2013!

Happy New Year, everyone! 2012 just flew by!
Here are some of the best things that happened this year. :)

• Starting USY! Sure, I've been in youth group since 3rd grade, but my first convention was this year, and I can't imagine my life without all of the amazing people I have met. I feel like this year has really given me a chance to connect with prayer and become even more invested in my Judaism. Shoutouts to CRUSY and all of the International SuperMegaCuddlyAwesome Sophomores!
• Getting into Chamber Orchestra, the top orchestra at my school. I love having the opportunity to play original classical music, and I am really proud that I have worked myself up to where I am with almost no private instruction. 
• Getting my new violin. I am still depressed about losing my other one, and I still get sick to my stomach thinking about it, but I am really beginning to believe that it was for the better. My new one is gorgeous, has a better sound to it, and is just simply way nicer than the first. 
• My Confirmation Class weekend at a really fancy hotel. I'll admit that I wasn't really looking forward to this trip, but I ended up having a pretty great time. Just like I posted about on my blog once before, I have the best class ever. It's amazing to be in an environment where you can walk up to virtually anyone and have a conversation, and that's exactly what I have. Our staycation was a great bonding experience, and a ton of fun, and even the Saturday morning classes have been pretty great thanks to all of my friends. 
• National History Day. As of tomorrow or Wednesday, my final exhibit board should be finished. That part is a nightmare. But I have actually really enjoyed the research portion, and I have fallen in love with my topic (the Little Rock Nine). Through this project, I have discovered several of my favorite books, and ultimately, discovered nine role models.

So there are a few of the best parts of my year! Feel free to share yours!

Have a great 2013!

Overload...

You know that feeling when teachers take everything really slowly and then realize at the end of the semester that they still have weeks worth of information to cram into a few days? That's how last week was for me, and that's how this week is going. Last week, I had a test in biology, two quizzes in APUSH, an English test, and a math problem set and Spanish project to work on. This week, I have a lab in biology, a quiz in APUSH in addition to an 80-question multiple choice test over 7 chapters, a graded discussion in English, and the presentation of my Spanish project (which was yesterday). My math teacher, at least, has gone at a pace that is allowing her to drag out our last chapter into very small subsections, which is nice.

In addition to everything else, I am working on National History Day (nhd.org), which is due the Tuesday we come back from break (my birthday!). It involves a trifold board that is almost 6-feet tall and an annotated bibliography which will hopefully include around 50 sources (38 right now). Even though we have collected a good deal of sources, we haven't gotten to reading all of the books and putting post-its in them, or taking notes on the online sources. Our goal? To read everything by Saturday. Reality? Hopefully we will finish reading by Wednesday in order to work on the board.  Here comes stress/ sleep deprivation my whole break! Even though I'm kind of excited to see everything come together.

I really, really, am going to try to blog more often. You just know where I am now if I magically disappear after being murdered by textbooks and assignments.

The Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Rule 1: Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Thanks, Emma.
Rule 2: Place the award on your site.

Rule 3: Share 7 random things about yourself.
1. I love blogging, but I tend to forget to do it after a few days.
2. I am obsessed with piano, and I also really like playing violin. I would say that my favorite composers are Bach, Schubert, and Mendelssohn.
3. I am Jewish. Well, that's really obvious if you know me at all. I am addicted to USY, and I spend about 12 hours a week at Hebrew/religious school.
4. I enjoy my overloaded schedule, even though it includes 5 or less hours of sleep each night, and about 8 hours each night on weekends.
5. I love kids- my campers, Sunday school students, kids I babysit, and kids I tutor. ♥
6. I love to cook, especially baking bread.
7. My favorite TV show is, yes, Good Luck, Charlie. It is followed by 19 Kids and Counting and Dance Moms. 
Rule 4: Nominate 15 blogs. Let them know they've been nominated and how to accept the award.
I'm actually just going to share my favorite blogs, since they are bigger. I may end up telling them, but I may not.
Chasing Rainbows: http://www.kateleong.com/
Love that Max: http://www.lovethatmax.com/
Jewish Homeschool Blog: http://jewishhomeschool.blogspot.com/
Inspired Ima: http://inspiredima.com/
Raising Olives:  http://raisingolives.com/

Thanks, and I hope to start posting more soon!

Back Again

I know, same story, but I've once again disappeared from the blogging world for a while. This time, though, I think the time really paid off. My schoolwork has been requiring a lot more attention, and I can definitely say I've been working harder. I took a math test on Friday, and I'm really happy to say it got my grade up to something more acceptable for me. It isn't quite where I hope it will be, but is anything ever good enough for a perfectionist?
I've also been working hard at piano- my teacher has had me memorize two songs in a row, and I think they sound pretty good! I'm definitely ready to record and post a video of one of them, so I'm excited about that. :) 
Some good and bad about orchestra- Good: I got second chair! That's right, more hard work and practice paying off. I get to play in a nonet in the concert, which is exciting. 
Bad: I killed my violin on Thursday, and I can't even start on how depressed I am about it. You don't understand until you have an instrument and you ruin it, but losing a good instrument is a lot like losing a person. I get sick every time I think about it, and nothing feels right- I've tried other violins because I know I will need to replace it, but nothing is mine. I'm probably going to end up getting the same model as my old one, and just hoping that I can learn to love it as much. </3


Sorry I didn't post more about Passover- it was a very fast week!

Home Again

I'm back! I was actually back yesterday afternoon, but I'm just getting on to post here now. I had such an amazing weekend at convention. I know USY wasn't one of the poll topics that I said I was going to blog about, but its just so amazing, I have to. First of all, if you're Jewish, which I don't think anyone who reads this blog is, join! I can't even begin to put into words how amazing it is, but I can guarantee that it is an amazing experience. ♥
My weekend was filled with a night hike, board elections, Israel advocacy programs, Tikkun Olam programs, lots of praying, amazing study sessions, and a ton of ruach. My favorite part of convention is definitely ruach, fast and slow. Picture over 150 teens standing in tight circle on chairs and singing psalms, hymns, etc at the top of their lungs. Then picture everyone crowded into a small room on the floor, singing really beautiful melodies. It is magical, even though it may not sound that way from my description.
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Now since Passover was one of the topics you wanted me to blog about, here's a little bit to start.
As of yesterday morning, my kitchen was all clean. We have a basket full of food in our laundry room, and our table is still not Pesachdik, but our oven, microwave, and counters are all cleaned off and ready for the holiday.
When I went to bed last night, instead of reading like I usually do, I started practicing the Kiddush, the blessing over the wine. Since Passover this year starts on Friday night, also Shabbat, there are extra words added in, and an extra song to go with it. Last year my grandpa asked me to do it without telling me beforehand, so this I'm going to be prepared, including all of the special parts for Shabbat.
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Okay one more thing. This is short, but really cute, so I had to mention it. We had a chocolate seder in our 3rd-5th and 6th-8th grade youth groups yesterday, and it was really cool. Wondering why I went? Just because I have a lot of 8th grade friends. Anyway, it was a really cute model Passover meal, but everything was some kind of ice cream or candy. 
Kadesh- The first cup of chocolate milk
Urchatz- washing hands
Karpas- Green pistachio ice cream
Yachatz- Breaking chocolate covered matzah in half
Magid- Telling the story of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, and a really cute version of the Four Sons modified to be about ice cream.
Rachtzah- Washing hands
Motzi Matzah- Saying the blessing and eating chocolate covered matzah.
Maror- "Bitter" Everything but the Kitchen Sink ice cream.
Korech- Ice cream sandwich
Shulchan Oreh- "Festive meal" of chocolate eggs and marshmallows.
Tzafun- Search for hidden chocolate covered matzah. Winners took home chocolate seder plates.
Bareh- Third cup of chocolate milk
Hallel- Passover song parodies about candy
Nirtzah- Conclusion of the chocolate seder with "Next year in Vermont!" because Vermont is where Ben and Jerry's was started.


Here's a link to one chocolate seder haggadah: http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/mcoblenz/haggadah2005.pdf
It isn't exactly what we used, but close.

Wordless Wednesday

I know it isn't technically Wednesday, but I haven't gone to sleep yet, so it counts. This is something a lot of blogs do, and I thought it would be fun to try. :)

New Clothes!

In preparation for my convention, my mom and I went shopping at Old Navy last night so I could get clothes. Thought I would show you a few things I bought.

This dress looks really pretty on. I'm going to wear it to the dinner and dance Saturday night. I also bought a plain black cardigan to wear over this.

These are just shoes that I liked. I don't like flip flops, so I was looking for something besides tennis shoes to wear all summer. I did end up getting a pair of basic flip flops to wear in the shower at camp and stuff.

Couldn't find this skirt online, so I had to take the picture myself. I'm going to wear it to Saturday morning services. I am wearing it with a navy cami and white crop sweater.