REGION CHAMPIONS. 'nough said.

On August 23, in my 4th period swim conditioning class- we made goals. “Drop a second on my 50, be able to do a bucket turn, get my 100 back down to a 1:15, etc.” But a goal that every single girl said was to “become region champions. We want a banner!”

The woods cross girls have never won region before. Boys have, back in the 80s and 90s- but girls have NEVER had won. This year, we had the best team that woods cross ever had! There was another high school, Olympus, who was also EXTREMELY good. These people have been our rivalrys all year. (when we swam them- we actually tied. ha! besides that- wx girls were undeafeated.) We all dropped times, and we all worked super hard. On Friday, 21st, was the region champion meet.

side note. We had an assembly on Thursday, and all of the officers talked about the WX vs. BOUNTIFUL basketball game that was on Friday. but since we were going to be at the meet all day on Friday, all of the swimmers dressed in their Sunday best for Thursday. get it? well- the officers didn’t even announce that we had region the next day. when we asked them why they didn’t- they replied that swimming was “a stupid sport.” that shows how much recognition the swim team gets at our high school. (hahah, and then at the basketball game.. wx lost. ironic.)

On Thursday night- we all got together for our traditional swim dinner at the Millwards house. Boys- who were daring enough (considering that the Prom is today) - shaved their heads. (It’s been custom FOREVER to shave heads the night before region.) We all ate a bunch of pasta, and we got a motivational speech from our coach- Dale. He pulled all of the girls aside and gave us a piece of paper and told us he wanted us to write down our goal times for tomorrows meet. We each did, then put the papers in our sweat pockets. We were to sleep with these papers and to think about our times consistently until the meet was over.

The next morning we woke up at meet at the rec center by 8am. Tension was high. I literally had shaky hands from the second I woke up. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO TODAY! we got in the pool and did our 1,300 yard warm-up in the pool. When time was up, we got out- put on our deck coats- and walked upstairs to stretch. Dale walked in and required that it be completely silent for the next half hour as we stretched and visualized. he turned off the lights and we all got mentally prepared for this meet. it was a big deal- trust me. Then gave us another motivational speech, and I’ve never been more excited/nervous to swim before in my whole life. The pressure was on!!

we walked down to the competition pool and I got ready for the 200 medley relay. my next event was the 200 Individual medley.
during the 50 free, one of my best friends, Kaitie Jowers, broke the school record. She had broken it last year at the state meet, by .01 of a second. last year the record hadn’t been broken for 13 years. she hadn’t been able to get her time down to a 26.01 for awhile- but lo and behold- she broke her own record again! 25.55 seconds! I’m sure the fast skin technical suit worked in her favor though as well. What was her goal time- you ask? 25.83. she blew it out of the water! Then we had the 100 Backstroke record broke for the second time this year by my Coaches daughter-
Alexis Ralph. Did I mention Alexis is a freshman and she broke a record that hasn’t been touched for 16 years? That’s longer than she’s even been alive!
We also broke the 200 Freestyle relay. Congrats to Avery Hansen, Lexi Stader, Alexis Ralph, and Kaitie Jowers. it was broken by nearly 2 seconds. which is a lot when you in the “competitive swimming” word.

Between Olympus and Woods Cross- our points were about even the whole time. but towards the end- they weren’t telling us who was in the lead. All we knew, was that we had to swim hard and fast. I had the pressure on my 200 free relay and in my 100 breast. I had a good 100 breast and I got us some points.

After the meet ended, everybody was crazy estatic! we had to of won! we still didn’t know what the points ended up being- but how could we have lost to Olympus? We had just won every single on of the last 7 events! all of the girls went down on the deck- waiting with anticipation. we told dale to take out his phone from his pocket, and we all got ready for a victory lap if we ended up winning.
the announcer came on and started announcing points. (out of 7 high schools) 2nd place: olympus high school girls with 396 points. 1st place: woods cross high school girls wth 492 points. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we hadn’t just won- but we won my almost 100 points!!!!!!!

all of the girls jumped in the water, dragging Coach Dale in with us. it was amazing. and pretty emotional. our hard work had finally paid off! the number one goal that all of the girls had worked for all year long- was completed. woods cross high school girls swim team was region champions. for the first time. ever.

Now, we finally get a banners! not just one, but two. One in the rec center hanging in the compition pool right above the woods cross record board. and one in the woods cross gym with all of the other sports that have become region champions. 2 brand new- never been hung- banners.

finally. some recognition from our school.

Mr. Park-our new principal this year, who has come to every single meet, came over and congradualted us. we thanked him with a group hug and he was soon covered in chlorine water. we received our trophy, and Mr. Park asked if it would be ok if he presented it to us at the wx/bountiful basketball game that night. YAYY!! that also brought emotions flairing. we would get some limelight for our hard work at the biggest basketball game in the state!

after a victory celebration at Chuck-a-rama, (it’s tradition) and an eventful basketball game- all of the girls gathered over at Kaitie Jowers house for a sleepover.

overall- a very successful swim season. I didn’t qualify for state in any of my events, even though I was very close in my 100 back and my 100 breast.

I love woods cross swim team.

especially the girls

celebrity crushes

TRAVIS PASTRANA. AND JIMMY FALLON.
who are these handsome young fellas, you might ask?





travis. one manly man. he's a motor sport competitor. (motocross, supercross, freestyle motocross and rally racing.) he's a beast. he's dumb. but boyyy is he handsome.


-7 broken wrists
-8 knee surgery's (right side)
-7 knee surgery's (left side)
-broken left and right foot
-torn ACL, PCL and LCL
-broken growth plates
-broken pelvic bone
-hip fractures
-dislocated spinal column (one of the four in the entire WORLD!)

but that's just the thing. The reason i think Travis is so dang cute, is because he lives for the "moment!" he might not live to see another day, but he's going to die doing what he loves! which is stupid things. aka, jumping out of a plane with no parachute, and just a red bull in his hand. his last departing words? "I hope this stuff works!" (meaning, i sure hope 'red bull gives you wings!!')


next on the celebrity crush list..

Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy boy, as i like to call him.
Jimmy fallon is a late night talk show host. and i just think he is adorable. look at that smile! not to mention he is freakin hilarious!
(go and youtube the JIMMY FALLON AND JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE RAP.)

and that's my spill on celebrity crushes.

(oh. and...

taylor lautner, andy samberg, and sean white.) :)

what do you want to do before you die?

it's a tv show. and it's on mtv. and it involves 4 hot guys from canada. and it's about living your life to it's fullest. literally, it's the best thing.. since sliced bread!

if you dont know what i'm talking about, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSYFTZrABMg&feature=related

yes. i'm talking about the show called "The buried life."

This is a group of boys who have a bucket list of 100 things they would like to do before they die. not only do they accompish these tasks regularly, but they also help people along the way. for each item that they cross off on there list, they help somebody in need. one for one.

question: why do they call it the "buried life?"

answer: because it's from a poem titled The Buried Life written by mathey arnold. It's a long poem, but this is were it comes from.....

But often, in the world's most crowded streets,

But often, in the din of strife,

There rises an unspeakable desire

After the knowledge of our buried life;

and the rest is history. They ended up making a tv show, and letting the world know about their story. It has inspired me, and million others.

so.. what's on MY list?

1. get a picture like the beatles, on abby road.

2. get my patriartical blessing

3. bungee jump over water

4. study abroad

5. Get a college degree

6. marry in the temple

7. own a jeep wrangler

8. Serve for my country.. somehow & somway

9. learn to snowboard

10. be arrested

11. help out/volunteer with the olymics

12. adopt a child

13. learn karate

14. got to a baptist church

15. ride an elephant

16. humanitarian project in a 3rd world country

17. bear my testimony to my dad

18. trathalon. olympic size

19. go to the macys thanksgiving parade.

20. successfully do the gallon challenge.

21. serve an LDS mission

22. watch all TV episodes of Boy meets world and of Seinfeld

23. buy a homeless man a bigmac

24. order a pizza while in class.

25. Stay overnight at the WXHS

26. make a dinohoodie

27. roadtrip for a week

28. swim illegally. (have a picture of NO SWIMMING, with me swimming in the background.. hahah)

29. kiss a stranger on new years

30. become scuba certified

31. swim in australia

32. see the northern lights

33. ride in a hot air balloon

34. coach a little leage soccer team

35. own a cute, durable, wooden swing at my home (eventually)

36. train a guide dog
37. memorize the "marching bands of manhattan" lyrics.

38. kiss at the top of the effill tower

What do you want to do before you die?

just try.. and never grow up.

k. this is embarassing. but i'll just get it out there.

I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT!! she's possibly my favorite person. in the universe.

So.. she had a new album come out this week, and that's ALL i've been able to listen to. it's kind of overwelming to realize how good her lyrics are. infact, on tuesday (the day after the album came out,) i had to get up in class and explain a scripture mastery that we had been studying this term. i had D&C 25:12. which says; For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea. the song of the rightous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

i stood up. and i talked about taylor swift. and i talked about how the spirit doesnt have to be there with just hymns, but it can be there with other popular, upbeat songs.. that are EVEN SOLD ON ITUNES! but in the end.. i got teary eyed. (yes.. still talking about taylor swift.) which this was my FIRST time crying this year in seminary. please... give me a pat on the back.

anyways.. this is one of my favorite songs. it is also one that makes me teary eyed. if you listen to it, i'm sure you'll figure out what it's talking about. but pretty much i can sum up:
1. i hate growing up. i still wanna be in elementary.
2. i love my mom.
3. i cant wait to turn on my nightlight tonight when i go to bed.
but anyways. here it is.



(thanks tswift)

a short list of my day.

-early morning seminary. (every morning)
-ballet west nutcracker practise
-high school swim team, practise 5 hours a day.
-USA state swim team. another 2 hours of practise. (yes.. my skin get's verry soggy.)
-2 CE classes. (i go to bountiful high school and viewmont high school every other day. these 2 classes add up to 8 credit hours of college by the time the semester is done. and holy heck there's a lot of homework. darn you chemistry and u.s. history!)
-NHS officer. (it doesnt sound bad, but i might as well be the president- consider how much work i do!)
-high school dance company. (it's brutal.. but it's fun)
-oh. dont forget all of the other classes.. considering i'm in high school and all.
-high school dances + football games.

but i'm not complaining. and if i DO complain.. just hit me upside the head and say "ciera.. this is what you asked for!"

on a unrelated note. i love blink 182. neon trees. the script. and snow patrol a lot lately.


(my birthday is next monday. hense: get me some new music. pleasee! i'm listening to all of the old stuff.)

(smile)

BIGG BROTHERRR!

yes. i am addicted to this show.
for any of you who know anything about this,
i'm TEAM LANE.
and TEAM HAYDEN.
i love those boys so much. :)