"Thanks, Mom."

I can now say in all seriousness and truthfulness that I love Joanns. I went the other day because I had talked to Amy and she said that there were some paper sales. I went because I needed more colors of paper. I went prepared to buy black, skin color and brown. When I got there I wanted to stop and stare at the stuff that they had on every single isle. Not going to happen. We were in a hurry so we ran to the back corner to see all of the many many many papers they have. I am not kidding. I felt like I could stay there all day. Again, not going to happen. So, I went to where the Martin Luther King sale was. 6 pieces of paper for 96 cents. Yeah, sounds like a pretty good deal and it was. Then my mom called out, "Look. There are packs of 50 pieces of paper for $3.99 that are 40% off." I was like, that sounds really good, but I don't need all that paper. I came for black and brown and skin color. I figured I could get 2 pieces of each, use it to make my dad's birthday card and save the rest. I was tempted, but turned back to the other sale. "This is a better deal if you actually use the paper," My mom said. So, I turn back then turn around again. When I look at all of the millions of paper, kinda taking my time my mom says, "Look there are big packets of paper in primary colors. You don't have primary colors!" No, mom, I am looking at these. Eventually mom goes to a different isle and leaves me to the many temptations. I had a lot of money. It was all divided up into the different sections of my budget and I was staying in the limit. But they are sales. Sales don't stay 24/7. I looked at the paper that was 40% off. At $3.99 they go down to $2.30 something a packet for 50 sheets of cardstock. There is a packet of 30 sheets of black and white, primary colors, naturals, brights. Really cool. So, I decided to get the black and white, naturals and primary colors. I felt good and I had enough money.

Anna needed to go to Barnes and Noble and get a Harry Potter book mark for my dad for his birthday. We got in the car and my mom says, "You should probably get some files to keep those in like Amy has." Thanks. Are you trying to make me spend all of my money? "Amy did say that she saw some in the dollar section at Target." I said. "A few stores down from Barnes and Noble there's a Target." my mom said. Well... I guess. I do need something to keep my papers in. "What size?" I asked. "You should probably get a few different sizes." Really? So, she dropped me off at Target and they left. I went inside to the dollar section and saw the folders. There were small, medium and large sizes. I have little paper scraps at home that are loose. I just bought some 8" by 11". So, I looked at the different colors and sections and bought a medium and large.

I went to Joanns to buy 2 pieces each of black, brown and skin color paper and leave with primary colors, black and white, naturals paper and two files from to store them in. Thanks to you, mom. Thanks a lot. If it weren't for you I would only have spent like, a buck, but I wouldn't have so many colors or a place to put them. Thank you. Really.

"No Playing Ball in the House!"

Today we had our second volleyball lesson at the park. We practiced passing, setting, under hand serving and over hand serving. It is pretty fun, but pretty tiring and a little over whelming. Sometimes the coach will come over and throw it to me and tell me to bump it or set it back to him. When I miss or hit it wrong I have to go get it and he says, "Hustle, Hustle, I'm not wasting time here." I felt pressured. Plus setting is my hardest. But we were a little better than when we started. He told us all to do each thing 20 times. Ridiculous. So, mom told us to only do 10 each. He said Gracie and Grace (there is another 5 year old girl named Grace) should just practice throwing the ball back and forth and up and down. Not very long ago Gracie was throwing the ball up and down and she asked if I would throw it back and forth with her. I said I would. So, naughtily we played ball in the house. When I stopped Gracie through a big fit and she is now in a box and is saying, "I am being punished for my life." It may sound funny, but it wasn't when she was hitting everyone. Good luck to me.

My Holiday

Whew! We are back to California and we are done with all of that traveling for a while. I won't bother to bore you all with the schedule that we had over our break. I will just say the after I went to Grandma Leslie's house the first time we went back to Utah for Christmas and went back again. Then went back to Utah for three days, then came to California.

As far as Christmas Eve went, the exciting stuff started at 10 a.m. My instinct to that time is ,early, because I take a long time to get out of bed, eat and get ready. It's just me and everybody knows that. So, anyway, we went to the Orgill (Diane's family) family Christmas Eve party at an ice skating rank. We rented out the whole rank and a few party rooms close by. The rank was not that big. It was actually kinda small. At first the sister who set everything up wanted to have it there. Then it was closed, then it opened. So, when everyone said, "Yay! We're going there!" I said, "Oh no! We're going there!" I didn't want to skate! I was so scared. In the past I've skated once and it was a horrible experience all together because it was at a birthday party. So, I had no parents to help me and everyone knew how to skate except for me. But this time was totally different! I had a great time! Dad and Diane went around with me a couple times, barely moving. Then I went around by myself. At first I moved an inch at a time (not exaggerating). By the end I was moving pretty fast and I didn't want to leave! I had such a great time! The whole time all the cousins were joking around together and throwing ice shavings. One of the kids made a tiny snowman in the middle of the rank out of ice shavings. It was pretty funny. Also, the cousins all acted out the nativity. So, we had Samuel, angels (notice it's plural), people who attacked Samuel, wise men, shepherds and sheep! Plus Mary, Joseph and the baby doll who was Jesus. We rehearsed and put on our costumes. By the end all the little kids dropped out but two. So, there was one sheep and one little angel. I was an angel so I was able to hold her hand the whole time, luckily. Otherwise, I don't know if she would have stayed up. And guess why all the little kids dropped out? Because they wanted to go skating! I thought it was so funny cause they couldn't even really skate. By the end I was just smiling.

That night we made truffles that weren't really like truffles at all. They were oreo crumbs and cream cheese dipped in almond bark. When we were dipping them Caleb (the twelve year-old as of Dec. 23) and I got into a thing about what to call the almond bark. I kept calling it chocolate because it looked like white chocolate. Then he would say, "It's not chocolate, It's white... stuff." Then I would say, "You can't call anything you want to stuff." It was really funny. Later, when Caleb had left I almost said chocolate again and said white stuff instead. That made Diane bust out laughing. After that we opened one present each. The boys got slippers and we, of course, got pajamas. After that we had truffle or two and watched A Christmas Story. Then we all went and tried to go to sleep. It was a fun day.

On Christmas we opened presents (DUH). I got two necklaces, some fuzy socks, $82 total, a photo album, clothes, five new books, candy, a book light, a weekly calender, and a big Taylor Swift calender and CD that is mine, Anna's and Gracie's. I got a few more little things, but it would take too long to name them all. Thank you for the presents everybody!

New Years Eve we went to one of Diane's sisters house and played games and hung out till midnight when we turned on the TV and watched the big ball drop. After that we went to Diane's mom's house and stayed the night there because Diane's house was an hour away.

So, there is my holiday. I hope you all had a good one, too!

Survival of the Fittest

When I went to my Grandma Leslie's house my number one thing I wanted to do was replant some aloe vera plants that she had in one pot. We bought some pots and soil and the next day we got to it. Being too cold to do it outside we did it on the laundry room floor. We took the small plastic pot (the kind that you buy plants in) and tipped it upside down. All the many aloe vera plants tipped out onto the floor. We brought all of the pots inside and we had five big pots and five small pots. There were eight small plants and four big ones. We picked them each up one by one and cleaned it up. We tore off the dead leaves, shook out the dirt and set them aside neatly. We threw one baby one away that had grown in but having no room got so swashed it would not have survived anyway. We picked out each plant for each pot and in the end threw away the two wimpiest ones with the other one and put one of the biggest pots back in the garage because it just worked out better that way. Then starting with the little ones we put them in the pots. We were just a little short on dirt but we got enough in each pot to last them until Grandma buys more dirt. Then I brushed the dirt off the leaves and watered them. In the end there were nine aloe vera plants on the counter and three in the garbage. Looking at them it looked like a nursery. We figured if they took the biggest one to Arizona to plant, gave one to each of Grandma's daughters in law, gave one to my aunt Tara and kept one themselves they would have two left to give away. So when we came to Diane's house we brought one with us. It amazes me how they survived. Really! They were all in there together in a pot the same size as the pots that we put the small plants in. One was so red and the next day it looked better all ready. They all suffered from not enough room and not enough water. Hopefully she will water them more. But we took care of the room situation. It was so fun!

After I finished sweeping up the dirt mom called and I told her what we did. I also told her I was just as excited to do that as I was to go to Tangled for the second time (we went again in Idaho, It's a goodn'). She said that she thinks that I can have a garden in some pots when we get home now. She said that she honestly didn't think I would take care of them enough, but she knew I was now. I'm so excited. So, over all, I saved some lives and proved I'm responsible. :)

Our Christmas Eve Party with Mom

Last night we had our first Christmas Eve party (our pretend Christmas with mom) with Lizzie and Steve. We had home made roll sandwiches with meat. Then we opened presents. The kids exchanged gifts. Lizzie and Mom did. Mom gave Steve a present and Shad didn't want a present, I guess. Then we acted out the nativity. I got a little frustrated in the middle because Kate was talking, but it was fun. Then we had carmel, fudge, egg nog and some cookie mom made while we watched Small One. It was all so fun. Elle was so adorable. She was looking around and gasping and clapping her hands and giggling. It made me think that it would be fun to be able to remember our first Christmas's. After Lizzie and Shad left we opened our presents from mom and the person who drew our name. I got and sweater from Gracie and...

Well, you all already know, but now I do, too! I got a cricut! I am so excited. I have a 12" by 6" cricut, the George and Basic Shapes cartridge, Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge and two different little pads of card stock. All mine! I am so excited! I can't wait to start using it. I'll have Diane teach me how when we go to my dad's. I have been wanting a cricut ever since I figured out what it really was. When Amy started talking about it I was like, "What? Cut paper? A lot of buttons?" But then she posted pictures and sent me cards she made using the cricut. Then I totally wanted one! Diane had a friend who sold cricuts so I thought Anna and I could combine our money and buy one that was on sale. Then Diane's friend gave her one for her wedding. I was way excited. So, I thought, "I don't need one now. I can use this." But then I thought, "But I won't have it at mom's house. It won't be my own." I finally decided that I wouldn't use my money to buy a cricut, but I still really wanted my own. Now I have my own and I didn't have to spend a cent. I can't believe it's mine! I can take it anywhere I want. When I go to college it goes, too (hopefully it will last that long)! Now I can make cards and paper dolls and vinyl lettering for the wall! I am so excited! Can you tell I'm excited? Before I got to open it, when we went to see our E.S., she came with us to our car and mom opened the trunk. With me in front mom showed her my present. The look on her face was like, "Will she like this?" Well, now everyone knows that I do! AAAAAAAAAAAAA! I do! I hope everyone else likes their Christmas presents as much as I do! Merry Christmas!

All I want for Chistmas is... an E.S.?

So, I have looked back and realized that I hardly ever play or even dress up my American girl dolls. I still love the books, but I am getting too old for the dolls. I guess I have been too old for them for a while. I just haven't realized it. I always thought that is was because I don't have enough stuff to play with them or not enough room. When really, It would take an entire room of stuff for me to play with them for hours at a time. I don't mean to sound like they are horrible and a waste of time. I still love them and I am going to save them for my daughters or nieces or granddaughters (whatever works best). I just think that I shouldn't ask for AG doll stuff or buy AG doll stuff if I don't ever use them. Money could be spent on better stuff.* So I am going to pack up my dolls, dolls' clothes, doll hangers, Felicity's accessories and the bunk bed somewhere safe and save them. And give my cardboard table and closet to Anna and Gracie. I don't just want to give them away to DI or something like that. They would get ruined!

So, today we met with our new E.S. (education something? hence the blog post title haha). We joined a charter school. It is really cool. We meet every month with our E.S. and give her samples of our work and our requests for school supplies. They give us a certain amount of money that we can spend on school supplies (all I know is it is a lot). If it is consumable then it is ours, but if it is not then we have to give it back when we are finished. I hope that everything I just explained to you makes sense. So, in order to do this we might have to shorten our trip with dad a little or go there earlier. I need to come up with a present for mom. Any ideas around ten dollars. Mom, you cannot read the comments on this. I love you all!

* Grandma (or anybody) if you have already made or bought AG doll stuff for Christmas, I'm sorry. If you have I can save it to give with my dolls or you can give it to Anna or Gracie. But if you were just thinking about it then think about something else. Sorry if that sounds mean.

Dinosaurs Are Not Exctinct

We have found them multiple times in our apartment. On the kitchen floor, in the cups under the sink and any other small place. Every time we have found one the one first to see it shouts, "Earwig!" Mom says they are as big as dinosaurs and I'm afraid I have to agree with her. They're huge. And they creep me out. Because they are so big you can see the little details. Oh, a shiver goes up my spine just writing about it. Earlier today I made some hot chocolate in a foam cup from under the sink. When I was drinking it I felt something on my lip.... You guessed it. It was an earwig. I ran to the bathroom dumped the cup out and spit into the sink. I brushed my teeth and gargled the best I could. I am so thankful it did not get in my mouth. Think on that for a while, everyone.