Merry Christmas

Christmas came way too fast this year. none of us were prepared. I wish it went slower, but.. oh well. So, each year, my parents always ask what we want. wait. that's how it's supposed to work. it works with my brothers. with me, i just start asking way before Christmas. and the conversation is kind of the same every time. let's rewind back to 2011 and listen to the conversation.

Me: hey Mom, Dad. I'm almost 14 and a lot of my friends have iPhones. and since I've had my phone for a year now and no one has that kind of phone anymore, could I please get an iPhone?
Mom: well an iPhone would be nice. I'm okay with it. go ask your dad.
Dad: You haven't even had a cell phone for a year yet actually. and actually, most of the year you've had it, you've been getting grounded. How will having an iPhone change this? and smart phones cost money that I don't want to pay.
me: well all my friends have iPhones and they don't have to pay for their phone!
Dad (the classic pissed-off parent response): Well, I'm not your friend's dad. I'm your dad. You're fortunate enough to have a phone. some people in your ward don't even have a cell phone and they're in high school.
me: well, my friends have iPhones. and with an iPhone, you can do so much more than just call and text. there's Instagram, FaceTime, and you can play games. and it's just so much better. and if I get an iPhone, I promise I won't be a brat! I won't get grounded.
Dad: Miriam Elaina Castle. You are not getting an iPhone. end of story.
me: well could I at least have an iPod touch? it's not an iPhone but it's almost as good.
Dad: No further discussion.

so I got the iPod touch, which I love dearly. I was so happy that I got something I wanted. but fast forward to a year later, and I have the same conversation with my parents. the only difference is
me: dad, I'm in high school now. I need a new phone
Dad: I don't want to pay for it. it costs money. name 5 friends who don't have to pay--
me (names all my friends)
Dad *sighs*, same pissed-off parent response, but this time adds: You need a job to pay for it.
me: that isn't gonna happen.
Dad: Miriam Elaina Castle, if you ask for an iPhone again, you're grounded. end of story.

so to make things simple, I asked for clothes and nothing else. on Black Friday, I picked everything out. but how fun is it knowing every single present you got? so, I hoped my parents would slip in some surprise (er, an iPhone 4S).

we got a Wii with Just Dance 4, Zumba, Mario and Sonic Olympics, and I don't remember the other games. Just Dance 4 is really fun though. Justin is the high-scorer, even though he's sick with the flu. We all enjoy our new Wii, I love my new clothes, and I admit, getting on Facebook and Instagram and seeing endless posts of "new iPhone!" did make me jealous. but hey, at least I have an iPod and a phone and that will do for now.

Christmas is about more than just...... stuff. it's about service, it's about Christ, it's about celebrating His birth. this year, I made a ton of Christmas cookies. it took a whole weekend, but it was sure worth it! I took a plate to the Special Ed class at Timpview that I peer tutor in. they were all really happy! and since I had leftovers, I just randomly handed them out to my friends. they all looked really happy! it felt good to know that I made other people happy. also, our elderly neighbors needed people to shovel their driveway. normally their next door neighbors do it, but they were out of town, so our family volunteered. Let me tell you, my whole body kills from shoveling their driveway. but after I finished, heck did it feel good.

so, I hope you all had a merry Christmas. new post coming soon. and I'm sorry if this one was full of complaints!

overheard from the bros

 these two stud muffins are my brothers. they're the cutest, right? I love each of them unconditionally and they make me smile everyday, and they say the craziest things! Sometimes, I pee my pants laughing! (that doesn't really happen, but I've cried before). so, for your enjoyment.....

"Miriam, is it normal for girls in high school to like boys? It seems kinda strange to me."
-Wesley

"Sure, girls have drama and stuff, but boys get hurt more because we play sports!"
-Justin

"I love One Direction. They are my favorite band. I like all their songs and I love singing. But I don't want to be a singer when I grow up because... I'd rather do sports."
-Justin

"So that one Skrillex music video with that magical 2 year old dancing and doing magic.... what's that song called again?"
-Wesley

"Guess what I did? I watched the Utah Valley Sympathy Orchestra at Timpview!"
-Justin

"Why do I have to dress up to see the sympathy orchestra? It's not like they're gonna see you in the audience? They'll only see the first 2 rows or something! It's too dark to see me anyways."
-Justin (later on)

"What goes up.....must come down. Miriam, I had no idea!"
-Wesley

"Imagine Dragons are Chinese, right?"
-Justin

"Cookie soup is the solution to everything."
-Wesley

"One Direction took Human Biology because they're singing about anatomy!"
-Wesley

Justin: DUH, everyone likes Subway, Wesley!
Wesley: You don't.
Justin: Yeah, I don't. Everyone but me.

"Sometimes, I feel like I'm the only normal one in my family. Everyone's too goofy for me."
-Justin

Wesley: Justin, why are you screaming in the shower?
Justin: I'm singing a song about cleaning my feet!

"We aren't eating at McDonald's! That place is for losers!"
-Wesley

"Miriam, everyone likes boys. I like boys. I am a boy!"
-Justin

"If artichokes are chicken, how can they be a vegetable?"
-Justin

'tis the season for decorating your house and wearing ugly sweaters

December came way too quickly. actually, right after we returned from our Thanksgiving break in Arizona, it seemed like Provo had transformed into Wonderland. all the lights were up on the houses, Christmas music was playing everywhere, trees were coming up, and it was just crazy. I really like fall, and sometimes, I wish it would last until November actually ended. I'm not saying I don't get excited for Christmas (I really do), it's just that I don't usually start getting in the mood until after November ends. But on the other hand, it did snow in November, and it hasn't even come close to snowing in December!

Ya I know, we're pretty cute :) anyways, we started decorating the last week of November. I love decorating, even though we don't go crazy on the outside! but we do have some pretty cute things!

 my favorite, the lollipop tree! (with fake lollipops!)

our front door

.......the inside is where all the magic happens. (again, we don't go all out for it, but at least it's something! I'm actually quite proud!)

 our Christmas dishes and every single Santa picture we've ever taken

 the tree

 Mom embroidered this cute little snowman family a few years ago. can you guess who's who?

and then, comes my favorite part. crazy socks and ugly sweaters.

"That is some beautiful ugliness you got there!"

".......and you still look gorgeous, even though it's ugly!"

"Wait...... that's supposed to be an ugly sweater?!"

"You better be wearing that everyday!"

"NO WAY. Did your mom really paint this?! This is the greatest thing I've seen all day."

"That is one sexy sweater! It's so ugly it's beautiful!"

so yep, I have some pretty great friends. before stag, I had to go to a ward party that I didn't want to go to, and then, I went back to Timpview to go to the Basketball game! We won, and I was able to see all my friends and hang out before the dance started, which was pretty great. Everyone had some pretty....beautiful sweaters. and really, who doesn't want to show Christmas spirit by going to an Ugly Sweater Dance? 

sometimes, I just want to go back.

I just had to choose the silliest pictures to put on here. we went a lot of places this summer, and we were able to really enjoy ourselves and just have a great time. and I just miss it. so much. and that's all I'm gonna say.