What is Pride?

              What is pride?  Pride means to be proud.  Is pride good or bad?  I think that pride is both good and bad.
               I think that pride is bad because often times we get too prideful and become self absorbed.  Which leads us to make bad, hurtful decisions.  I think pride is a good thing because its important to be proud of yourself.  I think that being proud builds your self esteem, and your self confidence.
               There's also many other good and bad things that having pride can do.  I can't name them all, so what I listed will have to do.

Reading book report one: Fable Haven book four: Date: October 29, 2013

             I disliked the end of the story.  In it the author impossible it was to get hold of the artifact on the preserve Wyrmroost.  Then when they had to battle the three guardians shielding the artifact they defeated them too easily.  I think that maybe Brandon Mull was excited or something because it was rushed.  In fact it was so rushed and easy that I thought that the impossible part of the story was easier or just as hard as earlier threats.  On working on the other obstacles the characters had to face Brandon Mull took his time.  The rushed ending made it less exciting.  The tension never built up high enough.
               Gavin, the boy who Kendra had a crush on, was a very good fighter and contributed a lot in fights with dangerous creatures.  He was also a dragon tamer.  Dragon tamers are able to talk to dragons without being paralyzed by the magical fear they use to freeze people.  As the story progresses Gavin leaves his friends with permission to try to put a hydra to sleep with arrows dipped in a fluid that causes you to sleep.  Then later when Tanu, Mara, Dogan, Trask, Seth, Gavin, and Kendra (Warren was in a magical room in a knapsack because he'd been wounded) were trying to escape from dragons, the team is split up.  Dogan, Gavin, Mara, and Kendra charge toward a small crevice in which the dragons won't be able to fit in.  When a dragon blocks their path Gavin tries to keep it from devouring them.  Seeing there's no hope he charges the dragon and as he does he turns into a dragon himself (his true form).  He starts to battle the other dragon then stops to gobble up Dogan.  Then he knocks Mara off the cliff and thrusts Kendra onto the ground with his claws.  Kendra now realizes that hes been a traitor all along and that hes only acted like he cared about her.  Then he showed his true form, which was uncaring.  After Gavin battles the other dragons he transforms back to human and goes after Kendra, whom he was assumed to like.  This was a huge change of character in the story.  He used to be a nice stuttering boy, but now he was a cruel heartless beast.rea

The Progression of my Relationship With my Sister

                    My sister and I have never really gotten along well.  Most of our relationship is just plain arguing.  We don't take the time for each other very much.  I'm either always firing back at her or I try to be nice.  So nice that I'm taken advantage of.  I've always thought its impossible for her to be nice to me, unless she works at it for a terribly long time.  Recently, I've somehow found the happy medium.  I'm nice to her, and at the same time being myself.  Instead of criticizing her and telling her what and what not to do, I've started suggesting.  Although its been less than a week I've seen lots of changes coming together Now we've been spending more time together and shes been willing to take my suggestions. I've also seen changes in myself.  I'm more patient and I'm more willing to help my sister out.  By showing kindness it hasn't just affected her relationship with me its affected the whole family.  My sister no longer yells at my other sister, instead she asks for her to please stop doing something that's annoying.  I plan to continue progressing in becoming a better person to my family.

My Bucket List (and the reason why I have one of those items on my list)

BUCKET LIST


1)  See the eight wonders of the world

2)  Get a scholarship for collage

3)  Become famous

4)  Learn which clan I'm from in Ireland (or Scotland)

5)  Write a chapter book in my youth

6)  Fly in a hot air balloon

7)  Go to Italy

8)  Build a beautiful garden

9)  Go paragliding

10)  Go hang gliding


               Something I'd like to do is build a gorgeous garden that contains different kinds of  gardens in it.  By different kinds of gardens I mean like a Japanese garden, American garden, Ireland garden, Iceland garden, Ecuador garden, etc.  The reason why I have added this to my bucket list is because I want to accomplish something amazing that everyone will enjoy, like the Butchart gardens (in Canada) and the Thanksgiving Point gardens.  Its important to me because I've dreamed of having a gorgeous garden and I want to build it for my mom.  I'll have my mom help me decide so;me of the things she wants.  I can just imagine beautiful flowers blossoming everywhere.  There's occasional fountains, creeks, waterfalls, bridges, gazebos, streams, and even a lake.  There would be tons of gardens from different places with things in them from those different cultures.

Reading Response 2: Fable Haven Book Four

                  In Fable Haven book four Kendra's family and friends are out to seek the key to Wyrmroost (a dragon sanctuary) so they can recover the artifact there before the Sphinx gets it first.  The key isn't any specific key, its just any first unicorn horn (which are extremely rare).  In Fable Haven unicorns shed there horns twice in their lives.  The only one they know of is the one Patton Burgess (the old caretaker of Fable Haven) gave to the centaurs.  So they go to ask the centaurs if they can borrow the horn to help save the world.  The centaurs selfishly refuse to lend them the horn and describe how impossible it is to steal the horn.  One thing that prevents you from taking the horn is guilt.  The horn can only be given to someone or the power from the horn will fill them with extreme guilt so they will be forced to return it.  There's also many other complications that keep the horn from being stolen.
                  That night Seth takes off into the woods to Graulas' cave.  There the demon teaches him how to use the magical abilities he inherited that summer and he sets off to capture the horn.  One of his abilities as a shadow charmer prevents him from feeling magical guilt or fear, so hes able to steal the horn without feeling guilty.  What I didn't like about this part was that I thought it wasn't hard enough for him to acquire the horn.  I think that because of the impossible problems for acquiring the horn it should have been harder to retrieve it.
                     I did think it was a very creative idea about that the horn can not be taken because of the guild one would feel.  It makes you try to dig for ideas of how they could possibly lay hands on the horn without feeling guilt.  Then went Graulas calls to Seth though thoughts it assures you that he knows how to acquire the horn.

Reading Response 1: Fable Haven book four

                           In this book I have enjoyed Brandon Mulls creativity. One part I really liked was the part about the sting bulb.  The sting bulb originated as a fruit on a tree and when one of its spikes poked Kendra it took a sample of her DNA.  Then it transformed into a duplicate of Kendra.
             At the beginning of the story Kendra gets kidnapped by a sting bulb and he takes her to her real captor, Torina.  Torina is a vampire that sucks the youth out of the young to keep herself young.  Though she won't suck Kendra's youth because shes keeping her captive until her boss, the Sphinx, arrives.  So she won't suck Kendra's youth.  During Kendra's stay she meets some of Torina's victims.  When someone new is tricked into coming to Torina's house Kendra tries her best to warm the man so that he doesn't become a victim too.  She doesn't want him or anyone else to suffer the fate of Torina's other victims.
                Brandon Mull incorporates the characters feelings about the changes occurring around them.  He relates after the sting bulb (duplicate, that replaces Kendra when shes kidnapped) dies Seth, her brother, mourns over the loss of his sister.  He also describes Kendra's desperation to escape from her captors and reunite with her family.  The strong feelings he uses in these parts and other parts of the story make you feel what they feel with them.  Its written very well and it makes you sad when one of the characters is sad, happy when they're happy.

Current News Events

     
                                                      Cause of the Weber County Fire
         Earlier this morning at eight AM there was an accident involving two trucks, and one of the trucks contained diesel fuel in it.  The fuel was scattered onto the westbound and east bound lanes, and then the fire roared to life.  They then closed I-84.  Fortunately, one of the truck drivers was sent to the hospital with minor injuries.  The resources I selected told nothing of the second driver.  My resources were KSL/news.com and fox13now.com.


                                 People go to National Parks Even Though They are Closed
                     As I'm sure you all know by now that the government shut down and so the national parks closed down with it.  Even though the government closed there were still national parks with business because the people didn't care what the government.  In fact, the business doubled.  One example of this is at Dead Horse Point.  At this national park there was three hundred fifty cars that came the day before Dead Horse Point closed.  Then the next day five hundred eighty eight cars came to the national park.  Fortunately, the government has reopened and the national parks are reopening as well.  My resources were KSL/news.com and fox13now.com.


                                                  Forged Papers for Released Prisoners
          On September seventeenth Joseph Jenkins was released from the prison that confined him to a lifetime imprisonment. The reason for his lifetime punishment in the Franklin Correctional Institution was because he murdered the dad of a family of six kids.  Then another prisoner named Charles Walker was released from the same prison which bound Joseph in Florida.  Charles got released from prison on October eighth.  The documents for the prisoners read that they could get released early, when the were confined to the prison to live out their days.  Documents from the crime have told us that they were forged and the only thing that was correct about them was the chief judge's (of the case) signature.  Though, Perry (the chief judge) didn't sign the false documents.  The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been seeking out more information about the forged documents. There is also a search for the dangerous criminals.  My resources were www.foxnews.com and abcnews.go.com.

FableHaven book three (reading report)

             I liked the idea that Kendra, her friends, and the creatures of Fable Haven had to stop the plague from turning all the light creatures dark, because it intensified the story.  It made it really interesting.  I thought it was really sad how Lena dies at the end of the book, because everyone in the book cares about her a lot.                As a naiad Lena was into drowning people and really didn't care about them, but when she saw Patton Burgess she came out of the water and turned human.  When she was with Patton that's all she could really think about and she was severely in love with him.  Before in book one when she was human she was old and really helpful, but didn't say much about Patton.
              Something that puzzled me and made me upset, was that Brandon Mull claimed that Seth had some special power that made him resistant to magical fear that the evil magical creatures used on people, so the he wouldn't freeze because of fear.  This puzzled me because in book two Brandon Mull said that Seth went to a haunted mansion and he didn't get his powers till later after he went to the manor.  The creature in the manor came after him but he didn't freeze.  Then in book three when the grownups went with Seth to the haunted manor they were frozen with magical fear and Seth wasn't because of  his special power.  The grownups were claiming that it was good that Seth was with them because he survived the manor earlier that summer because he was resistant to magical fear.  My point is that he didn't get his powers till after the manor so he should have been frozen with magical fear the first time he went there.  So I clearly believe Brandon Mull never really took the time to think through the order of events he placed in the story.
             

vocabulary from FableHaven book three

1) Reclined- The sentence I found this word in was: Two days later, Kendra reclined on her back behind a hedge in the yard..." I think reclined means to set aside.  The meaning I found said that it means: "Relaxing in a leaning or lying position with your back supported.

2)  Nagging- The sentence I found this word in was: "...she could not silence certain nagging questions."  I think nagging means that something keeps returning, like her thoughts.  Nagging means to have "a persistent pain or worry."

3)  Elusive-  The sentence I found this word in was:  "I never really did trust the Sphinx, although if you think he is elusive now, you should try tracking down him in my day."  Given the background from the sentence I think elusive means to deceive.  The definition I found said, "Something that hard to find, achieve, or catch."

4)  Futile-  The sentence I found this word in was:  "I would rather it had been me, I would give anything, anything, but such wishing is futile.  Judging by the information in the sentence I think futile means unproductive.  The real definition means that something is "pointless".

5)  Protocol-  The sentence I found this in reads:  "None had herd of the incident- a severe breech of protocol."  I think protocol means to lie.  The definition I found claimed that it meant "offical procedures that are used to govern diplomatic occasions and the affairs of state."

6)    Implication-  The sentence I found this in reads,  ""Happy birthday to you!"  Seth exclaimed, his voice full of implications."  I think implication means that something is full of many things other than what it appears as.  The definition I found claimed that it means "a conclusion that you can draw out of something, even though its not clearly stated."

Reading: Fable Haven Book One and Book Two

       I love this book because its full of adventure.  Reading this book was like watching a movie.  Although I liked the book, its sad how Lena (the house keeper) was taken back to the pond to be a naiad again.  Seth is the curious younger brother of Kendra, who is always getting into trouble.  I think without him the story wouldn't be as interesting since he causes all the trouble.  The main character, Kendra, is always wanting to play it safe and keep the rules.  Without her the story wouldn't be the same, especially since she saves the day in the end of the story.  It surprised me how Tanu became an albino.  I didn't remember that part.  I love the big words Brandon Mull uses in his book.  To me it makes the story feel more exciting and more intense.  The way he writes makes hes stories come to life.  I want to write cool stories like him.

Would you Rather

1)  I'd rather take a one week trip to a foreign country of my choice than take a four week trip around my country.  Then I'd be able to meet new people and learn about other cultures.  It would also be fun to know more than one language. If I took a four week trip around my country I would see many things that I've seen before.  Not as much would be new.

2)  I'd rather be the worst player on a team that always wins even though it would make me sad and I'd feel like I was holding the team back.  I'd do this because I'm trying to kill my I'm the best (jealousy) cow.  Besides someone could befriend me and help me get better.

Encyclopedia R,S,T,L,N, and E

LIKE, WRITE
    One of my hobbies is writing.  I can write really good poems, and like to write stories.  I also keep several journals.

NAME, MEANING\
     I remember that one day I asked my mom what my name meant.  Then, after she told me the meaning of my name, I asked what our last name meant.  She then replied, SON of great power.

SPANISH, MISTAKE
   When I first started Spanish I was given a list of Spanish words and sentences to study.  As I studied these words I came to a sentence that read "Como Te llama"?.  Instead of pronouncing it Como Te yumma like the way you should.  I said Como Te lama.

TUMBLE, SNOWY
    At home I have a dog named Snowy and when he plays with his toys he growls, so its really noisy.  One time my mom was playing with him while my dad was doing online collage.  My dad asked her if she could quiet the dog so he could concentrate better.  So she threw the toy downstairs.  Snowy charged after it as fast as he could.  Then he tripped and tumbled down the stairs.  He didn't want to play after that.

Being Successful

          What does it mean to be successful?  Being successful means you set a goal, and then you go out to accomplish it.

           What does a successful person look like to you?  A successful person is someone who works hard and gets what they need to get done first before they do something fun.

           What do you have to have in order to be successful?  To be successful you need to be a hard worker and do what it takes to get what you want.

            Do you consider yourself successful?  I think I'm successful because I'm a hard worker.  How ever I'm not always successful because I don't always do what I have to do first before something fun.

             How do you consider your success in the future?  To guarantee my success in the future I plan to dispose of my cow.  In which, one of them is getting done what needs to be done first.

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life

     AWAY, HOME
      Momentarily, I'm going to a school in Lindon, when I haven't even seen the people living in my neighborhood.  I live in Eagle Mountain and our house is under contract.  So as soon as it sells for sure we will rent a house and begin building our home on the lot that we bought.

      BUGS, EWW
        One thing I hate is bugs.  I think they're gross.  Especially spider, scorpions, and beetles.  The funny thing is that when I was a little girl I caught bugs and made a nice bug collection.

       CRUST, PIE
         Something funny about me is that I like the taste of pie crust.  In fact I like it just as much as the rest of the pie.

      Donuts, Riddley's
        I love donuts.  NOT the "Little Debbie's" kind, but the fluffy ones.  I like to call Riddley's the donut store because every time I walk in, it smells like donuts.

140 Character Memior

       I love the smell of the cold wet rain as it brushes up against me.  I love to feel the warmth of the autumn sun touch my skin.  I love to see the new coming snow lightly falling on me.

6 Word Memoirs

Me: Happy, Fun, Smart, Pretty, Smile.

Was up late, early wake--tired.

Second day of English was fun.

Don't worry, be happy, quote--song