How High is it?

Wilson Girls JV Basketball Team - GO LADY BRUINS!

Click on this link

http://www.pathwaystoleadership.com/cr-colm07-06.html

A friend on a stamping site, shared this story, and so I thought I would post it on this site, since it pertained to BASKETBALL! I think that we all get disappointed, and think that we have to hit the goal, but if it was so easy to do, would we feel the challenge? Would we think this was worth it if we didn't strive to do our best..? or keeping challenging ourselves to make the basket?

I think Tori is getting challenged right now, being on the team and not being a starter. She is getting disappointed. She needs to work up to the challenge and make the team a priority...

I hope she can....

I know she has it in her, and she's reached so many goals working on her projects, and completing them without my help now. I am so proud of her....the stress of the years past are finally coming together....if she can keep her eyes on the basket..and the goals...

I love you Tori.....

Love,

Mom

Tori's friends....Gionette, Taylor and Kellyn ...all freshies at Wilson High School

Sophomore Year 2007-2008

Today, was the first FULL day of school, but, actually, DAY 2.

I am glad that it is over. One day at a time...

The day was ok, and I ate lunch in our usual area, but, I was glad to get a ride home with Rebecca and Maddy Rhodes. They were going to the my mom's work, so I asked if they could take me there...and so we all got there together.

Last day of SUMMER Vacation

Today is the last day of summer vacation....

Tomorrow, we officially start school

Taylor and I went to Disneyland, and we walked all over in the 100 degree heat!

It was fun, and not too crowded...we didn't get to go on the NEMO ride, but mom was the only one really interested in riding it anyways...

Taylor is my friend, who is just starting at Wilson (she's a freshie), so I was telling her all about school, and just giving her a few tips of things...to expect....

ttfn...tomorrow...Sophomore year begins!!!!!!!!!

To complete the weekend...I forgot to say that on Sunday, we went to the E Hula Mau, and it was fun to see the Hawaiian dancers (on the free stage) and walk around and see the Hawaiian crafts... Monday, I went to lunch with Dad, and we went shopping..got a nice top at LUCKY brand Jeans...heh heh.....we saw that top when we were in Santa Monica..but, mom couldn't buy it for me.....

Philippians 4:4-8

I had to learn Philippians 4:4-8 for Sunday School for the Woman's class, and we had our lessons from the Women of Faith Conference from 2006. Our theme was Contagious Joy. What a joy it is to know what God has for us..and to be able to overcome adversity. What do we see above the trials that have been placed before us? What does God want us to do about the adversity?
The last part, (vs 8) we didn't really have to memorize as part of the class, but they gave it to us for our own notes to remember that God wants us to remember these things. I was looking for some scriptures for Teenagers on what they could do to remember to take with them, and this was one of the verses that came up....

I think that we all need to remember this verse, not just as an afterthought, but, because it has it so simply stated.......

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Phil 4:8

Santa Monica....

Well, This is Santa Monica...Palisades View...and the Pacific Park..and Pacific OCEAN for that matter!

Tori has never been to this area, or maybe she has, but was too small to appreciate it.

Of course, it is with the usual attitude like WHY do you want to take my photo...I need to adjust the lighting on this one because she came out too dark, but you can see from the photo, the VIEW was astounding, breathtaking, and a PEFECT California HOT summery day!

We walked down the 3rd Street Promenade, and of course, went to Sephora...One of the most girlie girl stores ever!..it has every thing the ultimate girl would want, and everything any cosmo girl...would ever need, besides an iPod, which of course, there is an iPod store just another block down.....

There are lip glosses, and eye shadows, mascaras, by about 100 different companies..or maybe 1000 different companies..in every shade you can imagine!

As we walked around there were performers and singers, and acrobatic type people singing dancing, rolling around, making balloon animals....




And then we finished off the walk (about 4 blocks) with a nice scoop of Italian Gelato! Yummy! This is raspberry blackberry..it was so yummy!

and of course nice traffic on the LA freeways....to get home....

Yes, this is the typical Tori face, when I ask her to take a picture here, or take a picture there......so, if you think it is easy to get a nice photo of her now...you can see..this is what I usually get.......

End of the Summer School Starts soon

Today is Saturday...September 1st.

We went to Lunch with Dad (Grandpa) and Larry, Anna and Evan. Evan is now going to be playing NJB Basketball and Little League Baseball.

From Cerritos (Mimi's,...dad's favorite place)...Mom and I went to Watts, to see the Watts Towers. It was very interesting. It was neat to see the mosaic collage that some crazy man did. I think his neighbors must have been pretty patient to see this strange work of 'art' rise up in someone's yard!

From Watts...we went to Santa Monica.......

http://www.trywatts.com/tower_tour/

to get a virtual tour..you can see the towers ..they were built from 1921 to 1945 by Simon Rodia, an Italian immigrant in the city of Watts. It is now a State Park for folk art.

Summer is almost over

Summer is almost over....We had a big party at the beach with friends from Bethany...and although I didn't take any photos, we had fun....

All the kids were younger, but it was still fun...

Basketball on the brain...

Cell phone vs Bible

CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cellphone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing..

Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill...

And no dropped calls!

Makes you stop and think "where are my priorities?"

Visiting Las Vegas

This is my friend Denise! I have known Denise since I was 3. I found her in the VONS store by my house and I have made her my friend....and now she's been our friend for a long time!

I love Denise...we saw her this summer in Las Vegas when I was there for a tournament, and we had dinner together...(she treated us to dinner!)...

It was so much fun to see Denise! I can't wait until we can see her again!

Guitar Summer

Tori took Guitar this year in her Freshman year at school, and she's pretty good..she plays Dust in the Wind, and House of the Rising Sun..and now, she's trying to play "Hey there Delilah" by the Plain White T's....

It is the song for this summer..too bad the blog can't play this song only...maybe I can do something about that.......

If you hear this song while you're reading this blog, then you'll know I was successful!

July 28th SERVE Day

Well,

Today, we went into Long Beach...ha ha..far away from us..actually, just about 15 minutes away...and served at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. It is a charter school in Long Beach, between the Poly High School and Wilson High School District.

We did face painting, and we had a big crowd of kids..and helpers too! We had several kids from Campus Crusades that helped face paint and apply tattoos to the kids who attended the carnival!
We got there at 10:30 and set up under the tree, and it straggled along, but it was really fun. We painted frogs, Spider man, Darth Maul, and several fairies, butterflies and other things...

THE Kids were great! We had so much fun. The guy in the yellow shirt was Ray, and he was from Atlanta. He's an english major. The other girl who helped was sitting across from Ray, and I can't remember her name, but she was from Missouri. She was so cute! I just loved both of them. They were very cheery and friendly and helped so much setting up and taking down. All the kids were just having a good time.

This boy wanted to be a power ranger, and we thought he came out well (Mom did this one)

I got into the painting too..and did a great job!

Mom did this guy too...with the teeth and he closed his eyes and it looked like he was watching everyone ...heh heh....too bad we couldn't tell him to do this in school so the teacher would think he was awake, when he was actually asleep!

3 girls who came out fantastic!

The other tables had crafts and other helpful information like health screening and stuff like that...they even had food and drinks....

I had a great time and it was a GREAT experience! Mom said I am getting better at this, and maybe I might be better...but, it was fun!

Today, seeing an 'old' Friend!

This is my friend Angela in Walmart. I met her when I was about 8 years old or was it 9? I can't remember. It was when they opened the Walmart in Lakewood, on Carson Street..maybe I was 10? Well, she would tell my mom that she just thought I was so cute and sweet....and I haven't seen her in a long time. This time, we were in Walmart in Long Beach at the town center...so my mom took a picture of me with my friend Angela...with her cell phone. I love Angela..she's so pretty and sweet....

it was fun to see her again.....7-14-07

Summer of 2007 - Freshie no more!

This is my first summer after my first year in high school at Wilson High School.

Things that have happened to me over this school year......

For one, I have finished my freshman year of high school. I think I have had a fantastic year this year. I think it has been one of my best so far. But there is more to come...If they are like my freshman year or better, my high school life will be great. Another thing I did, I played on the basketball team and I was the freshman captain. Our team had some rough patches, but we pulled through just fine...but, next years team will be way different. So many people have left the team, either because they are doing another sport or because they don't have to play anymore. it is sad to see so many people go...but our team needs players who are dedicated to the sport.

The other thing that I have discovered this year, is I HATE SEAGULLS AND PIDGEONS! THEY POOP all over us at lunch everyday!!! I got pooped on 3 or 4 times this year! I swear, I think they aim for us. Everyday, someone gets pooped on! It was funny, during Daylight Savings time change, the birds were 1 hour late getting to us at lunch time!!! So, for almost a whole week, we were all poop FREE!!!

I have completed all of my service learning hours, and I have turned them in. But I still plan to continue building up those hours so I can receive an award for having 200 service learning hours completed on graduation.

This year, I had also sent in an application to be a CA for kid's camp with Bethany, but I did not get the opportunity to go. But when I had realized that some of the kids who were not as mature as I was, were going, I was a little disappointed only because I thought I had deserved it more. But, what I didn't realize, is that I probably didn't want it as much as they did. So, I guess I have nothing to complain about. But...next year, hopefully, my confidence will be built up enough to be a CA next year.

Another thing this year...I had injuries from basketball. I have been knocked down, pushed around but the injury that I hve right now would be my thumb. I had dislocated and tore the ligaments in my left thumb.

I had my arm in a cast for a month just to let the ligaments heal. This is my doctor, Dr. Nathan. He's good. He would wiggle my thumb and bang on it, and after I was wincing, he would ask me if it hurt...duh!

I also found out that my dad has been dating a girl for over a year. And because of this girl he missed the most important day of my life...my baptism. I was so angry at him, ...and I still am. I don't understand why he wouldn't want to see me get baptized. But, I am just so angry at him.....

xo. T.