Hanging Out With Kevin and C.J.

Hello future readers,

So today, Vivienne and I were cleaning up the kitchen after breakfast (pancakes, YUM!), when Kevin calls. He told Vivienne that him and C.J. wanted us to check out their room and see all the neat stuff the guys from Springfield sent them, (Danny, Jason, Kyle and Marc are pen pals with Kevin and C.J.) and could we come over in half an hour? Sure, why not? So Vivienne let me ride her new bike and she rode her scooter over to their house. We agreed to switch on the way back

 "So why do you think the boys wanna show us their room?", I wondered.
 "Probably to brag", Vivienne began. "I think Kevin's a little jealous since you're always coming to see me and Danny and the guys can't come to visit. Betta says Kevin and C.J. are always getting packages from your friends, so they probably just wanna show off. You know how boys are."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, everything always has to be a competition. Boys!"

 "My mom also thinks Kevin likes you a little", Vivienne told me. I looked at her in shock and almost ran into her! "Hey Julie, watch it!"
 "Oops sorry, Viv." Then I said, "Likes me? No way! With all the dumb jokes he's always playing on me?"
 "My mom says boys do dopey stuff like that when they like a girl, 'cos they're too young to know how to be all lovey dovey."
 "I like your mom, Vivienne, but I think she's wrong. That turkey just gets a kick out of making me look dumb."
 "You're probably right, Julie."

So we get to their house. Betta and Little G are out shopping with their mom, and their dad is out working on something in the garage. So we went upstairs to their room.

It looked like a regular boys room, (I guess.). They had superheroes lamps, bedspreads and posters. There were cars and balls, and action guys all over the place. Just the kind of place where a boy would be happy. They also had some school pictures of the guys from Springfield on the walls.

I guess that's OK. Vivienne has one of my school pictures on her night stand. Kevin showed us the toy box full of Hot Wheels stuff, and the comic book box. The guys had sent them that stuff.

Vivienne sat down on C.J.'s bed and their dog Barkley jumped up on her..

"Barkley, you bad dog", C.J. scolded.  "You know you're not allowed on our beds! Get down!"

Barkley didn't budge. So C.J. yelled, "Barkley , DOWN!!"

Barkley jumped down and started whining. He sounded just like Boomer whenever I scold him.

 I don't ever think I've ever heard C.J. yell before. Last year, Kevin had him so whipped he hardly said 2 words when Kevin was around. I guess he's finally wearing his "Big Boy Pants". Right on, C.J.!

"Hey Vivienne, wanna see my action figures?", C.J. asked her.
"OK", she answered.
C.J. pulled out Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. I only know that 'cos Kyle has the same guys. I wonder if the guys in Springfield sent those too?

Then Kevin said to me, "Hey Julie, did you know I put a snake in Danny's bunk when I was at camp with you guys?"
"You did? Danny Never told me that."
"Probably because he was embarrassed he screamed like a girl when he saw it!"
I laughed at that. "Speaking of screaming like a girl---"
Kevin held up his hand. "Please don't remind me!"
HA!

"Remember the talent show, Kevin? You were pretty good on your guitar, and didn't even need a tape player."
"Yeah, you girls weren't too bad with your batons either. Oh hey! Danny told me his band played "A Horse With No Name", by America. That's one of my favorite songs! I've been practicing. Check me out..."

Kevin grabbed his guitar and played that song. (And don't tell Danny I said this, but I think Kevin was actually better!)

When Kevin was finished playing,  Kevin jumped up and pulled some toy ray guns off of his shelf and handed them to me and Vivienne.
"Hey girls, wanna play Space Rangers? Me and C.J. will even be the bad guys."

"Nah...we'd better be getting home for lunch", Vivienne told the boys.  "Thanks for showing us around your room, guys."
"Yeah thanks", I said. "You have a pretty cool room...well cool for boys, anyway. See you guys later."

Then Vivienne and I rode back to her house..
"So what were you and Kevin talking about when  I was playing with C.J.?"
"We were just remembering about when we went to camp, why?"
"Oh no reason. I just thought he might be asking you out for a date!" Vivienne busted out laughing!
"Vivienne Walton! If you tease me anymore about Kevin, I'm gonna pour cold water on your head when you're sleeping!"
"Calm down  I was just kdding, Julie. But you're right, I shouldn't tease you. I guess I just wanted to see what you'd say."
"I say Kevin Fleagle is a turkey!", I laughed.
"Come on, I'll race you back to my house", Vivienne said as she took off.
"When you're on a bike? No fair! Hey! Vivienne come back!" (Gotta go now future readers!)
"Come on Vivienne, wait up, will ya?"

Until tomorrow,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

Quilt Making and Paper Dolls

Hello future readers!

This morning after Vivienne and I got dressed, I was helping make her bed. I really like the bedspread on it and asked her where she got it.

"My mom made it", she explained. "Only it's not called a bedspread, it's a quilt. You make it by sewing little squares of fabric together."
"Oh OK."

We really hadn't made any plans for the day yet. We were just hanging out in the living room. Vivienne was playing the piano.

I was laying on the couch, when I spotted a book in a basket about quilting.

Hmmm....I've never tried sewing before. I wondered if I could make a quilt too. Maybe not a big one like on Vivienne's bed, but maybe a doll quilt for Lucy, My Real Baby doll. Mrs. Walton came into the room looking for her glasses.

"Mrs. Walton, does it take a long time to sew a doll quilt?", I asked her.
"No Julie, if you have the right amount of squares. Why do you ask, honey?"
"Well, I was wondering...could you maybe teach me to make one?"
She smiled. "Sure Julie, I'd be glad to teach you. Just let me find my glasses and we'll get started."

She found her glasses and took me to the sewing room/laundry room.

Groovy! There was even a dressmaker dummy standing by the washer. My mom doesn't even own a sewing machine. This was gonna be fun! We found some extra quilt squares in a basket. I looked over her shoulder as she showed me how to work the needle on the machine, and how to sew the squares together.

That looked easy enough. So I sat down to try it myself.

I messed up a couple of time, because I pushed the cloth through too fast and jammed up the machine, but Mrs. Walton showed me the right way to gently push the cloth through slowly, and soon I could do it without jamming up the machine.

After a while, Vivienne came in to see how I was doing. I was almost finished!

Far out! Only a few more squares and I'd be done.

Finished at last! I held it up to show Vivienne.  "What do you think?"

"It's super!" Vivienne told me. "Lucy will love it!"
"Thanks! Will my mom ever be surprised I sewed something all by myself!"
"Hey, do you wanna cut out our paper dolls now?"
"OK, sure."
Mrs. Walton was vacuuming in the living room so we took everything out to the sun  porch.

"I've got mine cut out", Vivienne said.

"Me too!", I answered.

"Hi Charlotte!"
"Hi Karen!" *giggle*
We pretended Charlotte and Karen were fashion models and wore all the new outfits we made for them on the runway.

:"My, my, such busy little bees you are out here", Mrs. Walton said as she came out to the sun porch. "I thought you girls might like a treat." She held up 2 chocolate ice-cream bars. All right!  We thanked Vivienne's mom, and I started to take a bite from mine when Vivienne stopped me.
"Wait don't bite it yet."
"Why not?", I asked.
Vivienne stood up and said in her best grown-up voice, "I'd like to propose a toast."
"With ice-cream bars?", I giggled.
"Sure why not? I like to propose a toast to Vivienne and Julie, the 2 best friends on Planet Earth!"
"Cheers!" (it's a little hard to clink 2 ice-cream bars together.)

We ate our ice-cream bars, cleaned up all the scraps, and took our paper dolls up to Vivienne's room. Then suddenly she got a brainstorm.
"Hey Julie, what's the one thing we forgot to make for Karen and Charlotte?"
"Uh...boyfriends?"
"No, a house, silly." She got out a large piece of oak tag and started drawing a chair and a bed.
"If we fold the sides in, it'll stand up like a house."
"Terrific! Now we need a kitchen, I said. So I drew a refrigerator, stove and sink.
"That looks great, Julie! Now let's color it in."
So we did. Pretty neat, huh?

I think Charlotte and Karen really like it!

Until tomorrow, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

Up In The Attic

Hello future readers!

This morning Vivienne and I got up early. We fixed ourselves some cereal and bananas, and rapped awhile. Then Vivienne had an idea.
"Hey Julie", she said. "Wanna go explore the attic?"
It was still pretty early and we hadn't gotten dressed yet.
"In our pajamas?", I asked.
"It's OK", she answered. "I probably have the only mom in the whole world that sweeps and dusts the attic."
"Far out! Let's do it!" So we tiptoed upstairs to the attic.

"You're right", I said once we were in the attic. "It is pretty clean up here."
"See? I told you",  Vivienne said. She pulled a sheet off of some stuff.  "Look, here's my old rocking horse."

"It's cute, but it sure is small", I said.
"Of course it is. I haven't played with it since I was 5."
"What are you keeping it for?",  I wanted to know.
"Well my mom always thought she'd have more kids so she was saving it...but it didn't happen that way", Vivienne said sadly.
"I know what a drag it is to be an only child sometimes." I told her. "But that's why our friendship is so special. 'Cos we can be sisters, even though we not related."
Vivienne hugged me. "Thanks, Julie."
"Hey! How would you feel about giving that rocking horse to Little G?", I asked.
"Groovy idea!" Vivienne answered smiling. "I'll have to ask my mom, but I'm sure she'll say yes."
I pointed to a big wardrobe cabinet. "What's in here?"

"I'm not sure...let's open it and see."

"Oooh look! There's all kinds of neat stuff in here!" I said all excited.
"Hey look... a wedding dress", Vivienne said as she started to pull it out. Just then Mrs. Walton came upstairs.
"I thought I heard 2 little mice up here", she said laughing. "What are you 2 up to?"
"Hi Mom, I was just showing Julie the attic."
"Is it OK, Mrs. Walton?", I asked.
"Of course it is, honey. Just be sure you leave everything just the way you found it."
"Hey Mom, whose wedding dress is this?"
"That dress belonged to your great grandma Marion, then it was passed down your grandma Rose-Marie, and then it was passed down to me. It's the one I'm wearing in the photograph in the living room."

"Oh yeah!" Vivienne said, remembering. "Can I please try it on?"
"Well"....OK. But I will have to help you into it. It's quite old and I don't want you to tear the hem."
So Mrs. Walton helped Vivienne put on the dress.

"Wow Vivienne! You look like you belong on top of a wedding cake!" I told her."
"Someday if you decide to get married, that dress will be passed down to you", Mrs. Walton explained to Vivienne.
"Oh Mom! It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen!"Vivienne said as she looked at herself in the old mirror.
I pointed to a bright pink dress hanging in the wardrobe. "What's that dress, Mrs. Walton?"
"That is my old prom dress, Julie", she told me.
"Our camp counselor Kerry went to a prom last year", I said.
"Laura did too", Vivienne said. "You remember her? She was the counselor at Camp Falling Waters."
"Yeah, I remember. Mrs. Walton, can I try this one on if I promise to be super careful?"
"Sure sweetie, I'll help you."  Vivienne's mom helped me into her prom dress.

"Hey Julie, you look just like a fairy princess!" Vivienne said with a smile.
"I need to get a snapshot of the 2 of you together", Mrs. Walton said as she ran back downstairs. A minute later she was back with her camera.
"Smile!" she said. *click*

"Here, let me help you out of those dresses so I can cook breakfast for your dad. You 2 can try on some more clothes if you like, but remember to put everything back."
We promised as she helped us out of the dresses and hung them back inside the wardrobe. Mrs. Walton started to go downstairs when Vivienne stopped her."
"Oh Mom, can we please give Little G my old rocking horse?"
"I think that's a wonderful idea", Mrs. Walton answered. "See you 2 later."
We dug around in the wardrobe some more. Vivienne found an old cheerleader outfit.

"How do I look?" Vivienne asked.
"2...4...6...8...who do we appreciate? VIVIENNE!" I cheered. Vivienne laughed. I found an old leotard.

"My  mom used to be a really good ballet dancer. She was in recitals and everything."
"Cool."
"Hey Julie, like my wig?" Vivienne asked as she put one of the pom-poms on her head.
I pulled a feather boa from the cabinet and put it on my head. "As long as you like mine!"

We cracked ourselves up! Then we carefully put everything away and went to get dressed. Then we brought the rocking horse downstairs and put it in Vivienne's wagon.

The rocking horse may have been small for Vivienne, but it was almost too big for the wagon. I had to hold one of the runners to keep it from falling off. When we got to Betta's house, we could see her on her sun porch, bouncing Little G on her lap.

"Hi Betta!", Vivienne called. "Look who's here?"
"Julie!" Betta screamed. She gave me a hug.
"Hey Betta, it's great to see you!"
"Yeah, you too, Julie.
"Hey Betta", Vivienne said. "We've got a present for Little G."
"Wow, thanks Viv". She sat her baby brother on the rocking horse.
"Look G", Betta said to the baby. "They brought you a rocking horse."
"Hoss!" screamed Little G. He started rocking back and forth.

"Hey, he likes it!" I smiled. "Hey Little G, remember me?"
Little G looked at me and said "Mama!"
"No, Little G, that's Julie", Betta explained.
"Mama!" he said again.

"My mom says this is some kind of phase he's going through. He's calling everyone Mama, even our dad!"
We all laughed. Just then, Betta's mom came out to the sun porch.
"Hi Julie! Welcome back to your home away from home!"
"Hi Mrs. Fleagle!" I said giving her a hug. "It's nice to be back."
"I just came out to put Little G down for his nap. That was a lovely thing you did Vivienne....giving the baby your old rocking horse" She picked up Little G.. "Come on Little Buckaroo, time to hit the corral."
"Night-Night, Little G" we all called out.
"Hey you guys, how about a snack?"

We had soda and homemade cupcakes and rapped awhile. I asked where Kevin and C.J. were and Betta said they went to the park with their friend Aaron to play ball.  Betta told me that Little G doesn't put things in the toilet anymore, since he started potty training. Now he tears off his diaper and runs around with his naked tush whenever he thinks he has to go! One time he even did that in the supermarket! Oh man! How embarrassing!

It was getting pretty hot, and I reached up to wipe the sweat off my neck when I noticed that the special Winnie The Pooh necklace Vivienne gave me was gone! Oh no!

"Are you sure you had it on, Julie?", Betta asked me.
"Yes, I know I was wearing it when we left the house", I told her.
We looked all over the sun porch.

I started to panic. "We've just gotta find that necklace!" Then Betta happened to look down into the wagon...and there it was!

"How the heck did it get in there?", I wondered.
"You must have snagged it when we were putting the rocking horse into the wagon!" said Vivienne. She picked it up and put it back around my neck.

"Man, that's a relief! Thanks guys".
"We should be getting home now", Vivienne said. "Catch ya on the flipside, Betta!"
"See ya, Betta."
"Yeah, see you guys later."

When we got back to Vivienne's house, we flopped down on the couch.
"So what do you wanna do now?", I asked her.
"Well hauling that wagon around made me tired, so let's do something quiet."
She thought for a minute and said, "I know! Let's make paper dolls!"
"Hey super idea!"
So Vivienne went to get paper and crayons. First we each drew a doll.

Here' mine, I'm naming her Charlotte.

And this is Vivienne's paper doll. She named her Karen. Next we needed outfits.

Aren't they cool? We were just about to cut them out when Vivienne's dad came home from work and her mom told us to wash up for dinner. Oh well. That's OK, we've got all week.  Gotta go now, future readers. Tune in tomorrow, same time, same channel! *giggle*

Until then,
Your friend,
Julie Newman