hang with the rats and smoked cigars

#1 Washington DC Student Gov Trip 2010

"NOTHING IN AMERICA IS HIGHER THAN FREEDOM!" 

There is nothing like traveling with a group of high school kids. As a sophomore, I had the opportunity to go to DC with the Stud Gov kids. We survived a crazy thunderstorm in the Jefferson Memorial, successfully broke a trolly window (Thank you Gabe Davis), mastered the metro, and discovered many of the famous museums and monuments.  Honestly, it was the best experience ever. There aren't words for how amazing it was.

our last metro ride together :(

We came, we saw, we conquered.

itty bitty little thing on my mind

Trader Joe's is a mystery place to me. I prefer Target or Days Market with familiar brands and food that I like eating. 

I hate waking up from perfect dreams. You wake up and things are just the way they were yesterday. 

It's rainy out and I just want to read all day. 

Animals: not a fan. Why do people spend hundreds of dollars to take their dog to the vet? That's what people have children for. 

Every time I look at my toes, I smile. Teal sparkle toes. I love them. 

Why is it human nature for us to feel useless when we are around people who are superior to us? 

Being a mom is more than a full time job, I wonder if I will ever be able to do it. 

I miss Sarah. Not just because I have been gone for a week, but because we haven't been as close these last few months. She's so funny. Being gone reminds me of living in Maryland, she would talk to me on the phone for hours just to comfort me. 

The days go by slow here. Really slow. 

I vow that I will never live in California. Well by choice that is. It's too superficial for me. 

Some days I wonder if I will ever fit in. 

And these are just some of the random thoughts that crowd my brain, minute after minute. 

don't you worry your pretty little mind

eye candyyy. yumm.

Every Sunday, CJ and I have a feature film. (CJ is my older brother's best friend for 13 years and basically my older brother.) The tradition has been going on for a few months or so. We've watched musicals such as Phantom and Mama Mia and many episodes of The Office because Joyous (mi madre) loves to talk and CJ loves to sleep at a decent hour. However, tonight we had some visitors to our tradition. Madison Whitehead, Alex Olsen (older brother's other good friend from growing up. He's very funny and I love him dearly) and of course that means my brother Tanner.  Tonight's flick was originally going to be "The Muppets'' but we ended up watching "Thor" with that very attractive man Chris Hemsworth.

I really love attractive men such as Chris. 

Newport.

Spring Break is ending and oddly I am not that sad. I love breaks, but I also love being at school. Well actually, I love going to school and ditching half my classes. But I love when I have somewhere to be. One day of break, I probably watched 6 or 7 episodes of "One Tree Hill". It's time I go do something. Plus with break ending, it means I am only 4 days away to being on the beach. California, here I come for 8 days. 8 days in the beloved land of California while you people go to school, or send your kids to school, or take a final, (but actually probably not, finals will probably be over). 8 days while you're in Utah and maybe one person in Russia, I will be soaking the sun in California.

I really love California. 

I'll definitely be hanging out with this girl.

21 school days. 21. (Sorry folks, that's minus the 5 days I'll be in Newport, and the 1 day I will be sluffing whether or not I get asked to a particular dance) 21 short days left of high school. I'm all signed up for my college courses, I'm ready to move out (hah, just kidding) but I am ready in the way that I hate living at my home, summer is coming and I am 67.9% positive I'll be spending it in the East Coast again. HELLO DC!!! (More like Virginia this time. Sorry to betray you Maryland folk)  Life's changing kiddo, and there's a lot to look forward to. 

I really love freedom, it's only 6 weeks away. 

you're already the voice inside my head

Coleman

Green :)

Sophie :)

Gabe

Finn

 

 

 

 

 

The grass is greener on the other side in Maryland. 

I didn't appreciate that. 

I'm a completely different person because of my experiences there.

It was the best experience of my life so far.  

Despite the heat and the hard times, I'd kill to do it all over again.

(and maybe next time, I would connect with Tate a little better)

oh the days go by so fast

January Highlights

• Field Trip to SLC
• Hanging with the gang. (KC, Trent, Christian, Sarah, and myself) 
• I wanna say Junior Jazz games (That might have been February?) 
• Basketball games

February Highlights

• More hanging out with the gang 
• bought my first iPhone for Valentines day
• Valentines dance with Trenty 

March Highlights

• Apparently the Color Fest.
• Apparently that's it.

April Highlights

• Getting citations at the Hot Pots with Stuart, Travis, Sarah, Connor and Bryson
• Spring Break with Travis James Tylerand Sarah Louie Thayne
• Karaoke with Nicky Boy Gledhill and the beach resort with wardies 
• Morp with Stuart
• Prom with Jake

May Highlights

• Spontaneous half marathon with Dania
• Les Mis with Nielsen crew and Shazz Matazz Faber
• Field trip with the Madsters 
• All nighter with my girls (hiking the y at 5 am, krispy kremes, senior all night party clean-up)

 June Highlights

• Moving to Maryland
• Watching a billion movies
• Calleva
• DC and Mount Vernon 
• Travis Pastrana's house

July Highlights

• Chilling with Becky Miller and Ashley Barney
• Mountain Biking and HBR 
• Surprising coming home! 
• Wicked

  August Highlights

• Student Gov Camp
• Football Games 
• Making up a bunch of crap about high school traditions at Frosh Orientation with Lyd

 September Highlights

• Cross Country trip to Idaho
• Beginning of Millie
• Volleyball Games
• Hanging out with the E-RIC 
• Football Games

 October Highlights 

• Leadership Conference VIPS! 
• My kick-a assembly for homecoming
• Homecoming with Travis James Tyler
• Halloween adventures
• Going to Eric's family party: games, football, wassel. 

 

November Highlights

• Best birthday ever!  18!!
• Big Booty, yummy food and mafia 
• 11:11 on 11/11/11 with Dania
• Experiencing my first yearbook deadline
• Sadies with Ben 
• Millie, Millie and more Millie  

  

December Highlights

•  Best friend party:dollar store, grey's, things
• Getting Netflix
• Christmas! 
• Awkward moment after awkward moment

A year of change, of hope, of tears, of smiles,  of experiences, of growth. Just another year of life. 

What will 2012 bring?

(Disclaimer, I have been working on this, I was just waiting for December pics, I really didn't just copy Dania. Great minds think alike I suppose) 

when it's all too late

 

See those stairs? Me too. I spent literally hours and hours on those stairs. It was the one of the few places that I would get reception when I lived in Maryland.  I miss those stairs. 

I've been known to be one of those people who don't appreciate things while I have them.

I'm a "don't know what you've got 'til it's gone type of girl" 

It's a problem.

What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday? 

So let's be grateful today for what we have today instead of being thankful tomorrow for the things we had yesterday. 

like a comet pulled from orbit

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them, and we help them in return. 

Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

(I miss the Martinis family.)

  

when you try your best

In the scriptures it reads, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens" 

So maybe it's not my cross country season. Last year, I gained so much from my season. I learned a lot about myself, and my abilities. Last season, each week I would get consecutively better, I would PR, I would feel great.  Maybe it was my time for that last year.

But here's the thing: I coudn't train this summer like I did last summer, I lost two valuable months. Instead it was my season to go to Maryland, where I also learned about myself and my abilities. I'm busy with student government and yearbook. I will be starting play practice on Tuesday, I have missed XC for some reasons or another.

The point is: it's my season for other things. It's time to grow in other places. I never intended to be the best runner on the team, I only intended to become better. However, comparing times from last year, seeing how much I haven't improved, it only get's me down. I'm becoming someone better by the other things I have been and will continue to do.

Sometimes we're our biggest fear because we don't know ourselves as well as we think. That's where faith and trust in the Lord comes in. We can only learn so much about ourselves in a small amount of time. Believe in his timing.

another sun soaked season fades away

Can you believe summer is ending?! What the heck? I have had an adventurous summer, boy have I.
The first few days felt sort of like  it's own summer. I remember it being so hectic realizing I had nothing to take with me across the country, I remember going to one of Ali Harrison's famous parties and I remember planning my own goodbye karaoke party so I could see my friends one last time.

Then came June 1. Waking up to Sarah coming and giving me Crazy Cores and Powerade. Getting to the airport and my mom wanting me to call Anjie. I didn't want to do that, oh no. I remember my mom telling Anjie that I would eat anything.  (Anjie soon learned that I wouldn't) Oh the Chicago Airport! I sat there for 3 hours, and I even watched "A Cinderella Story". When I got to BWI, I called Eric. I had a trouble finding him and his super nice car. We drove, I remember stopping at a gas station. As he went inside I remember thinking, what the heck? This is my family this summer.  The first night was... interesting. I was so overly welcomed I didn't know what to do. The house was huge and I was living with strangers. My room was amazing and I saw fireflies for the first time.

Overtime, the Martinis family became my own. I spent so much time with Finn, Gabe, Tate and Coleman. I love them all. I miss them. Anjie would listen to me talk about work and Eric treated me like a princess. Well let's be real, they both did. I started working at Calleva and didn't know what the heck I got myself in to. Calleva soon became my summer. And parts of me even miss it now. Maryland was quite the experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It was a hard experience. But it was a great experience. There aren't words to describe each thing I did, sometimes it's hard to explain memories.

Then I came home, surprised my friends, and lived the last few weeks. I was happy to be home but now I miss my Maryland freedom. :)

I would have to say this has been the most different, wonderful, experience of a summer I could ask for.

Hello my name is Mayson and I am a senior in high school. What the heck? When did this happen?

days go by

There has just been something about the last few days. Somewhat good, somewhat bad. I don't know.

Here's to the last few days of my life--

• Yogurtland with Shannon and Blonde haired, wannabe Mayson, Lauren
• Talking to Aaron. Have you ever known someone who no matter what mood you are in, they can make you laugh? That's Aaron. 
• Looking at cars with my father
• SANDWICHES!!! Only my favorite food. Probably. I love love love love love sandwiches. 
• Hobby Lobby with Lydia. We are going to be the cutest house wives in the world and the most obnoxious house wives ever. I can't believe we didn't get kicked out.
• Working and getting my life cleaned up
• My left ear doesn't work unless you pull on it.
• Getting my physical-- cookie dough, taquitos, and L-Fabes
• Being the ONLY kid in Sunday School. Luckily Hannah and Megan came late
• The awkward moment when the Bishop came to set our new presidency apart and it took about 5 minutes to explain to Hannah and Megan that we were getting a new presidency. 
• Anne Olson's "OH CRAP" when the Bishop walked in.
• The class singing "Scripture Power" and the bishop walks in AGAIN.
• Sleeping for hours then remembering how I was taught in Seminary not to lounge around all Sunday. Oops. 
• L-Fabes new ringtone-- 'Hallelujah Chorus'-- her name in my phone is God. Classic.  

Looking forward to Stud Gov camp tomorrow and PRE-REGION on THURSDAY!!!!

Thank you XC. Thank you.

don't trust me.

You know when you blog stalk people? So you start by reading one person's blog that you actually follow but then end up reading like 3 people's blogs that you really don't know, or do know but if they knew that you read their blog that would be creepy. Welp, I just did that. I read Bronwen's blog (which isn't creepy) but then on Bronwen's blog I stumbled upon Matt Woodruff's blog. (which is borderline creepy) Well both of their blogs had a reoccurring theme. They both told stories that made me laugh out loud. Bronwen getting stuck outside and her sister hanging up on her was pretty classic. Matt and crew trying to get Usher to play on their Disney Station, what dorks. (But in a good funny way) So pretty much, I hope that this story makes someone laugh. Or just be creeped by it. I don't know, it's story time.

Once upon a time I was in Potomic Book Store in Maryland.  They had a section of books that were used. I found a few that I might read on a good day and decided to buy about $12 worth of books. As I was there, some freaking lady kept staring at me. I was SO confused. I mean, I know I just came from work and that I probably smelled like Seneca Creek. But so did Becky Miller and Hannah Putt. So this lady just keeps randomly being on the same row that I was and I was starting to get freaked out. I just decided to rub it off, even though Hannah and Becky were making fun of me. So I got in line (which was a pretty long line for some reason) and the lady is a few people in front of me. All of the sudden the lady comes up to me and goes "I'm sorry, you just look so much like my daughter" Ummm... okay? She quickly got back in line. 30 seconds, a minute goes by. She comes back. "I'm sorry, you look so much like my daughter who died in a car crash. She was mad at me the night she left and I never got to say goodbye."  Me: um? I'm so sorry. Can I help you? The lady with a dead daughter, "Could you, could you just say 'Bye Mom' as I walk out? It would just give me some comfort and peace?" Well, what was I to do? Of course I said I would. So the lady walks out, and I nicely say "Goodbye mom". As I reach the counter the clerk guy man told me that I owed $72. I was a bit confused. I told him I got all of the books out of the used book section. He told me that my mom had said that I had the credit card and would pay for it. WHAT THE HECK?! The freaking lady scammed me. So I set down my books and chased the lady down. Oh did I. So I chased her down through the deli that was under the book store, through the parking garage. But I couldn't catch her. She just had too much of a lead. The lady seriously lied about her dead daughter and wanted me to pay 50 bucks for her stupid books, probably about cats and ruining people's lives.  So I never went to that book store again.

The moral of the story is to not trust people when they say that their daughter is dead and they want reassurance. They probably just want to make you feel bad and pay for their books.

i'd be so happy i could melt.

I had amazing seats

View from the Kennedy Center

The music started and I already wanted to cry. I was in the world I belonged in. Out they came, "Good news! She's dead!" the citizens of Oz were celebrating the death of that Wicked Witch of the West. Words don't describe my excitement and joy during that first song. I just knew that I was in for one of the best nights of my life. Then Glinda came flying in her bubble and started telling the story of the witches of oz. The night went on and I didn't want it to end. When Elphaba, the witch of the west, sang "The Wizard and I"-- I literally got chills. It was beautiful.  During "Dancing Through Life" I was amazed at the dancers. There were some seriously talented people in the cast. As the play went on, I realized so much more then I had the first two times I saw the play. This was definitely my favorite performance. "Defying Gravity" was the most astounding thing I have seen in years. We seriously had a dazzling cast. The second half didn't surprise me at all, it was just as wonderful. I loved watching the development of each character and really thinking about their situations. I have a list of things I learned from the show. It's wonderful how much one can get out of 3 hours of watching a play. The tears finally came when Elphaba and Glinda reunite and sing "For Good". Not only was it absolutely beautiful, it was just such an emotional scene. Saying goodbye forever is such a hard thing. Then, of course, that ending is amazing each time I see it. I love it.

Somebody move to Oz with me. 

no one cries they won't return

Call in sick. You aren't getting any better as the day goes on Mayson. You feel like crap. Maybe it's the 5 hours of sleep. Not maybe, probably.  Go to bed. EXPLOSION. My head hurts. Hurts is putting it lightly.

I hate my job sometimes. I need a day. One day. To hopefully regenerate and feel better. Being in the heat all day doesn't help.  I can handle headaches. I get them often. This is one that I really feel like will never go away. 

Please don't make me go. 

On the bright side, I see Wicked tomorrow.  Words can't express my excitement. Also, I completed number 51 on my list of things for this year. Hello 4 on my AP test. I know it's no 5. But it's a 4 and I passed. Thank the heavens above!

These are the thoughts that crowd my throbbing head.

let the rain fall down

Dear Diary, oh wait, this is my blog,

Today it rained. You see that picture above, oh yeah, I didn't take a shower! I ran around in the rain. Okay, understatement. It was more then a rain. It was a hurricane ball of wonderful happiness. See that horse, Sophie, I rode her today, in the rain. It was so much fun. I ran around in the rain for seriously 20 minutes  (by myself might I add) and just went up and down my yard "Wahoo! Wahoo!" It was splendid.

Now I am keeping Becky up. She wants to go to bed. I tell her, too bad.

Love,

Mayson

my world's on fire, how 'bout yours?

Meet Becky. Pretty much my only friend here.

She came over yesterday around 1:30. We took many pictures. I mean many. Those were just a selection of them. She really is a good photographer. She is going to teach me the ways so I can pretend like I know how to work a camera.

I like Becky. She is a pretty cool person. So I slept over at her house because it was late, we had church the next morning anyway. This resulted in me going crazy. (Who would have guessed?) And her thinking I was funny. (I crack myself up)

After church, (well after I went home, and took half a nap) we went to the visitors center at the temple, these are the results of that. . .

Typical Mayson. Typical Becky.

we matched at church. :)

we learned about service

eating the grapes. :)

i'm going there someday.

like literally, that temple, on saturday. haha

love my new necklace

It was an eventful weekend.