Softball Banquet

Banquet (May 4th) was lovely in every way. We had our last softball game and I had my senior night. I started in Varsity's game and then went down to JV's. Both teams won, and then was time to go to the banquet. We started with dinner, everyone had brought something to eat (seniors were lucky we got to bring drinks).

Coaches made their speeches for us and seniors, and I got to tell you that I will miss softball so much... Even if I was really struggling at first, and I was so ready to give up in January, this was one of the best decisions I've made here. I got new lovely friends, I got to know amazing personalities and  I learned something new. I never thought I would start a completely new sport as a almost 18-year-old. Even if I still don't know how to throw the ball correctly, I think I did something right, haha. I am just saying, it's pretty hard to go from soccer to play softball, but I loved it.

When I get told that I actually did really great this season, I am hitting the ball in varsity games and that how I have developed as a player these past few months makes me so happy. Sometimes I'm too hard to myself, but then I remember that I just started, and there I am playing with the girls, who are super good and I should be proud!

Every senior got a basket full of her favorite sweets, goodies, and a poster that other players had written a little messages. I looove these posters so much! I have couple more at home, and I am taking all them with me to Finland. After all this, seniors still got this huge, framed picture (our yearbook photo) of all of us and couple individual pics. It was coolest thing ever, I really appreciate that amount of work they did for us...

One of my best friends Emma made a lovely speech for me. There was/were always a player(s) talking one of our seniors. The people who know me well enough, know that I am very emotional (crybaby) and especially during my exchange year... I am glad they had tissues there, haha. You don't even know how happy I felt that night. Maybe middle of my exchange my mom always kept asking me ''Whose your best friends there?'' I always told her that I have many close friends. As many of you know (exchange students) in America best friend label is a little different... Anyways, right now,  I know who my best friends are, after eight months. Being without your best friends back home is really hard. So, when my ''ex'' close friends tell me I am one of their best friends during speech (or whenever!) feels incredibly good. I was always afraid to say to someone that they were my best friends because here, it's so different. But not anymore!

Tomorrow we are having a senior trip to Baltimore. I am really excited! I will take my camera with me so hopefully I'll make time to take some pictures. AND when I find time, I will put pictures from prom which was awesome!

Sad, but happy
-Ella

Life is good

I haven't posted any pictures lately, and I apologize for that. These pictures are from March and April!

 At a senators baseball game

Life

 After musical cast party (I am not in the picture)

Our family in one picture

 Seniors at the open mic night (choir that I am in)

 Bff's!! I guess we can't get good picture together

 At my surprise birthday party

My amazing 'Dairy Queen' Ice cream cake!

-Ella

April and Easter

So much happening this week and so excited! I had such a great time last weekend(27-27th of March). On friday my host family took me to ice hockey game where local team played. They lost, however it was interesting game and it was nice to spent time together. Every time I watch hockey I feel like home, it just reminds me of Finland!

Saturday. I got my nails done with my friend Amanda and her mom. When I got home, we started baking 'Slutty brownies' with my host brother. You start with the chocolate chip cookie layer, top with oreos and then you pour the brownie batter on it. SO yummy, rich, and gooey. Later that night, around 10pm Amanda and her mom came over, because her mom was going to dye my momma's hair. I wanted to get highlights and I got them! This was the first time in my life when I ''dyed'' my hair (Ella, soon-to-be-18-year-old ). And I love them, it was good choice to start with highlights, so I don't ruin my hair... We had a blast, as always, with our friends and family. It was 2:30am when they left. Can you tell we had good time?

Sunday we had my host family's cousins birthday party at Sky Zone. It was so much fun, I found my inner kiddo again!!

Easter

Easter was my last american holiday, dislike :( Anyways. Easter was more than I expected but it included a lot of family time. Our ''spring brake'' was from thursday till sunday (2-5th of April). Monday was supposed to be off, but we had one snow day in February, so we had to made it up.

On wednesday my friend had a first bonfire of the year, and it was so nice! We should have bonfire nights in Finland too. The next morning we went for a breakfast to the closest diner, I just simply love them. The first softball game was played on thursday and we won. I was realllly nervous, but I did it! Later that night my family did their first Easter tradition, egg painting. So they are real hard boiled eggs, and then you can tie dye, draw or dip them in different colors (it's dyed vinegar so you can eat them later) and it was actually really cool. I was just disappointed to myself because they didn't turn out as I wanted. Oh well, that was my first time. 

On friday I made Finnish cinnamon rolls, and buttery eye pastries (voisilmapulla) for dinner we had that same night. I doubled the recipe, sooo then I ran to grocery store because we didn't have enough flour, whoops. I went out with my friend Jordyn, because it was so nice out and we went for a hike, and the weather was hot (but I don't complain). Spring is here, or would I say summer cause 20 C is pretty warm to us Finns. 

 We had dinner with my host dad's family/siblings and their kids. One word. CRAZY. SO much kids, so loud and so much happening at the same time. But I really do like to spend time with them.

Well saturday was little bit different than I thought it would be. I had a surprise birthday party. Everybody had planned this so well! My friend Jordyn had asked me to sleepover at their house on friday evening, and the next morning we had to be home at 2:30pm. I am not the smartest, but everything makes sense now though, haha. We were supposed to go over my host mom's parents and have a Easter egg hunt. I was confused because we couldn't go home any earlier, but I really didn't care. I walked in to our house and there they were, my friends and family screaming surprise at me! I was so surprised and I started crying. Actually there is a video of it on Facebook. I am glad someone recorded my reaction, it's hilarious now :D I had a blast, I have such an amazing family and friends who made it happen. They're a blessing. So many friends and family friends showed up, and it made me so happy that they used their time to come over. I will remember this birthday forever, it just warms up my heart to even think about it...

Saturday night ended up with good friends. We went to movies and saw a scary movie called 'It follows'. Even it was a pretty bad movie it's always fun to watch horror with group of people.

On Sunday we finally had our Easter egg hunt! First we had to find our own baskets. My basket was filled with chocolate, different candy and cute water bottle. We emptied our baskets and then was the time for egg hunt. I think that's a fun tradition and I could see my kids doing it.

...And then Easter lunch. We ate it with my host mom's parents, her brother, Justin's girlfriend and host dad's dad. We had ham, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn, that is what they usually eat. Food was good and we had a great time together. Easter was definitely a fun holiday!!

Last week was busy. Three softball games and so many plans. On tuesday I had my birthday!!! finally 18! I had awesome day with lovely people. We also went to Buffalo Wild Wings (restaurant) that I have wanted to go for a long time. And the wings were so good... We were supposed to have a softball tournament on saturday, but it got cancelled because of the fields bad condition.  On saturday we had sleep over at my friends Carley's house. We had a little party for us since we had our birthday so close (Carley 9th) to each other. Just hanging out by the fire, listening to music and sharing laughs with my best friends makes me incredibly happy.

Spring season started and we got our first win! Oh how I've missed soccer! I love to play with my travel team, I really enjoy it.

I am truly sorry, but no pictures for now :( I just wanted to come and write something, I promise I'll do a blog post that includes JUST pictures.

Have a nice week everyone, already hump day!
Ps. this was older post, but I didn't have time to finish it, soooo that's why the text is little bit odd, haha.

-Ella

...Lately

New semester was about to start last thursday but we did a half day on wednesday, because it was going to snow all day. And it actually did. New semester started on friday and my new classes are Geography, Psychology, Ceramics and Econmics. English, Spanish, Chorus/Studyhall stays all year around.

Last weekend was really good, I did so many things! I had sleepover with Emily at my friends Jordyn's house. We watched movies and just spent time together. On saturday we slept late and went bowling with her family, it's always fun, even if I am really bad at it (and the last one).. We decided to go to movies that night and also (another :D) Emily joined with us. We saw ''They Boy Next Door'', and it wasn't really good movie, because of the ending. I still love this local movie theater, we should have these kind of seats back home THEY'RE SO COMFY.

I have had great week so far, and weekend started really well! On monday I went for wings with my friends to local restaurant (every monday you'll get 10 wings for 3$) and then we went for ice cream to dairy queen.  Any dairy queen lovers out there...?  My friend works there, so my friends and I got special ice creams! I really have found people I am similar with and I can definitely be myself around them. We had so much fun that night.

I spent my tuesday at home and then went to musical practice. I enjoy being there, because, well I like singing and dancing even if I am not really good at either one...  And with the best people, that's why I am always in such a good mood after our rehearsals.

On wednesday we had musical pictures after school (I was just in crew picture, but anyhow). After that,  I went to my friend Emma's house with  Erin, Carley, Lauren and Cady and we ordered chinese food. Yummm, It's always so good in here. Later that night our family went to my brothers hockey game and then we ran to Walmart to get few things.

          I already know I won't like Valentines day...         Lovely picture of Carley and Lauren

I am going to need this weekend so bad, I just want to sleep late... Tomorrow we have softball open gym, so basically you can go there and just play a little before season and "real" practices start.  We'll see how softball works for me, hopefully it's fun because I really do like team sports! Sunday is super bowl, and even if our family doesn't watch football that much, we will have friends coming over and have a little party together.

Perogies? Mozzarella sticks and boneless wings. Healthy, huh?

Sunday is February 1st and I don't want spring to come but I do want that weather though. Yesterday morning was -15 degrees.  I am finn, I hate and can't stand cold.  And äiti,  you know that I won't wear tights under my jeans. NEVER, EVER.

Have a nice and cold weekend everyone!

-Ell

First month

My 5th week starts tomorrow! There is so many things I could write about but now I just don't have time. I have 9 months left in Pennsylvania and I'll enjoy every moment. And yes I've had bad days but I knew I would. I'm just trying to remind myself that time goes reeeally fast and a year from now I'll miss this place so badly. Right now I just feel very thankful for this opportunity, being part of my American family and have my lovely friends here around me. I love you all! Next week is homecoming week and we have football game on friday & dances on saturday. After four malls we finally found a dress for me, haha. I'm so ready for tomorrow! Here is some boring iPhone pictures because I'm just too lazy to carry my Canon.

 I just love American prices and deals

 Sisters <3

First s'more

 Littlesis!

 My FIRST steak ever

 Carwash with soccer girls

 Eating with girls

 I believe that we just won.....

 EMILY IS SO CUTE

 These ladies...

Frozen Yogurt. 5 dollars? This portion? I'll take that.

-Ella

Viime viikolla...

Mä oon nyt päättänyt, etten enää kirjoita blogia suomeksi. Nää postaukset tulee olemaan tällaisia jonkun aikaa, sillä täällä on koko ajan jotain ohjelmaa. Joka kerta kun puhun tai kirjoitan suomea on mun vaikeampi taas puhua englantia, joten siksi tämä päätös. Kirjoitus ei tuu olee 10+, mutta näin saan samalla harjoitusta! Viime viikolla tapahtui taas paljon, mutta tässä nyt pientä vilausta. 

 SENIORS 2015!!! We went to watch football game in Hamburg and our school won!

 Hershey Park was amazing! Thank you.

 Soccer! 

 First slush, 1$!

 WE GOT KITTY!!! HE IS SO CUTE and small.

''Slapped ears'' or Cinnamon rolls...It was my first time but they tasted really good tho! 

Yesterday pool day with Emily and Jordyn

We celebrated my hostsisters 12th birthday on saturday. Relatives and friends came over.