vacation

so i love breaks and vacations. except this one. i LOVE christmas and everything to do with it and no school. well i guess finals were so stressful that i needed to get sick. On Saturday i woke up with a really bad pain in my right side. i just kinda ignored it thinking i need to just eat since i didn't eat dinner on friday night. so i ate breakfast and took a shower. the pain just didn't go away. it was sharp and intense. yes, i missed my cousin's wedding reception. (Sorry Kilie!) stupid pain. i threw up that night and my mom decided to just have me sleep it off, thinking it would get better. well that night i couldn't sleep at all. every way i turned i hurt everywhere. so i woke up on sunday in much worse pain. so we decided to take me to the ER at banner Gateway. so we got into a room pretty quickly. we had the nicest female PA who said it definately looked like appendicitis just by the symptoms. so they got some blood tests and started an IV because i was also super dehydrated. so then i had to get a CT scan. that was the weirdest feeling in the world. they injected this dye stuff in my IV and the nurse said i would get this warm feeling and it would feel like i wet the bed. sure enough it did feel like i did. but i promise i didn't. so when they got the CT back the PA said it early appendicitis so it hadn't ruptured yet. thank goodness! then i started to get a fever. not good!

so i was moved upstairs into the pre-op room so they could prep me for surgery. i was kind of scared, my first time in surgery. first time in a hospital. but the last thing i remember before going was saying bye to my mom and them injecting something into my IV to knock me out. i then woke up in the recovery room with an oxygen mask on. i didn't know if i was in or out of surgery because everything was still blurry and i didn't have my glasses on. then the nurse started talking to me and asking me questions. i was still really out of it. but luckily i didn't do anything crazy.

I was then moved into my room where Mom, Dad, Alison, and Marianne were waiting for me. i was still not really with it, but enough to talk to them. I was then told that my appendix had ruptured while i was there in the hospital, when i got my fever. that means longer stay because all the infection and junk that gets into your body when it ruptures! i was hooked up to so many cords and machines. the doctors then put these things on my legs that inflatted so i didn't get blood clots. it was really uncomfortable, especially with all the other wires. Andrew and DeeDee also came by that night. They got a picture of me, so i will upload it later. but all i did was lay there and watch tv. then i went on a walk with my IV pole and andrew and deedee. let me tell you. it was so so so hard to walk after being operated on and not moving for a while. i was so stiff and in pain. So my nurse gave me some vicodin.that stuff knocks you out.

Dan dropped by later too. my mom stayed the night with me and helped me throughout the rest of the night.

Thinking i was going to have to stay a lot longer, i was just getting comfortable! but around 9 or 10 my surgeon came in and said i could go home!! so we had to wait until Kristen and Marianne came and got me. I was then pushed down in a wheelchair to the car. when i got home i was OUT! my Grandma and aunt came and saw me at my house. so i woke up and was in MAJOR pain. my mom wasn't home with my drugs yet.. ugh! but when she did i was in heaven!

My best friends came and brought me ice cream!! they are so sweet and i love them alot!! anyway so that's how my vacation started.. not very fun. thanks alot finals for doing this to me!!! i will hate you forever!!

anway, i am getting better. still a little stiff and sore and in pain. but other than that i have to take drugs, walk around my street every hour so i heal faster, and make sure im not up too much!

I hope your vacation has been so much better than mine! have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

{love always}

melissa

life lately..

Sorry i'm so bad at this thing.. i just don't have time!! anyway so we just had our annual Holiday dinners for choir. they were Tuesday -Thursday. Kristen came on Wednesday and my family came on thursday. it's so fun because at the end of the dinner every choir sings Candlelight Carol and Still Still Still and they ask all the alumni to come sing with their siblings or just the choir. so on Wednesday Kristen came and sang with me and on Thursday Dan did. it was so fun to sing with them!!
We only have ONE more week of school before Christmas break!!! i'm so excited and at the same time so stressed because of finals!! so this weekend and next week are going to be full of studying HARD!! but i am so excited for Christmas! theres only 13 days until Christmas! I love the Christmas season. i love the hallmark christmas movies. i love hot chocolate. i love the chrismas music. i love caroling. i love wearing scarfs and jackets but i don't like the cold. i love family. i just love love love this season!! Last night was our ward Christmas party. it was lots of fun. Santa even came!!!

So i have heard everyone talking about the show Glee and how good it was. so i have been watching it all week! and can i just say I LOVE THAT SHOW!! it is so good. so this week was the season finale. it was so good. im so glad i got into the show!

anyway, thats what i have been up too.. here are some pictures from holiday dinners! me and my friend Alison!

me and joey are gangsters. don't even try to mess with us. you should be jealous.

this is me and joey when we don't have "business" to take care of.

{much love}

HALLOWEEN!!!

I love halloween!!! it is so fun to dress up and to see everyone dressed up!! I was Tinkerbell this year. it was soo last minute, but it turned out good! Kristen was tinkerbell up at girls camp and made a really cute skirt thing that i used! We had Landyn Jinx and Baby Jade for halloween while dan went and worked at a festival thing with horses and page didn't feel good.. Landyn was a ladybug.. and she was the CUTEST ladybug EVER!! Jade had a bear costume on but it was too hot to wear so we took it off and put her in a cute halloween out fit!

We had our annual ward Halloween party which most of my family comes too!!


Cole, the cowboy, Ali, the cow, and me.

Landyn, me, and Ryleigh, the flamingo!

all of the grandkids were super super cute!! i love them all!!

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!

Some of the wardies.

MJ!?! i think yes.

anyway.. after the party, i went with my friend Lindsey and some other people to a haunted house, and the we went to someones house and watched the Uninvited. that movie was so scary!! sorry about the late post but i hope you enjoy it!!

{love always}

oh the joy of life.

okay. so last week was super crazy busy!! Monday & Tuesday i didn't go to school because i didn't feel good. NO it was not the swine flu!! Wednesday was Landyn Jinx's birthday! she is the smartest 2 year old i know!! we went down to the farm and did a hayride and dinner. I love her so much!!

Then after the party i had to hurry on over to our last church softball game. i made it in time to play first base for about 5 minutes. yeah it was pretty lame. but im really glad i went!!

This is my best friend Hayley. we like to match and be crazy!

This is hayley and another one of my best friends Rebecca. i love this girl so much!!

Sis. Amundsen is our stake young womens president. and i basically love her alot.

so yeah. that was my week that i had pictures for. Friday i went with my cousin Jenson to the MVT vs. Gilbert football. Jenson goes to Gilbert. and yes we won. Saturday i watched my niece and nephew, Ali and Cole. Anyway. i hope your last week was so good. i will update soon since Halloween is on Saturday!!

-much love-

October Break!

So this year Mesa decided to give us a whole week off in october as "fall break" instead of 2 days. So i went and visited Brad, Heather, and all their kids in South Dakota!! I was supposed to go in summer, but i got to take summer school instead. so my mom decided i could go during "fall break". I left Saturday the 10th. It was my very first flight, and i was going all by myself. i wasn't really scared to fly, but my fear was getting lost in the airport and missing my flight and not being able to go. lame i know. So my mother got a gate pass and got to be with me until i boarded my plane. I LOVE MY MOTHER! she is so sweet! i was also really scared to sit by a creeper guy. but luckily i sat by this nice lady who talked to me a little bit then went to sleep the rest of the flight. When i got to SD on Saturday, I was greeted by Heather, Jaz, Jada, and Kishawn. it was so fun to see them all there. We got to the car and Karol(Heathers mother) and baby Kenzie were in the car! So far so good. Then we got to their house and i saw Kiana!
LIFE IS GOOD!

Sunday i woke up and it was SNOWING! this was my first time seeing snow actually fall. lame i know! It was so fun! We went to church. Everyone was so nice and accepting. We came out of church and it was still snowing. Being a little mesa girl, i wasn't really ready for the cold yet. I WAS FREEZING!!

Then we decided to play on their swing in the basement, which is so fun! Its just a piece of plywood hooked up to their ceiling covered in fabric so it is pretty comfortable! Even the big kids have fun on it!
Heather homeschools all the kids. she is one brave women! so during the week i just helped out where i could. sometimes i even taught the kids math! after "school" and lunch was quiet time!! quiet time is probably the greatest thing ever! We went swimming at the community pool where brad works. On Wednesday Heather, me and baby Kenz went to the pool because Heather has some class that she does there so i was holding Kenz. and apparently i look old enough to have a 5 month old baby. so many people would ask "oh how old is your baby?" or "she is so cute." i just kinda went along with it. but afterwards we were in the locker room and heather was changing and a lady walked past and saw me holding Kenz and she goes "are you in the mommy and me class?" i was thinking "uh hello lady! i am only 16!" but i just kindly said no i am not and just laughed it off. but man COME ON PEOPLE! how old do i really look!?!

Anyway. on Thursday we took a little trip down to the park and played in the leaves! it was a blast!

On Friday we went to Mt. Rushmore. It was really cool and interesting to see how they made it! *small world experience* We saw a couple from their ward and his parents were visiting. so we started talking to his mom. and she said she grew up in Tempe, she went to McClintock high school, and her dad was mission president in the Tempe mission. i didnt make connections until we were leaving. My mom grew up in Tempe, My mom went to McClintock, and MY mom was baptized by the Tempe missionaries! so we immidiately went back to ask her if she knew her. and she couldnt remember but the we called my mom and she says she knows her older sister and her! One of my dads mission companions actually dated her sister! Her dad was the mission president right before my mom got baptized. i just thought it was crazy.

everyone is smiling in this picture! AMAZING!
After Rushmore we went out to dinner. Then we went ice skating! It was so fun. but it was a school fundraiser that night so there were a bunch of middle school kids there. let me just say, i have not heard so many curse words in my life!! all of them were dropping the "f" bomb seriously like every other word. It was RIDICULOUS!! But it was still so fun.

Me & Jada

Kishawn concentrating hard on not falling.

Brad helping Kiana skate!

BEST EVER!

Well that is my trip. It was really a lot of fun! Thanks Brad & Heather for letting me stay at your house for a whole week. *one last funny story* So i was sitting in the airport just sitting there waiting to board the plan and i hear someone behind me go "How was your vacation?" and i turned around wondering who i was going to see. it happened to be the lady i sat be on the way there. i had told her that i was vistiting my brother. it was really funny! anyway hope everyone else had a great vacation!

-much love-

dates. Dates. DATES!

Since i am 16, even though most of you think i am still a little girl, i can DATE! i went on my first date this past saturday. it was so much fun! i went with Adam Kent who i have been good friends with since 7th grade.But the best part about my first date was it was with 3 of my best friends Sarah,Hayley,and Lia! it was also sarah and hayleys first date.Anyway. There was 5 couples.Hayley went with Dallen Ellsworth, Sarah went with Kody Richardson, Lia went with Kohl Klepinger, and Kyleigh went with Hyrum. We went to Pizza Mart for dinner. Then we went to a parking garage to ride long boards and each couple had a poster board that we had to make into an paper airplane and see whose went the furthest. Mine and Adams was the bes of course! Then we went swimming at Trevors house. It was all so fun and Adam was such a gentlemen and opened my door all night! Thanks Adam and all the other guys who planned it!

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!

Me and Adam

On wednesday i went on my second date! I went with Austin Arnett for his mutual date night. It was also alot of fun! We split into 3 groups and each group had 2 couples in it and we had to go find a dinner meal for under $10. we went to sonic because austin had a coupon for there. Then we went over to one of his leaders houses and played dodgeball on the wii. it was a blast because i have never played that! Anyway. so that is what my life has consisted of the past week!

And then there was school. let's just say i am ready for October break!! i'm always so busy with school work and i need a break!! anyway. right now im so sick with a stupid head cold! that's what school does to you. being in a classroom with a lot of other people and the germs start flying!! but i hope i get better soon! Hope eveyone elses lives are going great!! I love you all!

-much love-

school.. :/

well we have been in school for almost 3 weeks!! it's so crazy. it seems so much longer than that! anyway, im am currently doing okay in my classes. it's going to be a difficult year for me. i have spanish 3, algebra 2, choir, dual enrollment anatomy and physiology, american history, and SEMINARY! i'm mostly really worried about spanish, math, and anatomy. because i haven't really developed good study habits these past few years, it's going to be difficult to just NOW starting to get some good habits. i'm just going to have to study ALOT and not procrastinate like i already have. but i know i can do it! Today in seminary i was told that i'm now going to be the music vice-president. that just means i make sure we have people to play the piano and lead, and i can put together musical numbers every once in a while. i'm so excited!! i'm also so excited for choir this year! we get to go on a trip in march with 2 other choirs to DISNEYLAND! i know this will sound really weird to you, and sound like i have had a deprived childhood, but i have never been to disneyland before! so i'm so excited to finally get the opportunity to go! anyway enough of school. this past weekend i got to go to Beauty and the Beast at Hale Theatre. it was so much fun to go! i went with a bunch of my friends. we had pizza at Lindsey's house then went on over to the theatre. it was fun to watch because the guy playing the beast was the "spanish" Jesus in easter pageant and his wife was Belle. It was such a cute play! well that's pretty much all that's been exciting in my life! FIRST FOOTBALL GAME THIS FRIDAY! yay!

(early in the morning first day of school picture)

Goals for the rest of the year:

*develop good study habits

*make new friends at school

*be more outgoing and not shy!

*be more loving

last but not least.....

*FINISH PERSONAL PROGRESS! :)

finally..

Okay, so i finally decided to create a blog. I don't know how good i will be at updating it once school starts, but we will just have to see. My summer has been pretty fun. It has consisted of:
*Summer school the whole month of June.
* I went to the lake for the first time.. Didn't turn out so well. We went to Canyon Lake and everyone was in the boat and we were headed to find a place for luch. We were going pretty fast and the throttle got stuck. The driver, Steve , turned off the boat and threw it into reverse which slowed us down a little bit. We hit a canyon wall. Steve broke his nose, but everyone else , Andrew, DeeDee, Dan, Matt, Kayleen, and me were all okay except for some bumps and bruises. I am so grateful no one else got hurt bad! It could have been FATAL!
*My brother Brad and Heather and all the kids came down from South Dakota and stayed for 3 weeks.
*My mom planned a family reunion for her side, the Raineys. It was a lot of fun!
*Babysat.
*Last but the most exciting.. I TURNED 16!!!
So that's my summer in a nutshell. School starts this Wednesday. I might be more excited if i knew my schedule! But i don't because we don't get them until the first day of school!! Anyway we will see how that turns out. Well i will try and keep this updated!