seminary graduation.

 So... goodbye to seminary. If you're thinking "what the heck is this seminary that she keeps talking about?!?" then let me tell you something... seminary is a church class that high-school aged kids from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormon) attend 5 days a week. Depending where you live, seminary times are different. Some places, like Utah, get release time seminary, which is during the school day. However, because there aren't many Mormon youth where I live, I had early-morning seminary.  It could have been even earlier, but the first three years of seminary started at 7 a.m. and this year was at 7:10. EVERY SINGLE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL. There are four years of seminary, so each year we study something different. My Freshman year was the Book of Mormon, Sophomore was the Doctrine and Covenants, Junior was Old Testament, and this year was the New Testament. I can honestly say that I probably read almost every single chapter in all of those books.
I wish I could say that I always had a great attitude... however, that's not true. Sometimes (especially this year during tennis season) I would get to bed at 2 or 3, then have to wake up for seminary. NOT GOOD I TELL YOU. But you know what? I'm glad I stuck with it. Seminary taught me a lot. From being able to eat breakfast/get ready in 12 minutes flat, to learning more about the scriptures and increasing my faith, I wouldn't trade it for the world. So here's a goodbye to all those early-morning scripture studies, scripture mastery games, donuts on fridays, and getting to be closer with the youth my age. I loved it!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

graduation party.

so... like three days late, but this was my graduation party:

(my sister made me a smash sign in book! it was adorable!!)

 

 

yep... we had a real keg of rootbeer! hence the reason for me making that cute "stone-cold sober" poster (: the other "rise and shout" poster was a printable I had repinned on my byu/college board on pinterest! We had sooo many people show up! It was definitely awesome having that much support (: oh, and one of the presents I got included BYU colored toms... true story. (yes, that's my fourth pair of toms. no judging.)

Then Sunday night after graduation (from 8 pm to 2 am) there was a senior party! They put tons of effort into this party, and have TONS of cash and prizes to give away. I won 40 bucks! Plus another five in the money box thing (seriously, you go into a box and money flies all over and you try to grab it). It also included sumo wrestling, rock wall climbing, jousting, gambling, air relay races, food, and pictures!

Definitely one of the most fun nights of my life! Now I'll blog about my first official day of summer, seminary graduation, and an awesome graduation present from my parents called... a 15 inch macbook pro (: yes, it's been a good past few days!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

high school graduation.

Last Sunday was officially the end of my high school experience... graduation! I got to walk down the field with 250 of my classmates, and shake hands with teachers and administrators I have gotten to know over the last four years. It was truly a blessing! Now begins my next chapter. In 99 days, I'll be moving to Provo, Utah to begin a new journey at Brigham Young University... and I COULD NOT be more excited about it! 

I couldn't have done it without my parents!

Both my siblings got to be there! And Danielle's cute kids, of course!

Siblings!

Two best friends... BYU BOUND!

proof I actually got my diploma (;

Last time singing the national anthem with the Chamber Choir seniors!

I don't blame her... graduation was long, cold, and windy!

I couldn't have made it through without these girls (and kelly and kym) and I definitely would be a much different person then who I am now!

I was so blessed to have a couple Aunts and Uncles, quite a few cousins, my grandma, and my friends there supporting me! I've been waiting for graduation for literally years... and now, here I am, officially a Montrose High School graduate!

More about my graduation party and senior party tomorrow (hopefully)!!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

last week of high school.

goodness, time has flown by! Monday and Tuesday were full of finals, ice cream, and studying. (seriously, those three and only things). Tuesday, as all the seniors were driving away from their last day of high school, the AP US history kids were gearing up for another APUSH study session. seriously. congrats to us.
Wednesday, when all the seniors were sleeping in, AP US History students were taking a 4 hour test at 7:30 in the morning... how'd it go? actually... I seriously think I may have possibly passed it!!! whooooo hooo!!! Then our teacher bought us pizza to bribe us into coming back to school and telling him how the test went, and it definitely worked. Then, I completed my MHS withdrawal form!!! seriously, officially outta that place.

then shopping with kelsey and the tennis banquet.


today was graduation practice. it was hot. really really hot. and it ended with the weirdest surprise EVER.

so, there we were, taking our senior class picture, and they start playing the Mission Impossible theme. I totally thought they just wanted some music (my school plays music a lot), then out of no where this helicopter was flying over us. I kinda thought "wow! what a coincidence! how funny is that?" then the helicopter flew back around....

and landed on the feild!

then the superintendent of school jumps out of the helicopter, hands a briefcase to this lady, then gets back in and flies away!

did your school have a helicopter at your graduation practice? I think not.

turns out that our theme for the senior party is spies and stuff like that... soooo, dang awesome. ok?

then Sam, Kelly, Kelsey, Kym, and I had our annual end-of-the-year chinese food lunch!

signing the AP history ceiling tile!!

Then, last night, the girls all had a sleepover. only this one was really special. we all bought notebooks that we filled with our favorite memories, pictures, inside jokes, anything! it was absolutely amazing. I couldn't have gotten through high school without these girls!

(that's root beer in case you were wondering...)

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

adios tennis.

We had our tennis banquet Wednesday night! Dang, I'm going to miss these girls!!! It has been an awesome 4 years of tennis, and I'm so grateful for the chance to be team captain this year.

the seniors!!

these awesome girls...

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

goodbye choir.

So, Monday night was the last choir concert! Sooo bittersweet. so so so bittersweet. Chamber Choir goes last, so I sat through the entire beginning of the concert telling myself that I wouldn't cry. but... as you'll see in the pictures that didn't work.

We sang the first songs... all was well and good... then the awards. The seniors got recognized, then awards that the choir voted on (I got the leadership award!!), then the scholarship. Then the National School Choral Award. (That's the top choir award that 2 students in the entire choral program get). And, completely to my surprise, I got it! Along with Taylor (remember the one from Adam's state?) I was soooo honored!

(see the plaque that the lady on the left is holder? yeahh, my name is gonna be engraved on that and hung in the school!!)

After the awards, we sang the last song. man oh man, the entire alto section was bawling our eyes out by the end of the song with mrs. leu. It didn't help that this is the song that the seniors got to choose: (this isn't us singing it, however)

It was a really sad moment. Some of these girls have been with me in every single choir class. It's weird to think that next year, I'll start out in a choir knowing NO ONE. Choir has been the best experience I could have asked for, even on the days I would have rather had an open hour. Gosh, I can't believe it's over.

That was it. Another goodbye that was amazingly hard. and once again, I know I won't miss high school, but I sure will miss memories like this.

The next day of choir Mrs. Leu surprised us with Picardy Third shirts!!! (inside joke...)

and I wrote my senior note in my folder. I always loved reading the notes of seniors from a few years ago, so I hope I offered some decent advice to whoever gets folder #24 next year!

Sincerely,

Erica Michelle

baccalaureate.

sorry, I'm falling behind in blogging... so here comes about 4 seperate posts for a couple very important things about the end of my high school experience! Last Sunday was baccalaureate... and yes, we look realllyyyyy awesome in our graduation robes... don't judge!

So that was the first real part of graduation. I then came home and studied until... and I kid you not... 3 a.m.

yay for finals!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

hey there, 18.

weird right? today's my birthday, and I'm 18! not to mention I have 2 days of high school left! and let me tell you, this week has been beyond crazy.

First of all, as much as I enjoy photography, I wish I wouldn't have take advanced photography this semester... I've been so busy that I haven't learned anything in there. not at all because of the teacher (she's the best teacher ever) but because I have too much going on. My final project is due monday, and I didn't start working on it until thursday. and when I went in after school to work on it, my computer completely crashed. (yes I cried). but, after 45 minutes of transferring pictures, it turned out ok... but still. 

Thursday I also took the AP English test, and Friday was AP Stats... stats? not too bad, I think I may have possibly passed it. English? lets just say I completely forgot how to write an essay. no bueno.

What else? My AP History teacher is better than yours. We had a study session which included pizza, pepsi, and 2 hours of AP multiple choice questions. TWO HOURS AFTER SCHOOL ON A FRIDAY. but definitely worth it!

Maybe I'll explain something real fast... because this week was seriously the most stressful week of my life (for multiple reasons) and I was freaking out about most everything, I've sorta given up on my appearance. thus explaining the lack of pictures, right?!? I mean, friday I seriously wore yoga pants to school (and the ap test, and after school... including to the movies...)

then last night I went to The Great Gatsby with Katie, Kelly, Kym, Kelsey, and Sam to celebrate my birthday (and of course just watch the movie...)! After the movie, Katie and I had a nice little catch up chat until midnight! (we haven't really hung out since the day of prom!!) Indeed a great night(:

I loved it! absolutely loved it! I will be watching it many many many times. It followed the book so well (which also made it really heartbreaking to watch, and good-reason for being pg-13). One of the first movies I think truly works well with the book!

Well, sadly I have an ENORMOUS amount of homework that I have to do (happy birthday to me!) which will mean sitting and home and studying all day :/

Sincerely,

Erica Michelle

goodbye orchestra.

Valley Youth Orchestra. I started in about 2003. and today, about 10 years later, and about 14 semesters of actually being in the orchestra (I took quite a few breaks), I said goodbye to VYO for good. Most things I say are bittersweet, but this isn't one of them. It's just sad. And I didn't even realize how sad it was until today...

I told myself I was going to just move on, but then I remember the tons and tons of wonderful memories that orchestra has brought!

this is kelly, my best friend in the entire world. We've been best friends for years and years. aka, about 6th grade. However, we were friends before that. Why? Because we met in VYO. We started riding together to practice on Saturday, and eventually we became really really close, and then came middle school where we were just... weird little 12 year olds, then high school where I realized how blessed I am to have these friends (:

I can't even tell you how thankful I am for that. Kelly means the world to me, I can't imagine how I would have gotten through middle and high school without her. and it's all because we became friends through orchestra!

The Seniors!

I can't even explain how much fun I've had in orchestra the last several years (especially the past couple semesters). We were complete strangers at one point, and now we have sooo many fun memories, not to mention our thousands of inside jokes... I'll miss "stealing" (cough cough, nice adults sneaking us) bread sticks from the kitchens at dinner theater (;

There was a slideshow with pictures of us from when we first started violin to present (I cried... a lot).

And there you have it! An awesome, fantastic, wonderful orchestra experience. yep... I'll definitely miss it.

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle