I'm Julie Bunny and I'm Coming To Town!

Happy Easter, future readers!

Well, actually tomorrow is Easter Sunday, but I thought I'd get a jump on the fun! I saved up my allowance for 2 weeks to buy a bunch of chocolate Easter Bunnies!

Last night I was watching "It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown", and it gave me a groovy idea. (I hope there are still Charlie Brown TV specials in the future). Anyway, in case you don't know what it is, in the last part of the show, Snoopy (Charlie Brown's dog) delivers eggs to all of Charlie Brown's friends.  Well, I thought I could help the Easter Bunny this year by delivering chocolate bunnies to all my friends around the neighborhood! But I would have to look like a bunny, so I got out some scissors and construction paper, and got to work.

You can't be a bunny without ears! So I made myself some!

I think I did a pretty good job. I got out my purple Easter Bucket (it holds more than just a basket), and put the bunnies in it.

I was just in front of my house, when I met Stephanie, who was on her way to the store. So I gave her a chocolate bunny. She was surprised and very happy.

I walked past April and Wendy's house, and found them out on their front lawn, playing dolls.  I gave them their bunnies, and they told me how sweet I was. Awww, that was nice.

I turned the corner and kept walking. I saw Robyn in front of the candy store, about to get some gum from the gumball machine. I thought she'd rather have a chocolate bunny instead. I was right. Robyn loves anything to do with chocolate!

I went down to the playground and saw Danny riding his skateboard. I knew he'd never turn down candy. He thanked me and told me I was pretty cool, for a girl.  Haha, Thanks Danny.

I didn't see Sunny or Lisa anywhere around, so I went over to Sunny's house. She was playing Connect Four with Lisa up in her room. I gave them each a bunny. They both thought it was groovy that I was sharing goodies with them.

I had been walking a long time, and my feet were getting tired, so I went home. When I got back up to my room, I saw something sitting on my bed.

My mom poked her head in the door and told me that she was very proud of me for spending my whole allowance on my friends and giving them candy, and she decided give me an early Easter surprise! Outta site! I've said it before and I'll say it again, my mom's the grooviest!

Wherever you are, and whenever you are, I hope all of you have a really super Easter!

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

The St. Patrick's Day Party!

Hello future readers!

Erin Go Bragh! That means "Ireland Forever" in Gaelic. That's the language that Irish people speak. I hope you all had as much fun on St. Patrick's Day as I did. (If you're still celebrating it in the future!) When I told my mom that Susan and Raychel for coming for a visit, she was more than happy to help me put together a party for them! Gotta love my mom, she's outta site! She went to Woolworth's and found a whole bunch of green party stuff! Groovy! I spent all morning setting it up!

I invited all of my friends. I was really excited for my new friends like Lisa, Robyn and April, and my old friend Wendy to meet Susan and Raychel. I knew they were going to hit it off. Raychel and Susan didn't know I was throwing a party. I wanted them to be surprised! When my friends arrived, they couldn't wait to get things grooving!

Lisa passed out the hats, Sunny served the punch, and Robyn put on a record. Stephanie was at the window, looking out for Susan and Raychel.

Stephanie came over and told me she saw Raychel and Susan walking down the block towards my house! YAY! They were almost here!

Raychel walked in first. She had a dynamite tan, and looked really pretty. I almost cried as we hugged each other. I missed her so much!

Susan came in next. I really liked the green shirt she was wearing. I was so happy my friends were back in town!

I gave them each a party hat, and told them to help themselves to the goodies. Lisa and Robyn came over and introduced themselves to Susan.

Sunny took Raychel over to meet Wendy and April. Raychel loved that they were almost dressed like twins!

Danny was really happy to see Susan and Raychel, but especially Raychel. They both love old horror movies and could spend hours talking about them.

Well, we ate, danced, sang and told funny stories until it was time to go home. Susan and Raychel couldn't stay. They both have other relatives here in Springfield they wanted to visit before they left town again. It was so hard to say good-bye all over again. (sigh) But this time, it was easier, because I know they'll be back soon, and I do have my other friends to hang out with. Before Susan and Raychel left, my mom wanted to get a group picture with all of us in our funny hats.

We looked like a bunch of leprechauns! Even though I hated to see my friends go away again, it was still super having them back here, even if only for one day. I had a really nice time at my party and I know all of my friends did, too! I hope you had a great St. Patrick's Day and great friends to celebrate with!

Until next time, future readers!
Your Friend,
Julie Newman

Jennifer is driving me BANANAS!

Hello future readers!

In the continuing story of "Jennifer Bugs Julie", (I sound like one of my mom's soap operas!), here's what happened in school on Monday.

First of all, I can thank my lucky stars that Jennifer is NOT in my class! She's in Mrs. Alden's class down the hall. Even though that's good news for me, I kinda feel sorry for Robyn, April and Wendy. Maybe Jennifer doesn't get on their nerves. Anyway, that means that I'll only see her on the playground, at lunch, weekly assembly, and gym class on Fridays.

At our school, every grade has its own table in the lunchroom. We were all sitting at the 4th grade table, eating, talking and seeing who had what for lunch.

Then Jennifer comes over and announces that she'll only eat lunch with Lisa and Robyn 'cos they have hot lunches. She said at her old school only babies brought their lunch from home, and the cool kids bought hot lunches with hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza.

 

Was she kidding? Over half the kids in our school brought their lunches from home. I'd love to see Jennifer walk up to some 6th grader and call them a baby! She'd get creamed!

 

After lunch, we were out on the playground playing winners at tether ball.

 

 

 

I played Lisa and I won, so I had to play the next person in line. It was Jennifer. I told her that we play "palmies" and "punchies" but no "ropies". (she could punch it or smack it, but no grabbing the rope!) She agreed, and I served the ball.

 

 

 

 

I was surprised she was actually playing by the rules. Anyway, I was winning. I wrapped the rope around the pole 3 times. Then all of a sudden, Jennifer grabbed the rope, threw the ball as hard as she could around the pole and it hit me right in the mouth!

She said she was sorry, but she was so used to playing that way at her old school, that she just did it out of habit. I'll bet! More like she couldn't stand losing. She did that on purpose, I just know it. Lisa went with me to the nurse's office to get some ice. Man, if Jennifer likes her old school so much, I sure wish she'd go back there!

Later that day, I got a pass to go to the bathroom. Just as I was coming outta the stall, there was Jennifer. Is there no escape?

She said hi to me, but I just ignored her and washed my hands. Then she started bragging about how her dad was going to take her skiing for St. Patrick's Day weekend.

I knew the reason she was telling me this was because somehow she found out my dad died before I was even born. Wow, what kind of a creep do you have to be to sink so low?

When I got home after school, I fixed myself some Jiffy Pop, and went to my room. I was so happy to be  away from Jennifer, and I just needed to relax.

Then I looked and saw something on my bed propped up against the pillows.

It was a letter from Raychel! I tore it opened and started to read.

Outta site! It said that she and Susan were coming to Springfield for St. Patrick's Day weekend!

Far out! I'm gonna ask my mom if I can throw a special St. Patty's Day party to welcome them back! I'm sure she'll say yes. And you know what the best part is? Jennifer is going skiing with her dad and won't be around to ruin it! What a groovy ending to a rotten day!

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

The New Girl

Hello future readers,

On Saturday, it was a super groovy day outside, so after the cartoons were over, I grabbed my jump rope and headed for the playground. All of my friends were already there. Wendy and her sister April were playing hopscotch.

Danny was playing basketball, Sunny was riding her skateboard and Lisa was roller skating.

 

 

 

 

Robyn and Stephanie were playing a game of tether ball.

 

 

 

Sunny saw me and came over to say hello. Then she went off to ride her skateboard some more. She's really good . She can do all kinds of tricks and gives Danny a run for his money. I'm lucky if I stay on the board without landing flat on my face. I'll stick to jump rope.

 

 

 

I was just about to start jumping when I noticed there was a new girl sitting up on the slide all by herself.  I went over to introduce myself.

 

 

 

 

 

She told me her name was Jennifer and she just moved here from Indiana. I invited her to come and play with us. I wanted to see if I could break my record at "Hot Pepper". That's when you jump rope super fast. I can go 15 seconds without messing up. I wanted to see if I could make it to 20 seconds.

 

 

I did it! I got to 20 seconds without messing up. Jennifer wanted a turn. She said she was the best "Hot Pepper" jumper at her old school. So I handed her my rope.

 

 

Jennifer got up to 30 seconds. I was just about to tell her how groovy that was, when she shoved the rope back at me and said, "That's how it's done." I'll admit she was good, but did she have to be so snotty about it?

Danny came over and asked if we wanted to play tag. We all put our feet in to see who was it, and it was Danny. He chased Jennifer and just missed her.

He came after me and tagged me, so then I was it. I chased Jennifer and touched her hair. I tagged her!

She told me she didn't feel it, so it didn't count. I told her that the way we play, is that if whoever is it touches anything on you; your hair, the hood of your jacket, your sleeve, then you're it. She said that they didn't play it that way at her old school so she wasn't it. I reminded her that she wasn't at her old school. Stephanie said it was no big deal and that she would be it. I didn't think that was fair.

When we were all tired of running, Jennifer bought ice-cream and sodas for everyone at the snack bar.

Wait...first she's mean to me, then she cheats at tag and now she wants to make up for it by bribing everybody? I just couldn't dig that. I told her I didn't want any.

She just said "Oh well, your loss." I didn't want to be around her anymore, so I went home. As I walked, I wondered whose class she would be in at school. I think she's the same age as the rest of us, and that means she'd be in one of the two 4th grade classes. I was really hoping she wouldn't end up in Miss LaSalle's class. I'm a pretty nice person, and can usually get along with anybody, but I had a sinking feeling that I wasn't going to get along so well with Jennifer. I'll see what happens at school next week.

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