Little ol’ me, again. Been a while, hasn’t it? Like the Author Guy said, I’d like to blame homework, or my extremely active social life, but I can’t.

I’ll start with this: school’s a bummer. A real l0s3r. Not that it’s hard, ’cause it’s not. It just seems pointless, and takes me away from the things I’d rather be doing. Plus, for some INEXPLICABLE (that word’s for you, mom) reason, I keep getting into trouble. Usually Ben is the one with more cents than brains, but just in this last week, I’ve had my cell phone taken away (txtng in class), my lunch time taken away (talking when I wasn’t supposed to), and at home, my computer privileges removed (um…I think that one was from an argument with mom).

Anyway, I was reading my Bible the other day (yes, Ethan, I still do), and I read this: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” And at first, I thought:  ¿!?

But then I realized, as much as I want to do the right thing, I’m still prone to do the wrong thing, but that’s okay, ’cause God is big enough to forgive all of it. But it’s still a struggle. *big sigh*

In other news, Ben is bugging dad for a puppy. We’ve been living here two years now (in a row!), and both mom and dad think we’re settling in. In my brother’s mind, that means it’s time for a pet. I still don’t know. It seems I’ve lost more dogs than I’ve owned, if that makes any sense.

Oh, time to go to school, the carpool is here…

Me again. Amy.

Forced again into making blog posts. Mom’s computer was down for a week (I think Ben had something to do with that ) and so I was sneaking in some FB posts and such. Then we went on vacation for 10 whole days at Aunt Sylvia’s, and I didn’t get to do ANYTHING online. Bummer.

Now we’re back, and I can’t believe summer is almost over. I go back to school in a week. I don’t know what’s worse, being bored at home, being bored at Aunt Sylvia’s, or going back to school. To be fair, I got to do a lot of reading at Aunt Sylvia’s, and Ben was WAY too occupied by video games to be a bother. Auntie has a collection of antique (at least 8 years old) game consoles and games, and Ben was in heaven. She also has a killer collection of mysteries (sorry), which is how I spent my time.

Yesterday, I got to hang out at the pool with Beth and Clara, and we simply melted in the dry heat. We tried to pay attention to the older boys and their antics, but it was too warm to concentrate. I forgot how hot it gets here. We’ve lived all over, and spent a lot of time in the Midwest (nice, when it’s not muggy), and of course last summer we were in England (where everything is always green). But everything here in Cow-ifornia is very brown, killed by the sun.

After that, I read a fun and quirky book, all in one sitting. “Alex and the Ironic Gentleman” [link here]. A little below my usual reading level, but I liked it anyway. Mom picked it up at half price from a little bookstore that was going out of business. I hate it when bookstores close. You would think more people would read, then we wouldn’t have this problem.

Oops, gotta go. Clara’s texting me about meeting for ice cream. Yum!

Hi, this is Amy.

I finally found a place I can post my thoughts without my mom peeking in. She found my FB page, and INSISTED on being my friend, so she could track what I was saying. And she’s got my twitter name, and I can’t block her, or she’ll remove me completely. Sometimes I just want to tell her, You know I’m (almost) 16 now, and I do know what’s right and wrong. You’re not the only one in the family who has a brain! (Well, I guess Dad’s pretty smart too–but I’m not going to vouch for Ben.)

Anyway, the Author Guy was kind enough to leave his book of passwords out where I could see it, and saw he had a blog. If I can’t do FB, and I can’t twitter, then I might as well blog. Ugh.

We took a trip last week, to some national park. I told mom and dad I’d rather stay home and read, but they dragged me along anyway. Dad lectured us the whole way about “spontaneous pair production” until mom finally told him to can it. Three hours of that sort of family time, and I was ready for a break. But, no. We hiked around some dead volcanoes, and saw some bubbling mud things, until my legs were ready to fall off.

Ben, of course, loved it, and bounced from one natural attraction to the next. He swore he wanted to be a park ranger when he grew up. As if. I told him I could make him a permanent part of the park. We were near one of the boiling lakes. Mom told me to watch it. Oh well.

Anyway, bored at home now. Both Clara and Beth are at camp (hi girls!), but will be back next week.

Will post more later, if the Author Guy doesn’t catch me and toss me out. (Please, please please, let me stay? Thanks, A.G.!)