February 23rd 2012

          Hey guys! I know you're not used to so much attention! But the day has come!
Today is my last day off of work before my final panel meeting for my WoHeLo!!! So I'm working on my gown, getting my last two hours in somewhere, and dancing around the house! There were definitely times in the past where I was positive I'd never get done in time or times I just plain wanted to give up! Now that I'm standing on the very edge of completion, I'm so overjoyed I did it! And I'll deny I ever said it, but there's no way I could have ever done it without my mom. I'm kind of lucky to have so many adults in my life who care about me.
          I can't find a chaperone/roommate for my conference in D.C. so it might not happen :( I'm really bummed about it. It's ridiculous because my parents are just fine with letting me go by myself, I'm just fine going by myself, but the conference people aren't. I really just need someone over eighteen who can pay their own airfare and half the room. I'm going to start asking friends and family soon. I was talking to a woman at the Baltimore Camp Fire office, but she's stopped communicating very suddenly. She just stopped replying to emails.
          I added it up, and between my bank account now, two paychecks before I leave, and my income tax soon, I should be able to afford it. That parts no biggie. And mom said she can chip in a little bit too. It's just so frustrating to be this close to something amazing, and not do it because I'm under eighteen. I'm so sick of the word "minor". All summer at camp, all through the year at Camp Fire... "aren't you eighteen yet Razzi?" I could just scream and pull my hair out!
          The other day at work, I said "okey dokey" to a customer, and he said he'd never heard someone say that except in movies. He also hadn't heard someone literally say ya'll or aight. You know how you always come up with the perfect comeback twenty minutes later? That's how I feel. I was kind of offended because he said it like I was dirty for using those words. Nope, just raised in Oklahoma...
          A few days ago, a friend of Leo's asked him to tell me I should post to my blog. I'm not sure how she knows about it, but I'm not complaining about it! I wish all the people who check my blog regularly would subscribe so I can see how many people are reading regularly. Maybe if people would comment or something *AHEM AHEM*. Sorry I had a tickle in my throat.
          So, guess what happened yesterday?!?!?!? I got my first college acceptance letter!!! It was from my second choice; I'm still waiting to hear from my first choice. I really really want to go to my first choice. If I get in, I get a full ride scholarship. Room and board is still expensive, but it'd be worth it for such a prestigious education. I think if I went there, I'd major in some sort of politics. And minor in psychology. If I go to my second choice, I'll probably get my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). I'd have to transfer my Junior year to a bigger school though.
          Right now mom is cracking and rolling eggs because she boiled, like, twenty this morning. She also brought home root beer, peanuts, candy bars, and caramel wraps. I think she may be trying to sweeten us up for something. I just haven't figured out what yet. But don't worry mom, I'm onto you :P. I've been trying to curl my hair with my straightener, but it's not working. I think I'm going to rag roll my hair tonight. It's so much fun when my hair is curly! And it looks so legit, people who don't know me very well assume that I must straighten my hair every morning.
          I wonder if I'll receive so many compliments if my hair is super curly. Men have asked if I'm married, called me gorgeous, told me I look pretty, told me I looked beautiful, and commented on my "free hugs" pin saying "I might not let you go!". All in all, it's very flattering but most of them don't speak English very well or are three times my age. SO I just smile and check their groceries.
          I received my Growums sale package in the mail today! For ten dollars, you can buy a miniature garden with four kinds of seeds, eight pods to plant them in, and eight tags. And their really cute! Like a pizza garden has basil, oregano, cilantro, and tomato I think. And there's different kinds of gardens. A taco garden, a ratatouille garden, an oriental themed garden. And every penny raised goes straight to YAC! We're planning on doing a F2F, which is Face to face. We want to have a meeting just so we can all get together aside from the conference calls to hang out and plan stuff. I'm pretty pumped. If you're interested and you actually know me, get at me and I'll hook you up!
          That's all for now folks!

Feb 21 2012

BTW, my hair is getting super duper long...

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!

February 3rd 2012

          OMG I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!! I got the official news today: I'm going to DC!!! It's for the America's Promise Grad Nation Summit, March 18th through the 21st. You can't hear my happy squee's, but they're loud.
          Now I get to do even more shopping! I'm assuming DC is cold in March, and I don't have enough nice cold weather clothes! Poor mom, she'll never even know what hit her. This one is gonna be kind of short too, because I have to go to work soon. But I promise, as soon as I find time, I'll whip out a nice, long, juicy, post!

2/1/2012

          I'm going to warn you now, this is going to be a short post! I'm on break at work, eating my microwave velveeta mac and cheese. I just wanted to say that I'm super excited because it looks like I'm going to Washington DC in March!!! For another conference!

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!

January 20th, 2012

           FIRST! Thank you Miss Aqua for reminding me to post! I would've procrastinated far longer without you! Can't wait for June!!
          Alright, alright. I know I've been slacking!! I'd like to say it's because I've been busy, but not really. Just slacking lol. BUT now I know why I really joined the National Youth Advisory Cabinet...they give me excuses to use glitter!!! We're each getting a quilt square in the mail and we get to decorate them however we want!! I'm probably using too many exclamation points, but I can't find it in myself to care. Exclamation points are like glitter...addictive. My poor friends don't share my opinions, so I don't get my glitter out as often as I really want too.           

          YAC's also got me thinking of idea's for Absolutely Incredible Kids Day. See, we have got really great incentive.  Our president, Lauren, came up with this 'master list' and for every YAC deed we do, we get a point. At the end of three months or so, she'll tally the points and send the winner a Camp Fire surprise! At last check I was tied for first. Take that Owen :P 

           In other news, I still haven't heard back on whether or not I got the travel/room/board scholarship for the Grad Nation Conference. It's driving me crazy! Because Camp Fire birthday is in March and I really need to know if I'll be in town for it because WoHeLo'ees are honored there, and it's my year! Of course, the summit is a huge deal and way more important; not that I wouldn't miss sticking a pie in Scouts face. That's another thing, At birthday, the WoHeLo'ees get to stick pies in the faces of people that get voted on all day. Scout usually gets one. 

          I was feeling kind of lost on my last WoHeLo issue, so I called up Swan* at the Camp Fire office for some advice. Now, she's in the middle of switching jobs, so I know she's super busy. Still at the CF office, just different responsibilities. Which is why I was so grateful to her for spending 35-40 minutes on the phone with me brainstorming. Of course, now I have a lot of work to do, but I'm happy for it. Because otherwise, all my hours for this issue would be blogging. Not that I have a problem with that, but the panel may raise a few eyebrows when I'm trying to get everything approved. I'm going to put together a whole 'curriculum' for a presentation on the benefits of homeschooling. I'm going to make a tri-fold brochure to give out for our kinesthetic learners. A power point for the visual learners; and of course my own notes for the auditory learners. My goal is to have something anyone can pick up, read through once, and deliver easily.

          I finally watched Footloose last night! It was amazing! I can't believe it took me that long to realize that Kevin Bacon and I are destined to be together? Lol, jk...mostly. Now I want to see the new one; just for a compare/contrast kind of thing. I think my favorite part is Ren trying to teach Willard to dance. Ren's face=perfect. 

          I guess one good thing about our new town is that everything is in walking distance. Compared to our old town where you may be able to walk somewhere, you just don't feel safe doing it. Leo and I go to the library all the time, sometimes we stop at Dairy Queen(that's another bonus, we didn't have a DQ back home). DQ and Sonic have the BEST banana splits ever! No one else has clued in on putting pineapples on ice cream yet!

          I have a board meeting and Leo has a CF meeting on Monday evening and on Tuesday, we're going to a good friends good-bye party. She's been a huge mentor to me, so I'm sad to see her moving away. But I know it's a great opportunity for her. I just hope she can come back in April for my WoHeLo, but I'll understand if she can't.

          I'm getting more and more excited for April! My dad and stepmom, Lili, are bringing my little brothers from Louisiana to come see me! Since I'm homeschooled, mom and I decided to make this my graduation. We're renting a room after the ceremony for my whole CF group to have dinner with our families. And either the day before or after, my whole family is going out for dinner. If you're one of my close friends, you know how much that means to me. One of my mom's friends is pretty handy with a camera, so I'm hoping he'll be there so I can get some quality pics with my whole family together. Oh! That reminds me! My big brother in CA is probably coming too! It feels surreal to think of all four of my brothers and all four of my parents in one place for ME! 

          While I'm in town on Mon/Tues I have a meeting with my homeschooling consultant so I can let her know how things are progressing; and of course invite her to Grand Council Fire. I also really want to stop at Old Navy because I need khaki pants for work on Thursday! I'm so excited to start!

          Toodles for now! I've run out of steam and it's almost time for dinner (Mom's meatloaf and baked potatoes...be jealous)

*name has been changed