Sleeping Over at Wendy and April's House

Hello future readers!

Last night, I spent the night at April and Wendy's house. It had been a while since I slept over, and I wanted to hang out with the sisters before we all started getting really busy with Christmas.

I love how they sometimes dress like twins. I asked them about it once. Wendy told me that it was really hard on her the 6 months they were apart because of April's car accident. She thought her sister would never walk again! When they came back to Springfield last Christmas, they were as close as 2 sisters could be! Even though April is a year older (and got held back because she missed so much school), they felt like twins, so they decided that sometimes, (but not always) they should dress like twins! Gosh they're lucky...sometimes I wish I had a sister.

Anyway, we sat around for awhile, rapping, eating Jiffy Pop and drinking Kool-Aid. We talked about what we wanted for Christmas. I want a new radio. Wendy wants a new doll, and April wants to meet her favorite TV star, Michael Gray. He plays Billy Batson on the Saturday morning TV show, "Shazam!". April thinks he's the dreamiest thing on 2 legs. I think he's cute, but not as cute as David Cassidy! Hahaha! Wendy and I both told her that there was no way she was gonna get Michael Gray under the tree with a big ribbon tied around his neck! Hee! April told us that she really wanted a make-up set.

Then Wendy wanted to play dolls. She and April have extra doll clothes for their Holly Hobbie dolls. Their favorite show is "Little House On the Prairie". Wendy always wants to be Laura, because she always wears her hair in pigtails just like Laura does on T.V.

After we finished playing dolls, I pulled my "Operation" game out of my bag. April loves that game. And she beat me and Wendy too! She only got buzzed once!

It was getting kinda late, so we got ready for bed. Right after we got our pajamas on, Wendy grabbed her pillow from her bed, and gave April a funny look. April grabbed her pillow too, and they both started coming towards me. Two against one! Hey! That's no fair!

They clobbered me! But it was fun, anyway. But I guess we got kinda carried away, 'cos the girls' mom came upstairs and told us to knock it off and go to bed. April got her book "Ramona The Pest" and read Wendy and me a bedtime story. I've heard some kids in our class say that they're too old for bedtime stories. Not me! I love to sit with my mom in her big, comfy chair and have her read to me.  I think it will be a sad day when I get too old for that!

After a couple of chapters, we decided to call it a night and go to bed. I really had a groovy time. I love having slumber parties with my friends. I wonder if kids to have sleepovers in the future? I'll bet all you have to do is get in your transporter and beam over to your friend's planet if you wanted to, like on "Star Trek".  I bet that would be fun!

Until next time, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

Thanksgiving was Far Out!

Hello future readers!

I know this is a late entry, but the holidays are always so busy! It was super groovy having Kim stay with us; almost like having a sister. We got up early on Thanksgiving morning. My mom made a big breakfast and we watched the parade. Kim's favorite balloon was Mickey Mouse. Mine was Tom Turkey. After the parade, we helped Mom fix dinner. Kim was in charge of the green beans, I was in charge of the mashed potatoes. It all smelled so good while it was cooking, it was so hard to wait. Then, finally my mom said it was time to get dressed. Kim and I were so excited when we set the kids' table.

We helped my mom bring all the food out. There was turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. It all looked so yummy!

I had just put the cranberry sauce on the table when the doorbell rang.  The girls all came over together; Cheryl, Jennifer, Lisa, Stephanie and Melody.

I was kinda sad that all of my friends couldn't come over, but Danny, Sunny, Susan, Raychel, Robyn, April and Wendy all had other plans with their families. Besides, my mom said it would be too hard to cook dinner for all those people! My Uncle Richard blessed the food, and Kim's dad, Jeff carved the turkey. Then at last it was time to EAT! All of the food was delicious!

Later it was time for dessert. We never have just one thing like pie at our house. This year we had pie, and ice-cream, Jell-O, and cake.

After we finished our dessert, all us kids decided to play Charades. It was so much fun! Cheryl gives really good clues. Do people still play Charades in the future?

I guess we were having too much fun, because my mom said we all needed to calm down and watch television for awhile. That was OK, because "The Walton's Homecoming" was on. We all like that one. Melody thinks "John-Boy" is cute! Hahaha!

We were all having such a good time, I didn't want it to end. But everyone had to go home, including Kim.  Her parents had gotten all the big things unpacked , and Kim could sleep in her own bed in her new house. I was happy for her, but sad for me, because I was gonna miss her sleeping in my room. But hey, that's what slumber parties are for! Anyway, it was a really dynamite holiday. I hope yours was just as groovy.

Until next time future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

A New Old Friend

Hello future readers,

This past Sunday, we had some company over for dinner. My mom's old high school friend Carla Pierce, her husband Jeff and their daughter Kim came over. Kim is my age. They just moved to Springfield from New York City. My mom told them that Springfield is a great place to raise kids. Kim was adopted from a Vietnam orphanage when she was just a year old. Right after she came to the United States, my mom took me (when I was a year old) to New York City to visit them. She said Kim and I played together, took a bath together, and tried to share a bottle together, but I don't remember any of that. Neither did Kim. But since our parents are friends, they thought it would be great if we were friends, too. That's alright with me, if it's alright with Kim.

When dinner was ready, the grown-ups went into the dining room to talk about grown-up stuff, while Kim and I ate our dinner in the kitchen. We had spaghetti with meatballs and garlic bread. My favorite! Yummy!

While we ate, Kim and I talked about what life was like in New York City, and what was different here in Springfield. She said she'd miss her friends, her old school, Central Park, the museums, the Hayden Planetarium, and going to see Santa at Macy's. But she wouldn't miss the pollution, the crime, and living in a tiny apartment. I told her that since Springfield is a small town, you could go all over the place  by yourself, and your parents would know you were safe. She thought that was pretty groovy!

We had strawberry ice-cream and sugar cookies for dessert. I told Kim about school, Miss LaSalle, and who my friends were. She said they sounded really far out!

After dinner, we went to my room to play. Kim loved it! She said my room was much bigger than her old one in New York. As soon as she sat down, Boomer jumped on her lap. He just loves it when company comes over. She stroked his fur and scratched his ears. Kim said they didn't allow pets in her building in New York. I just knew she was gonna love it here!

I took out a couple of my Barbies and we played for awhile. Kim can make up the funniest voices! She made her doll sound like Natasha from the Bullwinkle cartoon, and did a funny southern accent too! I was laughing so hard, I cried!

Then I got out my record player and records. She loved my record collection. All of her stuff was still packed, but we had some of the same records. She really likes Foster Sylvers, and The DeFranco Family. It was gonna be outta site swapping records with her! We were dancing all around my room! It was so much fun!

Kim told me her mom was going to register her for school right after the Thanksgiving holiday. I hoped she'd be in my class. My mom said Kim would be staying with us for awhile until her parents got most of the big things unpacked, and that her family would spend Thanksgiving with us! As JJ on "Good Times" says, "DYN-O-MITE!!" ( Good Times is a TV show). I knew my mom invited some of my friends who would be in town over, and I couldn't wait for Kim to meet them! This was really gonna be a groovy holiday!

Until next time, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

Snail Hopscotch

Hello future readers,

Even though it's November, it's been really warm here in Springfield, almost like Springtime! On Saturday, I decided to try playing a new way to play Hopscotch that I saw in a "Zoom" book I checked out of the school library. "Zoom" is one of my favorite television shows. It has kids in it, doing all kinds of groovy things like songs, games, cooking, and kids can even send things in! I sent in a poem once, but I don't think they got it. I guess lotsa kids send stuff in. Anyway, when I saw this book, it had a bunch of outta site things in it, just like the show, and one of them is "Snail Hopscotch". I got out my chalk and started to draw a snail on the sidewalk.

It's not easy to draw a good snail for hopscotch. Some of the boxes come out bigger than others, but I did my best. I thought it came out pretty good.

Here's how you play: You draw a snail as big as you want and add lines to make boxes. One every third space you write the word "rest". The object is to hop on one foot all the way around the snail and back again without touching the lines. You can put both feet down on the "rest" boxes. If you make it, you can write your name in any box you want. That becomes your own rest spot. Only you can use it. If you don't make it and touch a line, then your turn is over. Whoever has their name the most times on the snail is the winner.

Just as I finished, I saw Susan coming down the block.

Of course she wanted to know what I was doing. After I told her and explained the rules, I asked her if she wanted to play. I knew she would. Susan is a really good hopscotch player, but this was something different. I let her go first.

She made it all the way around the snail and back, so she picked a box and wrote her name.

Then it was my turn. I found out that it wasn't as easy as it looked. I was glad for those rest spaces!

*whew!* I made it! Now I could write my name in a box.

We kept on playing like that for awhile, it was really fun!

I messed up a few times. Susan got her name on the snail more times than I did, so she was the winner.

I wasn't surprised. I told you, she's a pretty good hopscotch player. Even though I didn't win, I still had a groovy time. It's fun playing new games. But I'm gonna practice, so I can get better and win!

Do kids still play hopscotch in the future? If you do, maybe you can try playing "Snail Hopscotch" with some of your friends. Have fun!

Until next time, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman