a view from our table

Instead of doing something productive like packing or sleeping, I have been lured into my iPhoto folders.  I couldn't help but post these pictures from my freshman through senior years' (mostly lunch) tables.  The thing I love about my group of friends (and oh how I love them, especially after a lovely "going away" get together tonight at my house) is that we welcome everyone with open arms.  Yes, we were that kind of table.  The table that people stop by to say hi, and end up sitting there every day for the rest of the year.  There was something magical about our group that attracted all kinds of people.  Sure, some of them came and went after a semester or two, but fortunately the good ones usually stuck around.  It all started with me, Erin, Domenico, and Kate. 

FRESHMAN YEAR

Last day of 9th grade.

Oh my, look at that goober.  I haven't changed much at all.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Erin and Domenico.  Have I ever mentioned that two of my best friends have been happily married for five years?

Okay, so they're not married (although I told them after each snapshot I took--and there were many--that it was for their "Save the Date"), but FIVE YEARS, GUYS!  The only boy I've liked that long is Harry Potter.  Let's give them a hand!

JUNIOR YEAR

Ah, the library.  Every morning we would go there to chat, study miniature vocab cards last minute (well, in my case at least), and take silly photos (I was photo editor of the yearbook, so Bernard was my right-wing man).

Dahlya. Some things never change.

Typical Domenico facial expression.  Typical Nathan sunglass-wearing.

Rylee and Eric.  Cutest couple to come out of Junior year (or at least I think that's when they became a couple?  Seriously, I think my group of friends has some of the coolest, longest-lasting couples I have ever encountered...).

Junior year was when I discovered my immense love of hats (and photography, thanks to yearbook).  Oh yes, I was soooo artsy.  I mean, look at that beret and that thoughtful gaze.

Rachel is just the cutest redhead alive.

SENIOR YEAR

That awkward moment when I accidentally proposed to Melanie... The only pictures from the lunch table I can find are from Valentine's Day, probably because I was all over the place for most lunches due to yearbook (and Bernard, my yearbook camera, was no longer my man).  Holidays were special though.  My friends and I are a crafty bunch and many homemade treats were exchanged during holidays.

Thankfully, Phoebe shared my extreme love for the frilly holiday.  Although she would show up with yummy treats on any given day!

Also, here are some pics from "Bro Awareness Day"...

MORAL OF STORY:  Yep, we are awesome.

winning for life

Today was blissful!  I took the AP Gov test (which didn't make me want to cry), got to show off the beautiful yearbook to anxious students at lunch, help run the yearbook signing party, and go home to watch Glee prom (after antagonizingly having to listen to my mom and sister watch the second half from my room, but it was worth it).  I could not have planned a more wonderfully full day--except perhaps minus the AP.

Stephanie & Katie with our plethora of balloons.  We probably could have set a small house afloat. Don't worry about it.

I didn't float away, much to the dismay of everyone who has made that joke to me since I was -97 years old.  So, the story behind the shirt:  Every year we have an end of the year shirt for yearbook.  It is always humorous (last year it was "Wolf pack" themed.  The Hangover, anyone?).  This year, we took a cue from Charlie Sheen.  WINNING.

The back says, "Made with TIGER BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS."  Yeah, this makes us pretty awesome.  Not going to deny it.

AJ is a Lady Gaga balloon peacock.  (This isn't anything new.)

Me, Dahlya, and the gorgeous book (and some random photobombers). 

The theme is "Motto".  So, I have to ask (not like I haven't asked this question 93329939489389993999 times this school year already or anything)...

WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?

P.S.  I am behind on blogging, so stay tuned for the past month of everything Kaylie.  Oooh, aren't you excited?

yearbook clue party

 The yearbook has been done for about two weeks.  What else is there to do but throw themed parties?

 Everyone dressed their snazziest.

 Instead of playing the board game, we were the game.  We rolled the dice...

 ...and went in that room to make a guess.

The "rooms" were the yearbook room, Mrs. Wrather's (our advisor) office, the Bull's Eye (snack shop on campus), back closet, annex, and front office, the "weapons" were a yearbook, pica ruler, camera, magazine, killer caption, and clever headline.  The "suspects"?  The editors. 

 Did I mention the "victim" was a flaky interviewee that never came in for their interview?

Yeah, that's how annoying that is. 

 The dice was fashioned out of our "Dice of Doom" for when people are late.  (If you are late to yearbook, expect to dance to the music of our choice or bring in delicious homemade treats.)

Everything turned out great!  I love the twenties, I love yearbook, and I love my yearbookers.  I am  getting seriously emotional about this year coming to an end because of how much love I have for this year's staff and book.  I was literally a wreck the day after we sent everything in.  It was like yearbook broke up with me.  Yet it was way worse than any breakup I've gone through, because in a way, I felt like my life was ending because yearbook is my life.  And when I realized that no, this is just one part of my life that is coming to close, I was even more devastated.  Because the only thing scarier than something ending is knowing that something you have no clue about is coming next.  High school is officially ending and yearbook has been my high school experience (and oh man, I'm starting to tear up again).  Believe me, I am as ready as the next person to graduate, but I am not so eager as to completely neglect the effect the last three years have been on me.  It's been (gaaaah tearssssss) so wonderful to be a part of something like yearbook.  So wonderfully fantastically fun and awesome.  Excuse me while I while I go bawl my eyes out.

On a lighter note, I have officially decided that if I had to have one genre of music incessantly playing in the background of my life, it would be jazz.

yearbook knows how to (tea) party

Reason #2343478 why I love yearbook:  the parties.  Sometimes it's because it's someone's birthday, sometimes it's because someone owes us a treat for being late, other times it's because there is a lull in acceptable reasons to gorge ourselves with homemade treats; we are the kings and queens of excuses to celebrate.  Our latest excuse?  Valentines day, of course!  I gathered up my tea party goods (I have an extensive history of tea parties) and helped the lovely Melanie with her fabulous tea party!  We passed around a bowl of heart confetti and embarrassing questions about crushes and first kisses, played Glee Karaoke, ate too much of Tabitha's mom's spinach dip (or was that just me?) and ended the night with a screening of Valentine's Day (which we told the boys was a really scary movie).  I love yearbook.

just for the record

This photo is the epitome of my high school existence.

 (found here)

today i am thankful for...this

When I turned on my calculator today in French to study for my trig midterm, I found this message staring back at me.  I just about died.  It took me until well into lunch to find the culprit--clever Stephanie  A. did it during fifth hour yearbook yesterday.  (Proof that yearbook editors are the coolest cats.)  

P.S. Just got home from seeing Harry Potter again....better believe it.

today i am thankful for...music

Some days are just kind of UGH.  Today was one of those days.  So when someone put on their iPod (thank you, Jacob, if you are reading this) during yearbook, their upbeat playlist was just what I needed. It's funny how a good dose of music can do wonders to a disheartened spirit.  After both yearbook classes got out, I put on my Phoenix channel on Pandora to listen to while I worked on homework.  The song above came on.  The universe knows what's up...and does its best to help out.  I am thankful for this.

today i am thankful for...harry potter

Today was wicked.  (Yearbookers FTW.)

1st hour AP Gov - We listened to this.  Listen/read.  It sounds awesome!

2nd hour AP English - The scene between Hamlet and Ophelia was really performed by a Slytherin student and Dobby.  It ended with "Bad Ophelia, bad Ophelia!" with Dobby hitting Hamlet's rejected possessions-Harry Potter books of course-against his head.

3rd hour AP French V - We watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in French, what else?

Lunch - I wandered around campus with these guys taking pictures for yearbook.  A lot of people actually dressed up!  It was great. (Oh, and there's Dobby on the left, with the Golden Snitch, a Gryffindor student, and Hedwig.)

Yearbook - We played Harry Potter Clue, listened to Harry & the Potters, and added up House Points. It's a close battle between Gryffindor and Slytherin.  (But isn't it always?)

...and then I went home and watched Half-Blood Prince. Life is bloody brilliant.

HOLY HIPPOGRIFFS, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL DEATHLY HALLOWS!!!!!!!

today i am thankful for...nice folks

Today I brought over some treats (cake cookies) and some treasures (old stuff I don't need anymore, plus a life-size Care Bear) up to school to support our New Global Citizens project for the Bocas School Project in Panama.  Unfortunately I couldn't stay long, but I had a legitimate reason--a few fellow yearbookers and I went up to Old Town Scottsdale to cheer on our fantastic yearbook advisor who was participating in the 3 Day Walk.  It was a blast!  Everyone was so energetic and enthusiastic and encouraging... and PINK!  It was great.

today i am thankful for...yearbook

Next week, we are starting "House Points."  Each editor's editing group will now be a House (I selfishly assigned myself to Gryffindor).  Whoever has the most points at the end of the deadline wins the House Cup!

Of course, on Thursday we are going to Harry Potter-fy our outfits.  Of course.

You better believe we are this bloody awesome.

giant slice of pizza? You know what that means.

YEARBOOK CAMP!

The infamous giant slice of pizza. 

Me trying to eat it.  I succeeded!

Me under the illusion of being tall.

The new group of editors.  Aren't we precious?

Me and Sharky's Christmas card photo.

Waiting for public transportation!

Tabitha showing off her new found neatness (you should have seen her dorm room last year).

General meetings in good ol' Monty.

Yearbook camp = lots of picture-taking.

The essence of yearbook camp.

Woo hoo!  Yearbook!  Yeah!

Our school flag is always 2942938479328x more awesome than the others.  This year's camp theme was Seeing Green...Hence us being green fruits and veggies.  No biggie.

Being cute.

Yep, that's me, looking like Strawberry Shortcake (on accident, but I'll take it). 

Also, GUESS WHAT.  When we were walking to the hypnotist show, there was a concert going on on campus.  There was an opening act playing at the time, but later Phoenix and MGMT were due to play!  Yes!  You better believe I ran as fast as I could to get to the open-air amphitheatre after the hypnotist show. WE GOT THERE JUST IN TIME FOR ELECTRIC FEEL!  It was awesome.  I feel so deprived of concerts.  We would have stayed outside the gates longer, but a TA from camp kicked us out.  Bummer.  (But at least I got to scream and dance to one of my favorite songs.)

This yearbook is going to be snazzy.  This school year is going to be snazzy.  Life is good.