Favorite Christmas Decoration

We don't have many Christmas decorations at my house. We put up a tree and a few candy canes outside, but that's all. Granted, my favorite decoration is not at my house. This magnificent decoration is at my grandma's house and is lovingly referred to as the upside down tree.

This tree is literally upside, hence the name. I've always been a fanatic about different/ weird things and since I was little, this tree has always caught my eye. I love it. It's very simple; it's simplicity is what makes it my favorite. It always hangs right above my grandmother's chair and is up all year round, except it's bagged and unlit. It's only around three feet tall, there are no ornaments on it, just colored lights.

I've never known why exactly I do like this tree, it's just that every time I think about my grandparent's house, it's what I think about - the first thing my brain imagines. This fall, me and some of my grandparents went to the Christmas store in Santa Claus, Indiana and there was a HUGE upside down tree. It had ornaments and was probably professionally decorated, but it came no where near the beauty of my grandma's upside down tree.

This picture is of an upside down tree, made on paint by me because I could not find one when I searched Google that would do my grandma's tree justice. (:

Presents That I Want

A few years ago, I really wanted the first season of the Golden Girls. The next year, I got the second season, and so on and so forth. Right now I have every season of the Golden Girls except for ONE. One lousy season and my whole collection is ruined. It breaks my heart. So, for this year, I really hope that my mom is able to find my missing season, I do believe it is the sixth, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. We have looked everywhere and are unable to find it. So that is my Christmas wish. I hope it comes true.

Books A Million Adventure that Led Us to "Patty's Bar" AKA Kelsey's House

Last night, me, Stacie, Alyssa, and Emily all went to Books A Million. After dress rehearsal for the play, I went to pick up Stacie while Emily went to get Alyssa. We all met up at BAM and loitered for a while and then found the games there. That was pretty interesting but we found Apples to Apples and started talking about how cool it would be to go back to someone's house and play a game. So Alyssa said that her step-mom had the game. So she called the called her and her step-mom, wonderful woman that she is, allowed us to borrow the game. So I had to take Alyssa to get the game and Emily and Stacie had to go to Target because Emily had to pick up some socks.

So we leave. The store that is. Because the car wouldn't start. So that was pretty amazing. So I call my mom, and she's like, "Keep trying." And I'm like, "Well, I am." Really, I'm sitting here with Alyssa and the car won't start, you don't think I'm trying? Then, I decide to call my papaw, the mechanic. He says he will be there in a bit. So while I'm still trying to start the car, I tell Alyssa to call Emily to tell her that we will be fairly late. Emily, GENIUS that she is, told me to turn the wheel and try it. Lo and behold, IT WORKED! I could hear the "Hallelujah" chorus in the background.

Finally, we got to my house and started to play Apples to Apples. Alyssa and Stacie decided to call their grandparents/ parents (respectively). When Alyssa tells her grandpa where she is, her grandpa can't understand, "Kelsey's house" and thought she was saying, "Patty's Bar". So now my house is Patty's bar. But last night was loads of fun and I hope all of us get to do it again soon.

College

I've been getting a lot of things in the mail about college lately. It has made me rethink my idea of what I want for college and what college I want to go to. I've gotten things from good colleges and I'm thinking, "THOSE ARE BETTER THAN USI!" Yeah, Mr. Jones may hate me for that, but whatever.

So, at the moment, I'm thinking of Bellarmine. One thing that I absolutely LOVE about it is that if I major in elementary secondary education, I also get a license in special education. For a while, I've been torn between elementary and special education, so this is a great plus. It seems like a great university, so I'm excited to learn more about it.

I'm also looking at Georgetown. I just got something in the mail from them and have been looking at their college. So I don't know. I'm still undecided, but leaning towards Bellarmine - today.

I plan on visiting colleges during spring break so I should come back with more of an idea where I want to go. (:

Tell City v. Cannelton Basketball Game

So I went to Tell City with my dad for the basketball game. Before the game, we went to my grandparents and had our Thanksgiving there. (:

So my dad always likes to get to places early (LIKE AN HOUR EARLY) but anywhosers, we were there early and watched the JV game before he had to officiate the Varsity game. The JV game was nasty. Both teams were no good, but Tell City just lacked defense less than Cannelton. Watching them warm up, I knew it was going to bad. Neither team could get a ball in the basket and I turned to my dad and told him it was going to be nasty. And oh how it was. Final score of the JV game: 75-16... Yeah...

Finally, it was time for the Varsity game. My dad goes out there and, from the beginning, the Cannelton coach does not like him. They continuously get into fights and Dad just walks away... For the first half anyway.

It got pretty boring after half time - until about three minutes left in the game. A Cannelton player falls, and instead of getting up, pulls a Tell City player down with him. So another ref. calls an intentional foul - all good, right? NO.

Cannelton coach starts YELLING at my dad for not seeing it and says that it was not a foul. Okay, you were going to lose by about, oh I don't know, 30 anyway. What could two shots have done for you, really? So the Cannelton coach is screaming at my dad and the Tell City coach. Oh, how it was on. So they start yelling at each other, and my dad just stands in the middle, yelling at them both. It was hilarious! And then this woman in front of me stands up and is like, "there's going to be a fight!" So I'm like, "Sit down! I'm trying to watch!"

It broke up really quickly, with the Cannelton kid yelling at my dad too. It was interesting. But very funny. (:

My Ride in the Car with Marley's Boy

I am going to start this blog off by saying, NEVER RIDE IN THE CAR WITH NICK MILLER. I spent the whole time yelling at him. But hey, he only drove me for about a half mile, and I saw my life flash before my eyes. To your right there is a picture of me and the accused, in happier times. Then, he didn't have his license and couldn't threaten my life. But now, the story is much different.

It all started off innocently enough - I asked him to drive me home after drama practice because we got done early. He said, "I don't know if I can." And after a quick phone call, we were on our way to his car. He was taking a long time to leave the auditorium, telling Marley that he loved her and what not, so I was yelling at him - per usual, "COME ON NICK!" No, I'm not needy. AT. ALL. (:

On our way to the car, I lagged behind. I should have trusted my instinct then. I knew not to get in the car with him. I JUST KNEW IT! But, I got in there anyway, and as we started to drive, he says, "Which way do I go?" So I tell him, "You can leave turn out of the parking lot either way and still get to my house in a timely fashion." Then, he says, "I choose left." Okie dokey, that doesn't bother me.

So, we take off out of the parking spot. As he turns left onto Gemini, he yells something I did not want to hear in a car. I go, "NICK. SHUT UP. DON'T SAY THAT!". So he counters with, "Would you rather me yell, 'vehicular manslaughter'?" And I said, "Yes, that would be lovely."

After what seems like five minutes, we get to the intersection of Gemini and Tamarack. We sit a while and he says, "They seem like they're going slow," And I say, "Don't push it!" So he goes, "What button?" Hardy har har.

Finally we get to my house, I say thank you, and I am super glad to get out of the car. But I was very appreciative for the ride home.

I was just kidding, Nick was a great driver, very cautious, but.... Still Nick. :D

Thanksgiving

I am so looking forward to Thanksgiving. I get to see all of my family. They live in town, but I don't get to see them much, so I keep up with them on Facebook. I'm really excited to see all of my little cousins who I have gotten really close to lately. I'm also looking forward to seeing my aunts and uncles and my grandparents. Another thing, I'm excited for my cousin's CHOCOLATE PIE! She makes the greatest chocolate pie in the world. It is delicious. So I'm super excited about that.

Then, on Saturday, I plan on going to my grandparent's house in Indiana for their Thanksgiving. We have my family from St. Louis coming in and I always look forward to seeing them. I'm also ready for some of my grandma's CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS! They are the best! No one makes chicken and dumplings like my grandma. They're not exactly dumplings, they're like squares; I don't know. But they're delicious. And I want some right now. :D

License Test...

So I took my license test Friday, and passed. (:

Granted, it was the most nerve racking experience of my life and I hope to never have to do that. I won't unless I move - which I think I might to Indiana - but that's another blog, another time. Hopefully soon. :D

We'll start from the beginning of that day. I woke up the most nervous I have ever been in all of my life. My mom had the day off work and we got up early so I could practice a little bit. After I had practiced, I went to school and was super NERVOUS. I could not stand just sitting there and waiting for time to pass. But, I had to. So it sucked.

My mom checked me out a few minutes early, which didn't hurt at all. I was still nervous and I ended up driving to the test site, still being the most nervous I have ever been. We arrived about 20 minutes early and I watched the person in front of me take the test. I think that was what made me the most nervous. Once they left, I was like, "WHAT DO I DO? WHERE DID THEY GO?" Yeah, I was pretty nervous. (:

Finally, it was my turn. I was super nervous when he asked me, "ARE YOU WEARING CONTACTS?!!!!" And I was just so meek saying, "Yes, sir." Then, he got in the car and said, "I write down the good and the bad. I go by the book; I don't try to trick you. Just stay away from the bad." And I'm like, "...Ummm, okay."

Then, we were off. I parallel parked, I did a turn about, everything needed. While being as nervous as humanly possible without having a break down. Finally, as we were rounding the last turn, he says, "It's your last left turn, you can breathe now." And I'm like, "Ha.." And he goes, "I haven't heard you breathe the whole time; It's bad when you turn the color of your shirt." Yeah, embarrassing. I was wearing a blue sweatshirt. So I guess he thought I was dying.

But I didn't - I passed. And I drove me and Alyssa out to Southern Oaks that night. It's amazing now. :D

The Pledge of Allegiance

TODAY WE HAVE WON A GREAT BATTLE!

This boy in our class actually stood up for the pledge. I was so excited; we clapped and everything. There was just one thing - it bothers me that I had to be excited that someone was standing up, shouldn't everyone?

I've been taught that you stand up during the pledge and say it. You stand up during the national anthem, and put your hand over your heart as they sing it. When I saw this boy in my chemistry class sit, and then when we got mad at him for sitting, LAUGH at me - I was infuriated. I had a tad bit of a heated conversation with him - well, more about him, he wouldn't look at me- and I was none too pleased about that. At least have the common courtesy to STAND during the pledge. I'm not asking you to say it if you don't want to, but stand up. Don't sit there like you'd be wasting your whole life away if you stood for ten seconds saying the pledge.

On Veteran's Day, he did not stand up - but today he does? I just have one thing to say to that boy - respect those who fought for you. How do you do that? By saying the pledge everyday. Learn to do it and learn to like it. Those veterans do so much so you have the right to be in school. But when they were fighting, I doubt they thought they were fighting so you could have the right NOT to say the pledge.

So a huge thank you to all the veterans - my grandpa included. And those who are fighting for us right now - my cousin, Nick, my stepbrother, Eric, and a shout-out to Laura Beth's dad. You all are doing/ have done so much to help us.

THANK YOU

Study Hall

So right now I'm in study hall, listening to freshmen complain about the supposed "ATROCIOUS AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK" they have. Oh, they have so much to learn. Next year will become harder to control your work load, and Junior year even harder. As I've been told, Senior year is the easiest because you have less required classes. But, oh, they have much to learn. I wish I could talk to them next year and learn about the "ATROCIOUS AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK" they have.

Pet Peeves

So I've been noticing it A LOT lately. It's like it stopped and then came back - I don't know. But it seems as though people are saying, "You're going to have an aneurysm!" Or "It feels like I'm having an aneurysm!" Yeah, well I'm sorry, but you're probably not and it's getting super annoying when you say things like that. Oh, and here's another one that I've heard, "You're going to fall and have an aneurysm." ...

REALLY?!

I was unaware that falling would cause an aneurysm to burst, but that could just be me. But for those who don't know, let's have a little lesson on what an aneurysm is, shall we? :D

A brain aneurysm is a weak bulging spot on the wall of a brain artery very much like a thin balloon or weak spot on an inner tube. Aneurysms form silently from wear and tear on the arteries, and sometimes can form from injury, infection, or inherited tendency. --- http://www.bafound.org/info/index.php

Thank you, bafound.org (:

If an aneurysm bursts, you have little chance of surviving without permanent injury -- little chance of surviving at all, for that matter. So if you're at school the next day after a major headache that you swore up and down was an "aneurysm" I would think again. And please don't say it in front of me. You may or may not know what my mom has been through on this topic and this is probably why it bothers me so much.

Oh! And you don't always die from it. I've heard that one, too and I was like, "Really? My mom's dead? Hmmm...."

So yeah, I just wanted to tell you all about this pet peeve and how annoying it is when you all say things like that that it really bothers me. Any questions about it? Comment or email me, I'd be glad to answer any. I know a crap load on this subject, considering I've been dealing with it since was six -- 'kay thanks. :D

FEA... State?

So me and Brandy went to go talk to Mr. Purcell this morning about going to state. He knew what we had done, our names, and everything. Despite that creepiness factor, it was very nice that he knew all of that. The main point of this blog is to say that he said that all I have to do is give him the dates and who is going in writing and we can go! I'm super excited. This is HUGE! Eeeeek! I'm so excited and I'm waiting for Mrs. Gray to email me back because I had an AMAZING idea - if everyone who goes could pay a little bit. It's $109 to go. Split between six people that's $18. So I'm just waiting to see what happens. As in the last blog, wish me luck. (:

FEA Regionals 10.22.09

So FEA Regionals went really well. :D

We won first in PSA and conference theme development. For this being our first year, that's a HUGE deal! I was really proud and I would be super excited if we got to go to state. (But I have to talk to a certain principal on Monday to see). Mrs. Kahler, the organizer, said that our PSA was amazing. So just a little kudos to me and Laura Beth. (:

But I'm super excited and Western is a pretty cool campus, but I still think that I'm going to go to USI, but I have oh, about a year(SHEESH! That's not very long!). Wish me luck for Monday morning....

Fireflies - Owl City

So I heard this song, I think Friday morning getting ready for school. It is amazing. Granted, I have always like Owl City, but this song takes him to a new level. Here are the lyrics:

You would not believe your eyes

If ten million fireflies

Lit up the world as I fell asleep

'Cause they fill the open air

And leave teardrops everywhere

You'd think me rude

But I would just stand and stare

I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs

From ten thousand lightning bugs

As they tried to teach me how to dance

A foxtrot above my head

A sock hop beneath my bed

A disco ball is just hanging by a thread

I'd like to myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

When I fall asleep

Leave my door open just a crack

Please take me away from here

'Cause I feel like such an insomniac

Please take me away from here

Why do I tire of counting sheep

Please take me away from here

When I'm far too tired to fall asleep

To ten million fireflies

I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes

I got misty eyes as they said farewell

But I'll know where several are

If my dreams get real bizarre

'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar

I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

When I fall asleep

I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

'Cause everything is never as it seems

When I fall asleep

I'd like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly

It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep

Because my dreams are bursting at the seams

This song has been on repeat in my mind since I heard it. It's also been the only thing playing on my iPod. It's just an amazing song. I'd like to say that I knew what it was about, except fireflies, but I don't know. It could be a variety of things - but I'm thinking it's about him being a dreamer and that he doesn't want to except the world as it is. But that's just me. What do you guys think? :D

The Play

So, granted, drama is having a play this semester. Many people are very upset that it is during December. Well, it's a CHRISTMAS play. Enough said.

I'm really upset that the special-ed kids can't have a play, too. But there's nothing drama can do about it. We're striking the set as soon as we're done. That's the best we can do. There is so much that is going into this, and our teacher can't have everyone walking all over her.

The Blue House Players are working so hard for the play, we have two advanced drama classes this year, during B3 and B4. The chorus wants to practice in the auditorium during B4. Well, HELLO. THERE IS A DRAMA CLASS DURING THAT TIME. Auditorium = DRAMA CLASS/ BLUE HOUSE PLAYERS. The auditorium is basically where we live during the school year. And give our teacher a break; it's her first year, she's getting her "sea legs". And everything she does, our old drama teacher knows about. Trust me. It's not like she's doing it and no one knows anything. The old drama teacher keeps pretty close tabs on us.

And our teacher would never be mean to another teacher. She is way too nice, and quiet, no doubt.

Scary

So I've only seen a handful of scary movies - because they freak me out so much. But one that I have seen that didn't freak me out - Halloween: Mario Edition. Just kidding, but I had to have a way to incorporate this picture :D

It's Children of the Corn. Like, granted, it's a different movie, but I wasn't very scared. Me and my mom actually make fun of that movie. (;

But anywhosers, it would take a lot for a movie to scare me. It would have to be a true story that I would totally believe. But that takes alot. The only stories I believe are from Unsolved Mysteries, and for those who don't know, was like the best show EVER. It had people that were murdered, kidnapped, and it had paranormal activity. It was pretty amazing. I wish it was still on. :(

Wow, I got way off topic...

Childhood Fears

So my fear as a child was quite a irrational fear. I always thought someone was coming to get me, I know, WEIRD. But, yeah, so I would be afraid of every stranger and every time we walked into the house, I wouldn't feel comfortable going far into the house without having my mom checking it out. Yeah, I feel totally weird right now. And I would also be afraid that my mom had to call like 911 on any day. I don't understand that last fear, considering I had never had to call 911 then. But now, it seems so irrational and silly. I don't understand why I was so afraid.

Autumn

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn." - Elizabeth Lawrence

Fall is most definitely my favorite season. It's just a time when things are changing and it's very pretty. Me and my grandmother share this season as our favorite. Every time we get together around fall, we always talk about how it looks so pretty outside, how it feels good and whatnot. It's just an amazing season. (:

In fall, everything is changing; granted, they are getting ready to die, but it's still beautiful. I feel bad for people who have never seen the leaves change because it is so pretty and it's just like a religious experience to me. It makes me love nature all over again and it's so beautiful. I couldn't imagine there being no fall. It would be so sad.

Laughter

So. There is this person in my English class right now and he is LAUGHING ridonculously loud. But whatever.

I love laughter, it is my medicine. Without laughter, honestly, my life would suck.

I have learned to laugh at myself, finally. Before then, I was unhappy with myself because I didn't know how to laugh at my little mistakes that were so trivial they were ridiculous. But now that I can, life is better.

And I can even laugh at this guy over here laughing. (:

"Act quickly, think slowly"

Haha. Isn't the turtle just the cutest thing you ever saw? (:

Anyhow, I never add pictures to my blogs and I have been told that I need to do so. I went to Google Images, and found this picture when I typed in slow turtle cartoon. I know, it's precious.

Okay, so to the actual point of the blog which is this quote. Which, to me, sounds like an oxymoron. How are you to act quickly, yet think slowly? If you should think before you act, it doesn't make sense, at least not to me. But, I guess in a sense it could.

In different situations you do have to act quickly. Such as situations when your adrenaline kicks in and what not and you don't have time to think about what you are doing.

In other situations, you have to think. You're given a lot of time to think and not enough to do. I don't know, maybe I'm over-thinking this. Anyone?

Is it Easier to Fight With Dignity or Surrender in Shame?

Good question. I think it's much easier to surrender in shame. When you surrender, you're giving up, and it's much easier to give up than fight. Sometimes when people fight for what they believe in, they're afraid of what others might think, therefore they surrender. It is so hard for people nowadays to fight with dignity and not surrender at the first sign of a problem. I can admit to being guilty of this, even though I wish I wasn't, but I am; and I accept it and learn from it. I now try to fight with dignity.

Money

It would be naive of me say that money does not make an impact on my life. My family does struggle to pay the bills and do everything. With me in so many extra-curricular activities, that makes it that much harder. Money is important, but does not define someone or make them who they are. Their personality makes you who you are; not your financial situation.

When you don't have money, it impacts your life quite a bit. You struggle day to day to meet needs; you are stressed out. There is a mulitude of impacts that money does have on your life. But it's not the most important thing in your life.

I do not believe money makes the world go round. It might make the economy go round, but not the world. To quote The Beatles, "All you need is love"

Yes, I am a Beatles geek and I know it. (:

CAP Group

"Everybody get to this thing I'm getting to." Ahh, Coach Todd in CAP group is pretty funny. Not knowing what he's doing and what not. Pretty amazing.

"How do you get the passwords?"

"I checked the ILP."

"No, seriously."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I love CAP group. I wish we had it everyday. (:

A Family that Laughs Together Stays Together

Laughter keeps a family together. Without laughter, you could notget through life's hardships. You have to learn to laugh at yourself and make light of things that weigh heavily. I couldn't imagine life without laughter, it'd be really depressing. I laugh 24/7 and life without laughter wouldn't be life at all.

Madison Dobbs

In an English class that I am an aide for, they finished the novel, Tears of a Tiger today. When I was in English 9, I never read it because I took Honors. But the book struck me. The book centers on a high school that is ravaged by death. One night after a basketball game, four players get in a car, after drinking, and are involved in an accident. One of the four dies and the one that was driving feels completely responsible.

I can only think of two reasons that the book struck me so much. For one, I'm driving now so it scares me everytime I'm in the car. Two, I lost someone almost three years ago to a car accident. He was in high school, only fifteen, and driving, which is legal in Tennessee (he had a hardship license). The book talked about the funeral for the player that was killed and it made think so much of the funeral I attended for my friend. He was a football player, baseball player, and all around good guy. I miss him a lot, even though I didn't get to see him much at all.

I won't ever be the same after what I went through with losing him. Neither will people who knew him. Every year around this time, he died November 13, 2006 and I carry his funeral card with me in my wallet, so that I feel that he's with me all the time. It's very hard to believe it's almost been three years since he has died and I miss him so much. Rest in peace.

What Home Means to Me

I am not, whatsoever, ready to leave home. I am still very attached. When I went to FEA camp this summer, my mom was very worried and very concerned about me the whole time. We talked to each other every day at least once. I couldn't imagine leaving home soon. I think I'm going to stay home a bit longer (:

People in Glass Houses

Nope. They shouldn't throw stones. But they do. We all do. John 8:7 says: "When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, 'If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." I have been on the receiving end and on the giving end. It feels really bad to both throw and receive said "stones". No one should do it and it hurts both parties involved.

720 Days

In KOM, we were told to give our freshmen a "720 Day Speech". 720 is the amount of days that you have in high school from first day of your freshman year to last day of senior year. If I would have been told that freshman year, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. I would have thought that high school would be so boring and monotonous that I wish it would go by fast. But in all honesty, it has. I know I'm just a junior and have only gone through half of my high school career, but in that time, it went by so quickly, I can recall almost every day of both years. I cannot believe that I am already a junior, that most of my friends are seniors, some of my friends graduated last year, even. So far, high school has gone so fast and I wish it would have gone a little bit slower for me to have done some more things my first two years.

Friendships doubles joy, halves grief

This is very true to me. I have always had friends there with me when I needed them, and that's what makes me feel better and raises my spirits. When my mother was in the hospital two summers ago, my friends were there for me, as well as her friends. It made me feel much better and I wasn't as upset with my friends there.

Also, I always like to share experiences with my friends because it seems to bond us and make us closer. When my family, the Minto/Stoen side, go out to Lincoln City, IN every spring, I have, since sixth grade, been taking a friend because it makes that time seem more fun than being in the wilderness with no one my age. So when my friend comes, my grandparents take us places and to do things around there and it's a lot of fun that I can talk with my friend about.

Friendship is very important to me and always affects, usually in a positive way, life's experiences.

Blah, blah. Look at Kelsey Bringing up the Past.

I'm not trying to bring up emotions that weren't there before or that have been gone, done with, I just need to talk about how I feel.

Freshman year was not the best year for me. A lot of things going on with friends that made me feel like an outsider in my group. After that, I started hanging out with my guy friends, who were also partly part of that same group because of mutual friends.

Sophomore year, I went to a completely different group. With my friends whom I feel the closest to right now. A few of those people hung out with my old group, but I just needed some friends.

Junior year, I feel that I am so much better than what I was freshman year. I'm not afraid to tell people how I feel, I know who my real friends are, and I know how to express my emotions instead of supressing them like I did for two years. I've found myself, in high school terms and not in the big picture, but I'm okay with who I am, what I have done in the past, everything.

Similar Sire, Similar Scion

Umm. Can that be translated to mean "like mother, like daughter"? I am so much like my mom it is ridiculous. Same hair, same looks (which creeps me out sometimes), and same personality. I love my mom, because if I didn't, technically, I wouldn't love myself.

Same. Same. Same. Everything's the same between us it seems. We both have dark brown hair that is very thick. We look a TON alike. One time, I was looking at this picture of my mom when she was in probably the seventh grade with one of her friends, whose daughter looks and acts a lot alike, and I got really creeped out. That was in the picture! But, technically, it was my mother. All the same, very creepy.

Our personalities are so much alike that we do get on each other's nerves every once in a while. We have the same jokes, say the same things at the same times, and we can make people look at us with pained looks like we're the new Naomi & Wynona Judd.

All in all, being so much like my mom is pretty nifty and I love it (most of the time).

Family

Family is the most important thing in my life. My mom, dad, grandparents, and cousins mean the world to me and I don't know what I would do without them - yes, I know that's cliche.

I am an only child so my parents are always with me, or I am always talking to them. My dad is gone a lot on business. I don't get to see him much, but when I do I cherish that. We talk at the very least once a week and that is very important. My mom is probably the most important to me. We are so much alike in looks, sense of humor, everything. Her friends and my friends say that we're twins. I have so much appreciation for my mom that probably stems from almost losing her once. I was only six, and looking back on it now, I really cannot imagine what would have happened to me if something happened to her. When I was six, my mom was in the hospital for four months and I got to see her every Saturday. I learned to look forward to that Saturday; but I never quite understood what she was there for. In the summer of 2008, my mom had another stay in the hospital where they thought she had cancer. That was very scary for me. I had already been through almost losing her once, I didn't want to do it again. Luckily, she did not have cancer but it opened my eyes and made me realize how important she was to me.

My cousins and grandparents mean alot to me, also. My cousin, Nick, just graduated boot camp for the Army and is now in Arizona for more training. His sister, Jessica is only four years older than me and I am very close to her. My other cousins, Matthew, Sarah, and Tonya I became close to over the summer and I wouldn't change that for anything. I helped babysit my cousins' babies, four under five years old (there are five but one of them went to daycare), and one of the babies that is only eight months old has to have heart surgery by the end of the year. My grandparents I cannot say enough about. When my mom went into the hospital those two times, my grandparents were always there for me and I stayed at their homes when I wasn't staying with my mom. My family means so much to me and I couldn't imagine going a day without them.

The KOM social last night was tons of fun. A few freshmen would not socialize; but me, being the loud, outgoing, and pushy person that I am, pushed them into the group of people so they would socialize. I'm honestly looking forward to doing stuff in KOM which I didn't think I would.

I'm really nervous about this school year, though. I have so many AP and Honors classes but no study hall. Also, I have four extra-curriculars, so far. And that may increase. So now I am off to do homework which will probably take most of the weekend. Fun. Hardy har har.