose. Kara, Steve, mom, and dad sat behind my sisters, Mike's wife Colleen, and their three kids who weren't in the show. Kid 1 is their oldest and all boy. Kid 2 was performing. Kidlet 3 is a mad girl at age 3, and Kidlet 4 spent much of the time falling asleep on Colleen's or my shoulder. That baby is a portable heater, I kid you not. I liked to sit with Kid 1, because I haven't seen him in over a year. I don't know the Kidlets very well, but we got to be friends. Kidlet 3 chased me around the hallways after the show was over, and Kidlet 4 wouldn't let me hand her back to her mom after awhile when I was holding her. She fell asleep. Aw.

Steve and Kara made their escape from the plans our three families had made; after a show we ALWAYS go to IHOP together, and this year they ditched us. I think it was because Steve was so tired. Kara wanted to go, but she didn't know where two of her own children were, and they happened to be the only two without cell phones. So, they didn't get to have pancakes and hot chocolate and sausage and hamburgers (say what?) and caramel apple slices.

It was a lot of fun; Mike, my youngest sister, Kid 2, Kid 1, and my dad sat together at a table and took turns telling about our favorite movies, plays, and what we wanted to do when we grow up (at this point the fathers just listened). Mom, Colleen, my second sister, Kidlet 3, and Kidlet 4 sat at the table pushed to meet ours and...I don't really know what they talked about. Us, probably. Soon Kid 2 told me to eat her pancake and fell asleep with her head on my lap. Kidlet 3 curled up behind Meghan on the seat and fell asleep with her body wrapped around Meghan's waist. Kidlet 4 fell asleep in her basket, and Kid1 got so hyper that he made some sort of potion in his cup out of water, maple syrup, blueberry syrup, salt, pepper, and lemons. When he drank it he looked like he was going to die. I thought it was funny.

By the time we left it was 1:30 in the morning. Poor Kidlet 3 went into spasms when we tried to wake her up. She started kicking her sleep and yelling "Daddy, daddy, help me!" It was so sad, but somewhat funny at the same time. We could not get her to wake up, and it was awkward trying to pull her off of the seat. Mike finally accomplished it and as soon as he picked her up, Kidlet 3 went quiet. I love to watch Mike with his girls; he's such a marshmallow. He's called himself that. I think it was because when he directed the "King and I" he got reports that a lot of the kids in the cast (including myself) were teriffied of him. I can explain-when you have a tall, bulked up, goateed (at the time), bald man telling you what to do and where to be and looking angry all of the time (from stress, he's explained), you get scared. Mike got up in front of the kids and told us that he may look mean (someone described him as a Vin Diesel man), but really he's the winner of the title "State Puffed-Marshmallow Man", which I have learned to be true. I've never forgotten that, and it was over ten years ago. Wow.

As Colleen drove away with her family, we began to sing "Good Mornin'!" to them. It was truly an awesome evening/night/morning. :)

And that was my Saturday adventure. Yay!

say cheese...

This little guy, or Mojo, frequently stopped at my campsite when I was at Mia Shalom. You could generally predict his arrival at mealtimes. Here he is after everyone had left for their hikes, feasting on a forgotten slice of cheese. Cute, isn't he? Or she. I never can tell with birds.

I read three books today. Impressive, isn't it? AND I found out that school doesn't start until August 20th, two days later than I had originally thought. Yay. I hate school. You'd think I love it from all of the classes I'm constantly taking, but, no. No, no. I really despise it. I just go because it gives me something to do and half the time it's "da yaw." Or the law. I used to say da yaw when I was yittle. :)

I'll post about Saturday's adventures (and early Sunday morning's) tomorrow. I need to go to bed now; mom has decided we need to start getting up at 8:00 instead of 9:00 to get ready for school. Ugh.

BYE!

happy 24th...

Pioneer Day in Utah, celebrating the day the Mormon pioneers viewed the Great Salt Lake Valley for the first time from the mouth of Immigration Canyon (state holiday and I still had to work-at the Boy Scout office, no less, where we're supposed to be all patriotic-pffft-but hey, we only had 12 people come in, so next year we will probably not be open). My neighbors are setting off fireworks. Loudly. I don't go to watch-I feel like I'd be intruding since I wasn't invited and I didn't pay for them. Instead, I wrote something and found something from the 4th that I wrote. I didn't post it then, because Q had done the same thing and I didn't want her to think I'd stolen her idea. So now it's 20 days later. I think that's long enough. :)

Fireworkings
on July 24, 2009
Cannon shouts stop my heart,
relieving the constant drum
and creating a discordant
rhythm.
A rest from the steady beating.
Shells explode-
spill sparkling, streaming ribbons
of light-
Red as blood.
Blue as tears.
Proof that all darkness must end.
I cling to that.
Let it wash me away;
peace among the chaos.

Fireworks
on July 4, 2009
Explosions of color
paint the night
black canvas.
Streams of red, drips of blue,
splattered patch of white.
Green, yellow, purple, orange
burst loudly into life-
popping colors,
shining colors,
colors in the night.
Bold summer flowers-
flashing shades and tints
of every kind
in a garden of stars
and darkened air.
Blasting outwards into
giant blossoms,
showing off their
finery before
wilting slowly
downwards
back to Earth.
Wisps and tendrils of
gray-the only ghosts left
of streams of red, drips of blue,
splattered patch of white.
Softly, softly fading
from the black
canvas of night.

I don't know if they're any good, but again, I like them. The second one seems a bit happier though, doesn't it?

Summerfest Fireworks Show in June 2009

the Rose...

I've been thinking about death lately. I guess it's because one month ago today Buddy died. And I've been thinking about roses, because roses and death kind of coincide. Roses signify peace, beauty, sometimes strength, and sometimes a little bit of the darkness in each of us. And death, even. A black rose or wilting rose is often aging and death.

Today I'm thinking about roses and Buddy. I remember the time when he walked over to one of the rosebushes in the front yard, and instead of sniffing out a flower he found a cat. That was interesting. He always loved to let the cats know who was in charge. It drove that beagle nuts when Oreo, our neighborhood joker, would sit just out of reach on the other side of the fence. Or when Buddy would be inside on the couch, just resting, and suddenly he'd get a whiff of cat outside in the yard. Up he'd get to the window, hackles raised, quivering from head to toe with blood lust. Still, he never did know what to do with a cat once he'd caught it. He'd corner it near a fence or something and just stand there, whining and barking, completely clueless.

I miss him.

I miss Buddy so much. I didn't write this piece because of missing him-it was actually during a Sunday School lesson where my teacher was talking about how cutting the flower from the plant causes it to die, and that can be like a testimony. But I wanted to write a little bit about Buddy, and share this poem I wrote. I don't know if it's any good, or what sort of symbolism you might pick up from it ('cause I didn't really have much in mind), but I like it.

the Rose

The beauty of the Rose-
so fragile and fair-
pricks hearts by its grace.
Silent pleading for gentle
praise and tender care.

The beauty of the Rose
contains courage and strength.
Bright colors stand out from all,
proclaims itself to those
who see.

The beauty of the Rose;
The courage of its fight;
Both encompass the hidden darkness
of forgotten sharpness
within,

only discovered, and accepted,
then loved,
by the one who
truly knows
the Rose.

can't keep up...

You guys all blog way too much. Every time I refresh my page or click on a new link, one of you eager beavers has posted something with a title so interesting I can't help but get sucked in. Then I have to read the comments, post my own, blah blah blah.

I can't keep up with you all! I guess I'll just have to find some sort of a job as a full-time blogger. Otherwise I'll go broke while I sit for hours keeping tabs on your way cool lives. :)

panic...

my heart is a sparrow;
wings beat against
their cage of bone.
faster against the curves,
but still it's never flown.

I think I was close to a nervous collapse today as I was driving to the library. I could hardly breathe, except in small gasps. My whole body was shaking and I couldn't stop it, and the road seemed to be moving in front of me. I was crying; I don't know why. I've never been more grateful to find a parking space close to the building.

What is the deal?

20 ?s...

1. Are you named after anyone?
Yes, I think I am. I believe I have several aunts, grandparents, and cousins who were named Sarah. Of course I’ve never met them; they’re all dead.

2. When was the last time you cried?
Just a few minutes ago, actually.

3. Do you like your handwriting?
Yes. Someone even asked if she could borrow it for a letter typeface in one of her books. She’s never gotten around to using it yet though.

4 . What is your favorite lunchmeat?
Whenever I hear the word “lunchmeat” I always think of Because of Winn-Dixie. “My name is Opal Baloney-but most kids just call me Lunchmeat.”

5. Do you have children?
Nope.

6. If you were another person would you be friends with you?
If I were another person I wouldn’t be friends with me-you can’t be friends with yourself no matter who you are, because if you talk to yourself at lunch people think you’re nuts.

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Is the sky blue?

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
No, I donated them to the Red Cross.

9. Would you bungee jump?
Heck no-I almost typed H-E-double-hockey-sticks to emphasize the NO, but thought better of it.

10. What is your favorite cereal?
I don’t think any of the kinds I like really count as cereal-they’re mostly just puffs of crunchy air and sugar.

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
I only have one pair of shoes that have shoelaces, or at least only one pair that I wear. Mostly I wear flip flops or slip-on dress shoes. The pair that do have laces-pffft, no. What a waste of time.

12. Do you think you’re strong?
I have nice biceps, if that’s what you mean.

13. What is your favorite ice cream?
The frozen kind that doesn’t have walnuts in it.

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?
Generally gender and hair. Then shoes, pants, and eyes. Then purse (or murse, the man purse). Then whether or not they’re talking into a phone.

15. Red or pink?
Black.

16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
What is not my least favorite thing about myself? It’s easier to say the thing I like.

17. Who do you miss the most?
*cough*

18. Are you hungry?
When am I not hungry? :)

19. What color pants and shoes are you wearing?
The same pink, game board “SNOOZE YOU LOSE!” pajama pants I was wearing last time I did one of these (no, I haven’t worn them every night, and yes, I washed them) and no shoes. It’s 12:24 a.m., after all.

20. What was the last thing that you ate?
Um…I think pineapple. Mmm…pineapple. Why do they call it that? It looks nothing like an apple, and the trees they grow on don’t look like pines. Why?

family ties...

I've been busy this weekend, sorry. Lots of family visiting and playing around. Summer is almost over, you know. Got to get it in sometime.

Saturday was mostly spent driving-four hours up to Flaming Gorge and four hours back. We left (we being dad, mom, Meg, Mandy, Misty, and me) around 9:00 in the morning. We were supposed to have left at 8:15, but I think that mom has figured out that none of us are ever ready to go until forty-five minutes after her planned time-so now she just tells us we leave at 8:15, but really she is shooting for 9:00. Smart, no? Working the Mormon Standard Time system like a pro, she is.

Once we reached my grandparent's house (dad's family) after stopping in Duchesne for potty and drinks (aka milkshakes-haha) and Vernal (again for potty-we had the dog with us), my own family spent awhile with just Grandpa and Grandma. My cousins, aunt, and uncles who were visiting at the same time were all fishing, except for Allen, who was using his computer. Grandma fed us and fed us...and fed us. None of us wanted to hurt her feelings, so we kept eating. And it is all really good, so it's not a big deal. You just constantly feel like you've been turned into a water balloon that's filled to full capacity and inching ever closer to the porcupine sitting next to you. No biggee. Grandpa and dad talked about the weather, the garden, the government, the weather, the garden, Texas and how much they hate it, the weather-it's amazing how quickly my father's mind narrows when he visits his parents. No more philosophy and religion and heated politics-just the weather, the garden, the weather.

When the rest of family got back, things got hot and crowded very fast. I escaped with my camera to the yard; Mandy and I spent a long time playing in the raft on the grass and taking pictures. That fun ended when she found a large spider crawling up her arm. She freaked out, smashed it with her hand, then freaked out even more when she realized that she'd killed it on her fingers. Yuck. Misty had a good time with my cousins-Kaylie, who is six months younger than I am, was her instant favorite, followed closely by Allen and Jill.

I was glad when we left. Too many people in that little house + bad table manners in teenage boys + poor Misty shut outside in the heat = it's time to go.

Sunday was a pretty normal Sunday-get up, dress, go to church, listen to people talk and try to force yourself to stay awake and learn something (I succeeded), write poetry during class (not normal, actually), get brownies because it's Birthday Sunday in Young Women's. Yay! When church was over, my family went home to have something to eat (one brownie is not enough, I promise ;) ) and rest for awhile before piling into the car and heading out to see family again (mom's side). This time it was much more enjoyable. Why? Less people, much younger cousins, more parental supervision, and Misty was allowed inside. Besides, Nana doesn't feel bad if you don't eat her food. She knows people get full, and if they get hungry they'll come back in an hour and eat some more. It's funny to me how different my two families are from one another. Another good thing? I actually know everyone on my mom's side (almost).

Cindy and Mike were visiting from Oregon/Washington (they live on the border, can't remember which state they actually live in) with their daughter, Tay. She's 3, but looks like she's about 2. She's teeny tiny! Scott and Wendy were there with their four kids, Hailey, Nathan, Eliza, and Logan. Then me and my family with Misty, Grandpa, and Nana. This side of the family is a lot more...hm...education focused and less farm-and-hunt focused.

Grandpa and Nana put together a big dinner of absolutely marvelous grilled chicken and the best watermelon ever (there was more, but those were my favorite parts). Then cheesecake for dessert, Finding Nemo for the little chiddlers, and Transformers for the big chiddlers, including uncles. I usually don't watch movies on Sundays, but Mike and Cindy had never seen Transformers before so my mom said it was okay. I still feel a little guilty though.

Tay and Eliza had several boxing matches, where Tay usually ended up winning and Liza ran crying to Cindy. Logan wandered around looking slightly lost, being the youngest and only other boy cousin besides his brother, Nathan. He played with Misty a lot. Hailey and Amanda sat with their heads together, hatching plans. Meghan sat with the adults, trying to sneak into conversations. I wandered like Logan, feeling sort of lost myself. I don't really fit with the adults yet, and I don't fit with my cousins either. Hailey, Amanda, Meghan, and Nathan are all close to the same age. Same with the younger three. I've always just kind of floated off by myself, being the oldest. I sat with Mike, Scott, dad, and Grandpa for awhile until I got tired of them asking me questions and discussing my future education and career plans. I came back when they started telling jokes and swapping stories about traveling. That's always interesting. I spent quite awhile chasing Tay around trees in the grass after Scott's family left. She wanted me to "tatch" her and swing her up so her toes touched the stars, or "tickle the yights!" Cindy, mom, and Nana watched from the front porch, and Misty danced around at my feet. It was quite intoxicating, playing with that little girl and reliving my own childhood for a few moments. I think I'll write that into a story. Would you like me to?

Now I'll be honest. I love my grandparents on my dad's side to death. I adore them. I like the rest of my family on that side okay, but they're just a little weird to me. My Aunt Ilene's family on that side is the only one I really connect to because we live pretty much the same way-we don't hunt, fish, or camp very much; we don't own horses or llamas; we don't do the cowboy/man's man stuff. My dad's family is really kind of redneck.

My mom's family is more...I dunno. Fun, definitely. And they talk about more things. They laugh more, they tell jokes-predominantly farting jokes when Scott and Mike get together, but hey, what are a couple of fifteen year old forty year olds with kids going to do? They've always been like that. I like my mom's family a lot more. They're closer and warmer. They're funnier and less uptight. And, the biggest thing-they don't talk badly about one another behind each others' backs, then kiss up at family reunions. I hate that.

All in all, I like my family. My mom's side is probably my favorite all together. But my dad's parents are my favorite set of grandparents.

Mia Shalom-July 9, 2009...

href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CSarahF%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml">Why is my formatting off? Hm...

July 9, 2009-Mia Shalom

EARLY Morning-

Bad:

1. Feel sick

2. Cold and wet

3. Waking up at flipping 5:30 to see a sunrise because the leaders said it was the only day possible-like it’s not going to come up tomorrow. :P

4. Toilet paper is out in the bathrooms (good thing I brought my own)

5. 4 mile hike today for which I am so not in shape for

Good:

1. Dad’s coming up today

2. Able to rest for an hour after sunrise

3. Our attacks and counterattacks on 4^th ward (heehee)

4. Clean socks!

5. Hilarious one-liners

Resting after the hike

(or catching Swedish Fish in your mouth from Kim, who is clear across the cabin by me)

Still sick. I’m secretly hoping that dad will take me home with him tomorrow morning. Doubt it though.

Sister Baird arranged a forced march at 5:30 in the a.m. to watch a sunrise. By the time we got to the spot she’d picked it was over. Was there a point? I have no idea; maybe. We did receive our Letters from Home. I don’t know if I believe what my mom wrote. All this stuff about how great I am, yet as soon as I get home she’ll be mad about something.

Time to rest. Get as much as possible while you can, I say.

Morning-

Bad:

1. Fried eggs for breakfast to me = yuck, and Sister Whitaker becoming

Food Nazi-no seconds on toast despite the fact that there are six loaves

with 20 slices in each (roughly), meaning there are 120 pieces of bread

and 32 people to feed. Do the math.

2. Fires that won’t start

3. Girls getting burned while making toast over the fire-Sister Whitaker is

supposed to be watching and helping out but she’s busy playing vulture

at the food table. Good thing I’ve got a First Aid kit.

4. Problems with sleeping quarters for the men-the Men’s Cabin on the

map is actually the Men’s Bathroom. Oops.

Good:

1. Dad gave me a muffin

2. It’s not hot today

3. Fourth years are leaving for an overnight hike-more room!

4. New story idea

Sandra and Kim want me to write about them. Sandra first-she was one of the girls who got burned today while making breakfast. Now the tips of her fingers and the skin on her thumb are all blistered. Kim has recently been seen as the bandita Diablo. She leads the attacks on the 4^th ward; the most recent happened last night. She and Sandra planned to plaster the outside of the 4^th ward cabins with plastic spoons, and Sandra led the charge into camp. A sign left behind said “You’ve Been Spooned!” along with a jar of duct taped Nutella. They knew it was us. *smirk*

Shanae at Number 20

But spooning 4^th ward was not enough; the challenge was issued and they accepted. A Chubby Bunny Contest has begun again! *barf* Shanae from our ward won this time, beating Sandra’s Wednesday night record by 7 marshmallows. Yeah-21 marshmallows. Ew. But, it meant that our ward won. In retaliation, they spooned us back. Their spoons, however, were colored with marker to look like each girl in our ward. Cute, no? We also got “Sparkled!” by the 1^st ward. They brought silver streamers and Pixie Sticks (spelling?).

Afternoon-1^st Year Hike to Lone Pine

Bad:

1. STEEP climbing

2. Getting my shoes soaked just before the hike-not good

3. Linnea got a bloody nose and had to leave the hike

4. Fire on the other side of the mountain (it’s kind of cool that you can see it from up here though)

5. Lost my favorite pen

Good:

1. Meeting and getting to know my 1^st year girlies

2. Flat ground on the hiking trail in various places-almost seeming to be strategically placed for a rest

3. Seeing a small herd of deer-two does and two fawns (teenaged, by the size of them)

4. Chubs, my new pot-gut friend

5. Extra camera battery! I’m so glad I bought one!

I’m now sitting at the base of Lone Pine, the solemn sentinel that stands at the very top of the rim around the Mia Shalom Valley. I see the campground and surrounding mountains as she does, and it’s amazing. It’s so beautiful. The lake looks like a blue, teardrop jewel dangling from the neck of the mountain, green evergreens her hair, and her smile the road. I love it up here. It’s worth the climb.

Chubs stopping by to share lunch

A trail we hiked-looks inviting

Evening-

Bad:

1. Sore arm from mosquito bites-very, very sore

2. Girls fighting-really fighting

3. Dead batteries

4. Waiting and waiting

5. Dirt. So much dirt.

Good:

1. Energized after hike

2. Flag Ceremony cheer by the men

3. Glo Stix!

4. Snacks on the hike from our leader

5. Teaching “Da Moose” song

The hike was so amazing. I feel like I could go for two more hours. My 1^st years were so cute; I love them all to death! They were all really nice and so fun. I can’t believe I was scared of a group of twelve year olds. I’m glad I got to know them. I even taught them “Da Moose” song that I learned at my work. We did it at the Moosehead Trail sign. All of the girls made moose horns above their heads, either in Da Moose style, or Dead Moose style. Spazmatastic-I loved it.

Moose Head Trail

Flag Ceremony was so much fun. I totally am losing my voice from screaming. Hopefully everyone is too tired for me to read tonight. I sure am. :)

Kim during the Chubby Bunny Contest

i'm dumb...

Okay, okay. So it wasn't that bad. The photographers actually knew what they were doing for a change, and they even let us check each picture to see if we liked it or not. All of mine were good the first time (all five-one for Yearbook, four headshots for I have no idea what, because I didn't purchase any), so I was impressed. I'm hard to satisfy when people are taking my pictures; I know how I want it to look but I can't take it myself, so I direct the process. Usually. :)

I stayed for quite awhile because my good friend Ruthie was getting her Senior Pictures done after her Yearbook photo was finished. We talked and laughed about random things, and she gave me a ticket to see the play she is currently in. It's called "The Promised Land", based on First Nephi in the Book of Mormon (yes, I'm LDS [if you didn't know that all ready :)], and to learn more email me at wannabkenobi at gmail dot com or check out mormon.org). Ruthie wasn't the only one in it; my friend Jordan had a major role as well, playing the youngest of Ishmael's two sons and the sort of flip-flopping between good and bad type. As I watched him, I began to realize how much I like him. Which is a problem...

Ruthie has liked Jordan for a very long time. I've always tried to suppress the fact that I find him attractive (and gorgeous) because of this. Well, can't help it now. Just keep it between us, okay?

So, add Jordan to the list of Jacob Black and the other guy. Am I shallow or something, 'cause I keep seeing people who I like (two of which are not based on looks alone, but personality). Or am I dumb? Or both?

Or, perhaps, a hormonal 17 year old who is barely stepping out into the world beyond playing House, where the daddy is the youngest child playing and the mommy doubles as the damsel in distress? Hm...

how dumb...

What stupid person schedules school pictures for Seniors in July? July is the season for sunburns, breakouts due to excessive sunscreen application, bug bites, and other problems easily seen on film. I hope they're happy when all of the Seniors turn up with spotty, red, peeling faces for the Yearbook. Stupid administration. They've obviously forgotten how important Picture Day is to a Senior, who has zero confidence and fits in no where all ready.

The photography group that's doing the pictures is no good, anyway. Maybe we'll all be blurry or off-centered, which is what happens at most dances. Sadies and Preference I hear were the worst (I myself had blurry, off-centered Sadie Hawkins pictures). I suppose it's a blessing in disguise. Any discoloration could be blamed on the camera settings. That's what we'll do.

So dumb. I hate pictures. I hate Picture Day. I HATE HIGH SCHOOL.

:)

songs that will for sure be played at Homecoming...

1. Fire Burning-Sean Kingston
2. Love Game-Lady Gaga
3. Boom Boom Pow-Black Eyed Peas
4. Welcome to the World-Kevin Rudolf
5. The Man Who Can't Be Moved-The Script
6. Waking Up in Vegas-Katy Perry
7. Who's Got Your Money-Tina Parol
8. I Do Not Hook Up-Kelly Clarkson
9. Halo-Beyonce
10. You Belong with Me-Taylor Swift

Just guessing.

AWkward...

I have a second confession. When I saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince yesterday, I was one of the girls who gasped out loud when Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black) was shown shirtless during the trailer for New Moon.

I'm actually really embarrassed by that. I try to not base my like of people by what they look like physically. Alas, I could not help it. My emotional, mental, and even physical reaction was pathetically girly, immature, and pointless. And even sadder-I am so going to go see the movie when it comes out in November.

Good thing I wasn't on a date, right?

confession of hypocrisy...

I really, really, really don't like it when people post song lyrics as their whole post for the day with no explanation. But, I'm going to participate in this area of the blogosphere that I don't like so much. I'm posting lyrics. *gasp* I know, I know. I'm a hypocrite. But at least I admit it.

There is a song that sort of fits my situation right now, I think. Two of them, actually, but I'll only do one. Too much lyric posting = seizure or something like that. You do the math, 'cause I suck at it. Anyway as you all know there's this certain good friend in my life that I have come to really like. This friend likes someone else (go figure). So, Taylor Swift's song from the album Fearless sort of makes me laugh at myself, breathe a little sigh, and keep wishing that things will change. Still, maybe it's a good thing that there's no change. Who knows?

You Belong With Me
Taylor Swift

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, She's upset
She's going off about something that you said
She doesn't get your humor like I do

I'm in the room, its a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming 'bout the day when you'll wake up and find
That what you're lookin for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me
You belong with me

Walkin' the streets with you in your worn out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on the park bench thinkin' to myself
Hey isn't this easy?

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in awhile, since she brought you down
You say you're fine I know you better than that
Hey, whatcha doing with a girl like that?

But she wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming bout the day when you'll wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standin' by, waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know that?
You belong with me
You belong with me

Oh I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry
I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams
I think I know where you belong. I think I know it's with me.

Can't you see that I'm the one who understand you?
Been here all along so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standing by or waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know that
You belong with me
You belong with me

Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me
You belong with me

Presh. It'll never work out, but it's nice to dream, right? And if some of the lyrics are wrong, I didn't write 'em. I just copy-pasted. Don't you love being able to pin blame on someone else because, hey, it's the Internet. Haha.

And just as a note, I posted this month's first set of 20 Questions under July 6. Haha. They're sort of entertaining to me. (lol)

Mia Shalom-July 8, 2009...

Early Morning-
Bad:
1. Smells from another camp signifying breakfast-can you tell I’m
hungry?
2. Camp mornings are cold, especially when your jacket is wet
3. Only two cabins for 24 girls-squish
4. Upstairs girls talking until 2 a.m.
5. An unearthly scream at promptly 6:30-or someone’s alarm clock

Good:
1. Clean shirt
2. Quiet enough that I can hear the river
3. The gold-mantled chipmunk dancing around my shoes
4. Finding my misplaced Health textbook
5. Sun coming up so quickly and warming my wet jacket

Today is the Camp Cook-Off. Each ward was given two secret ingredients, which they had to use in a main dish and a dessert. My ward was given cream cheese and brown sugar. I had the idea to use the cream cheese and brown sugar over bread to make sticky buns. We also used brown sugar in sloppy joe meat, and some of the cream cheese to make a salsa dip (yuck). I think it all turned out well, because that's what we ate for lunch that day before going to get ready for camp skits. Here's what ours looked like:

6th Ward: Bandit Feast
The Most Wanted!

After I helped hand out stuff to the wards for their skits, Sister Burton and Sister Lawrence asked me if I would make awards with two other girls for the Cook-Off participants. I took pictures of the two that I made because I thought they were super cute. And they sort of are. :)

Award One-Marching Picnic

Award Two-Life Really is a Picnic

Afternoon-
Bad:
1. FuhREEZING shower water!
2. Having a major role as M.C. for the Stake skits, and narrator for my ward’s part
3. Burning face and dumb sunscreen
4. Losing my favorite pen-sniff
5. Journal supplies ran out in the pavilion

Good:
1. Skit Day is over!
2. Hilarious mascara mustaches on various girls (make-up: not just for beautification)
3. First “Polar Bear Plunge” winner in my camp
4. Making awards for Camp Cook-Off winners and participants
5. Aloe Vera Ice gel

The skits really weren’t that bad. This year they were super creative and way entertaining. Each ward was given a single bag or box full of props (the Stake leaders had cleaned out the Camp closet back at home and found 7 years worth of skit supplies) from the Stake. The rules were these, one) Use everything in your bag/box, and two) It has to have something to do with the theme. Here’s an overview of the wards’ skits:

First Ward-Miss Integrity Pageant
A line of judges watched as several contestants showed off their talents and what they stand for in their lives. Miss Texta (pretend phone in hand), Miss Flava-Flave (can’t spell it, and neither could she), Miss Worldly (no idea on anything except fashion), Miss Drama (“I think everyone is so amazing, but if you get in my way I will crush you.”), and Miss Integrity (I talk to the animals) each made their appearances and the judges had to decide. Guess who won?

Second Ward-Prepared in the Kitchen
I don’t really understand how this fit in with the theme, but parts of it were funny. The one part I remember was when one girl got another girl’s apron dirty. The second girl was upset about it and made a move to fight with the first girl. Then a third girl ran in with six aprons, three on each arm, and said to the second girl, “Ah, ah, ah! Polyester or cotton?” holding the aprons out for the second girl to look at. I thought that was funny.

Third Ward-Search for the Kingdom of Light
This must have been amazing, because I don’t remember it at all. I’m trying to picture girls dressed up in their Red ward color, but it’s not happening. Maybe this was when Linnea and I were running around the back of the building to make another entrance. Oh, no wait! I remembered! It was about these bugs (girls in butterfly, dragonfly, and other bug masks) looking for the right path to the magical Kingdom of Light. They got sidetracked by some gangsters looking for a bit of fun and were rescued by the Knight of Light. The gangster was the knight’s brother, and he was jealous because of all of the knight’s different names.

Fourth Ward-A Tight Ship
It started out with a ship in disarray. The captain blamed his mistakes on everyone else, the crew members had no idea what they were doing, the captain got angry and threw someone overboard, and when the crew members tried to rescue her they threw out a deflated life raft. Enter part two-a ship in complete order, with sailors shaving, using maps, cleaning cannons and guns, hoisting sails and fixing ropes, with a captain who listens to his crew members and knows just what to do. “Captain! There’s a homosapian in the H2O, exactly 52 degrees north-northeast!” A successful rescue which is watched by the other ship leads them to say, “Aw, man. I wish we could have rescued our friend like that.” A split second hesitation, and one girl says, “I’m going over there.” I really liked this skit. It was cute and clever.

Fifth Ward-The Garden
Two groups of flowers, each makes a different choice. One group grows bright and beautiful, keeping to the gardener’s instruction and allowing her to care for them. The other group clings tightly to the thorns and weeds that have taken root in their bed, shunning all care from the gardener. My favorite part was when Marissa, playing the gardener, went up to the last weed, played by Mindy. Mindy had a seven foot long tree trunk propped up against her side, leaning on it like a “cool kid” against his locker. The stick was three feet taller than Marissa. When Marissa tried to pull up the “weed” Mindy said “I’d like to see you try,” in a Yeah-right-I-don’t-think-so voice. In the end, a storm blew away the bad flowers and weeds, while the good flowers were protected by the gardener.

Eighth Ward-The Tree in the Forest
The tree, one of the girls in the eighth ward, steps forward to tell the story of the Bad Birds and the Bugs. She was wearing a sign around her neck that said “Tree” and a bird feeder on one arm. Girls holding the yard decoration birds and bugs had them flapping, buzzing, and twirling in the air in front of them. Then the tree began. The birds are always the bad ones, aren’t they? Bringing up their iPods to camp, gambling Starbursts with their smuggled face cards, hiding in the bathrooms when their leaders tell them to cook dinner or clean up. They’re just having a party, jamming to their tunes and breaking all the rules. The bugs seem to be having a great time, too. Scripture study early that morning was the bomb dot com, the flight up to Lone Pine was amazing, and all of the leaders are so nice. Then four or five bugs get bored and decide to check out what the birds are up to. “Come on over!” cry the birds, “We’re having a party!” The bugs make a choice and join them, only to be eaten as soon as they enter the circle.

Yes, I know, I know, I skipped Sixth Ward. That’s because I wanted to save the best for last, of course! Hold on to your hats!

Sixth Ward-The Judgment Day
Cast of Characters:
Simon-Hannah
Paula-Brittan
Randy-Rachel N.
Narrator/Ryan-Me
Bus Driver-Miranda
Banditas-Kim, Sandra, Meghan, Shanae, Emily N.
Beer Buddies-Gabby, Stasia, McKenzie, Kaitlyn
Party Hardies-Amanda, Ashlyn, Rachel, Emily R.
Celestial Heroes-Katrina, Allyse, Meghan M., Sierra
Judgment Bouncers-Ashley, Jessica
Choir-Sister South, Sister Saffell, Sister Whitaker, Sister Baird

It starts out with the narrator telling how a group of girls is on a bus going to Camp SPARKS. Some are more prepared than others for what lies ahead, and camp will teach them how to be more prepared.

“The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round, ‘round and ‘round, ‘round and ‘round! The wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round, going to Camp SPARKS!”

Enter banditas, snapping and dressed in bandanas, cowboy hats, and mascara mustaches. Snap snap, snap snap, snap snap… Kim begins with a whispered “Who’s bad?” The rest follow, “I’m bad! (singing) I’m bad! I’m bad! I’m really, really bad! Yeah, I’m bad! I’m bad! I’m really, really bad! Whoo!” All the while side shuffling, moon walking, and ending with the Michael Jackson toe stand. Then they turn……….and shoot the bus driver.

Meghan M. yells out “Oh, no! There’s no driver! We’re going to crash!!!”

And crash they do. The banditas go around congratulating one another, but the bus driver isn’t dead. Miranda stands up, grabs a bucket of water, and throws it onto the banditas, shouting “I banish you to Outer Darkness!” Away the banditas run, and a heavenly choir begins ah ah ahing the theme from “The Little Mermaid” as the campers go to “heaven.”

Narrator explains that you never know when you’ll need to be prepared for your time to go. Let’s see who deserves which kingdom of glory.

Narrator pulls up their hair into a bun, turns around the bandana so it says the name “Ryan” on it, and gets into character.

Me as Ryan Seacrest says, “Welcome…to the Judgment Day. Here we are at Heaven Idol, where three groups will compete to see which kingdom they will go to. Who is prepared, and who is not? That is up to our judges to decide. Here we have our lovely lady Paula (Brittan), my brother from another mother Randy from the Dawg Pound, and our ever honest, blunt as a knife Simon. Let’s give it up for our three contestants-the Beer Buddies, the Party Hardies, and the Celestial Heroes. Give it up folks!”

The Judges: Randy/Rachel, Paula/Brittan, Simon/Hannah

Enter Beer Buddies, water bottles in hand, dancing around like they’re completely nuts, crazy, or both. “I just wanna rock and roll all night, and party every day!” They sing and sing, crashing into one another and soaking the audience with their “booze.”

Paula tells them nicely that they just aren’t ready for the highest glory. The Telestial, or third kingdom, is where they belong. They go off with a green ticket in hand.

Enter Party Hardies, hair brushes and mirrors in their pockets, singing and jumping up and down. “Girls just wanna have fuh-un, oh girls just wanna have fuh-un! They just wanna, they just wanna! Girls just wanna have fuh-un, oh girls just wanna have…they just wanna…”

The Party Hardies: Emily, Rachel, Amanda, Ashlyn, Sierra

Randy interrupts, “Dog, man. For me, for you, for me, I mean…it just…it just wasn’t in the dog pound tonight. You know what I’m saying? It just didn’t do it for me. Yours is Terrestrial, that’s it, man.” Hands them an orange ticket.

Enter Celestial Heroes, sunglasses on their faces and capes around their necks. They begin with a count of “A one, a two, a three…”

To the tune of “Best of Both Worlds” by Miley Cyrus

We’re the Celestial Heroes!
We read our scriptures each day,
and we pray spirituallay.

You’ll get Celestial glory!
Without the sins and the pain
you can make it okay.

Mix it all together
and you know you’ll get to Heaven
someday!

Simon’s judgment-“That was………brilliant. Celestial Kingdom. You’re in.” Hands them a yellow ticket.

Ryan switches to hair down and bandana in back, says the theme and gives the little spiritual ending thing-“You never know when you need to be spiritually prepared. Any little trial can make it hard to stay strong, but as long as you have made yourself ready you will always be safe. Camp SPARKS-Spiritually Prepared, Always Ready, Keeping Safe.”

The End

See? Told you it was the best. ;)

The Banditas: Kim, Shanae, Emily, and Allyse

In the end, the skits really weren’t that bad. I just hate getting up and performing in front of small audiences. Linnea and I M.C.ed the whole thing. Then I was in my own ward’s skit, switch back to M.C., switch to SYCL commercial slot, switch to M.C.-phew. It didn’t help that a very large bumblebee decided to land on me. Fareaky. Linnea and I told jokes, “tap danced,” and looked stupid. On purpose. I guess it was a success, because we got a lot of laughs and people told us that it was fantastic. I still felt stupid. Oh, well.

Earlier in the day I’d washed my hair in the outdoor faucet, which was so amazing. Then I decided to use the showers. Major cold. But hey, I’m clean. It’s so nice. I’ll probably shower again on Friday. AND because I showered, Sister Baird gave me a Kool-Aid bottle and a medal to wear around my neck, declaring me Polar Plunge Winner. :) Haha.

I made eight journals today. Impressive, no? Now that I have eleven, I wonder what I’ll do with them all. Probably use them to consolidate all of the poems I’ve written on the backs of receipts. There are a lot of those. Just call me Emily Dickinson.

Our ward was supposed to go for a hike today but no one wanted to go. Except the leaders, that is. So we stayed in camp. Yay. Since I was here, I helped to write verses for “The Gossip Song” or Singing News. It will be fun, because I wrote part of it.

Evening-
Bad:
1. Feel so sick
2. Messing up during SYCL Flag Ceremony skit
3. Stinky bathrooms
4. Having my ideas stolen by leaders and then passing them off as their own
5. Hike tomorrow at 5:30 AM

Good:
1. Watching the Chubby Bunny Contest
2. Pretty landscape with the molten silver pool of moon cradled in the treetops
3. Chapstick
4. Being able to vent boredom on arts and crafts
5. Mrs. Long’s talk at Flag Ceremony

Brittan and I were in charge of this evenings Flag Ceremony. It was kind of a mess. So was the SYCL skit. I had the main part, so my screw up was the worst. I did get dinner though, after Flag Ceremony. Tin foil dinners. They’re one of the best parts of camp. I love them.

Singing around the campfire was followed by roasting marshmallows and Starbursts. If you have never tried a roasted Starburst then you have never lived. I know it sounds weird, but it is such an amazing treat. I made some for each of the leaders who had never tried it before. So yummy. But soon, roasting the marshmallows wasn’t enough. A Chubby Bunny Contest began. The point is to be the last person able to shove marshmallows into your mouth, no chewing, no swallowing. It’s actually really gross. Sandra won at 14 marshmallows. Ew. Oh, and they weren’t the small marshmallows. They were the jumbo, big as the palm of you hand kind. Gag me with a spoon! Or a mallow. It’s about the same.

Shanae and Katrina, Chubby Bunny Contestants

Kim, Sandra, Allyse, Brittan, Shanae during the Chubby Bunny Contest

No more writing. I feel too horrible. Stupid sun!

four...

Remember those buggery AP classes I took this past school year? And how I was so worried and resigned to fail the end of year tests? Well, guess what...

I PASSED!!!

Both tests. :D YAY!!! I got a 4 on the AP Environmental Science exam and a 4 on the AP US History exam. 4 out of a total of 5 on both. YES!!!

Mia Shalom-July 7, 2009...

Morning-
Bad:
1. Truck breaking down on the way up the mountain
2. Sunscreen does not seem to be working-at all
3. Sister Baird is WAY edgy
4. No hot water-I seem to have forgotten since yesterday
5. Feeling so stupid at Flag Ceremony with the other SYCLs that I started crying

Good:
1. Two men stopping with trucks to help us when the truck broke down, and one of them pulling us up the mountain
2. Not sleeping in tents-yay for cabins!
3. Cute girls to watch and film for the Camp Video I’m going to help make
4. Not having to cook lunch-or dinner or breakfast-ever
5. All of the stuff in the trailers unpacked in less than ten minutes

The Suburban being hooked up to the truck after we'd broken down.

Everything was going smoothly-we (meaning the leaders and eight other YCLs [seven ward YCLs and one other SYCL, my friend Brittan]) left at about 5:45 am to reach Camp Shalom. With about twenty miles to go, Sister Baird’s suburban/truck decided it was too tired and grumpy to roll another step. It coughed, lurched, and died with a hiss of steam and the smell of something burning.

Overheated. Darn. We sat there, five girls and two leaders (the others were in separate vehicles), with the truck and trailer in the middle of the road. We couldn’t move left, right, forward, and we sure didn’t want to move backwards, so we just sat tight and waited for something to happen. We did what we could; lifted the hood to find that the oil was boiling too much to measure and the radiator so hot that if we added water it would crack like an egg. Seven women and not a one of use clued in as to how to fix our broken truck.

Until two men stopped, one going down the mountain and one coming up. Sound creepy, but it wasn’t. Down-man (I didn’t catch his name) knew how to attach tow ropes, and Up-man (who I later learned was Nathan) had an old F-350 with which he could pull us up the mountain. And he did. We moved all of the girls into Sister Robinson’s van and left Sister Baird and someone else with the truck. Phew. So grateful!

Afternoon-
Bad:
1. Absolute boredom
2. Girls stripping off into their underwear after a giant canoe water fight which I was luckily not a part of
3. Continually burning face with no hint of a sunburn at all-still glowing white
4. Hunger and no access to food
5. No Internet
6. No…haha. Yeah, I miss him

Good:
1. Soft pad to sleep on
2. Fun journal that I decorated down at the Stake pavilion
3. Always able to stay out of trouble with the leaders-just one of my talents I guess
4. SYCLs do pretty much nothing around their own ward camps
5. Bug repellant!
6. Swedish fish that Kim is sharing-yay

Sandra and Kim making journals at the Stake Pavilion.

I’ve finished all of my assignments and certification that I was in charge of today. Now there’s nothing to do. I’ve got a headache-I can’t be dehydrated, I’ve had four bottles of water all ready.

Keep thinking about him. Brittan thinks that I should tell him that I like him. Um, NO! He’d never speak to me again. Just friends. Sadly.

I miss him.

Evening-
Bad:
1. No red, white, and blue felt flowers left for journal decorating
2. Moth attacks-yikes!
3. Stinky feet-cough!
4. Flashlight batteries died
5. Getting no lunch or dinner today because of my SYCL jobs-sigh

Good:
1. Buff arms from canoeing ;)
2. Successful Flag Ceremony skit-so hilarious and way, way creative
3. No parents!
4. Making new friends
5. The bathrooms (aka BIFFY) cleaned right before it was my turn to go in
6. Making five journals and decorating my camp Book of Mormon
7. Jessie not getting burned when the camp stove almost fell on top of her

All of the crap, I mean, stuff people brought up.

The problem with being a SYCL is that you have almost zero opportunity to eat meals and still be on time for your assignments. I had ½ a sandwich for lunch and ½ a cup of soup for my meals today (the other half cup of soup dropped when I tripped walking down the road). Hungry!

The Flag Ceremony skit went well-I didn’t feel so scared anymore. I mostly helped by directing the other SYCLs to speak more clearly and louder, and then my part was just to “ride” in as a Dudley Do-righter and help save the day. Back in camp Sandra brought Fudge Jumbles to share; they are so amazing, so I’ll get the recipe soon and share it. Jessie almost died when the gas stove started to tip on her. It was so scary! She caught it by the legs though, so she wasn’t burned. So, so lucky!

The girls wanted me to read the story that I wrote three or four summers ago at camp. It’ll take about three nights to read, I think, due to my voice dying and lights out time. No singing though. Yay.

Never mind. Me and my big mouth.

YCLs in camp before the other girls arrived.
Left to right: Brittan, Emily, Shanae, Sandra, with Kim in the front row by herself.

21 hours later...

I planned on posting as soon as I arrived home from camp (after showering and starting laundry, of course) yesterday, but things didn't work out that way. After lunch provided by mom, I went into my room to take a short nap. The time was 1:00 in the afternoon.

10:00 in the morning today on Sunday, or 21 hours later, I woke up. That is why I didn't post anything yesterday. So, without further adieu, we will begin. This could take more than one day, because getting up at 6:00 in the morning and going to bed at 12:00 makes for a very long day. In fact, I won't start until later today. Right now it will just be my Camera Critter. :)


This is Slick, our resident Gold-Mantled Squirrel, not to be confused with the chipmunk. Slick was great at picking up crumbs, but he sometimes got in the way. I was sitting at one of the camp tables eating a granola bar, and he came around to pick up after me. He was getting two or three inches away from my foot-he must see so many campers that he's not afraid anymore. I shifted my position a little bit to get more comfortable and all of the sudden I heard an awful shriek. I looked down to see where it was coming from, and there was Slick, pushing against my foot. I had accidentally set my foot down on top of his tail. Poor thing; he was stuck! I let him go with an apology, after which he ran up a tree and began to berate me for several minutes. Still he didn't leave, and spent five days gorging himself on our forgotten crumbs. Slick will definitely have a good winter.

going away...

Tomorrow at 4:45 a.m. (yes, a.m.-shoot me please) I leave with a big happy smile on my face to go to Girl's Camp. Ha. Fat chance on the smile. I hate camping. No, I hate camping in cabins where there are no showers, or at least no showers with hot water. I'm also terribly nervous this time because I'm a Stake Youth Camp Leader, meaning I'm in the oldest group of girls and I have to be in charge. Yipes. I'm not good at that; I get all tongue-tied and scared and say stupid things because my brain shuts down. Not good, especially since I have to teach and speak to twelve year old girls and girls of all ages at the lake.

My Jobs:
1. Participate in the nightly three-act skit, performed by the SYCLs
2. Head the waterfront activities taking place at Lake Hunt, including canoeing and water games, each of which has not been explained to me so I'm going into this blind and deaf
3. Head the First Year hike with Sister Siebach and Linnea, including explaining and teaching Get To Know You games, introducing the hike and it's purpose, handing out and demonstrating writing activities, sharing my own writing, and being responsible (don't know if I can actually do that last bit)
4. Conduct the Wednesday night Fireside, theme Always Ready, including teach a song, spiritual thought, and prayer
5. Participate in camp skit commercials between the wards' skits
6. Collect camp news (embarrassing moments, fun tidbits, et cetera) and turn in to camp leaders for the Gossip Song
7. Lead all girls in singing before morning and evening firesides
8. Lead a Stake game of Steal the Flag
9. Participate and lead a group of girls on the Stake Hike to Lone Pine
10. Anything else they decide to stick me with

I don't want to go! I'm going to screw up or hurt somebody's feelings or get sick or something. Or maybe have fun. I don't know. In any case, I probably won't be posting until Saturday, and then I'll give you a Week in Review-something along those lines. And pictures. Lots of pictures. I mean, I went out and bought a second camera battery so I'd have enough for five days(ish). I should have plenty to share, right?

Ugh. Bye.

PS If you have no idea what I'm talking about when I say stake, ward, Young Women's, Girl's Camp (I know-you look at that and say 'which girl?' but that's how they do it), or other churchy stuff, take a peak at www.mormon.org to learn more. Only if you're interested. If you're super interested, email me at wannabkenobi at gmail dot com and I'll give you a more in-depth explanation of what all of these things mean. Just for now:

Ward-basically a congregation. It's a group of people who meet in the same building at the same time, and they generally live near one another. It's different outside of Utah, but here there are way too many wards to count. I don't think we even have branches here. A branch is just a really small group of LDS people, not enough to make a ward but more than could be included in a Lone Scout troop, if that makes sense. I go to the 6th ward, which is just the neighborhood that I live in.

Stake-a stake is a big group of people in an area who go to the same church building. There are tons and tons and TONS of stakes in Utah-go figure, it's Mormon territory. Each stake has a certain amount of wards in it; mine happens to have eight.

Young Women-youth group, ages 12-18. We all meet together in classes divided by age: Beehives ages 12-13, Mia Maids ages 14-15, and Laurels ages 16-18. Laurels stay in until they graduate from high school. We have activities on Wednesday nights in classes and sometimes as a whole group, then once a month meeting with the Young Men as well. Same goes for Sunday classes.

Girl's Camp-a four to five day long camp for all Young Women, ages 12-18. Each age is divided into years, 12 year olds are First Years, 13 year olds are Second Years, and so on. I'm a Sixth Year, and so it's my last year at camp. I'll be honest, I'm breathing a sigh of relief. At camp, we do certification in First Aid, camping skills, and other stuff like that. We also go hiking, do service projects, arts and crafts, and sometimes freeze in the snow when we go in June (2 years ago-terrible time). We stay in A-frame cabins as wards, but our entire stake goes together. So, all seven of the eight wards go. One of the wards in my stake is the Single's Ward-generally from age 18 to about 35, depending on how many get married.

That's the short of it, at least of the stuff I mentioned. Confused? I would have been if I hadn't been born to this. :)