Iconic Photo

Hurricane Katrina came at a time in my life that I was utterly fascinated with weather. I would watch the news everyday and all of the breaking stories about natural disasters. I followed Katrina as she worked her way to New Orleans and all of the after effects. I even convinced my parents to donate to the Red Cross Relief fund. I think it was a little spark in me that set me on a path of helping people. All I wanted was for the people to find their homes again. I will always remember this time in our century.

Photo Hunt

They make me laugh. These girls always brighten my day. Their giggles are contagious and their humor worthy of tears and aching stomachs. #ourtablesthebest #APlit #missingmamabandmads 

This is Mrs. Highfill. She teaches culinary arts and international cuisine. She is smart and funny, and cares about her students. She also chooses delicious recipes. #iwanttobeherwhenigrowup #tallandrocksit

My mom. She has always been the best influence on my life, She has helped guide me in my crazy life and has been constant the entire way. #iguessshescool

Blood of Olympus is a book in one of my favorite (and my sister's favorite) series. It is also the only book I have seen with my name spelled the "right" way. #thisiswhereidie 

I sometimes forget to stop and look at the things happening around me. I searched for a while to find something square when the whole time, I was standing on the squarest things in the whole place. #squarestisaword #lookup #lookdown  

People first believe the world the be flat, then they discovered it to be round. It is difficult finding something completely round, even then, it's not perfect. This was from the Indian  pray on in the courtyard. #itsnativeamerican 

Looking up, I see the climbing bricks, reaching for the light. It is difficult to comprehend the vastness of the sky. It keeps on climbing, unlike this wall. This wall had a beginning and a end. But it wants to keep on climbing. #growtothelight

Sarah has the cutest hand writing. Her lines are clean and it is extremely neat. Nobody at our table can handle how cute her writing is. Only Taylor's writing compares. #iwishicouldbethatcute   

This picture is all nature. The flowers are just beautiful as they stand out from the sunlight and the green makes the red pop even more. #howawsomegodmakeit

This is a face that stood out on the door of a bathroom the screws make the eyes and the locks make a nose. He looks like he is staring at you in shock. #itmakessenseinabathroom

As a kid, I always loved going to the zoo. After I visited the giraffes, I would go to the elephants. The hanging elephants outside of Moore's room would just as fascinating. #isitdumbo?
 

This is the ending to one of my favorite books. I reread it often. I fell in love with The Selection Series right away. It reminds me of one of my favorite bible stories, the story of Ester. #thestepsaftereverafter

This is the water fountain outside of the downstairs boys bathroom. It never works. And tricks me every time. #ijustwantedwater

Knowledge is one of the most beautiful things in the world. It's incredible what can change when people learn things. It can really change the world. #knowlegeispower

It has been so cool being apart of something bigger. I am quiet proud of being a chief and seeing chiefs will always remind me of high school. #dontsteponthechiefhead  

Final Reflection

1. There are several different pieces of writing that I have completed this semester. One of my favorite short stories would have to be the Halloween story. I wrote about a little town on a cliff that was being invaded by a monster. That monster just happened to be a giant hedgehog and I found an adorable picture of a hedgehog with a scary face. I had just finished watching Moonrise Kingdom and that is where the stand up, snarky tone came from. I really enjoyed doing the writing on colors. I had a lot of pretty good poems that came from them which included ones about summer and Ireland. I have very much enjoyed reading and writing about other people’s blogs. Liana’s were especially fun to comment on because of her fangirlyness. Keeping a journal has also been good because it allowed me to other things than just writing. Through many things such as other stories, art, pictures, and many other things, I was able to discover that I could be alright at writing.

 2. Like I said before, I have greatly enjoyed reading other peoples blogs. Hands down, the most memorable would have to be Collins Halloween short story about the man who drank human tea. The was quite shocking, and gross. I also really liked Liana’s story about the Belle of the Ball. I haven’t really had much of a chance to read outside of school this semester, but the one thing I set aside ample amounts of time to read was the last book in the Heroes of Olympus series. It a long run of books that I have loved for a while now that are coming to a close, tragically. I have also reread The Selection Series by Kiera Cass multiple times. I LOVE THOSE BOOKS. And, she’s coming out with TWO more books!!

3. It was actually really fun setting up my blog, even if I couldn't figure out some stuff. I was able to find a picture I liked for the background and different fonts and headings that I enjoyed as well. I have learned to just go with what you've got for this blog. I came up with the name because we were just finishing up with the World Cup and I love cookies. I don’t really mind who reads this and I don’t care what people. I do know that people in different countries read it, which is cool.

 4. Besides a lot of writing in my journal, there are also a great deal of collages and picture, both drawn and photographed. I have enjoyed doing it in class because it can set me up for journaling in the future. I have always wanted to start journaling for the sake of remembering. I would probably let my future family read it a long time from now. I would write about what is happening now, memories and snip-its of life from the past, and what I want for the future.

 5. The Purple Mountain majesty. They tower above everything, powerful and tall. They’re always there , to the point that you sometimes forget them, but when you do remember, they take your breath away. There is a pint in the day that when the sun shines on a certain spot, it cuts the mountain face like a pyramid.

6. Norsemalt, a quaint little village, exactly 23 kilometers east of Wicklow and 7 kilometers north of nothing. Known for its spectacular annual Christmas Eve Pageant! and scones, Norsemalt is adored by all of its citizens. It is commonly identified by the people as “the most remarkably normal and exceedingly average village at the top of a cliff you can imagine.” That was, until November 5th, when that nickname changed to “the most remarkably normal and exceedingly average village at the top of a cliff you can imagine that also had a monster.” It was almost a regular day. The satisfying smell of fresh baked scones wafted through the grateful air as the organ in the little white chapel played one of the scene’s music from Christmas Eve Pageant! production. All the people went about their day in the normal fashion, doing their jobs with either great vigor or melancholy dopiness. The clouds had begun to gather in anticipation for an overcast downpour, begging the old folks to dawn their sheep’s wool sweaters and rubber boots. Schoolchildren waited eagerly on the edge of their seat to be dismissed for the evening as they imagined the possibilities that the coming weekend and puddles held. For two in particular, the thoughts of the weekend adventures were carried into the far reaches of the realms of possibilities, but they never came to the idea of a monster attack on their charming little home. Charlie and Mary were walking to their homes from school when the rain hit. Instinctively, Charlie gave took off his jacket to cover both his best friend and his head as they began running to escape the building storm. Before they entered their side by side terraced house, Mary leaned over the railing dividing their doors and invited Charlie to come over, after they had changed their wet clothes, for a board game and tea with leftover cake. Charlie immediately obliged, anything to delay his impending homework. They played for a few hours as the storm built into a raging monster. Charlie and Mary looked at each other, almost in anticipation as the largest strike of lightening hit, flicking off the lights of the town. The two friends laughed a little as the both got up to find the candles and flashlight so they could continue their game. Charlie strode to the cabinet by the window, opening the door just as a long spike crashed through the glass, piercing the cabinet door, inches from Charlie’s head. Mary let out a little scream while Charlie dropped to the floor in fear of another missile. When their fear had ceased, Mary and Charlie examined the giant sharp spike and decided to go investigate its origins. Stepping outside, they found that they were not the only ones who received the gift of needles. They were everywhere, sticking up from the ground, strewn throughout the street, shish kebobing cars. The villagers were terrified, coming out of their homes in a panicked fear, not knowing where was safe. Charlie took Mary’s hand and pulled her towards the town square, desperate to find out what was happening. As they ran, Mary looked around, the feeling that someone, or something, was watching them settling over her. She asked Charlie about it, just as they heard a scampering behind one of the nearby buildings. Pushing away their fear, they turned to follow the noise. They ran through the town in the back alleyways and through open streets, until they came to the edge of the cliff. There, the rain had built up a great fog that was rolling over the cliff’s edge, lighting up with every strike of lightening. That’s when they saw it, crawling out of the fog. It was taller than any building in their town with spike sticking out in every direction and a long snout protruding from its face. Mary turned to look at Charlie in horror. The monster was here.

 7. I don’t have much planned in the writing actually stories and poems in a sense. I do plan on continuing my blog and starting a journal. I will also continue to scrap book my life, it’s creative. I also want to keep working on my altered book and do some more posters. I have really enjoyed doing the artsy stuff associated with writing. I am able to bring out something I never thought was there when I write. When I do the hands on aspect of writing, I feel like I can be accomplished in this sense and I can do art. It’s different from other writing because I can be really good at academic writing, but now I know how to be creative.

 8. Keep coming up with original thoughts and simply keep being you and expressing what you love. Have fun and be confident.

101 Things About Me!

1. God first, others second, I’m third
2. I am 17 going 18, and I sang “I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen” vigorously the weeks leading up to my birthday
3. I was born in Springfield, MO, grew up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, CO, then moved right on back to Springfield
4. My two sisters are both my best friends and my sworn enemies, we go on adventures and battle a lot
5. My keepie uppie (juggling a soccer ball) record is 250
6. I’m Anglican and proud of it
7. NPR is the first button on my car radio
8. I Irish danced for years and got pretty good at it.
9. I was once on track for the Olympics, I was a pretty dedicated kid
10. My plank record was 5 minutes 30 seconds when I was in middle school
11. I love giraffes. My first giraffe (stuffed animal) came to me when I was 5. His name is Giraffie and he still sleeps on my bed
12. I have recently become an avid tea drinker, after years of rebellion against my parent’s tea drinking
13. I still need a good coffee every once and while. With cream and no sugar
13. I want to travel the world
14. I love different world cultures
15. My American Girl doll is Felicity and I have her whole collection. I’m trying to keep it all together for my daughters and granddaughters someday
16. I once drew a scale model, complete with mathematical equations, of my house and everything in it because I was board
17. I adore holidays. The idea of celebrating someone or something for a whole day is great!
18. I want to live in Africa; I don’t know what country yet. I adore the variety of people and cultures 19. I was homeschooled through sixth grade. I’m still getting over the awkward
20. History is God’s great story book for the world, and I love stories
21. I’m already building my collection of children’s books and stories to read to my kids one day.
22. I believe soccer is the gateway to the world and I hold a key
23. I long for the day when I can beat my dad at Jeopardy
24. I am really good at making chocolate chip cookies
25. One day, I’m going to race the sun around the world
26. Kangaroos are always in my nightmares
27. I love cooking
28. I ask for an older brother every year for Christmas
29. I bawled at the end of Allegiant by Veronica Roth. I was board the rest of the series
30. I am and will forever be a C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia fan. They were my childhood 31. I use scrap booking to journal
32. Sunflowers are my favorite flower
33. My heart melts every time I listen to “Your Song” by Elton John
34. I love any form of storytelling. Movies, books, music, anything that tells a tale
35. My hair and eyes change color according to the light
36. People tell me that compassion and kindness are my best features
37. I do math when I’m board
38. I know all the words to the Tangled songs. And Frozen
39. My left eye has better vision than my right, I can barely see out of my right eye
40. I want to make a living doing volunteer work. Nonprofits are the way to go nowadays
41. I love big cities
42. My dog Tully and my stuffed giraffe are the only things that know all my secrets
43. I’ve gone to three different high schools in two different states
44. I love star gazing in the summer
45. Nothing can beat a good root beer float
46. I’ve gone on one cruise to Mexico. It was amazing
47. I love the feeling of waking up without an alarm
48. I love being busy, and stillness is a form of being busy
49. I am Irish and Jewish German and Canadian
50. My favorite tea is Wild Berry Zinger
51. I survived the Mint Room
52. Harry Potter Forever
53. I want to backpack through Europe
54. I go Contra dancing every other Saturday
55. I am very proud of my heritage
56. Different religions interest me greatly, it helps me understand my own religion and appreciate it more
57. I cried at the end of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series and was disappointed at the end of Heroes of Olympus
58. The parables of Christ are my favorite parts of the bible
59. My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11
60. I love Disney
61. I cried during Frozen. My cousin laughed at me
62. I prefer driving stick
63. I used to play pioneers in my backyard
64. My first bedroom was pink
65. I had two play houses growing up. One was in the backyard and was light blue with a yellow porch, and the second was under my stairs and was painted with different seasons
66. Christmas is hands down my favorite time of the year
67. I hated the idea of moving to Missouri, now I don’t regret a thing
68. I still keep in touch with my best friend from Colorado
69. My first car was a Mazda Protégé
70. One of my life goal is to play the cello
71. My favorite show to watch with my dad is The West Wing because he is a lawyer and I love following politics. We are both pursuers of a more perfect union
72. I am extremely loyal to my family, no matter how loyal they are to me
73. I have a secret love for Michael Bublé
74. And One Direction
75. I always try to see the best in people and their best intentions
76. My dad really likes U2, I follow in his footsteps
77. I was a private school kid
78. My cats are named after C.S. Lewis and his brother
79. I was taught how to bend the soccer ball by the same person who taught David Beckham to bend it
80. I have some of the best friends imaginable. I would do anything for them
81. My dad thinks I make up my friends names. I don’t
82. I have every birthday card everyone has given since I was 5
83. I want to be friends with everybody
84. I do not like pineapple
85. Oxfords are my shoe of choice
86. I wish I had a time machine so I could live through all of history
87. I wants lots of kids.
88. I really like Jane Austen. I read Pride and Prejudice every year
89. I REALLY like the Selection series. It’s like the story of Ester
90. I once got 8 people in a 4 door car and drove around the block. It has been my only crazy teenager moment to date.
91. One of the prettiest sights I've ever seen is the snow falling at night as it sparkles under a street lamp. It truly glittered and takes my breath away every time
92. My favorite song ever is “The Call” by Regina Spektor
93. The How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack is superb. I can, and have, listened to for hours
94. I have a really hard time keeping my room clean. I say its personality. My dad says it’s a mess. 95. I think plaid and pearls go great together
96. I want to be a missionary a live the words of Isaiah 58:10
97. I got up to watch Will and Kate’s wedding, and waited all day for Prince George’s birth…..
98. Mushrooms are fungus. Gross.
99. Other than that, I tend to be an adventurous eater
100. I am fiercely proud of my sisters, and I have a hard time telling them so.
101. I have to remind myself every day to trust that God has the best plan for my life, even if I can’t see it. I live for him and to do the things he has given me to do. My faith has given me something worth dying for, so that I might live in eternity.

The Masterpiece: Cheesy Potatoes

Let me tell you about a wonder beyond all wonders, cheesy potatoes.  They are a magnificent combination of cubed potatoes, cheese, butter, seasoning, and depending on which side of the debate you are on, corn flakes (I am on the side of corn flakes, I like a good crunch).  The potatoes, cheese, and butter are mixed together with a hearty dollop of sour cream and places in the oven.  Halfway through the cooking process, if you’re like me and half of my family, corn flakes can be added.  It is culinary perfection. The way the potatoes seem to melt in your mouth as your tongue burn from sneaking a spoonful to soon is like a symphony coming together for the final crescendo. 

My family can be described through cheesy potatoes, the delicious flawlessness.  It starts with my Aunt. She began cooking at an early age and while I do not know when she perfected her masterpiece, in my opinion, I do know that they have been around for quite some time.  She adds corn flakes. Then comes my second cousin (I think she’s a second cousin, she is my dad and Aunt’s cousin but we just call her an aunt).  She started making them from the same recipe, but without corn flakes.  That is what sparked the great, not really that great but still there, debate.  My entire family is split down the middle on which kind is better.  They can go on for a while on the benefits and horrors of one side or another.  And while we disagree on the topic, there will always be, without fail, cheesy potatoes on the table for dinner.  There are two different kinds of dishes, two different kinds of people, but when you strip back the first layer that covers everything, it’s all the same.  My family, however different initial layer, is the just about the same.  They love arguing, and sometimes making up. They love not seeing each other than getting back together for a week only to not stand each other by the end and be content with leaving for a while again.  They love Imo’s Pizza and cheesy potatoes. And they love each other.      

Photograph 2000

This is a bunch of goofy kids
breaking a swinging bench
basking in the summer sun
the youngers doing their best
to be like the olders
in all their "grown up" glory.
Jumpers, Buzz Light-year,
and inspirational stickers
doting those under a dozen.

This is seven faces
with matching eyes,
noses, and smiles

This is silly faces to make
the grown ups laugh
as much as we possibly can
before the time runs out
on spontaneous laughter and happiness,
before a time
when the kids table was not cool

Ambiguous Measures

I used to hideout in the backyard
the rosebush disguising my movements.
Blue and yellow playhouse, shelter from the rain.

I learned to walk there
the think and discover there

I climb the hollow tree
a journey into the highest tops
where ideas and imagination soar

I found new worlds there
in the piles of old leaves
when the air is crispy
with remade threes strew the surrounding
as I dive into into depths of
disregard for the real world