A Long Winter's Nap

The school bell rang on Friday afternoon. I was so thrilled! No more school for two weeks. This Christmas break would be nothing but fun. I knew I had some homework to do but I didn't think it would all pile up like it has. One word came into my mind.


pro·cras·ti·nate  

v.intr.

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

I thought the break would be a long winters nap. Fun in the snow, different activies, and just relaxing. On Monday my mom reminded me saying "This break is going to go faster then you think." And what do you know? It's Thursday afternooon, and I haven't really done any of my homework. And by tomorrow, it's Christmas Eve, then Christmas, and then Sunday. That loses three more days and now keep in mind we'll lose days next week to because of New Years. So I guess the lesson I'm taking from this Christmas Break is don't procrastinate. Leaving extra credit, a book to read, math assignment, and a whole scrapbook for two weeks isn't very smart. But at least I'm doing my blog. :) So much for a long winters nap. Oh well! Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Tradition

Each year the weekend before Christmas as a family we go down to Salt Lake and have a little "vacation." We normally leave on Friday afternoon after school, go check into our hotel and the weekend starts. But this year we aren't leaving until this afternoon. After my beautiful piano recital. (That's probably the greatest Christmas present.)


After my recital we will drive into Salt Lake, check into our hotel and go ice skating. I absoluetly love ice skating though I am not very good at it. I can't seem to do tricks like all of the professionals. My favorite part of ice skating is when zambonie comes out and goes over the ice. Skating on the fresh, smooth ice is the best it can get. After our time on the ice it will probably be time for dinner. My mom keeps saying "Oh! I'm so excited for our weekend. We are going to have so much fun and eat great food." Which yes, is true. Have you ever been to Rodizio Grill in Trolley Square? Well if you haven't it's like heaven on earth. Waitress bring different kinds of meats to your table and they slice you off a piece. The waitresses just keep coming and coming and coming. I always make myself sick eating there!


We will then drive over to temple square and see the beautiful lights and read the nativity My family always makes fun of my when we read the nativity because last year when we were reading the nativity I wasn't really paying attention and my sister said "Pay attention!" My family then asked me why I seemed to be off in another world and this was my reply "Because I already know the story. It never changes. Why doesn't it ever change?" Ok, we'll just leave that story at that. Probably not one of my greatest blonde moments. The nativity at my house is now known as “The story that never changes.”


Each year after walking around temple square we usually go on a carriage ride. It's always been one of my favorite traditions. Waving at the little kids, seeing Santa, seeing the lights, and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. This year when my mom called to schedule our appointment they said we would have to take two carriages because they can't fit five in a carriage. My mom said no thanks. Riding with your family in the carriage is the best part. My parents say they have thought of something new that we can start doing this year for another great tradition.


Tomorrow morning we will wake up early and put on our Sunday dress. We have tickets to Music and the Spoken Word and after that David Archuelta is preforming! I can't wait! First, I love listening the the Mormon Tabernacle Choir it's so peaceful and beautiful. And now having David Archuleta there will make it even more amazing and beautiful. If you catch my drift! :) After the concert we will head over to Little America for Brunch. Which should be amazing since it always is.


Anyway, thats one of my little family's tradition. What are some of yours? What makes you excited for this wonderful time of year? I hope you all have a great and safe break. Merry Christmas!

A Utah Thing

The excitement fills the air when school starts. Who will come and ask my sister to homecoming? How will he ask? How will we answer? And so on. Throughout the school year, there are six dances. Three when the girl gets to ask, and three when the boy gets to ask. With a sister, you have the excitement of finding a dress, finding the accessories, and then actually getting ready for the dance.


The clock ticked yesterday afternoon. Waiting for the time to come when my sister could start getting ready. At my house I am known as the "beauty assistant." I test the makeup on my face to make sure we have the right eyeshadow, I help with the hair, I paint the nails, and whatever else needs to be done.


I think the whole thing is very entertaining. I love going to the dress shop and finding the perfect dress. The process of finding one can sure take a long time, but there are so many to choose from. I think it is so fun to look at all the different dresses.


But I think on of my favorite parts is the asking and the answering part. My mom says they ask and answer differently in Utah. Where she grew up in California you just call the person up and ask them if they want to go to the dance with you. But in Utah, you do the whole affect. You send them on a scavenger hunt, or make them go caroling around then neighborhood, play the game "Guess Who?" or leave them a path of glow sticks in their neighborhood leading to you name.


The whole process is fun for me, and I'm not even the one going to the dance! I can't wait until it's my turn to ask to the dance. But for now, being the "beauty assistant" will have to do. :)

An Early Christmas...For Some

Yesterday I came home from school. There were already presents under our Christmas tree, and one had a special note on it. "Jonah: Open December 7th." As my brother wandered around the house making sure I knew that he got to open a Christmas present tomorrow. I was sitting on the couch doing homework and I asked from the couch what Christmas present my brother was getting tomorrow. No answer. Of course. I went up to my mom with my sweetest voice, "Mom, what is in the present that Jonah gets to open tomorrow? Don't you want to tell me?"



 "No." Was her nice reply. "I won't be telling you."

 So over to the tree I went. Shaking the box up and down. I mean, I really just wanted to know what could be hiding inside that skinny little box. My dad came home and I asked him the same question. "Don't you want to tell me what is inside that box?"


"No." He said. "We have never told what Christmas presents are before Christmas day, and we never will."

 I figured that was all the asking for the day. They obviously weren't going to tell me.

This morning I was downstairs getting ready when my sister yelled down the stairs "Ashley! Jonah opened his present! It's two tickets to see the Miami Heat play the Utah Jazz tomorrow night!"



I was so mad! I would love to go see the Heat play. LeBron, Wade, and Bosh! That's awesome! But no. Guess where I will be? Singing my little heart out at the choir concert. Which not to mention will be a disaster. So tomorrow while I am singing a happy Christmas song, my brother and dad will be watching the "big three."

The Secret Journal of Brett Colton

Dear Kay Lynn Magnum,

               

I just finished your book "The Secret Journal of Brett Colton" When I first started reading it, I didn't know what would happen in the story. I had heard about the rage of the book, and decide it was the right book for me to read.

               

In reading the book, I put the characters into my life. Me. I was Kitty. A high school girl, in my own little bubble. Worrying how to get through high school. My sister turned into Sam. Though my sister and her don't really have the same personality. Your brother as my brother, and Jason. The hot shot of the school. The one all of the girls squealed over, the one that gets your heart racing when you talk to him. He was the one you wanted to been seen with walking down the halls.

               

I had feeling for this book. I felt that I connected to the life of Kitty. My sister battled the same disease as Brett had. She is a survivor. As I read journal entry after journal entry of Brett’s, I wondered how an 18 month old girl could handle this disease. I wasn't when my sister and parents struggled through this trail, but journal after journal that I read, I wondered how they could have possibly survived the pain, and the sorrow. How could such a young girl handle something like this? She couldn't expression how she was feeling. She couldn't express the pain. My parents say the doctors couldn't ever believe that such a little girl could go shot after shot and treatment after treatment without ever crying.

               

One thing that I thought of a lot in this book was religion. Kitty didn’t have a religion. Where living in Utah, that could be hard. Everyone here mostly believes the same thing. The kids you are surrounded by at school all go to the same church, and same activities. Kitty became interested in the LDS church. Her parents though didn’t want anything to do with it. I thought of how hard that would have been. To do something different, to not follow the crowd. Lots of people have a hard time doing what they really think is right. They do what would make them “cool” or “popular.” This book really made me realize how much faith Kitty had in herself. She kept trying. She didn’t give up.

               

I think one of the highlights of the book is little Emily. Emily brought happiness into Kitty's life. Even when Kathy was sad or angry it seemed to be Emily that brought happiness into Kitty's life. I thought of such a little girl. She had such a positive attitude all of the time. In each of the trails she faced, I just imagined a little girl with a big bright smile. It made me think of how many people in this world are as positive as Emily? How many kids do you hear with happiness like hers?

               

This book made me think. The experiences that Kitty had, the people she meet, and the hardships she went through. But yet, everything seemed to be okay in the end. She helps everyone learn something new in the book. How to appreciate everyone and everything. Everything in Kitty’s life fell almost perfectly into place in my life, and the others surrounding it. Thank you for the amazing life story you shared with me.

                                                                  Sincerely,

                                                                            Ashley Taylor

                                                                                                                                                           

The Blizzard is Coming! The Blizzard is Coming!

Who knew a blizzard could be such a big deal. Yesterday I went to school like it was a normal day. All of a sudden in each of my classes someone would ask me about the blizzard. "Have you heard about the 3 o'clock blizzard?" "A blizzard a blizzard! We are going to get locked in the building!" “Ah! I'm going to be locked inside all night because of the blizzard!” I had no idea a blizzard could be such a big deal.


Mr. Davis got on the intercom multiple times to remind students to get out of the school as fast as possible. They canceled the basketball game, and play practice. The janitors started cleaning early. I couldn't figure out what made a blizzard such a big deal. So I texted my mom and was like "What is the big deal about this blizzard? We live in Utah...We are always going to have snow."  And she said "It can just get dangerous if the wind is blowing extra hard, and there is lots of snow." My sister, Aubrey was texting me saying "My teacher is showing us the blizzard report, the blizzard is coming! The blizzard is coming!" I got released from my 4th period five minutes early, and I hurried out of the school so I didn't get stuck in the blizzard.


I went home waiting for the blizzard. Waiting to be stuck inside all night. I mean this was a big deal! The clock ticked to 3 o'clock. And just me being a smart-alec, I stared out my window waiting for this blizzard. The trees stayed still, the snow didn't fall. The clock kept ticking and the blizzard didn't come. The blizzard was late! And then finally the blizzard came. It snowed for a whole 20 minutes. I mean, the wind blew like normal, and the snow fell like it does in a normal winter. Wow! This was quite the blizzard! My brother went outside in the blizzard. “NO JONAH! DON'T GO OUT IN THE BLIZZARD! YOU'LL DIE! THE WIND WILL KILL YOU!” Around 6 o'clock we turned on the news. Lets just put it this way...The news is so dramatic. They have their three reporters out in different cities. Whatever the reporters names are, there are out in the "blizzard." And they have on their winter coat. Snow is in their eyebrows, hair, their nose is red. It was so ridiculous. Put on a hat! Put on some gloves! Seriously! They try and make it much worse then it is. And then they are doing the weather. "The high is 15 degrees tomorrow." And they started making a huge deal about that. Isn't it usually 15 degrees this time of year?


Anyway, I guess we experienced quiet the "blizzard"yesterday. The blizzard of 2010. And now as I look outside, it looks the same as it normally does this time of year. Snow. But I have never heard of such a big deal for it snowing outside. Oops. I mean such a big deal for a "blizzard.”

Saving Thanksgiving

The other day a teacher from Davis High School came in to YOGOTOGO. Her shirt said "Save Thanksgiving" She said that one of the other teachers at Davis High was selling these shirts, in hopes that people would give more thanks to thanksgiving, and stop getting ready and excited for Christmas so early. But now, I've already passed thanksgiving and I am ready for Christmas.


Last night when I came home from my grandma's house my Christmas lights were sparkling on the roof of my house. The shimmer of the lights was amazing! I started getting so excited! Christmas time really is a happy time, people are so happy, and much more grateful.


I had my three year old cousin with me. She lives in California where they don't get to much snow. We were inside coloring and it started snowing. She said “Rain! Rain!” No Claudia, that is snow. She had never seen anything like it. So I took her outside and we starting playing and catching snowflakes on our tongues. I realized that I should probably be more grateful of snow, because someone like my little cousin who has never seen snow before loved it instantly. While I'm wishing it would just go away.


I got out my winter coat, my hat, and my scarf to leave for Curtains at Davis High School. I walked outside, and while I was still freezing I was happy to see it snowing. I started feeling a little holiday cheer. I was getting kind of excited for the holiday season. And then I woke up this morning.


I woke up and came upstairs. I looked out the window to just a little bit of snow. It didn't look like it had snowed much during the night, and then it started snowing harder and harder. I decided to not do my homework and start loading Christmas music on my iPod. Yes, I know. I'm not saving Thanksgiving. It's not that I'm not thankful for Thanksgiving, and the wonderful meal my grandma is going to make for me. I love Thanksgiving. The whole day is great! Food, football, and family. But when there is snow on the ground, and your snuggled up in your blanket with your hot chocolate. How can you not start thinking about Christmas?


I do really enjoy this time of year. I like the snow for the first little bit, but then I just get tired of being wet and cold. I love the traditions that my family has this time of year. But I'm fine with a month of snow rather then 5 months. One boy in my seminary class this week said he wishes he could snowboard all year long. So, I guess I should just be grateful that we have this beautiful time of year. And that Utah gets snow. Because that makes Christmas Christmas. Maybe I'm not "saving thanksgiving" as much as I should. So I'll say this, hAppY tHanKSgiViNG, hAppY tHanKSgiViNG, hAppY tHanKSgiViNG to all!

Can It Really be True?

Could this really be happening? I have been asking myself this question a lot lately. One thing that to me "can't really be happening" right now is my reading. Now, for some of you that know me really well, one thing you probably know is that I don't like reading. I could spend hours reading current events, or sports talk. Which I guess technically is reading, but I don't think of it as reading. So let's just say. I don't like reading books.


Book after book I drag on reading. I realize that I need to read. It's been part of my grades since 1st grade (if 3rd grade grades really count :) and book after book, year after year, I have never been able to find a book that I am "crazy over."  


At the beginning of the year I was looking on Shelfari of books that might be interested in. And sure enough I found one. "The Secret Journal of Bret Colton" by an Utah native. This is a true story. A girl living her life through high school, the trails, and life I would think that almost every high school student has. Let me tell ya, I am hooked on this book! I have read almost 150 pages in the last 2 days. And to some of you that might be nothing but for me, that's something! The last few nights while I have been doing my homework I say "Oh man, I have so much stuff to do. I just want to read my book." It's like I have a virus or something. My sister was like "Did you just say you want to read your book?" My little brother said "Ashley are you sure you're alright?"


Every night, I want to read my book. I want to be done doing my math homework, or doing my web works, learning new countries. I just want to read my book. It seems crazy to me and my family that I actually want to read. But I guess it's good, for me. And my grade.

Seasons of Love

As months come and go, so do seasons. Leaves change color, snow falls, it feels like the wet will never end. The days turn dreary, cold, wet, and dark. Don't you think it ruins the energy of the day? Sometimes you can feel the breeze of the cold air coming in the classroom, sometimes you can just see the snow falling. The excitement feels the air for some people, but for me. Not so much.


When asked the question "Would you rather be hot for the rest for your life or cold?" I have a answer, I don't even need to think for one second. "HOT!" I say nice and clear. "Hot hot hot!" How could you ever live being cold? As I walk outside with my friends back and forth from school on of my friends always opens her arms big, takes a big breath and says "Wow! I love winter! I love snow!" I will never understand her meaning for the love of snow.


I was enjoying this last week, the first week of November, 70 degrees. Life is good. Capris in November. How great! The snow is great for Christmas and the Holiday. But I think it would be ok if it disappeared after that. I don't like the feeling of being cold. It's uncomfortable to me, I would rather be laying out in the sun then cuddling up in a blanket.


I enjoy skiing and sledding, and yes, building a snowman with my brother is always fun. Utah does have great snow, and maybe I should be more grateful that we have snow to do things with. But one month of snow is good enough for me, rather then 5 months. Looks like today my 70 degree weather has past. I think it time to say, mErRY cHRIsmAS!

A New Rivalry

As the college football season continues a new rivalry has set in. TCU vs. Utah. The last 3 Utes’ seasons of Utah football my family has had season tickets. Some people like to sit with the MUSS.  Some prefer Junior Utes’ seats. But ours are with the Crimson Club. 2008. One of the greatest football seasons in Utah. 13-0. The Utes traveled to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. I was there. I saw Utah win the BCS bowl. They were the BCS busters of 2008. If you know anything about football, Utah is not considered a "BCS" team. It's not fair for us since our men’s football team is so good. So for that reason we are moving next season to the PAC-12 Conference.

I have traveled a lot of places with the Utes the last 3 years. To the Big House in Michigan, to the spice of New Orleans, from the Heat in Arizona, and in just two more weeks to South Bend, Indiana to see the Utes take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Most weekends I spend home with my family, watching the football games. I watch the pregame, the game, and the postgame. My friends normally have plans, but I like to stay home and watch the game, if I'm not there cheering on the 10 yard line. My sister says she "doesn't get it." She often asks why I would rather stay home and watch football, and not go out with my friends. She says "How does this entertain you?" It just does.  

The Utes’ scores improve every week, now averaging over 40 points a game. The Utes play all their games, but it all comes down to the last game. BYU vs. Utah. The "Holy War" as most people like to call it. It's intense. I'm on the edge of my seat. Nervous, I am shaking.  All I want is a Utah victory. There is not a worse feeling then going to school, or checking your phone after the Utes have fallin'. But this weekend there is a new rivalry. Theirs a new team in town.

2 undefeated teams. One ranked #4 in the BCS poll and one #5. After this game one will fall and one will stay undefeated. College Game Day is even coming. That show airs every Saturday morning from 7-10. The gameday crew travels to the campus that has the biggest game that weekend. And this weekend it's TCU vs. Utah. The campus is going to be packed, crazy people lining up to be on TV at 5 o'clock in the morning, it's going to be a mad house. It's going to be cold. For cryin' out loud it's November! But people are still going to go. Tickets to the actual game are selling for hundreds of dollars, people are dyin' to go! It's black-out day in Rice-Eccles stadium. The crowd will be filled in black. The team, in there new black-out uniforms. It will be a great game, and all I can hope for is a Utah victory. I will be there. Cheering my loudest for the Utes. There is only one champion. They only except 2 BCS busters. And the Utes want it, 3 undefeated seasons in 6 years. That is huge. It can happen. Ours is a winning season. And only a winning season. The Utes can do it. GO UTES!