Quote of the day: Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.

-Saint Catherine of Siena

Wow! It's been so long!

We went to Virginia to see our grandparents at Christmas. It was so much fun! We went to Mass at their church, St. Agnes. It's a great church. There are statues of saints around the back of the church and there are pictures in stained glass at the front near the altar.
We saw cousins and opened gifts. My grandmother is such a good cook (it's obviously not genetic...).
These past few days I've been at my other grandparents' house to see them and more cousins! They taught us how to play a game called Dictionary where the "dictionary master" finds a word that nobody in the group knows and writes the definition on a piece of paper. All the players write their own "definitions" on pieces of paper. They try to make up a definition that sounds as convincing as possible. Then everyone except for the dictionary master votes on which definition they think is correct. The dictionary master gets a point if no one guesses the correct answer and all the players get one point for every vote their definition gets and one point if they guess the correct answer. It sounds boring, but it was really fun (and addicting). We also made two movies, one about some killer guy with a "Display of Daring Death-defying Doom Deck" (a deck of cards). He went around asking people to pick cards and the card they chose was always the seven of hearts. We also made one called "Paws" that was from the point of view of a cat-monster (a spoof on "Jaws," but never really having anything to do with it).

The rest of the time we played cards...


I'm so excited about the new year! It's so strange looking back at the year. So much has happened (but it's still going to be fun starting 2006!). Well, I'll post more later today if I get the chance! Arrivederci!

-MC

Quote of the day: Nothing is far from God.

- Saint Monica


I'm back!

Today's quote is so great! It's so true! Sometimes people get a little paranoid and ban anything (especially music) that doesn't directly have to do with God. Sometimes it's even more "inspirational" when you see God in things that aren't necessarily meant to be about Him. It's that way with a lot of Coldplay songs, if you listen to the lyrics. It's horrible that people would not listen to them because they aren't allowed to listen to anything other than Christian music. I'm not saying that specifically Christian music isn't moving, but God created everything, so why not try to see him in everything instead of limiting yourself to seeing only the "good part" of His creation. How can you ever let your faith grow if you're never challenged? You shouldn't listen to music that a lot of bad words, etc. in it, but that's beside the point. And I've already made the point. So. Onward.
This week was so strange because Monday and Tuesday both felt like Wednesday, Wednesday and Thursday felt like Friday, and today (Friday) felt like a Wednesday, and it wasn't just me either, everyone else felt that way too. It was so busy this week (as the next few weeks are going to be...).
Well, I'll write again soon!

-MC

Quote of the day: O my soul, bless Jesus. Never forget the many graces He has given thee. Love that God who so loves thee. Lift thyself up to Him, who has lowered Himself for thee; show thyself as He shows Himself with thee; be clean of heart, be pure. Love thy Jesus, who has lifted thee out of so much misery. Love thy God, bless thy Lord

- Saint Gemma Galgani




I'm so sorry for not writing again (this pre-entry apology is getting to be a habit, so I'll apologize now for the next five entries, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, there, now I don't have to say it!). Thanksgiving was a blast! We went to see cousins! They're hilarious! We wrote a story called Pringles the Part-Peruvian Parakeet, which was pretty much about nothing (nothing about parakeets at least), made a movie with Guthrie's camera that didn't have a name but was about a bunch up people being attacked by a monster, and did a play called the Alphabet Soup Squad in which Madame Schwab conquered the Mysterious B (whose real name turned out to be Bubba). All in all, we had a great time. The food was good, but that's the case every Thanksgiving. I drew Guthrie's picture and he drew mine. His was pretty good! It looked just like me!
We came home that night because we had Chato with us. The next day we went to see Harry Potter with some friends. It was really fun! The movie was excellent! I had heard really bad reviews from other people, but it was good! I'm almost glad they cut out SPEW and Dobby and everything, because it was sort of pointless to have it. It was "easily expendable" (what?). I really enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it, go see it!
Today I did homework and then we went to look for costumes for my sister (she's playing the Baroness in The Sound of Music) and we found a suit for her to wear (it's turquoise, yay!). We saw Pride and Prejudice (movies every day!) which I was really dreading, but it turned out well. Keira Knightly wasn't as annoying as I thought she was going to be and everyone else was good too. I think there were about ten men in there at the most, and that was out of about thirty people. It's gotten so cold! I know I've already said this loads of times, but it's true! It's so freezing! It's almost December as well! Oh no! That means it's almost time for the show (not until March, but time is going by so quickly!). I dreamed last night that it was opening night and I hadn't memorized any of my lines and I didn't have my costume so I went out in a dress! It was horrible! It was the typical actor's nightmare, as my mom says. It's horrible, even though it doesn't make any sense. I mean, why would you still be in the show if you had missed all the rehearsals? Anyway, my mom told me a long time ago about this dream she had that she and Dad were in a show together and the first act went really well and they were doing really well until intermission when she realized that she didn't know any of her lines for the second act. She and Dad were supposed to be sitting in bed and she knew that they had to sing a song, but she didn't know it. She decided to glue the pages of her script into a cookbook that she had and pretend to be reading in bed so she could just read the lines out.
I have a lot of weird dreams, but I've started to forget them! It's horrible! One I remember specifically is the one I had when I was in the fifth grade where I was in London I think and in this really bright room and we were all taking a vote on something. Some more stuff I forget happened and then I was arrested for voting on something when I wasn't a British citizen and for answering a certain question a certain way, I forget exactly, but then I whipped my revised version (written in pink pen -- ?) out of my pocket and handed it to the judge who was this scary old lady and she read it and she said "oh, yes, I see" or something like that. Then suddenly I was in training to become a witch with these weird people dressed in rags and I answered the phone and they got really mad at me for answering it normally so I whispered "Hello" in this scary, slithery voice and the person on the other end went "Yah!" and hung up. Then there was something about looking down this path that led to some clearing that we couldn't get to and setting off plastic fireworks (?) but I won't go into much detail. Then, the final part, I was back in my classroom and everyone was all in uproar :). Mrs. Daly was crying at her desk because she had lost her pet flying cat Igli. There were all these FBI agents there and they kept asking Mrs. Daly how to spell Igli and she kept saying, "I-G-L-I, how many times do I have to tell you?!" and then I went to the middle of the room where Ms. Foerster was building something with bricks. She turned to me and said "It has to be big so Igli can fly around." Then I turned and went over to the cubbies (remember cubbies?!) that were all flowing out with Series of Unfortunate Events books. I didn't know where mine was because they all looked the same, but I looked to find Andie because I knew my cubby was next to Andie's. I found her and I was searching through my cubby (I don't know what for, maybe for Igli) but I kept looking at all the books and I recognized them, but they weren't real books I don't think. Anyway, I forget exactly what I did at the cubbies, but that was when I woke up. It was very strange. There are a lot more, but I won't tell them to you (you'd probably get bored). I love having weird dreams! I have to go now! Bye!

-MC

Quote of the day: Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.

-William Shakespeare


Not a saint quote, but you can't go wrong with Shakespeare (he's my soul mate!). Today we went to Mass and then a piano recital at Carolina Meadows. I was one of the oldest ones there. There was this kid, about fifth grade, who was playing this really long and complicated piece. He was the exactly how you would imagine a somewhat cocky "piano prodigy." The piece was good, but we were all supposed to warm up beforehand and he kept going up there and playing it again and again. It was somewhat painful. Other than that it was very nice. I like playing piano, and I didn't mess up, even though I was really nervous! It was one of those times when you aren't scared, you're just nervous. You don't really care if you mess up (who are these people anyway?) but you're shaking and your stomach's fluttering around (ahh!).
Anyway, that was pretty much all that happened today. Oh, I'll tell you about yesterday! A lot happened yesterday! We went back to the Caring and Sharing Center in the morning (we're signed up to go back on January 7 I think, or sometime in early January!) which was very fun. Seton's friend Christina was there to help us. She was really nice and helpful. There was this cute little baby there. A family came in with this baby carrier with a blanket over it and set it down. It was very cute watching the little feet move around. He was looking extremely upset when his father pulled him out to carry him around, and apparently he had a fever. Why do I think that it's funny that babies get sick? I don't know why that's funny, it just is. They're just mini humans. It's so cute that clothes for babies are clothes for older kids just really small (why is that cute?)! Also, I raked part of the yard yesterday! It was so much fun, I love raking, but I didn't get to finish the whole yard! Boohoo! Oh well, maybe I'll do it on Tuesday (I have piano class tomorrow afternoon). Oh, I drew a pure contour self-portrait of myself yesterday and it tured out really funny-looking (of course). Nobody likes "pure contour" and "the right brain," etc., but I like it! I like drawing and "getting into it." I did a really weird International Art Contest picture. It was of some arms holding a baby. It was strange, but I liked drawing the baby's eyes (and the rest of the picture, but I liked drawing the eyes the best...). I have to go now. See you soon!

-MC

Quote of the day: Death, but not sin.

-Saint Dominic Savio


Hello! I'm so sorry not to have posted!
Oh my gosh, all the leaves have fallen off the trees! Just a little while ago they were all green and then they turned colors and fell off in practically a week, if not shorter!
I am excited about Thanksgiving! I didn't know it was next week until Tuesday morning when someone mentioned it in Religion class (at least I knew it was Tuesday!)... It's all going by so fast! It'll be Christmas soon. This year is going so much faster than last year. Last year, it felt like ages until Christmas break, but now it's just around the corner!
I'm excited about the weekend coming (the weeks go by fast as well, I can't believe it's already Thursday!). I don't know why. I guess I'm always excited about the weekend coming!
Today we had choir practice instead of recess (not everyone, just choir people...obviously). Colleen is doing the psalm tomorrow with Sarah. It should be nice. I can't wait until we get to do what we've been practicing. I forget what that Mass is called (I think it's in latin), but I think it's for celebrations or something. It's the one where you say "Hosanna" all on the same note and then there's a pause and you sing it again higher (not a very good description, I'd hum it for you if this were "in person"). It's pretty when the congregation is singing the "Holy"s and we are singing the words underneath. Yay! I love being in the choir! It's very fun! We're still the "Seventh Grade Girls' Choir" though, unfortunately (Claudia left). Boohoo, if only some boys or people from other grades would join (hint hint). But really, it is extremely fun.

Well, see you soon!

-MC

Quote of the day: However great the work that God may achieve by an individual, he must not indulge in self-satisfaction. He ought rather to be all the more humbled, seeing himself merely as a tool which God has made use of.

-Saint Vincent de Paul


Sorry for not writing. Here's what's happened since I last wrote:

The dance - It wasn't very fun, nobody was there, but the decorations were good (if I do say so myself, hem hem). I talked to Megan and Allie and Ariana a lot (they are so cool!) and I only slow-danced three times, the first with Ricky, one somewhere in the middle with Matt, and the last one with David S.
Jacob in the 6th grade had at one point eight girls slow-dancing with him at the same time, it was scary. It was fun though when Simone had asked him to dance. He had a "list" about ten miles long though and she was "fourth in line" (?). Anyway, she went up to him after about three slow-dances and asked if it was her turn and he said some other girl was next and said, "But you can go two at a time," (*as her eyes grows to the size of grape fruits*). Anyway, Simone went up to him later and did a huge dramatic "breaking off ties" and then the three of us (Emily too, she showed up, yay!) all ran out of the gym dramatically. It was fun!

Helping at the Caring and Sharing Center - Fun! It was just over-all fun! There isn't much more to say!


That's all in-between. Just now we went to 5:15 Mass and then the Chorus Concert (Seton's in the chorus). It was really good! Anyway, see you soon (so sorry)!

-MC

Quote of the day: Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.

-Pope John Paul II

I'm so sorry! I didn't get a chance to write yesterday, I was so busy! Anyway, today was somewhat boring (my goodness, what's happening?!) but the dance is on Friday and then I'm volunteering at the Caring and Sharing Center on Saturday (What a fun-filled 24 hours...5:30-5:30!)! I have several good Pope John Paul II quotes, I'll have to post some later as other quotes of the day. I'll never be at loss for a quote!
My sister tried out for The Sound of Music today. She sang "Much More" from the Fantasticks, the same song I sang to try out for TWITW (and bombed, but I got a good part anyway!). Here is a picture of a toad (because I'm bored):





Well! These are getting so boring! Hopefully something big and dramatic will happen tomorrow! See you soon!

-MC

Quote of the day: Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

-Saint Rose of Lima


Today we went to Mass. It was a nice Mass and Father Durbin gave a really good homily! The Gospel was the one about the virgins not bringing enough oil, which seems like it would be hard to think of what to say about. He did a great job!
We went to my sister's high school because she was helping out at the open house. I helped at the Drama table because she was doing the Musical Theatre table. Some people thought I was a freshman (or at least they never let on if they didn't)! I was with my sister's friend Tony who is also part of the Drama Club (and is moving to Delaware at the end of the semester, ah!). He is absolutely hilarious!
The Anime Club was right next to us and they had a big TV and they were showing episodes so everyone was coming over to look at that. We would say something like, "Hi, this is the Drama Club" and they would nod and then sort of wander off to the side and watch the TV with their mouths open. It was sickening. The drama director gave me a pack of Twizzlers (?) and that along with several cookies, donut holes, and one cracker was my lunch (delicious, nutritious, and good for you!). Anyway, that was pretty much all that happened today (these posts are getting so boring, the weekend blues).
See you tomorrow!

-MC

Quote of the day: When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil, and do not be afraid of him. He trembles and flees at your guardian angel's sight.

-Anonymous


I don't actually know whether or not that is anonymous, but I don't know who said it. It's a good quote though, my sister told it to me.


Here is a picture of me:










Just kidding:





























I love putting in pictures! It's so much fun! I don't know why, it just is!
Anyway, I got to change earrings for the first time today, which is very fun. It's only ten thirty, so nothing big has happened (not that anything big is going to happen today, but one can hope...).



Yay! I love the Tar Heels. I love the Redskins too, but redskin helment picture didn't come up! What a rip-off! Oh well...



We went to see "Wallace and Gromit." It was so good! It was really funny! I highly reccomend it! Two thumbs up (let's see, how many ways can I say it was good?)! Anyway, it was good. Nothing much happened to day (nothing much happens on Saturdays). See you tomorrow!

-MC

Quote of the day: If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.

- Saint Charles Borromeo

Today is Saint Charles' feast day. I would post a different quote by him, but it is kind of long. It's on Catholic-forum.com if you want to see it. Look under "Patron Saints Index" and look him up if you want to!
I am at my dad's office right now. He works on the campus at the library. I love coming to work with him. I was his "intern" a couple weeks ago. I photocopied a bunch of info about the state counties (Dad is an editor) and I typed up a whole entry! When the encyclopedia comes out, I'm sure it'll be the first one I turn to (the barbeque entry is a close second though...)!
Today I am just hanging out here, not really doing much. We snagged the Encyclopedia of Broadway from downstairs and I'm enjoying looking at the pictures (I'm so easily amused!).

I just went down to hang out at the pit and it was really cold and windy (I wrote stuff down this time, yay!). These little field-trippers were there and this little boy kept yelling out stuff like, "It smells like pizza!" "It smells like popcorn!" And then, all of a sudden, I looked back at them and he was reading a newspaper and some girls were looking over his shoulder at it. (?) I think they were in fifth grade, maybe fourth. The tour guide was talking about the library and when he pointed up at it all of the kids went "Whoa!" Some little guy asked if there was fiction in it, which I thought was funny. They left to go to the bell tower and a few of them were chattering about Harry Potter. It was extremely amusing!
Anyway, while I was down there I got a carton of chocolate milk (mmm...) and sat there drinking it in one of those little semi-circle benches that face the library. It was SO WINDY!! Everything was whipping around! Thankfully, Dad's coke was sitting on the bag from the student store or it would have blown away!
This is cool, I saw this somewhere on the internet and tried to do it myself. It won't work on the actual blog when it's posted, but it looks pretty good now! It actually looks like a guy lifting a weight, even though it probably won't when you see it:

[--=--]
\o/
X
/ \


Hoohoo! That's fun! Even though he looks sort of pudgy and weird...

I will go now, maybe I'll post some more later today.

-MC