Bridge to Terabithia

      I haven't done anything about books on this blog, so I decided to do a book report. This is a book that I just finished. It is a great book about friendship and a sudden tragedy.


      Bridge toTerabitha is about two kids and a make believe land. It all started on the school playground. I am not going to give away the story, so you will have to read the book to see what happened on the playground.
     Two kids, Jess and Leslie, find a rope swing in the forest. Leslie decides to swing on it. She lands on the other side of the creek. Just into the forest is a land they like to call Terabithia. They build a hut out of wood and pretend that they are the King and Queen of Terabithia. It is a land that only the two of them know of. They don't share this secret with anyone else.
    At school there is a bully named Janice Avery. She is really mean to Jess's sister, May Belle. To get Janice back, Jess and Leslie play a trick on her. Then one day Leslie hers Janice crying in the girls bathroom. She then finds out why Janice was being such a bully.
     Jess and Leslie become such great friends. One sunny morning Jess's music teacher asks him if he wants to go to Washington D.C. He asks his mom who is partially asleep and she said "hmmm um". So he goes. Jess had a great day until he got home. Everyone was acting weird. A terrible tragedy occurred and changes Jess and the land of Terabithia forever.
     If you want to see what the tragedy is, you can read Bridge of Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. There is a movie in addition to this book. I suggest reading the book first. The movie might make you sad when you get towards the end. I enjoyed this book, and I think you will too. 

Beach nights

I look forward to beach nights all year long. They are one of my favorite things to do! You can do water sports, play on the sand and hang out with friends. This is why you should come to beach nights. 


At the beach I like to do water sports. These include boogie boarding and skim boarding. Skim boarding is where you throw down the board so it skims on the water and you jump on it, then you glide on the water. When you glide on the water you feel free, like a bird flying through the air. I prefer skim boarding to boogie boarding because you have to paddle just like a duck pushing it's feet in the water to catch a wave. It's hard for me because it doesn't come naturally to me like it does to the duck. I don't like this as much because I don't like getting deep in the water. But hey, even if you don't like getting in deep water, still come to our beach nights. 


At the beach I like to play in the sand. What I mean by this is that I like to throw a frisbee or kick a soccer ball on the sand. I like to play frisbee on the beach because you have a wide open space. My yard is small, buy not too small were you can't throw a frisbee, but not as big as the beach. Playing on the sand is something we usually do on beach nights. So if you like to play frisbee or any kind of ball, head on over to our beach nights. 


When you go to beach nights you get to hang out with friends. If you are working all day and don't get to see your friends, then this is a great opportunity. Being with friends is important. You get to play and have fun just as a kid should. All kids should have fun with friends, and that's what you do at beach nights. The parents also get to hang out with their friends, so everyone's happy! So if you want to hang out with new and old friends then come to our beach nights.


If you liked this then maybe you can start a beach night! And if you didn't have a beach, maybe you have a lake. If you don't have a lake, then I know you have a park. So start your fun!

Beach Night

               I hate seaweed!  I hate it when it gets stuck around my ankles.  There is one kind of seaweed that I like to call dreadlocks because it looks like green dreadlocks.  I went on a walk further down the beach to see if there was as much seaweed.  There it was, waiting for me.  So I headed back to sit down.  At that time I was not swimming because of all that stupid seaweed.

        Claire was also coming to the beach that night.  I told her I wasn't going to swim, but we went down to the water anyway.  We went back farther down the beach where Claire went out to see if there was any seaweed.  There wasn’t!  I did go in!

    We took our foam sleds out into the water and used them as boogie boards.  It was really fun!  We stayed afloat, so I guess that is good.  I had the idea to duck dive with the sleds.  Duck diving is when you duck under the big waves so you don’t get knocked off your board.  Claire was good at it.  As we neared the end, the waves got bigger, so big that you actually got dropped after the wave passed!  It was awesome going over the big waves.

 I can not wait for the next time we go to the beach.  I know now that I can get back into the water, because I don’t have to be as afraid of the seaweed.  I don’t have to be as afraid, because I know that the seaweed is not going to hurt me.

Piano

I started playing the piano when I was eight years old. I taught myself the basics. My sister had played the piano and I had listened in on the lesson.  I would go home, take my sisters sheet music practice. Then I started taking lessons. Now my teacher comes to my house. We moved the piano out of the living room and into the playroom. The playroom has a door so I can shut the door and play until my hearts content!

I have done two Christmas recitals. The days leading up the the performance I would play and I would play and I would play. When your sitting at the side of the stage, your nervous. Then you walk on the stage. You go to sit down and put up your music on the stand. Then you start playing and don't want to stop! When you finish your music you walk off stage smiling while everyone is clapping. You did a job well done.


My cousin plays the piano. My aunt gave me a cd of him playing the piano. One of my favorite songs is Fur Elise. I play the beginning of Fur Elise and my cousin can play the flu piece. My teacher gave me the full piece so that I can practice it. I listen to it just about every day. I even listen to it when I do math! That is how much I like it.


I am not the only one I know who plays the piano. I inspired my friend to play. Now he comes over before my lesson and he has a lesson! My other friend plays the piano. I love bringing my music books and playing at her house! I like playing at her house because I like sharing my music with other people and I like sharing what we have in common.


I wanted to thank my aunt for giving me the cd of my cousin. I love it. I want to be like him one day.  One of my goals is to play Fur Elise as good as he can. I will listen to that cd for ever!

Basketball

This year is my third year playing basketball. Last year I was on a team with my school friends, but this year I am on a new team. My coach would be couching four teams, and that is one too many, so I joined his other team.


This year my team has more experience than last year. Most of the girls played last year. Most of them are younger than me, But just as good. Last year they were pretty much my age and didn't have as much experience. This is why I think we will do better this year than last year.

There really isn't much that's the same this year. Our first game was last Friday, and we won. Last year we didn't win any games. This is a big difference, since we won the first game.

I think that our team is going to do good this year because of how experienced we are. We also work well together, which is also a key priority. If you don't work well together, then you won't be able to play the game. To play the game you need to pass to each other. If you don't work well, then you won't know what to do, and then you will lose the game.

We are orange.  I am in the middle.

My favorite part of playing basketball is the game. If you make a shot in the game, you can not help but smile! You just feel good not only to yourself, but also that you made your team happy.

My Birthday!

Just a couple days ago, well, exactly 6 days ago, I turned 11.  It was not the day I was expecting, so lets start from the begging.  

           On Friday, the 9th, I sprained my foot badly.  I was over at a friends house.  We were throwing basketballs from the top of the steps.  I wanted to see what happened when I jumped off the 4 steps and through the basketball at the same time.  I did it, and instead of landing on the ground, I landed on the last step.  I landed on the side of my foot and felt immediate pain.  I sat down thinking it would pass.  It didn’t.  I tried to walk back to the steps but couldn’t.  I hopped.  My friend went to get his mom.  She gave me an icepack.  She called my mom.  My mom had to drive me home.

                That same night I went to a walk-in.  They couldn’t find anything on the x-rays. It was a sprain.  They splinted me up and I went home.  

        The next few days I had people sign my splint and decorate my crutches.  They made me a big get well sign.  They helped me down the stairs.  They were such a big help.

             On Monday,  September 12,  I went the the orthopedic.  He said the same thing, it was a bad sprain.  He put me in one of the big black walking boots, which I am still in.  He said to still use the crutches and when it gets better, start walking in the boot.  It  really hurt.  But I got through it okay.

     So now Tuesday, September 13, 2011, my birthday.  I was supposed to go to an all day nature camp that started on my birthday, but I couldn’t go.  I was waiting for this for 6 months.  So instead of that, I invited my best friends over for a movie and popcorn.  

     They brought Lindt chocolates and my mom made brownies.  We watched Marmaduke and Chrissa. It was fun.  Then later that evening, I had my piano lesson.  Then we went to pick up my dad at the train station.  We ordered pizza, and went to pick up a cake.  By the time we got home the friendlies cake was a little melted.  We ate and sang happy birthday.  Then I sliced the cake.  

     We opened some more gifts.  I saved some for when my dad came home.  I got 2 cool mythology books, a scratch magic, 2 Harry Potter lego sets, a beautiful perfume, 2 shirts, 2 pajama bottoms, 3 plain white shirts, a hiking tool, a book, a rain gage, 2 mugs, 6 owl plates and a lego board.  From my aunt I got a shirt, a mood necklace, and 2 UCONN items.  From my cousin I got a book and a bracelet.

     So, as you can see, I had a good birthday.  Thanks for reading!

my splint

my crutches

my foot

me and cake

my nature tool

lego Harry Potter

Perfume 

So Far this Week

I know it is only Tuesday, but I have done some very exciting things this week. Yesterday we had some friends over in the morning. We played this really cool game called Nucen. You play by having at least three people on each side of a volley ball net. Since we didn't have a net we made one with rope. Then you have a soft ball and throw it back and forth. You need to catch it. If you don't catch but you touch it and then the ball touches the ground, you are out. Then the people on you team have to catch the ball with one hand to get you back in. If the ball doesn't touch you, then the closest person to the ball is out. The team that loses is the team that has no people left.  We played hide and seek, swam, ate some snacks and swam.  We also went for a scooter ride.  I got to try a motor scooter!  Now I want one for my birthday! 

That same afternoon, me and Fashionbug had a chess lesson. It was really good. We learned what the pieces are called and how they move. Then we learned some tricks. He loaned us a mini chess set and a chess book. We had a good time.

So far today, I got up, watched the weather, got dressed and went for a scooter ride. I got really cool pictures. I went down were you can see the pond. The fountain was on. There were clouds in the sky.  The clouds and the fountain together looked beautiful. And there was a perfect shot!  I went back home.  I saw a bird on the road.  But he/she went up to a branch and sadly I could not get the picture.  I also saw a squirrel.  It was behind a tree.  Its little head pooped out from behind the tree.  It was to fast a ran up the tree before I could get a picture.  There was another squirrel.  I have seen this one before.  I think he/she has a nest in one of the trees.  It was eating.  This time I got a few pictures. 

      Today is going to be fun. I will blog about it tomorrow.

What have you done so far this week?


My Dogs



Squirrel



Squirrel



Lilly Pads



Pond with the clouds and the fountain



The Statue of Liberty

On Tuesday, June 28, we went to the Statue of Liberty. We took the 7:45 train in with other friends. We got in, took the subway to Battery Park were the Miss Liberty ferry takes you to the island, met other friends and set off on a great adventure.


I went to the top of the boat. It is really cool up there. It feels like you can see forever. The New York skyline is so beautiful as you ride away. The boat has three levels. I have never been on a boat so big. It even had a snack bar! The ride took about 10 minutes, and then we were there............


Okay, we made it safely to the island. Do we head over to the statue? NOPE! We eat! We found a nice grassy area and sat down. We had a big picnic. What do we do with 12 kids? We play TAG! I had allergies, so I didn't play. But mostly everybody did. It seemed liked everyone had fun. We stayed for 2 hours! Then we took bathroom breaks then off too Miss Liberty we went.


We get to the entrance. DUN DUN DUN. First of all, we can't take any backpacks in. We have to store them in a locker. That just stinks. Then we have to go through MORE security. We already went in some before we went onto the ferry. I honestly do NOT like security. But then every thing calms down.....


We go through a little museum. There is knowledge to learn, and cool things to see. There was this really cool origami Liberty. There was also Liberty glass sculptures. Those were also cool. Then we had to climb the 100 something stairs :P


All of the tickets to go up to the crown were sold out until after September. Bummer. But we still got to go out pretty high. My mom doesn't hate heights, but she hate when you will look over the side. I think she is afraid that we might fall. But I understand that. I got some pretty cool pics that I will show you.


When we got back down, we got our bags and went to catch the ferry. Standing in line was tiring. I was very HOT! When we got on the ferry, it felt very good to feel the sea breeze. We did skip Ellis Island because everybody, including me, were just to tired. So we went back to Battery Park.


We said goodbye to our friends who drove, and then saw a street show. It was amazing! One of there acts was pulling 4 or 5 people out of the crowd, ( they did not pick me ) and had them bow down. One of the men jumped over us, we were sitting down, and flipped the people! It was pretty cool. After the street show, we went to catch the train.


Before we went to the train, we took a bathroom break at a hotel. We also got snacks there. I have never ever liked coffee, but now I like a decaf vanilla late. I am on the hunt for the best late EVER!


That was our day. It was a good but tiring day. But we had fun. I just have one suggesting. Go to the Statue of Liberty in October when it is not so hot!

One Month Later

Today is the one month anniversary of the terrible EF-5 Joplin Tornado. One month before today, a EF-5 tornado hit the town of Joplin, MO. The town is now devastated. People lost everything including houses and even pets. Joplin is going to have a adopt a pet day.

Our Girl Scout troop did a Loose Change for Change project.  Everybody in the troop collected loose change and stored it in a jar. At the end of the year, the Juniors, ( the oldest group which I am in ) each picked an organization to give all of the change to. There was: Food for The Poor, Stratford Cat Project, and The American Red Cross. I picked the Red Cross because of all the tornadoes that have happened and that it is the peak of hurricane season. Everybody voted and the votes came in. The Red Cross WON!!!!!!!!!!!! Now all of the money will be given to the Red Cross to help everybody in need because of a natural disaster. I feel really proud to give money to an organization. It feels good to help people.


I know I asked this last week, but if any of you have been in a tornado, would you tell me what is was like? I have been in strong thunderstorms and very close to a tornado, but never in a tornado.

I also just finished a Tornado Lap Book. Next I am doing Lightning. They are very cool. You get the book online. Its called an E-book. You can either read the book online or print it off. I print it off and then get it bound. They are also fun. You can read the book quickly and then do the project!

Stay safe from bad weather and have a good week!

Hurricane Season

June is the start of Hurricane Season. As you probably already know, Hurricane Earl came up the east coast. Me and my dad, ( and maybe my sister, I don't remember ) were out shopping in a food market. We went out side and he said that this a hurricane. He was joking... it was NOT a hurricane, it was just rain because we were on the back side of the system.


Over the years we have had some pretty significant hurricanes. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina. In 1969, Hurricane Camille. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo, and many more. During Hurricane Camille, people in an apartment were having a Hurricane party. I know this because I watched a show, Storm Stories on The Weather Channel.  I read a weather book and it mentioned this same Hurricane party!

I have never been in a hurricane. But I have seen devastating pictures. I have also read fiction and non-fiction books about hurricanes. One of them was Ninth Ward. ( Fiction ) It is a very well written book about a girl named Lanesha whose mother died giving birth to her. There was a women who took her because her family wouldn't. She grows up in New Orleans and then goes through Hurricane Katrina. I will not tell you what happens.

If any one of you have been in a hurricane, could you tell me what happened? I would really like that.

Be careful this hurricane season. Oh, and enjoy the heat. :)

China Study

In History, we are in China. I was reading today and I came across how China got its name. 

In 300 b.c. there were different rulers called warlords. There were 6 strong warlords. In eastern China, there was a warlord called Qin, ( pronounced " Chin "), Zheng. This ruler had one million people in his army. The other warlords did not like Qin because they thought that they didn't care about reading, art or writing. The army that Qin had was the strongest in all of China. His army conquered the rest of China. He became the ruler of China and Named it....... China

I was also doing Chinese writing today. It is really cool. Anyone who is good at art should try it. I will put pictures on this post.

Chinese Writing

Chinese Writing

Chinese Writing

I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather. I know I am. Finally it is warm up here in CT. Have a good week!!!!!!!.








This is a picture I drew on word pad. I hope you like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

My Dreams

These have been my dreams ever since I've been a little kid until now. Enjoy!!!!

- to live in New York City in and apartment



100 cats

 - to have 100 cats

- to work and own a veterinarian hospital

- to be a meteorologist on the weather channel

 Do you have any dreams??????????????





my apartment [ turn you head sideways ]




vet office







the weather channel









HELP SAVE THE BEACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You want to help out in your community? And you live near the ocean? Then take part in having a clean the beach day! Pick a nice spring or summer day to go to the beach. Get a lot of peopole, including friends and family. You will need: Garbage bags, plastic gloves, and maybe a rake. And now you are ready to go! Have all the people meet at the beach you selected.Hand out the plastic gloves and garbage bags to all the people. 123 start. Now some people clean up the cans, and other people clean up plastic bags, and so on. After you finish cleaning up the sandy part, go to the water. Now, if it is not the warmest day, then just the kids will go in the water, if you know what I mean! And now, once you have finished cleaning the beach, it is time to PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hve everone bring a bathing suit and go to the water. There is only one rule. And that is............................... HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Now, after you read this, I hope you will take part in cleaning the beaches.


Have Fun!

Friends

On Sat. night we had some friends come over. There mom and dad wanted to go out to a movie. It was a fun night. We watched three movies - Beezus and Ramona, Marmaduke and Read it and Weep. They are all good movies. For dinner we had quesedillas. We had all decided to write a note  that said were going to the park ‘till 9:00 pm and we were then all going to the mall. We put that note on the side door for our friends parents in case they came back to early.

We all had Italian Ice for dessert. When their parents came back the mom thought we were not lying and almost went back to the car when she thought that she would just ring the doorbell in case. And we opened the door and let them come in. Now that was a fun night. 

    Oh, and 

   HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is Winter over YET??????????

As you probably already know, we have had a WICKED winter. The last snow storm brought over a foot of snow! [ 18 inches ] And I think winter is finally slowing down. The past two days have been in the 40 degrees! I was out riding my bike! It feels so good. Now back to the snow. The fist snow storm was the day after New Years Eve. It was technicaloy a blizzard. The drifts were so high! I think it is time for winter to end. I think everyone in the northeast does.I w I am ready for spring. I want to be able to swim in my pool. Have a water balloon fight. Have our annual pool party were we stay up to 10:00! I want to be able to be outside without a coat!


Now, if your in a place and you don't have snow, and you want snow, come over here to the NE. Oh, and take as much snow back as you want!

My Story "Trouble"

Saturday

Okay, so, I can get into a lot of trouble Like yesterday, I was playing baseball and smashed my cranky neighbor's window. And Thursday, I was playing basketball with the boys and " by accident" whacked Roger, the sensitive boy in the head. So this is me, Anny Popper.

My alarm clock went off at 6:30 am. Perfect timing so I can go off to Dunkin Inc. with my dad. When we got home we clicked on the TV [ because we watch a lot of that ] Now, we live in New Orleans, Louisiana, so in August, like it is now, where pron to Hurricanes. But on TV, a tropical storm Katrina has formed in the Gulf. My parents are worried.

Sunday

I was playing outside today, and Mrs. Wilson [ the cranky neighbor ] trudged up to me. She said she was furious with me. And she said that I had to pay for a new window. So, I by " accident " burped right in her face. And then she asked if my mother and father were home, so I lied and said that they weren't. Then she said that they shouldn't leave me alone. So that was my day with Mrs. Cranky Pants. [ Because She watched me the whole day and found out I lied. ]

Monday

Okay, okay, she found out I lied and now I'm grounded 'till Friday. I was watching TV before school and saw down at the bottom of the screen, ALL OF FLORIDA, EVACUATE!!!! The screen transformed to a weather channel where a counterclockwise spinning thing was headed toward Florida. So were safe for this one. Now I needed to figure out how to get a job. So I started looking through my dads " precious " newspapers for job options. I found one for a Sunco gas station. I know I not a girly girl but ewww! And then I came upon the right one, a baseball teacher! Yes!!! Just when I was about to call..... I had to go to school.

Tuesday

First things first, my dad found out that I was looking through his newspapers. So lets just say that no more basketball for a whole week. I am mad. I did my homework and called for the job. And guess what? They said yes! I'm going to be the teacher! But I start tomorrow, and I'm grounded. Hmmm. Oh, and I get twenty bucks each time I teach! Yes! But first I have to figure out how to get to teach........



Wednesday



So I went to school today, and guess what happened? We have no locks on our bathroom stalls. This boy named David comes strolling into the GIRLS BATHROOM!!!! HE opens my stall, and he doesn't even know he is in the girls bathroom! I am peeing on the toilet! David said that he is sorry over and over in school today. How embarrassing.



Thursday



Today at school, we had to do an all about me. I said I am in fifth grade at P.T. Elementary School. I am almost eleven years old. I have light brown wavy hair. I have green eyes. I am a tomboy. I love baseball and basketball. I always wear my blue tie dyed tee shirt with jeans. And last, I can get into a lot of trouble. Then Mrs. Cranky Pants walks in. I did not know she was a teacher! She must be a bad, cranky one! She said that I owe her 500 bucks in front of everyone. I felt like I could cry. So in front of everyone, I once again burped a louder burp right in her face! Then off to the Principal's office I went.



Friday



Remember that spinning thing on t.v. I was talking about? Well, we're in this one apparently. It went off Florida's coast as a category 2 hurricane. It is heading straight for New Orleans! Now it says at the bottom of the screen, ALL OF LOUISIANA, EVACUATE. Like we're evacuating. Florida did not even get hit with 100m.p.h. winds! But on the screen is now a category 5 hurricane.

Remember I went to the Principal's office yesterday? Three whole weeks of after-class clean-up. So unfair. It was all Mrs. Cranky Pants fault. But anyway. Three whole weeks of after-class clean-up. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I got to go to baseball to teach. I don't know if I am ever going to do it again.



Saturday



Well, let me tell you about being a baseball teacher. It all started off when this one kid got hurt. (what am I supposed to do?) So I said to him to go sit down until his Mom comes to pick him up. But this was the tricky one. Another kid had to go to the bathroom. (this is a baseball field. I don't know where the bathrooms are!) So, I said to him that there were no bathrooms and he will just have to hold it. But he said that he had to go really bad. So what was I supposed to do send him in the woods?



Sunday



Everyone says that the category 4 hurricane will be here tomorrow. Almost no one has left. They all probably think the same thing I do. See, everything in my life is serious now. No more fooling around. So everyone prays for this to be the Hurricane Katrina that hit Florida, not a Camille all over again.



Monday



Superdome. It is 6:00 p.m. and we've eaten nothing but bread and I have to go to sleep.



Tuesday



We returned home today and the whole roof was gone. But the second floor was perfectly normal. No windows broken or anything. The water damage was pretty bad. The basement/first floor is still left with some water. We really didn't lose that much. Everything just had to dry out. My room was fine, thank God. When all the water recedes, we will have to redo the walls and maybe get a new basement. Even though I still have my house, the most important thing is I still have my family.

By Grace

a house on my road

Some Pics

 These are my dogs before and after antlers!!!

Before

After

Before

After

Ice Skating

Every Tuesday we go ice skating. I used to ice skate all the time! I did it for three years. I was really good. And now that we go that we go every week I am regaining my strength. Here are a few videos of me that my friend took. Enjoy!!!!!!

No Eclipse?????????

Yesterday my mom told me about the winter solstice/eclipse and how they fell on thesame day which hadn't happened in years. I wanted to be woken up so we could see this. At 3:15 this morning my mom went outside to see if there was anything to see. There wasn't!!!!!!! The clouds were blocking the view! It was a real bummer. It was the only chance to see this happen on the winter solstice. So we didn't see any of this eclipse/winter solsice. I was going to have a video to share, but I don't. Maybe next time I get to see an eclipse I will!!!!!



Bye!