Ok, look. I know that I'm not the best blogger of all (please no comments, I'm already confessing), but I do have a plausible excuse for the last about 3 months and they are:
- Cross Country
- High School
- The Musical
Cross Country is so much fun! Even though, when I thought of cross country, it usually brought bad thoughts of the pain that comes with running. My friend, 
Austin Renes, talked me into running a couple races around the area in the beginning of the summer. I later went to the meeting think, 'Hey, what can it hurt? I can just be a wuss and just back out if I don't like it'. Of course, with the weightlifting and the summer running that all came and went BEFORE 8 IN THE MORNING, I started to doubt my abilities is cross country. But... I absolutely LOVED the people who were in it and Mr. Lehman is probably the best (inspirational) speaker I've ever heard in my life. He just knows so much about running and about life that I'd be willing to run 7 or 8 miles after one of his speaches. He reminds me a lot of Charity in the way that, he is very sarcastical, and when he thinks of a sarcastical comment to say to some one shorter than him (being 6' somethin", he's usually the taller one) he doesn't hold back in saying it. I love him though, and (unbelievably) am not looking forward to the end of Cross Country. Districts @ Spirit Lake -- Oct. 23. State @ Des Moines -- Nov. 1. I have been with this team through hundreds of miles (literally, hundreds and hundreds of miles), I am going to miss this. On the upside, I have improved about FIVE whole minutes on my first race... that's really good improvement:)
High School is proving itself to be very fun. I'm one of the fortunate few to have such a wonderful older cousing watching my back:) But really, the seniors this year are wonderful, and are unbelievably nice, so that's always a plus. Being in band (in the pit), we have up till this week had to come to early band at 7:30 in 
the freezing fall morning weather to stand outside and march. I was fortunate enough that I didn't have to march, but this just made standing outside seem even more pointless. Thank goodness that's over now! I'm still in band, but we are winding down on our marching season. What gets me the most about high school is the homework. Now, being the second youngest (James, that's you behind me and forever will be), I probably shouldn't complain too much about this, but I feel I must. I don't really have that tough of a time in most my classes, but that doesn't mean I'm prone from homework. I realize I could have much more, but with so many extra curricular activities taking up my valuable time, I hardly have time for homework... or sleep! Between cross country practices meets and pasta nights, the musical, band competitions, piano lessons, church nights, Key Club, JETS team, being one of 2 class representatives, and having to learn piano music for church, my sleeping time is cut short often. I try to get as much sleep as I can... but it's hard.
The M
usical this year is Oklahoma. I have the lead role of Fred.... ok, so maybe he isn't what you call the lead role... but he's fairly important... kinda.... sorta... well, the grand total of his 3 lines is pretty influential on the play:) At first I was kinda upset, but then I looked at my schedule and knew that I wouldn't have been able to memorize all my lines had I gotten a bigger role. The very suprising thing is the fact that Jackie (my long time friend and neighbor) got the LEAD LADY ROLE! She is a very good singer and actor, so I knew she could do it... I just thought some other upperclassmen could do it better! We're all proud of her as a freshman to get the lead role, and she's doin pretty good so far. The guy lead role is played by Jon Hauswald, who is only a sophmore. But again, he is a very good actor and singer and comes from a family of good actors and singers. The Musical is Nov. 14 and 15. If you are bored that night and don't have anything better to do, then you are invited to come.
So, these are my excuses. Please comment to let me know if you, too, are alive and blogging:)
Now I must leave, for Musical Practice till 10!
This Friday is Halloween. Not much to say about it... except that I will be in Algona for state cross country. The girls made it to state (not the guys), but I am going up there to cheer them on... and for the experience of trick-or-treating in a hotel:) I can't decide what I should be (that has to be something that can rightfully represent Sioux Center), that is fun, not too hot, and fun-ee. Ideas? Mom was a gypsy and dad
was a 'farmer' for one costume party already... it was pretty funny. Dad was meant to be a hillbilly farmer, and not his usual self... so he didn't change much:) Just kidding! Mom was a beautiful gypsy, and I had fun just looking at her. By the way, dad was born on Hallow's Eve (Oct. 30), so wish him a HAPPY 54TH BIRTHDAY!!!!!! 
