Williamsburg Academy

  I've already given the story of how I found Williamsburg Academy back in my post about my college essays but I haven't fully described what my experience has been like and the immense gratitude I have for the academy. 

  Over the last few years individuals have asked me what Williamsburg is and why I'm going there. I have told them that it is just like being in a classroom... but online. We have class at given times each day, give presentations, take tests, have study groups, etc. I tell them it is a lot of work but I've really enjoyed it and feel like it has been the right place for me. What I neglect to tell them is that these last two years at Williamsburg have literally been the hardest of my life.  I would spend between 50 and 80hrs a week on school work, the last two months of my senior year were much closer to 80 hrs, if not at it, and every second I wasn't working on it I would be thinking about it. I have been forced to grow and mature and take my education into my own hands. On-top of all of this, you have to do it utterly alone and no one around actually understand what you are doing, the kind of work you are putting in, and what amazing and constant epiphanies you are having because your legitimate friends  that go to school with you live hours, sometimes days, away and you very rarely get to see them. 

  But all of this, though it is extremely hard, adds to the sweetness that this education brings. The hard work forces your mind to expand and teaches you how to not just work hard, but play extremely hard on the rare occasion when you get the chance. The part about doing this alone makes you become an intellectually and emotionally strong individual. It teaches you look outside yourself, your world, to see the importance of those around you and what they are going thru. Yes, living away from the people that you admire so much and are so close to is hard, that part never gets easier, but it makes it all the more special and phenomenal when you see one another. You learn to never take your friends for granted. It teaches you what friendship truly is as well as shows you what you are willing to do and how far you are willing to go for them. You create life long friendships that, unlike most friendship you make in high-school, you will actually keep in contact with when you move around. It's a piece of cake because you have had a long distance relationship from the start and have already learned how to properly communicate so you  can fully understand and appreciate one another.  

  So when people ask me why I attended Williamsburg and I respond with something along the lines of  "I fell like it has worked out for me" or "I just wanted something different", what I mean is that I know it was the absolute perfect place for me and exactly what I needed.  

I have had mentors that are the best of the best and truly changed my whole outlook on the world (over and over and over again), curriculum that is designed to push to the breaking point to make you grow stronger so you can handle and understand more, classmates that are some of the single most amazing individuals I will ever come in contact with, and life lessons that will stay with me for the eternities. 

  

  I will forever be grateful for Williamsburg and the leadership education it has given me. 

Graduation, it's almost here.

Seven days from now I will be a graduate of Williamsburg Academy, a feet not a ton of people have accomplished. 

This last week I have had the last of each of my phenomenal classes and said goodbye to many, many amazing individuals. During it,  I have been overwhelmed with a giant dose of nostalgia, girly giddiness, gratitude, and excitement. All of these different emotions, coupled with a serious lack of sleep I have had with the whole "finals" thing going on, has been a bit of an emotional roller-coaster (And when I say a "bit of" I mean a major one). 

I have been going through my house, taking pictures of everything from what I usually had for lunch to the chair I would typically sit in, to smiling all day long because I just couldn't handle the excitement that this new phase brings. 

Anywho, you get the picture. 

I do, however, want to mention a few of the many, many things I have discovered this last week of high school: 

1. Independence does not mean doing everything on your own. I recently come to realize how silly I have been in regards to getting stuff done; help is great! And your mom doing your laundry for you, that is the best thing ever! Why I didn't ask her to do it for me every once in a while long ago I will never know. (Also, Moms are amazing. More specifically, my mom is amazing and I am so happy that I have had the opportunity to be raised by her.)
2. Always ask your family to be there and support you.   For just about ever I have loved to be on my own and have really felt bad when people went out of their way to be at my events. Now, I am so, so grateful that they often ignored me and have been at a lot of them. They all may have sat through about every Suzuki violin piece about a 15 times but they still always showed up for mine in the line up. :)
3. I am a very nostalgic person. Who knew? I guess you could say that I have just embraced it (...and by embraced it I do mean I put I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan on my senior play list...don't judge.) 
4. Roll with the punches. Things don't always (and when I say "don't always" I mean hardly ever) turn out the way you thought, planned, and or wanted. Just go with it. Some things you just can't change and you need to adapt. 
5. I am ridiculously grateful for the time I have spent at Williamsburg Academy. I can honestly say it has been just about the hardest two years of my life but it has also been the most rewarding. I will forever be grateful for the education I have worked for and the lessons I have learned. I would go into it further but I have feeling nostalgia will require a post about it all on its own. 

Puddles: the best rat a girl could ever have.

When I was six my older sister Natalie brought home a rat to do a science experiment with (She was testing to see if music effected his intelligence but that is not the important part). The important information that you need to know is that from the moment that I set eyes on this rat I knew we were going to be the best of friends.




And I was right.




This rat became my constant companion, literally. I convinced my mother that Puddles (the name my sister had given it, I personally had wanted Prince Guinevere Washington the III) needed to stay in my room because he got scared at night and couldn’t handle being downstairs all by his lonesome self. I would play with him, watch TV with him, painting him different colors, chase my mom around the house with him, go to the grocery store with him (yes, that is right. I went to the grocery store with him. Well, I guess it was more that I snuck him under my shirt into the grocery store...but that only happened once because my mom got real mad when she found out from store manager while being asked to leave me and puddles at home next time). Oh yes, I have many fond memories of spending time with this rat.



However, there is one memory that I just can’t help but share.



One hot afternoon in summer I was playing with my neighbor's granddaughter at my house, we were playing Kim Possible (I was Kim (naturally) and she was evil green villain lad) but soon got bored with it. When my mom saw the bored look she immediately sent us back over to my friends house (because we had a tendency to do things that were a bit mischievous when we got bored...such as paint my bed with nail polish, call 911 to see what would happen and have fashion shows...on my kitchen counter). When we got to my friend’s Grandma’s house I politely asked my friend where I should put Puddles while we played. She decided that the best place to put him was in the toy chest by the back door. She also informed me that we should probably keep it a secret from Oma (that is what we called her grandma).




However, I really liked Oma and did not like the idea of keeping a secret from her.


Before I continue the story, there are a few things you need to know: 1.Oma is a very proper older woman that immigrated from Germany after WWII. 2. She had a lot of other old woman friends. On this particular day, they were all out in the backyard, wearing dresses that had way to many pastel colored flowers and shoes that were the loveliest shades of puke green and old lady tan available, having a lovely garden party.


Back to the story, so after about an hour of the most epic game of ninja princess out there, I was feeling to guilty about hiding puddles from Oma to continue. So while my friend was in the bathroom, I went of to the toy chest and found Puddles under the Polly Pocket dream house. After contemplating the best possible way to approach her I decided to just go right up and spit it out (I've never been one that successfully sugar coats things unless it is regards to baking). So I put Puddles behind my back and walked right up to Oma.




At that current moment, all of the ladies were sitting about a round table sipping their spots of tea and eating their crumpets. Abiding by my nature, I walked right up to her and said, “Oma, I like you. So I need to tell you something.” At this point all of the ladies we were watching me and looking at one another with that “she-is-just-so-cute-that-I-can’t-help-but-want-to-pinch-her-cheeks” kind of look. That look didn't stay to long. It is then that I brought the rat around in their line of sight...what followed is a vision that I will never forget.





Oma gasped, at least two ladies fell back in their chairs with their pudgy short legs and puke green shoes straight up in the air, and all the other ladies were screaming.

It was chaos.

But that is not the end.

When I saw the ladies fall backwards I couldn't help but start giggling causing Puddles to startle and leap out of my hands onto the table. This was followed by half a dozen handbags being flung onto the table causing the tea and crumpets to go flying.



The rest of this story is not that entertaining. I ran around her back porch and caught Puddles. Parents were called. I was grounded from puddles for a week which, after informing my parents that we were ruining my life and crying for about twenty minuets, was extended to two weeks and puddles usually hung out at home after that (not because of my desire of-course, but more because everyone was ordered to pat me down before I walked out the door form then on).



Anywho, that was Puddles. The best darn rat my six-year-old-self could have ever asked for.

Thanksgiving: the Wixom way.

So Thanksgiving is kind of a big deal in the Wixom household...and by "kind of" I mean it is the most anticipated holiday and gets just as much attention (if not more) as Christmas. It's the Holiday about being thankful and giving back. I honestly don't remember a Thanksgiving where we didn't have at-least two guests around our table (usually I don't them...that's just how our family rolls. ;))

So here is what a typical Wixom Thanksgiving schedule looks like:

Tuesday before:

• Make Bread Baskets for Smith, Larsen, and Wixom (and by bread I mean bread, rolls, cookies, mazourkas, jam, something random, etc. Half is usually made by yours truly and my mother, the other is half is by Great Harvest...That is my favorite half.)

Wednesday:

• Deliver Bread Baskets. 
• Layne makes the biggest (and best tasting) batch of Cranberry Relish you have ever seen. 
• Natalie begins the turkey brining process for the best darn turkey you have ever had.
• Claire starts the rolls. 
• Mom makes the stuffing. 
• Bake the Pies (usually 6, including mum's sugarless apple, pumpkin, cherry, and whatever else we feel the need to experiment with that particular year.) . This always happen at night when the familia is home from work. 

The Big day, Thursday:

• 6:15- Wake up (unless you are my padre, who is up by 5.) . 
• 6:45- Head Out to the Race. 
• 7:20- Arrive at location and check in. This is also were you get to put on your new festive sweat (as pictured below.)
• 7:40- Do Jazzercise with the obnoxious warm-up lady...which my family very willingly participates. 
• 8:00-Begin chasing the gobbler 
• 8:15- The 1-milers are back by now. 
• 8:23- The 5k-ers begin getting back (with Robert in the lead.) 
• 8:45- Eat gross breakfast that the coordinators of "Catch the Gobbler" provide. 
• 9:00- Get awards (always Dad, sometimes others from our family.)
• 9:15- Raffle drawing!
• 9:45- Family usually has about 4 free turkeys by now with a few random gift certificates in-between. 
• 10:15- Begin the trek home. 
• 11:00- Begin food prep/shuffling through the shower (note that the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is ALWAYS playing in the kitchen)
• 2:00-Thanksgiving Devotional (often accompanied by Polly the Pilgrim.) 
• 2:30-Dinner
• 3:30- Lay around being stuffed (well, half of us (the smart ones) do this) 
• 3:45- Clear the table. 
• 4:00- Head out decided movie (which we arrive to a half hour early thanks to my father's strategic planning.)
• 7:00- Dessert with the Rosekelly's. This consists of all of the family gathering around while partaking of pie, Christina's Snicker-Salad, ice cream, and something random. The kido's (which there are a constant increasing number of) are usually running around making rather loud ruccus. It's a joy :). 
• 9:30- Rosekelly's slowly leave, kids are put to sleep, and the planning of tomorrow begins. 
• 10:00- this is where the after party consisting of Elf, left-overs, and obnoxious behavior usually comes in and lasts for multiple hours. 

Friday: 

• Left-Overs for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Black-Friday shopping
• The official opening of the Christmas season. Meaning we set out all of the Christmas decoration, blast Christmas music all day long, make caramel apple cider, and set up my father's Christmas tree (which a whole evening's affair). 

Side note. The first time we did the Catch the Gobbler race, in about 2001, we all hated it and thought it was the worst idea ever.
Now, we all love it and wouldn't dream of not doing it (minus Micah, she still thinks it's dumb.)

To the perks in life

So deciding to go with a different rout with my education, and working my booty off for it everyday, has some definite perks that I didn't think about before.

Such as getting to stay home with these two nephies (some may refer to them as nephews, but I believe nephies sounds much more endearing. Right?) when they are home sick and have a blast...I mean help them get better. *cough*

Sick day with K-dub...(yes, it may have been filled with Swiss Family Robinson and a trip to Cafe Rio, but...yeah, I really don't have an excuse. We just like to party. )

Ernie and I decided that reading Harry Potter all day was the way to go for his sick day. Nope, Halloween candy was involved at all...(except for those three times.)

You've got to love these two.
There is no denying it.

So to bring it full circle: Yay for the unexpected pleasantries life brings because though I wouldn't have known it if I went a different way, I really would have missed being able to spend so much with these little munchkins. They rock my world. 

The Happiest Place on Earth...besides Costco.

Back in early 2010(I was 15) my family (well, part of my family. The (then) single gals and the parents.) took a quick trip to Disneyland and basked in its magic and have a quick get away. We (by "we" I mean mainly me) adore Disneyland and the exquisite charm it has.
So here is the documentation of that wonderful trip.

It may have started pouring...and we
most definitely got drenched. 

Yes, Mickey proposed...for the second time.

You have got to love Disneyland...and family...but mainly Disneyland ;)

Oh gosh, I just love this place. 

This thing called applying for college.

 So I sort of lucked out. All of the colleges I wanted to apply for just had me do either a short, 200 word essay or a personal statements. (Woot, woot!) In-light of the idea that this blog will be turned into a book, I decided to share them so I have them to look back on when I'm old, crippled, and read everything else moderately interesting.

    

Describe a setback you have encountered in your life. Explain how you have handled the situation and what you have learned from it/also used for personal statements.

    In the eighth grade I recognized for the first time the kind of education I wanted, and needed.   Even more, I  realized that the education I was receiving did not measure up. Therefore, I decided to take my education into my own hands. I researched the options available to me, and decided that I would home-school myself. I found a mentor, attended two classes at a local private high school and used the rest of my time studying literature and history, and taking an online course. After that, I went back to the drawing board to figure out what I wanted to do for my following year of high school. I decided first on a performing arts school, because of its excellent reputation and outstanding orchestra program. But I soon found that I needed more , so I was once again back at the drawing board. After nine months of searching, I found a school that was perfect for me. It was academically challenging, offered personal mentoring, and included classical as well as leadership education. I learned a vital lesson--I must take charge of the crucial decisions in my life and then follow up with the necessary actions. 

Tell us anything else you want us to know about yourself that you haven't had the opportunity to describe elsewhere in the application.

I enjoy and love a great many things. But the thing that I enjoy above all else is traveling. I adore the feeling of entering a new country or city and getting to know it--learning a whole new culture and way of living; learning the differences and similarities of the human race. 

While traveling I have discovered that each city and country has its own spirit, a spirit that exudes a rich history and the personality of its citizens.  

One of the countries that I have had this particular connection with is England. From the moment I arrived in the beautiful country I fell in love with its history and culture.

 My dream is to one day travel to Antarctica. Some may say that this an unusual wish but I find it fascinating. Antarctica is the continent that we know the least about so I am so excited to one day visit and get to know the spirit of the land from an unbiased view. I am so thrilled by the idea of going there someday.

You know, just livin' life day by day.

You know those times when you are forced to constantly be thinking about the future? Constantly working on a deadline? Just constantly doing and going? 

My life has been filled with these "constantly" things lately. Constantly thinking about college, summer jobs, internships, college, oh and did I mention college? Constantly trying to get the next outline or paper in on time. Constantly rushing to the next appointment or class. It makes sense, I'm a senior in high school, I need to be doing all these things if I plan to do anything with my life. The only problem that I'm having with it is that I just realized that all these "constants" are making it difficult to truly being aware of the present. Not paying enough attention to the around me and the many, many blessings I have.  

As the Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda said:

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.

 This is me pledging to be aware of my life, my blessings, and those around me. And though I will often be rushing to and fro, I am pledging to live life day by day, remember it's a gift, and lovin' every minute of it.

Back in 2011...

Back in 2011 I had this thing called a Birthday where I turned the ripe old age of seventeen. To celebrate this once-in-a-life-time event, my lovely mother decided to take me to the happiest place on earth. No, not Costco, the other one. Disneyland! A few people informed me that seven-year-olds go to Disneyland for their birthdays, I responded with informing them that I had a marvelous time with those seven-year-olds, we went on the tea cups together.
But back to the Birthday celebration-I drove down to Cali on my actual Birthday with Sam (my amazing friend who moved back to Utah this summer. I was thrilled beyond words that her awesome mamma let her come), my wonderful mother, and her friend Amy (who is hilarious. Really-you don't even know). The drive down consisted of non-stop talking (Four girls put in a car together for six hours and they actually talked? I know, weird.), 80's movies, and a plentiful supply of snap-pea crisps and Pretzel m&m's (try them, you'll thank me later), courtesy of Sam.

That night we went to dinner at the Elephant Bar (quite delicious) and my mother surprised us with tickets to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Globe Theater, it was a great fun...especially when we got there late and literally had to walk across the stage in the middle of the introduction to get to our seats...and then walking into the dressing rooms, which were filled with half-naked people, while we were just trying to find the loo (My life is filled with moments like these).

Anywho, the next day we were off to Disneyland, where we had had a magical time. Sam even got me an official Disneyland Birthday badge, but it was only one birthday badge and it just wouldn't cut it since I was 17, so we spent the rest of the day collecting 16 more birthday badges (until a cashier remembered us getting one earlier in the day and Sam realized that they could have black listed our pictures and would kick us out if we tried again. Sam is nothing if not precautions. ;) We got up to 15 birthday badges). It was a fabulous day :).

Did I mention that we didn't get ready the first day? 

That night (you might want to note that our feet were seriously killing us. Are shoes may have been way cuter than mum and Amy's but at the end of the day we have killed for a pair of those ugly grandma shoes) we had a fabulous evening of pillow fights, swimming, watching the Disneyland fireworks while swimming ;), Nutella hunting, and having a late night dinner at Mimmi's (which was conveniently located right across the street).

On the way back from the pool we ran accross this single white shoe (which we dubbed the Cinderella shoe, because that is what you do when you find a lone white shoe at disneyland.)

Here is the poetic little shoe: 

The next day was California Adventure, which I had never been to. A few high-lights from the day: 

• Hollywood tower of terror (5 times. Also, Sam didn't tell me anything about it so you can bet I was freaking out.)
• The best corn dog I have ever had (not that I have them very often)
• The swings (Yes, I did feel like I was in Madeline)
• Sitting by a darling little English family on 'Roarin Rapids and having the little 5year old grab my toe after looking at it with confusion (I was wearing Viabrams at the time ;)
•  Screemin'...over and over again ;)
• Snacking on the Peanut Butter and Pretzel m&m's  the whole day long
• Oh, and having one of the most fierce days of your life.

Here are the captured memories from this spicy adventure:

Then we ended off the weekend of Birthday festivities with the sunset at the beach and a lovely dinner on the board walk at Ruby's.

I really don't think I could have asked for a better way to celebrate the mile marker of 17 years living. It was a simply splendid :)

An (unnecessary) explanation.

       The title of this blog is pretty self explanatory, 'a walk down memory Layne...,' but I will expound upon it anyway....because that is how I role. The reasons why I chose this particular title was (1). (the obvious reason) my name is Layne, and (2.) I want his blog to be about my 'walk' through life and all it encompasses. The experiences, epiphanies, thoughts, failed sewing projects, late night giggles, answered prayers, Nutella runs, awkward moments, spicy new recipes that everyone should try (or not try), and everything else that falls in-between. I want this blog to be me, documented through pages. So here is to starting a new walk, or in my case, a new documentation of a walk, in 2012. Cheers.