Our Easter Compositions

Hello future readers,

Once a week, Miss LaSalle gives us composition homework. Sometimes it's a drag, but other times it's fun because we get to use our imaginations and write stories about stuff we like. Last Tuesday, Miss LaSalle said we could make up stories about the Easter Bunny! So after dinner that night, I sat at the kitchen table and thought about what I should write.

I decided to write about what the Easter Bunny does to get ready for his favorite holiday.

It took almost half an hour, but I think I did I pretty good job. Man, did all that writing make me hungry. I got some granola bars and milk before finishing the rest of my homework. After all, the brain needs food too!

The next day at school, after silent reading period, Miss LaSalle told us to put our books away and take out our compositions because we were going to read them out loud to the class. Some of the kids groaned. I actually think reading out loud is kinda groovy. Miss LaSalle says that public speaking is good for us and prepares us for giving speeches in high school, or when we grow up and have to give presentations to our bosses and stuff like that. I don't know about those things, I just like reading out loud.

First up was Jennifer. Her story was about how the Easter Bunny wished for one Easter, he could be a boy and get Easter goodies, instead of always having to make them. It was a pretty cool story.

Wendy was next. She wrote about how the Easter Bunny was tired of giving eggs and wanted to give everyone pickles instead. It was pretty funny! We were all cracking up Even Miss LaSalle laughed!

Then it was Sunny's turn. In her story, the Easter Bunny had a magic stone that let him be invisible, so he could bring all the kids their goodies without being seen. Only this year he lost it, and this little girl saw him. I really liked her story. So did the other kids.

When it was Kim's turn, she read about how the Easter Bunny in her story not only gave out eggs, but chickens to the people in poor countries, so they'd always have eggs to eat and they wouldn't starve. Outta site! Kim always thinks of other people.

Then it was my turn. Everyone else's stories were so creative and far out, and I thought my story was kinda corny. Anyway, I wrote how the Easter Bunny lived on the island of Fluff and was getting ready for Easter, but there was a storm, and it blew all the eggs off the egg trees and he was worried there wasn't gonna be enough eggs for Easter. But then he found a magic chicken who could lay 100 eggs at a time. So the Easter Bunny had enough eggs and didn't have to plant egg trees anymore.  Miss LaSalle said it was very creative, and the kids clapped when I was done, so I guess it was a good story after all!

Jason was next. In his story, the Easter Bunny was an alien from another planet, and wanted to come to Earth to share his planet's eggs with the people of Earth. But the President thought he was a scout for an invasion force and had the army capture him. It was a good story, but I think Jason has been reading too many comic books, or watches too many science fiction movies on TV.

Cheryl's story was really nice. She said that the Easter Bunny had the power of the rainbow in him, and that's how he colors eggs, but he visited a land with no color and no happiness so he shared the power of the rainbow with them so they could be happy.

Last but not least, was Melody. In her story, every year a new bunny won the honor of being the Easter Bunny by winning the Bunny Olympics! The one who could hop the farthest, wiggle his ears the longest and twitch his nose the fastest got to be the Easter Bunny. It was a really cute story.

When  we were finished, Miss LaSalle said how proud she was of all of us for writing such creative and entertaining stories. Do kids still have to write compositions in the future? Maybe you don't even have to write it, but just tell a machine what you want to say! I guess that would save a lot of time.  This is the last week of school before Easter vacation. If you're off from school, I hope you have a groovy vacation.

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

More Easy Bake Oven Fun for St. Patrick's Day

Hello future readers,

On St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to have another party at my house, but my mom said she didn't think that would be a good idea, since my ankle was still healing up. But she did say I could invite a couple of friends over, and we could use my Easy Bake Oven. All right! So after school, I got out the stuff we would need.

I invited Shante' and Raychel over. Shante' told me she's been wanted an Easy Bake Oven for a long time, and that I was so lucky to have one. Raychel agreed.

I let Shante's mix the cake batter. And since it was St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be fun to add some green food coloring to the cake mix. Food coloring makes some food look really far out! I went to a party once and the girl had a blue cake!

Wow! Green cake batter! Danny and Jason would probably call it slime cake! Raychel poured the batter into one of the cake pans, and put it in the oven.  Shante' and I watched it bake.

I found a box of white frosting mix I forgot I had, and mixed up some vanilla frosting.  When  the cake came out and cooled down for a few minutes, Raychel put the frosting on.

We cut the cake into 3 (sorta) even pieces. It tasted really good, but Easy Bake Oven cakes are awfully small, and we didn't get very much. I didn't have any more mixes, (gotta start saving my allowance again!) so we were still hungry.

We had been so busy making the cake, we didn't see that my mom had put some stuff on the kitchen table.

Outta site! There was a plate of Shamrock cookies, 3 leprechaun party hats and some cups. Far out! It was party time!

Gotta love my mom. She had this surprise planned all along! She knew I only had one cake mix left and that it really wouldn't be enough for 3 people! So we put on the party hats and helped ourselves to the shamrock cookies. Then Mom filled our cups with green stuff. What was this? I took a sip. It was 7-UP soda with green food coloring in it! Haha! I guess my mom and I think alike. Food coloring does make food (and drinks) look groovy!

I hope all of you had a Happy St. Patrick's Day! Even though I didn't have a big party, my friends and I had a dynamite day!

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

What Happened in Gym Class

Hello future readers,

Every Friday at school, we have Gym class at 10 a.m.. Sometimes Gym class is really a drag, because I really don't like regular sports games that much, and we have to play basketball or volleyball. But sometimes, it's pretty fun, 'cos we get to have relay races, play dodge ball, or do tumbling like we did this past Friday. Miss LaSalle's class gathered around the mats, so we all get a turn to do cartwheels. Cheryl was first.

Far out! She's pretty good at this. Jennifer was next.

Yay! Good job, Jennifer! Then it was Jason's turn.

Even though Jason's good at tumbling, he'd rather be playing basketball. I was next.

I can do cartwheels OK, but I'm better at somersaults. I drive my mom crazy turning somersaults on the couch and on my bed!

Only I guess I didn't land the way I was supposed to, because I turned my left ankle and fell down on top of it! Ouch! All the kids gathered around me and kept asking questions like "Are you OK, Julie?", "Did you hurt yourself?",  and "What happened?"

My ankle felt like it was on fire! Melody helped me up and took me to the school nurse's office.

The school nurse checked my ankle. She told me it wasn't broken, and it wasn't even sprained, I just twisted it and made it sore. She wrapped my ankle, and called my mother to come pick me up. I had to stay off my feet all weekend, put ice on my ankle and keep it elevated. And on Monday at school, I can't run around at recess so my ankle won't get sore again.. *sigh* Man, all weekend in bed or on the couch! What a bummer! Mom took me home, put me to bed, put ice on my ankle, and gave me hot dogs for lunch.

Since this happened in the morning, it would be a few more hours before my friends came home from school, so I did my best to keep from being bored. I didn't even bother watching television, because at that time of day, there wasn't anything on but game shows, cooking programs, and soap operas. So I colored in my coloring book, read magazines, and listened to my radio. Would 3 o'clock ever come?

Finally school was out, and Kim and Jennifer came over to see me. All right!

We rapped and played some records. They told me the other kids all felt bad I got hurt, and they all missed me at lunch and recess. Aww...that was nice to hear. Some of the other kids were gonna stop by this weekend so I wouldn't get lonely and bored. I've got some really groovy friends.

So that's how I spent my weekend, future readers. Is there still gym class in the future?  Some of my friends think that kids in the future play basketball with rockets strapped to their backs. But I think the fire from the rockets would burn their tushies! Hahaha!

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

Let's All Go To The Movies

Hello future readers,

On Saturday afternoon, Cheryl and I went to the movies. We had a super time!

Since our town of Springfield is so small, we only have one drive-in theatre, and one movie house. Our movie house is really small and only features one movie at a time.

 We usually get our movies after all the bigger towns have already seen them. Sometimes, they have older movies, because it takes so long for them to get shown on television. It's cheaper to get into the older movies, which is why we had enough money to go! We were in luck, 'cos they were playing "The Revenge Of Dr. E. !" Outta site! I've been wanting to see that one since right before Christmas!

As we walked up to the movie house, we saw Susan and Raychel waiting for us.

They were super excited, because not only were we finally gonna get to see this movie, but today it was in 3-D! Far out! To watch a 3-D movie, you have to wear special glasses they give you in the theatre. They make things look like they're jumping right out at you! I've only seen one other 3-D movie when I went to my cousin's house 2 years ago. It was super cool! I took a look at the poster for "Dr. E.". Man, is he ever creepy looking!

Well we got our tickets, got some snacks, and went inside. Danny and Jason were already there. I figured as much. They've been talking about this movie ever since they showed the trailers  on T.V. last December

I was so excited, I almost forgot to get my 3-D glasses! Anyway, after we were all settled, the usher told us to put on our 3-D glasses. He also said that if we had to get up to go to the bathroom, that we should take them off, because wearing them when you're not watching the movie can make you dizzy.

Here are some scenes from "The Revenge of Dr. E.!"

Wow, was it ever a terrific movie! It was all about this lady scientist who gives some secret plans to Captain Amazing for safe keeping. And then Dr. E. kidnaps her! He radios Captain Amazing to come to his lair and give him the plans or he'll feed the scientist to his man-eating tiger! Then Captain Amazing and Dr. E. have this showdown and Captain Amazing zaps Dr. E. and his tiger with his sleep gun and rescues the scientist! When it came to the part where the lady scientist gives Captain Amazing a kiss to thank him, Danny and Jason started booing! Those turkeys!

I love going to the movies. Cheryl doesn't think they are any more movie theatres in the future. She thinks it'll be like on "The Jetsons" and a movie screen will come down from the ceiling in your living room and you can watch at home. I like watching T.V. at home, but there's just something special about going to the movies; sitting in the dark watching that great big screen, eating popcorn and candy with a crowd of other people. And when a really good part comes on, everyone claps and cheers. You can't get that at home. I hope Cheryl's wrong and there are movie theatres in the future. It's a groovy way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

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