Here are some pictures from this past year.

This is from my birthday party

these ones are from the winter Gala

we are starting finals next week. I'm a bit nervous, but I think I'll do fine.

Daddy quit his job. His last day is February 28. Mommy says if Daddy doesn't find a job by then, we are moving that weekend to live with Grandma and Grandpa.

I have an appointment with the Bishop tomorrow to see if I am ready to get my patriarchal blessing!!!!!! I am really excited.

Any ways, I should probably go.

December update

I got to go to my first dance!!!!!! It was sooo much fun!! I am really glad I went and I can't wait for the next one!!! I danced with Rylan, Hunter, a guy named Tanner (I think that is how it is spelled), and Ty........ and my friends too (faster songs and they were girls.... Maddy, Sarah, Sara, Becca etc.)

Next week is Christmas, and I can't wait. It doesn't feel as close as it really is, but I think that is because there isn't any snow!!!!!! It is horrible. I really like snow.

There are two more days of school left this year (2011). It is good and bad I guess because the year has gone by so fast, yet I am ready for the end of the year to come. It feels like its time for a new year.

I'll try to write at least once more this year, maybe even more if I can remember.

Alison

So I haven't written in a little while, but here is the update.......

It snowed in the beginning of November, and has melted (mostly). In a way I hope it snows, but I kind of like not having snow for a little while, mainly because for more than half the year we have snow.

Mommy, Eric and I have had birthdays. I am 14!!!!!!!! That means I can go to dances now!!!!!!!!

We are done with Beauty and the Beast now, which we (my friends and I) are both happy and sad about it.

Tyler is going to get more tests done to see if we can figure out what is going on.

Tyler and I wrestled and he took 2nd every time!!!!!! (his story is that he ALMOST won the 4 times we wrestled)

We got a charlie brown Christmas tree!!!!

My friend Rebecca almost has her young woman medallion!!!! I am so excited for her!!!!

Any ways, I'll try to write more soon.

I am just wondering if anyone is reading my blog besides my parents. Anyways, I am in the play Beauty and the Beast!!!!!!!!! It is really fun. I am enjoying it a lot. My birthday is coming up really guickly!! I will be 14!!! that means I can go to dances. If you couldn't tell I am really excited. Anywho. I guess I'll write later!!!!!!

Alison

Tyler has fainted three days in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So he has to go to the doctor. I am very worried about him. Today is Tyler's birthday. He gets to be a lab rat to see if they can find out what is wrong with him.

Also I am almost done with my personal progress. I hope to be done by the end of July.

By the way happy fourth of July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I have to go!!!!

Alison

Hey everybody,

It's been a little while since I have written. But........ Here is the update.

Last week, school ended!!!! :( I really liked my teachers. I wish a little bit that I could have them for another year. I have to go to high school next year, and that's kind of scary and fun at the same time. I hope that it is going to be a great summer!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope to be able to write again soon!!!!!

Alison

poems by me!!!!!!!!

Here are a few of my poems!!!!!

Fly with the Butterflies

Fragile fingertips glide smoothly

across the fingerboard,

attempting to master

their latest piece.

Bruised and calloused

from hours of fingerings

on thin wire strings

they struggle to keep up,

at a good pace.

I play the intricate piece,

while clearing my mind,

before the big performance.

My fingers dance

across the strings

like a tightrope walker,

would waltz across a rope

doing a difficult act

in the circus

as if it's nothing at all.

My emotions flow

through the music,

making the song stronger,

as it reaches the crescendo.

Only to come back down

to the simple note

that signals the end of the piece.

I feel confident in my playing

at the moment until right before I perform.

It feels as if

my stomach is a cage

with butterflies running

into the walls

trying to break free.

I try to shake the feeling

but end up shaking.

I hold my violin tight,

while pacing before

the big performance.

I walk up on stage,

que the accompanist,

and begin the piece.

As I play

the butterflies find

a way out.

I forget all my worries

and fly away in the music

with the butterflies.

My Life Crashing

Some adults tell me I don’t remember

what it was like

for the Twin Towers to come

crashing down on my life.

It was when nightmares became reality

and bad guys were not just in fairy tales

they actually exist.

It was when I became scared

that they would crash into my house

in the middle of the night.

Others assume

I was too young to understand

or remember the emotions I felt

when I found out what happened,

and if I had any emotion at all

it was because my parents had felt them.

But they don’t know that my aunt

almost died in the second tower.

They don’t know

the anger and fear I had.

For two days,

lines were overwhelmed with people

trying to find their loved ones.

We were worried

worried that she was hurt

or maybe even worse.......

dead

I remember being on the phone

with my aunt, in tears,

knowing she was in New York,

worrying she had gotten injured or killed.

I finally heard her voice

and knew she was okay.

Later I found out

that she was scheduled

to be in a meeting that got double booked,

in the top of one of the buildings,

and she watched the whole thing

from her hotel room window.

That day in September

was the day that left a scar in my heart,

a reason to sympathize with families

that had someone die in there.

It was a day that left a blanket of fear

covering the nation.

Now I watch videos

of rivers of smoke

pouring out of the towers

into the perfectly blue sky,

and I can’t help but be grateful of the fact,

my aunt was protected and survived 9/11.

Who I Really Am

Everyone thinks

that I am the girly girl

that only cares about

cute dresses and shoes,

But I’m not.

I love dressing up

all fancy,

and wearing pink.

but that’s not all of me.

I love hiking,

biking,

and backpacking too.

Lots of people

seem to think

that I don’t like to get dirty,

But I do.

I love the feeling of mud

seeping in between my toes,

then washing them off

in the cold stream.

Everyone thinks

that my favorite color

is pink and only pink.

But in reality I also adore

chocolate brown,

baby blue,

and sage green also.

Not everybody

understands me.

It seems that

they just assume.

New year, New author

Hey this is Alison. I decided that I wanted to start writing this blog. My mom has let me take over. I am really excited and I might even put my poems on this blog.

So this is what has happened this year:
I'm going to high school:)
We had to get rid of my dog:(
We sold our house and had to move:(
Tyler recently moved to middle school:)
My friend Rebecca is taking missionary lessons:)
and a whole lot more!!!!!!!
It is 2011, and so far, it has been a great year!!!!

Finally Pinewood Derby ;D

Monday - Eric gave a Family Home Evening on obeying mommy and daddy... Great FHE, not too many results from it since we've struggled with obedience from both Tyler and Eric.

Tuesday - Tyler had an orthodontist appointment and he is not quite ready for his bottom retainer, but he is ready to use his top retainer only at night time, and he is really excited about that. Tyler finally had Pinewood Derby and he got fourth place with his car "The missile". The car turned out great and his award also included being the skinniest car. We also had the elder's quorum and we had some really creative cars there. We had tons of fun.

Thursday - Alison had violin and she got a new piece. Her teacher was very impressed with her progress this week. We had her do perfect five on the one hard piece she will be working on for a little while, and she did great.

Friday - I didn't go to work so I had a chance to get ready for conference. Eric had a birthday party to go to and he got home exhausted.

Saturday - What a busy day. We seem to pay closer attention to conference when we have our hands busy with something - So we painted all day long. Now our house no longer has the two shades of paint and primer on the walls. The walls still flash a little but we used what paint we had left over from construction time. We are planing to do some more painting in the future and texture some walls but not now. By the time I went to bed last night my feet hurt so bad, I could barely put them on the ground. I thought I was going to have a horrible night and wake up completely sore today. Thank goodness I was wrong.

Sunday - Troy fixed a fabulous breakfast. I canned Pinto beans (that was a trial run), We baked bread, fixed dinner and baked cookies - wow!!! Cooking day! I cleaned the kitchen more times than I really would have liked to but the day was productive.

We were very chocked to hear almost all the talks during conference on the subject of grief, my kids kept on asking me if the world was going to end soon and a lot of people were going to die. It was very interesting. We also got that we are supposed to save as much as we can because there is a lot of hard times coming ahead of us. I have been impressed to really get going with my food storage and I am doing all I can to heed this commandment. When time comes I want to be able to contribute with food storage instead of being unprepared. We also appreciated the goals we've made to go to the Temple more often, it has been a huge blessing and we have been much closer as a couple, and I attribute it to Temple attendance.

Hope all is well with all of our family and friends. We love you and keep you in our prayers always. Hope you've enjoyed Conference and talk to you all soon.