Getting ready for Christmas!

Christmas is by far the best time of the year. It's a time for familys to carry on traditions and get together even when everyones lives are so busy. This year, before Thanksgiving we put up our tree. This was actually a good thing because usually our tree goes up December 24th. We never get around to putting up christmas lights but this year I'm going to make a real attempt to actually do it. Anyways, Christmas eve is probably my favorite part of it all. We clean all day (ew), and then get ready and head out to church at night. After church it's tradition that we always go out and get Chinese food. We then go home and everyone gets to open one chirstmas present. We also usually watch a Christmas Story or White Christmas while making cookies or some sort of desert. After getting ready for bed we all say our good nights and get ready for the day to come. I'm a little bit sad that there is no little kids left in our house who believe in santa clause. We used to listen for santa on the roof, and I would swear I heard the raindeers hooves clinking around. We had homemade raindeer food we would throw out in the yard, and the next morning we would run down stairs to make sure santa had eaten all of our cookies... now I know it was just my mom who ate all of the cookies. The next morning me and my siblings usually sleep in until noon and then make our way down the stairs to open our presents. We play around with the new things we got for chirstmas and then get ready to go to a family party. We take the long drive to my Aunts house and get to see my entire family and a lot of my cousins who live in boston and washington DC. It's overall just a really great experience and I'm looking forward to it this year.

Thanksgiving

I decided I would take a break from my usual writing and talk about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays so I wait for it unpatiently the week before. I love seeing ym family, and eating food for an entire day without stopping once. My family came over around 12 o'clock in the morning and it was really nice because my dad came home and we were all together. We had apetizers out like chips, vegetables, cookies, fruits, and much more. I ate my entire body weight before 2'oclock in the afternoon. Me and my sister then decided to snuggle up with our laptops and watch Elf while facebooking, emailing, and tweeting. It was kindof lame but we enjoyed ourselves. By the time dinner was done I was literally so full I didnt think I could even eat dinner. Somehow I managed to fit in mashed potatoes, turkey, greenbeans, corn, and bread. After eating I was so full I actually felt like I was in pain. I didnt know what to do other than to go up stairs and change into sweats and a baggy t shirt. After digesting for an hour or so I finally was ready to have my pumpkin icecream (best ice cream in the world). Shortly after we said goodbye to our family and we were all really tired, so we cleaned up the kitchen and headed up to bed. Overall it was a really nice, fillinf Thanksgiving.

Louisiana

When I was five years old I traveled to New Orleans to visit my aunt. Suprisingly I remember most of the deatils from that trip, and still think of it as one of the best trips i've ever taken. My dad was very adventurous and used to wake up in the morning and say "Hey, pack your stuff, I decided I wanted to go on a trip." These were the best days, and we were always very excited. That night we left for Louisiana. We drove straight the whole way there. When we got there it was Mardi Gras and let me tell you that was an interesting experience. There was a huge parade with people throwing beads and dancing in the streets. It was all very exciting, and by the end of the day we were exausted. The next day we went on a boat ride and there was bars in the water that the boats pulled up to. Everything is Lousiana was so cool and interesting and it's definatly a place you need tov isit when your at an older age. I hope to visit again someday!

Top Five

I've actually run out of places that I've traveled to/ really want to talk about. So today I'm going to tell you about the top five best cities to travel to.
#1- Paris
Paris is a beautiful city and I can actually agree with this because I've been there. There is never a boring moment and always something to do. The food (sandwiches) are fantastic, and the views are even better. There is a lot to see such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame.
#2- Barcelona
Barcelona is one of those unique places that has most everything, from an engaging culture of siestas, Spanish guitar and tapas to an outrageous nightlife scene. Oh, and on top of that, Barcelona offers vibrant shopping (Las Ramblas) and even some shoreline to relax on after an unreal night of partying.
#3-London
Just as New York is the bright star of the States, so London is to the United Kingdom. Bursting with a multiplicity of things to do -- touring the Tower of London, circling 'round in the London Eye, curtseying to the Queen outside Buckingham Palace, visiting the Tate Modern or scarfing down some fish'n'chips -- London appeals to a variety of travelers, including couples, families and backpackers. Visitors can finish off the day with a raucous night at a popular club or a refined evening at the theater -- and start all over again in the morning.
#4- San Francisco
Often cited as the most European city in the U.S., San Francisco definitely has a different feel from most American towns. Fun and relaxed, while at the same time, progressive and innovative, the city exudes an air of confidence and possibility. There are limitless ways to spend your time here, from lounging in cafes in North Beach to barhopping in the Mission
#5- NYC
There really is no place like New York City. You'll never be bored here. This is an international fashion capital with the hottest dining scene in the country and some of the best theater options you could ever find. Plus, nearly the entire city is covered in some of the most recognizable icons in the country, including the lights of Times Square and the unmistakable Empire State Building.

I hope someday you get a chance to visit some of these places, because they are all so beautiful and really give you sense of what life should really be like!

Home is where the heart is

While traveling is set up to be this wonderful adventurous experience, from time to time it's nice to appreciate where you came from. Home is not only the one place you feel most comfortable, but it's also where all of the people you love are. As of now I'm so excited to be leaving for college, however I also don't really want to go. At first I was contemplating going far away (either to central florida or american university of paris) but then I thought of what I would miss the most. I finally decided on staying in Pennsylvania because although I complain about it on a daily basis, what would I do without my family? A lot of people don't like to leave their friends after senior year but for me it's definatly my family. All of my best memories are with my family, and to be honest I consider them my best friends.
Another thing about traveling is that your always in a different bed. Don't you ever get tired of not being able to climb into the bed you've had since you were 5? I know I do... and when going far away nothing is farmiliar. While walking down the streets of Pennsylvania you can find Dairy Queen, Fridays, Olive Garden, and many other things. When your not in Pennsylvania you don't see those things and you will more than likely miss them. So for me it's important to never stray too far from home, and always come bac for visits. :)

Temple University

I was thinking about colleges today and I found it to be a good idea to put all rumours to rest about Temple University. When telling people it is my top choice for choosing colleges, there are a few things that are always said. Number one: You're going to get shot. It actually really bugs me when people say this because 75% of people who say this have never even been to Temple University. My mom was really shakey on the idea of me going there, but then we visited. The campus is beautiful and newly redesigned. The campus actually has it's own police force and I truely felt safe at all times. I will admit that the surrounding area around Temple is not my favorite, but I would compare it to the surrounding area of Pitt and nothing worse. I love everything about Temple... i love that I'll be in the city, and so close to philly cheese steaks :). I love the dorms, the dining halls, and the fitness center. I can't wait to spend the next four years there!

Sweden

Before you begin reading, it's probably important to know that I've never actually been to Sweden. However it is by far the number one place I want to visit before I die. Even though I have never been to Sweden I know a lot about it because I love traveling so much, and as geeky as it sounds, when I'm bored I like to learn about different cultures and areas around the world. I've wanted to visit Sweden ever since I was little, mainly because everything is beautiful there. The main city in Sweden is Stockholm and when looking at pictures your breath gets taken away... that's how beautiful it is. Not only is the scenery beautiful, but so are the people! Sweden is the number one market for high fashion models all over the world, so they must be pretty beautiful. Also during christmas my aunt likes to make Swedish recipes since she is Swedish (were not related :(). The food is delicious and I'm sure actually trying the real thing while visiting would be amazing. My friend tisha is currently studying abroad in Italy and met a Swedish guy names Nicoli. I've been skyping with him recently and it's fun to learn new words in a language you never thought you would get to experience. He tells me all about Sweden and sometimes I almost feel like I'm there. I can't wait to visit someday.