Collasped

Sorry for not posting on my blog for almost a month. I've been so much during the last few weeks! Summer Hummer (a Christian day camp in Olympia) just ended Friday, and I was about to collapse! Hence the title. Anyway, I was an assistant counselor with Laurel for some "Crazy Crickets" or 2nd graders. They were so adorable! When Alison, one of the girls, saw me, she said I was a chipmunk. Haha! It was very random. Two of the girls, Sarah and Maria, go to Sunrise Beach School, where I will be attending high school this fall. So I will see them almost everyday!

We had so much fun this past week. I even went on the go carts three times with my girls and the zip line once! Also, a Christian band called The Lads were there the whole week! They were really nice. All three of the band members signed my camp shirt! It was a blast...and so very tiring. Well, I need to get some rest, so talk to you later! Bye!

P.S. "Collasped" was sung by Aly and AJ. Listen to it here.

I AM IN HIGH SCHOOL!

I made it! I have finally graduated into high school. Wednesday was the graduation. It was a miracle that I won the academic award. There are many great students in my class who are so smart! But personally, I think my favorite award was the Christian Character Award. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders voted for this award. Thank you for voting for me! And a bunch of my family came down from Seattle to Shelton just to see me. My younger cousin, who recently moved, came as well! (She left before the pictures.) I was so thankful and excited! We went to Denny's and I got home at 11:00.


I know it sounds all good, but it really isn't. I have to leave the only school I've ever known. I've been at Mason County Christian School for ten years, and I'm not ready to leave it behind. When the 7th graders prayed for the 8th graders yesterday, my friend had streams of tears running down her red face. It was then that the crying started. All in all, I think I cried about five times. I went to Dairy Queen after the last day of school (which was yesterday) and I still had tears in my eyes. My other friend was there, and after she ran up to me, I cried again. I am going to miss everyone from my school so much! The only way I will survive is if I keep letting God be the Captain of my life. HELP ME, LORD!


And I want to clarify that the guy in the picture (underneath my hand print) is NOT my boyfriend. I do NOT have one and probably won't for a while.

It's Been a Long Time!

Wow, I haven't posted since about two weeks ago. I'm sorry! Well, here are a few things that happened (or will happen) recently in my life: the sub-district track meet, the district track meet, a couple of finals, a presentation on the Philippines, my cousin and her mom moving out, getting highlights, a whole bunch of missing school for field trips, and graduating out of 8th grade. That was a lot! I guess I've been too busy to post until now. No finals tomorrow. Nothing due tomorrow. Anyway, at sub-districts, I got 2nd in long jump (12' 1") and 1st in 50 (7 seconds-something). At districts, I got 2nd again (beat by the same girl) when I jumped 13' 1-and-a-half". Okay, now I'm going back in time. At the Olympia track meet, there was a girl who supposedly beat me. My coach said that I actually beat her. She did it again. At least that's what people keep telling me. I got 2nd by two hundredths-of-a-second! Oh well. And our relay got 3rd! Now to finals...well, you know how that guess--hours of studying--so I won't go into that. The Philippines presentation was today. I brought lumpia! :D Today, my cousin and my aunt moved into a house she bought with her husband. I got caramel highlights, but they turned reddish. They are awesome! And tomorrow is our last real day of school. The other five have field trips. And....I AM FINALLY GRADUATING OUT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL! Well, next Wednesday anyway!

Another Track Meet (At Capital High School)

Well, yesterday my school had a track meet at Capital in Olympia. This was my first time actually doing track there. (The last time I was there was in sixth grade, when we found out--shortly after arriving there--that the meet had been canceled.) Anyway, I got 2nd in 50, and 2nd in relay. But the real highlight of the night (for me) was long jump. I got scratches for both the practice and the first jump. My teacher--who I didn't know was coming--encouraged me. Because of that, I jumped 12' 7" for my second jump, beating my PR by two inches. Before the last jump, Mr. S. (my teacher) told me to concentrate on going high. With that in mind (and God on my side), I totally crushed my new record--by one foot! I jumped 13' 7"! Praise God! Afterward, my family had a Bible study and went outside for marshmallows and fireworks. It was so fun! My cousin and I slept at 1:12. :D (BTW, the party thing was because it was the our last study in the book of John.) Well, I hope y'all have a great day!

1st Track Meet of the Season

Greetings, everyone from Washington and beyond! Today was my school's first track meet. I was so nervous! My first event was long jump, and I had to quickly change out of my spikes into my tennis shoes in the last minutes. I actually did pretty decent, even though I got 2nd. I jumped 11'9", which is only about five inches off my record. Yay! In the 50 meter dash, I got first in my heat (although I'm not sure what I got in both heats). My last event was relay, and in that we got fourth. Well, I think that's it was now, so ta-ta!

A Haiku for You

Today, we wrote haiku, triplets, and limericks. This is my haiku about apple blossoms. The only time I've seen apple blossoms (I think) is when my class when to Washington D.C. and the apple trees were in bloom. Anyway, here goes:

Apple Blossoms
Swaying in the wind,
The precious blossoms whisper,
Gently on your cheek.

Happy Easter!

Hello, everyone! As the title says, Happy Resurrection Day to you! This day has really made me think (which, frankly, I don't like doing). Imagine being betrayed by one of your friends with a sour kiss for money. Imagine being whipped with a scourge with little pieces of sharp glass in it. Imagine having long nails being pounded into your wrists and feet. But most of all, imagine having all the sins of the world, both present and future, heaped onto your back. That is what Jesus did. And for that reason, we should all be eternal grateful. Easter is not just a happy day with adorable bunnies and colorful eggs; it's the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. That day, thousands of years ago, death was defeated. Amazing, isn't it? Here's a poem I wanted to share with y'all (as you can tell, my class is studying poetry):

Good Friday

What is good about Good Friday?
When mocked and scorned was He?
When rivers of scarlet flowed down His face?
When they crucified the Prince of Peace?

What is good about Good Friday?
He took on the shame on the cross
That was our own to bear.
Now we are free and His alone!

Science Fair (I'm Not Trying to Brag!)

Hey! Sorry for not posting. I have been really busy with science reports and such. Today was the Mason County Science and Engineering Fair. This year my project was about acid rain and how it affects plant growth. I was pleasantly surprised when it won the Best in Category award. (My category was 8th grade Biological.) What was even more shocking was the Best of Show award. There are only two of these awards in the science fair, and I'm honored to have one. With it, I also won a sweatshirt (which is huge on me!) with this year's logo on it. The picture was drawn by 4th grader Cody Bragg. It's a picture of a mad scientist and it's very....um....interesting. LOL :D Well, bye for now!

Mid-Winter Break!

Today, at 3:00 PM, was the offical start of mid-winter break. I am so happy! My school has the whole next week off...and my brother's only has today and Monday! More days of vacation. Yay! Well, I'm gonna spend a lot of my break working on my science oral report...I know, boring. Last year I made a wet cell battery. This year, I am going to "make" artifical acid rain and test how it affects plant growth. If you have any ideas, please comment! Thanks again.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! Finally, 2008 is over. And finally 2009 is here. Do you all have New Year's Resolutions? Well, here are mine:

1. Keep God in my busy life and have a deeper relationship with him.

2. Do my best in everything (especially homework and studying).

Well, I hope everybody has a great year in 2009. Just an update on school and such. My class is in Building 3, but part of the roof caved in, so three grades have to be in the same room! (But it's bigger than an average classroom.) And we have a ton of homework. Over Christmas Break, we had to do a three page timeline (which is huge) and a book report. It was definetly not a relaxing vacation. And I got a laptop for Christmas. And my family got a Wii. That's it for now. Bye!

My Opinion on Black Friday (And Cyber Monday!)

I know it is a bit late for posting this, but here is a paragraph (actually two!) which was assigned for school on what I think Black Friday is:

Another holiday follows Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November. The next day is Black Friday. It marks the customary start of the Christmas shopping season. Because of this, most of the stores will have their inventory on sale. This encourages people to be fighting to be first to get the best deals. With the stores packed full, it is definitely not a good idea to shop on Black Friday. Even though every ad promises the opposite, there will be better sales and not as big as a commotion.
This situation of rushing consumers brought a terrible event upon a Long Island Wal-Mart. After opening the doors of that New York superstore, an employee by the name of Jdimytai Damour was trampled and killed. Still, some rushed customers did not bother to stop and evacuate the building after the death. News of this consequence of the wave of passionate shoppers on Black Friday spread throughout the world. It is very saddening to think that several humans don’t care about others because of shopping. Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when electronics are priced lower, are not the days to do your Christmas shopping. Not everyone should shop those two days. I do not think it is wise to shop on these shopping holidays if deaths are all that will be produced from it. To make sure no more deaths come from these shopping days, we shouldn’t shop on Black Friday of Cyber Monday. Besides, Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus’ birth, not material things. It should be a peaceful time; not a time for killing people for presents.

OMG! I haven't posted in forever!

I am really, sincerely sorry. The last time I have posted on this blog was...in the end of September! I don't know what to say. Well, we got our report cards and VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) essay results. The report cards were not all that bad, and I got third in the contest and won *drumroll* FIVE BUCKS! Yeah...it's pretty awesome. Oh, and we took this Bible test on Friday. It was...different. As my teacher likes to say, "It's not fill in the blank anymore; it's fill in the paragraph." Though, it wasn't really really long, it was hard to manage my time. Which is a really sad confession. I am a procrastinator. Anyway, I got 99% because my teacher doesn't give 100%. My class went on a field trip to the Nordic Heritage Museum on Thursday. And on the way there (it's in Seattle) we went to Krispy Kreme! I love their doughnuts! Don't you?

Don't forget to celebate your country's veterans tomorrow! They have done so much in the history of the U.S. Don't let it just be another day off of school.

Beware of Roses!

This was part of an article from Green at MSN.com. Basically the gist is: Some Ecuadorian and Colombian rose growers are using water and chemicals banned in the U.S.

The 200 million rose stems that arrive in the U.S. for Valentine's Day each year require tons of pesticides, and it’s estimated that some 20 percent of the chemicals used are illegal here. A 2007 study by the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) found that more than 66 percent of Ecuadorian and Colombian flower workers were plagued by work-related health problems -- including skin rashes, respiratory problems, and eye problems -- due to toxic pesticides and fungicides. ILRF also found that "flower workers experience higher-than-average rates of premature births, congenital malformations and miscarriages," and were subjected to 70- or 80-hour work weeks in high season.

And it gets even worse:

But the risks of pesticide use in floriculture are not confined to Latin America. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S floriculture industry is one "of the heaviest users of pesticides in all of agriculture." Some of the highest-use pesticides in California’s floral industry, for example, include methyl bromide, a hazardous chemical that is also a top ozone-depleter; acephate, an organophosphate neurotoxin hazardous to humans and highly toxic to bees; and chlorothalonil, a "likely carcinogen." Methyl Bromide is being phased out elsewhere, but the floriculture industry has won repeated exemptions to the Montreal Protocol, the landmark treaty phasing out substances that deplete the ozone layer.

We need to stop using these chemicals and make the world a better place to live! (Thanks to Mr. S. for talking to the class about this.)

The First Week (or Half-Week) of School!

I just can't believe that I am now in the oldest class of my school! The first day was a breeze, and so were the second and third. At MCCS, the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders go on Fall Kickoff, which lasts two days. We usually do a service project and a hike. This year we went to Millersvania State Park and the Mima Mounds. They were amazing. Everyone should know and go to the Mima Mounds. The start of homework and misery also started as school started. We had a science experiment, a history chapter to read, a vocabulary sheet to fill out, and a Bible passage to type out. Amazing, right? Well, I better go. Until next time, Kayla Dimalanta.

School is starting in two days!

I can't believe the summer is almost over. It went by WAY too fast. Since it will be two more days till I actually have something interesting to write here's a little something I wrote. It's not done yet, so if you have any ideas please comment! Thanks!

A Sweet and Sour Secret:
(We're Not Talking Chicken)

Chapter 1
Hi, my name is Kira Dennis. I am a typical teenager at Manhattan High School. I love to email my friends, IM, surf the web, you know, average stuff. But one thing about me is not average. I have magic powers! One day at school, as usual, I was listening attentively. I often write notes, and today was one of those days. (Sometimes while I am studying, my best friend, Mariah Summers, can’t even get my attention.) Anyway, while taking notes, I usually never get to listen. So, I silently wished that the sentences on the board would just get transferred to my notebook, and guess what happened? It happened! That was the first day of my magic. The event made me quite confused, yet very excited. Where did I get this gift? It has been a month since I discovered I had to power to make wishes come true.

Chapter 2
The next week felt like the peak of my life. My arch nemesis, Delanie Avila, started to get nice to my BFF and me. In the Café, her clique even saved Tina and me seats. (The Café was the sophomores’ name for the cafeteria.) Also, there was, believe it or not, a popularity list constructed by Delanie! Tina and I had also been in the last 50 in the past year. But now there was a change. We were moved to Top 50! Believe me, something was fishy. I had to admit that I thought it was too good to be true. I hadn’t even used my magic powers since the day I had discovered them!

Chapter 3
I soon figured out that the “Beauties”, as we called them, wanted Tina to be in their clique! They asked her and guess what she said? Yes! Can you believe it!? Delanie told her that they were going to ask me, but they didn’t. Tina and I got into a HUGE fight. We yelled. We screamed. We blamed each other. My world was turning upside down! Tina and I separated: Tina went shopping with the Beauties, and I was left without a friend. Could my life become any worst? Well, I guess so. The next, day while I was walking toward my locker, I saw that the popularity list was posted. I scanned the top 10, and jumped for joy. I saw that Tina Smith, my old best friend, was there. (I still wanted to be friends with Tina, but she had a different opinion.) I was still concerned about myself, and therefore scanned the list for my name. Again surprised, I sank to the cold floor. What had happened? Instead of my new place at Top 50, I found my name in the Last 25!

Chapter 4
But I had other problems. The annual Valentine’s Ball was coming up! What was I supposed to do? I didn’t even have an idea who I was going with! But I did have a dream. I wanted to go to the ball with Manhattan’s very own football superstar, Jesse Kendall. But everyone, well the girls any anyway, wanted to go with him to the ball. (The boys all wanted to be his friend.) I didn’t even have a chance. He does say “Hi!” to me sometimes, but he does that to everybody at the school. Maybe I would use my magic powers to make him like me.

Chapter 5
I am thinking very seriously of using my magic powers, once again. But would there be any limitations? I would have to think about it. Meanwhile, Delanie passed me in the hall. “Hi, loser! Guess who I going to the dance with?” was all I heard, though the hall was crowded. I had to say something. This is what I said: “Smelly Stephen?” Believe me, I was daydreaming. Jesse was all I was thinking about. “No, I am going with Jesse…” I left before she said those horrible words I never wanted to hear.

Chapter 6
I was thinking last night, and found a limitation. I thought, Wait he’s perfect. I have to use my magic. But I just couldn’t get the thought out of my head that, while I thought it was perfect, it would never be true love. So, some how or another, I had to not use my powers.

Chapter 7
I had thought a week ago my life was falling apart. But now I realize that I didn’t have it that bad. I now got grounded by my own parents (who used to love me, but now hate me). It was my all fault. Delaine and I passed in the hall and she said a really mean thing. I wanted her to stop teasing me, so I planned to pick up my backpack from my locker and run for it. As I swung my backpack, it hit Delanie and she started bawling. We were the only ones in the hall, but as soon as she started to tear up, the principal rounded the corner. Oh no, was my only thought. If I ran, I would be in even bigger trouble, and Delanie would probably tell Mr. Roberts that I did it on purpose. On the other hand, if I explained to him I was just leaving for the bus, he would certainly understand. So I stood my ground. Of course, that got in my trouble with my parents. I HATE HIGH SCHOOL!

Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my thirteenth birthday! Guess what? My mom actually bought me a Coach purse and gave me $100! I was so surprised! The purse is so cute!

Two Soccer Games

Wow. I haven't posted for forever. I'm so sorry! Life is just busy. Well, we had a game on Monday and Wednesday like normal. On Monday, we went against the Olympic Laundry team, which is the blue team. We won, but I'm not sure exactly the score. I just know that we pretty much crushed them. Then on Wednesday, we faced the yellow team, which is sponsered by Webeley Soccer Shop. They were the team to beat. And yes, we did beat them. They were undefeated, and so far, our team is the only one who has beat them. The score was 2-1. It was a fabulous game! YEAH! WE WON!

And Update! (Except this time, soccer goes first.)

Yesterday was another game for my team, Olympic Insurance. But this time, we won. We have played Little Creek Casino two times now. Alex Deacon is (probably) the star player on the team. But this game, he or his brother weren't there. (That might have made it a little easier for our team.) Again Kyle was on fire. So was Cisco. I'm pretty sure he scored all of our goals. Let me repeat...WE WON! The score was 4-1. But I had to play midfield when all I ever do is be a defender. One of my teammates got hit in the face, and I had to go in for her.

Summer Hummer is ending tomorrow. I did my normal stuff: hula-hooping, hula-hooping, and did I mention hula-hooping? Today I tied a lot of bracelets. I surprised myself. Well, I have to go now. I'll post again after tomorrow. :)

A Summer Hummer and Soccer Update

Since most of you don't know what Summer Hummer is, I will tell you. It's a VBS (Vacation Bible School) at Westwood Baptist Church in Olympia. They have awesome activities such as water slides, zip lines, rock climbing wall, laser tag, dodgeball, and so much more! They have 855 camper and about 370 staffers, of which I am one. I am doing 1st-6th grade morning games and bead room. Priscilla (one of my friends) is also doing morning games, and we doing hula-hoop together. Then in the afternoons I work in the bead room where I (mostly) tie knots, put nail polish on the knots, and cut off the excess string. It is quite boring, but it is fun.

Yesterday, we had a soccer game against Webley Soccer Shop. It is the undefeated team. They were the very first team we went against and lost to 5-0. But we have gotten better. This time we lost 3-2. The star of the show had to be my brother. He was everywhere. Although he is a defender, he blocked almost every ball. It was like he was on steriods! (Of course, he isn't.) I'll post later in the week about soccer and Summer Hummer. Ta ta!

The Second Game

Last night, we had another soccer game. But this time we won! YEAH! We went against the Little Creek Casino team a.k.a. Alex Deacon's team. It was awesome! Cisco scored like 4 goals and Avon scored one. It was great. And this time, Reann knew where to play. We did good. Guess what the score was? 5 - 3! Our team won by 2 points! Hurrah! Well, I have to get ready for soccer pics. I'll keep you updated on the games! TTFN