Lacrosse is officially over, no more practices and no more games.  I wish that it wasn’t over, I was having so much fun with it, and I had something to take my mind off of school.  It’s the last quarter of the year, and by far the most stressful one.  I’ve had so many tests to worry about, and they aren’t even small class tests, no, they’re core tests, and worst of all, AP Geography test.  My AP teacher has been getting us ready for the test all quarter, which involves giving us two tests a week, as well one free write.  I don’t think I have ever been this stressed for a test.  I wasn’t too worried about it, but the other day we took a practice AP test, not gonna lie, hardest test I think I have ever taken.  I had no idea what any of the questions were asking, and don’t remember reading anything that had to do with the questions in the book.  Luckily, I wasn’t the only one, everyone agreed with me and we were all equally confused.  I can only hope that the real AP test won’t be that hard.  Because if this test I am devoting my entire weekend to studying, well not the entire weekend.  Tomorrow I have to go to a two hour barbecue for lacrosse, then Sunday is Mother’s Day.  Some of my family is coming to my house to have a big breakfast, we do this every year and it usually lasts a few hours, that means less time for me to study.  I can’t wait until this test is over, my life will be so much more simpler and stress free.  It is going to feel so good when I don’t have this test to worry about, but I will probably be stressed about what I got on it until July, oh well.

I can not wait until school is over, only 18 more days, then I am stress and worry free.  Until then, wish me luck.

The textbook I had to read for AP Photo Credit: amazon.com

This week lacrosse came to an end, everyone on my lacrosse team were all very sad, but at least we ended the season well.  Our last practice was on Monday, and our last game was on Tuesday.  We played Brighton, we all thought that it was going to be a difficult game, but a few minutes into it we realized that it would be as easy as the previous few.  Everyone played amazing, and we put our all into it, even our sick goalie, who was able to save every shot but one.  Our hard work paid off in the end because when the game was over the scoreboard read 16-1, we were all really happy and proud of ourselves, but at the same time very upset that the season had come to an end.  We all enjoyed the time we played together and we can’t wait for the new season to start, but we all know that it will never be the same.  Next year there will be people moving up to varsity, and more people coming in who are juniors this year.  The worst thing however, is that one of our teammates is moving to Idaho, we are all going to miss her so much.  We are never going to have the same amazing team that we had this year, but hopefully we will all continue to play lacrosse.

We do however, have one more team activity.  On May 30th both varsity and JV are having a banquet at Glenwild.  This will give our team a little more time to be together and to cherish the moments that we shared throughout the season.  We are all going to miss each other and miss the fun we had, but we will all see each other during school and then when the new season begins.  We will always be a team, no matter what.

Photo Credit: parkcitylax.org

Today was super fun!! It was the first day to the very fun and exciting weekend that I mentioned in my last week’s blog post.  The bus came to the back of the high school and left at 2:45, then our two and a half hour journey to Cache Valley began.  The ride wasn’t as bad as I thought, I din’t get sick which was good, but I didn’t do anything either, I sat in my seat and listened to my iPod.  When we got to Cache Valley it was freezing cold and hailing, so we all went into the high school until it was time to warm up.  After sitting inside for awhile we went outside to warm up, thankfully it had stopped hailing but it was still freezing.  The team warmed up and then the game began.  We played Cache Valley, and killed them.  The first half we got about nine goals, and they got one, it was amazing.  When the game was over the score read 13-1, we had beat them, which made us all really excited.  We have one five games this season and only lost two, hopefully we can win our last two.

After the game had ended we went out to dinner at Noddles and Company.  I ordered mac and cheese, which was really good.  We stayed at the restaurant for awhile and talked, then we jumped into the cars and went to the hotel.  Right now I am sitting on the bed in my hotel room typing this blog.

Today was really fun and it still isn’t over, we are planning on going swimming in the pool, which is where most of the team is at the moment.  Once I finish typing this blog, that is where I will also be.  Tomorrow will also be fun, we have another game and then I’m going to Bear Lake.  The only bad thing about this is that the water will not be warm enough to swim in, which is sad because I really wanted to go jet skiing.  None the less, Bear Lake will still be fun.

Last week we had a week off of school, as well as a week off of lacrosse.  It was nice and a good time to relax, I enjoyed the break from school as well as lacrosse, but I was happy when lacrosse began again.  I love playing lacrosse and the games are always fun.  We had one day of practice, and then a game.  It was on Tuesday against Riverton.  It started at 6:45 but we had to be at the field at 5:15.  For a little bit we played on the playground that was near the field, then we watched as varsity played their game.  When it was half time we got ready and began to warm up.  After about 45 minutes of going through our warm-up routine, our game began.  We played a good and strong game, winning by three.  The final score was six to nine.  Right after the game was over most of the people on the team immediately left to go to the Minor Film Festival.  It’s a festival that our school has where people submit short films that they have made, then the best are picked to be shown.  Anyone can go and it’s free admission.  This year there were 19 films shown.  The festival started at 7:00 and ended at 10:00.  Since my lacrosse game started at 6:45 and lasted for an hour, we missed the first half.  All the films that we did see were really good and fun.  The next day we had practice for two hours.  When I got home I had to stay up until 10:30 studying for a biology test that I had the next day.  On Thursday we had another game against Veiwmont, it also started at 6:45.  We made the first goal in the first few seconds, and had some really good ones that shortly followed.  We were up the entire game and won, four to fifteen.  It was really fun and everyone did a really good job.  We have now won four of our games and lost two.  We still have a few weeks of lacrosse left so hopefully we can continue to win and do well.

The games that I am most excited for are the ones that we have next weekend.  They are in Cache Valley and Logan so it’s about a two hour drive.  To get there we are all riding a bus down to the field on Friday, this I am not looking forward to.  I like spending the time with my team but I get carsick very easily, so I can only hope that those two hours won’t be spent being sick to my stomach.  Once we get, there we have a game that I think starts at 6:45, hopefully we can win that.  We also have a game on Saturday.  It’s in the same place, just not the same field, so most of the team is staying at a hotel.  This I am looking very much to.  There are four girls in a room, and I like who I am rooming with.  We will spend the night there and then the next day we will have a game against Sky-view.  I am really excited for these games and hope that we do really well.  Something else that I am really excited for is what we are doing after the game on Saturday.  My family and I will be spending the night at our cabin in Bear Lake.  It’s about an hour drive away from where we are playing.  I am hoping that the water will be warm enough to swim in, but I don’t think it will be.

I am really looking forward to next weekend and I hope that my team can do well and win our games.  Go PC!!!!

Yes, it’s finally spring break!  After a super long and slow week, school is finally over.  The week didn’t start out too bad, but it just kept getting worse and slower.  Tuesday I had a big quarter final even though the quarter ended on friday, I also had a test in english.  On wednesday during my comp tech class there was an assembly about bullying.  That’s pretty much all I remember about the week,  oh and having lacrosse every night except Wednesday and loosing a game on Tuesday.  Other than those things I don’t remember much, I don’t really want to, I just want to forget about school for a little bit and go on break.

Even though it’s supposed to be SPRING break, I woke up this morning to a few inches of snow, but oh well.  This break I’m doing what I do pretty much every break, nothing.  I will be sitting in my house looking out the window at the snow while everyone else is lying on the beach in their bathing suits looking at the sand and sun.  I have talked to so many people that are going to California, even my neighbor, whose cats I am taking care of.  But not me, I am staying here in the snow.  My family might be going to the Uinta Mountains where our friends have a cabin, but there would be more snow there than there is here, and it’s only about 45 minutes away.  I will also be spending my break doing homework.  Something that I am looking forward to is the egg hunt that we are going to have tomorrow at my grandma’s house, and I might be going shopping for some Summer clothes, that is if Summer ever gets here.  Even though I am not really doing anything for the break, it will feel good to have a break from school and to sleep in instead of waking up at 5:30 in the morning.  I hope everyone else has a good break and has more fun than I will!!

Our friend's cabin in the Uintas

If you have never read the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, then you have not lived.  It is an amazing book, one of the best I have ever read.  It is full of excitement and adventure and it’s a really sweet love story.  If you haven’t read it, it takes place in the future.  It’s about a girl that goes to the Hunger Games in place of her sister.  The Hunger  Games is a competition where two tributes, a girl and a boy, from each district so and fight to the death.  There are 12 districts, which means 24 tributes, which means 23 children killed and one alive.  They all fight each other till death, whoever is the last one alive wins.  It is a really intense story, and I promise that you will love it, and if you have already read it, then I bet you can agree with me.  After you read the Hunger Games the adventure and excitement continues on for two more books

Today the movie came out.  Last night was the midnight premiere and I know so many people that went.  They all came to school today talking about how amazing it was.  I wanted to see it so bad, but after listening o everyone talk about it, I want to see it so much more than I did before!! I was going to wait awhile before I saw it because I know that it will be very crowded for about the first week that it is in theaters, but I decided to go tonight.  My friends invited me to go with them, but they said that I have to dress up as someone.  I’ve been thinking of going as Clove, one because that would be easiest, and two I needed to choose someone with brown hair.  Tonight however, I first have to go to lacrosse practice.  It starts at 5:00 and ends at 6:30, which is when the movie starts, so I am going to have to leave lacrosse about thirty minutes early.  I am so excited to see this movie and I cannot wait!!! It is going to be so fun!!

Photo Credit: http://www.pixmule.com/hunger-games/

Clove (photo credit: tumblr.com)

On Tuesday I had my fist real lacrosse game of the season, and being at a high school level!  It was so much fun, I loved it! We took a bus from the high school down to Jordan.  It was a really nice bus, and it even had a bathroom in it, it was really cool! Both the JV and varsity teams rode down on it.  The bus offered us time to all interact and really spend time with each other.  Our game was in Jordan, we also played Jordan.  The varsity game was first, they lost, then it was our turn.  I got put in right away at low defense, then I got subbed out after about ten minutes.  When it was half time we were ahead, I can’t remember the score but we had a pretty good lead on them.  After halftime I went and played low defense again, I stayed in the whole entire half.  Once the game was over the scoreboard read 13-1.  We had won!! It was really exciting and we were all really happy that we had a good start to the season.  After the game was over my mom took me out to dinner, by the time we got home it was nine o’clock.  Because of the game I hadn’t gotten time to do homework, so when I got home I stayed up until 10:30 working on homework.

Today is the beginning of a tournament that we are participating in.  It is called the Gathering of the Tribes.  It is in Sandy, and teams from states surrounding Utah are participating in it.  Today we are playing two games, one at 4:00 and one at 6:00.  We are playing Jordan again and a team form Idaho.  Then we have two tomorrow, I think they are at 12:00 and 3:00, but I am not sure, I also don’t know who we are playing.  I am really excited for this tournament and I think that it will be really fun.  I hope we do well and are able to win all our games, if we do then we go onto the championships!  The only bad thing about this tournament is that it happens to fall on a weekend when I have an essay due as well as a book to read and a continent to learn.  I hope I will have enough to time to do all this homework as well as play lacrosse and have fun.

Photo Credit: http://www.gatheringofthetribes.org/

For the past week or so, my school has been supporting the Spread the Word to End the Word.  There have been posters all around the school talking about it, as well as movies on the announcements.  People have pledged to not use the R-Word anymore, a girl in our school even made a short documentary.  After talking about it for about a week, we had an assembly today, it was about an hour.  During the assembly we watched the documentary and listened to people from the Special Olympics talk.  The assembly was very inspiring, and I think it really helped people to understand what it means when they use the R-Word.  I think that some people will stop using the word, but I also think that some people will continue to use it.

To me it seemed like everyone in the school just learned about Spread the Word to End the Word, but it has been around for a long time.  The R-Word has also been used for a long time, and I am surprised, and actually disappointed that my school didn’t do anything about it until recently.  At least they are doing something.

While I was growing up, I would hear the word used by many people, and I still do.  It has always bugged me when people use it, but I never really thought about it very much.  I never understood why people use it, and I still don’t.  It is a word used to describe a disability, not a person, yet that is the way people have used it for a long time.  People have never realized how hurtful this word can be, and is, they just say it.  People who do know that it is hurtful, only think that it hurts the people with disabilities, but that’s wrong.  People who don’t have disabilities get offended by it all the time, especially me.

I am the youngest of two kids in my family, I have a sister that is three years older than me and has Autism.  I love her so much and she has made my life amazing.  Because of her I am able to treat people equally, and I often don’t judge people.  She has taught me so much, more than I could ever hope to gain.  She has taught me how to be patient, and respect people no matter who they are.  Because of her I have never used the R-Word, and I am able to tell people not to use.  Of course, there are times when I get frustrated with her and wonder why she’s the way she is, but then I think about what my life would be like if she had never been a part of it.  I have also always been very defensive of my sister.  I remember one time, a girl came up to me and asked what was wrong with her, this hurt me a lot, and I almost cried, but I looked at her and said that nothing was wrong with her, and then walked away.  I was young and didn’t understand why someone would ask me something like that, I was also hurt and mad.  I think that because of my sister it is hard for me to trust people, I don’t know how they will judge me when they find out that I have a sister with Autism, but I am worried that they will judge her.

A lot of people think that my sister and  people like her have a disability, I say that they have an ability.  The ability to be non-judgmental, to love unconditionally, and to not be afraid to be themselves.  That is what everyone should think of them, for they really do have an ability, an ability that everyone needs to know about and understand.

My sister and I on our boat

This weekend is the JV Play Day for lacrosse, and I’m pretty excited.  On Saturday we are playing two games in Salt Lake.  There are only a few teams participating in the tournament, so we aren’t playing very many games.  These are the first games of the season, so I am kind of nervous, but I am also excited.  This is also my first season playing for JV, so I am excited to learn what it’s like playing for JV and having the coaches that I do.

On Saturday our first game is at 1:00, so we have to be there at twelve to get warmed up.  Each half is 20 minutes and there’s two halves, so each game will be about 40 minutes.  There is also a 5-10 minute half-time, so that makes the games around 50 minutes.  After our first game is over, we have another one at 2:00, so that means that we only get about ten minutes to get ready for the next game.  My guess is that we won’t do as well at the second game because we will be tired from the first game.  I’m pretty sure we are going to kick ass at both games though, no matter how tired we are.

To get ready for these games, we have practiced one night and we have one more.  We were supposed to practice on Wednesday, but the weather was bad so it got cancelled, but we did have to go for a 25 minute run.  Then we practiced on Thursday for an hour, which isn’t very long, especially considering that practices are usually two hours.  There is also practice tonight for an hour, then after it ends we are having a team dinner to get pumped for the games.  To also get pumped for the games, today we had to wear a shirt that the whole team got.  It is pretty much a red and black rugby shirt, with the Park City Lacrosse logo and our names and jersey number.  They are actually pretty awesome,  and really comfy, and I love wearing it.

The junior varsity team is the only team that is playing in the tournaments, the varsity team is currently in Vegas for their own tournament.  I think I would rather go to Vegas, but I am still pretty excited for the JV Play Day.  The only thing I am not excited about these two games, is that they are outside, so it’s going to be very cold, but still fun!

The shirt we wore to school

The other day I was standing in the kitchen with my dad.  We were making dinner when he asked me if I would be fifteen this summer, I told him that I would be.  Then he asked me if I would be willing to spend a summer down in Green River.  I was confused at first and didn’t know why, but then he continued and said that I would be training to be a river guide.  I got really excited and immediately said yes!  That sounded really fin to me, and it would be awesome to go spend a whole summer running rivers.  We started talking about it some more, but we weren’t sure how old you had to be.  My dad knows the operations manager of Holiday River Expeditions, which would be the company that I would train for.  He said that he would call him and find out all the information, and then I would be able to go train when I am the right age.

If fifteen is the age that you can start river guiding then I will probably do that, but I also have the option of working at Jans.  We know one of the top guys that works there, so I was going to ask him if there would be an opportunity for me to work there for the summer.  I’ve always wanted to work there for some reason, but I can’t get the idea of river guiding out of my mind.  I have always loved going on river trips, it has always been my favorite thing to do, and to think that I can get paid to do what I absolutely love!!

The other day on the way home from lacrosse I was talking to my mom about working for Holiday River Expeditions, and we decided that it would be better if I waited until I was sixteen to go down to Green River.  I would have to live there for the summer, so I would have to be able to drive myself places, and at age fifteen I won’t be able to.  I decided that it would be better to work at Jans this summer and then go be a river guide next summer.  I still REALLY want to be a river guide, but I will wait until I’m sixteen.

Me on a river

Photo Credit: www.bikeraft.com