Fun in the Woods

So on the 13th me, mom and dad drove up to where the ward [church] had camped out. we couldn't do the camp out itself because me and mom had had school. So we decided to drive up that morning for breakfast. After breakfast me and mom had fun walking around. Mom had her phone so you know whats coming... awesome pics!

I was walking by and saw this hold burrowed into the rock and ground, I do not know who this whole belonged to, but it defiantly belonged to someone.   And look, another whole in another part of the woods. Whoever it was had lots of happy homes, or lots of friends.

Yes this is a tiny flower... we even held it up to a penny so you could understand its smallness.

Aren't they just so cute and tiny? They were so pretty I picked one and pressed it inside my copy of Kidnapped. Yes I really did this, so no judgments you judgmental people!  

Oh look! its another home in the ground. This one is harder to see but isn't it just awesome  I loved seeing all these different holes and homes! The very first one was the best, but these others were still pretty darn cool.

Now, while we were walking we came a crossed this beautiful little purple flower. It even has the little stripes. I loved it so I decided to press it as well. But then I took a picture so everyone else could see its pretty color and admire it with me.

In fact I took more then one picture. Here is a closeup of the flower (left). You can see the color and the pretty lines that are on each of its petals. These purple flowers were all over and quite easy to find. I even took a third picture of a little patch of the pretty purple flowers (bottom right).

Now, as we were walking around we find an area that has what looks like a fire pit, but overgrown with grass. If it was a fire pit, it wasn't anymore, so as mom stood by it I had her stop for a moment so I could get a good picture of the area. the picture (left) I thought  was good at getting the whole little area there.

So do you see that strange box with a hole in it? It is right next tot he left side of my mom... You don't know what it is? Well...welcome to the club! We have no idea what it is either. So I took a picture of it. You have to admit it is kind of cool looking. So if you know what it is, you are welcome to comment and let me know and i'll spread the word.

We know  it is not a box to keep out the bears... because there is a whole in the middle of it. So that wouldn't keep anything out.

The next picture (left) is of a pretty little plant I found. I did not pic it, to afraid when it was dried the color would be gone. I do not know what kind of plant it is but I just love the color of it. Its almost like it has been frosted. I have never seen anything as pretty as whatever this plant was. I took another picture of the same time of plant, so you could see how much of it was there.

I am going to tell you the story of a little purple flower. Different from the one I have shown earlier it was bent over almost like a bell. It was so pretty and little i picked it and instantly put it into my book to be pressed.

But then when I started talking pictures I wanted a picture of that flower to. We couldn't find it anywhere. In fact we walked around for a little bit before we finally found some. So I took a picture of it (right). I wanted another picture of the little flower, so my mom kindly held it so I could get a nice picture of what it looked like from the front.

My first attempt at C.S.I. I have the footprint, but have not yet matched it to any suspect...or a crime. But I  have the footprint whoever you are... be afraid, be very afraid.

This was just a pretty plant. We saw one that was more full grown and it was huge.. and I do mean huge, it reached up to my hips I think. The way this

plant looked against the red dirt was just so pretty I had to take a picture of it. Go on... tell me its not pretty... HA! you can't cause it is gorgeous. I found a few pushes, or clusters of little plants that I thought just looked cool. I don't know what they are but I loved how they looked in general . Looking at the picture I also love how the green and browns mix together. I know it is just a bush to most, but I rather like it.

 
I have another picture here of more things I just thought looked interesting. Not everything here is extremely beautiful, it just looked interesting enough that I wanted to get a picture of it and safe it.

 Now, looking up at all these pictures I think before I get to my last two, I need to bring up another flower. My mom thought that it was Indian's Paint Brush, but wasn't 100% positive. I loved how it looked, it is just so beautiful. So I took another picture of it. I do not remember if there were more around of if it was just this one, however I don't really remember any others really around it. So this may have been the only one that was there. 

Now to my last two pictures. The first picture was just a cute little tree that seemed to have a little quirk to it. You have to admit that these special types of trees always make you smile because you know someone that, if they were a tree, would look like one of these.

In fact, I probably would be one of these. The second picture is of an aspen. Now there was no other aspens we could find in the area and this poor little guy was trying so hard to grow, but he didn't even really have many branches or leaves; but he was standing tall and proud out there by himself.

 That is all the pictures I have for you, but I will tell you of one other thing that happened that day. When we were done walking around we saw a Frisbee on the ground. So me and mom just started tossing it back and forth. safe to say that we were terrible. It was so much fun though. We played around for an hour, attracting children that came and helped us play.

I have never had so much fun in my life then when I was playing Frisbee with my mom. She is the best when it comes to things like that. I will never forget that trip, if for no other reason then playing with that stupid Frisbee.

Now good people, I bid you a good night.

Pleasant dreams,

J.K. Van'Ellessad

Dinner

NOT cool man... not cool. I went over to the pantry to help mom find the pasta noodles. There were macaroni and then there were spaghetti. I don't like spaghetti..... So I said macaroni. AFTER I had said that dad goes "make it SPAGHETTI please, we've had too much macaroni noodles" so I was upset. Mom said I could choose which sauce we used but I don't care much about sauce.

Then he has the NERVE to say "sorry, didn't MEAN to cause a problem" in that tone of his "I didn't hear her say macaroni"

He lies a lot, and I know he's lying about that to. Now I get plain spaghetti noodles with a little bit of meat -.-

Fire Fighter Memorial

At Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, Co there is a firefighter memorial. While we were wandering around way before the fireworks were going to start me and mom found our self at the memorial. While not the first thing we saw I thought I'd first start with the large statue in the middle of the memorial. It is of a firefighter coming down a latter with a child in his arms. It is surrounded by rocks, and stands above everything else. It is an amazing piece of art.

Next picture I am going to show you I could only capture in 3 pictures so you could actually read what it says. This is on one of memorial slabs. As the picture says it is a poem called "The Last Alarm".

The Poem, if you cannot read it, says:

My father was a fireman, he drove a big red truck 

and when he'd go to work each day 

he'd say, "Mother, wish me luck". 

Then dad would not come home again,
till sometime the next day. 

But the thing that bothered me the most was 

the things some folks would say. 

"A fireman's life is easy. He eats and sleeps and plays, 

and sometimes he won't fight a fire for many, many days." 

When I first heard these words, 

I was too young to understand. 

But I knew when people had trouble 

dad was there to lend a hand. 

When my father went to work one day 

and kissed us all good-bye, little did we realize 

that night we would all cry. 

My father lost his life that night, when the floor gave way below. 

I wondered why he'd risked his life for someone he did not know. 

But now I truly realize the greatest gift a man can give, 

is to lay his life upon the line so 

someone else might live. 

So as you go from day to day and pray to God above, 

say a prayer for your local firemen. 

He may save the ones you love!

To my right is a full picture of the poem,
"The Last Alarm" and the columns next to it. I really wanted to get the image a crossed. As I read this poem aloud to my mom I will admit I was trying not to cry.

One of the statues you see right off is the one to the right. It is of a fireman's boots and helmets. Someone, as you can see, placed flowers inside the books for them. If you look closely, by the shield, you can see a little piece of origami that someone made and left there for the firefighters.

The flowers, and even the origami just make it look all the more beautiful don't you think?

This is one of the many walls. I believe this was  one of the ones in the back. It rested at the end of a space left after 2012. The back wall is all the names just from September 11th. It is an impressive and almost sad sight to see all these names of fallen firefighters. Just seeing this wall can hit you hard and make you realize how many firefighters have died for us.

The next picture is of all the names. You can see the first and second wall. each one is filled with names of firefighters. Not only their names however, at the end of each name is the initials of which state there were from. I cannot put into words being there in person.

To continue with the memorial, I give you the last statue that resides in the memorial. To me it looked like a fireman ready to cry. To the right of this statue, on the stairs he's sitting on you can find a plaque that read:

In loving Memory of Gary E. Coulter

Artist/Sculptor of "Somewhere Everyday" and Lamentation" standing at the International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial.

Sadly We say goodbye to a friend. 

August 28, 1936- November 10, 2000

On the other side of the memorial was the following picture. It is for the International Association of Fire Fighters. 

I wanted to know why the fire fighter looked so sad. I looked around the statue and found a little podium with a faded piece of paper. I decided I wanted a picture of that as well.

  The paper starts of with another Poem. This one says:

A gallant, noble sacrifice,

a selfless life laid down;

So rare this public Servants worth,

no greater treasure found.

No greater act of decency,

no greater human love,

no greater courage demonstrated

by lives they gave.

This tribute to unselfish hearts

today will testify,

that health and safety have a price

that firefighters die.

The shadow of this sentinel,

into tomorrow cast,

forever will the gravestones shield

of heroes who have past.

It bathes their tombs in bravery,

and brands upon their memory

the gift they gave, the canceled debt,

let town and peoples not forget

the price they paid to keep us safe

our lives and homes secure.

We honor those who gave their all

their memories here endure.

Firehouse poetry by 

Lt. Aaron Epsy, I.A.F.F local #2819

Kitsap County, Washington

The other picture is just what was also on the paper, next to the poem Lamentations.

The next few pictures are clear enough you can read them. There are the plagues that rested under each of the three flags. First one, holding the American flag was the plague for Florida that read:

Broward County Council of Professional Fire Fighters
Broward County, Florida
Proudly dedicate this american flag standard to the memory and honor of our beloved fallen brother and sister fire fighters. 
September 17, 1994

 Next flag was the Canadian Flag. Below it was this plague for the Canadian fireman.

This Canadian Flag Standard is dedicated to all I.A.F.F Canadian fire fighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving the citizens of their communities and country with pride, honor, and dedication
to their memory



 Lastly we have the Colorado flag where beneath rested the plaque for the Tennessee firefighters.

Tennessee Fire Fighters
1976-1989
This flag standard donated by the Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters Association
President Ralph Murdauch
Secretary Ronald w. Clevendger
In honor of fallen fire fighters:

Joseph E. Tarwater, William E. Childress, Martiniano Lerma, Henry A. Rutledge, James E. Montgomery, Charles H Vinson, Eddi Diviney and all future Tennessee fallen fire fighters.
Dedicated September 10th 1989

A little bit to the side of the flags and their plaques I found another plaque of by itself that read:

Dedicated by the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters on behalf of all the men and woman who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and given their lives in the line of duty.
September 16th 2000

Once I was done looking at all these plaques, and taking the pictures, I walked around and saw another pedestal with a picture and information about the National Canadian Flag Standard. If you look close enough you can clearly read what it says. I thought this was pretty cool.

. 

After I was done I went back to the wall of names and took two pictures of the second wall, trying to show how big this wall is. 

All these names just from September 11 - 2012. It is amazing, but also heart breaking. So many firefighters have fallen. Makes you wish for a world safe enough our firefighters would not have to give their lives for us.

.


This second picture shows how long it is, while the first showed where it started. I would be surprised if you could look at all these names of fallen fire fighters and not feel sad.


There are a few people in the picture. Although I could have waited and taken one without them I thought the picture needed them there. Two people that were strangers to me. I don't know if they were just visiting or if they knew someone on the wall.

It is obvious they are together. I just hope they were not mourning someone, for how sad would that be?

September 11, 2001

Well, from this picture I moved to the back of this wall, curious as to what was there. It was mostly blank, thank goodness. There was however one small portion on it with names from 2001-2010

This first picture is of the heading that was on the back. It says:

Honor, Respect & Preserve with Dignity. They will not be Forgotten.

From there it listed a bunch of names. However by one of them I noticed a sticker that looked a lot like an official fireman sticker I guess. I have a picture of that as well but it is a little blurry.


I end with a general picture of the memorial itself. I will always remember this trip. Besides the awesome fireworks we got to see later, this memorial was totally amazing and I would never trade this experience for anything. I am thankful my mom had her phone with her so i could take these pictures and share it with everyone else.


I hope everyone else had a great Independence Day as I did.

Fire Works at Memorial Park

These are videos of the fireworks display from Memorial Park. This was the first time in 5 years we have had a real fireworks display so we were all pretty excited. I recorded these with my mom's phone. It is in so many pieces because a couple of them ran out of memory and after that i was just waiting for a finale and they were giving us a lot of false finales lol.

This is where the first time the memory didn't have enough room. But I cleared it up not wanting to not have the rest of the fireworks. SO once I cleared up some memory I started this second one.

If I remember right this one cut off to so I cleared up more memory space.

From here on is the false finales, it really was an awsome firework display and I'm sure by now you have heard the dog in the background and possibly the drunks guys yelling "go america!"

And finally, the finale!

The fires are devastating. It seems like whenever one stops, another starts. now its changed the sky colors...

Why does this have to happen again?

Besides this, I was reading on the bus and managed to zone out completely. i missed my stop. when I got off and tried to walk back, it was murder. It was super hot, my back and legs hurt., my arms hurt from carrying my school stuff and it was ALL up hill, the entire rode.

By the time i got home i was so hot, to hot to even touch my forehead, and almost passed out 3 times. I hate my low blood pressure -.-

Giggles and Tears

My sister shared a picture to my Facebook wall today and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. It was to cute and awesome.  So being kind me I'm going to share it with everyone else.

This is a gorgeous guinea pig. I have two myself so these type of pictures just make me smile and giggle. Though today has not been all smiles a giggles, though I wish it had been.

I was already tired from running around the CDC [Child Development Center] and then going to math class, but now life is just going right back down the hole. The front door is broken. The top part of the wood is coming up slightly enough that the door leans. Now when you close it, you either have to lift it to close, or you can't get it open. all we had were small nails and no hammer to be seen but they aren't working so we don't know what to do. 

Although he would never admit it, it was dad who broke the door.  He leans and pulls so hard on that door its the only way to explain why the door would be doing what it is. 600 pounds puling and pushing down on the door. Though mom started loosing herself, so convinced her to go back to the kitchen and finish what she was doing and the dish washer was having problems so she started going "why why why why why" in a high pitched voice as she tried not to cry. She's out of the house now, going off to buy a hammer and nails or whatever. 

I walked to the pantry, close to where dad's bedroom is and saw him getting dressed. unable to resist I looked at him and said " mom's gone" he asked where she had gone so I replied "to get nails for the door you broke most likely." he growled saying "I did NOT break the door" I told him he had, leaning on the door and he started protesting saying " I do not lean on the door" so when he left the house he made a point of leaning on the brick instead. 

He doesn't understand that leaning on the door is also putting all his weight on it cause he's soooo tired and can 'barely' stand, as he opens it. But its useless he cant even admit how fat he is, no chance in heck he is going to admit him being fat broke our front door. 

So mom is now off on her own.. I asked if she wanted me to go with her and she just said 'no'. She sounded mad... but I know she wasn't mad at me, just at the whole situation. She's stressed with school and everything else that is going on and this just was a bad time for this to happen.

I'm just worried about her being by herself. I don't want her to hurt herself or anything and I hate to see her cry. It's making it all the harder that I'm trying so hard not to hate him, not to yell and be angry at him for making her cry again. Mom says I need to pray for him and let the anger go but each time he does something or causes something to happen like this it makes it harder and harder.

I have a big project due next Wednesday that I should be doing... I have a paper I should be doing that is due tomorrow... I have math homework i need to be doing... I have reading I need to be doing. So much homework... and I am probably going downstairs to find a hammer and my nails. I'm sure my container, wherever it is, has long ones in it.

I'm not even going to be able to talk to my friends, which I haven't done much of the past few days, all because I need to find the hammer and nails, and try to have it fixed and mom feeling better before she gets home. I just hope that if i succeed... dad isn't home to ruin it.

Empty

I have been feeling depressed since yesterday. I don't mean like sad I mean really depressed.

I got the grade back from my summary essay I turned in Friday. I got a 66% or in other words, I received a D. To those who think 'that's not that bad' try and remember that to most schools a D is just as bad as an F. My mom and the guy that had peer reviewed it both loved it but apparently my teacher did not feel the same way.

In my previous English class my teacher loved me. He even told me once how he did mine first because he knew it was going to be an easy read. Never did I receive a grade lower then an A. I thought I was finally past getting the C's and D's I received in high school. I was wrong.

My teacher said "At times you had the right idea, but too many sloppy errors (i.e. those covered in class) + a lack of focus brought your overall grade down. be sure to visit the Writing Center in the future to help you ID a clear thesis and fix some of your sentence problems too."

This has killed me. on the paper she had lots of notes and marks saying everything she thought was wrong [which was most of the paper] I cried yesterday, then cried myself to sleep, then cried this morning. I feel so empty now.

I used 'it' twice, I missed a contraction and she thought most of it was wordy and rambling. Not to mention she couldn't find my thesis apparently.  Telling me I needed to go to the writing center was a hard blow. I've been writing for as logn as I can remember.. and now I have someone telling me I can't write. It makes me want to stop writing completely, to the point I haven't written in my notebook for the Tah-len and Mae story at all.