Food Memories

One food memory I have is who used to be my siblings and my “special” macaroni. When we were younger, making forts was one of our favorite past times. Anytime we would build one, we would make our “special” macaroni. Being so young, around the age of nine or ten, I had no idea how to work a stove, much less cook up a box of Kraft macaroni the correct way. With that in mind, we were still determined to eat the uncooked noodles. My sister and I, who was the same age as me, set out to find a solution. We found a cake pan and poured all the noodles in it. Then, when searching through the fridge, we found some “I can’t believe it’s not Butter” spray, and drenched the uncooked noodles with it. Once they were all buttered up, we would add the packet of “cheese dust” as we called it, to the already mess. After spending a couple minutes mixing around our new invention with forks, we decided it was done so we took it back to our brother and sister in the fort. We each took a fork, and dug in. At the time, it was the best thing food related any of us had ever created. My sister and I were beaming with excitement and pride that we created a hit. It became a tradition for us to make our special recipe anytime we were building a fort. Looking back, I don’t think it actually tasted good at all, I think we just thought we seemed cool being able to “cook” at such a young age. The noodles were still just as hard and crunchy as they were when we bought them, so it would take a while to chew a spoonful of the not so tasty treat. When it comes to the “special” macaroni and cheese, it was definitely more the thought of it than the actual taste that was so appealing.

Books for Kids

The book that I chose was “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss. The child’s book that consists of 51 pages has an about the author in the back that states that Seuss has written and illustrated 44 world-famous books for children. The cover of the book shows the Grinch with a smirk on his face and he’s surrounded by white, green, and orange. This book is a classic that has been turned into a classic movie. With characters consisting of the Grinch himself, Max his dog, Cindy-Lou Who, and the rest of the Who-Villains, the story shows how The Grinch hates Christmas and everyone in Who-Ville, so he decides to steal Christmas. He Dresses up as Grinchy Claus and sneaks into everyone’s house to steal their presents. That didn’t stop Christmas from coming, and when he saw that everyone was still merry, his heart grew three sizes. As most children’s’ books, it consists of animals as characters, uses rhyming words, teaches a lesson, has creatures in it, kids as characters, adults as characters, uses humor, have illustrations, and has a very sentimental tone to it. My favorite sentence from the book is “Every Who down in Who-Ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without and presents at all!” This shows that there’s more to Christmas than just the presents, but it’s about everyone coming together and being happy and merry. I would have, and did, love this book as a child because I was obsessed with Dr. Seuss and love Christmas.

Photos from this millennium

On January 12, 2010 there was a massive earthquake in Haiti. I remember being in seventh grade when I found out about it while sitting in science class. Mr. Randolf showed the class what pictures and news stories had been released on the big screen. My mind instantly went to my mom. She has been on multiple mission trips to Haiti and has a huge spot in her heart for that country and for the people of that country. I knew that this would have a great effect on her big heart that always seems to think of others before herself. Whenever I got to the gym later that day for practice I noticed that my mom wasn’t sitting in her office working like she normally was at that time during the day. After four hours of gymnastics, with the constant talk of the tragedy that was happening in a less fortunate part of the world, I finally got to pack my things up and get ready to go home. My step dad was the one that picked me up instead of my mom. When I got home my mom was already in bed and I was told that she had a rough day and just to let her sleep. The next morning when I got to talk to her she just told me a bunch of stories she has with that place that is now in ruins. There was a small, sad smile on her face the entire time. Being so young and naive, I didn’t really understand how awful this actually was, and what it did to everyone living there. Through the gym, my mom arranged multiple fundraisers, all of them with the title “Hearts for Haiti”. Looking back now, when I see that pictures of the women standing the middle of the huge mess, it makes me understand why my mom was so hung up on it and wanted to do anything she could to help. I don’t know the women in the picture, and I don’t know her story, but I want to assume that she lost her home and possibly her family. The look of loneliness and just being upset and scared she has on her face breaks my heart. Even if she didn’t personally lose those things, I know that there are hundreds, probably even thousands of people that did.

Poem inspired by Collins

Running Away

Chaotic family

Everyone fighting for the attention

Always being forgotten in the background

If I leave no one will even notice that the baby sister has gone missing

I pack my bags and begin my journey to find a new family

Quickly welcomed by the cold, frigid air, I start to rethink

Walking my street with nothing more than a bag of chips to survive on

I’ve made it to the stop sign and realized there’s nowhere to go

It’s too cold, I want the fireplace and warm protection of my blanket

The small taste of freedom is quickly outweighed by fear and doubt

With my head hung low, I start going back to where I belong

Home sweet home

This is...

This is two sisters, who just happen to be best friends,

Smiling immensely as they open they’re matching Christmas presents,

Trying to convince the world that they were twins,

Everything they did had to be the same

This is two best friends,

Always the crying shoulder to lean on

When they were scared and confused by their parents actions.

Constantly reminding each other of their love

With promises that they will never let their friendship die.

This is two young girls,

Naïve to the fact that there was much more going on in the house

Than they’re ways of pretending to be sisters by blood,

Rather than some messed up marriage.

Hugs became longer as the best friends realized an end was coming.

This is before the “twins” were separated without a goodbye.

Before all communication was cut off,

An before the girls that had once done everything the same

Went down two completely different roads in life.

This is before the best friends were forced to become strangers.