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.

Razzy Fresh!

Like I said in previous posts, you don't have to be going far to call it traveling! :) I had to include a post about Razzy Fresh because it is my all time favorite place in Pittsburgh. I could definatly say I'm in love with Razzy! My first time going there was last summer with some good friends before they were heading off to college. We headed out to squirrel hill and when we stopped in front of Razzy, we had to go in. The colors of the shop were neon green, yellow, purple, and pink and we had no idea what it was. It was a tiny little room no bigger than half a class room but boy was it tasty. They have ice cream machines set up on all the walls, and you crab a cup and fill it with however much ice cream you want. You can chose up to about 16 flavors which include rasberry, peanut butter, chocolate, and many many more. I usually get peanutbutter, strawberry, chocolate, and cookies and cream ice cream. Next we move on to the toppings table which has every single topping you could ever imagine. On mine I usually get peanut butter cups, cheesecake chunks, oreos, and m and ms. If you dont end up getting the toppings it can be very healthy for you because it's actually just frozen yogurt. I always get the toppings anyways. The next station you move to is the weighing counter. You put your cup on a scale which weighs your dish and thats how much you end up paying. The more icecream, the more money your spending! Then they have little tables set up for you to eat and chat. I really reccomend this to anyone who has never been because it's an incredible, tasty experience!

Washington DC

Washington DC is one of my favorite places because my family are all history buffs. We try to make a trip out there at least once a year because my cousin lives there and works at the Pentagon. This year when going to DC it was even more interesting to me because I had finally decided I wanted to be an accountant for the rest of my life. My cousins an accountant at the pentagon and let me follow her around at work one day which was amazing. I hope to be able to do that one day as well. The next day we went sight seeing which I never sick of even though I have seen it all numerous times. I love the licoln memorial and get a picture with it every year. It's so big! After sight seeing we head off to eat because were all usually starving by then. There is a quaint little pub on the corner near the pentagon and the food is delicious, we tend to go there every year and fill out stomachs till we think were going to puke. After a long day we head back to my cousins condo and get some rest before going out the next day. Washington DC is so much fun and I highly reccomend it to anyone who has never been before

Canada

A couple years back me and family traveled to Canada on a whim. My mom woke up one morning and told us to pack our things because she decided she wanted to go on a road trip. I had no idea where we were going and this wasnt like my mom at all so I was a little bit nervous. The ride took FOREVER to say the least and I ended up falling asleep at multiple points but eventually we got there. When getting there my mom announced that we were in Canada and she was so excited about it. I was feeling excited too because it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. We started off at Niagra Falls, which was awesome. I got to stand behind a waterfall so close I almost felt like I could touch the water rushing down in front of me. Since I was so little though I dont remember too much about this trip, however I still remember what it looked like, and how beautiful it was.

Outerbanks

Every summer me and my family go to the outer banks. I guess you could say it's a tradition, which is nice because I get to see my brother and sister who are gone at college all year. We leave for the beach the day I get out of school and rent a huge house with ten bedrooms. The reason we get such a large house is because it's not just my immediate family, but my whole family which is about 20 people or more. The whole week we basically just relax at the beach and go out to dinner. We usually kareoke at a kareoke bar, and get ice cream or frozen drinks. We go crabbing nightly which isnt my complete favorite but I dont like to miss out on the fun. The days at the beach are long and filled with boogey boarding, sun bathing, and sun burning (ouch!). Where we stay in the outer banks, there is a place near by where we can go shopping some nights and it's called timbuck 2. This is probably one of my favorite places because they have so many cool things to buy, and the best fudge in the world! The fudge shop is actually a singing fudge shop and every year I get ice cream and fudge mixed together and it's amazing to say the least. I love visiting the outer banks every year, and cant wait till next summer!

Germany... airport

It would be nice to say I’ve really been to Germany; however I’ve never been outside of their airport. Whenever traveling to France, we made a pit stop in Germany. You’re probably wondering why I’m writing about Germany if I’ve never exactly been there, but believe it or not being in their airport was one of the best times I’ve had… ever. Landing in Germany, we landed outside and had to catch a trolley to take us into the airport. This was new to me because any time I have flown we always would land next to a terminal. Taking the trolley to the airport was the first thing that I enjoyed because overall it was an extremely hilarious situation. I was just about the last person to squeeze onto this fully packed trolley and I was basically half on the stairs, and half on the bus driver. Everyone around me was speaking a different language and every time the trolley would go over a bump, it seemed as though people would shout out crude words in German and the driver would throw his hands up in the air and scream something back. This was so funny to me and I laughed the whole way to the airport lobby. Arriving at the airport lobby I noticed a kid my age sitting down waiting for his plane. I had about 6 hours until I was to catch my next plane so I had plenty of time to do nothing. I thought it would be interesting to strike up a conversation with a foreigner who I would never see again so that’s exactly what I did. His name was Alban and he was from Sweden. We got to talking and he told me stories of his childhood, some shocking and some similar to my own. I bring this up though because a story he told me will stay in my memory for many years to come. When he was a small child he lived in the country of Kosovo close to the border of Albania. One morning Serbian forces attacked his village and rounded up the families. He said that they put them in a line and he was closer to the end of the line. One by one the Serbian forces were shooting families down and leaving them for dead. Two families before Albans, they just stopped. He didn’t know why but he said he’s so thankful and lucky. The Serbian forces issues all the remaining families to leave, so Alban and his family moved to Sweden and that’s where he has lived ever since. I was so shocked by this story and it was very cool to learn about someone’s past and how they had been in a situation like that. Me and Alban are still very good friends and talk on skype from time to time. It’s funny that you can meet good friends in a German airport!

Italy

I've never really had the chance to get to Italy before, however, my sister spend six weeks there this summer and I now feel like I know enough about it to tell you a couple things. The thing my sister stressed the most is how creepy the guys are. She actually said that there was a guy hitting on her, while sitting on another guys lap, whom was petting his head. The weirdness does not end there either... multiple guys went up to her in broad day light shouting "We like red head!". That's just creepy and awkward.
Another thing my sister told me about was the food. Although the food was amazing... pasta, bread, and icecream got boring after a little while. She said it was nice being able to have wine with every meal when she was out to eat, though. She said the pizza was a little different and it was something she had to get used to, but after a little while she really enjoyed it. The pizza was really thin with different tasting sauces and cheese. Sounds good to me!
Although my sister was spending her six weeks in Italy, she traveled to Barcelona, Paris, Nice, Switzerland, and other places as well. The best night life was Barcelona apparently. That was her favorite place, too (Probably because of the night life). Italian guys dance really different than american guys apparently. She said she would keep explaining to them "no, bailar americano!" and they would just smile a creepy smile and say "no no no.". Uhm... ew?
I hope in the near future to experience Italy for myself, because it's been a place I've always wanted to go. The people, scenery, food, etc just sound so amazing. I think it's a place everyone should visit before they die.

New York City

Back in the day, my sister performed in the thanksgiving macys day parade. Me and my family traveled down to NYC to see her perform, but it was one of the greatest weeks of my life. We first got there and checked into our hotel in Jersey City, and it was beautiful. You could see the Statue of Libery from our window. I would have liked to have sat there all day and looked out that window but i knew there was a lot more in store for us. We hopped on the subway which took us to a street right across from the park. The park was huge! A lot bigger than I expected... We iceskated for a while which was incredible and then decided it was time to shop. Off we went to China Town which was frightening, but so cool at the same time. They had a ton of cute purses and jewelery, and the best part was it was fake (aka: cheap). After buying a ton of stuff we were all feeling a little bit hungry so we headed to this little cafe near Times Square. The food was great and left me really full. I remember walking around Times Square hoping no one would see me due to my huge food baby. But I can't decide if I was lucky or unlucky running into Mario Lopez! That was probably one of the better moments of my life and he looks better in person.
The next morning was thanksgiving and we headed out really early to get a good spot so we could see my sister march in the parade. We waited at our spots for three hours, but when the parade was about to start all these mobs of people rushed us and I actually fell over and cut my knee really bad. I was pretty angry so I got in argument with this lady, and literally climbed over her. I was there for three hours and nobody was taking my spot. The parade was cool and everything but let's just say I wayyy rather prefer to watch the parade on TV from the comfort of my home. New York is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I highly reccomend to anyone to visit while they're young. You won't regret it!

Penn State University Park

Traveling doesn’t always have to be big adventures across sea or country. Sometimes it can just be traveling across country or even across the county. I think traveling is going somewhere and having new experiences. You may have been there once before, or this may be your first time. Either way it’s the people you meet, and the things you do with your time.
            This past weekend I set out on the road only 3 hours away to State College. I left at about 7:30 in the morning and got there around 11:00. Since both of my siblings go there, finding a place to stay wasn’t a huge deal. When I got there the atmosphere was crazy, like I’d never seen it before. It was the biggest game of the season against Alabama, and the school spirit was at an all time high. Everywhere you go people shout “WE ARE!” and you’re supposed to answer “PENN STATE!” and then they say “THANK YOU!” and you shout “YOUR WELCOME!” It’s just a little thing that Penn Staters do. Anyways, the first thing on our agenda was a tailgate, which to say the least was so much fun. I met a lot of new people, a lot of them being my brothers friends who told me about their college experiences and what to expect. They were all Super Seniors so they knew what they were talking about.
             After the tailgate was over my brother and all of his friends made their way to the stadium, sadly I didn’t have tickets, so I went back to my sister’s apartment and took a nap. Surprisingly I woke up at 5:00, ate dinner with my sister and her roommate, and then began getting ready for the night to come.
            We all were done getting ready around 9:00 and got to my brothers apartment in about three minutes (they live pretty close thankfullyJ). We hung out with my brother and his roommates for a little and then headed out to a party on College Avenue. That was a blast but after a little while it got kind of boring so we went to another party. Soon enough I was getting really tired so I made my way back to my sister’s apartment and crashed on the couch. I love Penn State, and I can’t wait to go back and create new memories.

France/ Monaco

Since i'll be writing about traveling in my posts to come, I thought i'd start by telling you about my first and only time traveling to Europe. I've always been obsessed with traveling. Putting yourself into a new culture, and meeting people who speak a language you don't even understand is so thrilling to me. So when I found out I was going to France and Monaco on my 16th birthday, I don't think i've ever been so excited in my entire life. But anyways... packing was a hassle. I was only going for two weeks but I didn't want to scream "tourist" as I walked down the streets of Paris. I packed everything I could fit into my two small suitcases and was ready to go. The morning we were departing, me and my friend made our way to the airport around 2:00 in the afternoon. The airport was packed, and I was a little bit nervous to be going off into security without my mom. We said our goodbyes, anyway. Airport security sucked, but layovers sucked even more. We flew first from Pittsburgh to Philidelphia. We were in philidelphia for about 4 hours, and that was seriously awful. When it was time to fly to Germany, I couldn't be more excited.
Getting on the plane to Germany was annoying because my seat and my friends seat were not next to eachother. I asked around seeing if someone would want to switch seats with me so I could sit by my friend and finally they said yes. That plane ride took about 8 hours, and I didn't eat the whole way due to the way the food bounced and shined (ew!). Finally we landed in Paris, grabbed our luggage, and hoped on a cab to our first hotel. After unpacking, we wasted no time. We quickly changed our clothes, touched up our makeup, and went out into the city. That day I stood on top of the Eiffel tower, ate at a small french cafe, had a glass of wine, took a boat ride, and shopped. The following day I climbed to the top of Notre Dame, met friends from Italy, and bought the most delicious sandwich I ever had from a street vender.
Paris was somewhat like NYC, however the lifestyle in Paris was so different. Most people were laid back, and in no hurry. The fashion was out of this world, and you could tell people actually wanted to take their time and enjoy life. Although at times the French lived up to their stereotype of being "rude", but there was many kindhearted people as well.
Leaving Paris was sad, but we were soon on our way to the city of Cassis. This is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been in my entire life. It was a small sea town, with little boats docked on the medeterranian. It also had the best icecream (or Gelatto) i've ever had. After having some lunch, we took a boat ride out to the calanques and enjoyed our day there. The water was a clear crystal blue, and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was honestly a perfect day. After leaving Cassis we made our way down to Nice. This was a crazy, beautiful city. If you stayed out long enough the nightlife was insane. We went to the beaches, which were nude, and rocky. We swam in the water for a bit, but the rocks were too hard to lay out on so we left. We were perfectly content just walking around doing nothing in Nice, necause the shopping was fantastic, as was the food. Around ten at night, break dancers began their routine in the city square and everyone was gathering around. Of course they came up to me and pulled me into the circle to dance with them (I'm a terrible dancer), but I did it anyway, and it was awesome.
A couple days later, after enjoying multiple great nights in Nice, we made our way to the last stop, Monaco! I could not believe the amount of wealth that was in this city. There was a restaurant at the top of the hill, and it's parking lot was filled with expensive cars, and it was 5000 dollars a plate (we didnt eat there). We shopped a little and took pictures of the beautiful boats docked in the marina. It was a beautiful last day before we caught our plane back to Pittsburgh.

Me!

Since this is my first blog, I’ll tell you a little about myself. My name is Meg Davis, and I’m a senior at Franklin Regional High school. When the bell rings today at 2:18, the first week of my senior year of high school will be over. I was a little nervous to begin the year, but now that it's started I’m having a great time. When I’m not in school I enjoy running, playing tennis, and visiting my sister and brother at college (go pennstate!). During the summers I love to travel. I haven’t been that many places, but when traveling to Europe a couple summers ago, I loved it. For a couple months I held a job at Ricks Sports Bar but I wasn’t a huge fan, so that ended as quickly as it started. I haven’t been able to apply for other jobs since, but I’m getting around to it. When I’m with my friends we love to go down into the city. Almost every weekend you'll find us in Squirrel Hill, Pitt, Waterfront, Southside, or somewhere else down town. I love to go to Razzy Fresh, because ice cream is my favorite. Me and my friends can even have fun just staying in and watching movies on a Friday night. As far as my favorite movies go, I like Dazed and Confused, Finding Nemo, Tangled, and more. I love Disney movies, they're probably my favorite. I also love to listen to music. Some of my favorite artists are Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, and Fleetwood Mac. I guess you could say I like older music; today’s music is pretty bad. When I’m not hanging out with my friends or listening to music, I enjoy spending time with my family (it's true). Mostly I like to spend time with my Brother, Casey. He's 22 years old and a senior at Penn State this year for Mechanical Engineering. I consider him my best friend because he's always there for me, and we like a lot of the same stuff. I also have a sister, Jessica. She's nineteen and a sophomore at Penn State for Marketing. Sometimes we don't really get along due to her stealing all of my stuff and bringing it to college with her. But when we are getting along, we have a lot of fun. When I’m really, extremely bored, I like to go to Stumbleupon.com, or read National Geographic. Now you know a little bit about me.