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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ski Fashion

Hello everybody! With all this new snow, I'm anxious to get out to the ski slopes! I've downhill skied since I was in 2nd grade. I guess that would be 7 or 8 years old, right? I think so...

Anyway, when skiing, it's obviously very cold most of the time because of the snow, and unfortunately you can't really ski without snow. Also, you want to spend as much time as possible out actually skiing the mountain and less time sitting in the lodge warming your fingers by the fireplace. Over the years I've been able to figure out what to do maximize my time on the trails and usually only take a break for lunch and a mid-afternoon snack. (And possibly a few quick trips into the warming hut on an extra cold day) And you know what? The secret is all in what you wear. So if you struggle with the cold, this is a post for you.

When working on ski fashion, I often turn to L.L.Bean. Their stuff is excellent for the cold weather, but other brands work fine as well!

I always start with a layer of thermal long underwear. First trick of ski wear- NO COTTON. If it gets wet- bam. You are an icecube. Find different materials.

I like how this style has little holes in it so your body can breathe, but they keep you nice and toasty too.

Next layer is UnderArmour, or something of the like though the real stuff keeps you warmest. It's skin-tight so it keeps the heat in. I always wear the top (unless it's unusually warm out) and if it's supposed to be a rather frigid day I'll wear the bottoms too. This stuff is so warm- it's what gets me through all the long cold marching band practices. Remember, if you get hot, you can always strip layers!

OK, so non-cotton socks are virtually impossible to find. So cotton is alright for this, but it's always good to have an extra pair that you can swap if the first ones get soaked. Make sure they're really thick and fleecy inside though.

Now, I'm not the kind of girl who wears a turtleneck to school. I really don't even like high necked shirts at all. However, a wool turtleneck is the PERFECT shirt for a long day of skiing.

Now for pants. Jeans are a no-no because they will get wet and freeze, and you will be cold. Also, sweatpants aren't good either. They're usually cotton. That's why I wear lined windpants. They're not the height of fashion in today's world, but you're not likely to become frozen in them either.

For ski pants, I prefer bibs because they don't fall down. They also provide a bit of an extra layer on top. I will say though, bibs can be a pain when trying to rush to the bathroom.

These particular snowpants are nice too, because they're reinforced in the knees and rear so if you go sliding down the mountain you won't ruin your ski pants!

In my opinion, scarves don't keep you warm enough, and they whip around in your face when you're trying to ski. That's why I personally prefer neckwarmers and when it's super cold, a balaclava is wuite lovely.

Ski boots are probably the most uncomfortable shoes ever and they're extremely hard to walk in. Hello duck walk. They take a LOT of practice...

One of the most important things to warmth is the coat. I simply love this model from Bean's, it's perfect for skiers.

The inside is fleecy and warm.

And it even comes with a special goggle wiper. How handy!

My favorite feature is the snow guard that clips in front so if you decide to take a slide or do some 'butt skiing' the snow doesn't go all up your coat and make you cold.

Helmets are so so very important. They keep your head warm and they also keep you safe. Never ski or snowboard without one. Goggles are quite nice to have when it's snowing or visibility is bad. Since I got glasses last year goggles are an essential for me to be able to see on the slopes. If I don't have them? Snow gets on my glasses or they fog up. Not fun when you're trying to ski a double diamond.

Oh mittens! We got these new mittens today and they're super warm, made for extremely low temperatures. Hand warmers are a must-have as well.

Look how soft they are inside!

Finally I'm all suited up and ready to hit the slopes! My skis are the red ones on the left. They're Volki Junior Racing skis and I love them! I believe this will be my third season with them. 

I also like to ski with poles, but they're not necessary.

And finally, all suited up, on the mountain!

(last year)

It doesn't look half bad all put together.

So is anyone else an avid skier or boarder? Got any tips you'd like to share?

The Favorites Tag

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE:

tree: weeping willow

book: ask this question and you will never get an answer.

food: same as above.

day of the week: friday!

month of the year: october or december

number: 28

color: green and sometimes purple

age: i've liked 14

class: BAND

article of clothing: jeans

type of shoe: converse and flip-flops

instrument: cornet <3

flower: anything that looks pretty

language (not english): french

thing to do in spare time: practice trumpet!

(this tag is for anyone)

Can You Spell Blizzard?

BLIZZARD OF CHRISTMAS 2010

Breathtakingly beautiful,
Limits of its power? There are none.
Incredible, in every aspect.
Zealous in wreaking havoc to those it strikes,
Zapping its victims with wind, ice and snow.
Awesome, amazing, and astonishing.
Raw, brutal storm.
Dangerous and sometimes deadly.

The Blizzard Is A'Coming

First, I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! I know I did. 

Now, we're getting ready for a doozy of a storm. Some of you living in New Jersey or the Carolinas may know what I'm talking about because this particular storm has probably already hit you.

Not snowstorm. Not flurries.

A good 'ole fashioned nor'easter.

BLIZZARD.

 Yesterday that said heavy snow with wind. Now, it says blizzard.

When this is yellow, it means severe, but not too bad. Orange is like medium. RED IS BAD.

And just look at this! They're expecting 10-16" of snow....guess Hannah Marie and I will be able to play out in the snow this week like we've hoping. If you live on the East Coast, why not share your story of this storm in a comment? It's sure to be a good one!

Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

Well folks, it's Christmas Eve! (Hard to believe isn't it? Time just flies!) And the anticipation is ever building throughout the house. 

Yesterday, my family drove up to my grandparents three hours northwards. So we're spending Christmas with them, my aunt drove up from Boston and another aunt and uncle and two cousins live down the street too.

And the Christmas spirit of frantic-ness has descended upon us! My grandmother has been baking lots, presents are being wrapped and stashed under the tree, stockings will hang on the mantle, and to top the whole season off, I've come down with a cold. Yay. Boo. Not fun the day before Christmas. But all that aside, it's been a great time so far.

And some of the surprises in store for tomorrow having been building for a long time....

Especially my mom's awesome incredible TOTALLY EPIC Christmas present from my dad.

So Mom,

if you happen to be reading this now....i strongly suggest that you STOP. in fact, i COMMAND YOU TO STOP READING NOW.

And now that THAT'S taken care of, I can tell you the story of this epic present.

Last year, we were out caroling with a church group and we happened to drive past a house that had these really nice different colored peace sign lights mounted on the side of the house.  Naturally, my mom noticed and was like 'Oh! Those are nice...I would just love something like that.' And my dad, kept that in his head for a great Christmas present this year.

So earlier this month he bought some thin strips of wood and some white strings of lights and declared to me and XanFan that he was going to build a huge lighted peace sign. And he did. And it's huge. And everyone knows about it except her. It's epic. It's awesome. It's.....quite large. I will HAVE to get some pictures- it'll be one rockin' surprise.

We'll be heading to a Christmas Eve service at the tiny tiny church in a teeny tiny town, but the service will be nice. I just hope I'll be able to sing with this cold of mine...

This Contest Makes Me Hungry

Hannah, over at My Nutty Life (she was featured here a while back) has decided to host a photo contest!

(not sure why the butto is that big....but anyway, the theme for the contest is DESSERT. Mmmmm. Yummy! If I was Hannah, I'd rather EAT the entries rather than judge them ;)

So when knowing the topic my thoughts went straight to those lovely cookie day photos I took. I was stuck between a couple but I finally chose this one. I hope it wins!

The Clock Ticks Down

tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

The clock ticks down. Slooooooooooooooooooowly. It's one of those ugly school clocks, that seems to always run slow with that little red second hand going slowly round. Round and round and round as it tick tocks through the day.

It's the last day of school before break. So it's going REAAAAAALLY slowly. Thankfully it shouldn't be that bad of a day considering the fact that first block is study hall, second period English is a joke, we're doing fun stuff in French, and well, geometry will be the same as always, but you can't get EVERYTHING you wish for. So today I thought I'd let you have some holiday insight into what I'm up to.

I FINALLY found my holiday Peace shirt that I've been looking for for forever and I was really glad it turned up- right before Christmas! YAYYYYY! {Can you tell I'm hyper?}

Earlier in study hall I was bored, as usual, so I took some markers and drew a little holiday design. Isn't it cute?

I love watching those old little kid Christmas movies. They are EXCELLENT. And on Sunday I got to watch 'A Year Without A Santa Claus', and just to set this straight.......SNOW MISER IS SO TOTALLY MORE EPIC AND AWESOME THAN HEAT MISER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And the clock.

Ticks.

DOWN.

Snow Love

Obviously....all I had to do was write a post about how sad I was that we didn't have any snow, and the forecast changed again! Now it's predicting snow from 4pm today RIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY! And not just flurries either, but plain 'ole snow. I may just get out of that bio test after all ;)

I had finished some history homework and was chatting on gmail with some friends from band camp. During a pause in the conversation I checked my facebook for updates and the first post in my newsfeed was I status that one of my friends had posted that simply read 'SNOW!'. Reading that, I threw up my window shades and there it was coating the ground, and coming down hard from the sky. Blessed, beautiful snow. Oh how I love thee. Quickly, I shut my laptop, raced downstairs, jumped into some snow boots, pulled on my pea coat, grabbed my camera and I was out the door. I actually got some shots that I'm pretty pleased with. Hope you like them!

Crunch.

The lights look so pretty in the semi darkness in the snow fall.

Especially our lovely dove of peace!

The bird house is slowly covered in snow.

Snow clings to another feeder and holiday lights create pretty bokeh in the background.

Simple snowy landscape.

My favorite one of all, this one is being entered into Horsefeathers' Words for Snow contest, because my favorite part about snow is how pretty it looks covering the lights :)

Still Dreaming Of That White Christmas

"I'm....dreaming of a white Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know...."

But all I'm doing is dreaming, because I'm thinking that it's doubtful to happen. Last week, the forecast predicted a huge snowstorm coming our way last night, simply *dumping* snow upon snow on us all through the night, Monday, AND Tuesday. I was even hoping (and thinking it was even possible) for a double snow day because if both Monday and Tuesday were canceled, well, our biology test would be have to be pushed until after vacation which would have made everyone taking that class very very happy indeed. And even if that didn't happen, we were sure to get Monday (today) off, right? With that much snow? Certainly.

Certainly NOT that is. And that is why I am sitting in my first block study hall typing this post instead of curling up by the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate at home. But why? Well, the forecast changed!

Yeah, we may get flurries, but they'll just melt...not add up. Ugh. Monday blues would have been avoided if school was canceled. And do we have a chance of that white Christmas? Maybe I guess. I suppose the forecast could always just.....change again ;)

Missing Marching

It's so weird. In marching band we're worked so hard all the time, you'd think that we would at least get some relief once it was over and just chill, and not think about it for a while.

Not such the case. Why do I feel such a strong attraction to something where we get yelled at all the time, among other unpleasant things, like extreme heat and cold? And yet, I love it.

As some smart person once said "At home, at school, at the mall and pretty much everywhere I go, I am a person, and I have a name. But when I get out on to the marching band field, I become a little dot on the drill chart, with only a letter and a number for my name."

Every day I find myself involuntarily singing or humming or thinking the melody of 'Minuano' or 'See The World'. Everyday I find myself walking around the house backwards marching, dressing the lunch line, and attempting to keep three pace intervals between people. 

Yeah, call me a band geek all you want, because it's a title I'll readily accept. Oh marching band....I miss you :)

(and here's even more proof!)

You are 85% band geek!

 

WOW!! you are such a band geek!  that is so incredibly amazing. you might be told a lot that you need to get a life, but your just fine being a BAND GEEK!!

How much of a band geek are you
Take More Quizzes

Are u a band geek? Your Result: Band Geek   You are a band geek! you are most likely to tune out of everything around you and only pay attention to band! you will have no life (which is ok i guess)
Not a Band geek
Are u a band geek? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Are You A Band Geek? Your Result: Yes, you are a band geek   You are a band geek, in that you love to play a wind or percussion instrument, and that you are involved in one or more band activity, like marching band, jazz band, on more. You might even like to practice your instrument.
No, you aren't a band geek
Are You A Band Geek? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

You are 91% Band Geek!

 

Wow. You are the Ultimate Band Geek. Your life pretty much consists of living, breathing and dreaming about ... well band. All of your friends are in the band and your career of choice would probably be in music. The band has been and continues to be the biggest part of your life. There are plenty of people who have scored this high, maybe you should go find them. Weirdo.

Are you a Band Geek?
Take More Quizzes

You are 100% band geeky!

 

Help the people trying to be band geeks! you know enough about being one that you could seriously help them out!

How big of a band geek are you?
Take More Quizzes

awesome marching band quiz Your Result: Trumpets   YES!   congratulations you are a trumpet.  the awesomest instrument in my opinion.  you are cocky, and have the biggest ego.  and you are very loud, obscene, and obviously heard. by everyone in the band.
Mellophones
Low Brass
Flutes
Clarinets
Saxaphones
Drum Line
Pit
awesome marching band quiz Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Marching Band has taken over 100% of your life!

 

You live and breathe Marching Band. Without it, you'd be lost in this world. You want to be first in your section and know everything there is to know about band...and maybe some things the band director doesn't know.

Has Marching Band Taken Over Your Life?
Take More Quizzes

Oh yeah....I'm a band geek.

Oh Biology!

*SMACKS HEAD ON KEYBOARD* qefoGUQEUWhuiw3n09crc2tuy3ehjrw

OK. Done now.

Have any of you taken a course in biology? And I mean an INTENSIVE course. Well, that's what I'm taking.

Our 10th grade honors biology class is widely proclaimed as THE hardest class in the entire school....but it's totally worth taking. Why? It's fascinating! It's my first actual, like, GOOD science class ever.

But, boy, is is hard. Tests are nearly impossible (NOT looking forward to finals and biology SAT), and homework takes hours. In fact, that is what I'm slaving over now.

However, I am taking a little creative liberty with this homework. Why? It makes it more bearable.

We're learning about macromolecules and this homework happens to be on the subject of proteins.

Here was one of the questions and my humorous answer:

10. Summarize the different amino acid “personalities.”

Amino acids that have a charge simply love water. Seriously, they're attracted to it like flies to rotting fruit. These charged particles are usually quite large, just like the water molecules so they can throw some pretty extreme parties in the cytoplasm. Non-charged amino acids don't like them so the charged ones prefer to stay away and have fun with their other charged friends.

Amino acids that don't have a charge hate water so they hide away in the middle of the protein, the introverts that they are. They are small and average sized, which may account for their shyness, though they can be quite haughty towards amino acids that have a charge by completely shunning them, but they are always pulling their non-charged friends close in their evil little clique.

Haha. Oh biology!

And We Have A Winner!

Well, we've got a winner for the 2010 Christmas Carol Contest!

Congrats to all the people who entered- you did a fine job indeed (Many of you only missed one carol!), but the grand prize goes to the person who got ALL the carols correct on her very FIRST try!!!!

And the winner is.......

NATURE FREAK!!!!!!!

Congratulations to you, lucky winner of the Robin's Nest Deluxe Package (valued at $35) from Olivia over at Robin Blogs.

Your own custom template includes:

1 background paper (scrolling or stable)

1 header

1 blog button

1 post divider (includes signature)

1 sidebar divider

1 "Older Posts" image
1 favicon

Custom size and layout of columns and post body

Up to 7 sidebar titles

Up to 7 framed sidebar photos

1 horizontal menu (underneath header)

So I'd say, Nature Freak, just hop on over to Robin Blogs, and email Olivia so she knows what you'll like for your design. Again, great job, and congrats! You really are a superstar for Christmas carols!

Name Struggle

When I was a young 7th grader, first creating this blog, I was obsessed, and I mean OBSESSED with the Warrior cats series. (Seriously. I signed every email I wrote 'Happy Hunting and May StarClan Light Your Path') I named my blog 'Cornet Crazie In Action' and I made my username 'Spottedstar', for my love of Warriors. Not too many blogging months passed for me and I turned this blog title to the classy, short and sweet 'Treble Clef' that it is today. I love this blog name, and really have never been tired of it. Around the time I changed this, I also changed my username to Cornet Crazie, as I was rapidly being pulled more and more into music. It's stayed like that ever since except for a very brief period when I was called 'Princess of the Instruments' (because my name means princess, and also cause I play so many instruments). 

I've loved the name Cornet Crazie for so long, and it always rang true for me. But for a little while now, that's been fading. Why? Well, maybe it's the fact I never play my cornet anymore. Last year, thankfully, my band director at the middle school, was nice enough to let me switch between trumpet and cornet, whatever I felt like playing on a particular song. So while I played mainly trumpet, my beloved cornet got good use too. This year's different. My band director has firmly put down the 'You play trumpet. TRUMPET. No playing cornet.' law, and this makes me sad. It means I never get to play my cornet. It makes me sad now to look at anything with my username on it, because it's not true anymore. I'm not feeling the 'Cornet Crazie' love.

Which brings me to the dilemma of what on earth my username should be. And that, my dear followers, is where you come in. You read my blog, see my posts and pictures, do you have any ideas for a good new username?

Party Love

*Note* the following pictures are sure to make you VERY hungry, so have a snack at the ready.

As you can see there was lots of great food to be enjoyed by all, and that's only some of it!

All my friends made it, though Hannah Marie had to leave early for one of her performances and Isabella was a tad late but it was all good fun. Us girls had a great time chilling on the couch and a little up in my room at first and then both the boys and girls teamed up outside for some pretty epic games of flashlight tag and manhunt. Isabella and XanFan's friend Ansel were really good at hiding, and Olivia and I made a good hiding and catching team. My converse didn't want to be put on fast so I slipped on my drill masters (my marching band shoes). BIG mistake. The grass was slippery and so were the shoes so I kept sliding around. Another bad thing was that when I walked on pavement or on the wooden porch they were really loud and with my menacing 'it' person stare and flashlight, it was pretty intense. After it got too cold to bear, we went inside where the party was winding down and the five of us that we left (Me, Olivia, Isabella, Lucy and Anna because Hannah had to leave) went up to hang in my room and we had a blast just chilling and laughing and stuff. Olivia was going to spend the night anyway, and Isabella ended up sleeping over too, which was very fun. We watched 'The Proposal" which is a HILARIOUS movie. It was totally awesome.

All and all it was a very good party, and I'm not happy to have to go back to school tomorrow. Thankfully, as Isabella pointed out this morning, only seven school days until Christmas break!