February 25th 2012

          Hey guys,
How's everyone been? I've been frantically trying to find a chaperone/roommate for my conference in DC, but it's either inconvenient time or too much money for everyone. I'm going to ask the women at my board meeting this Monday, but if no one there is able, I'm prepared to just give up on it. It was never supposed to be this big of a deal. I'll have to re-write my walk in speech and send a new one to Susan. But that's the easy part. I'm just bummed because I was so excited for my first solo vacation. No parents. Not like I was going to o crazy or anything, but I'd really like for my first few weeks at college to not  be the first time I'm on my own for more than two nights!
          I guess if I don't go to DC though, I can get this dress I've been eying. It would be perfect to wear for my WoHeLo. It would fit under my ceremonial attire, and look fabulous for pictures and the party. It's got a purple ruffled top and a simple black skirt. There was another one I saw too, but mom didn't feel too good about it. And I kind of want to find some super short black shorts to wear under this one dress I have. I just got these awesome tights to wear with it, but it still needs shorts, just to be sure ;-)
          Mom left for town early to spend time with her sister and then her friends. I would've gone, but I had to work yesterday, today, and tomorrow. But it works out since daddy has to be in town Monday morning anyway, we're leaving right after work tomorrow. So get up, go to church, go home and pack, go to work, go to town. We probably won't get in until around midnight, but daddy seems to be okay with it. I don't know where we'll all sleep. The place we usually stay is really uncomfortable for four people. three, sure. But unless I'm sharing the couch bed with Leo, I'm not seeing this working out. Maybe he'll sleepover at his friends house or something. Seems kind of late though. And all his friend has school.
          I just finished catching up on The Vampire Diaries.  I watch all my shows on Hulu. I can't decide if I prefer the books or the show. The show is definitely more "people pleasing". What I mean is, the producers give the audience exactly what we want. But aside from the names, we might as well be in a different story. Nothing happens the same. Caroline is a real person in the show, with feelings and stuff. Then she gets turned into a vampire. I'm fairly sure that NEVER happened. And so far there is no sign of Elena getting her wings powers. She never got turned into a vampire and then brought back. So frustrating. Why couldn't they do both as tv shows and name the other one something else?
          Right now, I'm charging my flipcam to take to town. I might try a little vlog or something. Could be cool. What do you guys think?
          Time to catch up on my beauty sleep, that's all for now folks.

February 21st 2012

          Hey guys, I'm sorry. I know I keep promising a nice long post but I've been super busy trying to get all the details for my WoHeLo in order. I also got a letter from Antioch today stating that I have four days to complete my application by sending in my supplemental items. See, I sent those item sin two weeks ago. But lucky for me I've got a smart Mom who insisted on saving everything and putting it in my file. So I just spent the last hour scanning documents into the computer and emailing them off to Antioch. Hopefully that takes care of that. And if I don't get accepted, it's because I wasn't good enough not because of some dang technicality. I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes up. I really want to major in Psychology if I go to Antioch, but mom thinks I should go into Politics. I am pretty good at managing people and reputations. I don't know. Maybe I can minor in Psychology. Opinions??
          Today Leo had to go to town with Mom for his first ever standardized testing. And it's his worst subject. I feel kind of bad for him. But it must be done. Everyone does standardized testing at some point or another, it really isn't avoidable at this point in time.
          I had bought a Groupon for laser hair removal. I was going to get my bikini line done so I could say goodbye to awkward shower shaving at camp. But they don't have any available appointments that would work for me, so I returned it and got my $100 back. Now that money is going towards my DC conference. Mom and I counted it up, I've got my income tax coming soon, two paychecks, and two hundred in the bank. That's not enough to get the room by myself, but I just got an email stating that I am required to have a chaperone because I'm 17. Which sucks because I don't know anyone else who's going to this thing. And if I could split the cost of a room with someone, I could almost definitely afford it. I'm so thankful the board came up with the money for my flight because I can't imagine having to factor that in too.
          So I have to work this Sunday. But I have tons of meetings on Monday and Daddy has an interview in town at 10:00am. If he gets this job, we get to move back to town!!! But that's off subject right now. So Daddy's going to pick me up after work (8:00pm) and we're going straight to town. Then on Monday, I've got to do WoHeLo pictures at the park with Hope and the camp fire photographer, then I have my final board meeting, where they'll approve my WoHeLo and finalize everything, then I have my board meeting at which I'll be giving a presentation. So before I even go for my pictures, I need to print and fold 30 copies of my brochure, make sure my ceremonial attire is in order, and at some point in there I'd like to eat dinner.
          Don't let my stress fool you, I'm so freakin pumped for this! I'm ready to be done worrying about it and start celebrating! Hope and I will be presented at WoHeLoees at Camp Fire Birthday on March 3rd and I'm pretty sure we're supposed to be at the Adult Recognition Dinner. So they can fawn over us, lol! Susan says our only jobs after we get approved is to show up and look pretty! It kind of feels like we won a pageant or something! And so far I've invited all my friends, my father and Lili, my mom is flying down my big brother from California, we invited my Uncle Dean todasy when mom was on the phone with him. I hope his wife and daughters can come too, but I'd understand if they can't all come. Looks like I just might get some of my dream pictures! In your face mom! Never say never!!!
          I've only got to get 5 more hours on this last issue, and  I think it's going to be a piece of cake!
          That's all for now folks!

January 26th 2012

          So, a couple weeks ago, my mom got me and Leo each one of those dollar store eggs of silly putty. I've been using mine in lieu of a stress ball. It seems to have picked up quite a bit of dust and dirt. It started out this neon cream(is that even a color?) and now it's this unidentifiable gray-ish sludge. But it's still pliable, so I'll just keep on squeezing.
          I got my quilt square finished yesterday! It's so cute! I hot glued some fuzzy yarn around the edges, and mom found her letter stamps for me to use. So it has my name and council and years I'll be on YAC in the stamps. Then I found another baggie full of asst. stamps. So it's pretty adorable. One of the ink pads I used didn't work so well, so I had to trace it with a fine tip paint brush in a similar color. But it still came out all right, I think.
          Yesterday mom and I went and got my khaki pants! I have orientation today at 4:00! I'm super excited! I'm only a little bit confused about dinner. Orientation is 4:00pm to 9:00pm. That's five hours so I know I'll get at least fifteen minutes to eat something. But what do I bring? I don't want to be dorky and bring my lunchbox. I suppose I could bring a paper bag, but that feels weird. But it's what I'll probably do. Mom says that if I'm not careful, people will steal it. Maybe I'll bring something gross so they'll regret if they do. But I doubt it.
          While I was in town over the weekend, we went to a goodbye party for a good friend from the Camp Fire office. She's always been super involved with me and Hope, so we wrote her a toast/letter. Hope didn't want to read it out loud, she just wanted to give it to her. But I thought everybody would really like hearing it. So I convinced her to stand up with me while I read it. Of course once we got up there, I read the first sentence and promptly handed it to Hope because I couldn't see through my tears. I'm glad I have such an awesome best friend!! She ended up reading it out loud anyways. Everyone understood, and I got lots of hugs. Another woman I knew from the office was there and I hadn't seen her in a long time! I knew she was pregnant with twins but I hadn't seen her since the 3-4 month mark. She's due any day now and she is so lucky to be carrying twins to full term. They don't know if they're identical or fraternal, but it's two baby girls and she calls them itty and bitty. I can't wait to see pictures when they finally get here!
          The night we drove home, Tuesday, was horrible!!! It was dark, bad roads, and a nasty storm! I am so glad I did not have to drive in that, I don't think I could have. Poor mom must have been so sore from straining her eyes and hunching over the wheel.
          I also met with almost all of my consultants on my visit to town and we all agree I'm right on track! There's nothing in the world, short of a natural disaster(knock on wood) that is going to keep me from finishing my WoHeLo.
          YAC is starting to get busy with all the stuff YAC does! We're doing a fundraiser in March and Valentines for Vets have to go out soon, and I'm going to start working with Lucy at the CF office for Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. Which reminds me, I've got some more valentines to make!
           That's all for now folks!