I am writing this post on my new laptop!!! My grandma gave it to me for a birthday present. Well, I love it and am so glad that I don't have to fight with Mom for the computer anymore.

Spring Break is over; I am sad. I was really enjoying the break. At least I will be positive on Monday since it is my birthday. I won't let anything bring me down from my good feelings. I will be very optimistic!

Grandma came into town and we had a lot of fun together. The week was full of botanical gardens, shopping, eating out, and hugs. I miss her already. It is so fun when she is around. Another happy face in the family. Well, I have already spent too much time on this laptop, so got to run!

Too Much to Do!

It's been forever and I am sorry that I haven't been able to write, or at least it seems that way. My Valentine's Day included a box of chocolates from my parents, a cool new T-Shirt along with the treats, a couple Valentines from friends, and a whole day of watching my brother. Josh claimed to be ill yesterday morning, so my parents went on errands with out us. 2 seconds after my parents walked out of the door, Josh said, "I'm not sick anymore!" and ran all over the place. After 3 hours of this, Mom and Dad came back, but only for an hour since they had to go on their date. Their date you ask? A BYU vs TCU basketball game. Not fair!!! So, my Valentine's Day included a lot of me time, which in that time, I, with the permission from my mom, created a Face book account. Yeah!!!!

Great News and Great Wolf

Yeah! My dad is home from India for good! And he couldn't have come back without bringing gifts. ☺ He gave me a Pune Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt and a couple others with cool designs.

Tennis tryouts went great. I made first cuts, but had to miss the next practice since my family decided to take a little vacation:

Thursday morning my mom picked Josh and me up early from school and the family drove to Great Wolf Lodge. Great Wolf is a large hotel with an indoor water park, O.K. restaurants, relaxing spas, and over-expensive gift shops. It was fun to play in the water and have all the fun in the sun without, well, the sun. The water room was kept at a balmy 84 degrees, which isn't that warm in Texas. We're used to 94 degrees. Overall, though, it was a relaxing getaway.

Josh and I spraying each other on little, immovable jet skis. I couldn't wait to escape to the huge water slides in which it is impossible to stay dry in.

Playing Bingo in the CubClub. The card I am holding up only had two markers on it the first round, but ended up being a lucky winner the second!

I love Steak'n'Shake milkshakes. This one is a yummy banana split flavored.

At Great Wolf, there is this game called MagiQuest. All around the 8 floors of the hotel are chests, crystals, and jewels which you wave your magic wand at to become a Magi. I am a nerd, so I loved helping Josh (aka Magi Surfer Dude) win gold and experience points. I read from The Ancient Book of Wisdom for clues and hints. As a family, we won all the quests and adventures, except one. We could not beat the dragon and save the village! Oh well! Dad and I were ready to give up after the fifth try, but not Mom (Josh was too scared to even enter the room with a TV displaying the dragon). Mom made us stay for another 30 minutes that ended in failure. Better luck next time.

Josh had a meltdown after the fifth attempt to slay the dragon. We sat down and ate ice cream, but Josh wandered into the MagiQuest gift shop (have I already said that they were over-expensive?) and found a stuffed dragon. "I need it!" he cried. As Josh sobbed, Dad pulled out the camera and started taking pictures. Having received this treatment when I was younger, I had sympathy for Josh and tried to convince my laughing parents to stop.

Christmas is Come and Gone

Wow! Christmas was fun. This was the first year, however, that I realized that I didn't get a lot of "playing things". Yes, I got to unwrap, but I didn't get to open up the box and then play with the toy. That's what you get when you get older. I guess that the only reason why I noticed this was that as I am leaving the excitement of Christmas, Josh is just entering. I'll miss those toy days.

I did get a lot of presents for Christmas. In this post, I will do less writing and let the pictures tell the story. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. The pictures will start on the night before Christmas and end on the day after Christmas. Hope you enjoy my little bit of Christmas cheer.

Opening up this year's Christmas PJs.

Listening to Dad reading the traditional Christmas story, all in our uniform pajamas.

We got a little bored, so decided to have a tickle fight instead.

Nala, my cat, decided to just stare at us immature kids in disgust.

The perfect family photo, except for Josh's funny face. We didn't even realize he was doing it until we looked at the photo.

On Christmas morning, Josh and I jammed out on our new guitars.

I was excited to get my Dr. Pepper lip balm.

Examining my new, delicate earrings.

One of this year's favorite presents for me... new games for my DS.

I played Kirby all day long. Thanks Nona!!!

This puzzle was supposed to last us all week. Instead, the family finished the 300 piece in 30 minutes. We bought a new 1500 piece puzzle the next day.

Josh and I played Jenga the day after Christmas. He won of course.

Getting Back to the Cube

A couple summers ago, I could solve the Rubik's cube in under 2 minutes. I spent a couple of weeks memorizing the moves off of a solution on the Internet. Well, two years later, everyone at school is trying to solve the cube. You are "super smart" if you can solve one and "super cool" if you own one. Well, I decided to re-memorize the steps. I'm doing pretty well; yesterday I solved the cube in under 5 minutes with some help from the instructions on the hardest step.

My cousin, Aubrey, and her husband flew in today, Tuesday. My mom picked me up early from school so I could spend some time with them. It was so cold! About 25 degrees. I had fun hanging out with them; they are so funny! Anyway, Aubrey is supposed to come back on Friday (Curtis, her husband, is a pilot and Aubrey is a flight attendant. They fly to Dallas sometimes). I can't wait to see them again!

Aubrey and my brother, See the Rubik's cube in Josh's hand?

Another Week

My first week of school was O.K, I guess. I've already been assigned two projects and have had tons of homework, but that's school I guess. I am so glad for the weekend, though, especially the three-day break. I'm hoping to go to the movies with some friends, and of course the water park that's near my house. It's been a pretty so-so week overall. I've had my highs and lows, but nothing too huge.

My dad is in Canada right now, attending my great-grandmother's funeral. She was 96; it was her time to go. I still miss her though; the family reunions just won't be the same.

On another note, my brother and I are hooked on the Mario and Sonic at the Olympics game for Wii. We can't get our hands off of it. It's hard though!!!