The 4th of July Camping Trip!

Hello future readers!

Happy Independence Day!

This has been a super holiday! Raychel invited me, Susan and Robyn to go on a camping trip on the 4th of July! Isn't that groovy! Raychel's older brother Randy had the flu (man is that ever a drag in the summer!), so he stayed home with their mom, while Raychel's dad drove us out to the woods just outside of Springfield to go camping. We unpacked the car and set up our tents.

Raychel's dad set up his tent a little ways away from us. After we finished setting up, we were deciding what to do next.

It was starting to get dark, so Robyn wanted to go hunt for fireflies. Outta site!

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna stay here and get stuff ready for dinner."

I knew the real reason Susan didn't want to come with us; she isn't too crazy about bugs.

"OK Susan, we'll see ya in a little while."

 After Mr. Shaunessy warned us not to get lost, we walked down the trail where we could see little flickering lights in the bushes and plants.

"What are we gonna put the fireflies in once we catch'em?" Raychel wanted to know.
"I brought my bug jar." Robyn told her. "Let's start looking."

"Hey here's one!" I yelled.

"I found another one!", Robyn called out.

"I got one too!" Raychel said.

We put them all in Robyn's bug jar. They were so pretty shining all together.

Raychel's stomach started growling, so we headed back to the campsite. Susan found the hot dogs Mr. Shaunessy packed, so we put them on sticks (I think they're called skewers) and roasted them over the fire.

Far out! This reminds me of our backpacking trip at Camp Echo Hill a few years ago. Only the boys aren't here to ruin it with their dumb ole ghost stories!

I don't know why, but hot dogs always taste better with cherry Kool-Aid. It just tastes like summer, yknow? But when you're camping, you gotta call it "bug juice". Suddenly Raychel says,
"I ONE the hot dog."
Susan was next. "I TWO the hot dog."

Followed by Robyn. "I THREE the hot dog."
My turn. "I FOUR the hot dog.

"I FIVE the hot dog."
"I SIX the hot dog."
"I SEVEN the hot dog."
"I EIGHT the hot dog."
Everyone looked at me and said "You ate the hot dog?"
"Yep and it was good too!", I answered and put the last bite in my mouth. HAHAHA! Then Susan grabbed the bag of marshmallows. "Who wants to toast some?"

YAY! What's a camping trip without toasting marshmallows? I like mine really burnt. That makes it super gooey on the inside. I ate 2 of them before we made S'mores.

As we were eating out S'mores we could all hear the sound of frogs and crickets. So I started singing:

"Jeremiah was a bullfrog, (the others joined in)
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine."

"Singing Joy to the World
All the boys and girls, now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me!"

Raychel's dad said it was almost time for the fireworks to start. The rangers were gonna shoot off fireworks over the lake and we were gonna be able to see them from our campsite! All right!  He gave us sparkler sticks and said he could walk around waving them, just to be careful of the fire pit.

The fireworks were super groovy! The shot off so big, you could almost reach out and touch them! But it was getting late and we were bushed. So all of us hit the sack in our tents. It was a dynamite holiday. I hope yours was just as groovy!

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

The Springfield Elementary School Talent Show!

Hello future readers,

Well, school's almost out for the summer! Last Wednesday we had our last assembly for the school year, and we had a talent show! It was super outta site! We had lots of acts and lots of fun! Robyn and I peeked through the curtain and saw all the kids sitting and waiting for assembly to begin.

After the 6th graders finished Color Guard, Mrs. Taylor came on stage and gave the usual announcements, and reminded all of to have our desks cleaned out by next Monday. And then she announced the first act.

"Presenting Cheryl Castlebury playing "Fiddle In The Sky" on her violin."

She was really far out! I was surprised she knew how to play such an upbeat popular song. Normally, Cheryl's mom only wants her to play classical music. Right on, Cheryl! The next act was Bridget doing a ballet routine to some classical piano music.

Wow, she was really good too! I guess all those lessons at the Community Center paid off! After Bridget, Kyle and Marc gave a karate demonstration to the song "Kung Fu Fighting".

Dynamite! I know Jason really liked that act with all the "Hi-yahs", and kicks and body throws like in those Kung Fu movies on television. Then Mrs. Taylor announced the Baton Club!

"Presenting the Springfield Elementary Baton Club featuring Julie Newman, Robyn Brooks and Jennifer Murray!"

We came out on stage and did routines to "Walking In  Rhythm" by The Blackbyrds,  and "Doctor's Orders" by Carol Douglas.

I could tell Mrs. Taylor was proud of us, 'cos she clapped really hard!  Everyone was ready for the last act, 'cos it was Danny's group, "Loud and Proud"!

They sang "You Got the Sunshine" by The Partridge Family, ("Yahoo!), and "A Horse With No Name" by America. They were fantastic! Almost like a real band! And they weren't even playing with a record!

And that was our talent show! All of the acts were just super. We all had a lot of fun. School's out next Wednesday,  so my next entry will be during summer vacation!

Until then, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman