Christmastime Activities

I have been enjoying time with Mommy. We took it easy the week leading up until Christmas while Adam was at school. Mommy has been teaching me to play the piano. Using a book, I am starting to learn about how the notes on the page correlate to the notes on the keyboard, and how long to hold them. There is just so much to think about. Holding your hand the right way, not pushing too hard, keeping the tempo the same, knowing which finger to use on which note! I get frustrated easily, but at the same time I get excited when I play a song well. So far I have learned the notes, C, D, B, E and A. I was hoping to have learned more Christmas carols by this time, but Mommy wants to make sure that I am learning how to play the piano right! One morning we had to stop off at the grocery store after dropping Adam off at school and Mommy let me pick out a donut to enjoy as a special treat!
On Tuesday evening, we drove downtown to see Daddy. We visited him in his new office on the 11th floor first, then went downstairs to go ice skating!! I got to skate with Daddy since Mommy was helping Adam. We were both shaky at first, but as I remembered how to skate I improved. It wasn't easy because there were a lot of people to avoid. It was still so much fun and I have been wanting to skate at the outdoor rink for a long time!  We watched the ice get cleaned then skated around a few more times. When we were done, we took off our skates and walked to a restaurant for some pizza. What a magical evening!

On Wednesday, we picked Adam up early and we took off for a trip. We found out in the car that we were going to a place called the North Carolina Transportation Museum where we would take a trip on the Polar Express! It wasn't too long before we stopped off for a picnic then went down the road to the museum. We toured the museum for a while seeing some antique cars and a railroad roundhouse with lots of different types of train cars! After walking around for a little bit we went for an early dinner at a restaurant.

Then, we went back as the sun set for our Polar Express experience! Before getting ready for the event, we got to do some crafts and see a model train. They even had the movie showing on a TV that I watched for a few minutes. As we finally waited to board the train, we saw the conductor and he said we were going to the North Pole. The train slowly approached and I danced with excitement! We got on the train and found our seats and as the train started to move, the dancing chef's started singing the Hot-Hot-Hot, Hot Chocolate song. Then, they served us hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie. As I ate my cookie, the conductor came through the car and stamped our tickets! He stamped a 'C' into my ticket! The chef's read us the Polar Express book as we kept traveling and as we approached the North Pole we sang Christmas carols. At the North Pole we got off the train and went to see Santa arrive and get ready to deliver the first gift of Christmas! The evening was magical; there was a chill in the air and the clear sky revealed twinkling stars! We got back on the train one last time and as we came to the end of our ride Santa arrived in our car to say hello! I was so excited when he said I could give him a hug! He handed all of us our polar express bells before it was time to leave. I had such an absolutely great time! It feels like it's time for Christmas and I am so excited for all of our family to gather and celebrate together!

Visit with a Special Guy!

We've been looking forward to it for a while, and there have been glimpses of Santa at parades, the mall and even the fitness center. But our time came, and he finally made it to the clubhouse. Santa was outside this year, a little different from other years, but he didn't disappoint. He said that he would do his best to make sure there were paints in the art set that I asked him to give me for Christmas. So, now time will only tell. Adam and I had fun during our evening with Santa. We goofed around in our dress up clothes while waiting for Daddy to get home, and when he did we were off to the clubhouse. We visited Santa first, then enjoyed a cupcake treat (Mrs Manukas was there!) and finished the evening with a sleigh ride pulled by the pretty white horses.

Over the weekend we enjoyed the Wake Forest Christmas parade! It was much colder this year so we Mommy and Daddy made us hot chocolate to sip while we enjoyed the parade! There's only a few more days left of Mommy and me time. Last week we went roller skating one morning while Adam was at school. We had the whole rink to ourselves! It took me a while to get back into the groove of the big roller skates, but it didn't matter because I was having fun!

School's Out until Christmas!!

Friday was the last day of the second quarter. It was really exciting because of all the fun things we got to do at school before the last day. On Wednesday it was Ms Schlosser's birthday. She gave us a hat and mittens that her Aunt made for us. One day we made Christmas crafts like ornaments and a handprint wreath. Then, I gave it to Mommy and Daddy as a gift. On the last day I got to drink hot cocoa and eat a sugar cookie. We also got our report cards the last day. Mommy and Daddy were proud of my accomplishments - all 3's!!! I'm a great student!
As a treat on Friday night, we went to a restaurant for dinner. After dinner we got our Christmas tree at the Booger Mountain tree lot. That night, Daddy and Mommy set up the tree and we got to watch The Santa Clause. The next day, we got to put ornaments on the tree! This year it was my turn to put the star on the tree. I climbed the ladder all by myself and Daddy helped me lift the star to the top!
We also had another fun activity on Saturday. The dress I would be wearing for Cathy's wedding came in the mail! Adam and I had a fashion show. I like the dress because it has a pretty flower and green ribbon. We will look spectacular at Cathy's wedding!

At the mall, we saw a giant Christmas tree! Luckily we parked near it so we could walk right up to it and see how big it was! Adam and I got to pose in front of it! I'm excited that we are preparing for Christmas, and that I get some special girls time with Mommy these next few weeks!

Let's Give Thanks!

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We started our day going to church then relaxed the rest of the day, chatting on the computer with our grandparents as the smell of turkey filled the air. As we went around the dinner table to say what we were thankful for, I said I was thankful for being able to buy the things we need. I didn't realize it at the time, but I am also thankful for my fish Fiona. She had been sick a few weeks before Thanksgiving and it had gotten pretty bad. One day before I went to school, Daddy even warned me that she might not make it through he day. When we woke up on Friday (black Friday), Mommy pointed me toward Fiona's bowl and I saw that she was laying upside down on the bottom. I knew then that she had died. I was sad. I wondered why she wasn't already in the dirt (buried) but Mommy had to explain to me that her soul had gone to Heaven and that it was just her body laying there so still.
Daddy gave me two options for Fiona. We could either bury her or flush her down the toilet. The toilet idea sounded crazy to me so I definitely wanted her to be buried in the backyard so that we could be reminded of her. Soon after breakfast, the morning was mild enough that we went out in the backyard and buried her. Daddy said I could say a few words, so here's what I said:
I love you Fiona. You were a great fish. It is very sad that you are dead but now you know God's mystery because your soul is in Heaven. You made me so happy and I will never forget you.
Luckily, after that Mommy and Daddy rolled out the outdoor decorations and started decorating the house for Christmas! I helped Mommy fluff all of the little Christmas trees. After lunch on the screened porch, we finished decorating and then we went for a family bike ride!! Ever since Adam rode his bike all the way to the big park, I've been bugging Mommy for a family bike ride. And was it ever fun! We didn't go far, but it was good enough for me.

November Is Election Month

There was lots of anticipation gearing up for election day. Yes, even for me. Kids were constantly talking about the candidates for the President and I was not shy to say that I liked Hillary. I had a bad feeling about the guy running against her and I was anxious to hear what would happen on Election Day. I went to bed before the results were finalized. Upon waking up the next morning, Mommy said she had some news about the election. I asked her who won, and she told me to guess. I first guessed Hillary, and when she said no, my head dropped and I sullenly said, "Donald Trump." But that was that, it was finally over and I could begin to worry about more important things like fall weather, writing opinion papers at school, math flash cards (got to practice for On the Bus), reading books and starting another session of dance class. We enjoyed a fun outing one Saturday at a place called Eno River State Park. We met Cathy and big Adam there and explored the park with some hikes, then ate a picnic lunch there. The leaves were starting to turn all different colors. We saw one tree that had every single color on it: green, yellow, orange, red, magenta, purple. It was cool!
Then, this weekend we went to Downtown Raleigh to enjoy the Raleigh Christmas Parade! We got to sit up in Daddy's office to watch. We enjoyed hot chocolate (not necessary because it was a beautiful day), snacks, and a perfect view over the plaza complete with seats if we needed a break. It was fun to watch the parade and my favorite part was the huge Shrek balloon that was blowing so much it was dipping into the spectators and kicking into the balloon handlers. It was hilarious! The parade concluded with Santa, and as we waved we had officially begun the holiday season! I can't believe Thanksgiving is in just a few days!

Happy Halloween 2017!

It's been a great October leading up to Halloween! Dance class is going well, the weather has been beautiful and I'm continuing my love of reading. I actually just finished reading my first chapter book ever!! Ready Freddy, Tooth Trouble was a great book and every time I had the opportunity I will sit down and read!

This past weekend we took advantage of the spectacular fall weather and drove to a place called Pilot Mountain State Park! It was this big rocky mountain that just pops up in the middle of nowhere! I was scared as we drove to the top, but it was pretty cool once I got used to it. We had a picnic lunch and after that we took a hike around the rocky top of the mountain. The view from the top was really cool and I thought it was fun hiking through the rocky steps.

The day after our excursion looking for fall color, we got to carve our pumpkins in preparation for Halloween. I was a little more adventuresome this year and at least scooped the pumpkin goop out with a spoon, but I was still not touching it with my bare hands! I designed a pretty cool face and Mommy cut it out for me. On Halloween, I had to go to school, but it wasn't too bad because we had a party on my class. We played bingo (I won once!), decorated a pumpkin, made a spider, and ate some treats. Then, after an early dinner it was time for trick or treating!!!

One Tooth Less

Picture taken literally as my tooth was falling out!

Speaking of one tooth less, we saw this really fun movie (actually two) recently called "How To Train Your Dragon." In the movie, the main character is a dragon named Toothless. How fitting that my first time seeing that movie is when I have a huge window in my smile! While Mommy thought I would lose my tooth at Disney World, it finally came out a few days after we got home. It happened in the middle of my dance class. We had just changed into our tap shoes and I was messing with my tooth using my tongue and I heard a pop. With my tooth barely hanging on, I rose my hand and told the teacher that I was losing my tooth. She excused me and Mommy hastily took me to the bathroom where she grabbed my tooth before it fell into my mouth. That was that! Fortunately it didn't bleed so I was back to tap dancing in no time!

The next day, with a new smile, I visited Adam's preschool class to read them a story. Mrs. Burns had asked me when I tracked out from school if I wanted to read the class a book. I thought about it and was hesitant at first, but finally I decided that I would enjoy it. Mommy took me to the library where we picked out a book about colors to read. I practiced reading the book at home in preparation and while I was nervous at first about being in front of all the kids, I nailed it! Adam stood next to me as I read and after I finished the book, I impressed my old teachers by continuing my "reading time" by asking Adam's classmates to go around the circle and tell me their names. I felt so big and grown up - everybody was so proud of me!

I had a wonderful track out and I wasn't really ready to go back to school. Being home with Mommy was really nice because we could do fun things together. One day she took me to the park and another day we went swimming at the indoor pool. Only a short week after going back to school, we had a surprise day off from school! Hurricane Matthew dumped so much rain on North Carolina that school had to be cancelled so I got an unexpected day with Adam. Mommy took us to the library and the park next to the library had these crazy swings that were crazy fun! They felt like a roller coaster! Mommy met with my teacher Mrs. Schlosser for my first grade beginning of year conference. My teacher said that I am an excellent, inquisitive student, one of the best readers in her class (though the youngest) and it's been a great first grade year so far. Not a bad report; yet another reason I like to make Mommy and Daddy proud parents!

A Magical Ending!

It’s good that we had a day of relaxation at the resort because we were up and at it early on Thursday morning at Epcot again. I was really tired, but luckily I got to go on Test Track first thing so that woke me right up! Then we met Daddy and Adam and went on Soarin' again before heading over to the World Showcase, another section of the park where we walked through different countries. We had to take a break on a bench before starting our World Tour, I may have taken a short catnap on a bench. My favorite country was Mexico because we went inside a big Mayan ruin to get to a boat ride. In Morocco we met Aladdin and Jasmine. When we got to Norway we got to see Anna and Elsa! I was so excited to meet Elsa finally! She was awesome in person! In Norway we also saw a Stave Church, which Mommy says maybe we can see a real one sometime if we go visit her family in Norway. We walked back to the Future World to visit Joy and Sadness in headquarters. We returned to Norway and we dashed into the Stave church during a short rain shower before going on another ride, which I had no idea was the FROZEN EVER AFTER ride! It was really cool especially because the boat went backwards at one point. I was singing along the entire time! 

After riding Frozen Ever After we had a little bit of time before dinner so we took a walk back to Germany so to see some model trains again. When we went back to dinner, we were surprised to see that we would be eating in a castle filled with princesses! Before we got to our table we met Belle in her beautiful dress and after we finished dinner some more princesses came out to see us including Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella and Mulan. Mommy was so proud that I at my salmon so grown up. I cut it all by myself as I ate. After dinner as we walked out of Epcot we enjoyed one last fountain performance then boarded the monorail back to our hotel for a somewhat earlier (still 9PM) bedtime so we could get up early for one last day at Magic Kingdom.

Writing in my new journal with the castle glowing behind me!

My early morning at Magic Kingdom began with Mommy and me riding a super cool roller coaster in the dark called Space Mountain. (I got to do it again later with Daddy too!) We met up with Daddy and Adam and rode the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I had a really good time riding it! I would have liked to do it again; too bad the wait was like 100 minutes! That’s a long time! We had fun riding some other rides such as Peter Pan’s Flight and its’ a small world, and Mickey’s Philharmonic before it was time for lunch. After lunch we went on the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea, and we did this fun thing called Enchanted Tales of Belle. We went into a sequence of rooms and in one of the rooms they assigned people to take part in telling a story to Belle when we would meet her at Beast's castle. I was selected to be Philipe, Belle's horse because I gave such a good "Neeeiiigh" when the lady asked who could do it. At the end of our story, Belle took photos with us and gave us a bookmark. It was cool! After that we took a relaxing ride on the train all the way around the park before I got to go on Splash Mountain again with Daddy! We met up with Mommy and Adam after that and saw the Festival of Fantasy parade again. This time we had a great seat to watch the parade and a couple of the characters waved or winked right at me! After the parade we rode the rockets and saw the Carousel of Progress before it was time for an early dinner. We had dinner at Be Our Guest, inside the castle of the Beast! We ate in the grande ballroom where Belle and Beast had their first dance! 

Mommy took me around to see the other rooms in the castle including the Enchanted Rose Room in the West Wing. It was really cool and I enjoyed eating dinner there. After dinner we got to meet Beast, the host of our wonderful dinner. I went with Daddy to do the People Mover and The Space Ranger Spin one more time before it was time to leave the park and go back to our hotel. Our fun day wasn’t over yet though. We put on our bathing suits and enjoyed a night swim at the pool before it was time for bed. We got showers and pjs and right before we went to bed we enjoyed a fireworks display from our room over the Magic Kingdom. It was amazing and a perfect ending to an amazing Disney Adventure!