I'm a 13 year old girl living on a farm in southwest Missouri. I am the oldest of 11 siblings. Now that we have a milk cow and all our other animals to take care of I won't be blogging very often. Not that I did before, but... You know what I mean. :) My avatar pic is of me and my horse Star. :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:54:00 -0600 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:54:00 -0600 Hello faithful blog readers! It's been a while since I've blogged, hasn't it? I got my hair cut and dyed. :D We went to walmart and got it cut, I dunno, 3, 3 1/2 inches short and got blue highlights. It does need squirted with water and combed every morning, but I have to say that I like short hair better. Sorry, I'm not going to post a picture of it because I don't know how to put pictures here when I'm using a cell phone. So.... Yeah. Well, I guess I'll be done here so I can read my books. Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/743882/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:54:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/743882/ Okay, I'm considering moving to Wordpress.  Same blog, same person.  I'd be sharing with Jacob, probably, but that's twice the fun!  I was going to quietly move without telling anyone, but I checked my sitemeter and found out that I have on average 47 visits a day!  That, I did not know.  So I am currently blogging at WP, but I want to know if you guys would be up to still visiting my blog if I moved.  Let me know, you could even comment anonymously.  That's fine with me.  Just let me know.  If you are my father, please don't bother commenting.  I don't care what you think.  Anyone else, go ahead and comment away. Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. BTW, this is post #150!  That's including drafts, sorry.  :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/728439/ Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:12:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/728439/ There's another entry below this one that only friends of mine can read.  If you have an HSB account, login and PM me telling me who you are and asking me to add you.  It's easy to create an account at HSB, just go to homeschoolblogger.com.  Anyway, it's blocked because my retarded father is stalking me.  Retarded is not nearly strong enough, but there aren't any strong enough words that would be okay to post here.  :-/ Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/727098/ Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:11:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/727098/ Guess what I found?  Well, you probably know what I found if you paid any attention at all to the title of this post.  I was just a-looking at firefox addons (because I like addons because I'm cool that way) and I stumbled upon Stumble Upon.  It seemed pretty cool and it had 5 stars and a gajillion ratings and whatever, so I downloaded it. ......... ......... ......... ......... What?  You want to know what I think about it?  I think it rocks!  It's a firefox toolbar, so that means it sits right up there by the address bar in your internet browser (in my case, this is firefox) so it's always sitting there watching every move you make.  Freaky, I know.  But anyway, click the Stumble button and it will take you to a random site.  )However, this site will not be completely random, because before you get stumbling, you have to login and select all the thing you are interested in.  For example, Music, Art, Animals, Funny, etc, etc, etc.)  If you like the site, click the little blue thing, and if you don't like it, click the little blue thing.  You are not required to rate anything, but if you do, it will bring up more pages you like, and less that you don't like. I hope that was understandable to at least a couple people out there.  :) Next post will be about our awesome motorcyclist bodyguards.  They've even got codenames, like Stormy, Firedog, Taz, Animal, Stitch.... Okay, that's another story. Oh, by the way, I added a little Stumble button to my blog below each post.  If you like this post, Stumble it! Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/726522/ Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:10:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/726522/ Okay, you like news, right?  Of course, who doesn't like news? You're probably wondering a lot of things...   I'll start with the questions you asked. 1) Do you have a special routine for writing?  I have my laptop that now spends most of it's time (guess where?) on my lap.  If I have an idea for a story, I sit down and start writing.  Most of the time I get these really cool ideas and start writing but then I realize I don't have information on the subject.  :) 2) Are you studying any new subjects in your schoolwork this fall?  Not this fall, but this winter I'm going to be studying for college.  I'd like to get a degree in veterinary care and (get this) criminology.  That way if I stink at being a vet, I can be a cop, and if I stink at being a cop, I can be a vet.  I'd like to be either an animal cop or just a regular cop, but I'd like to be involved in fighting crime or helping animals. 3) Which do you prefer: winter in Arizona or in Missouri? Hm, well... I really don't remember winters in AZ because we left just after I turned 11 in August.  I am really enjoying the Missouri weather... I love cold weather and snow and ice, so I guess I'll have to say Missouri winters.  :) Okay, ya wanna know what's been going on?  Here, read this: My dad and my brother John did really bad things (when I say really bad, I mean really, really bad) to some of my siblings and they are both gone (out of the house) and are never coming back.  I have very strong feelings about this, and I am not going to state them here.  HSB would ban me or something.  :) Feel free to ask questions, but I can't guarantee that I will answer them.  :) Sorry for not posting for so long, between writing up guitar loan contracts and hacking facebook, I haven't had much time for my blog.  We'll get back to the story in a few days.  :) Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. :) Oh, BTW, I really haven't been hacking facebook, just trying.  :D http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/723924/ Fri, 4 Sep 2009 12:11:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/723924/ Okay, I figured I might as well post the answers to questions you did not ask, as well as the answers to the questions you did ask.  Here you go: Does the story have a title?  No, the story does not have a title at the moment.  Give me your ideas via comments.  :) How many chapters are there in the story?  The story has 11 chapters.  That's right, it'll take 11 posts to be done with it. Have you been riding Star lately?  No, for various reasons.  One of them is because I have a cold and horses can catch colds from humans. Are you going to give anymore quizzes?  Probably not, but you never can tell for sure. Are you still playing guitar?  Yes, because I haven't been riding Star I've been playing guitar more than usual. Have you learned any new songs?  I just learned A Cowboy's Lament earlier today. Do you have anything funny to post?  Ya know, it's funny you should ask because I just found this hilarious Tim Hawkins video. Can we be done with the Q's and A's and watch the video now?  Yes, thank you for participating and enjoy! Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/721020/ Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:46:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/721020/ Okay, it looks like I scared everyone off with my quizzing.  :D  Alright, answer time!  An atom is made up of.... Neutrons, Protons, and Electrons!  Here is what an atom looks like: There ya go, you've had your science lesson for the day.  Now you can tell your friends you know what an atom is made up of. Okay, I'll leave you alone and let you get to the story.  Enjoy! Chapter Five I knew how I could get the money for a horse before my birthday.  Julie!  Julie’s been saving money since she was two or three and she’s never spent any of it.  I realize that this would be the first time I’ve mentioned Julie in this book.  That wasn’t intentional, I’ve just been a little busy writing about other things that I forgot about her.  I also forgot to write much about Mom.  I guess I’m just a Daddy’s Boy.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my mom.  It’s just that now that I’m a teenager, Dad and I talk about the same sort of things like electronics and football and stuff.  Two of his most favorite things.  The funny thing is though, he doesn’t ever want to talk about what I want to talk about.  Mom would, though, so I don’t understand why I don’t go to her instead.  I guess it’s just because Dad and I are guys.  Even Julie would gladly talk about horses with me.  Ponies, that is.  Though that would be better than TV and football, it’s still really different.  Like, I’m a guy and I’m talking to a little girl about ponies.  And they’re not even real colors of ponies.  They have to be pink and purple and rainbow ponies.  I really don’t get it.  I mean, she talks like a horse lover, sure.  But when we’re talking real horses, she always tries to squeeze in something like: “When I grow up I’m going to get a pink pony.”  And stuff like that.  And that’s in reply to my “I’d like a good cutting horse when I grow up.”  See what I mean?  It really bugs me sometimes.  It’s not too bad most of the time, but it can get pretty annoying.  So when she turns on the pink pony talk I just excuse myself to go to the bathroom and not come back.  Sneaky, I know.  But necessary.  Absolutely necessary. “Hey Mom, do you know where Julie is?”  I asked. “Yes dear, she’s up in her room,”  Mom replied. I went upstairs to Julie’s room.  The door was shut.  I knocked. “Who is it?”  I little voice answered. “It’s me,”  I said.  “Phil.” “What do you want?” “I just wanted to ask you a question,”  I answered, getting a little impatient. “About what?”  she asked. “About… about horses.” She cracked the door and peered out at me. “Come in,”  she told me.  So I went in her room.  She gestured towards a table with two chairs all set up and asked,  “Tea, Phil?” “Uh, sure!”  I answered, and sat down.  She poured me a cup of cold water, and offered me cream and sugar.  I played along for a little while till she got serious and said, “Let’s get down to business.”  I hid a smile and cleared my throat. “Well, I was thinking, Julie,”  I began.  “You have a lot of money, right?” “What do you have to do with it?”  she interrupted. “Well, you like horses, right?” “Yes.” “How much money do you have?”  I asked. “About 600 dollars, last time I checked,”  she replied. My mouth fell open.  600 dollars???  I knew she’d gotten about $100 for every birthday she’d ever had but I’d never really thought about it.  If I had never bought that bike… or that collectors knife set.  Or that…  I would be rich! “Julie…”  I started.  “You know you have enough money for your very own pony?  Maybe even more than one.”  Julie shrugged.  I couldn’t believe it!  Here she was, rich, and she didn’t even think about buying anything with it!  This was pretty good news for me. “Well, Julie… you know I really like horses, right?” She nodded. “OK, do you know how much money I have?” She shook her head. “I only have about $150.  And, the lowest price Dad could find on horses was about $300.  So I was wondering if you were going to use your money.” She got up and walked around the room like a little lady and when she finally came back to me she said, “I might be able to make you a loan, Phil,”  she said, very business-like. “How much?”  I asked. “Hmmm…” “I need about $150.” “I need some time to think it over.  Come back later.”  With that she escorted me out of her room and shut the door behind me.  That didn’t go as well as planned,  I thought.  Not at all as well as I had planned.  I had hoped she’d just give me the money.  Not make me a loan!  Crazy kid.  I wouldn’t accept her offer.  Not in a hundred years.  It was just the thought about being in debt to my kid sister.  Nah.  I’d wait till my birthday.  Not too far away now.  Just a few more weeks.  You can wait, Phil, I told myself.  You can wait a few weeks.  I knew it’d be hard, but I knew I could do it.  Maybe a few of my gifts would be early.  Though that had almost never happened, it still could.  It still could… I hope you enjoyed that!  Chapter Six coming tomorrow or the day after... it depends on how many comments I get.  Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/720871/ Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:26:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/720871/ Okay, before I let you read chapter four, I'm going to give you something to think about whilst you read.  Can anyone tell me what an atom is made up of?  I'll give you a hint, an atom is made of of three things.  I know what they are.  Please don't cheat by looking it up.  Not even in the dictionary.  Isn't that funny how people say, "Please don't cheat by looking it up" when they really mean "Don't cheat by looking it up."  I guess it's nicer to say please.  Okay, here ya go.  Enjoy!  Bonne Lecture!  Chapter Four Dad’s email about the horse was replied to.  They had already sold the little mare.  I asked Dad to look for more horses and he said that the lowest price he could find was $300.  Twice as much as I had.  I had to start saving again.  I had my weekly allowance.  So that was another three dollars to add to my savings.  My birthday was coming up.  I always asked for money for my birthday.  A lot of those relatives that never come to visit don’t know what a 14-15 year old boy wants and needs.  So I always ask for money.  Aunt Beth and Uncle Keith always sent me about $100.  I’d always go out the next day and spend it all on candy and cheap toys.  But not this time.  This time, I’d be saving.  My birthday is on November 15th.  I’d have a little more than a month to wait.  I hated waiting.  But by my birthday, I’d have enough to cover the cost of a horse.  I made up a sort of chart. AB & UK: $100 AL & UC: $20 GR & GR: $15 GW & GW: $30 YEARLY ALLOWANCE: $168 TOTAL ___________________ $333 Based on the amount of money I receive each year, I guesstimated how much I would get yearly.  Without my allowance, I’d only have $165 a year.  I already have $150, so $165 would make my savings $315!  I’d have enough!  All I had to do was wait a month.  But that was the hard part.  I counted the days till my birthday.  Still another month.  I thought of ways to make the time go faster.  More work, I told myself.  I was right.  Work did make the days go faster.  A couple more weeks, and I’d be able to buy my horse.  I was able to do my work happily, knowing that after this, I’d be riding.  Of course, I was happy with Shiloh.  She was a great friend.  I let her sleep in my bed every night.  But there was a problem.  I couldn’t ride a Blue Heeler.  A Great Dane or Great Pyrenees, maybe.  But not a little dog like Shiloh.  She was still a pup, besides.  I wanted something to go check fences on.  Like a quad.  But horses are so much better than quads.  I even had my argument with Dad all planned out.  Horses live on grass, not gas.  Horses repair themselves if they break down.  Horses are just better.  If there’s anyone reading this that needs some ideas to use, feel free to use mine.  So, Dad wasn’t too keen on the idea of me getting a horse, but I knew he’d let me if I paid for it.  Mom didn’t care what I did with the barn.  She just wanted a garden.  It’s funny how Mom and Dad have such different hobbies, yet still like each other and understand each other’s want to do something.  Mom likes to be out in the sun digging up worms and getting dirt under her nails, something that should be a guys job, in my mind.  While Dad prefers to sit on the couch all day and watch football though he never actually wants to get out and play football.  It’s all very strange.  At least to me.  If I were ever going to get married, which I hope I do, I’d marry a wife that had the same interests as me.  Like horses.  How Mom and Dad ever met is beyond me.  Dad hardly ever goes outside and Mom hardly ever comes in.  I tell you, I’m going to meet my wife in the Great Outdoors.  At least I hope I do, anyway. I was eagerly awaiting my birthday, but I didn’t tell Mom or Dad that I was.  That was a secret that was just between Shiloh and me.  I shared all my secrets with Shiloh.  I knew she’d never tell them, that’s why.  I just hoped no scientist came up with a shot or potion or something that made dogs able to talk.  I’d be so busted if that happened, because Shiloh knew every secret I ever had.  That included the time I stole a chocolate bar from a store and didn’t get caught for it.  It wasn’t too long ago, so I still considered it a punishable crime.  Or the time I told Mom I was doing my homework when I was really watching a movie.  There were a lot more things Shiloh knew, and I didn’t want anybody to know them but me and Shiloh.  That’s how much I loved that dog. Okay, have you had enough time to think?  Don't ask your parents, don't look it up... anywhere.  If you know it (or think you know it), post it here.  Please.  Forgot what we were talking about?  Here's your big question: What is an atom made up of? Have fun! Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye.  http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/720300/ Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:02:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/720300/ Hey!  I don't know where the time went.  Yesterday went by before I realized it.  Anyway, here's chapter three.  Bon lisant!  (I dare you to look that up!) Chapter Three Shiloh and I got along really well.  Mom and Julie loved her.   But I just couldn’t get over the fact that I wanted a horse.  I decided that I would go by the old saying, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”  I decided I would save all my allowance for a horse.  I knew that I had a better chance of getting Dad to let me buy a horse if I had saved all the money myself.  I got $3.50 a week for allowance.  $3.50 a week would be $14 a month.  That would be $168 a year.  It would take me at least two years to get enough money to buy a horse at what the going rate is.  I didn’t want to have to wait two years.  I would be 16, almost 17.  Then I thought that maybe I could do some extra work around the farm.  It wasn’t much of a farm yet, just 30 acres with an old house, barn with a paddock and a few outbuildings.  It was fenced and cross-fenced, though.  I figured I could clear out that area Mom wanted to use for a garden.  I could fix the broken down fences.  Maybe clear out the paddock.  Mow the lawn.  I was sure Dad would pay me for that one.  I worked out my plan, and decided to charge 50c to $5.00 depending on job size.  First, I offered to mow the lawn for Dad.  I told him I charged $5.00 an acre.  He agreed and I told him I collected my pay in advance.  He grumbled and handed me my ten bucks, but he gave me the job.  We had a two acre yard, so this was working out fine for me.  I’d just made ten dollars for riding the mower around the yard and if Dad was feeling the same way next week I’d get another ten bucks. I later asked Mom where she wanted her garden.  She told me the place and I asked her the width and length.  She told me and asked me why.  I told her I might be willing to clear that spot out for her.  She said that would be wonderful.  “I charge $3.00 an hour,”  I had said.  She didn’t seem too happy about that, but after I wrote up a contract saying that I would clear it for her, she signed on the dotted line, happy as can be.  That was a hard job, clearing that garden space.  I got out hatchet and started chopping.  The job was done in three hours and I collected $9.  There was a lot more work that I did and got paid for.  I added up all that I saved over the past year.  Counting the money I just made, I had $130.  Almost there, Phil.  I told myself.  But I didn’t know how far I really was from the goal.     “Hey, Dad,”  I asked a few days later.  He didn’t answer, like always.     “Hey, Dad,”  No answer.  I looked at the TV to see what was so interesting.  Football.  I should have known.  I went over to the TV and pressed the power button.     “Now what?”  Dad asked.  Good.  I had his attention.     “Dad, I was wondering… How much are horses going for?”     “I don’t know.  Go look it up.”     “Dad, you know there are only certain websites I can visit,”  I argued.  Dad sighed and got up.  I knew where he was going.  Right where I wanted him to.  He plopped down in the computer chair and looked something up.     “It depends on what kind of horse you want,”  he said.     “Look up Grade Horse,”  I suggested.  He did what I said.     “There’s a chestnut grade mare for sale in Seymour,”  he said.  “They‘re asking $150 for her.” I nearly jumped out of my socks.  Only $20 more than what I had!     “Is there a picture of her?”  I asked.     “Yeah.  Says she’s 5 years old, broke to ride.” I ran to the window.     “Dad, the lawn needs mowed.”     “It does?”  Dad looked out the window.  “Oh, it does.  Well, here.”  He handed me a ten dollar bill.  Only ten more dollars.  I thought.  Only ten more.      “And, uh… I’ll trim the bushes for ten more dollars.”     “Alright.  Here.”  He pushed another ten dollars into my hand.  I had it.  I really had it.  All the money I needed for that mare.  I decided to tell Dad about it later, after I had done my work. The mowing and bush trimming seemed to go fast with something to think on.  I thought about that mare.  I thought about what we would do together.  Just her and me and Shiloh.  Finally, the yard was done.  I went inside to find Dad.  He was watching TV again.  At least the football was over, though.  I didn’t really know how to say it.  I never thought of needing to tell Dad I had enough money to buy a horse.  I figured I’d just go up and tell him.  So that’s what I did.  I went up and turned the TV off without even trying to get Dad’s attention first.  Dad looked surprised at first, but when he saw me, he let out a sigh and sat up.     “What is it now, Phil?”  he asked.     “Dad… I have enough money for that mare.”  He seemed to not know what I was talking about.  Then it clicked.  He sighed again.  He got up and walked to the computer.  He clicked a few things and then said,  “This mare?”  I looked at the screen then back at him and nodded.     “How much do you have?”     “I have $150 and 36 cents,”  I replied. Dad sighed again.  Then he opened a up another window on the computer and started typing.  I looked at what he was doing.  He was writing an email!  I would really get that little mare!  Things were going altogether too smoothly and I should have taken notice of that. Do you like cliffhanger endings?  I do sometimes.  Except on Sliders.  Drives me nuts when they give me a cliffhanger ending on Sliders. Betcha didn't look up what I told you to look up yet.  Go to freedict.com. Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/719282/ Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:34:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/719282/ Enjoy! Chapter Two What I was really trying to get at that day Dad found the dog was a horse.  I’d been wanting a horse for about forever.  As long as I could remember I wanted a horse.  I wanted a horse even before I found out my name meant Lover of Horses.  But even then… A dog would do alright for a little while.  She was, after all, pretty cute.  We got in the truck and were driving home.  Dad stopped and got another coffee (another thing he likes doing, drinking coffee) but I didn’t get another one.  I guess he figured I had had enough caffeine for that day.  He also brought out a bag of pepperonis as a treat for the pup.  I gave her one and I had a couple myself.  Then when we were more than half way home my puppy threw up the pepperoni I gave her and a bunch of kibble.  Of course, the kibble was wet and soggy but you could still sort of tell what it was.  I was lucky to have her puke on the towel or else I would have been cleaning out Dad’s truck when we got home.  Dad stopped on the side of the freeway, shook out the towel and threw it in the back of the truck.  She was fine the rest of the way home.     “So what’s that dog’s name?”  Dad asked.  And I thought about that for the first time.     “I don’t know,”  I answered.  “I’ll have to think on that.”  After we got home, Mom and Julie rubbed her down.  She enjoyed every minute of it.  I had gotten on the computer as soon as we got home and started looking for a name for my dog.  I did a search for all names meaning “gift”.  I scrolled through all of them, but none of them seemed right.  I finally found a good name.  Shiloh.  I looked at it for a while.  The meaning was right.  His Gift.  It sounded right.  Even the timing was right, now that I think about it.  Because right after I decided that Shiloh was the name for my dog, Mom called to me,     “What’s her name, Phil?” I walked over to where they were playing with her.     “Shiloh,”  I answered.  “Her name’s Shiloh.” And everyone was happy with that. The next few days were exciting.  Every morning before breakfast I had to feed and work with Shiloh.  She already knew how to sit on command by the second day.  Then after dinner I’d feed and work with her a little more before dessert.  At night, she’d come up the stairs to my room, and sleep at the foot of my bed on an old blanket.  Sometimes, when I wasn’t feeling my best, I’d let her up in my bed. She was a great friend.  But still, deep inside, I knew what I really wanted. As you probably already noticed, this story is kind of about me.  Shiloh really did vomit up pepperonis and Dad threw the towel in the bed of the truck.  Dad and I both ran into the Signal gas station and I got a coffee, too.  :D  So the first couple chapters are mostly based on actual happenings.  Oh, but Shiloh was already named when we got her.  Another thing, we never eat dessert.  ;) If you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them.  :) One last thing.  Jacob just got a facebook account today.  He asked me to tell you all that.  :) As always... Adieu. Adios. Au revoir. Ciao. Cheerio. Shalom. Bye. :) http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/718638/ Tue, 18 Aug 2009 22:23:00 -0500 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/jennab/718638/