In the "Experience"

There hasn't been much that hasn't happened in my so-far JH experience. Just as Zinni, I have a top locker, for which I am glad. Here's my schedule:

1) Debate- When your brother is two grades ahead of you, you don't expect him to walk over to you on the first day of school to tell you his schedule changed and now, you share first period. Yes, that's right. My brother and I are taking a Debate class together! AND I sit next another eighth grade friend of mine, for which I am very excited.

2) Math- My math teacher is so awesome! He has the first 1,000 digits of pi memorized, or so I've been told.

3/4) Language Arts and Social Studies Block- My teacher for this knows a lot, and he goes off on these really interesting "bird walks" about interesting things. He's big on words, something that doesn't quite "suit my fancy", however, I suppose it'll do me good...

5) Life Science- This class is normal- except that there's this emergency shower in a room just off of the science room that looks like a hanging triangle from the ceiling and, if you pull it a bunch of water gets you soaked. And, there's an "eye washing" station, which I hope I don't have to end up using.

6) Family and Consumer Sciences- This class is awesome and I liked it the moment I saw it. There are seven kitchens in one classroom and no desks. It is awesome for 6th period because it's right outside my locker, and I don't have to store leftover food in my backpack. We made chocolate chip cookies the other day (except, I'm weird and I don't like chocolate so I didn't add the chocolate chips). It was so AWESOME! My group is equally fantastic.

...And then I drift off to Cross Country.

Sevvy-dom

Raider Junior High: A place filled with smart people, athletic people, musical people, annoying people, nice people, gossipy people, friendly people, outgoing people, slightly odd people, and let's not forget lots of acne. You have your sevvies (the seventh graders), your eighth graders (with no special name), and your big, intimidating, don't-mess-with-me-bro ninth graders. I already love this world, and the bus-let me tell you-the bus is DEAD SILENT in the morning. It's great because everyone is only about 80% awake. This year, seventh graders didn't share lockers! My locker is only a few feet away from my homeroom, and it is a TOP LOCKER! I was really excited. Here is my super cool class schedule:

Periods 1-2: HID (Humanities In Depth. It's really exciting, and over the weekend I wrote an essay for it about Russian Civics. Oh yeah...!)
Period 3: Leadership (You get to help plan things for the school. Spirit weeks, dances, that sort of thing.)
1ST LUNCH
Period 4: Life Science (My teacher is hilarious! He told us on the second day of school that he doesn't "do" homework!!)
Period 5: Math (Meh. The class is not all that great.)
Period 6: Drama (with a 70-ish year old teacher who says "swaggin, man.")

That's all from my side of the computer screen for now! Zinni has to go catch her bus!

-Zinni

Shocked

So, but my birthday was on Wednesday (I know I didn't post anything about it, but I thought it would be a fine event to bypass). Thirteen, big deal, right? No, not really. I can sit in the front seat of the car, and that's about it. I planned on possibly cleaning my room and doing not much else. Lulumagoo invited me over to her house, so decided to postpone the boringness of the day. We played board games and ate Mac and Cheese, then her mom dropped us off at the Lake. I was walking down the cement pathway when I heard a cluster of voices scream, shout, and say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHODO*!" I stared at a group of people, mostly confused for the first couple seconds and then I finally put it together that I was having a birthday patty, I had just known nothing about it. After that, I wanted to know how my mom got the numbers of the people from school, the ones that had never been to my house. Apparently, Zinni is an "excellent source".
Everything was so accurate to me. There were boxes of Goldfish, Sweetish Fish, and Creamsicles. I found that people had been fibbing to me about a bunch of stuff for awhile, but I guess that's the price you have to pay for a surprise birthday party.


*Name has been changed.

A Raider Rushee is Made Out of Me

I got up with the birds this morning, and by 8:25, I was down at Raider Junior High in nice clothes for school pictures (not that they turn out fabulous regardless), and cash in hand to purchase a planner and ASB card. In the 45 minutes to 1 hour that I was at Raider Rush, I had collected my schedule, found all of the rooms where my classes will be, and even found time to socialize with some friends!! Anyhow, the size and monstrosity of the junior high building is, honestly, not all that it's cracked up to be. Finding my way around shouldn't be too hard, as long as I don't get in the way of some much taller, much more intimidating 9th grader. I guess since they are still in the junior high building that everybody sorta overlooks this, but they technically are FRESHMEN IN HIGH SCHOOL!!! I'm not sure whether to be scared or not to be. They can't be that frightening!

That's all from my side of the computer screen!!

-Zinni

Exploration of Cub Junior High

First, lines. There were lots of them- once you're done with this line, then you go in that line (it looked more like a giant cluster of people to me), but no biggy... I got my schedule and I'm in Debate! I don't have Music this semester- but we can't have the schedule for next semester yet.
Oh, and get this! I get to go back on Monday because I'm in the wrong math class... and I'm sure I'll take some time practicing to open and close my locker too- it'll be exciting.
I got my ASB card and my school picture taken. Gone with the days when I can mock school pictures with sideways looks, funky faces, and goofy grins. There is this new thing called a yearbook. This time, I smiled for real... and I didn't look to awful either.
On top of that, I got got paperwork for Cross Country! It doesn't look like competition distances are any more than two miles, so not much farther than track, but it'll be awesome. We start the very first day of school!

Updates From Rhodo

Boy, have I been busy... In just three days, I went camping, touched a gooey sea anemone, found a sunflower starfish with twenty legs, scored a touchdown (don't ask me how), slept in two different tents, raced up a trail, ate melted marshmallows in an ice cream cone with other stuff included, and met some new people. See why I haven't posted? In the two days after the three busy days I, celebrated my sisters birthday, painted my bulletin board with string- twice (the first time the paint dried clear), decorated my bedroom, got my face painted by an awesome little five year old, frosted a cake with whipping cream, and cleaned up a very messy sewing room.
My "Raider Rush" is TOMORROW! Though, it's not exactly "Raider Rush" here, as it is Cub Junior High I will attend. I am flooded with questions. Who is the new principal (the one that welcomed us in June is changing jobs)? Who is my math teacher? What will my elective be (confusing story goes with that, so let me just say that it will be either Debate, my top choice, or Family and Consumer Sciences, which is like cooking, I think)? Where will my locker be? Will P.E. be this semester, or next? Will I have lunch with anyone I know? Will I have to take music (not something I want to do)? I don't think I'll know anyone tomorrow, (except for the kid that came from Elementary school with me and this girl I was friends with in first grade.) for it is just seventh graders on Thursday and everyone else on Friday.  Oh, great... school awaits me quickly and summer break is already approximately 80.6% over! (I guess I still know how to do math.) My birthday is in one week and the first school event, dreadful tomorrow. I am so crazy excited I could jump in the air and touch my toes!!

The Trials and Tribulations of Raider Rush (suspenseful music should be playing in the background)

While Rhodo's off at Cub Junior High frolicking away with her 14 page "Thou Shalt Not" list, I'm going to be up at Raider Junior High for Raider Rush, the event that all seventh graders go to so that they can get their school picture taken, buy the mandatory planner, tour classrooms, and, of course, mingle with other students. All of the sevies (that's the nickname for seventh graders) will be on their own-the days of parents coming to back to school functions are over. But, hey! You won't see me complaining! I FINALLY figured out how to solve a combination lock. I was really excited for myself. The school supplies us with combinations locks for the lockers that we're sharing. I bought a combination lock to practice on and use for going to the pool at my local YMCA and so I can lock all of my stuff in there and not have to worry about it. My "Summer Just Had to be Photographed" album is doing really good-100 and something pictures already! Next week (and I'm hoping for AWESOME and HOT weather), I'm going to jump of the dock that I mentioned in my Summer Bucket List. I know that this isn't exactly on the bucket list, but figured out how to do the butterfly stroke in swimming with some help from my cousin. I'm not the best at it, but at least I don't look like a drowning cat or something. This is all from Zinni right now! I have places to go, people to see, and spontaneous exciting things to do!

-Zinni

And This, My Friend, is a Blog Post I Can't Think of a Title For

     Summer is not over, not yet close! I plan to cram all the excitement, fun, and adventure I can get into the rest of August. However, I am happy to report that I have been on a roll with bucket list items. Apart from that one uncompleted,seemingly-impossible-to-still-complete-this-summer goal about swimming the half mile at camp, I have officially finished my Summer Bucket List. I knitted a flower, which I learned how to do on YouTube, wrote a picture book, (A rather tacky one about a Kindergartner's first day of school, but still) and I GREW A STRAWBERRY (before the rats got it- which they have a pattern of doing). It was very juicy, I might add. I “participated” in the library’s reading program. No, really, I read my ten hours or more, got a free book and got all of the other perks that go with that. I just barely went two hours without talking (which I was beginning to consider impossible). I still can't understand myself for adding that. Anyway, it was crazy annoying,especially when I messed up in the middle of it the first couple of times. The minutes ticked by so slow and the seconds even slower (if that makes any sense).

      That being said, I would like to mention of the noteworthy event of receiving a letter- from Cub Junior High, full of paperwork, school supply lists, and rules. Tons of rules. There is a FOURTEEN page thingy (I know, very technical term) or rules, dos, don'ts and discipline that you are asked to read. I would consider it a very slow read. In approximately ten days is the day we get to adventure around the school and get our schedules! Yay! I am, if you can't tell, a bit excited. 

--So long for now, Rhodo--

Salutations, Blog Readers!

Zinni here. Sorry that I haven't posted for so long!! I have so much to tell everybody! First and foremost, I have officially kayaked! I know, I know, not a summer bucket list item, but still, very fun. I kayaked with Hallie (see my first ever blog posts for more details on her)! Second, I completeted the Independent Study P.E. course that I was doing and did all of the required things to get an A. I know, I was pretty excited about that. I started jumping up and down with glee! And third, I am currently on vacation! I mean, I pretty much just woke up and had to claim laptop right real quick before my mom. Today, we are going to go down to the beach, putz around in some of the small shops, possibly go-cart, and I want to find the perfect hoodie. The place that we are staying in is SO COOL, and I've been going here since I was really little. In each room, they have these little books where you write about your stay and sign it, and I found one written by myself and my mom from a few years ago! That's it for now. Vacation calls! Until next time, and may the odds be ever in your favor, Zinni

Goldfish Goodness

As far as my bucket list updates go, the only goals I have to report about is, that of my inner tube riding. I rode on a floaty behind a boat on a lake. However, I didn't fall off, or tip over, so, that's all for that.

More post worthy, though, is what I did today! What's better than a good old Costco box of original Goldfish crackers? Well, if you ask me, an answer would be harder to find yesterday than it would be today. Why? Because I, with a little assistance, made something better today. Homemade goldfish.

They were delicious!

YUM, YUM, YUM!

The recipe, just so you know was found at http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2011/09/homemade-goldfish-crackers/

~Until Later, RHODO~

What Happens When Zinni and Rhodo Hang Out

I'm not the type of girl who sits at home in super tight skinny jeans texting the day (and dollars funded to her ever-growing cellular device bill) away. Instead, I'm outside, enjoying the summer sun whith my fellow blogging cohort, Rhodo. In a 1 1/2 hour time period, I have:

• Chased after and fed three chickens
• Jumped radically high on a trampoline
• Explored the mild green yonder of Rhodo's backyard (which, coincidentally, has LOTS of foliage)
• Ate delicious, homemade pizza and drank from a "big girl cup" (i.e. normal person cup), as Rhodo calls it
• Screamed "ECHO" off into the distance
• Climbed on ropes to get into a treehouse
• Said YOLO
• Rode on one of those plastic tricycles
• Wrote "Zinni" on Rhodo's driveway with wet chalk
• Did a recap of my camp adventures
• And, to top it all off, had a scrumpious slice of banana cake with cream cheese frosting

Summer is meant to be enjoyed, right? Oh, and to add to my little list of exciting endeavors, I sung the MUFFIN SHOP SONG! Which, is pretty much now my favorite song. I'm starting to think my summer is taking a turn from just "great" to "amazing." Summer bucket list item, here I come. And, until the fateful first day of school, September 5th, you'll find me chasing the sun (a little music reference there).

And, of course, may the odds be ever in your favor,

Zinni

CAMP

There is something special about spending a week out of your regular routine; being absolutely wild, getting a tan from dust and dirt, and screaming as loud as you can for no apparent reason at all. It's even more special knowing that everyone else came to do the same thing you did, that hardly anyone else has showered, and that you're not the only one whose hair feels gross and like a giant knot. I came home today from a quick three days away from the world's pressure, warm showers, (and because no warm- no showers at all) and those of the male gender. I went to girl's camp this week- a both spiritual and fun experience. Being a young woman in the LDS church, I have recently had the opportunity to not only go and have fun at camp- but to meet a bunch of new friends that believe the same things I do regarding my religion. Together, we walked around blindfolded, cried happy tears, sent out sky lanterns, and dressed up our longhouse "supermodel" as a gazelle. Everyone and everything there was AWESOME. (Yes, even the polar dip, which requires getting up at seven o'clock, changing into a swimsuit and jumping into the lake.) At this time, I am also going to state very plainly, that I was not in the little handful of half-mile finishers. Much as I would have liked to finish, I didn't. I got in the freezing lake, swam eight laps, (the half-mile is nineteen) and got out for a little break planning to get back in. I never got back in. Not back in that cold green water, probably home of many dead mosquitoes and who knows what else.

My older brother went to Boy Scout camp this week as well, and in comparison here is a list of things we women do and the Boy Scouts don't do:

• Have "female bonding".
• Do hair (or- I certainly hope not)
• Eat really good food
• Scream at the top of their lungs almost every time they clap
• Give secret sister gifts
• Sing the "Mormon Boy's Rap"
• Try to keep their longhouse clean so that they can earn the "attractive stick"- last year it was a yardstick with Justin Bieber on it.
• Paint nails
• Make lace bracelets and beautiful necklaces at the craft table

... And much, much more

I also learned to tie dye at camp too! I thought I had failed my socks, but when I took the rubber bands off, they actually looked cooler that I had thought.

Hey Zinni! We sing the muffin song too! Except, a little different than you do.

Bye for now, Rhodo

Thou Shalt...Have A Fire Drill In The Middle Of SUMMER?!

In exactly six days, it will be the one month mark of Rhodo and my own not-being-elementary-school-kids-anymore. Am I sad about it? Hardly. I'm uber-excited! And along with summer, I have some wacky stories to tell.

So, today I was at our local YMCA pool, and then, guess what? There was a fire drill! Yes, you have me right. I thought I escaped those for a good two months once the final dismissal bell rang? But, no, of course not. I was there with Banana Nut Muffin (see earlier posts for more details on her), and we both were stuck sitting at a table outside in front of the Y for about five minutes singing camp songs to ourselves. I asked one of the workers there if we could sing the most amazing song ever that we learned at camp, but she just looked at us with that classic, no-way-pal-I-don't-think-so/ha-such-funny-kids-with-their-little-shenanigans look. But, hey! Now I can put it up on the blog! If you know it, just, um....sing to your computer screen!

There were three little muffins in the muffin shop
You know the kind with the honey and the nuts on top (at that part, your voice gets really high)
Along came a girl with a penny to spare
She bought that muffin, ran away from there!

There were two little muffins in the muffin shop
You know the kind with the honey and the nuts on top
Along came a girl with a penny to spare
She bought that muffin, ran away from there (forgot to mention: at this part, it starts to kinda sound like a crazy chant)

(all sad-like) There was one little muffin in the muffin shop
You know the kind....with the honey...and the nuts on top
Along came a girl.....with a...penny to spare
She saw that there were no muffins
SO INSTEAD SHE BOUGHT SOME BUBBLE GUM, BAZOOKA, ZOOKA, BUBBLE GUM!

And now that I'm done with my little song about muffin shops and Bazooka bubble gum, I can move on with my story. We were released back into the pool and promptly ran to the lazy river to go and sing the muffin shop song to our fellow swimmers.

May the odds be ever in their favor (that muffin shop song gets stuck in your head and stays there),

Zinni

Summer Summer Summer

"Hello? What would you like today?"

"A butterfly."

"What two colors would you like your butterfly?"

"Red and blue."

"Okay…Here you are…Would you like any sparkles?

"Yes"

"What color?"

"Pink."

…

"There you are!"

"Hello? What would you like today?"

"A butterfly."

"What two colors would you like your butterfly?"

"Blue and red."

"Okay…Here you are…Would you like any sparkles?

"Yes"

"What color?"

"Purple."

…

"There you are!"

"Hello? What would you like today?"

"A butterfly."

You get the idea. That was how my conversations went for what seemed like a decade (well, not really, but it's a writing technique called a hyperbole) until the boys came along and did the same thing. At least they had two popular wants, instead of a butterfly with sparkles it was crocodiles and alligators. This happened the other day while doing a face-painting job at a neighbor's summer party. I didn't plan any of this- and it fit right along with my Summer Bucket List. I think, however, I only painted one single (of MANY) perfect* butterfly. It was blue and pink, if I remember right, with orange sparkles that shone brightly in the sun. The lady that did magic tricks showed me how to smudge the colors together and the blue flowed right into the pink. It really is too bad that she went right inside and washed the butterfly off less than ten minutes after the magic happened. I got pretty fast at butterflies and nobody else washed off their glamorous butterflies (I think).

I also sewed a hat this week at a little sewing camp thing a 4-H group does. My sister wanted a hat like they have in the musical, "Newsies" (probably so she could throw it up into the air or sing about how she is the king of New York in it). Over the camp, I made an octopus lunch bag, (very stylish for next year) a vest, a kite, and two Frisbees. (Sadly, one of them is on the roof).

 I went down to water my strawberries (because it's sunny enough to water) and guess what? They're GROWING! Yeah, that's right. I see little green strawberries that will (hopefully) grow happily into red ripe strawberries.

 I'm going to camp on TUESDAY. That's only FOUR more days! Let's hope the weather's good for swimming- I don't know...

*Perfection is a term used by many people in different ways. By a "perfect butterfly", I meant that it was the best job I could do under the circumstances I had.  

~POSTED BY RHODO~

My Amazing Adventures At Summer Camp and Just In the Summer In General So Far!

Where, oh, where has Zinni been? The answer to your question, at summer camp for a week. I'm back home with stories to tell and Summer Bucket List items completed.

My first item completed: Eat frozen yogurt three times. On the day I got back from camp, I went and got the most tantalizing vanilla fro yo with a bazillion toppings. Yum! At camp, I had hit a bulls-eye with an arrow. It was during the time for our cabin activity, and I channeled my inner Katniss Everdeen. I pulled that bowstring back and-KAZAM!-I hit a bulls-eye. Back at home, I slid down the THREE LANE Slip N' Slide that my neighbors have. I was a tad cold, but I had lots of fun. But wait, there's more! I played Party Rock Anthem extremely loud in the car. If you haven't remembered, that's number 21 on the SBL (Summer Bucket List). I got the opportunity to swim in an outdoor pool, so I was freakishly excited. The thoughts of bucket list item, bucket list item, bucket list item. HECK YEAH! ran through my head.

So, in this quite short summer time, I have completed 5 bucket list items. Still more to go.

My mom gave me the 2012-2013 school calendar for my school district and apparently, our last day of school is June 18th. I don't know about you, Rhodo, but I think that's much better than June 25th, this previous school year's last day.

Now, I'm just trying to make the most of summer. After all, in the wise words of Helen Keller, life is either a daring adventure or nothing. I choose daring adventure.


May the odds be ever in your favor this summer,

Zinni