This summer has just been GO GO GO GO GO!
Man. It's nice to be able to finally rest!

Expo was a GREAT experience! It was a busy and tiring week, but it was also very fun and enjoyable. I did a lot, and my mom and I made some really good friends. I didn't get any call backs, but Jami Ferrar Agency said that they couldn't really sign me here in Texas and if I was ever out in Los Angeles to look them up. I also got first runner up in Monologue Auditions and got a trophy! :)

It felt SO good to be home after that week, and in that week we all got a BIG surprise! Mom told us she's pregnant! It took a little while for us to warm up to the idea of having another little one in the family, but of course we're VERY excited! We're all, with the exception of my dad, hoping for a girl, and I think mom and dad have agreed on a girl name, but we'll keep that quiet for now! ;)

Pretty soon, it was time to head off to South Padre Island!! Everyone was very excited to get on the road and get away from Plainview for a week! We stopped off the first night in San Antonio and went to The River Walk. It was very cool, and I had a lot of fun! We stayed in San Antonio over night than headed out to South Padre the next day. The first day and second day's weather was not wonderful, but the rest of the weekend was beautiful, and I think my mom and dad along with everyone else had a really good time!

Edited picture of mom & dad out in the water

Front, left, and right views of the beach from our condo

Dad, Jacob, and I on the beach the first day

Debbie and Brandon relaxing on the beach

Roxanne posing on the beach

Mom and Jacob in the Gulf of Mexico

Mom and Danielle going into the water

Rosie putting her feet in the Gulf of Mexico

Rosie and Danielle on the beach

Roxanne and Chris easing their way into the water

Nana enjoying the refreshing water

Debbie and Brandon before going out for their anniversary! A year already!!

Nana and Dad joking around outside of the condo

We're finally home and it's relaxation time! Mom's been taking it easy due to the pregnancy, and we're all trying to help her get along. She's been getting sick so we're just praying that she stays healthy and feeling good for the rest of the pregnancy! I'm taking it slow, chilling out all day and just enjoying the remainder of the summer!

With Brandi, Shay, Addie, and Emerson leaving Plainview, we're going to miss them GREATLY but we'll visit lots with them, and it will all be good!!

Everyone enjoy their summer while they can - it's almost over (:

Heyy!!

WHOO.
I am finally finished with the seventh grade! (:
The Summer of Oh Eight is, a.k.a the best summer of my life!, is in the making!! This summer is going to be extremely eventful!
There's going to be a Nascar Tour and Baseball game I'm going to with my dad and the church, which sounds like it will be super fun!
Following that is my MB Expo in Dallas! That's going to be extremely fun, and who knows what will come out of it!
Then my parents go to Coaches Outreach.
And them, PADRE!!
That's going to be extremely fun. Sitting in the sand with a good Stephen King novel at my side, and of course swimming (: I'm pumped. I cannot wait!!
I'm also helping out with VBS at church!!

Also, we're all settled in the new house. It's amazing!! The dogs and cat LOVE the staircase. I love the backyard(s). I'm so happy.

I'm so glad to be moved in and at the new house!! The house looks really good, and it's SO BIG!! I've had some really cool stuff happen since I last posted.

First, I went to my photo shoot, and it went GREAT. My pictures turned out really good && I'm really excited to see how good they turned out.

Secondly, I went to Caprock Canyon State Park last Friday with my school for out school field trip! It was REAL fun, but, as usual, some people had to ruin it. A bunch of kids signed up for the rest area with Ms. Greer and some kids tagged the benches with "CKG"(crip killing gangster). It really made me mad. Why do kids have to ruin things like that?! I find it so ridiculous and immature. Honestly, what's the fascination with being in a gang?? I don't know. Some people...

Anyways, tomorrow is the big awards assembly, team cookout, annual signing AND the last dance!! I'm really excited!! :]

What a relief! I'm done with TAKS!! School's not quite over, but getting those tests that seem to sit on your chest towards the end of the year over with feels nice! Testing, unfortunately, is not over for me! I've got Algebra Placement tests in a few weeks, and I'm pretty nervous about that. I don't have much confidence in myself, and I don't think I'll make it into algebra classes, but I'm still gonna give it 100%!
Speaking of tests, word came in that myself and two of my other classmates' ACT scores were in the top 15% in the state of Texas! I'm so excited about this! I'm definitely hoping I'll be able to go to the awards cememony in Dallas! If not, I'll totally understand, but going to the ceremony would be SUPERAWESOME.

Sheesh. Only two more days left in this week! I'm exhausted! For some reason, TAKS tests always wear me out! We're starting spring football in athletics, but we're all having to play offense, and I want to change to defense! Other than that, everything is going smoothly. News on the house is POSITIVE, and the only thing is that my dad broke a bone in his foot, so he won't be doing much packing! Hopefully we'll be closing on the house next week.

Well, I think that's it!
Night everyone!!

P.S. 4 MORE WEEKS UNTIL SCHOOL ENDS!!

Two down, one to go!
The math TAKS was pretty easy. There were only a few problems I really struggled with, and the rest was smooth sailing!
I think that the news on the house is pretty positive! I'm super excited and hoping we get the house!
Today was pretty boring, and I'm really tired! We have reading TAKS tomorrow, so it shouldn't be too difficult for me. I think the main problem will be staying focused. After 5 passages, you tend to get pretty drained.
SPEAKING OF SCHOOL, only 18 MORE SCHOOL DAYS LEFT :D!!!!

I'm super excited!
Well, I think that's pretty much it.
NIGHT!

I'm absolutely dreading tomorrow. That time of the year has come. Math TAKS. I'm pretty nervous. It always seems like I am doing well, and then we get scores back and it's like a bomb! Maybe this year will be different! I've been doing all I can to prepare this week. I've been very attentive during class && I just hope it all pays off! I'm also putting it all in God's hands. I'm praying that he will help me get through it, and if I get stuck I will pray that he will help me to recall the things I need to complete the problem!

Please be praying for me!

Yo yo yo!

I just got back from Jake's double header. Jacob played really well, and I was excited for him. He only messed up a few times!

I also got a new book. It's "The Ruins" by Scott Smith. I'm a little nervous about it because it's not Stephen King, but Stephen King reviews it as "The best horror novel of the new century". But yeahh. Everyone's coming over to eat && play Wii && Guitar Hero! I'll update tonight!

Jacob playing Third Base

Jacob up to Bat.

Sheesh. It's 11:40 and I need to get to bed! I'm exhausted. Today was pretty fun. Jacob had a good time while I was babysitting and I'm sure he's really enjoying his new blog :]

I'm really diggin' the whole "make your own header/layout in photoshop" thing. I need practice in photoshop, && this really gives me an excuse to play around with it! My mom made herself a header thing && found a layout to mix it with! All I did was make a little header for me, but I'll probably add a layout and stuff later on.

I finished "Desperation" by Stephen King today, && I can't wait until allowance time comes around so I can get me some more books!!! Anyways, Desperation surprised me! With all that Stephen King writes, he never seemed like a Christian man to me, but in Desperation, the characters are led by God into the town of Desperation to defeat "Tak" or "The Heart of the Unformed". The book was actually a REALLY good book and in the end they prevail against the evil and kill Tak. I really enjoyed this book!!

Well, I'm off now. I'm tired, and as soon as Mom gets done with the laundry I'm gonna head off to bed. I think everyone else is asleep now && Jacob's got a double header tomorrow morning!
Night!

Wheww!
It's always nice when Friday morning rolls around. Today was pretty normal and relaxed. We're doing a mini spirit thing to beat the TAKS and today was hat day (Hat's off for TAKS!!!). So I got to wear my awesome star hat with my reflectors! Woo!
Friday nights usually bring "social outings" but today I'm just going to be babysitting. My parents wan't to go out on a date && I think I can sacrifice ONE night (and one Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino from Starbucks!!) for them! So, tonight I think I'll let Jacob play his video games, I'll plop down on the couch with my dogs, my extremely lazy cat, and watch When A Stranger Calls :]

Well, the following sentence may seem weird.
But my mom introduced me to blogger.
Of course I'm no internet stupid.
I have a myspace :D
But anyways that doesn't matter.
Allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Nathaniel && I go by Nate. I'm 13 years young && attend Coronado Jr. High in a small Texas town. That's right, born and raised in Texas and can't wait to get out! :D I'm not your average teenage guy. I'm into acting and all that fun stuff. But I do enjoy playing football. I love music && I am an aspiring actor! I love my family && friends and wouldn't give them up for the world. I'm mentally attached to my pets. People at school say I'm a "modern day hippie" excluding the drugs. I believe in world peace && animal rights! :]

That's all I can think of right now to put in this blog, but I will be updating a lot! I'm totally looking forward to it!

--Nate!