My Poems

I like writing poetry, and take it or leave it be I don't think they are that bad ( if I do say so myself :) These were all English assignments.

Arizona

By Holly Castleton

Vivid colors of the sunrise

A new day

Welcome

Light kissing the roof tops

Clouds turn pink

Sweet rain

Long awaited storm

Everyone fidgets

A break from the heat

Chatter of the birds

Cool mountains

City bustle

Far behind

Birds and the sounds of nature

Replace it

Tough, spiny resilient cactus

Survived for decades

Sweltering heat

Still here

Tall and proud as ever

Ice cold, rich, creamy, ice cream            

Only to be enjoyed in the heat

You’re cold

Everything else bakes

Arizona

Your first thought?

Dead desert with the occasional cactus of cowboy

No, open eyes

See, smell, taste, touch, hear

Arizona

But so much more  

Rapunzel

Once there was a girl locked in a tower,

Rapunzel was her name and she wasn’t one to cower.

She had very long hair which got quite itchy,

And a mother that was kind but a little witchy.

When I say she had long hair, that’s an understatement, a bit.

It was over 60 feet long and it was hard for her to sit.

 “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair”

 The witchy mother would cry to get up there.

Rapunzel would let her hair cascade down,

And her mother would climb up that river of brown.

One day a silly sovereign came and heard the mother cry,

“Rapunzel, let down your hair” and he started to sigh,

You see the silly sovereign thought,

“That girl might be pretty and for some reason girls want to marry me not.

I will try and sounds like the prince that I am,

And maybe she will think I am a ham”

So he said in the best princely voice he could muster,

“Hey! You girl! Lift me up, buster!”

Then Rapunzel popped her pretty face out the window,

She cried “You silly sovereign! You bimbo!

Like heck I am going to lift you up here!

And don’t even think about trying to leer!

Now shove off, leave, skedaddle!

Or else I will come down and beat you with a paddle!”

You see that smart Rapunzel knew not just to fall for the first prince that comes along,

She knew to wait for just the right song.

And in the end it all paid off,

For one day she met a prince that was charming, sweet and buff.

He cried nice things instead of being rude,

Like, “Fair lady, Rapunzel, I am not trying to intrude”

And of course they married and lived happily ever after,

At least until they had kids, which is a whole ‘nother chapter!

                                                                                                                                   

contentment

contentedness is the color of the sky

right before the sun rises

it tastes like

sweet mint gum

it smells like

freshly cut grass

and is not wanting

of needing

anything

true happiness

it sounds like

the giggle of the stream

fresh  

                                                          

Hope

By Holly Castleton

I begin with the sunrise,

a new beginning,

a blank canvas.

I take the fallen heads and tearstained faces and lift them up.

Pessimism is my enemy,

but it’s your choice who wins.

Do not confuse me with my relative, expectation.

We are not the same.

I change the world, one child at a time.

I finish the day with the anticipation of the next.

What I Believe

Today in church we talked about the new mutual theme for 2011 which is the 13th article of faith. " We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things" There is lots of good stuff in there but one thing that stuck out to me was the phrase "We Believe". It got me to thinking, what do I know? What do I believe? Well I don't know much but I do know some, at least the basics. :) So I decided to share what I know. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church and is the restored gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and saw Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I am sure of it. I know that the Personal Progress is an inspired program and that I would not be who I am today without it. I know that my Bishop and Stake President are called of God and that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father that knows who I am. I know that I lived in heaven a long time ago it is true. :) I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all and that he suffered and died for you and me. I know that he lives! I know it without a shadow of a doubt!  I know that God hears and answers our prayers. I know that my Savior is my big brother and that he loves me as I love my little sisters. I am so thankful for him. I know that paying tithing and fast offerings brings forth blessings and is what God would have us do. I know that the commandments are there to protect and not to restrict us. I know that the plan of Salvation is real and that without Christ it would not be possible. I know that the temple is a blessing and that I can someday go there if I live worthily and that I can be sealed to someone I love for time and all eternity. I know that I can be forgiven for my sins. I am thankful for my parents and the Holy Ghost for teaching and planting truth and what I know and then for the confirmation from the spirit of that truth. 

Books I Have Resently Read and Loved

Ok so am sure all you people have read a bunch of these books but these are my latest discoveries and I wanted to share :)

Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte

What a great story! If you have not read it I would highly reccomend it. Especially if you are a teenager. Every girl should read this in my 15 year old opinion.

Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte

I loved this book. Its dark. I loved it. Again if you haven't read it, do. And if your read it a long time ago reread it. you will have a different perspective on it. :)

The Red Scarf Girl

This book makes you grateful. Its a book about the Cultural Revolution in China from the perspective of a 12 year old girl. She was smart and tipped for sucess then her world is shatterd because of her family backgroud. I loved this book.

Tuesdays With Morrie


 Thsi is a wonderful book that will take you an afternoon to read. It is inspiring. Read it.

The 5 People you will meet in heaven

This is by the same guy that wrote Tuesdays with Morrie. This is a very interesting book about and intesting perspective.

Mockingjay

Well here it is. The last instalment of the Hunger Game books. They are fantastic books. This book was a fitting end to the series, even though i wanted to hurl it accross the room when I finished it. It should have been Gale. But anyway I would recommend them to anyone :)

I need Albus Dumbledores Pensieve

Dumbledore: "I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form."

Harry: "You mean... that stuff's your thoughts?"

Dumbledore: "Certainly."

Isn't weird that some days you look up and realize that you have so much going on and tons on your mind?  No wonder I have been acting spacy, that was today. I have so much I am thinking and worrying and just in my life that my brain is processing things slower! The first thing on my mind is Mountain Veiw High School.  For those who don't know, I am switching schools next year, going from a small, cute little charter school to a HUGE collage campased sized high school. I am kinda nervous... ok a lot nervous cuz it will be so different and i am leaving all my great friends and my comfort zone. But i feel that it will be a better fir for me. I feel like i live in a bubble. i go to church and to heritage and they are not that different, lets just be honest. ( heritage is like 90% LDS) The other thing is Regionals. They are next week and i am not as prepared as i would like to be owing to the fact i was sick all last week (add that to the list) This is another thing that is kinda out of my comfort zone and a step into the unknown. I am also worried cuz I have a test coming up in Geometry and 2 projects due this week. Another thing was that for the past 7 days i have not been in my room  because my grandparents were in town so my whole music practice schedual was out of wack and i was not sleeping as well cuz i was not in my own bed. Also i just Started Voice lessons that is Speach Level Singing which is different from anything i have ever done so i am still getting used to that. Also I have to talk to all my teachers about going to Mexico in the spring. See? just a lot on my mind. I have too much stuff to remember and think about.
This past weekend we took Grannie- Annie and Grandad to Kartchner Caverns and the old western town Tombstone.(... this is sounding like a 7th grade flashback...) We had a very fun Saturday :)


I didn't take these pics btw they were from the internet. you are not allowed to in the cave

It looks very clean in this picture but don't let that fool ya. Its kind of a dirty place

The famous shootout and the OK Corral
Oh and to throw on top of everything.....
When I was in First Grade, I ran into some kid and my top tooth wacked and chipped one of my bottom teeth. well they filled it in and whatever and it was as good as new. great. So yesterday I had one of those carmeled apple suckers( wich was fabulous btw). well i was brushing my teeth and the filling thing had come out! So now I have this horrible chipped tooth that no one but me can notice cuz its on the bottom but its driving me CRAZY!

Anyway. Thats whats going on. Sorry for the rambling

Goldfish......yum :)

All right, in my story about the fish name, I forgot something. The other reason this name and note were so funny is because i am addicted to Goldfish. I almost allways have a ziplock baggie full in my lunch or in my purse. I always have them with me. Well for a late christmas gift my friend kaylan gave me a Goldfish container. I love it! can you see the pedestal in the picture? its on my dresser on display right now. Anyway, gifts that have a meaning or inside joke are the best! thanks kaylan!

My Favorites Playlist

So here are my favorites and my top........7 :)

My #1 right now : Come Home by One Republic and Sara Bareilles

My # 2 right now: Let the rain by Sara Barellies

My #3 right now: Talking to the Moon by Bruno mars (Love him!)

My #4 right now: Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri

My #5 right now: Somewhere in Brooklyn by Bruno mars (Love him!)

My #6 right now: Magic (feat. Rivers Cuomo) by B.o.B.

My #7 right now: Rolling in the Deep by ADELE

All the Single Ladies by Beyoncé

We are the World 25 for Haiti

You and your heart by jack Johnson (love him!)

I’m yours by Jason Mraz

My life would suck without you by Kelly Clarkson

Thank you val :)

(the original) Don’t stop Believin by Journey

Bulletproof by La Roux

One day by matisyahu

Just don’t ask me how to say it

Somebody to love by the famous JB

Granade By Bruno Mars ( love him!)

Hollywood by Michael bubbles

Never say Never by JB

Firework by Katy Perry

Now you have to understand, I DON’T LIKE

KATTY PERRY I just LOVE this song :)

Black or White by the king of Pop

Cooler than me by Mike Posner

I Hate This Part by the Pussy Cat Dolls

Kaleidoscope heart by Sara Bareilles

Never know I Needed by Ne-Yo

Just a Dream by Nelly

King of Anything by Sara Barellies

Don’t know Why by Nora Jones

A Year Without Rain By Selena Gomez

Impossible by Shontelle

The Bird and the worm by Owl City

Vanilla Twilight by owl city

Battle Cry by Shontelle

Despicable ME by Pharell

Break your Heart by Taio Cruz

If its Love by Train

Mine by Taylor Swift

Dynamite by Tiao Cruz

Thoughts and Quotes

Ok, I don't know if all you people know this but I LOVE quotes and have been collecting them sence i was in 5th grade. The first 4 are from John Bytheway talks and the others are just favorites. Of course i have my two bits after each one :)

C.S. Lewis said: "When I come to my evening prayers and try to recon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity. I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed and the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden  and unexpected, I was caught off guard, I had not to collect myself. Now that may be extenuating circumstances regard to those particular acts. They would obviously be worse if they had been deliberate and premeditated. On the other hand surly what a man dose when he is taken off guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is. Surly what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth. If there are rats in a cellar, you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness doesn’t create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way, the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man, it only shows me what an ill-tempered man i am"

This is such a ' take a hard look at yourself' sort of thing but it is so true. Especially as an older sister with 2 younger sisters, it’s hard to realize how much i snap at them with or without provocation, but like the quote implies is there any provocation that really merits snapping or snubbing or storming etc.? Of course you are nice when you are collected but then, is that a true indication of who you are?

Oliver Wendell Holms said:"Many people die with their music still inside them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out."

I love the idea that we all have music inside of us, waiting to be released. Live every day, every week, every month and every year like its your last.

Elder Orison Prat said:" A saint who is one in deed and truth, doesn’t look for an immaterial heaven, but he expects a heaven with lands houses, cities, vegetation, rivers, and animals, with thrones , temples, palaces, kings, prince’s, priests, and angles with food, raiment, musical instruments all of which are material, indeed the saints heaven is a redeemed glorified material creation inhabited with glorified material beings, male and female, organized into family’s, embracing all the relationships of husbands and wives, parents and children, were sorrow , crying, pain and death will be no more. Of to speak still more defiantly, this earth, when glorified, is the scant eternal heaven, on it they expect to live with body, mind, parts,  and holy passions, on it they expect to move and have their being eat , drink, converse, worship, sing, play on musical instruments, engage in joyful innocent social amusements, visiting neighboring towns and neighboring worlds. Indeed matter and its qualities and properties are the only beings or things in which they expect to associate."

Ok that’s like REALLY cool. Neighboring worlds? wow. That could change the way you look at heaven.

Elder Maxwell either wrote this of just said it in one of his talks:

My life is but a weaving between my God and me,
I do not choose the colors, he worketh steadily,
Oft times he weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride,
Forgets he sees the upper and lower side.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why
The dark threads are as needful in the skillful weaver’s hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern he has planned

"You know what I am craving? Perspective. That’s it! I would like nice, clear perspective. Can you suggest a good wine for that?"
" Uhh....?"
-Ratatouille
I think that the term 'have an eternal perspective' is used a lot but it is so true. Look back on past trials. Are you better because of them in the end? Yes... probably

Ok these are not from john Bytheway talks, these are some of my favorites.

Abraham Lincoln said:“Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of him can spare time for personal contention”

I like this because it basically says that fighting is a waste of time. And except for very few circumstances, it is.

Elder Holland said:“If you can smile when thing go wrong and say it doesn’t matter, if you can laugh off cares and woe and trouble makes you fatter, if you can keep a cheerful face when all around is blue, than have your head examined  there is something wrong with you! For one thing I have arrived at there are no and or buts a guy that grinning all the time must be completely nuts!”

Sometimes I think that if I am not happy there is something wrong. Not so. Everyone has bad days and times and it is perfectly normal

This is probably one of my all-time favorite quotes

C.S. Lewis said:“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts civilizations—these are mortal and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit… everlasting splendors… next to the blessed sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

                          

My Fabulous Friend Pictures

So over the break i had a christmas party and we got everyone together and took a bunch of pictures!

Here are my crazy ( don't let those pretty faces fool ya :) friends


(  from left to right) Shea, Kymber, Kaylan, Kayleigh, Holly, Sage, Taryn and Abby

Man I love you guys!

My15 year old thoughts now that the ball has dropped

Happy New Year! Sorry I am a little blog happy lately. It’s still a new and exciting thing :) So. 2011. It’s here. I have always kinda disregarded new years. It was just post Christmas. The digit flipped. So what?  But maybe cuz I am older, maybe cuz I am just feeling exceptionally chemically ....weird at the moment, (I am prone to that lately. Hey I am 15!) , but whatever it is I am looking at this new year differently. The New Year is a gift. You and I now have 8765 hours to do... what? How much of that time do we vedge? sleep? watch TV? cry? wish? wallow in self pity?  I will say that all those things have their place but how often do those things have more of a place in our lives than we would like to admit? As a teenager I find myself there often. I think it’s part of being human. We could be laughing, learning about new things, building relationships, creating things of beauty, developing our talents and most become worthy to enter the kingdom of God. Isn’t that the goal? The big thing? I think that the new year is a gift from God. But with the gift comes a bit of responsibility.. Ok a lot of responsibility J we are accountable for how we use our time. have an amazing year! (ok so I hope you realize that I wrote all that for me. This is a self lecture J)  

My Favorite Movies (Drama)

Here are some of my all time favorite movies. I have to say though, that i enjoy many diffent genres of movies so i should say that these are my favorite movies in this particular genre. ( i recently saw the bourne movies and those are also my favorites to... the yare SO good :) Anyway these are the long ones :)

(Of course) Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen

Pursuation and Sence and Sencibility  by Jane Austen

Emma by Jane Austen


North and South By Elizabeth Glaskell

Crandford By Elizabeth Glaskell

Wives and Daughters By Elizabeth Glaskell


 Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens ( So good. So so Good)

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens


So there they are. I highly recommmend any one of these. You will fall in love with these movies. ( you will also be talking in a british accent for the rest of the day :)

One last more. this is not a very long movie but i fell in love with this one and it is in the same time period and style as the other movies.
The Young Victoria


Ones that i have not seen but are on my list are: Bleak House by Charles Dickens, He Knew He Was Right By Charles Dickens and Jane Erye.