Crayon Nazi

cray-on /(krā'ŏn', -ən) -noun
1. A stick of colored wax, charcoal, or chalk, used for drawing

These are my Crayola crayons (not including my Crayola Twistables, which I have around 70 or so.) I have a problem; I collect the crayons but I am afraid of using them too much, therefore they are wasted wax. My nickname among my family is the Crayon Nazi, no, not because I murder innocent people that I don't like, or because I am an extreme fascist. No, the reason I'm called the Crayon Nazi is because I'm very, very, VERY strict with my crayons and their usage. I have rules that you must follow, or else you are NOT able to use my crayons again--ever. (This nickname was partially inspired by the Seinfeld episode with the Soup Nazi.)

C.N. Rules:
-Press lightly to avoid breakage of crayon or dullness of the tip
-Crayons must be organized in boxes by color and be placed in correct box
-Crayons are generally only used by Aubrey
-Crayons may not be used by someone Aubrey thinks will break the rules

These crayons are from my special edition 120 crayons. Crayons are organized by reds/purples/pinks, oranges/yellows, and then blues/green/browns.

These crayons are from my special edition "50 Years of 64" pack of crayons. They came with glitter crayons, metallic crayons, scented crayons, and multicultural ones.

This is my "100 Years of Color" crayon box, which I got when I was in the 4th grade. I still have all the colors but two, and one has been replaced. This is the box that started all the Crayon Nazi-ness. I have kept this box for 7 grade levels, and I plan to keep it for as long as possible. As you can see, the crayons are dull, but for being through as much as they have they're doing pretty well.

Make room for Jesus

"I have to move my NASCAR stuff to put Jesus up!"

Those words can be heard out of my mouth almost everyday since last Friday. My seminary teacher, Sister Kanenwisher (cannon--like baboom), gave everyone in the class a big wrapped present. We opened our gifts up to find a picture of Jesus in a frame with a sticker on the back talking about how this year in seminary we have been learning about Christ's ministry and such. "You can take it to school if you want, but some people may think you're a freak" was what Sister Kanenwisher told us before we headed upstairs after snacking on delicious cake and breakfast casserole (which is to die for--you need the recipe!) I decided to leave Jesus at seminary, but thankfully I was able to have him returned to me Sunday at church :)

Now, this Jesus print isn't exactly travel sized. I can't just find a small empty place on my wall to hang it up, I have to plan accordingly as to where I want to put the Savior in my room. I expressed the difficulty of finding a spot on my wall for Jesus because of his large size, and Sister Kanenwisher's secretive plan worked: make you make room for Jesus! Fortunately, I have just the right spot above my bed, right next to my Tony Stewart tin car wall hanging, for Jesus to be placed and nothing NASCAR related had to move! It's all good.

Okay, the gist of this story is that we all need to make room for Christ, whether it's a literal representation of him in our bedroom which makes you have to over throw part of your NASCAR fetish, or in our hearts. No one is perfect, therefore no one's love for Christ is, and that is why we must strive everyday to do our best to improve ourselves and be more like our older brother.

Wonderful Poem

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees round the world below,
With tiny lights, like heaven’s stars, reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular. Please wipe away your tear,
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,
But the sounds of music can’t compare with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description to here the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me. I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away… we’re really not apart.
So be happy for my loved ones, you know I hold you dear.
Be glad I’m spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory of my own undying love.
After all, love is the gift more precious than pure gold.
It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other, as our father said to do.
For I can’t count the blessings or the love he has for each of you.
So have a merry Christmas and wipe away your tears.
Remember I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
-Author unknown

Thanks Dan for sharing that with me :)

Peace has arrived

As odd as the circumstances may be, today was a very good one. I was with my loved ones, close friends, and I was fortunate to even see some faces I hadn't seen in years. It was such a peaceful setting at the funeral today, thank you Holy Ghost. Even though I cried through almost the entire thing, which is perfectly fine, I got the closure I needed to finally come to grips to realize that Megan really is in a better place, with our Father, and that I don't need to worry about if she made it or not, or if she's unhappy. I can say that I know she is because of the Holy Ghost's promptings in my heart; they gave me the answer I was needing and the peace I had been desperately searching for. It's a great feeling, to be at peace with God's decision to bring his lovely Megan back home. I know he knows what he's doing, after all, he DID create the entire universe and everything in it, therefore, he has to at least have some idea of what's going on. :)

Though the next days/weeks/months/YEARS will be difficult for Megan's family, we are all here for them and they're in our prayers and God knows that they're having a difficult time right now, and he thankfully has promised that he'll NEVER give us trials we can't overcome AND that he'll never leave us alone.

These verses have brought me much comfort the past 5 days.

• Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-9
  7. My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment.
  8. And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all they foes.
  9. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.
  

• Doctrine and Covenants 24:8
  8. Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even until the end of thy days.
  

• Alma 40:11-12
  11. Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
  12. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

Denistry Drama

den-tist-ry /[den-tuh-stree] –noun
1. The profession or science dealing with the prevention and treatment of diseases and malformations of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity, and the removal, correction, and replacement of decayed, damaged, or lost parts, including such operations as the filling and crowning of teeth, the straightening of teeth, and the construction of artificial dentures.


I know that it's perfectly normal to be afraid of doctors and dentists, unfortunately, I have both of those fears (well, I'm not as afraid of them as I use to be. I finally decided to buck up and let them do their job because in the end they're really just helping me.) It's always a good feeling when your dentist tells you that you're his hero and that you're a rock star because you're no longer biting him or kicking him (I kid you not, my dentist actually said those words to me today when I went to have a broken tooth filled.)


Over the years I have accumulated different horror stories from when I went to the dentist. When I was 5, I had to be put to sleep (literally--never fall for the "Hey I'll Give You a Sticker as My Assistant Jabs You With a Needle Full of Drug That'll Knock You Out For a Few Hours") just to put in 3 silver caps on my teeth. Countless times I have bitten my dentist or slobber on their fingers "accidentally." One time, I had to get a tooth pulled so my dentist was shoving the extremely painful needle into the roof of my mouth to numb my gums, well, I pushed her away from me (consiquently, I got my butt chewed out because the needle could have hurt her, which at the time I didn't care.) I never went back to the dentist chair without my momma until I was 15yrs old, and I use to ball my eyes out everytime I had to get my teeth cleaned. I'm sure that there are other stories that have become historical tales throughout the years, but they seemed to have slipped my mind. Oh well.

Anyway, it always makes a girl feel good when her dentist tells the office that she no longer punches and kicks him like she use to, and that he's proud of the progress she's made.

I....

Can't this week be over with already? Between finals and a funeral, I'm falling apart. The urge to cry is just unbearable; it takes all my strength to not cry all the time. All the youth is still shaky from what I can tell....church yesterday was so difficult. Please pray for us youth.

We need you.

I can't believe this is only the 3rd day she's been passed away
and it feels like a lifetime....

To everyone who reads this;
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.

"If you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus a day,
so I never have to live without you."
-Winnie the Pooh

I'll miss my Miss Lil Giggles

I'm speechless.
I'm distraught.
I'm feeling extremely uneasy.
I can't think straight.
I'm unhappy.
I don't know what to do.
I'm confused.
I'm scared.
I'm worried sick.
I expected today to be a good day....I was wrong.
I'm so thankful that I'll be able to see her again, in Heaven, where she belongs.
I'll miss her so much....
I just wish I made time to be with her more.
I really regret not being better friends with her, or telling her how much I loved her.

Please, please, please pray for the Kissinger and Kitchen family, along with the family of the boys who were also involved in this wreck (the Roberts and Jameson families). I don't even know how they must be feeling right now....

I will miss you forever and always, my Miss Lil Giggles.

This is the news report on Megan's death;
http://www.kctv5.com/traffic/18272001/detail.html?rss=kan&psp=news

"CLAY COUNTY, Mo. -- A 17-year-old Smithville, Mo., girl was pronounced dead Friday night at a hospital after she was involved in a wreck.

Megan Kitchen was in a Chevrolet Blazer with other teens, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

They were heading east on 136th Street near Kearney, Mo., and when the driver crested a hill at Orval Lane, he lost control of the vehicle, according to the Highway Patrol.

The Blazer went airborne and then landed hard across the median. The SUV overturned several times before it hit a barbed wire fence and then a tree. It ended up on its top.

The teens were wearing seat belts.

The driver, Chad Roberts, of Liberty, and another boy in the car, Paul Jameson, of Kearney, both 17, suffered minor injuries, according to the Highway Patrol.

Charges were pending in the wreck."

Nectar Of The Gods

Dr. Pepper /[dok-tor pep-er] -beverage of amazingness
1. A quite interesting carbonated soft-drink. It tastes great the first time you have it, or if you don't drink it too frequently, but its' flavor seems to fade and become un-noticeable if you drink it on a regular basis. It is better than Coke and Pepsi, and all the other popular soft-drinks, and often causes one to belch loudly, which is reason enough to drink it.
2. Mr. Pibb's older, more successful cousin.

I wasn't experienced in selecting the best beverage when I was twelve, but thankfully, my Uncle Brian (aka "Stone Cold") came swiftly to me and informed me of my error. I had just recently been dipped in the "caffine" side of the pool of beverages about 2 years previously because in Missouri not everyone carries root beer like they did in Utah, so I either had to convert to the "dark side" or just go for the unattractive sodas like Sprite, which made me sick at the time. Anywho, having the cheap mom that I have, I got Dr. Thunder (the cheap nasty crap version of Dr. Pepper from Walmart) while I was staying in California with my grandparents (along with my mom and brother) for a few weeks. I don't recall the specific details, but my Uncle Stone Cold told me these powerful, vital words of beverage wisdom.

"Dr. Pepper is the nectar of the Gods. Dr. Thunder is the nectar of the Walmart employees."

To this day, I still remember those words. I have tried several knock-off brands of the heavenly nectar (ie: Dr. Thunder, Mr. Pibb, Pibb Extra, and the worst one ever was Dr. Hyvee--gross.) I glady inform all those confused drinkers that they really aren't drinking the best soda out there, that they're being cheated of deliciousness.

Sadly, I am now called obsessed with Dr. Pepper. I think that's just a whee bit extreme.

Obsessed? Of course not.

I don't know who you're talking about.... :)

Paper Clips

paper clip /[pey-per klip] –noun
1. a flat wire or plastic clip shaped so that it can hold sheets of paper between two of its loops.
2. a spring clamp for holding papers.

Paper clips are simple, yet complex. Loops of organization bended to keep important papers oh so delicately secured in a saftey net of metal wire. Seen at offices, houses, schools, and even on earrings occasionally. Found in all sizes, from extremely big to itsy bitsy.

Paper clips are one of my favorite organization tools, besides my eliquently labled binders, folders, and other organizational tools I use at school. It started with about 3 paper clips, but I found that just was not enough. I upgraded to about 5 clips, and found that, too, was not enough to fufill my addiction to these little wire loops. I just recently found a big box of them in my basement, being filled with excitement, I grabbed a handful and my collection is about 12 or so. Paper clips aren't just used for cheap jewelry, or for organization, but also to represent something that was an enormous impact on our Earth.

A few years ago, a small school in Tennesse decided to collect paper clips to represent every victim that was murdered in the Holocaust. The project became very well known, even making a documentary (which my mom dragged me and my brother to the most boring mall in the entire world--literally ever store was closed down except for some gift store and the cat adoption center. It was pretty bad; I resorted to throwing a button pin around the parking lot.) Anyway, it was pretty incredible what this tiny itty bitty school was able to do, and I am astonished that they were able to do this. I guess it just shows that anyone can make a difference.

http://www.paperclipsmovie.com/synopsis.php