New and Improved

Last we heard from Lizzie, she was dying. Absolutely drowning in life.

Welll... I'm back!

And I assure you, I'm not just back, I'm better than every before. Not just new and improved, but... completely new person (I figured a new and improved look would be in order, too. My new favorite music! Check it out).

You heard from me in July.
Here's how things have gone since then:

August

We visited California! Cousins- Adam, Audrey, and Claire. In this picture, you will see me, Esther, Audrey, Matthew, and Adam.

Disneyland...The beach...

(...these are crabs... we found and captured at least fifty...)And Hollywood! GUESS WHOSE STAR I VISITED!!! I worship this hunk. Jack Bauer... sigh... I'm currently going through an intense rehabilitation process- I've been banned from watching 24 because of my obsession. :'(

September
School started in September. Maeser Prep. I'm a sophomore. :)

First day of school picture! Awwwwww...

Still getting used to the full dress uniform every Monday. This is Mom and I at Winterfest.Here's my schedule this year:

1. Spanish III

2. Chemistry

3. Intermediate Orchestra

4. AP Music Theory

5. Algebra II

6. Seminary

7-8. Socratic (combined English and World History- so cool!)

We have all eight periods every day. I like it a lot better than A Day/B Day schedules. My favorite classes are definitely Orchestra, Seminary, and Socratic. :)

I also started playing the viola in September. While most people would say, "oh, intermediate orchestra isn't that big of a deal. It means you're not an amateur anymore, but you're not amazing," I say, "I'm proud of being in intermediate." You'll love this: I had played viola for one day when we had to fit out our schedules. Beginning Orchestra and AP Music Theory (the class I kinda came to Maeser for in the first place), are both scheduled for fourth period. I wanted to be in Orchestra so bad! I called up the teacher and asked her if there was any possible way for her to let me into Intermediate. "I'll work so hard!" I told her. "If you notice that it's too hard or you think I should take a break for awhile, I'll take something different and I'll take this next year." She gave me an audition... AND I MADE IT!!! I PLAYED FOR A WEEK! I ONLY KNEW TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR!!!

I'm so happy.

I learned on the first day of school that orchestra is a competitive class. If you don't get first chair, you're terrible. Glad I could take the fall for everybody- I got fifth chair. I loved it! Now, we're playing three movements of a song in which I play first chair. Concert in May.

I had my birthday. Fifteen, baby! Oh, man... this seems like so long ago now...

October

I can't say I feel really bad, but while the rest of my school stayed at home in Utah and took the SAT, I was partying in Jamaica. Yes, Jamaica, mon. What was I doing in Jamaica?
I love my school. I love, love, love, love, LOVE my school. The one and only thing I hate about my school is what you get when you ask the question, "so, what's your favorite vacation you've ever been on?" At AF you would have gotten, "Moab," "Disneyland," or maybe "Hawaii." At Maeser, your typical response is, "Paris," or "Italy," or "Africa," or "Japan." In this and this alone, I hate Maeser.
My family had been to Disneyland several times. We have a family cabin down in Cedar City that we try to visit once a year. But this time, it was my turn to go on an epic vacation.

Think... CRUISE. Yes, my friends, my family went on a cruise.

The kids didn't even have to get to Florida for them to be in heaven... this is Esther on her first plane ride.Our first day was spent at sea. On the second day, we hit our first stop- Haiti. This one was my favorite. I know what you're all thinking, especially after the great big earthquake... the images of darkness and poverty all over the streets... the face of a dirty little girl who hasn't had a meal in two days... actually, the cruise line we were on owns a port of Haiti that wasn't touched during the earthquake. Imagine paradise. I'm dead serious- when I think paradise, I now think of Haiti.

Perfect beach, with rolling mountains and trees in the background...
Blue water... Perfect temperature, too.We found a couple interesting things. Day two: Jamaica. We did some sweet things in Jamaica. Like climb a waterfall. Not just any waterfall. We were in the waterfall. In it. Coolest thing ever. Seriously. You have to try this. Day three: Cayman Islands. We went snorkling with sting rays. :)

It was awesome. They drove us out into the middle of nowhere in a boat until we came to this part of the ocean that was only four or five feet deep. There were a bunch of sting rays just floating around. They came right up to you! Several of them began swimming up my chest!

I KISSED ONE!!! It's supposed to be seven years' good luck for every kiss. So, one... two... four... twenty-eight years of good luck. TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF GOOD LUCK!!!

They also have a Hard Rock Cafe. I got a bunch of guitar picks... and a hat. :)Day four: Cozumel, Mexico. We spent this day around town, checking out cute little shops and stuff. I became a pro bargainer. A cute pair of earings I found? $95! Guess what I got it down to?

$5. :)

This is Esther, Matthew, and me in a cute little Mexican food restaurant. I taught them well, didn't I?

Dad and I loved Mexico because we got to say everything in Spanish. My poor Scottish friends that couldn't talk to anyone all day...

I also met a ton of friends on my cruise! :)
Me on Stuart's back and Arielle on Josh's back.

Stuart and Josh are both from Scotland. Arielle is from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Arielle and I got to participate in a DJing class while on board. Here's us on "graduation day:"I sure miss these guys. :'(

Stuart and me!Sam, Cody... licking me... Stuart, me, Dylan and Arielle, and Catherine. :)November

We moved from one school building to another in November. Our old building, if you remember, was the old bowling alley on State Street. Our new building looks very much like the state capitol building. Soooo sweet. And it has a lunchroom! And bathrooms with sparkly yellow counter tops and cherry red bathroom stalls! So cool. Here's some pictures of me with my gorgeous Maeser friends on moving day:

Sadie. I swear fate has drawn us together... we knew each other when we were tiny little babies. Our moms visit taught together, so we played a lot. She moved away. After we came to Utah and moved around a lot for several years, we moved to where we now currently reside, to find that Sadie was in my ward! She moved away. About a year ago, I came to Maeser to sign up for classes, and lo and behold! Who should appear, but Sadie? I'm kinda sorta her number one stalker. I'm sorry you got me and not a cute boy.

This is Laurel, Erin, and Miranda. We found some bubble wrap while we packed. This was also a free-dress day because they didn't want us to mess up our uniforms, just in case you were wondering.

My dad also became the bishop of our ward in November.

December

December contained Christmas. I got a new keyboard. I have put it to very good use. :)

January

I love this new school. Have I mentioned how much I love Maeser? I do. It's my life now. My heart goes out to everybody that doesn't go to Maeser because a) you think you're too cool (which you're totally not), b) you couldn't get in, or c) you're super duper lame.

Well... we do this thing called Winterim. It lasts for three weeks in January. During this time, there's no school and everybody takes a fun class that would basically rock on a college application.

For instance, one group went to Peru to do a bunch of humanitarian service.

One group learned karate.

One group learned Japanese.

One group went to California and studyed the Holocaust.

One group did a School of Rock thing.

While all of these things sound awesome, you are about to become a living witness that my group was the best.

Wintervention: Winter sports, survival, and service.

Week one was spent at the National Ability Center at Park City Ski Resort. We worked with several cancer victims, most of whom lost limbs along the way. We helped them learn how to ski. It was so neat!

Week two was spent at Sundance. One day we did cross country skiing and skate skiing (very similar). Don't let people fool you- I was told that skate skiing would be a whole heck of a lot harder. Not so; I prefer it.

Another day, we had to switch sports. I learned how to ski. I did awesome; on day one I rode my first black diamond... on one ski. I wish I could say I did it on purpose.

Another day, we went with ski patrol and taught the lessons.

One of the coolest things we did all week was the avalanche training. After we had talked about rescuing people, they took us to the bottom of a great big hill and had us watch as they brought a ski patrol down. On its way down, it stopped and went back up a little bit. It started digging! We had all skiied down this hill and there was a person underneath! It was soo cool to see the dog digging him out.

For week three, we freerode. We spent a lot of time in the park...

We also put on a Special Olympics snowshoeing event. I invited Kevin, from my ward, to come. He loved it. I was so thrilled!

Some of my Winterim buddies: Cody, Evan, Daniel, and Quinton.Coolest. Winterim. EVER... jealous?

Also in the month of January, my grandparents came home from their mission (Australia, remember?). It's so great to have them back!

Karma decided it didn't want me too happy because of a homecoming, so it took somebody away from me.For all those of you who voted for Mike Lee, you should be ashamed of yourselves. You're the reason Janessa now lives in Washington D.C. :'(
We through her a farewell party at the Blue Lemon, then at Sister Sedlar's house. We even through her a stake dance! Best stake dance ever...

Matthew turned eight, got baptized, and became a scout.

February
Jessi learned how to snowboard! I got to go with her. It was so fun!March
Nothing of note.

April

Registered drivers of Utah... be careful. Guess who got her permit?

My first-ever parking job:

Don't worry. I'm a much better driver now. :)

I had my first orchestra competition... a little scary... but I got the chance to take pictures of lots of my new Maeser friends! Here they are...
This is Tiana and Miranda, with Gorgeous (a.k.a. Ben) on top. :)Here's me with a duck face, Coco with an excited face, and Miranda with a skeptical face.

We also "vacationed" in Ogden for a few days over the Spring Break while Esther had a dance competition. Matthew and I remained in the hotel for most of the time after we were done seeing the Ogden temple (which is smalled than my house) and all the cute little shops. I've never seen, nor have I wanted to see, so much TV in my life! I wish channels would play something different every once in awhile. After the fifth playing of Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Arc, I was about ready to become a Nazi, just to kill Indiana. Not really. I love him.
Here's the Ogden temple:Doesn't it look like a mini Provo temple?!?

May
Mostly, all I guess I can really discuss is the future, here... for instance...

MAY NINTH.

MAY NINTH.

MAY NINTH.

MAY NINTH.

What, might you ask, happens on May ninth?

Why, you mean you haven't gotten the invitation to my funeral yet?

Well, expect one.

Because I die on May ninth.

It's the day of the AP Music Theory test.

I'M FREAKING OUT A LITTLE BIT!!!

Let me break it down for you.

A third of it is the written stuff. Answering questions. Your every day AP test.

A third of it is writing music. They play a full orchestra piece or a quartet of some kind and you have to pick out the different parts and write them down note for note.

And the last third... the one I'm the most nervous for at the moment... allow me to explain...

This third is singing. They give you a piece you've never seen before in your life and you have to sing it a Capella. This isn't why I'm nervous. Until a few days ago, I wasn't worried a single bit about this section. Didn't even bat an eye over it.

That was... before I lost my voice.

See why I'm freaking... just a bit?

Yeah... well... we'll see how this goes.

...anything else?

New background, new music. I've changed my music style a bit... I tend to like songs not too many people have heard before. The only problem being that I can't find half of them on playlist.com, where I get this playlist.

I think that's about it!

Look out world; I'm officially back.

Quote of Today: A blog is merely a tool that lets you do anything from change the world to share your shopping list.

-Unknown