MAJOR UPDATES: School

Yo.

Again.

This portion of MAJOR UPDATES is school, which has obviously happened since August.I'm in ninth grade this year (don't get on our bad side- just ask Shea what it feels like. Top of the food chain, baby!) I have amazing classes!!!

A1- AP Human Geography

A2- Foods

A3- Seminary

A4- Spanish 2

B1- Geometry

B2- PE

B3- Honor's English

B4- Biology

AP Human Geography is hard!!! This is my least favorite class (which is kind of a bummer because my A-Days are amazing). We have so much homework and projects and tests almost every day!!! :( Oh, well.

Foods is so much fun! It's so easy; all you do is make cookies, eat them, and tell the teacher they were yummy to get an A.

Seminary is definately my favorite class! Brother Brown is the best!

Spanish 2- I love Mr. Smith! He makes the class so fun!

Geometry- okay. The teacher is cool.

PE- ha, ha. Ha. Jessi and Janessa and I have this class together. Must I say more?

Honor's English- I actually really like this class. The material isn't too hard, and Kelson is pretty cool.

Biology- I had Mr. Wolley last year. I like him a lot. I have a picture because we've already been on a feild trip in this class. Ha, ha!Esther is in third grade this year. Is it just me or is that SCARY?!? Ahhh! I'm in High School next year, and that feels normal, but Esther being in third grade is very different. Scary!Jack is in first grade. Wow. I remember the first day I ever held him and now he's in first grade!Hasta luego! See you next post!

Quote of Today: The more you learn, the more you know. The more you know, the more you forget. The more you forget, the less you know. So... why learn?

MAJOR UPDATES: Announcements/ Dad's Graduation

Yo.
Seeing as we have a lot to cover (having not blogged since mid- August), I'll get straight to the point.

Announcements:

First of all, you are now reading the blog of a FOURTEEN YEAR OLD!!! Woo! I got a 16 MG iTouch, which is what I am using to blog. Cool, huh?

Right now, I am being a rebel and listening to Christmas music. I know, I bug you. I'm strangely alright with that, though. I have also changed the background to my traditional Autumn background. ;)

Bryce got a blog! If you would like to see it, click on this little bit of words that has absolutely no value.

Next, Dad finally graduated!!! He's a big boy now.
Ten years ago...Now.Here is me trying on his hat (he hated it when I called it that) and wondering what it'll feel like when I'm actually graduating.

It didn't quite fit Esther...Or Jack.It almost fit Dad. It was a little too small. :)He was so happy. It was a wonderful day for all of us.This is a tradition, apparently. We have no idea where it originated from, but there was a long line, and apparently it was one of those "must-do" things. Dad can't pass that up!Here he is doing the walk.We went to Tucano's afterwords- we are so proud of Dad and everything he works towards. That was a huge accomplishment, especially with a family at home (ahem) and a full-time job. Love you, Daddy!

Hasta luego; I'm going to present each major update in a new blog post, so this is the first of many. Stay tuned!

Quote of Today: When the World says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

Stuck

This is my Dad, trying to get a video of my sister in her crib.
During which, at the most inconvenient time, I am getting dressed and, well... run into a bump.

This is me, afterwards.

This is my sister. He got the shot anyways.

Hasta luego... or will I?

Quote of Today: Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch it to be sure.

My Voice

I was uploading pictures today (see next post), and I came across some old home videos. Check this out; I was so cute! Here I am singing the Articles of Faith- at the top of my lungs. Appreciate it! I will never, ever sing for you again. It's the Sixth Article of Faith. Cute! I couldn't help but dance for you, too.

Awww... Hasta luego!

Quote of Today: A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.

July Twenty Fourth and Boating Pictures

Ow.

I'm sorry I didn't start with the usual, "Yo." To make you happy...

Yo.

It's just that my left hand fingertips hurt sooo bad. I was in my room for about an hour practicing guitar, and my calluses always get super tender when I get sick and can't practice. For those of you who play instruments, you know what it's like. This is why I normally practice piano before guitar.

How is everybody's July twenty-fourth so far? I know it's only two thirty, but how did you start your day out?

Mine was great!!! :)

First, I woke up. I do not have pictures of that particular event.

Then I went to the Pioneer day breakfast for our ward. We got there a couple minutes early, so I got to see the Deacons practice for the flag ceremony. I took this picture of Taylor and Bryce once they were done:I was sitting next Tyson, who refused to let me take a picture of him. I said, "the only picture I have of you on my blog is of you staring off into space!"

"You have a picture of me on your blog?" he asked.

"Yes. And I want another one of you- smiling!" To refresh your memory, see the post titled, "Personality test."

"Well, then I'll have to stare off into space for this one, too."

So here is the picture of Tyson (fully aware that I was taking his picture) that I got. After we ate breakfast (no pictures... sorry) and little Brielle Maag comes up to me and says, "Lizzie! Lizzie! Come play with me!"

Okay, I have to mention that this little cutie has never spoken to me in her life. And now she knows my name? I played along with it, because she is just way too adorable to pass up. We went over to the park and went down the slides with Tiana...

...and Kyson.There was also a rocket launch. The kids would all make their own rockets to launch. It looked so easy, I almost wanted to do one myself. I helped Brielle make one instead.Here is Addy Jonas (another one of my little Summer Camp friends I played with today) with her homemade rocket.
Esther and Addy. The sun was in their eyes, okay? Felicia. Brielle.And the Young Men catching all (ha, ha... maybe more like a few) of the rockets.And that was my day so far. :)

I know what you're thinking. Maybe I should spend some more time with people my age. I ate breakfast with Tyson and Taylor and Bailey (who left early), okay?

Last week, we went boating with the Young Men.

This is my beautiful poster! After reading this blog filled only of typed letters, I doubt you can recognize my handwriting. Sorry.

Only Brother Andrus parked in front of it. He unhitched his boat and put it into the water. Maybe I should have thought through what I put on the sign more carefully.

This is Jessi!!! She is on vacation right now. This beautiful picture will serve in her memory.Water fight!This is Kenna, Jessi, and me in the Andrus boat! It was hard to smile because I was trying to be mad at Logan, who had just pushed me into the water with my shorts on and no life vest. Warning: If you value your life and don't want a girl to despise you, don't ever do this to her!!! Especially Lizzie, who can't swim!!!

I think I still need to forgive him (phooey).

This is a picture of the Maag boat. If you look super closely (or maybe if you zoom in a lot), you can see Tyson, who's kind of turned around (he's in the middle). What do you think he's doing? Yup- you guessed it! Staring off into space!

On the Andrus boat, I tried wakeboarding. It was my first time, and I was up for only a couple seconds. I was terrible! Oh, well. One of these days I can try again. Maybe I'll do better next time.

Then we stopped for dinner. We had chips and GREEN GRAPES!!! and soda and hot dogs (ewww) then got on the Maag boat. We went tubing with them... It was awesome!!! I fell off twice.

Funny story (if that's what you wanna call it): after I got back on the first time, Janessa and I were on the two sides of the tube and little Kylie Maag (to make this blog post complete and mention all of the Maags, Brother and Sister Maag were there, too) was on the inside. At one point, Brother M (take a guess) went over a couple tiny bumps and Janessa and I went flying off, bellyflopping to the sides. Kylie stayed hanging on.

Sometimes I feel so weak.

Other times I just roll over and die.

Jessi and I saw UP the other night. It was the cutest movie ever! If you haven't seen it yet, you really should. It was sooo good! My favorite line was where the old man says, "I know! Let's play a game! Let's see who can stay quiet the longest!"

And then Russel replies, "My Mom loves that game!"

Sometimes I wonder if my Mom likes that game. Do you, Mom?

Jessi's favorite line was, "I was hiding under your porch because you are my master and I love you!"

Afterwards, Jessi and I used all the leftover change we had from buying candy to make wishes in the fountain.I'm running out of things to say, so I'd better go.

The Quote of Today is from UP. A dog says it if that information helps clarify the quote and makes it funnier.

Quote of Today: You wanna hear a joke? Once there was a squirrel that went up to a tree and said, 'I forgot to store nuts for winter and now I am dead.' And it is funny because then he was dead.

Trek and EFY

Yo.

How did you all know that was coming?I am sooo sorry for not writing in a long time. I see that that hasn't stopped you from viewing; we now have over 2000 visitors. That is, on average, fifteen visitors a week (thanks for the calculations, Mom).

A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

So, here is are two pictures of me pulling the handcart. I had more photos, but the disposable camera got lost. :(Don't I look awful? At the very beginning of Trek, the camp doctor got up and gave us five things to worry about: bug bites, blisters, chaffing, sunburn, and hydration. I think. The whole time I was like, "Come on, Man! We've been hearing this for six months now! Let's get on the trail!

Boy, I really should have listened. I ended up with all of those things. But I am here today to tell you that every step of the way was worth it, from the floodings at night to the sun beating down on your face as you carry huge loads up mountains. If you ever get the opportunity to go on Trek, I challenge you to take it.

I like to read the Book of Mormon,

Pray morning, noon, and night.

I have standards,

And Values,

Just trying to live right.

I'm a righteous son or daughter

With a spiritual high,

Heigh, heigh,

Ho, ho,

EFY!

There is nothing better than feeling the Spirit so strongly in one environment (like Trek), and bounce back over to another environment, like EFY.(and yes, thirteen-year olds can make it in.)

Of course, there is Janessa and I...

And some new faces: The counselors (from left to right- Angela, Jake, and Melinda). Melinda was my counselor.
Melinda.The twins (from left to right- Jacob and Zachary).Marissa and Kaylie were our next door neighbors and were very kind to put up with our very late nights (particularly after last night's all-nighter). You guys rock! Sorry it's a little blurry.The dancers!!! Holy cow! Watch this video! You won't regret it. Left to right, there is Zachary, Dallan, Jack, Jacob, and Janessa. I will teach you if you want, but Dallan is probably a way better teacher than I could ever be. Watch him; he's really good. The solo that Jack and Jacob do halfway through was a move made by Jacob at the previous dance.

And, of course, our company! Aren't they beautiful?

One game we liked to play was Ninja Destruction. Close-up of one of my successes (Yes!):

Janessa and I also went bowling with Zach and Jake. It was so much fun; I wasn't in dead last!!! I mean (clear throat), who cares about who wins and who loses? This was one of the strikes that was bowled.And the scores. I hope you can see it!And what EFY is complete without the dances? This is me sitting down at the end of the casual Tuesday night dance.This is Janessa and Dallan dancing, with everybody adding their own bit of flavor to the video.

Here's Janessa, Kailey, and Marissa at the dance.

The guys. Jacob, Zach, and John.

I was going to take a picture of the twins fighting (it was hilarious!) but there's not enough storage space in this post. Maybe next post.

One amazing advantage to living on BYU campus for a week was having the cinnamon bears and Holland Mints right next door, at the Wilk. WOAH!!!Then, on Friday night, we had a contest to see who could pull an all- nighter. Janessa, me, Jessi, six girls on our floor, the twins, Emily, and a couple others were doing it and Jessi and I were the only ones to finish it. We texted (or called) everybody every half hour to see if they were still awake and people stopped answering around one. Janessa fell asleep around three or something. I woke her up at five fifteen so she could pack, and we would go meet with the company one last time at six. When she finished packing, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Jace and got picked up by Mom, who bought us a Kneaders breakfast and came home. Matthew and Dad were at Father's and Son's campout- I always meant to go to those but was always too busy- where Matthew (tiny, six-year-old Matthew) got to drive a four-wheeler!!! He was so excited. Dad didn't take any pictures. Arrrg!

I need to go now. I have to call Sister Maag for some help with a hospital donation Value Project and put together all of the Girl's Camp music. I'm the new Girl's Camp music director and I only have about fifteen to twenty songs. If you have any suggestions of Girl's Camp songs (spiritual or funny), please comment and tell me! This applies to both leaders and girls!!!
The Quote of Today is from my Trek brother, Hayden. Every time we sung our family song, Hayden would make up songs to Disney songs. This is to the Tune of I'll Make a Man out of You, from Mulan.
Signing out. Please leave comments- I feel very unloved! Whether I know you from school, trek, EFY, church, or anywhere else, please comment. You don't even need a Blogger account! Just write your name! And check out my new profile picture. Hasta luego!

Quote of Today: Let's get down to business,
To defeat Satan,
Did they send us water,
When we asked for Powerade?
We're the coolest cats you'll ever meet.
If you have something to say,
We will hit you in the face
With our scriptures.