One day i'll have the courage to stand and fight.

I'm obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean. Ask Grace. It's our tradition to watch at least one of them when we are together. It's also our tradition to try and hold our breath through the whole underwater scene in At Worlds End, but that's rather irrelevant.

What's relevant is Captain Jack Sparrow, and one of his most famous lines-

"We must fight... to run away!" -Captain Jack Sparrow (At Worlds End)

I adore that, because it starts out really dramatic and has a lot of courage and than.... BAM! Scared Jack  Sparrow. Love it.
But it has a really good point. Are you braver when you fight, or when you run away? Most say when you fight. I just laugh and say I'd be the person that's running away, screaming at the top of their lungs.

"If you define cowardice as running away at the first sign of danger, screaming and tripping and begging for mercy, than yes, mister brave man, i guess i am a coward."- Jack Handey

Yup, that's me!

But what i think the best description of courage is being willing to go into a dangerous situation, knowing the consequences, the possibilities, everything. Being willing to put your life on the line simply for your beliefs, for your family's safety, for your rights.

It may be misplaced courage, but it's courage none the less. Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning war. Far from it. I'm scared to death of it. I just think the men and women that fight are pretty brave.

Oh my gosh, I'm going mad about this. Seriously, descending into utter madness. And it's only December? What happens come April? Why is it, everything that upsets my life happens in April? Urgh....

But there is one bit of courage i have; that I'm proud of. That i can stand on a floor in front of hundreds of people, and not be scared. I'm terrified, yeah, but I'm not scared. I'm not scared of it. I adore it, love it more than anything i ever have in my life. (Castle might be a close second.) I'm just terrified of my mistakes. Yet, i have to courage to trust myself and just go.

So what's courage? For me- Running away screaming. For others- Standing and fighting.
One day I'll stand and fight.

<3 Taylor Elaine

Redneck Central

I love my family.
Not something ya hear from your normal 15 year old girl, is it?
Nope, it's true.
I love my family!

So it was my daddy's birthday yesterday. Happy birthday daddy(: so Saturday night my family threw a small party. (and, if we're talking about my family, i use 'small' as loosely as possible). Anyways, i would like to introduce Jim. Jimmy James. James Micheal. All the names we call him. He's really amazing and funny. A Slight narcissistic. And very sarcastic. Think Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man. Yup, that's Jim. And I'm his favorite!(: he's even got a scholarship set up for me. The 'Norm-Ship', after his dog that's been dying for about five years now.

"Jim, how's Norms?"
"He's dead."
"What?!"
"No, not yet. But he will be by the time i get home!"

Same thing. Every time. But back to the party!

I was babysitting Cloe. Aka the cutest kid in the world. She's two years old and in the twenty questions phase. No. Why? No. What? No. Why? She's also a whirlwind. Everything must be taken out, thoroughly examined, and than left on the floor. Don't take your eyes off of her.

So we're sitting around the table. Cloe's on my lap, happily drinking her juice, drowsily. My dad is setting across from me, holding his beer bottle. Jim's sitting a few yards away, at the island, holding John's air soft pistol. Carl elbows him.

"Bet you can't shoot Shannon's beer bottle." He goads him. Jim carefully levels the gun and shoots.
TING!
My dad, ever the man to express his feelings, stares at the bottle in amazement, than shrugs and takes a sip. My mom, on the other hand, is a very quiet mild mannered lady.

"JIM?!!? DID YOU JUST SHOOT THE GUN?!?!?"
"Yup. And i hit it!"
*high fives all around*
"What is this, redneck central?!"

Oh, for the love of high school, i love my family- Redneck Central.

<3 Taylor Elaine

P.S. NEW CASTLE TONIGHT!!!! NO MORE WITHDRAWALS!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

here we go!

That's my first thought as my alarm goes off at 415. I swing my legs out of my warm bed with serious reluctance. I shuffle to the bathroom, in a half awake state. After that, it's a blur. Somehow, i find myself standing upstairs in the kitchen, in my warm ups and coat, my 95 pound dance bag slung over my shoulder, and my uniform gripped tightly in one hand.

The ride to the high school is in semi darkness. My mother struggles to stay awake and mutters that she'll be glad when i can drive myself. As we pull up next to the bus, she kisses my cheek wearily and tells me good luck. I nod and trudge off, onto the bus. i set my bag down, situate my uniform in the window, than curl up next to Devon and put my ipod in, only popping my head above the seat to show Allison that i'm here.And to secretly hand off my secret buddy gift, and get mine in return.

The bus pulls out of the parking lot, and my eyes drift shut.

Sunlight is beginning to stream through the windows when i open my eyes. Devon informs me that we're almost here and i begin to wake up those around me; abby, morgan, stacia, emily, ect. We all pull on our coats and heave our bags onto our shoulders. Caboodle's are handed over, and we all get off, blinking in the bright sunlight. We walk into an unfamiliar school that's about to become our home for the next 12 hours. It's an ungodly hour, and yet the other dancers are bright and cheery as they show us to our room, and we all wearily begin our hair and make up, trying to wake up.

I wrap Devon's hair and she does mine. Than we begin the careful and painstaking process of doing make up. All too soon Allison is shouting that it's mark time. Everyone hastily dabs one last bit of lipstick on, than straightens their skirts and dash off for the gym. Mark time is a flurry of movement and yells, frantically marking the dance and trying to right formations. After that, we go back to our hallways and start to warm up. It's hours long, the process of warming and stretching muscles. You get some down time, watch the other teams on a television set up for that purpose. Than you feel the butterflies when you unzip your garment bag, and carefully pull your uniform over your head.

We all head down into the hallways behind the gym, everyone stretching and trying to conceal their nerves. Some girls joke, some talk loudly, some talk none at all. All too soon, you're hooking up and than you hear it.

Albert Lea, on deck!

You panic, realizing that you no longer remember the big kick line. You don't remember where the point points are or where you go during the HP.

And performing for you now, Albert Lea!
The roars. The cheers. The 'oh-my-gosh, i need to pee!' feeling that nearly kills you. Yet you smile past your fear and march out onto that floor proudly.

Here we go.

That's the first thought through my brain as i crouch down next to Abby and Kate. Than the twinkling music starts and we slowly rise, as one. We take a step closer to each other as i swung my arms around their shoulders and they grab my legs, holding my in my middle split as we move right, than left.

Trust. I trust them to support me. They are the only thing between me and a disqualification. They swung my legs shut and let me go. Than we're kicking and your brain goes into autopilot, your body doing the moves you drilled into it over hours of hard work. And you don't smile, not yet, even though you feel so powerful and strong and beautiful and you're running on a high and nothing can bring you down.

When you do start smiling, it's big. It's over the top. It's a amazingly happy, beautiful, 'LOOK AT ME, I'M DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE!' smile.

You're out of breath, yet you kick on. You can't hear anything put the bass of the music. You don't see the crowd; you don't hear them either. You only hear the pants of you and your fellow dancers next to you.

I can't feel my legs. Ina's on my side, screaming my name, wildly, that i can do this. I scream back; the words don't make sense, yet they're a comfort because you know you're not alone, all the other 19 girls feel the same way.

Yet your smile doesn't move.

I clasp my hands above my head, and move to my last formation. Next to Pastacia. We hold our palms tightly together and lay down, breathing like we just ran a marathon.

I hear Kate count, and we stand, the effort almost killing me. Still smiling, we walk off of the floor, beaming.

My last thought is how much i miss it, how much i love the high that performing brings.

I'm addicted.

Dancing is my drug.

<3 Taylor Elaine

Some people got leadership, some people don't.

'Well, what can i do?'         'Ben, you can do whatever the _____ you want, because you're not part of this group anymore!'         *....................*

A shinning example of my leadership.

Some people got it, some people don't. And what can i say? I don't have it. Oh well! I can live with that. I'm perfectly fine with not being the leader. Although, when I'm tired, cranky, and all i want to do is finish the project, i have no trouble stepping up to the plate and i often go down swinging. People around me tend to stay around and watch the fireworks.

What troubles me are the people that naturally assume, that, just by being born, they have some god given right to be a leader, and can order people around.

Well, they can't.

In particular, there are two girls. Both i have a hard time dealing with, because they assume they are leaders and can bark out orders like a seasoned general.

In reality, they just annoy the rest of us.

Leaders have to inspire hope and trust and loyalty and all that stuff that they talk about that i tend to tune out. I stay up until 2 in the morning writing........ i don't always pay attention.

Point is though, you kinda have to be likable to be a leader. You know, so when everyone around you rolls their eyes 24/7, it's a clear sign to......................... Back down!!!!!

Oh well. Live and let live. Love your enemies. Blah blah blah. Whatever. If you're gonna lead, do it right. *pointed look at two of my soccer coaches* your team shouldn't hate you or want to rebel. That's a bad sign. It's like Pirates of the Caribbean, which i watched with grace this weekend as we put up the Christmas tree. A leader has to be loved in order to stay in the position, otherwise someone else is going to come along and take it.

End of my rant on leadership.

Daily quote- "One. Two. Three. Four!"- Grace

<3 Taylor Elaine 

thanks- for giving and teaching

I just wanna thank some people who've changed my life- who have given me life lessons.

First, thanks mom. For giving me life.... And not stopping after that.

Thanks dad. For giving me such big shoes to fill, yet at the same time having no doubt that I'll do it.

Thanks grandma Mary. For teaching me that those who are less fortunate have simply been dealt a harder hand than you. For teaching me the meaning of true beauty and compassion.

Thank you papa Denny. For showing me the value in fighting for your beliefs. You truly are a hero.

Thank you grandma Eddie. For teaching me that when you don't talk very often, the words you do say make them all the more valuable. And, also, teaching me to remember each and everyday.

Thank you grandma Nancy. For teaching me the meaning of strength, love, joy, and kindness. For simply being Elaine with me. For giving me your time and ear when i need it most.

Thank you to all my aunts and uncles. For being family and being there for me in spirit.

Thank you to John and Ahnika. For teaching me that even when i want to kill you, i will always love you more than life itself.

Thank you Grace. For being more than a friend, and sometimes, more than a sister. For teaching me to stand on my own. How to dance in the rain. How to ride lars's bike to the giant windmill and hide in a cornfield. How to be myself. How to live without fear.

Thank you Adam and Jamie. For teaching me to never grow up.

Thanks (most of) my teachers. For giving me bits of wisdom and advice along life's path.

Thank you Dara and Terry, for giving me a second home, for giving me a second set of parents, for giving me love.

Thank you Marcus. For being the older brother i always wanted, and never had.

Thank you Renee. For being whatever i need you to be- Mother, friend, mentor, or someone i can vent too.

Thank you Casey Duaine, for teaching me love.

Thank you everyone. For giving and teaching.

Thanks for making me who i am today.

<3 Taylor Elaine

The hopes i have....

The hopes i have for me and my own

I hope to never grow up

I hope to never regret more than five things in my life. At fifteen, i only have one

I hope to always have love, give love, and be loved

I hope to age as gracefully as my grandmothers

I hope to inherit the looks and the spirit of my mother

I hope to inherit the soul of my father

I hope to be the mother to my kids that my mother was to me

I hope to share joy like BobbleHead

I hope to never lose the love i have for writing and dance

I hope to see my dreams blossom

I hope to see the moment he leaves, and more importantly, the moment he comes home

I hope to see him come home, period

I hope to live my life in a way that i want too

I hope to make them proud

I hope for a lot of things.

I hope that my jellyfish buddy, Tate Tutfe, has an amazing birthday!!!(:

<3 Taylor Elaine

what's the magic word? BACON!!!

For the love of high school, i adore my lunch period. Aka, my table. (Lindsey, De-von! and Red Head in Pink Shorts). Oh the memories we make.

So on Friday, i hear this little gem of a moment.

'Trent! Give me back my giant pixie stick!'- De-von
'What's the magic word?'-Trent
'BACON!!!'-De-von
*lets go*-Trent
*wtf?!?!?!*-me

So from now on, that's my magic word. Seriously. You want something? Give me bacon.

This is my other new favorite quote from this weekend.(when it was snowing violently out-more on that later)

*Casey and Marcus run to the car hold the giant box*
'The funniest thing is, i have the keys...'-Laura (aka, 'lora'.)

Yes, i found out her name. It's Laura. Not spelled lora, despite whatever Cas thinks. She's really quite pretty and looks a lot like Taylor Swift.... Here's a random connection!

And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored
Cause my heart is yours.
- Taylor Swift, Ours

Wonderful song. Wonderful album. Now not only does that connect to Marcus and Laura, it connects to this Monday, at 9 p.m. Casey was going to get his next tattoo with Marcus, when that stupid law took place. And here comes another connection-

I HATE MINNESOTA!!!!!!!!!!

Guess who didn't get to go to skillet because the cities got a foot of snow. I'm not even going to put my hand up because I'm still very, very angry. Oh well. i still got to spend the day with my boys, locked in a seven foot sleeping bag..... Guys!!!!! Hahaha i love that family so much....

<3 Taylor Elaine

Alayanna Leigh has arrived!!!!

Yes, everyone, i've become a parent. This morning, at like 745, bri's water broke! She was in labor until 247. So baby Alayanna has arrived, safe and healthy. (: despite ryan dragging bri halfway across the room today in math, which is, oddly, one of my favorite classes... No, seventh hour takes the cake.

Epic high fives everyone!-me
*high five Lanie, Kessa, Violet, Elijah, and turns to Burke.*-me
**glare.**- burke
*slowly put down hand and walk away*-me

Mr. Hanson, i don't get it!-Lanie
Lanie, you- -me
No no don't tell her it's more fun to watch her struggle.- mr hanson.

You are not my mother!- Eli
*stare down*- me
**starts his work**- E

Hahahaha i love this class. We have so many people in it. I'm honestly gonna miss it next semester. :(
J-10 is pretty sweet too..

Tate, you are gay!-Suzie
What?! No, i'm not!-Tate
Yes you are! Accept it!-Suzie

So the other day, i'm late to school because i had an eye appointment, so i walk in and hand Worth my pass, as per usual. Than he crumples it up, throws it at me, and tells me to tell Dylan that he left the lights on. What's going on?!

I would also like to send a shout out to my sister, who's at swimming sections. When'd you grow up, little buddy?! Making me sad, my little sissy poo all grown up with her own sense of humor(: peh nanananana! Shut the front door! Put the taser doowwn! For the love of high school, i adore her!

<3 Taylor Elaine

Adaptations- A.K.A You know you're Minnesotan when....

Ah, yes. Minnesota. The lovely, frigidly cold, sometimes bipolar, always unique.. The place i call home. The place that i've gotten used to. I've adapted to. And yes, i've read this list, and cringed. More than once. But... You know you're Minnesotan when...

-you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping the food will swim by. (oh, the joys of ice fishing.) 
-you keep the snow tires on your truck all year because it ain't worth taking them off for only two months. (include chains in that.) 

-you have ever refused to buy something because it's too "spendy." (omg, mom?!)

-you like to come in out of the sun when the temperature gets above 72. (Kriewall's pond, anyone?)
-your local Dairy Queen is closed from December through February.(who needs icecream when you walk out your door and you have a snow pile?) 
-you instinctively walk like a penguin for three months out of the year. (Or like, seven.) 
-someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there. (this is so my family.)
-your Dad's sun tan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead. (omg, dad?!) 
-you have ever apologized to a telemarketer. (Minnesota nice. Yeah, that's right, we're so gangster.)
-you believe the only REAL vehicles have skis in front and a loud motor under your seat. (Jensen winterfest!)
-you have a nickname for your chain saw and you pat it on the fuel tank at the end of a hard day's sawing. (I think my dad named his betty. Just a thought. I call the big one Joey.)
-you may not have actually eaten it, but you have heard of Lutefisk. (and you can make it. omg, grandma?!)
-you beam with pride when some King or Hollywood super star comes to the Mayo Clinic to save their lives.
-you have no "spring" sports season. (wait, what's spring?)
-you have ever worn shorts and a parka at the same time (omg, theron?! Happy birthday, btw!)
-you know how to say Wayzata, Mahtomedi, and Shakopee.
-you think that ketchup is a little too spicy. (omg, tom?!)
-you support the preservation of forests, farmland and wetlands because that's where you hunt deer, pheasants and geese.(omg, jesse, casey, dan?!)
 -every January, from age 2 to 13, you let your older siblings talk you into putting your tongue on a steel post(Allison, Ben, Abe, Bennet, Grant, Nate? >:( Oh, Chad, you're just as bad!)
-you believe human beings must all go through a frozen dormant period for four months every year.
-you consider Lime Jell-O a highly versatile food: a breakfast dish when it is filled with fruit, a salad when it has shredded carrots and a dab of mayonnaise, and a dessert when topped with dreamwhip. (omg, old church ladies?!)
-you always believed that vacation meant "going up north." (wait, where does everybody else go?!) 
-the temperature in March is above freezing for three days in a row, and you think it's summer. (Kriewall's pond? Really? No takers? Your loss!)
-you laugh out loud every time you see a news report about a blizzard shutting down the entire east coast. (whimps.)
-you think that "UFF DA" is a standard English phrase. (grace and i saw a car that had this on it. Epicness.) 
-your favorite sport when it's cold outside is played where it's cold inside. (Renee, I CALL THE HURLEY!)
-you thank God every morning for not making you an Iowan. (marcus?(: Hi!) 
-you believe that bitter cold, a slippery surface and speed go together in a sport and on the Interstate.
(when riding with my mom, it's like a Valley Fair ride!)
-you measure distance in minutes.(How much longer?! Fifteen minutes, shut your trap hole! Oh grandpa, how we love you, you prickly fish tank you!)-you know several people who have hit a deer.(and than take it to nicks. Yumm, deer meet!)-your school classes were canceled because of cold.(Best. Days. Ever.)-you've ever had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.(It's a time honored cycle. Go to school, heat. Go to soccer, a/c. Go home, heat.)-you know what's knee-high by the Fourth of July. (And you can tell, by a glance, how long the harvest is going to take.)-you carry jumper cables in your car.(and know how to use them.)-you know what "cow tipping" and "snipe hunting" is.(wait, what do other kids do for fun?)-you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.(And it's for a reason!)
-you find -20 degrees F "a little chilly". (Ah, maybe we should turn the heat on now... I'm not sure..)-you know all 4 seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, and Construction.(great grandpa had a plaque that said this. Cracked me up on a daily basis.)

So we adapt to what environment we live in. But, for the love of high school, i can't figure out why anyone wants to live here.

<3 Taylor Elaine

Are we human? Or are we dancer?... Wait, i mean Animal!

Uff.The Killers. I love and adore their song, Human. It can be taken so many ways. Are we humans, able to adapt? Or are we dancers, moving through our choreographed steps, no mistakes, no changes? Or are we humans, unsure and clumsy? Or are we dancers, able to flow and be free, moving to the music of life? (personally, i like the second one better, but that's because I'm a dancer. And therefore, biased.)

But are we humans, or animals? We may have the ability to understand complex thoughts, invent, change, have coherent and intelligent thought and ideas. But what separates us from animals? We have the same basic needs.To eat. To sleep. To reproduce. To survive. Surprisingly, only 2% of DNA separates us from the common household fly. (thanks Mr. Hanson!) Some people are more animal like than others... Some let themselves be taken over by animistic thoughts and actions. Yet, one thing separates us totally, in my opinion. And yes, now I'm about to pull a Harry Potter. (which isn't my fault, it's Kate's. High Kick music anyone? Kicks and giggles(: ya dance team!) But it's love. It's affection for our offspring, and family. It's having a baby crush on someone, it's the love and patience in my mom's eyes when I'm being stupid, it's the amusement and enjoyment in my dad's eyes when i shoot the pistol, screaming like a girl. (shooting pumpkins- most fun of November..! For right now(: like five days until Skillet!! And like a week till matching tattoos! Boys..) It's how much my grandma loves it when we sit on the beach for hours and talk about her childhood. It's when your heart stops when you hear those words, those words that will forever change your life.

So are we human? Or are we dancer? Or are we, quite simply, animals with larger brains?

I'm a dancer, and that's all i know.

<3 Taylor Elaine



                        Sweet!!!!!!(:

Ragin' TayJen... The Beauty of J10

Yes, Ragin' TayJen is my new nickname. Thanks Mr. Worth.

But that's the beauty of this school and my grade. Because we will turn and stare at Ina for like a whole minute just cuz we want to make it awkward. Whoooooo!

But beauty can be other things.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ18nYos13o&feature=player_embedded

God i remember that dance..... ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow
Cute uniforms though(:

Beauty is having patience and love, despite wanting to kill someone. My mother's mastered it, my grandmas' have.... When i am?

Beauty is humor...... here's my quick Castle quote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selROK35M-I&feature=&p=EA207CF76E034170&index=0&playnext=1

More than one, i know. But it's so good!!!!!

So beauty is anything and everything... My family, my friends, my sports, and my second family. Yes. I am on a countdown to Skillet. But find beauty in everything.

Even in the pain of New Viva. (:

<3 Taylor Elaine

Thanks Castle!

First rant topic: Thank you Castle. For making me lose 8 hours of sleep last night. You know, some people get nightmares when you don't catch the mass murderer! Jeezzzzzzzz........

Second rant topic: Why am i the oldest?!!?!?!?! Why?!? It sucks.

Third rant topic: If Ahnika gets a cell-phone, I'm going to lock myself in a closet. Or Reed will do it for me, cuz he's mad at me. (: He's just depressed. I AM SO WINNING THAT BET!!

Fourth (and final) rant topic: I. Am. So. Sick. Of. Drama. And. Fighting. RWARRRRRRRRRR! Can i move to Alaska?

Random thoughts from Taylor:
Miranda and Logan are the CUTEST couple!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Harry Potter=sick. Phantom of the Opera=sick. Harry Potter+Phantom of the Opera=SICK!!!!!!
Halo music is surprisingly sweet.
Libby is so cute, until she poops in your room. Doggy......!
My brother drives me up to wall.
I wanna watch Sherlock Holmes!
Best actors are Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Robert Downey Jr, and several others that i cannot remember.
Mr. Worth gets surprisingly passionate about buying certain books.
And, for the love of high school, can i please not have so much homework? Blah!!!

<3 Taylor Elaine

Alayanna Leigh Knutsen(:

Dear Alayanna Leigh Knutsen,

My dear little Alayanna Leigh, i cannot wait until you arrive. you will be wonderful addition to our little family. You have two parents who eagerly wait your birth(:

No, i am not pregnant. But Brianna is! Because, to quote Dean, Brianna and i would make a cute baby.
We've combined our names, and little Alayanna Leigh Knutsen is two months closer to being ALIVE!!!!! kidding, kidding grandma Jill.

I would also like to announce the obsession i have with Castle. Since when do i, of all people, look forward to Mondays!? Since when do i plan my nightly events around this show?

Oh my god I've become my grandma.

But, I'll post my favorite quotes here.... Because they are awesome!!!

Kate: 6 months.
Richard: 6 months….what?
K: We dated for 6 months.
R: I didn’t ask.
K: Yeah, I know, you were not asking very loudly
R: I know, I'm like a Jedi like that

Beckett: Don't think this means you won the bet. All we know its they are connected, not how.
Castle: I missed you too.

Ryan: Looks like he is back in the town.
Esposito: Nice of him to call.
Beckett: Ok, you guys can stop pining for your girlfriend, we got a body full of holes

Ryan : Aren't famous people crazy and narcissistic?
Beckett : I don't know. Gotta ask Castle.

Beckett: You know Castle, sometimes I forget that you have such a capacity for pure innocence in your life.
Castle: Yeah, plus it was a great place to pickup chicks.
Beckett: Then you open your mouth and you ruin it.

Beckett: Either you are being a good cop or you just wanna go to the museum.
Castle: They have dinosaurs there!

Castle: Hey! Can we talk about this, please?
Beckett: There's nothing to talk about.
Castle: Well, at least let me know what I can do to make it up to you.
Beckett: You can leave me alone.
Castle: Yes, I tried that and it didn't work. Hey! I can buy you a pony!

Castle: Me? Scared? No way, come on. Now excuse while I change my shorts
Castle: Dad where are you? Dad are you all right? Dad call us right away. Dad can I go see Fame with Owen on Friday? Your concern is touching.

You see? You see why I'm so addicted to this?????? It's amazing. I love it. Only problem is that buried life plays at the same time. Why, MTV??? Why??? For the love of high school, can we switch times?
Now for one final quote. I'm in Spanish 2. Si! But even in this class.... People forget. Hence, this moment.

"Hey! Wait! If the day of the dead is coming up, when is cinco de mayo?!"- Grahm
"It's in mayo, Grahm."- Huston
"It's in may."- Violet

Yes, cinco de mayo literally translates to 'fifth of mayo.' Hey. It happens!!

<3 Taylor Elaine

Freedom to the_________! (insert choice here.)

Freedom! Sweet freedom! Summer here! FREEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Ah.... No. Sadly. But that's what i think about when someone says freedom. Summer days. Lazy and slow, or fast and hot. My favorite summer memory is up north, both years. I spend a whole week on the tube. What else can you ask for? I love being at soccer with my team... Not always my coach.... but my team for sure! I spend a lot of my summer at Grace's.... Watching thunder and lightening in a hundred year old house after watching hours of ghost hunters and having battle royal with the hoses. (Lars's face when he pulled in- haha!) I love when I'm free to spend my day at Casey's...... and next summer is gonna be even better, when i can drive!!!!!

Freedom is hard to come by these days for teens.... Well, me at least. I get all the freedom America guarantees me.. But nothing in the Constitution can limit the restrictions put on me by my parents... We have constant fights about what i can and can't do. (Going to Casey's- no. Riding with Dan- no. Getting my hair streaked- no. Belly button piercing- no. Going into town more than once a day- no. Spending my weekends away from home- no. Babysitting 24/7 and still getting screamed at because i act like the 'princess'- yupp!)

But i have one freedom that I'm looking forward too.... November 13. Skillet. With Marcus. And Casey. And Amanda. (Nicole? Natasha? Michelle! No? What is her name? I give up.) I'm pumped to spend my day with my babo and Marcus. I love you boys!

The coolest thing i have to mention on freedom right now is the most recent miracle..... The soon to be holiday... La dia de los treinte y tres! (The day of the 33). For those of you who don't watch news, i was glued to my TV watching all 33 of these guys come up to the surface. They were half a mile (2,300 ft) underground. And they were there for 69 DAYS!!!! For 17 of those days, no one knew if they were alive.... They brought all 33 of them, plus 5 or 6 paramedics to the surface all yesterday. And get this. IT WENT PERFECTLY. Normally, things like this take weeks.... and go wrong. Nope. The first came up, i believe, around midnight, and the last was brought up at 1010ish p.m. Damn. For the love of high school, lets never have this happen again.

 The capsule that brought them up..

And here's a shout out to every man or woman that are fighting, leaving to fight, or coming home.... You're all heroes, no matter what anyone says. And now we stop and remember the billions lost in every war this earth has ever seen........

And now my closing quote..... "Well! That's illegal!"- Dean Anderson   (: I need a copy of that book!!!

<3 Taylor Elaine

Can i qet a quote unquote from the Rhinestone Cowboy?

New idea for blog posts! I'm going to find quotes, decide what they mean to me, who taught them to me, and what lessons i got out of them. So.... Without further ado, here are.... Taylor's Life Lessons!

“A good scare is worth more to a man than good advice.” – Anonymous

Who taught it to me: Lady who hit us in January

Life lesson: ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT!

“Drunkenness is temporary suicide.” – Bertrand Russell

Who taught it to me: Every drunk driver

Life lesson: Hey, being drunk isn’t always temporary suicide. It can be forever. You know, when you die.

“What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.” –Friedrich Nietzsche

Who taught it to me: Allison

Life lesson: You can run the high kick dance four times, and running it once more will not kill you. It only feels like it. And next time, it’ll be four times easier.

“You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims.” –Harriet Woods

Who taught it to me: Grandma Mary

Life lesson: Walk with your head held high. But never let it get high enough that you can’t see the ones around you. Don’t look down on people. Help bring them up to your level.

“Fall down seven times, get up eight.” –Japanese Proverb

Who taught it to me: Winona Soccer

Life lesson: When the girl trips you, get right back up and deal with it. Or you know, take her down with you!

So there are five quotes.... I have more saved!

Now for my daily amusement.

Allie sucks at math. 26-18= 8. 10-8=2. Tada!

Skippy looks like a girl.

Fashion sense was wack in the early 2000's.

Reid has a cool scar!

Brooke needs band aids on her fingers. (I'm making ramen's right now. I'm extra careful.)

I beat Logan on the bus! What!

Rhinestone Cowboy has never been kissed. (it's the glasses- I'm telling you!)

Libby(my puppy!) got a hair cut and looks like a rat.

And, for the love of high school, can someone PLEASE tell Brooke her laugh can be quieter, and it will not kill her?

<3 Taylor Elaine

Return Address- Afghanistan and Justice... For April

I don't know much about justice. There's only one thing that i really know about justice, and it sucks.

I'm not sure how many people remember the murder of April Sorensen. It happened April 17 of 2007. Ironic, huh, to die in the month you were named after? She was 27- full of life. She was also my cousin. Granted, we were several years apart, but that doesn't mean i don't remember her. She cut my hair. she ran. Oh, she loved running. She was beautiful and bright and always smiling. Yet someone decided that this beautiful girl had to be killed. Taken from us. Hit and beaten and killed, than burned. I'll always remember the funeral. The 22. My grandpa, who i had never seen cry, bawling. Holly, April's younger sister, struggling through a speech she wrote. The grief that plagues my family. And the worst thing is, whoever killed her hasn't been brought to justice. They might never be. It's a cold case. So all we can do now for her is run.

We run for her every year. This year, i worked it(as i have been for three years) and watched my dear Red Head in the Pink Shorts run by me.

This is April.

If you're interesting in helping, running, or donating to the marathon, the website is http://www.livelaughloverun.com/

The other thing is fairness....

Fairness is nonexistent. If you believe that life is fair, than you must believe in unicorns and leprechauns. Because it's not. If life was fair, two amazing kids would still be here right now. So would April. If life was fair, people would get the dads they deserved. Great guys deserve great fathers.... Not the ones they have. Fairness would mean that not a single man would be lost in a stupid war. It'd mean that they would come home safe. Always. Fairness does not exist. It never will. So... for the love of high school, I'm asking a god, any god, all gods, to keep him safe, and bring him home in time for the now annual volleyball contest. So now I'm off the make a facebook profile, so i can make Adam my new pen pal. Good luck buddy. 365 days in a helicopter. 365 days of danger. 365 days of constant worry. 365 days of letters. I feel some Dear John music coming on..... But seriously. Come home safe. please.... I'll miss you. Don't make stupid decisions. Do as i say, not as i do!!!!!!!!!!!! And watch your hips old man(:

<3 Taylor Elaine



365 days, 7 hours, and about 15 minutes, give or take a bit

Wow. A year is a really long time, isn't it? It's 365 days, 12 months, etc.... But is it enough to get to know someone completely, to know what they think, to know how they act, to know their faults and their goals, to know them truly? Ah..... No. Today is October 9th. Last year, on this date, i said yes to Casey Duaine. To me, it was only gonna be a little flirty relationship.. He was hot, quiet, and sorta, kinda, slightly ripped. And than somewhere along the line i fell in love with him. It might've been the first time i saw him cry, when he finally told me why he lives with just his mom. Or why he has no real cousins on one side. Or when i got to meet Renee.... Or the first time Lynda hugged me and told me she loved me. Or when Marcus sent me that text. Or when Renee thanked me for being there. Or the first time he told me he loved me. When i first rode on the Zuma. When i biffed it off the bed. When he told to shut up and just hit something. When i was invited to watch them get tattoos. When i was invited (blackmailed) to go shopping. When we sat there and just laughed for hours. Walking around the lake. Jellystone. Family reunion. Every time he smiled. When i realized that i totally, utterly, trusted him. He's not perfect, neither am i. A lot of my friends don't understand... Some only asked questions about him that i can't understand. He is mine and i am his... We've lasted this long and i hope it goes longer, because he is the only guy that actually gets me. He's not stupid and immature like the rest of our grade... he's got his head screwed on straight- no drugs, drinking, or cheating. For the love of high school, i love him..

<3 Taylor Elaine

mom, you're amazing.

Oh her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
Curls perfectly without her trying

She's so funny
And I tell her every day

Yeah I know, I know
When I compliment her
She wont believe me
And its so, its so
Sad to think she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me do I look okay
I say

No, those pants don’t make your butt big
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you sing,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause mom you're amazing
Just the way you are

Her cooking, her cooking

I could eat all day if she’d let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates but I think its so funny

She's so beautiful
And I tell her every day

Oh you know, you know, you know
Id never ask you to change
If perfect is what you're searching for
Then just stay the same

So don't even bother asking
If you look okay
You know I say

When I they say I’m your daughter

It makes me so proud
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you cheer,
The whole world stops and stares for awhile
Cause mom you're amazing
Just the way you are
The way you are
The way you are
Mom you're amazing
Just the way you are

When I come home
There's not a thing that I would change
Cause mom you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you dance,
the whole world stops and stares of awhile
Cause Mom you're amazing
Just the way you are

Hey mom. Guess what.
I love you(:

<3 Taylor Elaine

GERMANY!!!!!! WALES!!!!!!!!

 GERMANY!!!

WALES!!!!

Well.... Now since i've gone crazy and randomly posted the picture of Wales and Germany.... No, it has a purpose. Because i have finally scored a goal that i'm really and truely proud of. Oh... That reminds me.. My assist goes too...

SPAIN!!!!! (aka Sarah)

Not only did we dominate our recent game against Faribult, i scored a really good goal! (and by dominate, i mean we won 7-0). Which brings us to why i now have three random flags from three random countries that have nothing in common. But they do!! So we played World Cuppie on Monday. And for non soccer players, it's a game in which you pair up with someone, and try to score. And it's hard! But when you do, you scream your country.

Making sense? Sorta? Ok good. So, as you can guess, i was Germany, and my partner was Megan Bos, my bestie neighbor ever(: Rizzo, this cutie freshman, and Kylie, another adorable freshman, were Wales. And yes, when we play this game, there is a lot of debate over what's a country, and what's not. For the love of high school, Sam and Stina, CALI IS NOT A COUNTRY!!!

So back to the game! So Rizzo scored three times. After her first goal, i jokingly told her that she should yell her country. So she did. And hence, the rest of the game was mainly "WALES!!!!" (with the occasional CALI!!!! from Sam on defense). And so when i scored on an assist from Sarah, i turned around and me and megan screamed "GERMANY!!!!!"

We think that screaming random countries helps our soccer game. Maybe... Maybe not.... Skippy's lucky shirt and Stina's lucky bra might've helped.... The world will never know!

And now i write a side note to my mom...... Mama, i don't love Renee more than i love you. I've just been waiting to use a whole entire post in an ode to your hair!! And your singing (: I love you so much mama. Because you buy me chex mix and smarties! Kidding... Sorta. No, it's because you're my mom and you love me the most! And i love you too(:

<3 Taylor Elaine

Silence..... And Reneenayshanaynay!

I love silence. I love it. I live in the boonies(whooooo go living in the town of..... nowhere.) so i'm used to falling asleep with nothing to make noise around me. But it's the most peaceful thing.

On the dance bus, they demand silence at 3 a.m. And, we give it to them, mainly because we are nowhere close enough to wake to talk. But on the soccer bus, don't try to silence us. It ain't happening! We're gonna sing taylor swift at the top of our lungs! (member 7th grade, Cece?)

Adults are so stupid about noise and silence. Why are they not possible of remembering a measly 15 years back, when they were loud teenagers too? So we party. So we get a little loud. Are we bothering you? If the answer is no, BACK OFF! For the love of high school, everyone needs to chill out; about how loud we play our music or how loud we scream.

My favorite silence is the one i have with grace and fallon. i can lay my head on their lap. They can lay their head on my stomach. And we won't talk for hours. Yet, we know just how the other feels. it's friendship in it's truest form. My other favorite silence is the 'renee' silence. I trust Renee. I hope she trusts me.... I'm pretty sure she does because she lets me drive the mini bike and handle lighters(: She's the most awesome survivor I've ever met.... If i ever find the cure for cancer, it's because of her. But we sit in silence, and it's comfortable. We had boundaries.... and by now, we've totally overstepped them! I love and adore her.

so..... Silence and noise... Two totally different things. But we need them both. Silence to sleep. Noise to party. Silence to comfort. Noise to take away the pain. Oh, and noise to annoy the crap out of Jillian.(: I love you mom!

<3 Taylor Elaine

Friendship..... And Grace.

                                             Why does this totally describe my friends?

Hmmmm i have so many quotes and thoughts about friendship that i bet i could blow my computers memory if i saved them all..... But I have one real and true friend, my Grace. who's name, (props to terry and dara) fits her. It's really true! What friends would stick around when i have meltdowns? My friends. But my true friends have a meltdown with me.

Take Megan and Kendell, for instance. What other friends will run around a church with you, at 3 in the morning, sit by you when you're so scared that you might pee your pants at a mosque, be super hyper and random at the mall of america, and sit in a car at 12 at night, begging spencer for some more holister spray because it's the smell of heaven? Only my 'neighbors', i'll tell you that.

Or my dance team friends. Who have your back whenever you fall. Dance is a unique sport because you and your team are one. No one can be the star. No one can be the weakest link. You have to stand by them, equally, because thats what this team is about. We bond over a lot of things, but it's the bus rides at 4 in the morning, the long days of sitting in a classroom, yelling insults and cheers at the tv where someone is dancing, and the moment when you all collide on that floor that turn you from teammates and friends to sisters.

Or my soccer team, who bond despite having a loopy coach. No, Skippy, not you. Yes B-Hill, you! We go through sweat, blood, and tears. And that's one of the strongest friendships anyone can offer.

Friendship is the journey two people take. How you can start just playing soccer together, and wind up one night at 2 in the morning, crying and spilling every single problem out. that's friendship. They have your back. They get it. They can see you smiling and say, oh, she's unhappy because she got a bad grade. Friends come and go, best friends sit their butt down on your couch and ask what's for supper. They sit up with you and let you spill every problem you have. They creep facebook with you and learn how to properly 'creep'. (fallon, i'm free this saturday. Drive by?) They don't care about rumors, they care about you.

Last note on friendship- you can have guy or girl friends. Dear Red Head Kid in the Pink Shorts, you are my buddy! Forever! Casey and i have a friendship, just slightly different than everyone elses...... :) And i have an awkward, yet sweet friendship with Elijah Mark. And an awesome one with Sharon! And my friendship with Marcus, which is more like him sending me mean texts and me making him take me to concerts. (SKILLET!!!!!) But they are my friends and i would give anything for them.

Oh, for the love of high school, i love my friends.

<3 Taylor Elaine

Oh, Minnesota.... Did you take your pills?

Now, i take a vow to never be one of those people who sits and rants about the weather, but i think this one time, it's OK! Because, I LIVE IN MINNESOTA, STATE OF BIPOLAR-NESS! Today, i was at soccer, begging Skippy, (my coach, who shall have no dignity due to his nickname) for a drink because it is a whooping 90 degrees. Yet, just yesterday, the Jensen household was buzzing like a kicked beehive due to my sister Ahnika almost losing my mother's favorite mittens. (Thankfully, to the relief of my ears, they were found). So what gives? For the love of high school, Minnesota, MAKE UP YOUR MIND! I love summer, don't get me wrong, but i really love fall. So someone order my dear Minnesota some pills, and lets change seasons already.

hmmmmmm now for some deep thoughts..... Ever missed someone that you really don't know? Is that normal? I don't know about anyone else, but..... for me, it is. Because i miss Adam. Not in that way, but because he is such an amazing guy. You know, the guy you just sit by, and let him listen to your problems, because he gets it. he gets it. I'm in love with Casey, don't get me wrong. But Adam was, for like four days, the perfect older brother. So, Dear Adam- Finish up collage. don't date crazy girls. Come home and start giving me advice!

I'm obsessed with tattoos. i have an addiction. please call rehab. because the moment i turn 18, I'm going to be shelling out the big money. i blame you, Renee Marcus and Casey! you 3 and your awesome tattoos have made me develop an obsession. because i have a hopeless tattoo addiction. Case in point-

                                                        Kinda the most amazing tattoo ever.

This shall be the end of my rant, about weather and Adam and my tattoo problems. Oh, for the love of high school....

<3 Taylor Elaine

The Starting Point…

Hi… I’m Taylor Elaine. I live Small Town, USA. (No, seriously. My hometown has a population of… fewer than 500.) Most of my time is devoted to dancing my heart out, literally. When you’re done with high kick, it feels like your heart has disappeared. In the fall, you can find me on a soccer field… My sports are my life, so don’t you dare say that they suck. Otherwise, I’m with Casey, my boyfriend of 11 and ½ months. And still counting (:   And if I’m not with him, I’ll be at my second home, with Grace!

My blog is a way for me to write about my life and to be able to look back and see how I’ve changed and grown. I’ll be writing about my sports, my family, my friends, and my lovely boyfriend. Oh, and whatever Worth says I have to do! So, I introduce to you…. For the love of high school!!

<3 Taylor