Senior Trip!!!

Ok, so.....

Well, technically my senior trip (or at least the fun of it, anyway) began the Friday evening before we left. Mom, Jacqui, and I were going to the mall to get some things before I left, and we met my friend Brandi (the other senior girl) and her mom. Then we all shopped together then ate at Fiesta Bravo in the mall. It was so much fun!

Then we had to go home and begin packing. Yeah, begin. I didn't get home til after midnight, I believe, and we had to leave at 5 Saturday morning. I'm pretty sure I got 1 hr of sleep that night.
Then yay! We're off! We met our teacher Mrs. Fields and her husband, Jim, and we were on our way. I slept. And slept. And slept. Besides the few times we stopped and got out of the car, I slept til we got to Georgia. But we stopped at a rest area in South Carolina and had a picnic. It was so fun! We sat at this picnic table under these trees with huge pink flowers on them and the petals would blow all around us and it was so pretty!

Oh, and we're headed to Florida, btw. Just thought I'd put that out there :)

So we arrive at Daytona Beach (the first stop of our trip) at about 8 that evening. Oh my goodness, the ocean is beautiful! I've been a few times before, but not for a few years, and every time you see the ocean it's just....wow, I can't even put it into words. It's just breath-taking.

So we go putt-putting across the street from our hotel, then get back and go on the beach for about an hr, even though it's dark. But the beach is always amazing.

The next morning we got up to see the sunrise. I don't know if I've actually watched a sunrise before, but I know I never have at the beach. It was gorgeous too. Amazing.

Then we went in, had a continental breakfast then went out on the beach the rest of the morning. Some of Jim and Mrs. Fields' friends live down there, so that afternoon we went and ate at a seafood restaurant called Aunt Catfish's. I had bay scallops, I think, and they were really good! And we saw dolphins! While we were waiting on our food, Brandi and I went out on the dock and watched them. I don't think I've ever seen any before at the beach. It was so cool!

Another night walk on the beach, then bed (although I don't think we reached that point til about 3 or so, and we were getting up at 5. But it was ok, because even though the next morning came early, we slept the hr from Daytona to Orlando. And we went to Disney World!!

Neither Brandi or I had ever been to Disney before, and we had soo much fun! That first day we got there it was rainy, but then it cleared up by late morning and it acually turned out to be a pretty day! We went to Epcot and had a really great time. We visited all the little "countries" and saw the final show in the evening.

This is us at Epcot.....Us with the legendary trolls in Norway.....Us with our Chinese friend :)

These were some kid acrobats in China and they were amazing!!

....And this is us at Italy with Lady and the Tramp.










This is the final show at Epcot that evening. It's all about celebrating everyone all over the world. And in the last picture, Brandi and I were freezing, so Jim got us some hot chocolate.

Our second day at Disney we went to Hollywood Studios. It was soo cool. We watched this Indiana Jones stunt show which was really cool and really funny. Later that day we also watched a car stunt show which was really really really cool. For lunch we went to Planet Hollywood and Downtown Disney which was soo yummy and soo cool, then went back to Hollywood Studios for the rest of the afternoon and evening. We did things like rides and stuff, and saw part of an outdoor drama of Beauty and the Beast. That night we saw the final show too, which was Mickey's Nightmare, or somethin like that. It was really good. All the ending shows are really good.

Us with Mary Poppins' umbrella!....And these are our feet next to Shaquille O'Neal's shoes at Planet Hollywood!

The next day we went to Downtown Disney for the first half, then to Animal Kingdom the second. At Downtown Disney we just walked around and looked in all the different shops and stuff. It was really cool. At Animal Kingdom we did some rides too....Oh, and I almost lost my phone on a roller coaster the day before at Hollywood Studios. We rode the Rockin' Roller Coaster, I think it was called, and apparently my phone came out of my pocket when I was in the seat. When we got out and were walking, I felt my pockets and realized it wasn't there. So I told the lady working the roller coaster, so she said we'd check the next time it came around. So Brandi kept callin my phone the whole time it was in there, hoping that someone would see it. And they did, because when the next people got off the ride, this guy was carrying a phone just lookin at it, and the guy workin there asked if it was his and the other guy was like, yeah, I think it's my phone. But it really was mine, and I was glad the worker got it for me and that it wasn't lost. It was an inside roller coaster and it was dark in there, and there were a couple loops and stuff so I'm really glad it didn't fall out of the seat. That was a huge relief. But anyway, back to Animal Kingdom....We did a safari ride which was cool. Then we ate at the Rainforest Cafe for dinner. It was soo yummy too. We got a volcano for dessert. It's this brownie, ice cream, whipped cream, very very chololatey dessert. I'd head it was big, but it was huge! It took all four of us to eat it, and we still didn't quite finish it. Brandi and I had to take the rest with us in a box.

This is at Downtown Disney. I'm not exactly sure who that man was, but he must've been someone pretty important to have a statue made of him. Then there's a picture of me next to my new corvette and my new Harley. Well.....yeah, ok. It's ok to pretend though, right?

hehehe :)

Our last day we went to Magic Kingdom. It was soo cool too! We did rides and stuff and saw a parade, and while we were waiting for the parade to start (Mrs. Fields, Jim, and Brandi were on the sidewalk), I was in this book shop reading a book about Ronald Reagan. lol. Quick fact: Did you know he was a life guard when he was younger and saved 77 lives? Ok, anyway, the parade was so good, and we saw another one that night. It was the huge, big main fireworks one! But that evening before the final show we decided to go back to our resort (we stayed in Coronado Springs, btw. It was cool.) and Brandi and I were gonna swim a little, but we didn't really because it was cold. Well, we got in, but then I got out....Ok, that was a nice story, wasn't it? So anway, that evening we went back to see the final parade and the fireworks and it was beautiful! Just like on tv! lol But waayy cooler. Disney really is magical! :)


The parade that afternoon was really cool, and here's a picture of Pater Pan, because he was one of my favorites when I was little :).......And the fireworks! That was the final show at Magic Kingdom that evening.

Oh, and Mrs. Fields got Brandi and me both Mickey ears that said Class of 2010 with our names on the back!! :)

So we had a really great trip. Oh, but even though the wk was over didn't mean the adventure was. (That's what Jim called it anyway. He said he doesn't call things trips or vacations- he calls them adventures :) ) But it really was. On the way home our van shut down twice (yes, while we were driving. On the road.) Then we stopped at this little flea market (actually it was huge!) because Jim wanted to get some big Florida strawberries. So the van was ok, but then there was apparently an accident or somethin on the interstate in South Carolina because traffic was stopped, so we had to take like a three hour detour. (Oh, but something I just realized that I don't think the rest of them have is that Mrs. Fields and Jim gave Brandi and me the map on the way back so we could learn how to navigate. They told us to choose the route to go through South Carolina, so I just chose one....and apparently it happened to be the one with the accident, which was why our trip took 3 extra hours and we got back after midnight instead of 9. But anyway, they haven't picked up on it that it was my idea to take that way, so you don't have to remind them if you don't want.) So anyway, on our detour we got to this little town called Bamburg, and the speed limit was 30 and we were still going 41 so we got a ticket of like $250. Then we went to Arby's to grab lunch on the go and hit a pick-up truck while we were backing out...it was just one of those days. But we did make it home, so it was all good. And that just made it all the more fun. It turned out to be an adventure after all.

So it was an amazingly fun senior trip, we made such happy memories, the beach reminds me of our awesome, magnificent Creator, and Disney reminds me to always be a kid at heart :)

Campfires and Break Dancing

Well, it sure seems like a long time since I last posted- that was the first day of school. Today I just finished my third week. And thankfully it's not been hard, I'm just tired.

Well to begin, I'll just explain the title of this post. And if you're wondering how campfires and break dancing go together... well, they don't except for the fact that those were the highlights of my weekend a couple weekends ago. (As I said, I'm a little behind =])

So on that Saturday night, my dad and brother came home w/ hotdogs and marshmallows, and they built a campfire! It was so much fun. My dad came in and un-bent a couple wire hangers to use as the things to roast our food w/ (I can't remember what they're called), and we did just that. We brought out some lawn chairs and sat around the little fire and roasted our hotdogs and then made s'mores. They were sooo yummy. I ate three of them.

Then we just sat there under the beautiful stars and talked and I played my guitar some, and we just had a cozy little family time. It was really fun.

Then Sunday evening was the annual talent show at our church. I sang and played a song on the piano. It was Beloved by Tenth Avenue North. I had just pretty much learned it that day, but I really wanted to share it w/ the church because it's such an incredible song- it's like Jesus is singing to us, to me, and He's pursuing us, and it's such a cool song. But then......

Break Dancing!!! Yep, that's what we did. See, our youth group did a skit like "America's Got Talent," and the act our friend Hannah and my sister and I did was break dancing. It was really fun. See, we really don't know the first thing about it, which made it sooo much more fun and funny. We were in costume and everything- I was wearing my chucks, jeans w/ a hole in them, my brother's shorts over those, a big hoodie, and a sideways ballcap. I have to admit, I felt pretty gangsta. haha. And I would have a couple pictures, but we never could get them on here. So anyway, I think we had a TobyMac song playing, and we walked out on the stage then just like dropped to the floor and started spinning and flopping and acting like we knew what we were doing. It was sooo much fun.

But that was two weeks ago, and now it's the weekend again, and I'm very happy. School has been good, and I don't hardly have homework so far this yr, which has been nice. But weekends are always so wonderful, and this is gonna be another good one. Last weekend our parents were out of town, and I ran my brother around everywhere. Friday night we took him to a birthday party. Saturday morning he had a car wash because their class is raising money for as fieldtrip. Then Jacqui and I bought groceries, pet food, recycled, picked up my brother, got his allergy shot, then came home and relaxed. Then Sunday was Mark Walz Sr.'s funeral. Even though it was very sad, it was very good too because he was a great man who God had really used to reach other people's lives. The church was packed, there was worhip and there was laughter, and it was cool to see a huge body of believers who had gathered for a funeral be able to sing our praise to God.

So I know this weekend will be very wonderful too. Well, tomorrow I have to take Gabriel to another car wash, but that's always fine. Then Sunday and Monday we're doing a bunch of stuff w/ our whole family, and I'm really excited, so I'll have to write about that later. But so far it's been a great yr, and I'm sure I'll have much to tell as it goes on. :)

Senior Year!

Well, today was my last first day of school. Ever. (I mean, there's college, but I mean actual school.) It was our first day, and I still can't really believe that I'm a senior! It's happened so fast! I've loved high school, and it seems like it's flown by so fast, so I really plan to enjoy this year super much.

There are only three seniors at Calvary this year- David, Brandi, and me. And that's the biggest graduating class yet. (I know, right?! lol) So we are very excited.

Today we didn't actually do any work, which was nice, and kinda got us back into the swing of things. Well, actually, as nice and wonderful as our teachers are, I don't actually think they were trying not to give us work, us seniors just haven't started our math class yet because we're going to do an online college one. So while the other high schoolers did math, we went to another room and got the middle school quiz packets ready for Mrs. Harris. It was a nice day.

So now I'm officially a senior, and I'm still taking it in. That hit me last year, when I knew that the next year I'd be a senior, but now that it's actually here, I'm still a little in shock. Like this year I have to get in college applications, take the ACT a couple more times, la de da de da...... and I'm a little sad it's my last year. But actually I'm much more excited than sad. Actually, I don't even feel sad. It's just that the thought of this being my last year of high school is a little overwhelming to me, but very exciting too. Very very exciting! :)

Oh, here is a picture my mom took this morning of Gabriel, Jacqui, and me before we left for school. I still don't have a car, but yesterday evening we went up to my Papaw Johns' house, which is in Louisa, and we borrowed his bronco so my dad could drvie that and I would drive his truck this week. So that was all very nice and wonderful. But anyway, this is before my mom left for work and us for school. I think she got this because it's a pretty big year for all of us- my brother started middle school, my sister started high school, and I started my senior year. I think my mom is a little overwhelmed too. But she's happy for us. Very very happy.

So I am looking forward to this school year and to see what all it (and God, precisely) has in store for me.