Getting Respect From Teachers

One huge challenge for most students is having their teachers/professors like them. It may seem like an impossible task at times, but it really isn't. Here are some simple guide lines that you can follow for success.

1. This is probably one of the biggest things- RESPECT YOUR TEACHER!! If you treat your teachers like they aren't important, they won't give respect back to you. You can simply change this by paying attention during class.
2. Turn in your assignments on time. If you always forget (or just not do them) your assignments and never turn anything in, your teachers will think that you are irresponsible and that you do not care what they say.
3. Be polite when you are speaking with your teacher. Say you are going to miss a week of school because you are going on a cruise and you needed to let your teacher know that you were going to be missing some school. Don't say, "Hey! I need the assignments for next week. I'll need them fast, I'm leaving at 3:00!" Say, "Hi Mrs./Mr. [teacher's name], I am going to be going on a cruise and I was wondering if I could have the work that you are going to be using in class. I just want to make sure that I'm not behind when I come back." If they say that you should just check the school's website for the assignments, just let them know that you probably won't have a printer or Internet access (only if that is true!!).
4. Don't be inappropriate. Ex. swearing, short shorts, low neck tops, etc. 
5. Look alive in class! If you just sit in class like you'd rather be at home (yes, I know, most of us would) your teacher won't think that you are trying your hardest. Nothing is better than a juicy class discussion!!
6. TRY YOUR BEST AND YOU'LL HAVE THE REST! :)

Even if your teacher does like you already, give these simple tips a try! This makes class more fun, happy teachers, smart students, and a sunny school.

Happy learning!
Lauren

The Cupcake Queen

Title: The Cupcake Queen

Place of Publication: New York, New York

Publisher: The Penguin Group

Author: Heather Hepler

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 242

Personal Opinion: I really enjoyed The Cupcake Queen, by Heather Hepler. It was definitely a page turner. In the book you dealt with everyday situations, like divorce, bullies, and fitting in to new surroundings. If I had to pick a book to recommend to a friend, it would definitely be The Cupcake Queen.

Book Review: Penny is a teen who is forced to leave her friends and father, to move to a boring small town named Hog's Hollow. Penny has a hard time adjusting to her new home, and doesn't want to accept the fact that she isn't going back to NYC and that her parents are really getting divorced. Everyone seems to hide things from her, her Mom, Tally and Blake (her new friends), and her secret crush, Marcus. When Penny finally is starting to get used to everything, she finds out why her mom is really going to meetings in the city, and is told to make a huge decision which could change her life.

Appeal: Mostly Girls

Popularity: 4 Stars! Great!

Quality: 4 Stars! Better than most

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Busy Bee!

Hi everyone!! I know that it has been an eternity since I have posted something other than a featured video or book review. I am normally on the computer, but then I forget to blog or I'm not sure what to talk about. I sure do love Summer, but my life is pretty bland when I'm not in school! I went to a concert last night with a couple of my friends and it was pretty cool. The only downfall was having to be around a bunch of smokers. My friends and I have a hard time being around the smoke. I am not sure why people smoke or how they do it.

A couple months ago, I started to take violin lessons with Bob Hagenbuch. So far I have had a great time! I feel like I'm learning a lot and he truely wants me to suceed. One GREAT thing about going into 7th grade is, I have strings everyday the entire school year. This will make us improve so much as a group and musicians. Also, they had key-board as an exlporatory option. Hopefully there was enough people that signed up, or else they won't have the class. I really want to have this class, because 1. I just got a key-board and 2. it will help my violin skills. But it's ok, because if I don't get this class I will get Art with Ms. Katz.

I have been watching the Olympics a bunch lately. My favorite athletes are...
-Aliya Mustafina
-Viktoria Komova
-Jordan Wieber
-Aly Raisman
-Kerri Walsh
-Tom Daley
-Sam Mikulak
-Misty May
-Michael Phelps
and more, just can't name all of 'em!

Love you all!
Lauren<3

Smile

Title: Smile

Place of Publication: New York, NY

Publisher: Graphix

Author: Raina Telgemeier

Copyright date: 2010

# of pages: 213

Personal Opinion: I really enjoyed the graphic novel, Smile! This book was a fast read, but I think I liked it mainly because the author, Raina Telgemeir, did a good job writing and illustrating. Smile was a unique book because it was a graphic novel of the author's life. I will more than likely, look into reading another graphic novel by Raina.

Book Review: Raina is like any other average girl. She deals with complicated situations like her appearance, friends, and most importantly boys. Once Raina believes that she has herself on top of things again, she suddenly is involved with a major earthquake. When reading Smile, you get to experience Raina's roller-coaster life throughout her high school years. Will Raina finally get everything figured out?

Appeal: Mostly Girls

Popularity: 4 Stars! Great!

Quality: 4 Stars! Better than most

Genre -- Please mark the appropriate box: Biography

Captain Nobody

Title: Captain Nobody

Place of Publication : New York, New York

Publisher: Penguin Group

Author: Dean Pitchford

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 220

Personal Opinion: I really love Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford. Newton was like any other general/average 10 year old boy who had workaholic parents, a star brother, and basically had to let people know that yes, he does exist. I really liked the writer's voice to the story. Each character had an individual personality that made you like the character so much.

Book Review: Newton Newman is a 10 year old boy who has a workaholic dad, a forgetful mom, and has the town's super star football player as his brother. Once Newton's brother, Chris, takes a hard hit during The Big game, he starts being alone while his parents spend all of their time with Chris. Once Halloween comes, he forgets to make his distinctive costume, so his friends make him an interesting super hero out of hand-me-downs. Will Newton pull of the costume and learn to understand his parents' reasoning?

Appeal: Mostly Guys

Popularity: 4 Stars! Great!

Quality: 4 Stars! Better than most

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping!

Title : Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping

Place of Publication: United States

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books

Author: Lenore Look

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 192

Personal Opinion: I really enjoyed Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping! This book was a shorter read, but it was very interesting. The author, Lenore Look, really did a good job with the character Alvin. He really made sure that Alvin had the characteristics that could crack a smile on anyone's face. I would recommend this book to any young readers that are ready for an adventure with Alvin and his big vocabulary!

Book Review: Alvin Ho is a second grade boy who is afraid of EVERYTHING! One day his dad decides that he needs to teach him how to camp, hoping for a good Father/Son trip, but really he justs ends up with making Alvin freak out! When Alvin's uncle comes over to babysit, he teaches Alvin some superior camping tricks, tips, and a special little something to help him out. Will Alvin still survive the Great Outdoors with his new tips and trinket?

Appeal: Anyone

Popularity: 4 Stars! Great!

Quality: 4 Stars! Better than most

Genre -- Please mark the appropriate box : Realistic Fiction

Matched

Title: Matched

Place of Publication: New York, New York

Publisher: Penguin Group

Author: Ally Condie

Copyright date: 2010

# of pages: 366

Personal Opinion: I thought that this book was OK. It was slow at first, but sometimes would start to pick the pace up. The book was sort of hard to figure out. I would recommend this book to people that like to read about the future, or communism.

Book Review: Cassia is a young adult, lurking for adventure. Cassia's life is controlled by the powerful Society. The Society determines EVERYTHING between where you live, who you will marry, and when you die. When Cassia goes to her matching banquet and sees a familiar face when she sees her match, she feels happy, but after she goes home to look at her match's Microcard, she sees something different than what she saw on the screen. Cassia starts to have some different feelings after she sees the different face. Who will she choose?

Appeal -- Mostly Girls

Popularity -- 3 Stars! Pretty Good!

Quality -- : 3 Stars! Readable

Genre -- : Science Fiction

"The Snooki Song" (Parody)

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June

Title: Faith, Hope, and Ivy June

Place of Publication: New York, USA

Publisher: Random House Inc.

Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 280

Personal Opinion: This book overall was OK. The book was a little slow in the beginning, but speeded up after a while. I would recommend this book to other fellow readers.

Book Review: Ivy June Mosely and Catherine Combs are girls from two different worlds. Ivy June is used to out-houses and mountains, while Catherine is used to fancy restuarants and computers. The only thing the two girls share is the exchange program. Ivy June and Catherine soon share their homes and lives for a few weeks with each other, with many ups and downs. Will they survive each other's differences?

Appeal: Mostly Girls

Popularity: 3 Stars! Pretty Good!

Quality: 4 Stars! Better than most

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Britney Spears - I Wanna Go - Parody ("I Gotta Go")

WARNING: There is one word that may offend people in this video, D***.

The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate

Title: The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate

Place of Publication: 175 Fith Avenue New York, NY 10010

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

Author: Jacqueline Kelly

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 352

Personal Opinion: I didn't really like the story that well, because there was no really big problem. Just a small problem/solution event would occur every once and a while. You could skip a few chapters and still know what was kind of going on, so basically this book was slow pace. I wouldn't really recommend this book for someone that wanted to read this for an assignment (mainly because it is slow paced) but it is OK for leisure.

Book Review: Calpurnia Tate is a young girl looking for adventure. In the hot summer days of the late 1800's in rural Texas, there isn't much to see. Once Calpurnia talks to her mysterious Grandfather, her eyes really open to nature. No one in the Tate family really knows Grandfather, and just assumes he is a weird old man who hibernates in his personal space. Calpurnia soon learns that Grandfather is a scientist, who has known the people that Calpurnia has read about in books. One day, when Calpurnia and Grandfather are in the woods exploring for new speciman, they find an interesting looking plant. Now all they have to do is go through the process of patience and determination to see if there dreams have actually come true.

Appeal -- Anyone

Popularity -- 3 Stars! Pretty Good!

Quality -- 3 Stars! Readable

Genre -- Historical Fiction

Angry Birds Beta Facebook

Confetti Girl

Place of Publication: 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Author: Diana Lopez

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 194

Personal Opinion: I really enjoyed this book for my personal leisure, although it wasn't my favorite.

Book Review: The main charachter of "Confetti Girl" is Lina. Lina's mother just passed away, and is unhappily left with her geeky father. Lina and her friend, Venessa, do everything together, unless it comes to boys. Venessa's mom is anti-men, so Venessa has to hide her secret boyfriend, Carlos, from her. Lina feels like Carlos has replaced her, which really makes Lina upset. Venessa officially crosses the line when she sets up a time for she and Carlos to talk on the phone at Lina's house. Can Lina balance herself between all of the madness in school, Venessa's secret keeping, a geeky father, and the depression of her mother passing away?

Appeal -- Mostly Girls

Popularity -- 3 Stars! Pretty Good!

Quality -- 4 Stars! Better than most

Genre -- Realistic Fiction

New Features!

Hi everyone, there are a lot of new things coming to Middle Schools 'R Us. If you haven't noticed already, I am starting to write book reviews. I will post a new book review every Monday at 11:30 am Central Time. These are all book reviews that I have written in the past year and I really felt like sharing them with you guys. I know that we have many viewers that are not in the U.S. so I have added a Translater at the bottom of the page. The translater has a dropdown menu where you get to pick the language that you want. I am also considering starting a new Online Magazine. I will be keeping you all posted on my new magazine. Right now, I am the only person in charge of Middle Schools 'R Us. Do you guys think that I should open it up for some other bloggers? I am mainly considering making my Online Magazine so I can have other contributers. I am planning on publishing with the program, Issuu. Also, every Friday at 11:30 am Central Time, I am going to post a featured YouTube video.

You guys mean the world to me!
~Lauren VW

The Potato Chip Puzzles

Title: The Potato Chip Puzzles

Place of Publication: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Publisher: The Penguin Group

Author: Eric Berlin

Copyright date: 2009

# of pages: 226

Personal Opinion: I really liked the book "The Potato Chip Puzzles." It was a well- written book with lots of action and suspense. The main character, Winston, really reminds me of myself. We both enjoy puzzles, except he is much better at them than me! I recommend this book to people who like puzzles beacuse there were puzzles during the book frequently, so you could be solving the puzzles with Winston, Jake, Mal, and Mr. Garvey.

Book Review: Winston is called into the principal's office unexpectedly one day to help the principal 'crack the code'. The school had recived a note that had a secret puzzle, and Winston was the puzzle expert. It turned out that the puzzle was an invitation to a puzzle competition. Winston was invited for sure, and he was allowed to bring his friends. Mainly in return of favor, for decoding the puzzle. The kids needed to be represented with an adult, and the advanced math teacher, Mr. Garvey, was the one to help. Mr. Garvey did not like Winston's friends and wanted his smartest student to come instead of Jake and Mal. Just out of luck, Mal and Jake get to tag along. A few days later at the puzzle competition, Mr. Garvey, Jake, Mal , and Winston find that their competitors are willing to play dirty.

Appeal -- Anyone

Popularity -- 4 Stars! Great!

Quality -- 5 Stars! Well written

Genre -- Mystery/Suspense

Sneak Peak from The Tech Bin

Here is a bit from The Tech Bin, this is all about FaceBook's new phone...

Photo Credit Given To In-Entertainment

By Lauren

5/29/2012

Rumor has it, that FaceBook is planning on making their very own Smart Phone by next year. FaceBook has already hired more than half a dozen former Apple software and hardware engineers that have helped come up with the brilliant iPhone and iPad, to help them with their plans for the new Smart Phone. It turns out this isn't the first report of the new Smart Phone. In 2010, Tech Crunch reported that FaceBook was looking into making their own Smart Phone and late last year we heard from AllThingsD that an unidentified phone was being tested, which was code-named "Buffy". Recently, we found out that "Buffy" is the new FaceBook Smart Phone. There are many FaceBook operated apps like the new FaceBook camera, but Mark Zuckerberg claims that he doesn't want FaceBook to be a bunch of apps. HTC came out with the HTC Status last year, which was partially dedicated to Facebook, but it appears that it still doesn't suit Zuckerberg. FaceBook has partnered up with many famous applications like Draw Something and Pinterest, so there will be the best games they can possibly get. This phone has its appeal to the avid facebookers, but to everyone else's appeal, well we are not sure. You can still go on Facebook on the iPhone, Android, and pretty much about every other smartphone, so that is the downfall of this soon to be smartphone. I would be very surprised if the FaceBook Smart Phone was on Sprint, Verizon, etc. because the HTC Status and iPhone originally started out with AT&T and then worked it's way to other carriers. Will this new invention be a success? We will just have to wait and see for ourselves.

Want to read more? Click here!!

Throwing the Best Sleepover Ever!

You probably have thrown a sleepover before, but I was going to make a how to on throwing the best sleepover. This way, you can improve your sleepover hosting skills so your besties will say, "We have to sleepover at Josie's!! She throws THE BEST sleepovers EVER!!"

Step One- ASK YOUR PARENTS!
If you really think about it, your parents are the magic behind the sleepovers! They are the ones that give us the opportunity. Ask a while before you plan on having the sleepover, or else they will get stressed out and say no. This way, they have time to plan everything out with you're schedule. If they say no, don't keep asking them over and over again. If you do this, they will get really frustrated and have a larger chance of saying no the next time. Also, don't invite your friends over with out asking your parents first. If you do this, then they will probably get mad at you.

Step Two- Invitations
Make a guest list and then check with your parents to see if the amount of people sleeping over is good. Once you have completed your checklist, you will need to invite your guests over. You can use Evite or email, but if you prefer you can invite your friends over text and calls. Make sure to include the time for drop off and pick up, as well as dinner plans. I know that my parents wouldn't want me to go over to someone's house without hearing from the parents as well, so make sure that they are able to speak with the parents.

Step Three- Shopping For Things That You'll Need
What's a sleepover with out snacks and refreshments? Remember to shop for dinner, DVDs, snacks, soda, candy, decorations, etc. Check with all of your guests to see if they have any food allergies, along with the rating of movies that they are allowed to watch. I have a peanut/nut allergy and I hate when they have lots of snacks with the stuff that I am allergic to. It is bad to watch movies that some guests aren't allowed to watch, because then that makes it miserable for them.

Step Four- When Your Guests Arrive
When everyone is getting dropped off, make sure to be polite and welcoming. If you act like you don't care if they come, it sets a bad mood to the party. Have your parents there to, so then your parents and the guests parents can get a comfort level., as long as an assurance that you are allowed to come over. Show your guests where to put their belongings and then welcome them to everyone else. Be sure to show them where you will be sleeping, the bathroom, etc. It is good to start outside with a trampoline or fun game. Don't make your whole party too organized, or else it will just be boring.

Step Five- Dinner
Order a pizza, or have your parents make your favorite meal. If you are ordering pizza, check with everyone to see what their favorite toppings are. A buffet style is always good, because then everyone is welcome to get as little or much as they want without asking. Double check with the guests to see if it is safe for them to eat if they have a food allergy. Make sure to show the guests where the cups are for sodas, water, etc. Have extra side items like fries, chips, or veggies with dips. You can always have the leftovers for late night snacks!

Step Six- Activities
Have back-up activities ready for the party so your guests aren't bored silly. You can do makeovers, truth or dare, or anything else that you think of. Have everyone change into their PJ's so every one's comfortable. Make sure that everyone is included and respect people's privacy level.


Step Seven- Time To Sleep
I like to watch movies right at the time when everyone is about to fall asleep. This is when you bring out the popcorn, soda, and other snacks. Step six and step seven can be swapped, or you can do step six, step seven, and then step six again (just skip the end part.) Stick to comedies. Horror movies are just a way for everyone to stay up all scared and the party will just turn into a disaster.


Step Eight- Waking Up
Either if you pulled an all nighter or went to bed at 12:00, you still have to get everybody to collect their items and have some breakfast. Normally, try to wake people up an hour before their parents arrive. It is good to have a variety of foods available. Bacon, Eggs, French Toast, and Pancakes are always good options. Just make sure that everyone is up and awake in time for clean up and breakfast. Once your guests are leaving, tell them thanks for coming over and have your parents welcome their parents.

I hope that this will help you pull of the BEST SLEEPOVER EVER for you and your besties. NOTE: This is more for girls than it is for guys... Just to get the record straight....

Reference from...

• Personal Experience
• How To Host A Sleepover- Wiki How

P.S. Do you think that my blog stinks? Somebody told me recently that they think that my posts are worthless. Tell me in the comments below what your opinions are.

~Lauren

Happy (early) Birthday Rachel Outlaw!!

Ok... So I just wanted to say HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF MY BESTIES, RACHEL OUTLAW!! Tomorrow is your day to shine and I can't wait for your birthday party tomorrow. Don't listen to all of those stupid haters and focus on yourself for tomorrow. LYLAS<3 I would just like to say that everyone reading this should stop what they are doing and go follow Rachel's blog: http://iamawesome16.blogspot.com/. It is the least that you could do for this birthday girl tomorrow :)

R ad

A wesome

C ool

H appy

E xtreme

L oud!

O utrageous

U nderstanding

T alkative

L ovable

A dorable

W onderful

I will be posting a post about how to throw the best sleepover ever, so keep looking for it.

Videos and More

Hello everyone! I finally got back on my blog and then noticed that I haven't posted for two weeks, WOW. It really surprised me, but the last few days of school went by so fast that I have lost track. I have had two sleepovers and a pool party in the last few days, so I have taken a lot of time sleeping instead of being on my computer. I will be posting many new posts/blogs/videos soon along with many other things and will have the assistance of my friends. Don't worry, we'll keep all of you interested during those boring Summer days. If you didn't know already, I also make videos for my YouTube Channel; NothingAboutStuff I didn't really have all that much time to make many good quality videos since I first opened up my YouTube Account, but I am hoping to use my Green Screen soon. I used to make lots of videos for KidsTube, but they upgraded their website and deleted my account and all of my videos. I personally reccomend YouTube for young film-makers, but you just have to use very good judgement when you are on there. Click Here for my Channel and Click Here for my Channel's Website. (Channel reccomended, I am not the best about updating my website.) If you are new to YouTube, here are some of my favorite Channels (click on the Channel's name to see their Channel)......

• Venetian Princess (Parodies, Skits, Vlogs, Music Videos)
• JRmoviemakers (Skits, Parodies)
• KatyPerryVEVO (Music Videos, Trailors, Lyric Videos)
• AdeleVEVO (Music Videos, Recordings of Live Performances, Ask:Reply)
• KayKay4635 (DIYs, Hauls, Music Videos, Vlogs, Tutorials, Tags)

A few days ago, my friends and I released a new Technology blog, called The Tech Bin. We are still discussing many features of the website, so it might not have as much as we are hoping. I try to post as many things on The Tech Bin and Middle Schools 'R Us as I can, but it is a challenge at times. I am going on Vacation with my family, so don't expect much blog activity from me, from Thursday-Monday. I hope that all of you check out our new blog sometime! (The Tech Bin)

Letter To Incoming a 6th Grader

Hi guys! I had to make a letter for an incoming 6th Grader a while back and wanted to post it on here for you all. I tried to take out some teachers' names. Your school may be a little different, but this is how my school is. Enjoy!

Dear Incoming 6^th Grader,

                I know that you are probably worried for Middle School. I was too, but once I started school, I said to myself, “What the heck was I thinking? I love this school!” It’s not anything like the TV Shows, Movies, Books, etc. Nobody ever shoves kids in to lockers, and if they ever did, they would get in so much trouble! Detentions are normally not given out, unless you are really acting out. The transition goes by so fast that you barely notice that there is no recess.

                One thing that a lot of students always look forward to is lockers. Yes, I know that our lockers are tiny. But, they hold everything that you would need for the school day. Don’t put an excessive amount of decorations in your locker. If you have lots of decorations you will have a jammed locker and you don’t even see your locker very much. Try to clean out your locker often during your Guided Studies/Discovery hour frequently. Bring home extra jackets, books, etc. If you leave to much stuff, it accumulates and gets very messy! Don’t tell everyone your locker combination; it’s as simple as that. Lots of people had to get new locks because they told their friends and then their friends told their friends and so on. Then, everyone is messing with your belongings.

                The next thing that people always wonder about is Gym Class. I personally love Middle School Gym Class, because you don’t have to wear tennis shoes to school. In Middle School, you have a small locker where you keep your tennis shoes, deodorant, perfume, cologne, brush, gym clothes, etc. Changing is not uncomfortable at all, mainly because everyone minds their own business and does the same thing. If it helps, pick a Gym Locker close to the back by your friends. That’s what I did! Get to Gym soon so you have enough time to change, or else you might be considered late. Don’t dwell on this though, I am not the best about this but I haven’t had a tardy. Bring home your Gym clothes every week or so, because they will smell terrible. Trust me, you do not want to be this person.

                I am sure that you will do just as good, or better than how I did during my 6^th grade year. If I can do it, then anyone can. Yes, there will be ups and downs to friendships, etc. but remember that there are people to talk to. Mrs. [.......] is really nice and I am sure that Mrs. [......]is too, so feel free to talk to them. Remember, Middle School was made to help us grow academically in every area, so make it the best it can be. Good luck and have fun!

Sincerely,

Lauren

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!! I hope that you all had a good time with your moms this lovely day. I just wanted to let you all know that yesterday we lost our Volleyball Game :'( BUT I think that we played really well together as a team. I got to be Team Captain yesterday, so that was really fun. We are the top rated team in our division, which is a really big accomplishment for us. Keep your fingers crossed for us, because next week we have our last game of the Spring Season and we want to finish off strong. My grade is having a picnic for the last day of school and they are charging us $6.50 for our meal. I was really frustrated at first, so I started sharing my rants via post. The older kids didn't exactly like what I was posting, and after I read it over a few times, neither did I. So one thing that I learned is, control your feelings!! My first instinct to an issue is to post about it. Then, I normally have people that say rude things (that I probably deserved) so I get all fired up. I learned about this new little acronym from my counselor called TKN, this is what it stands for...

Is it...

True?

Kind?

Necessary?

I obviously wasn't thinking about this a few hours ago, so I hope that you guys will the next time you're at a sleepover with your friends, sharing the juicy gossip of the school. That's all that I really have to say, so I hope that you all have a Marvelous Monday tomorrow!! Remember.. "Thank you God, for giving me the opportunity to live this day. Thank you."

~Lauren

Mother's Day DIY

Hey everyone! This post is for all of you like me, who wait 'till the last second to get a gift for someone. These are just some affordable gift ideas for Mother's Day. Enjoy!

Coupon Books
I know that these are really a classic, but they sure do mean a lot to that special lady! "Coupon Books" are little booklets with deeds that you are willing to do like foot messages, car detailing, manicures, etc.

Instructions
1) Click on the picture to get full size
2) Print as many copies as you want
3) Cut around the black line
4) Put the coupons in the order than you want, the cover on the front
5) Staple together, viola!
NOTE: On the blank coupon, you can decorate it to make what ever type of coupon that you think that your mom will like. Be creative! The best gifts come from the heart.

Flower Bouquets

Flower Bouquets are a really good centerpiece and tie together any space. They also smell very good and are really easy!

Instructions:

1) Check to see if you have any flowers growing in your back yard and ask your parent (or whoever's land it is) if you could pick some flowers.

2) Get your gardening gloves and sharp scissors, or better yet garden scissors.

3) Find the flowers that you want to pick and make sure that they are not poisinus or harmful.

4) Cut the flower towards the end of the stem, NEVER pull up the flower!

5) Collect all of the flowers and place in a vase or jar with water.

T-Shirt Scarf

Brought to you by: www.ParentMetro.com

$1.00 Accessory Bin

Brought to you by: Teri Gault, CEO of www.TheGroceryGame.com

A Little Bit and A Lot

Sorry that I haven't been posting lately. This have just been so busy around here! I only have 12 more days of school and then I am on Summer break. I'm really excited for the end of May, because my family and I are taking a trip down to the Lake for a few days. I really love fishing with my dad, and now I have my boaters license (Yipe!) so I can drive the boat around. My favorite fish so far is Crappie, does anyone else like Crappie? I went fishing last weekend with my dad and my uncle for an hour or so, I caught about 5 or 6 fish. That day was sort of crazy because there was a thunderstorm in the morning, delaying our journey for a while, but after we finally were on our way home, there was lots of funnel clouds and the tornado sirens were all going off. Finally, all of the tornadoes went away, so I did my homework and studied for a big Geography quiz that I had the following day. I got a 76/76 (100%) on my Geography quiz, which I am really happy about. Yesterday, I did my sit up test in gym and did the limit that they let you do, which is only 75. I remember one year, I forgot to stop at 75 so I got in trouble.. That was sort of crazy! Not only did I succeed my sit up test yesterday, but I got my new Violin after Volleyball practice. I really love the tone of my new Violin, it doesn't only sound beautiful, but it looks it too. I got 6 or 7 new Violin books, so I can't wait to try some new music out of those.

Today, part of the Orchestra is going to St. Louis for a competition. Good luck you guys!! Next year, my grade will be going on that trip. I have been seeming to post more stuff on Instagram than FaceBook, which is very unusual for me. Instagram is an iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad app. It is just like a FaceBook, but with pictures. I don't think that there is an age restriction on it, but I will have to check. You can connect to FaceBook, so then the pictures that you post on Instagram show up on your timeline. I have a Volleyball game at 3:00 pm and I am nervous because last time we got beat for the first time. I am working on my overhand serve, I just need to keep it more straight. I got Spandex Volleyball shorts last week at Dick's Sporting Goods, they are a big change for me. I picked Reebok surprisingly. I normally prefer Nike or Under Armour, but the Reebok were the most comfy. I'm starting to think that they are unlucky because we lost our game when I wore, them. Ha ha, not really but still. I hope that everyone else has a better May than we have had. As you might have seen on previous posts, my friend's little 9 year old brother passed away. Today was the funeral, so please have them in your thoughts and prayers. We need to be thankful for our siblings, no matter how annoying they are. Sunday will be very busy, because we are going to see my Dad's mom for Mothers Day.

Have a Wonderful Weekend and Mothers Day!!

~Lauren

BOBS vs. TOMS

Have you heard about Sketchers' line, BOBS? They are now advertising on lots of popular TV Channels such as Nickelodeon, which really is the first time I heard about this scam. BOBS are EXACTLY the same as TOMS except has more patterns for the kids, unlike the TOMS brand. I am just waiting for the law suit to happen on this one. BOBS even has the same idea- buy one pair of BOBS and BOBS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need.

 

If you look closely at BOBS, they have the same layout on the shoes even! On the outer side when you are wearing BOBS, you see the little tag with the brand name like the TOMS shoes. I think that the point of TOMS was to inspire other businesses to get one and then give one, but not to steel the entire look of them. This isn't the only scam though, The Spring 2012 Twinkle Toes are one of the others. The Spring 2012 Twinkle Toes have the same TOMS look to them, except with sparkles and LOTS of colors. Not all Twinkle Toes are like this though, just some of the new Spring styles. If I were you, I'd stick with TOMS.

'Lil BOBS Children's Shoes Line Commercial

BOBS Commercial- With Brooke Burke

New Twinkle Toes Commercial- Another Sketchers Scam

DIY Weekend Projects

Woo-hoo! The weekend, FINALLY! I know a lot of us have a busy weekend coming with Sports, Music Groups, etc. But there still is a portion of us bored silly, not sure what to do. Here are some fun things that you can do. Whether you are babysitting your neighbor, or just want something fun to do at home, these will be right for you. Click on the caption below the picture to go to the link for detailed instructions.

Slime Recipe- Really fun!



Homemade Bouncy Balls



Sharpie and Rubbing Alcohol T-Shirts



Condensed Milk Painting- AWESOME!



Rebel

I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I,
And we are both beautiful. ♥

BeYOUtiful

One of the things that Middle Schoolers struggle with, is being themselves. I know that I was worried about not fitting in and feeling out of place, but everyone felt just as awkward as I did. After a while, you start to adjust and find really nice people. So if you feel hopeless, don't give up. A lot of kids are all growing at different rates, so if your best friend is 4 inches taller than you, don't get upset! More than likely, your friend is a little older than you. In a few years, you will be caught up with your friend and might even be taller than them! Here are some tips and advice to always remember when you start to have a low-self esteem;

1. Write yourself a love letter, think of all of your qualities then write them down in your love letter. This exercise helps you see that YOU are beYOUtiful!
2. Talk to friends often, it helps you get your mind off of things if everything isn't going so pretty.
3. Make sure to talk to your family, it helps you create a strong bond.
4. Beauty is on the inside, not the outside!
5. If you feel that you might be growing taller at a smaller rate, tell a trusted adult or family member.
6. Have you always wanted that body, just like the Abercrombie Model? Well guess what? They more than likely edited their bodies, so they could have the most perfect skin and body to show off their clothes.
7. EAT! Make sure that you are eating healthy foods. Most girls, and guys, think that their way to loose weight was to eat less and then only eat chips, pretzels, candy, etc. Instead of having chips, a bagel, a Hershey's Candy Bar, and a Capri Sun. Have Carrots and Celery with a small amount of Ranch, a Turkey Sandwich with Veggies (lettuce, tomato, onion, etc.) on it, Strawberries, and V8 Splash. There are a lot of delicious recipes that you can try that spice up your lunch menu.
8. Limit your time watching TV, texting, FaceBooking, etc. and spend some time outside with your friends. Try to get in at least an hour of exercise a day, whether it is riding bikes or tag, it still counts.
9. Write a journal. This way, you can write all of your thoughts and get it all out of your mind
10. LOVE YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU ARE REALLY BEYOUTIFUL!!
     

http://www.dosomething.org/project/rebel-beyoutiful

http://twitter.com/#!/rebelbeyoutiful

http://rebelks.com/index.html

 
 
 

Featured Outfits

Girls Outfit

Top- Eyelet Peasant Cami 

Shorts- Denim Dark Pocket Capris

TIP: Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!! Match tank tops with a small necklace and small stud earrings. Just make sure you don't go overboard, if it already has lots of frill it doesn't need much.

Guys Outfit

Shirt- "Just Do It" Tee-Shirt

 

Shorts- Blue Basketball Shorts

TIP: Match Nike Tees and Basketball shorts with Phiten Necklaces, they really add a sporty look to your outfit and as a bonus it helps out in P.E. and Sports. 

Happy Weekend!

I hope that everyone had a really awesome weekend. I had a pretty good weekend myself. Starting with after school on Friday, I had to bring a part for my Dirt Bike up to Freedom Cycles. My Dirt Bike needed a new tire tube and some other tune ups, so we brought over a part that was needed to repair it. I loved looking around at the store there, I got to sit on some different size bikes that I would get when I needed a bigger size. Right now I have a Honda CRF 70, I haven't ridden it very much because we didn't really have all of the things we needed to go to some areas to ride. No worries now because we have it all now! Then I had Volleyball practice at 7:45-9:00 pm. It was really fun because I got to work on my over-hand serve with a High Schooler. I still stink at it, but she helped me improve a little! Then, on Saturday I basically did nothing from 8am-1pm. Then at 2pm I had my Volleyball game, we won 2 out of 3 matches, so we won the game. Then around 4pm, we went to Freedom Cycles to pick up my Dirt Bike. When we were there, I also bought the finishing touches to my riding gear. I got my riding pants, jersey, and gloves. I already had my helmet and goggles. Finally today, we went to Church at 9am and then at 11am we met my Grandparents at Zarda Bar-B-Q. Afterwards, we came back home in time to go back to Church for Church Orchestra. This was my last rehearsal for this year, because then next week we lead worship and I am not going on the Mission Trip this year. When I got home from that, we went to Lowe's to get some more materials for the trailer for the Dirt Bikes. I know that it will be hard to drag yourself out of bed tomorrow on a hazy Monday, but just think this way "Boy, am I just glad that I woke up this morning!"

Reminders When Signing Up For Classes

One really good thing to start thinking about for next year is what classes you are taking. My personal opinion is that all people should have the opportunity to play some sort of instrument, whether it is a kazoo or a violin. I personally played the Violin, Clarinet, and did Choir to see what was my calling. I ended up with changing my preference from Band to Strings. If your school has a music program available for you, take advantage of it. Since a lot of kids don't want to do music programs, school districts are considering taking away music programs. They were considering taking away the Orchestra program in my school district when I was learning Violin, but thank-goodness they lifted that idea out of budget cuts. Music makes you smarter! Another thing is, I know you all got the opportunity to choose either Math or Math+ (Math or Advanced Math). I am just going to be straight up honest with you, don't feel stupid by choosing regular Math! I got Exemplary on my State Assessment, but I still do struggle in Math. All Math+ is, is harder Homework with out instruction. So if you have a hard time keeping up with your teacher know, stay with Math. Also, if you have the opportunity to choose Spanish as a foreign language to learn, you should. Since part of America's population speaks Spanish, whoever knows Spanish will have a better chance at getting the job you want later in life. I learned French for about 6 years and was getting fairly fluent at it, but then I switched to Spanish in 6th Grade. My Elementary School had French as our foreign language and the other school that combined with mine learned Spanish, so we got the opportunity to learn either language. Spanish isn't my favorite thing in life, but I am learning a lot and it will come in handy later in life. Also, when you are choosing classes like Art, or Speech and Drama do what YOU want to do, not what your friend wants to do. I know my friend wanted to do Speech and Drama, but I wanted to do Keyboard or Art. I put Keyboard as my number one choice, but since they aren't sure if so many kids are going to do it they might not do that class, so I chose Art as a backup choice. You aren't going to have much time to talk during the class anyways, so why choose to be in a class that makes you miserable?  Remember, do what you love and love what you do.

Introduction

Hi Everyone! You all are probably wondering, "Why in the world was this website created?" Well, I remember last year when I was entering Middle School, I wanted a website like this to help me out throughout the year. This blog is all about Middle School Fashion, tips, etc.


- Middle School 'R Us