Wednesday, August 31

Summer Photos

Here's proof that the impossible is possible. Every year, we get all 20+ grandkids, aunts, uncles, and Grandma and Grandpa together for a big  family picture. Usually they throw us kids in there and then take the picture before we know what's happened! That's the lodge where we stay in the background. It's soo beautiful there. You just can't go and not take a bazillion pictures. I always come home with about a hundred and fifty nature shots, and, like, eight with people in them. I just love the scenery there. It's not an everyday kind of place. Not to mention that the temperature there is such that you actually want to be outside a lot.

 A beautiful picture of a sunrise over Wildcat Lake. Because of the way my camera was set, the colors look like a sunset, but don't be fooled, it's actually about 6:30 AM. Every time I look at this picture, I end up feeling sleepy because of the warm colors. :) Or maybe just because I remember that for me, a Central Standard chick in Eastern time, it was like having a teenager up at 5:30 AM- and it was my  idea! Mom and Dad are still snoring away in their room at this point. In fact, just about everybody was snoring away in their room at this point. Except me! This one will probably go in the art show next year!
 This picture makes me think of Cutter Gap  from Christy. Which is one of my favorite books, by the way. I love the little splash of bright orange in the otherwise green picture. And I love all the mountain ranges in the background. And I love the different kinds of trees and bushes in this picture. And I love how bright green the grass is. How about we just say that I just generally LOVE this picture. Like a lot.
There is seriously a typo on this plaque that's bolted into the top of a mountain. See if you can find it and grrooaann. Although it was kind of fun to laugh and get even more out of breath after climbing zillions of feet. :) Cornelious Rex Peake must not have been that awesome, since they couldn't even get someone to proofread his commemorative plaque. Apostrophe typos are possibly some of the most annoying to look at, no?

Another shot from about a hundred thousand feet up. Ok, so it was only, like, five thousand feet, but it was still pretty high. By the time we got up to the top, I was starting to have difficulty breathing, so with the combination of the slightly thinned air and my being out of breath already, it was not fun towards reaching the peak of Grassy Ridge. Even though it was hard, that hike was a great way to spend a last day with your family. When I could keep up with them. :)

 A picture of all the kids who braved two and a half miles of the Appalachian Trail, with two and a half miles left to go. Do we look like we just climbed a mountain? :)
Man, I look like such a moron! But it's not quite as bad as the other one, which will NOT be posted here, at least not until I feel like laughing at myself. How about we just say that I learned that if you're going to make a face before getting your picture taken, you'd better wipe it off before it's taken. (grimaces)
A shot of ( I think) Tennessee from North Carolina. Or possibly the other way around. Either way, it's a shot of one state with mountains from another state with mountains. :)  Every time we leave our family reunion, I suffer from like a week of depression. I've just left canoeing, climbing mountains, seventy degrees and sunny in JUNE, not to mention all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandparents. Looking at these pictures always makes me feel sort of bittersweet. It's like, " Oh, that was so much fun! I really miss them."


Anyway, I hope you enjoyed getting a little taste of my summer vacation. Other than that, we pretty much stayed at home the rest of the time. I worked at the library, planned SGA stuff, and went to Geoff's art classes. And counted down the days until fall. Basically: boring summer :)





Happy birthday Geoff!

Happy birthday big brother! As annoying as I may be sometimes, you're stuck with me, so I guess it's good that I know you love me anyway. Even if, hypothetically, I had accidentally hypothetically destroyed something of yours. Accidentally. Hypothetically. :) Anyway, happy 16th!

Sunday, August 28

I didn't even use gel!

Why, why, why must my bad hair days always come on Sunday morning before church? Woke up this morning ten minutes before we're supposed to leave for church. Stumbled into the bathroom, rubbed my eyes, and giggled. My hair was sticking straight up from my head! It was hilarious, until I realized that I had to go to church in a few minutes. Eventually just drenched it and pulled it into a ponytail. Then I looked like I was heading off to a baseball game right after church. Anyway, I had to keep telling myself, "Count it all joy," through gritted teeth. :)

Saturday, August 27

Um, Dad? Are you OK?

Welcome to a glimpse of my crazy life.
Dad is standing at the pot of boiling water on the stove, dropping hot dogs into the water. He is chanting, "Boil that dust speck! Boil that dust speck! BOIL THAT DUST SPECK!!"
Meanwhile, Meredith is concerned for his mental health. :)

Wednesday, August 24

Happy National Waffle Day!!!

On August 24, 1968, the first U.S. waffle iron was patented. Thus, forty-three years later, we are kind of celebrating by having waffles for breakfast.
I am so ready for fall to come. We're heading into the hottest days of summer with the air conditioning in our van broken. So I am NOT appreciating the hundred degree weather!! *pouty face*

Tuesday, August 23

Go Homeschool!!!!

I always like to ride along when Mom drives Dad to work in the morning. It's nice to get out early, before you really start to realize everything you have to do that day. After we drop Dad off, usually I scoot up to the front seat of the van and roll the window down. Then as we turn into our neighborhood, I notice the group of kids waiting for the bus. I think of going home and doing algebra on the couch, and of watching movies during lunch, and finishing school at ten thirty in the morning. And I can't help but smile and wave at them.

Monday, August 22

But it was just Monday a WEEK ago!

I can't brain today-I has the dumb. (from lolcatz)
I have been discovering that, while Uncle Tom's Cabin is a great story, it leaves me feeling somewhat mentally dead after only two chapters. I have been reading it aloud to Audrey, practicing for my speech class, which starts in two weeks. I'm super stoked about it, but those of you who know me well know that I'm ALWAYS super stoked about something :)
I am also discovering that, without my twice weekly seeing- of-friends, school really starts to drag, especially when your arms are all tired from vigorously playing Wii the day before. By the way, that was a TOTALLY random example and had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with what I did yesterday. Sort of.

Friday, August 19

Yay! Ice Cream!

Today is our first meeting if the West Florida Home Education Support League's (WFHESL) SGA! The officers have been working hard all summer and God has givens great results. We have achieved so much already, and the year's just starting! For the kick-off meeting, we decided to do an ice cream social. So, even though I'm a little nervous about it, (it is my first meeting as an officer, you know)if there's ice cream there, how bad could it be?

Tuesday, August 16

No turning back

Well, we have officially started school for the year. Ninth grade, watch out, cause here I come! Although I must admit, ninth grade isn't the scary thing; that would be Algebra 1. Today we're off to piano lessons! Hope you all have a fantabulous day!

Friday, August 12

Thumbs up, everybody!

If you haven't seen the hilarious video of the toddler making an inspiring speech after learning to ride a bike, you have to! Go to YouTube and search Thumbs up for rock and roll. It is SO funny. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!! Caution: After viewing, you may have a sudden, irrestible urge to go ride a bike.
We had pizza for dinner. Pizza and sushi. YUM YUM!
 HAVE A GREAT, FUN DAY  !!

Thursday, August 11

Home at Last!

Well, after four and a half days away from my home in the Sunshine State (haha-whoever named FL that should be shot), we're finally back. And it's raining.
It was seventy degrees when we left Brandon, Mississippi, and now, it's ninety-seven. After a long, sticky trip in the van with no air conditioning, we finally arrived home. I was SO happy to see Mom and my dear sweet puppy.
Grace was happy too! You just can't tell, cuz she's, you know, a dog.
After we had unpacked everything and Gracie was so very happy, we put her in her crate and headed out for a late lunch together.
So, Mom finished all of her lesson plans and we're ready to start school this Monday, Gracie got all excited only to be stashed away in a corner, and I am stuffed to the gills!
Have a great (and fun) day!

Tuesday, August 9

BOOM! HEADSHOT!!!!

So, while I'm in Mississippi, I'm brushing up on my video game skills with Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Matt, Cam and Geoff. I know it sounds violent, but it's really not that bad. The best part is when you can see Cam just sitting there, and you know what you have to do: whip out your RPG (rocket propelled grenade) and blast him in the head. It's so funny to listen in the other room when you do that!
"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?"
Then you just chuckle to yourself :)
I got a new CD yesterday. It's Prokofiev, Saint-Saens, and Bizet. It has some of my favorite pieces of music, like Aquarium from The Carnival of the Animals, and Jeus d'Enfants. I think most of you guys have, one way or another, heard the crazy, out-of-control, yet totally meant to be that way duet that Geoffrey and I play. Anyway, this CD has that song, but for orchestra.
Enjoying the last few days of freedom before school starts! At least we don't live here; they started yesterday! Audrey is playing When You Wish Upon A Star right now.
So you can guess what I'll be singing all day :)

Sunday, August 7

Vacation

I'm in MS right now visiting grandparents. I miss my friends, but then, I never really see them much in the summer anyway. I guess who I miss most is my sweet puppy Grace. She's going to go ballistic when I finally get home:)We're hoping to do some shopping here in a couple hours. Mostly just going to be sitting around the house though, so don't worry if I don't blog again til Wednesday-ish. I'm not dead. :)
Since I'm in the South, I'll sign off differently: y'all have a great day!

Tuesday, August 2

Ugggghhh....

I have just recently realized that in less than two weeks, my summer will be over and we will have started school. I hate the way that, when I'm so busy with little things all the time, I don't even have time to get excited (and nervous) about stuff like school starting. So, I guess the point of this post is to contradict the famous saying and tell you guys, don't be focusing so much on the small things in life that you lose sight of the big ones. Like starting high school. And making new friends. And chocolate. :)
Have a GREAT day!