RFTH!!!

Unlike some people, I have zero problem admitting that I watch TV often and I absolutely love it.  In fact, I look forward to watching TV at night after I do all my homework.  These wonderful shows give me another world to escape to and something else to think about beside my life.  I don't care if the people are fictional and stuff like that "doesn't really happen it real life," I become attached to the characters and their story.  Sometimes I cry for them because I can relate to how much pain they're in or what happened to them that day, other times I catch myself smiling when something good happens.  And some TV shows are inspirational, too. What's not to love?

I respect that (is what I imagine Chris is thinking)
Original Footage Courtesy of: ABC (picture thanks to me)

There is this one show I watch though that none of the above really apply to (beside the fact I stop thinking about my life while watching it).  This show is called The Bachelor.  Honestly, I do not care if you like this show, or as my one friend tried to tell me as she shook her head, "That show demeans women."  They wanted to go on the show and no one is making them act a certain way, so how is it demeaning?

We don't just watch The Bachelor, we have a Bachelor Viewing Party.  It's an intense experience where we all react strongly and...this is the best part - we pause the TV and take pictures of the horrendous faces/expressions people make.

This may sound mean (or demeaning) to you guys, but no judgement!  Everyone does things to make them laugh, this is just what we do.

Ski Bunnies (JK We're Babes Now)

There is a tradition that as taken place since I was barely able to walk that my family refers to as the Ski Bunnies.  As you might have guessed, this tradition has something to do with skiing, but I'm not totally sure how the bunnies part came about.  Anyway, the Ski Bunnies is the annual ski trip that three mother-daughter pairs make to Park City for a weekend in the winter.  On average, there is a nine females at our house during this weekend each year.  A few years there has been eleven if the younger siblings come along, too. 

When my family moved from California to Utah before I was born, they left behind many of their friends and family members.  My dad's sister's friends all had babies the same year my sister was born, 1998.  These women became good friends with my mom.  The women all had other children that were born around the time I was, but they weren't all girls and we didn't have the same relationship all the 1998 girls had.  So because of this, I tag-along with the older girls on the Ski Bunnies trip. Now all of the older girls are about eighteen years old, I'm fifteen, the other younger girl is fourteen, so we are not quite cute little bunnies anymore, but more so some serious Ski Babes....hahaha totally kidding, we don't quite possess supermodel status.

A stylish bunch...check out Claire's Crocs and my gauchos!  From L-R: Grace, Emma, Gretchen, Claire, Braden, Mac, Me

The Pokey Puppy

Put simply, life can be rough.  It's definitely not always fair and sometimes it seems just plain sucky.  The worst things seem to happen suddenly, you don't expect what is to come and hope that it never does (or at least not for awhile).  These times in life leave me contemplating why things happen.  People tell me frequently, "Everything happens for a reason."  But is there really a reason for the bad things in life?  Do these things really make me a better person?  Quite personally, I don't think they do.  I think I would be just fine if my life was sunshine and roses all the time, but that's just not how it goes.

This weekend started off pretty great.  I was babysitting for this family down the street on Saturday morning and was looking forward to earning some pocket money.  A few hours after I got to their house, I was reading the two little boys books.  My phone started ringing and I asked the little boy if it was okay if I answered it.  He of course said no, but I ignored him anyway.

Love you, Henry

I wondered why my mom was calling me - she knew where I was - but I didn't think much of it.  On the other end of the phone something in my mom's voice sounded off.  I could tell that she was trying not to sound sad and keep it together.  My mom tells me that she took our dog, Henry, to the vet and his wound (he was bitten a little while ago) had become really infected.  I thought maybe she was going to tell me that he had to get surgery or something, but then she tells me that it was decided that he was going to be put down.  In just a couple hours.  Henry had some previous health issues including a heart murmur, being blind in one eye, practically deaf, and he had been losing weight and having accidents almost daily.  For these reasons, operating on him was riskier and wasn't totally worth it.

I was trying to choke back my tears but couldn't stop them from falling down my face.  She asked if I wanted to see him before he was put down.  Of course I wanted to see him and say goodbye one last time. Unfortunately after hearing this depressing news I had to continue babysitting.

City of Roses

As I mentioned in my previous post, my favorite times of year are the times when I do not have to go to school.  It's fabulous and this past week was another one of those times.  My sister is a senior in high school so everything is about college currently.  We have toured several colleges in different states over the past few years.  However, this was the first tour that we were going on since she had applied and been accepted to college.  We traveled to Portland, Oregon - aka the City of Roses for those of you that didn't piece that together quite yet.

As the acceptances and scholarships came rolling in, she had seriously been considering where she wanted to spend the next four years of her life.  College costs the big-bucks and you want to go somewhere you'll like, so it was a big decision for her.

We went to Portland to visit one of her top contenders, the University of Portland. I had never been to Oregon before so I did not know what to expect.  I just knew that it rained a lot.

After we got off our plane, we drove over to UP to walk around.  It was one of the greenest campuses I've seen.  The campus overlooked the shipyard and the Willamette River below.  Claire's friend gave us a brief tour this day and on Monday we came back for the actual tour.

The Monday tour was LONG.  I believe we were there for six to seven hours!  It was presentation after presentation, but it was somewhat interesting.  The best part was that we got free food from their cafeteria for lunch.  They have some yummy options!  I also enjoyed seeing the dorms and different parts of the campus.  It was exciting for all of us, but my sister was pumped!

I was rudely cut out of this picture.  Photo Courtesy of: My Mom

Is That You, Queen Elsa?

I love not having school.  I have more free-time and don't have to worry about doing homework on Sunday, so having a three-day weekend is pure heaven.  Because we didn't have school on Martin Luther King Junior Day, three of my friends and my family and I went to the Ice Castle in Midway.  It was so fabulous and I am gonna tell you all about it.

Abbi, Emma, Elise, my mom, Claire, Will, and I all crammed into the car to get to the Ice Castle.  I had both my Guc and puffy coat on because I was not gonna be cold.  I tried to convince my friends to take some gloves or a hat but I was met with resistance, so it was just me who liked like a giant Oompa Loompa.

Chillin' with my peeps -get my pun?  (Look how warm I look)  Photo Courtesy of: Claire

After we arrived at the Ice Castle we walked a very long way from our car to the entrance where a parking supervisor asked us how our time was.  He was met with several very confused looks from many teenage girls.  He then preceded to tell us that there was an entrance right where we had come from, yeah we weren't paying attention.  As we were about to go in, Elise turns to me and asks if I have seen her gloves.  Oh, Lisey.  We couldn't find them on the ground anywhere and my mom told us that someone had yelled out saying they found a pair gloves.  Obviously we still hadn't been paying attention, but what do you expect from a gaggle of girls? 

T-Swizzle in the Hizzle

Now for those of you that read my blog, please try not to cringe at what I am about to write, I have my reasons for it.  The first line may make you want to exit this tab in your browser, but please refrain.  You might learn something about me and you never know what you might take away from it.

Dear Taylor Swift,

Yes, I am well aware that you will probably never read this blog post, but who knows, you could.  First off, let's clear up a few things.  I do not blog about pop music or music at all.  Also, I do not own much of your new music, I have never been to one of your concerts, and I do not stalk you on social media.  However, I remember the day that I first listened to your music while being driven home by my friend's grandpa.  I bought your first two albums (back when CDs were still a thing) and jammed out.  My eight-year-old self loved you.  I would turn up the volume on my CD player and jump around my room and on my bed to "Hey, Stephen" because, yes, looks can be deceivin'.  "Our Song" and "You Belong With Me" were my anthems in elementary school and in sixth grade it became "22." (I can still recite every word to these songs...)

In each of your songs, you tell a story and you are able to captivate your audience every time.  While I write every blog post, I try to think about how I can captivate my audience in the same way.  What happens in my life that can be of interest to other people?  What do I have to share with the world?  These are things that you have helped me figure out.

Because of you, I believe that what I do matters and that I can achieve my dreams.  You worked since you were fourteen to become a successful singer.  Despite the challenges that came your way, the criticism you faced, and the scrutiny you endured, you did what you wanted and achieved things that you could only have dreamed of.  To me, this is my inspiration.  Taylor, you have helped me realize that my dreams are not unrealistic.  Believing in myself has been a vital part of who I am.  Thank you.

I also admire you because you are unlike many other famous people.  You have all the money in the world, yet you do not turn to drugs and get wasted at every chance.  The way that you conduct yourself is admirable.  I hope that when I have twenty-six, I will conduct myself with such poise and elegance.  You dress in clothes that are flattering, stylish, and timeless.  You don't go around flaunting everything all the time.  Oh, and you also are a caring, giving person.  You donate generously to charities that you have a connection with.  You visit your fans in the hospital and that have cancer, Taylor.  Why, you even invite some of your fans into your homes to listen to your music.

You wore a sweater that a fan knit for you, of you!  Photo Courtesy of: Kicker Daily

My Brief Stunt as a Sniper (After the Race)

Now let me tell you all something- while I enjoy going to these big races (as described in my last post), the majority of the fun is held after or before the race.

After we got back from the NIKE race, the party really got going (JK it was a school trip so there was NO partying...).  A group of us ended up in this luxurious pool for an hour or so.  It's a high possibility that we ruined someone's wedding day because we were loud and they were getting married outside.  I tried to keep the peeps from gettin' rowdy, but what can ya do?  As they preceded past the pool, probs on the way to the reception, we got some weird looks from the actual partygoers.  This was most likely because us girls lacked proper swimming attire so we were in our racing outfits and because, well, we were rambunctious.  Oh yeah, did I mention that instead of going out the door of our suite, we climbed through the window?  So it really was like a party.  Going through doors is just so not cool anymore.

The swimming was like the cocktail party though.  The real fun had not even started.  Now, you may be doubting that  I was ever actually a sniper, but I most certainly was one (maybe a very terrible one, but still).  We left more than thirty minutes late because guys take forever to get ready.  I mean, come on, throw on some pants and lets go.

To Golfland Sunsplash we go.

Golfland itself.  It is truly a majestic fortress.  Photo Courtesy of: Golfland

Seriously? (The Race)

Knock knock knock!

Guys do not plan well.  The attention to detail is somewhat lacking in their personalities.  So this was how my weekend in Arizona ended, with three of my coaches banging on my door at 6:49 in the morning.  Yes, I remember the exact time.  Things like that stick in my mind when I am oh-so rudely awakened from my peaceful sleep.

Anyway.  Onto the interesting parts of my short-lived vacation...

As I have mentioned previously, I was going to attend the Nike Regional Championship cross country race in Arizona.  This trip came the week before Thanksgiving break and I was stoked because I did not have to go to school on Friday and it was gonna be warm!

Unluckily enough, we had to meet at the park-and-ride at 5:50 in the morning.  For reals?  If I'm not going to school can I at least sleep in?  Ha-ha-ha, funny one Camille.

So our journey started.  As I mentioned before, men don't think about details, so the idea that the airport might be busy did not cross their minds.  This left us running to the other security line so that we would make our flight.

Once we arrived in sunny Arizona, it began.  Being runners, we went to a delicious buffet for lunch then off to the movie theater to see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part Two.  It was horrible (well, not as exciting as it could be).  After we ran the course to get a feel for it, we waited in line to buy swag.  This took at least forty-five minutes.  It got dark and dropped TWENTY (not really) degrees while we were waiting in line.  That is how long it took!  The thousands of people coming to this race all wanted shirts.  Every single one of them and it seemed like they were all in front of us.  It is quite difficult for me to understand what takes so long to buy a single shirt.  Pick it out, try it on, exchange it, pay for it.  That can all take under a minute, definitely under five, but no.  The freaking people were probably paying with pennies and spelling out their words.  And then some people would have one girl get in line before her WHOLE team hopped right in.  Hell no, get your booty to the back of the line.

Thank you, Mrs. Obama.  Photo Courtesy of: Towns County Tourism

Team Spirit

Being on a team has taught me many things.  Before I joined cross country I had never really been a part of a team atmosphere.  Yes, when I did dance there were other people in the class, but that's different.  We only met a couple times a week and didn't compete or have the same bond.  I don't know, it's difficult to explain.  Joining a team made me nervous though.  I had a desire to be accepted, make friends, and belong, but what if those things didn't happen?

In the summertime it was different.  Although we did train as a team, it didn't really feel like we were all a team yet.  The older girls would run together and the freshman would run together.  That's just how it was.  It took awhile for me to connect with the other girls.  I had become friends with some of the older girls, but not the majority of them.  When we went away to camp I became closer with a few of them, but I still felt kinda isolated.

Eventually, I was able to keep up with them on easy days and I became friends with them.  I learned so much from being a part of the team, things that I could not have learned any other way.  At the end of the day, we were a family.  Each on of us was there to support the other people, regardless of who they were or what they needed.

One way that we were all solidified together as a team was through our buddies.  Each underclassman was assigned an upperclassman buddy on the team.  This helped to bridge the gaps between the different ages and grades.  My buddy was Haley, a junior who was also on the Varsity team.  Haley and I quickly became friends.  She always knew what to say to me when I was feeling down or didn't have the best race or workout.  I could comfort her when things weren't going well, too.  She was my person on the team that I knew would always be there for me.

Julia, me, and Lauren.  Aren't we a happy bunch?  Photo Courtesy of: Savannah N.

XC Takes Halloween

At the top of Main Street after our running escapade.  Photo Courtesy of: Maddy Lee

I very much dislike Halloween.  I will not say that I hate it because I do enjoy some aspects of the holiday.  Like candy and candles...that stuff is good.  However, I actually do abhor dressing up.  I just don't understand the point of it.  Why would I want to spend money on a costume, and make myself look appealing when I am just going to cover it all up with a big winter jacket because it is freaking cold in October?  Hhhmmmm good point, Camille.  It does seem like a waste of time now.  Thank you, I realize I make a wonderful case regarding this holiday.

In fact, ever since I was a mere sliv of a girl I dreaded the last day of October.  I would cry the night before our school Halloween parties because I didn't have a costume and didn't know what I wanted to be.

That's Right, I'm Buff

It's over.  I don't mean life, I am not that dramatic of a person.  I mean the cross country season.  The State championship race was several weeks ago in October and we all took a week off after that race.  All of the team had become so close over the last three months, it'll be weird not seeing everybody every day.  Luckily for me, there are post-season meets!  Woo, let winter training begin...

When the Varsity girls were literally squad goals.  Photo Courtesy of: Me :)

Anyway, I made so many wonderful memories with the cross country team this season that I get all happy inside just thinking about them.  Sometimes I will be with the team and I'll think of something that someone did and I just start smiling.  Don't worry, not in a creepy way.