Worst bunch of Pirates you'll ever meet!

Its no secret that I am the plotter and I bare my title with pride! Tonight was one of my better ideas if I do say so myself. Paige has been out of town for pretty much the entire Christmas Break, but that wasn't going to stop me! I've been wanting to do something worth telling about for a VERY long time.

Maddy Taylor -The Little Samurai- and I decided last night that we were going to finally live up to one of the quotes on the blog: "My next door neighbor just hoisted the Jolly Roger, I think that means they commandeered the neighborhood." however we did not commandeer a neighborhood. Our story begins with Maddy and I trying to find the Jolly Roger. Shockingly enough it is rather hard to find a pirate flag at the end of December. After trudging our way through three different party/toy stores (and not to mention the treasure chest and aloha bubbly gum coins that we picked up on the way) we found ourselves at the mall, turns out that unique gifts carry's pirate flags, who knew! We gathered our things and broke for a few hours, only to be reunited by the blasted snow storm. After dressing in our very sexy pirate apparel we set out.

As any good Plotter knows the outcome of every adventure can be pretty much marked by the first five minutes, and Maddy and I were not off to a good start; we couldn't even get the gate open to leave my backyard! After wrestling with the gate for a while we hobbled our way to her car, only to find that her keys were missing. We make the worst pirate team of all freaking time! Lucky for us Maddy keeps an extra set of car keys in her martial arts bag. Everything we thought was sure to be smooth sailing from there.

We began our commandeering by stealing the beloved Harry Potter books from their shrine and hiding them behind some other books, then we set sail on her bed! Every good pirate knows that you must set sail to find your buried treasure, but there was a slight problem, we didn't have a map. So being the cunning teenage pirates we are, we simply made one on the spot. During the map making process, we suddenly heard footsteps echoing from the upstairs. My heart plunged into my stomach! I honestly thought we were dead.
A voice rang from upstairs,"Hello?" the voice of a male carried downstairs.
"Hey," I responded shaking, "We are Paige's two best friends!" I figured that no matter what I said I would most likely end up attempting to explain to the cops that I wasn't in fact stealing anything but I was honestly the best friend of one the girls who lived here. But it was worth a try.
"Katie?" The voice said shocked.
Suddenly Taylor -Captain Jack- appeared from the 'secret staircase', a look of utter bewilderment on his face. My heart slowed just a bit, but I then realized how ridiculous Maddy and I looked, dressed like pirates without Paige being home.
"Hey Taylor!" Maddy exclaimed.
"What are you doing?" He asked edging toward the two of us.
"Commandeering Paige's room!" I said with my classic plotting smile.
"Can I join?!" A smile slid across his face.
"Of course! We'll just have to write you into our story."

We were suddenly off again with Taylor as a mate on our adventure! To make things better he brought his Ipod which had the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack on it! We ventured onward for a few hours more, and successfully commandeered Paige's room by hoisting the Jolly Roger above her bed. To make things even better all 85 pictures made it on facebook!

Moments Like These

Wait, you can rent golf carts? No. Way.

*****BTW, this story is the background story to the story about our day at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens... so read it.******

So, me and Katie have this tradition of always being... stupid. It's not like we plan it, it's just that we do stupid stuff when we're together. This time is not an exception.

Once upon a very long time ago, Katie and I were just clocking off, and I decided that I wanted to show Katie the gardens at Thanksgiving Point. I've always loved this place, and I thought I should show her the beauty inside. So I drove her over from our work, paid for the admission, and we started to walk towards the beauty. As we were just walking out, I noticed some golf carts that were parked outside. I ignored them, and Katie and I started our trek down to the waterfall (my favorite attraction). Then, all of a sudden, out of no where, by surprise, without prior notice, a golf cart with guests drove past us.

"Wait, you can rent golf carts?" Katie asked. "No. Way."

"Yeah, it's like 20 bucks." I said.

"Oh, never mind then."

"Katie?" I turned to her. "I have twenty dollars, we are so renting a golf cart!"

"Okay," her excited voice screamed.  I ran back inside to buy a golf cart, and walked out with a cashier who instructed us on how to use a golf cart.  After making fun of the fact that we already knew the peddle on the right meant "go," Katie and I were off!

*Keep in mind, Katie and I are teenagers.  We were just handed a golf cart in a public garden.  Let the games begin.*

Katie had the wheel first, and she speed (well, as fast as you can in a golf cart.  Let me repeat: well, as fast as you can in a golf cart.  Have I made it clear that golf carts are not fast?  Okay, good.  Keep this in mind when you read the next Gardens story.) down the hill towards... fun!  Her and I switched off several times during the two hour period driving our rented green friend.  We sped around everywhere we could, having fun, laughing, talking, the works.  Then, Katie found a spot in the path where two other trails met and came to a circle- a round a bout.  Next thing I know, I am seeing the same spot in the grass every seven seconds, and Katie drove in circles screaming "Round-a-bout!!!!!"

I laughed as Katie drove us around and around and around again on this little round-a-bout we found in the middle of the gardens.  After going around the twenty sixth time Katie looks over at me, "Why is it that my brother takes me on better dates than my boyfriend?"  I just laughed as I grabbed the wheel from her, pulling her out of the circle saying "Because I'm sexier than him, and he's a whore."

Then I directed Katie towards the waterfalls.  If any of you don't know anything about the waterfall at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens, it is the biggest man-made waterfall in the Western Hemisphere (that's North and South America.  Yeah, I passed world geography).  This thing is HUGE! and it's beautiful!  There's trail at the top where you can look down and look at all of the inner workings of the waterfall.  I instructed Katie through the small trail, looking at the beauty inside the waterfall.  As we were pulling out of the waterfall, I looked behind to see a sign that said

No Segways

No Wheelchairs

No Golf Carts

"Umm, Katie?" I said.  "Look at the sign behind us."  She stopped the car and just laughed, "we better not get in trouble for that!"  We hurried off of that trail and back to our starting point.

Not long after, it was my turn to drive, so I grabbed the wheel, and I "just happened" to find the round-a-bout again, and Katie and I spun around continuously for several minutes.  Katie and I always went back to that place to go around in circles.  By the end of the day, Katie and I had probably spent about twenty minutes total just spinning in the round-a-bout.  It was awesome.  As we walked out of the gardens, we had decided that we would invite Ryan and Paige along really soon the next time we wanted to go to the gardens.  That day ended up being August 16th, and that story will have to wait.

Ryan and I

Even in this Family, we've got our clicks. Katie and Tanner end up doing a lot together, and Ryan and I end up doing a lot together. I can't claim to know the inner workings of Tanner and Katie's relationship, but Ryan and I's goes pretty deep. I've known him for just over six months at the least, and he is one of TWO people that really gets me. I'm not discrediting Katie and Tanner at all, Ryan and I just think on the same brainwave, if that makes any sense. I don't know if any of you reading this have that person that just immediately understands you, but let me tell you, it can change your life.
As you can probably guess, with one thing or another (which is a MUCH more loaded phrase than most people realize), Ryan and I have gotten really close. So, as I was saying my final goodbyes today (before my trip to Hawaii for a week, just to clear up any confusion in case you got the wrong idea from the 'I'm Not Going Anywhere post), he stayed a little later than Katie and Tanner, because I'd been with them while he was working and they had to take Katie's cousin Caleb - The Inspiration - back to his home in Spanish Fork. We didn't want to go into my house because the rest of my family was scrambling to get ready for our trip but we didn't want to stand out in the cold, so we ended up sitting in front of my house in Birdie - The Painted. We just talked about this and that, covering anything we felt like we needed to for the past and previous weeks.
We should have known something was up when about 10 different cars passed us. First off, it was about 11:30 at night. Secondly, my road is never really busy, unless school is just getting out. Ryan even said, "I've never seen this many cars on this road." We just ignored them though. It was harder to ignore the huge white truck, however, because it decided to stop outside my neighbor's house, with its lights off. We both watched for someone to get out, but there was no sign of life. Feeling like we'd rather not be focusing on the looming locomotive, we did our best to ignore it, talking still, but we stopped when the car lurched forward and came at us, aiming for poor, defenseless Birdie - The Painted. Right before it was about to hit Birdie - The Painted - the truck turned and continued like it was just going down the street. Suddenly, there was this blinding light behind us, as the truck's headlights appeared in Birdie - The Painted's - back window. Both of us gasped for air as the blue and red 'cop lights' flashed behind us. When I say flashed, I quite literally mean flashed, because the officer only kept the lights on for a second or two.
Ryan and I waited, with baited breath, waiting for any sign of movement from the cop, and didn't see any for an unusually long minute or so - which really is a pretty slow reaction time, believe me, I would know. Finally, I see the beam of a flashlight on the road next to the truck and Ryan rolls down his window. The cop meanders up to Birdie - The Painted - making sure to check the back seat before coming level with Ryan's window.
"How're you guys doing tonight?" he asks.
I honestly had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Like he really cared.
"We're good," Ryan and I replied simultaneously.
"What're you up too?" he asked - finally getting to the point.
"We're just sitting here talking. . ." Ryan said nervously.
"Well you don't get too many people 'talking' in a car outside some one's house on a Tuesday night," the cop said.
"It's her house," Ryan said instantly, pointing at me.
I waved, like 'Hi, I'm innocent, I swear.'
"Oh, that makes much more sense," the cop said, as apologetically as a cop could. "I had to check, you know, just because."
"It's fine," we replied.
"Have a good night you guys," he said.
"Thank you, sir, you too," we said, and I waved again for good measure.
He went back to his car and pulled away. Only when we were out of his sight range did we collapse in on each other, dying of laughter.
"They're following me," I said. "I'm telling you."
"It's just your luck, Paige," he replied, shaking his head.

Moments Like These

Truly A Family

If I were to look back on the eighteen years I've been alive, I'd tell you that I, honestly, hardly remember any of it. It's not like I repress memories, though there are a few that I know I have, it's just that I've got a really odd way of sorting through what is important and what isn't. This is why I started the blog - so that I'd always remember no matter what. I feel like this says it all for me. "Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where welre not all still friends."
You've seen our posts about the song 'Old School' by Hedley. I did another one of those turn a song into a story kind of writings for that song, and, naturally, Ryan, Katie, and Tanner all star in this particular story. (*it is written as a follow up to my previous writing on For Good. Again, I didn't move, and am not going to move to Florida. EVER.)

Old School

"Mommy, the phone is fo' you," Kialya, my daughter, called from below.

"Who, love?" I asked, looking up from my computer.

"Aunt Kate," she answered - I pulled myself out of my chair.

"I'm coming," I called, mounting the spiral stairs. Her velvet coice prattled on, filling Katie's ear with the deepest desires of her two-year old life.

"Mommy is making her story," I heard. "She say she almost done, but guess what Aunt Kate? I know what happens!"

There was a moment of silence - the little angel's laugh tinkled, "But Aunt Kate, I pwomised I wouldn't tell!"

"Tell her what?" I asked, walking into the room.

"She wanna know how it ends," Kialya said in her best tattle-tale tone.

"Nope," I said, picking her up - her small form resting on my hip. "Not even your daddy knows that, huh?"

"No," she said with the girlish chuckle that I cherished, "but I do 'cause I special. Bye-bye, Aunt Kate."

She handed me the phone and snuggled her head into my neck. "Hello, love," I said inot the reciever.

"Ahoy-hoy, we're still on for dinner at your house, right?"

"Yeup, I'm gonna get started as soon as I'm off the phone."

"Awesome, I just had to check - you get so wrapped up in that book of yours," she said. "I'll see you in an hour."

"Yeup, don't die."

She just laughed in response. The line went dead. I set Kialya down, and headed to the kitchen.

"Is Aunt Kate comin'?" she asked, struggling onto one of the mahogany chairs around the table.

"She is," I said, bustling around the kitchen for the makings of dinner - which I really had forgotten about. "Do you know what that means?"

"Is Unca Tanner and Unca Ditty comin' too?" asked ehr eager voice; I couldn't help but smile as her face lit up.

I nodded and an excited squeal tore from her soul.

"Do I gets presnts?"

"We'll see," I said, shaking my head - they spoiled her as if she were their grandkid.

"Will you make 'pasketti, mommy? 'Pasketti is nommy."

"You read my mind, angel," I said. "How about you get your words? You can practice them in here while mommy makes dinner."

She waddled off and was back in seconds clutching her little 'rhyming families' folder. She poured over the words studiously as I continued to prepare dinner. Once everything was cooking, I washed my hands - Kialya looked up expectantly.

"Honey, I'm going to get ready," I said. "Don't go near the stove."

She nodded and went back to her words. I was just attempting to sneak back to my book when I heard a knock and the pitter-patter of Kialya's feet.

"Who is it?" she called through the door.

"The boogey man," taunted Ryan's voice from outside.

"But the booey man sca-wee," she whined. "Can you not be booey man?"

I heard Ryan laugh from the other side of the door, "It's Uncle Ditty, Kialya."

She squealed and threw the door open. Ryan stood in the empty frame, taller than ever, but it didn't stop him from bending down to Kialya's height to say hello properly - which sometimes included a gift - chocolate, little toys, a puppy - and always a hug.

"Oh! This is my favorite kind!" she squealed as I walked into the room.

"Hey, Ry," I said, he straightened and we hugged. "What have I told you about spoiling her dinner?"

"I was at the store. . . I couldnt' resist," he said, putting his hands up.

"Look at what I got!" Kialya demanded proudly, showing me a 'Cookies n' Cream' bar.

"Nom! Why don't you go hide it until it's time for desert?"

She toddled off.

"She is just like you," said Ryan. "How's the book coming?"

"I'm almost done," I said, leading him into the kitchen. "I've just gotta work out the dedication."

"You'll get it," he said, glancing around. "Where's the hubby?"

"The game," I said, rolling my eyes. "He knew I have you guys over tonight so he made plans with his friends, since I refuse to go."

Ryan smiled knowingly and Kialya came back into the room - utterly confused.

"Can'da is at the door," she said.

Ryan and I laughed aloud. "Wel, ket Canada in," I told her, she scuttled off.

"Tanner is here," I said, pulling the breadsticks out of the oven.

A second later he led Kialya back into the room.

"Where are we going?" he asked her.
"Can'da!" she cried happily.

"I've trained you well," said Tanner.

"Is mommy coming?" she asked.

"Nope, I'm going to kidnap you," he replied, singnaling her to 'shh!'

She copied him, and pulled herself back onto her chair.

"You kidnap her and you'll never see the light of day again," I said slowly.

"Oh . . . mommy mad," Kialya whispered to Ryan, who busted up while I pulled Tanner into a hug.

"How're you?" I asked.

"Never better," he replied.

The front door slammed and Kialya gasped - her eyes widening with excitement.

"Where's my favorite angel?" Katie's voice called.

"AUNT KATE!" Kialya screamed as Katie walked into the kitchen.

Katie scooped her up and the child clung to her neck. "You have lout shoes again!"

Katie reached down, pulling off a heel - bigger than any I'd ever seen - to show her, "Yeah, because loud shoes rock, right?"

Her student nodded dutifully.

"Who is going to buy them for you, Kia?" I asked.

She looked from me to Katie - deciding. "Mommy."

Katie high-fived her, "That's my girl."

"I'm forwarding you the bill," I muttered, setting the plates out on the table. "Kia, hon, will you go put your words away? We need the table."

She snatched the folder from the table and ran from the room - clutching it to her chest.

"I can't believe she's already reading those," Katie said.

"Not really, but I told oyu, before kindergarten she'll be reading. Once she can read well enough, we'll start on Harry Potter - not that she doesn't already know about it."

"Of course," Tanner muttered.

"Kialya came back in and I lifted her up.

"Let's eat," I said, setting her on a chair. Katie and Ryan fought over the seat on her left side while Tanner peaceably sat on her right. I sat downand we dug in.

"How is everyone doing?" I asked.

"No attacks this month," Katie reported. Ryan breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm probably going to find the cure for this before any of the doctors I've been to. My professors know more than they do."

We all laughed.

"I've been good," Ryan said. "School is going to start up again soon. I've only bought like five things on E-bay this year."

"There has GOT to be a group for that," Katie muttered.

"You're a freshman, right?" I asked.

"Senior, Paige," he said exasperated.

"At least I remembered you were in school. How are the languages coming?"

He answered in a garbled mess of sounds that I recognized as Chinese.

"'Scuse me?" Kialya asked.

Ryan snorted into his pasta.

"I'm great," Tanner reported. I might actually get to go to Canada at the end of the month - and the district is going to pay for all of it. OH yeah."

He winked at Kialya - she giggled.

"I good," Kialya said. "We're gonna feed duckies tomorrow."

"I'm awesome," I said, smiling when Tanner quacked. "Once my dedication is done the book will be ready for the publisher."

"That rocks," Ryan said.

Tanner nodded approvingly.
"Why is it taking you so long for the dedication?" Katie asked. "Isn't it just 'Thank you Mom and Dad' - done?"

"It's got to mean something."

It was silent for a minute while we all concentrated on our food.

"We should make this a tradition," Ryan said suddenly, "now that we're finally all in the same state again."

I looked down, a sudden heat in my face.

"We could alternate houses," Katie suggested. "With each of us in charge of our own week."

"I don't think my roommates would be able to handle having you guys in our apartment," Ryan said. "Besides, I'm a starving student, remember? I can barely feed me, let alone all of you."

"We could have it here every week," I said, quietly. "I wouldn't mind at all."

"It isn't your fault, Paige," Katie said, picking up on my shame. "Your dad got the job and you had to move with your family."

"Nothing was ever the same without you though," Ryan said.

Tanner nodded his agreement.

"How'd we end up here?" I asked. "Seven years of texts, phone calls, and maybe a day a year - yet, we're all still here - all grown up, and still best friends."

"Grown up?" Tanner chuckled. "How'd we manage that?"

Ryan chuckled.

"Yeah, I distinctly remember fighting time," Katie said. "We never really left our selves time to grow up."

"Hey, we had our moments," I said defensively. "We'd sit down for conversations and I'd get up feeling five years older, over and over again."

"Yah, but you remember all of the things we've done," Ryan said. "I know we all do."

"Like when we took those air mattresses to that pond?" Tanner asked.

"And Katie convinced the little girl there that she was queen of the mermaids," I said, shaking my head.

"That was funny - you know it," Katie said.

"Oh yeah," Ryan said. "I was the butler, huh?"

"Yeah, and then you got caught in that no service hick town, remember?"

"What about when I made him a stripper?" Tanner asked, cracking up.

"Those poor Starbucks employees," Katie muttered to me.

"What about the off-roading ventures?"

"Or when I exploded Starbucks all over your car?"

"Good ole Denton."

"Or when we shredded Tanner's tires?"

"Or the 10,000 shampoos."

"What about when I proposed to Katie on the street corner?"

"After the epic car chase? Yeah, that was AWEsome."

"Or redneck-sledding."

"That hill was never the same."

"Or the car wars."

I glanced at Kialya - her eyes followed the conversation, lit with a dream-like kind of light. I couldn't get over how much she loved these guys - I knew she would idolize them for the rest of time: they would be the inspiration for her crazy years. I suddenly had an idea.

* * * *

A week later, Katie, Ryan, and Tanner all went to their mailboxes to find a tightly wrapped, unmarked package. Each tore the paper to find a hard bound copy of the book - a marker on the dedication page.

To how caviler we used to be,

The beautiful insanity -

Now it won't ever fade.

Moments Like These

Paige and Katie in a Nutshell

It has long since been established that Paige and I have possible the most unique relationship in this group, we are total and complete best friends, even though we are the polar opposites of one another. I have recently learned that there will never be anything that can change the fact that we are best friends, no matter how much it may seem that way at the time. However, there are two things you must understand Paige is "My friend the communist", and has left an irreplaceable "handprint on my heart". To understand our relationship there are two songs: "Soak Up the Sun", By: Sheryl Crow, and "For Good", from the musical Wicked.

"Soak Up The Sun"

My friend the communist
Holds meetings in [her] RV
I can't afford [her] gas
So I'm stuck here watching TV
I don't have digital
I don't have diddly squat
It's not having what you want
It's wanting what you've got

[CHORUS:]
I'm gonna soak up the sun
Gonna tell everyone
To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that)
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up o I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I've got a crummy job
It don't pay near enough
To buy the things it takes
To win me some of your love
Every time I turn around
I'm looking up, you're looking down
Maybe something's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do
Maybe i am crazy too

[CHORUS]

I'm gonna soak up the sun
While it's still free
I'm gonna soak up the sun
Before it goes out on me
Don't have no master suite
I'm still the king of me
You have a fancy ride, but baby
I'm the one who has the key
Every time I turn around
I'm looking up, you're looking down
Maybe something's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do
Maybe I am crazy too

[CHORUS]

I'm gonna soak up the sun
Got my 45 on
So I can rock on

This song describes our attitude about each other and life in general, although somethings don't ever go as planned we choose to bask in the glow of what life should be. Paige more than anyone else has taught me that being positive and finding the sunshine in every moment of everyday is why we are here.

For Good

(Elphaba):
Im limited
Just look at me - Im limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda
So now it's up to you
For both of us - now it's up to you...

(Glinda):
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba):
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

(Glinda):
Because I knew you

(Both):
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba):
And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for

(Glinda):
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

(Both):
And none of it seems to matter anymore

(Glinda):
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

(Elphaba):
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

(Both):
Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better

(Glinda):
And because I knew you...

(Elphaba):
Because I knew you...

(Both):
Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good...

This song means more to me than any other song I have ever heard, not just because of Paige. However because of Paige this song makes me smile, Paige truly has left a unforgettable "Handprint on my heart". Without Paige there would be NO moments like these.
There it is - Katie and Paige in a nutshell.

I'm Not Going Anywhere

I don't know if it was here on this blog or in another unnamed place, but I've been quoted as saying 'good things don't last forever.' That is really the reason I started this blog, because I don't know how long this family will last but I always want to remember the insanity. I always want to be able to look back on this and laugh as I can hear Tanner screaming "YOU WHORE!" Ryan and his straight forward personality, and Katie with her plotting smile.
If you haven't been following us from the beginning, you might want to look back at the beginning because 1) the rest of our stories will make a lot more sense and 2) you'll notice that the first couple of posts (besides the one were I introduce everyone) feature Katie and I alone. I am, in no way, discrediting the guys, but I owe Katie for pretty much every happiness in my life. She was one of the first people I knew, without a doubt, I could always trust. Though this isn't the only thing she has done, it is the most important because her influence has allowed me to put more of myself into my life. Because I've had her to fall back on, I've, obviously, been able to enjoy myself more. I've been able to go about my usual activities without worrying about what other people think because she wouldn't care.
I'm not saying that Katie and I are falling apart, and I'm definitely not saying that I'm planning on it. I'm just trying to get across the point that situations and circumstances change. There are things we're all going to have to adapt to and things that will happen that might tear us apart. I like to look at it like the relationship Galinda and Elphaba have in the Broadway Classic Wicked. Two completely different people, thrown together in unpredictable circumstances, that became the best of friends - changing the other's life for the better.
There was a time, this past summer, that my dad was offered a totally legit job. He'd be able to do what he loved, but he'd be permanently stationed, so he could be home A LOT more than he is now. The catch? Home would have been down in Florida. After the summer I'd had, the one you have all read about, I couldn't imagine just leaving. I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that these moments might be the last I had with the people I loved more than anything in the world. It was so hard for me to accept, that it was a good month of family confusion before any of these guys found out it was a possibility. I'll admit, I kept it from them until there was actually legitimate cause to worry. The reactions were just as I'd thought they would be - and it killed me to watch them happen. I was going to miss them all so much more than I could ever even try to put into words, but there was an even deeper fear for losing the relationship I had with Katie.
When I get stressed like that, I write. I actually think that is another reason I started this blog. Either way, this situation obviously had me stressed out, and one of the more recent writing projects I'd tried was listening to a song and writing it's story. Like I'd said before, Katie and I's relationship reminded me of the friendship Galinda and Elphaba had. I sat back and looked at where I'd been and where I was now and their duet For Good depicted the exact emotions I was feeling. I knew, then, that our time might be slowly dwindling to a close but that there was no way I'd ever be able to forget it. She was and IS so much a part of me that I wouldn't have been able to if I wanted to. This is the result I got.

For Good

Katie grabbed my phone from my hand for the fifth time since she'd come to my house ten minutes ago. Frantically pressing buttons - I didn't ask what she was doing.

"Kate," I exhaled. "I've been texting and calling you for years. I have your number."

"I know," she sighed, handing my phone back.

I studied her face - her usually red skin was white, her confident blue eyes panicked.

"Katie, it'll be fine, I promise," I said, suddenly fighting my own tears. I took a deep breath to try and control myself. "I can't replace you. Even if I wanted to - it'd be impossible."

"Why are you moving?" she whispered.

"Because my dad got a job, remember? I don't want to go across the U.S.," I said. "You know I'm not going to be able to survive without the guys, let alone you."

"What will I do without my Paigey?"

"We can't fall apart, Kate. We've been through way too much for that," I said, chucking.

A watery laugh escaped, and I knew she was thinking about the times we'd been up past four in the morning having conversations deeper than our ages, the plays we'd suffered over, the secrets we'd shared - things that only we knew, not to mention the hot chocolate stains she'd left on the roof of my car. The tears welled up in my eyes yet again; I forced them back. I raked my brain for something to say - some way to express what she meant to me.

"Katie, you're my best friend. You can't imagine the influence you've been. You'll be with me. I'm not going to have to share you with everyone - you're a hand print on my heart."

A tear rolled down my cheek. I cursed myself.

She pulled me into a hug, "I love you, Paige. You've been all that and more for me. I'll beg my mom not to kill you for leaving me in this state."

"Well, she'd come to Florida, but you know she loves me too much."

"Are we ever going to see each other again?" she asked.

"I don't know. Katie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I ever hurt or offended you in anyway. I know I didn't mean to."

"Don't Paige, it goes both ways."

Standing there, staring at her, I couldn't honestly think of anything she'd ever done.

"Paige," my dad called. "Let's go."

I pulled Katie into a huge hug - trying to squeeze all of the thanks and pure emotion that I felt into her - I knew it would be the last chance I got.

"I love you, Katie," I whispered.

"I love you. For always."

I broke the embrace, and saw the tears falling, silently down her face. My eyes overflowed. I embraced her again, holding tightly to everything I couldn't lose.

"Paige, now," my mom said.

"Goodbye, Kate."

"Bye."

I pulled away and turned to the car, making sure I couldn't see her face - I knew I'd never be able to make myself leave if I did. In the car, I threw myself into the backseat - buckled myself in. Only then, I looked to see Katie's face. I pressed my hand - signing 'I love you' - against the window, finally letting the tears fall freely. She returned the gesture and my dad pulled away.

**DISCLAIMER** This didn't actually happen. It was just my idea of what would've happened had I been forced to relocate myself across the USA.

There isn't anyone quite like us

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though they know that you are slightly cracked." - Bernard Meltzer

For some odd reason I’ve been thinking a lot about this little family, we are truly unique. No matter what happens, and there have been some moments, we all still love each other. Lucky for us we still only judge on Tuesdays. I don’t think I’ll ever understand everything they have done for me; these are the kind of people worth fighting for, because there isn’t another group of people in this world that are so willing to accept me with all of my imperfections and insecurities. For that I will never be able to thank them enough.

In response to our theme song...

"True friends are two people who are comfortable sharing silence together"—Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Old School -our theme song- is a very evocative song for me. Whenever I hear it, it brings me back to summer days of being crammed into Denton's backseat, surrounded by friends, heading off to our next adventure.
Back then, things were so easy. No school, no outstanding obligations to worry us.
Just us.
Looking back, I now fully realize that I had it pretty good.

And although people, lives, and circumstances change, we'll always have perfect regard for how cavalier with beautiful insanity we used to be, and when everything is different and we forget who we are, we'll always have our old reckless ways to reflect back upon and realize that we made each other who we are.


Moments like these can't be taken for granted.

Theme Song

With how close our family is, we share a lot of things - even if we all have completely different opinions about pretty much everything. We share souls, thoughts, and emotions more deeply than with anyone else. It is an interesting thing to try and explain but I think these two, obviously unnamed quotes say it best:
1) “It is only that which cannot be expressed otherwise that is worth expressing in music.”
2)“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
Since a lot of what happens in our family is uncommunicated, it is hard to get across how attached we really are. Thus the choice of Hedley's Old School as our theme song. We're all still extremely close, but we've got some interesting things in store. Lyrics:
Don't believe everything happiness says
Nothing feels better than hiding these days
We bury our fears in the drinks, in these tears
For the days we believed we could fly

Call up your brothers and sisters and friends
We'll go back to the place where the night never ends
We'll remember the fires, the burning car tires
Boy how in the hell did we get here?

So why don't you meet me, down behind the old school
We'll waste away the weekend, with perfect regard for how
Cavalier we used to be, that beautiful insanity
The apathy's surrounding me
Don't close your eyes or we'll fade away

Over and over and over again
We sat down for a minute, grew up into men
Now we're putting out fires and changing car tires
Man how in hell did we get here?

So why don't you meet me, down behind the old school
We'll waste away the weekend, with perfect regard for how
Cavalier we used to be, that beautiful insanity
The apathy's surrounding me
Don't close your eyes or we'll fade away this time

And we'll never get back what we
Gave away, when we still have that fire in our eyes
Don't believe everything happiness says
Nothings as real as our old reckless ways
When we drink by the fires
The burning car tires
Bad girls and good liars
The dreams we'd conspire
The days we went crazy
The nights wild and hazy
Man how in the hell did we get here?

So why don't you meet me, down behind the old school
We'll waste away the weekend, with perfect regard for how
Cavalier we used to be, that beautiful insanity
The apathy's surrounding me
Don't close your eyes or we'll fade away

Why don't you meet me, down behind the old school
We'll waste away the weekend, with perfect regard for how
Cavalier we used to be, that beautiful insanity
The apathy's surrounding me
Don't close your eyes or we'll fade away

I couldn't find the official music video, this link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9AXKkJF1sM&feature=related) is just the songs with pictures of the band. This song has been played during every one of these stories with out fail. No matter where we end up, the different ways that we go, the different people we meet, or the fights we might have, this song will never fail to bring a smile to any of our faces because this song IS the Moments Like These.

I just learned that Ryan Ditty is imaginary, and Tanner Cutler won't stop crying.

Tanner always comes over on Sunday’s, sometimes he stays for church and others he just pushes me in the gutter in an effort to smash a poor misunderstood dead leaf and goes to his ward. Today happened to be one of the Sunday’s where he found himself, along with Maddy –The Little Samurai-, watching me scramble to finish getting ready for church. Finally the three of us were off, as to be expected we got a couple looks from the people in my ward, most of which are completely convinced I’m totally antisocial because to be honest I have never had any real connection to any of the youth with one exception, Donavan –The Italian- who is currently getting ready to serve a mission and is now in a different ward anyway, because when our Stake so lovingly decided to split our ward they cut him out of mine.
When the three of us found a place to sit we were mistakenly in the eye of the Bishopric, which will become important later. Maddy leaned over to me and whispered, “I feel like a neon sign at midnight!” she gestured to her shirt that looked so out of place on her. Dark sapphire and glittering with sequins Maddy looked like a lost child in a department store, not that I would ever say that. My dear Little Mumzi sat next us and the Sacrament Service began. It started with some random hymn that none of us had ever heard, Maddy kept laughing at how everyone in the congregation sounded lost, including us.
After the Sacrament Tanner leaned over to us and started playing with the cards in his wallet, Maddy started laughing about the Starbucks card and taking hers to the Temple. We began fighting over all of the picture ID’s because of how much Tanner’s work ID looks like a different person. I looked up as Tanner was holding my hands to contain them from getting to his drivers license just to see the entire Bishopric staring straight at us, laughing I pointed this out to Tanner; who quickly let go of my hands and enthusiastically waved! In horror I grabbed his hand and began holding it to stop him from embarrassing me in front of my new Bishopric.
A few nerve-wracking minutes later after continuing to contain Tanner and trying my hardest to laugh at Maddy’s discomfort caused be the ridiculous shirt. We looked over to see Little Mumzi playing with erasers! Green and yellow snakes, red, blue, yellow, and green turtles, Mumzi sat role-playing with each of the erasers. Of course Tanner and I did the only thing that could be done, we gave each of our friends an eraser character! Paige became the green turtle, Maddy the red turtle, Tanner the blue turtle, I became the yellow turtle, Alex –The Scottish Ninja- the yellow snake, and Ryan the green snake. Suddenly to our surprise Paige was replaced by a green snail!
Fear shrouded each of us as we wondered who would be replaced next; suddenly Maddy was gone, only to be reinstated by a red snail. “NO” the Little Samurai’s pain permeated the quiet meeting hall, disgust radiated from the omnipresent Bishopric. But the horror wasn’t to an end, Maddy’s face contorted as she pointed down to Little Mumzi. A scene that should’ve never been beheld met my eyes followed by Tanner’s. “Um who is kissing?” Tanner stated concern coating every syllable. Little Mumzi was making the snakes kiss!
“Tanner,” a laugh dripping in my voice, “the snakes are Ryan and Alex.” The outbreak of muffled laughter that couldn’t be contained erupted and refused to desist for at least the next 15 minutes, every time we looked back at our misshapen eraser family Alex and Ryan hadn’t finished kissing! The Bishopric continued to stare as we cried tears of blatant shock and irony. Containing ourselves in that moment became harder than ever as we felt their eyes glued to our crippled forms.
A note was suddenly shoved under my tear stained red face asking us to teach Little Mumzi’s primary class, she was feeling a tad under the weather. I wrote back saying that my stray friends and I would be overjoyed to tackle a couple eight-year-olds for the afternoon.
We scuttled our way to room 113, which was much more like a broom closet than a classroom, glad to be out of the gaze of the Bishopric. We started teaching our lesson as any good teacher team of three teenagers who had just been oh so reverent in Sacrament Meeting would, “Now everyone be reverent like you should be in Sacrament Meeting.” Maddy and Tanner snorted as I struggled to keep a straight face, the image of the kissing Ryan and Alex was at the forefront of my mind. Suddenly a little boy in the class punched Tanner, but disregarding this minor issue I proceeded to teach the lesson. As the lesson progressed Tanner continued to be abused by the small boy, finally Tanner got up and left.
Maddy and I pulled out the erasers just then and told them that if they were reverent and stopped hitting Tanner they would get one. “Tanner is a VERY sensitive person and is probably out there crying right now.” Maddy said to the class at large.
The little abusive boy’s eyes grew huge, “should I go make sure that he isn’t out in the hall crying” Maddy nodded smiling. The little boy scampered out of the room and returned with the news that Tanner was indeed not in the hall crying and he couldn’t find him.
A few minutes later, Tanner wandered back to our humble broom closet. The abusive boy stared up at him and in a small voice inquired, “Were you crying out there?”
Confusion glared off of Tanner as he looked at Maddy and I, “what have you been telling them?”
“You’re a very sensitive person, and they need to stop hitting you.” Tanner’s face went red with contained laughter as tears began flooding his eyes; he buried his face in the sleeve of his jacket.
The little boy patted him saying, “I didn’t even touch him that time and he is still crying!” At this Tanner cried harder.
Finally we got to the point in the lesson where the erasers became important, we pulled out a board game at the back of the teachers manual that Little Mumzi lovingly book marked ‘’game’’, each child laid their erasers down and began to play, the object of the game was to do righteous things so you could find your way to the Celestial Kingdom. There were some spaces that you had to go back on for not doing Christ Like actions. During the intense fighting of each child trying their absolute hardest to go the Celestial Kingdom first Tanner slipped in that he hated me, right as he said it one kid chimed in, “we don’t say the ‘hate’ word!”
“That’s right Tanner,” Maddy scolded, “go back two spaces!” Tanners face fell and he began crying again from laughter, however none of the kids could see that he was laughing, they could only see he was crying. As the game progressed we found ourselves bugging Tanner about Ryan for one reason or another.
At this one child asked, “who is Ryan?”
“Now Tanner, don’t cry.” I said carefully, “Ryan is his imaginary friend who never loved him!” At this Tanner started ‘’crying’’ again! Lucky for us this concluded class and we headed into the primary room. While we were waiting for primary to start the primary president scampered up to me and handed me a plastic bag that contained two Hershey’s treasures and a note. On the back of the note I wrote, “Sorry there were only two pieces of candy, please don’t cry <3/ Katie and Maddy.” And handed it to Tanner.

Moments Like These.

"OH! Sorry to disturb you. . . "

It has long since been made known that Tanner and I can be just a tad flirtatious at times, sadly some of these moments have turned really embarrassing! My favorite from the plethora of times deals with the white couch in my basement, it was a Sunday afternoon. Tanner had got off from IMAX -The eater of Tanners summer- early; as was customary he was at my house for the afternoon and evening.

My dear Mumzi's side of the family was also paying us a visit that day. Tanner and I decided to take our conversation to a more private setting, so we headed down stairs to the white couch. I was sprawled out as usual on one end under a blanket, Tanner was on the other end sitting up. For a reason only Heaven knows he decided to lunge across the couch! Before I had the time to react my blanket was halfway across the basement and Tanner was on top of me tickling my very soul from me!

Just as he landed on me, my uncle Carlisle -Mumzi's dear younger brother- entered the room. I was screaming, Tanner was on top of me, which was all that Carlisle -Mumzi's dear younger brother- had to see.

"OH!" the shock in his voice permeated the room, "I'm sorry to disturb you. . . " he edged awkwardly out of the room and scuttled his way back up the stairs. Tanner and I stopped dead in our efforts, his to tickle me, and mine to shove him off of me. We looked at each other and died laughing.

Moments Like These.

The Pagan Series: Part Two

In the olden days, when Ryan was still Birdie-less, I - the Driver - ended up driving him, and everyone else, everywhere. I never had any problem with it, it was kind of fun actually - the experiences have added many a story to the history of Denton the Dented.

One of these days, Katie and I pulled up to Ryan's house to pick him up for something and found that he was not yet home. So, being Katie and I, we ended up taking a walk around his neighborhood. We headed down the street, not really realizing that we were, in fact, headed directly toward the Pagan House. As you have read, in Part One of this surreptitious series, the Pagan's house frightens us greatly. However, that statement doesn't even begin to cover the way we feel about the people that call that haunted house home.

Unbeknownst to Katie and I, these demented dwellers had ventured out into the unkempt jungle that was their lawn - and we were much too close to the boundary line. I glanced up and experienced a thrill that left my heart beating in my throat when I realized the Pagans were out and about.

"Uh, Kate?" I asked, nodding discreetly in their direction.

Her face went white and she looked away determined not to make eye contact with any of them.

"Geez, I didn't know that Pagans could come out in the sun," I muttered. "They're not even steaming or anything."

Katie had to hide her laughter until we made it around the corner so as not to bring the attention of these nocturnal neighbors to us. As soon as were out of ear shot her cackle echoed across the skies as I pulled out my phone to text Ryan: Woah! Apparently Pagan's can come out in the sunlight!

When Ryan finally ended up at his house he demanded an explanation and, naturally, Katie and I were more than ready to fill him in on the latest of our encounters with the paranormal.

Moments Like These

From Vampires to Three-Somes

“Mandi!” (-The Gothic Manager) I whined over the radio.  “Can Katie and I leave since there’s no movie playing?”  It was the second day after the midnight shows for Twilight: Eclipse, and we were sitting over at the dinosaur museum three hours early, and we wanted to go home. Now.

“Tanner, you stay for a couple more minutes, Katie, you can leave now. Just make sure you’re back in two hours.” she replied. Katie cheered, and I suggested that we go to Zupas to have lunch during this two-hour “break”.

“YEAH! Let’s bring Ryan along too!” Katie exclaimed (Paige was working at that time). Katie asked if she could take my car to pick up Ryan, and after a little lecture on the proper care of my car, I (hesitantly) agreed, and off she went with my keys.

-Ten minutes later-

“Okay, where’s my car?” I asked. Katie just snickered, I knew I was in for something. Katie then pointed out the back door toward my car. I looked out to see my car parked out beyond Canada, Russia, and Narnia. I turned to her, glared, called her a whore, and lead the trek out to my car.

Finally, Ryan, Katie and myself were all sitting down in Zupas talking, eating, and just enjoying life. Suddenly, me and Katie got into a tickling war (something very common with us) and she kicked me out of the booth onto the floor. It must have looked like I fell off, because an employee, shocked, ran over to my aid. “Are you okay, sir?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I was able to squeeze out between fits of laughter. She asked again if I was okay, so I reassured her that I was alright. She continued to ask if I was alright, and finally I convinced her that I was just fine. I stood up, sat back in the booth, and bust up laughing again.

“Are you okay?” Katie mocked. We all laughed and continued eating (after I tickled Katie a couple more times for revenge). After we had got over the fact that I fell off the bench, Katie said “Haven’t you guys noticed that we always seem to go on these little ‘dates’?”

“Yeah,” Ryan and I agreed. “It’s almost like a three-some,” I said in a joking manner. Katie and Ryan laughed (if you haven’t noticed, we laugh a lot), and it seemed that it was true. We always did go on dates with each other. But, despite that fact, nothing could have prepared us (by ‘us’ I mean Katie and myself) for what was about to happen next.

“Wait, so you’re also dating him?” Katie yelled at Ryan, pointing her angry finger at me.

“We’re having a three-some, I though you were okay with this!” Ryan almost screamed. After half a second of silence, Katie and myself started crying from how hard her and I were both laughing. Never, in a million years, did Katie or I expect to hear anything like that, especially from Ryan. All three of us could not stop laughing for quite a few minutes (it hurt). Whenever the laughter started to die, one of us would just repeat “We’re having a three-some,” just to make us start laughing again.

This has become one of the most well known inside jokes within our group, and still, do this day, you can see Katie, Ryan, and me laughing at the most memorable quote from our experience working during the Twilight movies.

Moments Like These...

Cows

Katie said that if there was any mention of a cow on the blog, it would have been from me.

Haha Katie. Haha.

Tanner and I - The Chronicles

Tanner and I (me, being Ryan-The Comic Relief) have had many an adventure together. Usually these adventures include us driving around in Tanner's car into the wee hours of the morning.(okay, not really, I always get home by curfew, but that sounds way more exciting). Anyways. In this post I am going tell about two of our adventures: the longest, and the most cathartic.

Number one:
During the summer and into the start of the school year, Tanner and I, with our lives being so busy, hardly got to see each other. We would always see each other fleetingly, when I would come over to Katie's house to cram in some English or math homework, but we hadn't really had a good, long, hang-out in a long time. So we planned it out: on a Saturday that we both were free, we decided we would spend the day together and see where fate would take us. So as you can imagine, Tanner came and picked me up from my house and we just started driving around without any particular destination in mind.
So there we are, driving aimlessly around, (by this point we are out in Eagle Mountain) when we come upon a sign that has an arrow going left--pointing to civilization, and an arrow going right--pointing out into the middle of nowhere (otherwise known as Tooele). Tanner looks at me, sees the skeptic look on my face, and cackles as he takes the turn right, leading me out into the middle of nowhere.
We drove for a long time, taking the extremely scenic route that Tanner chose for us. We drove up through Tooele, and are coming up on the freeway, when Tanner suddenly sees a road sign, gasps, and yells "I CAN TAKE YOU TO SALTAIR!!!" I smiled inside, and agreed, of course. (in case you didn't know, Tanner has quite the obsession for saltair). So we drove alllllllll the way up to Magna, and went to this abandoned old building with tons of graffiti inside, which was pretty cool, but then we had to leave pretty quickly, because we were pretty sure a drug deal was going down, and we didn't want to be there when the 5-0 came and busted the crack party up.
This adventure makes it into The Chronicles because we must have spent at least 6-7 hours in the car together that day. It was pretty cool.

Number Two
This day started out as another scheduled hang out time with Tanner (the only kind we ever have). We started out by having lunch at Tanner's favorite restaurant - Blue Lemon. I thought it wasn't that good and overpriced, another tribute to how different me and Tanner are, but it made him happy, and that was the objective. While at lunch, Tanner and I started talking, specifically about his past. To summarize, Tanner didn't have the best group of friends before he met us, and we were discussing how he had found a bunch of stuff that had reminded him of them. Wanting Tanner to forget about them, we decided that we would put our inhibitions aside and purge his life of those mementos, by destroying them. So of course, our method of destruction was what any two people of the male gender would decide upon in collaboration; fire. We left Blue Lemon, filled up his trunk with the various items to be destroyed, and left for my house to get matches and accelerant. We made two quick stops on the way, one for a round of Killer Bunnies - The Game- and for ice cream - The Delicious - at Cold Stone, but then continued on our way. We ran into my house, and Tanner tried not to sound too conspicuous as he chatted with my mother, while I changed my clothes, because I didn't want to sully my good clothes with smoke. I snuck the matches in my pocket, went to the garage and grabbed a can of brake cleaner, and then Tanner and I departed for Willow Park down in Lehi to commence our burning. We parked the car, got out, crouched by the fire pit, threw everything inside, and then he dropped a match in while I sprayed the items with brake cleaner, which sent tongues of flame exploding from the center of the pit, engulfing everything that we were trying to forget. I suggested tribal dancing and chanting, but the flames were almost extinguished, which disappointed me. We stood up, ready to leave, but realized that there were still embers glowing in fire pit, and being the good boy scouts that we are we couldn't just leave and not extinguish these. I looked at Tanner and said, "Do you have anything in your car we could use to put this out?" He looked at me, smirked, and said, "I have soup." I cracked up, but he was serious. We walked to his car, pulled out two cans of soup, and extinguished the final embers with a little chicken noodle.
Now that we had finished that up, I suggested we celebrate, and of course, me being me, I came up with the most random way possible. Go to walmart, buy champagne glasses and some apple bubbly and usher in the new phase in his life with a toast. I let Tanner pick the location, and soon enough, after a little more driving, we were parked in front of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. (when we stepped out of the car, I realized that we had no bottle opener to open the bottle, so after rummaging through Tanner's trunk I found a pair of safety scissors inside his first aid kit that I resourcefully used to pry open the lid). I poured some into the glasses, and we clinked glasses and then drank. In that moment as we overlooked the temple, change was even more tangible in the air then it had been during the burning. We finished off the whole bottle, and then started for home, driving by the Draper Temple and going over Suncrest, which definitely was less fun with Tanner because he actually drove the speed limit.


Thus ends the first and second account of The Chronicles of Tanner and I. There have been more long drives that Tanner and I have taken, but none were as awesome as these two, and I'm pretty sure that more will be added in the future.

Me + Kaite + 3 in the morning = . . .

"A real friend is someone who would feel loss if you jumped on a train, or in front of one. ~Author Unknown
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"We're gonna wake up and all we're gonna remember is peeing on ashes and trains!" ~ Katie
"-put that box in another box, then I'll mail it to myself, and THEN I'll smash it with a hammer!" "BAMBI!!" ~ Katie and Paige
"Great, now you're the Bambi whisperer now." ~ Paige
Let's just say that there is a reason only a few quotes ended up on this blog :D

The Tale of the Killer Bunnies

With all of the intense things we've done as a family, you'd think we'd get some down time every now and then. Sorry to sound like a broken reccord, but HAHA no. We have yet to disclose another adventure just as dangerous and a million times more terrifying than anything we've ever done. As you can see on the side bar, our number one favorite game is The Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot. We would play it day in and day out if we only had the time.
The point of the game, you see, is to get a hold of the Magic Carrot - the only problem with that is that you don't know which carrot (of 20) is the Magic Carrot until the end of the game, so it is mostly a game of chance - unless you're one of us. We all have our own strategies - which, admitedly, revolve around making each other's lives as miserable as we possibly can.
See, to get your hand on the Magic Carrot, you've got to have a bunny - and you obviously want as many carrots as you can get, so you don't want anyone else to posess a bunny. Hence the 'Killer' part of the title. We spend the game scrambling for carrots while dismembering any bunny but your own with weapons that range from a sling shot to plutonium radiation.

It's rather exciting.

Katie, a.k.a. satan, is the most competitive member of our family. When playing a game with her, your soul is ripped from your body and laid on the table before you so you can watch it writhe in pain. Seriously, she is the soul reason that you won't ever find Tanner, Ryan, or I ever even entertaining the thought of playing Monopoly. The only reason we're all still in love with this game is because we've practically dedicated our lives to it.

We've spent hours on end in Denton - The Car - searching for each of the eleven expansion packs. Well over 100 dollars later, we've got one full set and one set that is only two packs away from being completed. If you ever need a suggestion on a good game store, feel free to ask, because we visited every game store in Utah - we went to the ends of the earth and then the internet, for these cards. All and all, we've got 715 cards and 11 instruction manuals - each filled with details on specific cards and procedures you've got to know to be able to play this game. If that doesn't explain the complexities of this noble game, then the fact that it took me SIX hours to read the instruction manuals should. It was well worth my time though.

If you ever get the chance, I would highly reccomend this game - though I would clear the area of sharp or potentially harmful objects.

Moments Like These

The Pagan Series: Part One

So, we all have this inside joke that Ryan has THE MOST diverse neighborhood in the world. If you don't believe us ask the hillbillies, the random cats, the bitter old man, and the pagans. They'll tell you all about it. This new series for the blog focuses on the last of these. . . cultures. The pagans. In all actuality, these guys are the reason you will never find any of us in line for the ice cream truck. Seriously, they scare us.

Their windows glow with an erie red light because they painted them - and though this is SUPER creepy, it really helps when trying to locate Ryan's house in the middle of the night; not that we do that often. . . Anyway - these windows are also decorated with pentagrams and a lot of other creepy symbols. The yard is overgrown, mangled and just down right creepy, often populated with the random cats group. We don't know where they came from they're just there. Which brings me to the first tale of these demented dweller's.

The Family was all gathered outside of Ryan's house - we'd just raced him home so that he would be on time for curfew (one of the few rules we can all say we've never broken, despite how close we may have come) - and we were all standing there saying our goodbyes for the night. Of course, being us, we ended up talking for another fifteen minutes or so. . . and I just happened to be the one facing the Pagan House. Despite the ominous glow that creeped up the street to our foots and the all around erie feeling I got looking at it - it was rather eye catching, so every now and then my eyes would chance a glance - praying that a darkened face wouldn't be found watching us. Because, pagan or not, that'd be WAY creepy.

We were getting closer to our departure and I glanced up at the accursed house one last time, only to step back in utter horror as I realized the lights had been terminated.

"Um, guys. . . " I said, voice shaking along with the rest of my body. "The Pagan's lights just went out."

Simultaneously, their faces paled and their eyes all flicked to the house. I knew they were all just as horrified about the situation as I was.

"You guys had better go," Ryan said, hurriedly, whispering so that the demons, that were no doubt crawling toward us, couldn't hear him.

We came together for a fast and completely terrified group hug - though Katie still managed to slip in the traditional group hug quote, 'Hi, I'm Ryan, and I'm straight,' before running and jumping into our respective house as Ryan bounded up to his front door.

Moments Like These

Your Group IS A Social Norm. . .

One day Ryan came to one of our group meetings with some rather interesting news.
"Guys, I have to do a social norm project," he said.
Kaite and I's eyes light up immediately.
"Your group IS a social norm project," my mom muttered, and we all busted up.
"It has to be epic," he continued. "What're we going to do?"
"Well, it has to be on Thursday because I work every other day," I said.
"You WHORE," Tanner exclaimed. "That's the ONE day I can't."
"Sucks to be you," I said sticking my tongue out.
"We should do an epic break up scene in a store or something," Katie exclaimed.
"OH, that would be fun," I said. "Since Tanner can't be there, we'll have you and Ryan walk into the store holding hands all lovey-dovey and then I'll come around the corner and ask him what he's doing with another girl and then we'll have and epic screaming in each others faces session."
"YES!" Ryan agreed enthusiastically.
So on that rather crazy Thursday, The Family - minus Tanner - piled into Denton - the Car - and headed to the Meadow's in American Fork. We selected the Target as our first stage. As soon as Denton's - the Car - doors opened it was like we didn't knew each other exist - well for me, Katie and Ryan were playing up the whole couple thing so they were all over each other. I walked in separate from them pretending I was there to do some lonely grocery shopping.
I had to methodically follow them around - so that I could come into their conversation at the exactly right moment, but pretend I have no idea they were there. I heard Katie's voice from the other side of the shelf I was 'browsing:'
"So, I was looking at your phone and there were these messages on it from some girl. I think her name was Paige or something. . . she was saying she loved you and all of this stuff. What's going on with that?"
"It's nothing, Katie," replied Ryan, much too quickly - perfectly in character.
"Well, who is she?" retorted Katie. "If it really is nothing you should be able to tell me about her."
"Leave it alone, Katelyn," he said. "I'm serious."
Katie began to retort and I took that as my cue to make my entrance. I meandered around the corner as casually as possible and then gasped in surprise as I saw Ryan there.
"Ryan! Oh my gosh, what're you doing here, hon?!" I said, nice and loud. "I thought you said you had homework!"
Katie stalked forward, her smug smile across her face. Oh, this is going to be fun, I thought as she stuck her hand out for a 'friendly greeting.'
"And who are you?" she asked, in a voice like poisoned honey.
"I'm Paige," I said, letting my expression harden. "Who the heck are you?"
"Paige?!" she asked, rounding on Ryan. "The Paige from the texts?"
"Um. . ." mumbled Ryan.
"Oh well I'm Katie, Ryan's girlfriend," she practically screamed at me. Her expression just daring me to challenge her.
Mentally, I rubbed my hands together - the world was about to experience a legitimate fight between Katie and I - something that even Tanner and Ryan (until this point) had never seen.
"Last time I checked, Katie, he was mine," I said, in a very slow, ice cold tone. "Back off, blondie."
"I'm sorry," she retorted, stepping forward to get up in my grill, "but I've been dating him for six months now, I think hes mine."
"Um, since we've been dating for the past YEAR and A HALF, I'm pretty sure he is mine."
We both looked at him expectantly. Ryan's eyes shifted between us uneasily and I had to force myself to hold in a laugh. They finally settled on me.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"She's one of those girls in my fan club," he told me, alluding to the Family's inside joke.
"Oh!" I said, catching on. "One of the crazies, right?"
"Oh, and who is SHE?" Katie screamed. "One of those desperate girls that can't get a date? I remember you telling me about feeling bad for them."
I looked at him to see where he wanted this one to go. He avoided my gaze and I took that as a prod in the right direction.
"You felt bad for me?" I screamed at him. "And all this time I thought it was me helping you!"
His eyes widened in shock and I saw Katie hold back a laugh. I let my eyes scan the perimeter, trying to see the reactions we were getting, as he decided how to counter. I saw this rather large guy standing directly across from us in the isle with his cart staring at us open mouthed. While Katie continued screaming at Ryan, I glared at the poor man - his mouth snapped shut and he pushed his cart right around the corner and out of sight. I rolled my eyes as I saw his head peak back around the corner to keep watching.
"You have to choose," Katie was screaming at Ryan.
"Yeah," I joined in. "Me or her?"
"Uh. . ." said Ryan, shuffling his feet awkwardly.
Katie waited for a second and then leaned forward, brushing tears out of her eyes and SMACKed Ryan across the face before storming off. A little kid, who was white and couldn't have been more than six years old watched her leave nodding his head.
"DANG girl," he said, and I fought to control my face.
"Wait, Katie, no," Ryan mumbled.
He turned to look at me desperately.
"Good bye," I said coldly and stormed off after Katie.
"No. . . wait, Paige," he said, coming after us.
I ignored him completely and ran to catch up with Katie.
"So he's been two timing us then," I said to her.
"I guess so," she said. "What a loser."
"Yeah, well, we're better off with out him," I said, holding my hand out. "We kind of missed the proper introductions. I'm Paige."
She took my hand and the plotter's smile came out. "I'm Katie - I think we're going to be the best of friends."
We both laughed and walked out of the store - Ryan following us dejectedly. We kept up the act until we had closed Denton's - the Car - doors behind us.
"Why'd you have to smack me?!" Ryan instantly demanded.
"It just fit with the way things were going," Katie said with a shrug.
"You weren't saying much," I said in her defense.
"It was my first time," he defended. "I didn't know what to expect - you guys were tearing into each other."
Katie and I shared a special smile.
"I'll do better next time," he promised.
"Where too next?" I asked.
"Well, I've got to go into Ross, so let's find somewhere near there," Ryan instructed.
I pulled into the Ross parking lot, and we saw a decently occupied Best Buy right next door.
"Is Best Buy okay?" I asked.
Katie and Ryan nodded and we assumed our previous characters. We got into the store and I tried to discreetly stalk Katie and Ryan. Katie used the same starting line and I waited for the best time to intervene.
"Ryan! Oh my gosh! I thought you had homework tonight!" I exclaimed again.
Katie and I went through the same introduction but then this time Katie stormed off and to my character's utter disappointment Ryan followed. He chased Katie across the store, and I chased him. Little did I know, this other group of teenagers was following us around - apparently enthralled by our little drama. This particular break-up ended with Katie really whapping Ryan across the face and storming out as the greeter looked like he wanted to try to comfort Ryan. I just ignored him completely and walked out. Once we all made it out of the store, Katie was the first to speak.
"I really didn't mean to hit you that hard, Ryan, I swear!"
"That one really hurt!" he exclaimed, massaging his face.
We walked into the Ross and began to look for shirts for Ryan. After we'd been in the store for a when Katie busted up.
"Those teenagers that were following us in Best Buy are here," she said. "They came in and gave us some really confused looks."
Ryan and I both looked over our shoulders, and had to hide our laughter when we saw how true her words were. Ryan returned his focus to the rack of clothes in front of us. He pulled out a hanger and showed it to Katie and I.
"You know, I've always wanted one of these hobo jackets," he said.
"Try it on," I said.
"I think it'll look good on you," Katie said.
He forced it on and turned to look in the mirror. "I like it."
"It looks good on you," I agreed.
"Okay, well, I'm gonna get it," he said, pulling at the jacket to get it off. "Um . . . guys, it won't come off."
"Would you like me to help you take it off," Katie said, obviously not thinking about what she was saying.
I busted up, and laughed even harder when I saw the guy's faces from the next isle over. Katie just looked at me with an expression that said 'don't you dare say a word.' Ryan got out of the hobo jacket and ended up purchasing it along with another jacket.
"To Wal*Mart then?" I asked.
My friends nodded and mischievous smiles lit their faces. We dropped by Denton - the Car - so that Ryan wouldn't have to carry his purchases around Wal*Mart while having to deal with Katie and I at the same time. Once we departed from Denton's presence, it was, yet again, like we'd never met each other. I walked in by myself - intent on doing some serious grocery shopping, I guess - and Katie and Ryan were hand in hand strolling along - intent on spending some quality time together, I'm sure.
They weaved in and out of the isles so fast that I lost them. Deciding that it wouldn't be suspicious if I texted them, I pulled out my phone.
Um. . . where are you guys?
I sent the text and began wandering aimlessly. I don't even remember where they said they were, but I headed in that direction. I looked through the section - seemingly browsing for whatever was in that section - checking every isle for them. Finally, I turned the corner to see both of them, on the floor, laughing so hard that tears were creeping up on the corners of Katie's eyes. Playing my part, I shot them an extremely confused and degrading look - as, I'm sure, many other Wal*Mart shoppers were doing - and kept walking to the next isle. I strained my ears so I would know when they'd gathered themselves and continued on with their lives. As soon as they moved, I followed, an isle behind, waiting for my cue.
"So, Ryan. I was looking through your phone and I saw these messages from this girl . . I think her name was Paige. They said some really interesting things. What was that all about?"
Just as Ryan was saying, "It's nothing Katie," I came around the corner.
"Ryan?! Whoa, I thought you had homework tonight, what's going on?" I said all smiley and bouncy - until, that is, my eyes fell on his and Katie's intertwined hands.
Ryan noticed my change in attitude and quickly shook his hand out of Katie's. Katie looked seriously offended, stomped up and shoved her face into mine.
"Who are you?"
"Who am I?!" I spat in her face. "Who are you, holding hands with my guy?!"
"Your's?" she shouted back, throwing her head back as a cackle ripped from her lips. "He's mine. We've been dating for six months."
"Six months?" I asked, Ryan more than her. "What the heck is she talking about?"
"Nothing, Paige, nothing," Ryan said.
"Yes, something!" Katie cried.
"Well, I don't know how you could have been dating him for the past six months," I snapped. "We've been dating for just about a year and a half now."
"WHAT?!" Katie cried, rounding on Ryan.
I looked at Ryan expectantly. Ryan's eyes shifted in between us a couple of times before they rested on me.
"I can explain this, Paige," he said.
Katie looked like she was going to interject, but I cut her off.
"Oh, please do," I said rather coldly.
"Katie is just one of those girls," he said, his facial expression telling me that bad we had 'had this conversation before.'
"OH!" I said, faking comprehension. "One of the cheerleaders?"
Ryan nodded as Katie exploded.
"Oh, and she's that stupid girl you feel bad for?" Katie asked.
"Stupid?" I spat at her. "That's funny when all of you cheerleaders have an IQ of 50 - if you're lucky."
"Excuse me," she said. "I've maintained a four point oh for my entire junior high and high school career."
"You and I both know that that's only because you slept with the gym teacher," Ryan interjected, scathingly.
Katie and I both blinked in surprise - not daring to show any more of a reaction than that.
"How dare you!" Katie cried after a beat. "I did not!"
"I see what you mean," I said. "Definitely a cheerleader."
"Come on, Paige," he said, holding his hand out to me.
I took it, and he led me toward the front of the store - apologizing profusely for Katie's 'misbehavior.' Giving Katie every ounce of credit she deserved, she played her part extremely well. She ran after us, prying our hands apart and shoving hers in, saying, 'No, this isn't over,' again and again. Finally, Ryan threw her hand away.
"Katelyn, we're done," he said firmly - earning a super strange glance from a cashier.
He took my hand once again and we left the store together discussing the deranged girl that was following us out. We all fell into Denton - the Car - once again and Katie instantly rounded on Ryan.
"I slept with the gym teacher!?" she screamed. "I can't believe you actually said that!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ryan said, laughing. "It just kinda popped out."
"Oh, you are so going to pay for that," Katie muttered darkly.
"Home now?" I asked, revving Denton - the Car's - engine.
"Yeah," said Ryan from the back seat since Katie was still grumbling to herself in the passenger's seat.
I chuckled as I pulled out of the parking lot.
"That was great you guys," I said, hitting the CD player so that our theme song - Old School by Headly - came on.
Katie smiled:

Moments Like These

How To Get Out Of A Ticket. . .

As it has been said many, many times before, I have a SERIOUSLY heavy lead foot. I like to go EXTREMELY fast and it is fun. Especially on the road that goes from my house up Suncrest - cause it isn't monitored by police. Once you get to the top, though, you'd better slow down because the cops like to sit up there and get you as you come up the mountain.
On this particular day, Kaite and I were headed to the Draper temple and taking the Suncrest road is our favorite way to get there. As usual, I was haulin' up the mountain and we didn't see a cop the entire time. Unfortunately for me, I forgot about the top of the mountain rule and kept going as fast as I did. Unfortunately for me, yet again, there was a cop, sitting there and waiting for his prey.
"Turn here," Katie ordered quickly, watching the cop in the review mirror.
I followed her orders unquestioningly - as always - and the cop followed us. I knew we were screwed.
"See, this is what's going to happen," I said to Katie. "He's going to wait until the road gets thicker and then he'll turn his lights on. We'll pull over and he'll ask us where we're going and how fast we think we were going."
"Wow. . " she said as the road got thicker and the cops lights flashed to life.
The cop got out of his car and walked up to my already rolled down window.
"How're you ladies doing today?" he asked.
"Just fine, thank you sir," I answered with what I hoped was a winning smile.
"Where are you headed?" he asked.
I shot a triumphant look at Katie and then looked at him straight in the eye and said in my sweetest tone, "Actually, sir, we're just headed to the Draper temple."
I have to say that that is the most SATISFYING thing I've ever said to a cop that just pulled me over. His face kind of fell and I saw a glimmer of hope at the end of the dark tunnel.
"Oh. . . well, do you know why I pulled you over?" he asked, hesitantly.
"Um . . . I was going a little fast," I said, playing up the innocent little girl act.
"Yeah, do you know what the speed limit is here?" he asked.
"Um . . . no," I answered.
"Well its fourty . . . Do you know how fast you were going?" he asked.
"I was kind of concentrating on the road," I said. "I didn't get to look at my speedometer much."
"Well, I clocked you at sixty-two," he said. "Do you think this is NASCAR or something? I saw you down on the mountain . . . I didn't know cars like this could corner like that."
I swear I could hear some admiration in his tone. If it had been almost ANYONE else I would have answered something along the lines of 'Yeah, well, I've got skills,' but somehow that didn't seem like the best option for the specific situation.
I settled for a humble look and a quiet, "Me neither."
"Okay, well, can I see your license and registration?" he asked.
"Yeah, give me just a second to get that out," I said, reaching up into my new glovebox - a ziploc bag that I'd stapled to my ceiling after the Off-Roading Experience Part 3. Katie busted up and the cop gave me a really weird look - I just shrugged and handed him my license, registration and proof of insurance. After a glance at the last two documents, he handed them back and I knew we were home free. He took my liscense back to his car - as they always do - to pull up my record and so on. I don't think he even did that though because if he had seen my record I don't think I would have gotten off so easily. . .
As soon as the door to his car closed Katie and I busted up and instantly started making fun of our prediciment.
"Actually we're on our way to the temple," she said, cracking up.
We just laughed and laughed until we saw him get out of his car again. Then we fought to regain our 'innocent' composure as he trudged back down to Denton - the Car. He handed me my license.
"Okay, I'm going to let you off this time," he said like a parent scolding their two year old who'd just decorated the walls with his favorite crayon. "You've really got to watch your speed though, okay?"
"Yes, sir," I said, nodding like the most obedient little girl on the planet.
He smiled and said, "Okay, have a nice day girls."
"Thank you, sir," Katie and I coursed.

Moments Like These

Best advice ever!!!!

I love this so i felt like is should share it

Time Tested Beauty Tips:

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored,
renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,
you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;
one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

Haha even though it talks about women I think that it can also apply to men!

Footprints

By Margaret Fishback Powers

One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene,
I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and
One to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
There was only one set of footprints.
I realized that this was at the lowest
And saddest times of my life.
This always bothered me
And I questioned the Lord
about my dilemma.

"Lord, You told me when i decided to follow You,
You would walk and talk with me all the way.
But i'm aware that during the most troublesome
Times of my life there is only one set of footprints.
I just don't understand why, when I need You most,
You leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child,
I love you and will never leave you,
never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you say only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."

This poem made me think of what all of you do for me :) you would be surprised how many of the footprints in my sand are yours

Oh, The Looks People Have Given Us. . .

For those of you at home, I've got some new people to introduce, with their standing titles, for the sake of the stories.
Maddie - The Supreme Samurai
Alex - The Scottish Ninja
Donavan - The Italian
Preston - The Dancer
Makenzie - TTB
It has long since been agreed on that Katie is the Plotter. She has definitely thought up most of the crazy adventures we've been on. So I must give her the credit for this awesome escapade. You see, it as always been a weirdo, which I saw in the most loving way possible, dream of hers to go bowling in formal dresses. Since neither she or Ryan - The Kids, as Tanner and I call them - didn't really want to go to their Homecoming, she planned her bowling dream for the night of September 11, 2010.
I had my own reservations because I don't do dresses. Katie's plans had never ended in complete disaster so I didn't complain. Right as I was about to leave my house, my little sister Makenzie (a.k.a. TTB), expressed the desire to come along. I called Katie to see if she could join and then ran down and got her dressed up in her nicest dress - because this bowling alley was really high class.
We arrived at Katie's to find her in her awesome 'Sleeping Beauty' dress, Preston in a suit minus a tie because Ryan had said he'd bring him one, and Donavan was decked out in a suit and vest with a pocket watch and hankie for good measure. We all greeted each other and began talking til the rest of our group arrived. Ryan came next, sporting a nice shirt and his skinny tie from Ebay.
"You're wearing a skinny tie!" Katie said.
"I bought another one today," Ryan informed her. "Its a darkish one."
"We really need to help you over this addiction," she said seriously.
"He is addicted to online shopping," I explained seeing the confused looks on the other boy's faces.
There was a knock on the door and Donavan lept up.
"I don't know you," he cried. "You're not allowed in. Go away."
Maddie slid in the door and Donavan slammed it in Alex's face.
"Alex!" Katie and I yelled. "We love you, come back!"
Donavan laughed and reopened the door. Alex walked in and smiled to the crowd.
"How could you come with another girl," Katie cried, stalking up to him.
"I've got two," he said, not even blinking as she brought the old joke up.
"You CANNOT have two!" Katie cried.
"Look at how many you have!" Maddie countered, gesturing around the room. All the guys stared at each other awkwardly and then busted up.
"So we're all here?" I asked.
"Looks like it," Katie said. "To the cars!"
"Which cars?"
"Which one am I in?"
"Am I driving?"
Lets just say a lot of confusion followed until Preston and Ryan ended up in Death - Eater of Humans. TTB, Alex, and Maddie ended up in Denton - The Car.
"Wait, Paige," Ryan said, before he slid into Death's - Eater of Humans - back seat. "Do you know how to get there?"
"Ryan, do I ever know how to get anywhere?" I answered.
"It's right across from my school," he said.
"Hon, I have no idea how to get to your school," I said.
"Just follow Katie," he said.
"Don't I always," I asked and we both slid into our respective cars, laughing.
In my car discussions over the song choice broke out. There were demands from Donavan and threatenings from Maddie. We reached the parking lot, and Katie decided to lead us on a wild chase throughout the parking lot. I ended up parking and waiting for her to pull away.
When we walked into the Jack and Jill's Bowling Alley, I don't know if anyone else noticed, we got a LOT of really, really odd looks. People would glance at us, do a double take and then look back. Some people stared, open mouthed, and others would nudge their friends and mouth 'Are they serious?' Needless to say, I was cracking up. We all stood in the lobby waiting because Tanner had informed us that he would be joining us instead of going through with his original plans. Once he showed up, to the immense confusion to the guy at the cash register, we all bought our two games and rented the shoes.
I giggled to myself as we walked to lanes one and two, and peoples gazes followed us, obviously noting the clack, clack, clack, of our heals and the swish, swish of the dresses. We threw all of our stuff on the table and switched out our shoes. Donavan, Maddie, Alex, TTB and I were on lane one and Katie, Tanner, Ryan, and Preston were on lane two. And the games began.
Alex was obviously the champion, he had the form down pact. I knew I sucked, I think the highest score I'd ever received was a 103 and that was on my EXTREMELY lucky day. Katie ran - as well as she could in that huge dress - at the lane and threw her ball, squeaked, and fell over. The people at the table next to ours all covered their mouths and cracked up - which was really graceful compared to me because I almost fell over I was laughing so hard.
Closer to the end of the night, all of the guys ended up sitting in a row.
"Look," Katie said, "It's the Council of Men."
"We've decided. . . ." one of them said. Either I forgot what they said or they never actually said what they'd decided on.
"I'm not sure I trust their judgement," I whispered to Maddie.
She looked over and cracked up, "Me neither."
Once the lane one game was finished we all switched out our shoes, yet again, and started picking up our belongings.
"Alex, don't forget your real people shoes," I said, looking under both of our tables just in case.
"Oh. . . right," he said, bending over to pick them up.
The alley was less crowded when we left, but every pair of eyes in the building followed us as we walked toward the doors. I went though the check list of all the things I brought: shoes, little sister, keys, debit card. . . oh crud. Wait a minute. . .
"Alex?" I asked all innocent like. "Would you, by any chance, know where my debit card is?"
He smiled the maniacal smile that only Alex can accomplish and slid me my card in a weird overhanded way.
"Thank you," I said sweetly, and went back into my checklist: shoes, little sister, keys, debit card, knock-out ring. . . ah, well it wasn't that important. It'd cost me like fifty cents anyway. I had to run to catch up with everyone. Katie, Ryan, Preston and Tanner had already left, so my passengers were all just waiting around my car. Alex still hadn't lost the smile, which - I'm not gonna lie - kind of scared me, but I ignored it and hit the unlock button.
I slid into the car and got ready to pull out.
"Here, Paige," Alex said - I could hear the smile in his voice.
He reached up to my seat and handed me my ring.
"Really, Alex?"
"I even handed your card to you so you'd feel the ring! You didn't notice," he said, laughing to himself.
I laughed - I'll admit, I can be kind of oblivious. Despite that fact though, we made it back to Katie's house alive. People had curfew's to observe, and we'd never been late before. We were able to stand and talk in Katie's living room. Ryan had to say good-bye so he hugged all of us and rushed to his car. Being the people we are, most of us gathered at the front door to wave while he pulled out. And then. . .
Ryan got back into his car to make cerfew and Maddie, Alex, Preston and Donavan followed. I watched as slowly it was only Katie, TTB, and I left. It'd been a good day. I turned to her:

Moments Like These