Three Saps

 Day 3-

The day after thanksgiving, a day of reflection and digestion. A day of shopping  and the breaking point of the holidays. The winter is upon us, December 21st seems so close. Today was my first day taking up a new family tradition. My father is one for  activities, weather it be cooking, hiking or canning pickles my father is up and ready at the sound of any activity. Last year he found a recipe for  for making chap stick in the New Mexico monthly magazine. Elbow grease  and  hard labor  go into making this wondrous concoction. This tradition started last year. I have always wondered how this holiday treat is started.

So  up early in the morning I awake, with my sweatpants applied and my swiss army pocket knife in my hand. We start down for the forest, dodging the trees and cacti down the hill. My father gives Drew and I a quick overview of what we have to do. Witch seemed pretty easy at first but turned into a real  challenge. Finding the wounds in the trees and cutting off the dry or wet sap seemed pretty straight forward. But with the addition  of rocks thorns and cacti surrounding the trees made it more  of a challenge. Also  with the idea that my hand could be stuck together by the end of the day. One by one the big chunks of sap come flying off. The amazing aroma of the sap makes it really feel like the holidays.


We make our way up to the top of the hill, with a bucket full of sap and a shoe full of thorns. I may not have been the most enthusiastic about the journey but now that I look back I am glad I did it.


NOAH

Uncanny Mistake

Day 2-


This year for thanksgiving we traveled to Santa Fe NM for a nice family get together. A race earlier in the day makes me want to gorge myself in the  most succulent meats and the most sweet and mouth watering deserts. We make it o our final destination for our great meal, a resort on the back road heading into the city. On the most beautiful property in the world, the resort is also home to one of the largest buffet's my eyes have ever seen. A big grin appears on my face as I see the Alaskan crab legs, the turkey and much more as they litter the tables of the dinning hall. The aromas captivate my small nose. I get  my first course. Three crab legs, four shrimp, a dinner roll and a Roy Rogers. These amazing things sit on the table for a good second or so before being attacked  by brutal force. Bite by bite I soon fill up. But was that enough to stop me from getting more, no.

Jokes and chatter emerge from clanking of forks, knifes and full mouths that invade  our family get together.  Its hard to  justify  the reasoning  behind our  family outing why we spend money on food instead of cooking it ourselves. As the second course comes to a close and I start to hit the wall, much like the one in the race. I sit in my chair, arms high to the roof, the groaning of what might  seem at first to be a beached whale, but it is really a twelve year old. Desert. My mortal enemy once it comes to food. I unbutton my belt take a deep breath in and grab one of the biggest peaces of cake I have ever seen. I even think that someone who hasn't eaten for a week couldn't eat this cake. The thick chocolate raspberry filling with the richness of the texture makes this one thanksgiving not to forget. I don't finish the cake but I make it out the door alive.

I hope your thanksgivings weren't as full as mine. Happy Turkey Day


NOAH

Running of the Turkeys

Day 2-


I wake up and feel terrific. Thankful that my family is sleeping in the rooms above me and next to me. Thankful that I actually get to eat a great meal today. The sun is shinning, the birds are flying and my tummy is empty. I am the first up, I circulate throughout  everybody's room and  one  by  one wish them a happy thanksgiving, even if they are too tired to listen. The air is brisk and cool with the thought of food settling in my mind. Today was a first. Our first time running a turkey trot throughout the southern side of Santa Fe. Running in and out of alley ways up and down the rolling hills paved roads turn into dirt. I am usually not the one for running but I wanted to build up an apatite for the festivities later in the day. One the count of three the race stars, and were off, starting a new family tradition.

With the smell of pinon circulating in the cold air and the Santa Fe police department traveling up and down the race track it seems like the Chicago marathon. The cold air soon wears off as I hit the dreaded wall of no going back. I soon realize that the point of stopping is far from gone and that my only chose is to keep going. Running and then stopping was my routine for most of the race. Passing by some of the most beautiful houses in Santa Fe and some of the best views of the city. I was running with my brother with the sounds of Jimi Hendrix in my skull I try to avoid the obvious and  clearly statement that this race will not end soon. We hit the 2 mile mark in the race, about ten or so minutes later we can see the finish line.


We made it, and I have succeeded in my quest to feel hungry for the feast. So I bid you all good day, I will be updating after our meal. Have a great day everyone!

Break

Day One-


We arrived in New Mexico late last night. The air was fresh and cold. I had finally made it through finals week with a pretty big impact on all of my tests. The tri-mester is over, finally we can have a four day period without  stress and confusion. New Mexico is beautiful during November. Waking up to the gray skies only to be welcomed by the sun later in the day. Santa Fe in in general is a great pace for an aspiring writer. The European like setting with no tall buildings and narrow streets. Along with the smell of Mexican food engulfing the plaza. But I come here one main reason, to eat.


The sizzling food in the  restraints  and on the street corner. And what better time to come up with an excuse  to  eat than  thanksgiving.  Our house is outside of Santa Fe, in whorl  New  Mexico is what it seems like. Surrounded by trees and trails it is also a great place  for writing. Rolling hills and highway bring us into town where we spend most of our days looking at art, eating and just walking around. Thanksgiving is upon us, the tie for giving thanks and bringing people closer together. Who can take that away from us. No one. My family is still sleeping, like always. So I get up and do my favorite thing, write.


Writing day in and day out thats what I do. The thought of this wonderful thanksgiving break is wonderful as it sits in my mind. As I sit here with my computer and my thanks to all of my readers I want you all to comment and tell me about your break. I will be updating for a while. Thanks everyone!


NOAH

Chill Christmas in Congress

Everyone is always invited to a Reynolds family Christmas. Whether you are big or small purple or pink or don’t celebrate Christmas you are welcome. But that doesn’t mean you should come. Let me explain, our Christmas is a twisted and odd version of a normal family get together. No big parties, no fancy dinners and of course NO leaving the house! Our first family tradition is to open one present on Christmas Eve to build up the anticipation for Christmas day. My brother’s sister and I always stay awake on the top floor of our house trying to hear the trampling of reindeer on top of our roof. To this day none have succeeded.

I am usually the one who can’t sleep. With thoughts of electronics, food, toys and much more elaborately decorated in the most vibrant pinks, reds and greens in seemingly regular cardboard boxes, layering the downstairs floor of our house. On the faithful morning of Christmas we always start with the stockings. Stuffers filled with gag gifts and inside jokes, along with the unusual presents of a useful gift. Next we head into the family room with the Christmas tree lit up in the most vivacious way. I always go for the biggest present last. We always get movies for each other; our wonderful family room is turned into a movie theater and a library for all of the new books we have received. Under pounds of blankets we read and watch movies all day. Sitting by the fire and sharing memories of friend and family going about their routine. Tears are shed and laughs are traded between the family members. As I said you may want to come to our Christmas but in the long run we will send you home. It is a family Christmas that’s all.

Finals

I grasp my cup of tea. The warmth from my cup makes me feel great. Finals. This is something kids shouldn’t be worried about until high school. But one drawback to going to a private school is the consequential  privilege of more work and tests. One by one the terrible and horrible tests pile up on top of each other. Like a stack of smooth and creamy flapjacks. One good shockwave of having tests comes not much homework. But the homework that is assigned is what I call the homework that never gets done. “STUDYING”

No matter how hard I try and make good out of this studying it comes and bites me in the but. The inventions that keep me from studying are little things I like to call the internet and the Television. These things are killers for the occasional studying phobic adolescent. Study phobic is a little harsh more like study impaired. As I continue my homework I still have the thought of many tests to come and many tests past comparing these to each other. Finals are my least fears as strange as that may seem my biggest fear is getting my grades back. Not that I am an antiquity performing student but… well… no comment.

My cup is now half empty or half full depending on the way you look at it. The sun is setting on a cold autumn evening. And the snow from the latest storm still lingers on the ground.

Test by test each one goes by as if each one was a year. Six years in all this week. One technique I use is asking friends who have already taken certain tests how it was in terms of difficulty. I have asked many friends. But the answers stay the same. “ Fair.” Just fair not great not terrible not arrogating not deteriorating by the test, just fair. So I step into my classroom and get ready for what may be the worst week in my life. I am ready.

I ask my mother if she will fill up my cup. The drops enter and now it is all the way to the top. “This is the final one,” my mother answers. “I bet it is,” I answer back.

Kids Table

If you ever notice on a thanksgiving there is always a kids table perched at the end of the adults table. This is a story of me and my experiences being a member of the kid’s table on one of the best thanksgivings ever. A Reynolds family thanksgiving isn’t family related at all. Actually quite the opposite, friends of friends and family of friends all come to this wondrous affair. It was a crisp and sunny thanksgiving morning. I came down in my Thursday best or in other words my underpants and my 2 dollar old navy to-shirt. I was sitting downstairs drawing turkeys with the outside rim of my rather small and scrawny hand. They would become table decorations for the festivities later in the day. With the smell of freshly baked pumpkin pie and marinated turkey cooking in the oven the house was full of tremendously amazing aromas. Horns bells and drums were flying out of our 1987 TV set a one from an infomercial proclaiming “It was the Best”; no doubt everyone was watching the Macys day parade. It was hosted by the anchors of the NBC morning show the today show. I knew all of their names and backgrounds.

Once the attendees arrived the festivities began. One by one the people with completely empty stomachs arrived at the door. Our thanksgiving is a usual come in and eat while we cook and clean for you party’s. No different for the 12 years we have lived here. Everybody was finally here; the table was set and my turkey table decorators were sitting on top of the beige table cloth and white flowers sitting under my turkeys. I took my final spot at the kids table down at the end. I was trying to hear all the different conversations going on to catch up on my friends and families goings and comings. The faint sound of John Caltrans “Blue Train” was playing in the outskirts of all the chatter.

The turkey arrived, we cleared off our table poppers (the kind with the little paper crowns in them) I was the only person at my table who had the courage to eat the turkey, don’t do it Noah they said, it’s too dangerous. I told them that if I can draw the turkeys sitting of the table I can eat one. That was my first turkey and to this day I have never taken a bite of turkey again. So I moved on to the mash potatoes, the soft and creamy potatoes melt easily in my mouth with the addition of butter and pepper. Up and down the people were going to the buffet coming and going with each course. My head was buried in the red handkerchief type napkin I was holding. “Noah it’s rude to lay down at the table,” be quiet mom I’m sleeping, I commanded her. I eventually made my way under the table hiding there with my friends.

While I was still halfway asleep the others were talking and talking as if they were shouting all across the room. My sister and her many friends were the loudest. All I needed now was a cup full of antacids and an Advil. To be honest I really like the party, friends and family filling our house making each other happy.

NOAH

In The Hood

No one quite knows where the street name Gaylord came from, my brothers made some guesses but they weren't exactly logical. Whenever I tell someone where live I always hear a chuckle or two. Then I just say, “can’t you grow up?” That usually ends up with punches in the face. Anyway, my street has a good reputation of being a great neighborhood with great people. That is partly true. I’m not saying I don’t like my neighborhood its just, well… there are not very many young people. My age, kids to hang out with. But no, we needed to be in block with no one my age. I have to cross a street to get to the block with kids, my legs can’t take that pain everyday. My house is an old one, the kind where you don’t want to be in late at night.

But we have a great backyard, the big kind with tons of trees. No tree house though, we never really needed one. We just went through a year long renovation and the house looks great and perfect. Of course we are already thinking about another one in our other house. Our house is right by a street that leads straight into downtown, so all the cars go flying by 24/7. Just down the street is where I start my day, on the city bus. Our house is right on the “6” RTD bus rout traveling up and down 6 Ave every day. I live in the center part of two community parks. So, fun is just steps away.

For the most part I’m very proud of my “HOOD” I take pride in living here. I love Denver!!!

Middle School, Can Kids Handle it

In late September The New York Times Magazine released a special “School Issue” and as you may imagine this caught my attention. The cover story was about “coming out” as a middle school student and being able to figure out a teenagers sexual identity. Now my question to all of the world is are kids going under so much stress and large issues such that one on the cover we need to do something more about it. I believe that teachers and school officials are almost completely ignoring the fact that kids are having a terrible time in school.

Of course that may not be entirely true but from my experiences in a private school I have noticed depression, break downs and bullying all around me. Also an example would be myself where I have had terrible experiences in school in the last two years, and I use to love school. So the question remains, is this and issue that some people need to be more aware of?

In the Middle

Is taken time and frustration for me as a middle school student to finally relies how terribly aggravating and irritating middle school students can be and are. The selfishness and a complete oblivious attitude to the outside world can send someone over the edge of tolerance. It has taken hours of pacing the floor and thinking of what to say. I have finally swallowed my courage into consumption and I am coming out to say what needs to be said.

Though out my middle school career, I have gone through bad things and good experiences to come to the conclusion that middle school students are the most challenging people in all society to deal with in a social attribute and a mental attribute by far. From the awkwardness of a conversation to the immaturity in all levels of life.

I am not attacking anyone, far from it I am simply educating the people of the internet of the ruthlessness of the common middle school student. In my life I have been reduced to a uncommon little speck of dust in the mass middle school empire.  I have been discriminated agents and yelled at just because I happen to be different and I don’t do all of the things that a “NORMAL” middle school student would do. On that not I wish you all a great weekend and great week. Thanks for reading

 

 

NOAH

NOAH’S BACK

After weeks and months of no blogging and little writing I have finally made my slightly dramatic return on my blogging site. Let me catch you all up on my life that has come and gone. I have successfully started seventh grade, I have gone through hell and back in terms of the social attribute and academic attribute that engulfs middle school. I have met my hero David Sedaris and gotten writing tips from him. I have fallen in love and been shot in the heart at the same time. I have made new friends and new enemies  I have gotten good and bad grades on tests. Plus I became the editor of my schools first ever blog site. After no more tolerance in my life I found out what was missing, more WRITING! So what better way to keep up my very consistent and verbal passion of writing than to write on my blog. I do apologize for my lack of writing but as you may know middle school isn’t exactly an easy time for a teenager. Juggling homework, getting good grades and the very important issue of girls is hard enough but to add a full time blog that can send someone over the edge. No more, I have talked to teachers about the homework issue, I have gotten good enough grades, and the girl issue is nothing to worry about (for now). I do encourage all of my readers to get the word out about my blog, tell everyone. I enjoy followers and comments, and ladies and gentlemen NOAH’S BACK!