rainy tennis and sleepovers

Today we had to get up pretty early to go to our tennis lessons at Denison University. Since it had warmed up quite a bit since we got back we started to play tennis outside. I woke up and got all my things together and then we headed towards the courts. When we got there the clouds were getting darker but the courts were still dry so we could hit until it rained. We were just starting to warm up when it started to sprinkle we still kept playing and after a while it stopped but then towards the end of our lesson it started to rain pretty hard so everybody was running around picking up tennis balls and putting them under towels, then we headed to the advantage club. Since there were only 10 more minutes of my age groups lesson they just started isabels lesson when we got there. I just served on a different court until my brother came and set up the ball machine for us to hit with. When my sister was done with her lesson we started to head home. My brother stayed since he hadn't had his lesson yet. When we got home we just relaxed and watched t.v until it was time to go to are sleepover which was my sisters second sleepover. When we got there my friend and I went up to her room and played with her ginnypigs named curby and Leo. We got to take them outside and they ate grass, dandilions, and clovers. We found out that my other friend wasn't feeling good and wasn't coming and then went to get pizza and icecream when we got back right as the movie was starting my friend Kaitlyn gets a call that My friend Angie was going to come. When she got there we showed her the cats, dogs, ginnypigs, fish, and turtles and then got out fake tatoos and put them on. We also did our nails and played truth or dare. When we were done it was already late but we went downstairs and set up a two room tent and played until we fell asleep. The next mourning we ate breakfast and then went outside and to ride scooters and bikes before walking downtown and getting whits and webkinz. On our walk back Angie was picked up but the rest of us went to the Buckston in and looked in the fountains and found tadpoles which we saved from a tiny crevice in the cement. we put them into the pond with they others and cleared out the crevice so if they went in they could get back out easily without being stuck. When we got back home are friends stayed at our house for 2 hours then went home. Isabel and I had to clean are room and then we bounced on the trampoline before going to bed.

Out of the Dust

 In the book "Out of the Dust" Billie Joe's mother finally has the baby and dies because she was burned by an accidental fire. The fire burns her and the side of the baby, and then the baby dies too because of the burn. Now her father and her are barely speaking and everything seems dead until her father starts digging a hole which will soon be the pond that her mama always wanted to build. Because of the dust storms, many people's houses are being destroyed so one family has to stay inside Billie Joe's school classroom so they don't have to sleep in a truck. People start bringing in toys for the children and clothing for the pregnant woman's baby. Once the baby was born the family waited a few weeks before moving west towards California. Billie Joe chases their truck begging to go with them but they were already too far away. After a few days, it starts to snow for the very first time that year and everyone in the town is exited for the snow to melt into the soil for their crops. Everything in the town starts to perk up, Billie Joe enters a competition playing the piano and they go to the presidents birthday ball. Even though everything seems happier after Billie Joe's mothers death, there were still more dust storms waiting to turn her life back into a dull nightmare. 

Homeschooling, and some kickball

Today we woke up early to start are school work. We did our math, science, history, social studies, and languege arts before heading outside to the trampoline and the homemade swing that we put up. We were thinking of going to play tennis at Denison but we decided not to after a while. When we played on the trampoline for a while my sister and I decided to make a homemade swing on the pole in our yard. We first took a pole and secured a rope around it extra tight. Then, we took the other end of the rope and attached it to the top of there pole and after a while of work it was finally made, our invention we called a swirl swing. You woud sit on the pole and then wwing around the giant pole around in around. When the bus for the public school came to let off the kids our friend Lyndsey got off and stopped by to play for a while. We bounced on the trampoline and swung on the swirl swing until she had to go home to do her work when it was dinner time she came back to eat with us and then after dinner we bounced on the trampoline again. After bouncing we went into the front yard with the big bouncy ball and played kick ball for like thirty minutes with my brother and I on a team and Isabel and Lyndsey on a team. We played for a long time once my brother left to run with my dad until Lyndsey had to go home since it was a school night. My sister and I played in the room before going to bed that night.

seeing friends again

Today we didn't have any school work since it was Sunday. We have been recently reading an article on Joan of arc. We've read about how she lead France into winning many victories and help to crown king Charles. We are now at the part of how she was burned for committing heresy. That day we also got to go to are friends house. While we were at our f riends house we had to go to our friends uncles pet clinic and a little teacup chiwawa named Taco who had to get a shot for him to survive. while we were there my sister and our friends played tag and played with the cats and a dog called Frenchie. We also ordered a pizza to take to the park with us. The park we were going to was new and it had a club house and a lot of things to climb on. We also played lots of games there before leaving. Once we had left we went to get ice cream and marshmellow milkshakes before going home. When we got home we were tired and went to bed after reading.

Home sweet home

Finally, after a long plane ride we were home. when we got home we were all really tired. My sister, brother and I went right to the tramoline when we got home, while my dad went to the store and my mom opened the mail. The next day we all got up early as usual and started doing are work. My brother and I had to read an article about Joan of arc and how she fought in many wars and was said to of heard the voices of saints. We also read an article on global warming and all the co2 is being trapped inside the earths atmosphere and heating the earth causing sea level to rise. We also did our french, math, vocabulary, science, and history. My dad and brother then biked to the grocery store down town. While my dad and brother went down town my sister and I bounced on the trampoline and when my brother and dad got back my sister and I walked downtown. My sister got a new webkinz and we got candy which was eaten quickly. when we got back my brother got an idea to move the trampoline underneath a big wooden structure that my dad had built long before. It took a while but my brother and I finally moved it over and we took turns jumping off the fort and onto the trampoline. I was the funnest thing ever. That night are friend Lyndsey came over and jumped with us until it got really dark and the street lights were on lighting the trampoline. The next day my grandparents came over after we did our work and we did tricks on the trampoline for them and put up the swing that had broken down. When it came time for dinner we went to Olive garden to eat. After Olive garden my mom and dad went to Lows since our trees on the side of our yard had died and they were thinking of replaceing them with yellow bushes. Once they got home we bounced on the trampoline for a little longer before going to Whits for icecream. Once we got back my grandparents had to go home. After jumping on the trampoline for a little bit again, we all went to sleep.

Second day of skiing.

Today we went on our second day of skiing at winter park. My brother wanted to go off on his own to go off on his own in terrain park so my dad gave him a cell phone and he went off. First, we went and put our stuff in the lockers before heading out. We didn't have to go to the rental place since we got to keep our gear overnight. For our first lift we chose the main one that goes from the main level of the mountain up higher. We then went from there on a trail that was pretty hard on the snowboard since it was flat and we have nothing to pull ourselves along with. First we would go off and then when we ran out of speed we would crawl up hill to get more speed. When we finally got to the end of the run we took a lift up to Mary Jane which was higher up in the mountains. We then took a trail called Elderwiess which would lead us to the lift that would take us to the top point of the whole mountain. When we got there it was like an eight minute ride to the top and when we got there we were disappointed. The wind was spraying snow into our faces and it was freezing. We started down the hill and we ran out of speed again. Since it would take a while to get back up the slope we decided to just go down the mountain off the trail. I went through this forest path and got stuck a lot since the snow off trail was so thick. My board would slide underneath the thick snow and would get stuck there. When we finally got off onto a main trail we rode down to a lift and got on to ride back to Mary Jane. We were going to meet my brother for lunch so we decided to go back to a place called sunspot that was half way up the mountain where there was a lodge to eat at. After we ate we started down a path called March hare which lead down to another lift. After a whole day of snowboarding we were going to end with one last run corona. By then the snow had gotten a lot worse so without goggles you could barely see where you were going. There were a lot of turns on Corona so you would get stuck if you didn't have enough speed. After Corona we to a short trail back to the village at the bottom of the mountain, there we waited for my brother. The ski resort originally closed a 4:00 and even my dad, sister, and I were late but my brother was still almost on the top of the slope after closing time. He ended up getting a ride on a snowmobile down the slope. Once we had returned our stuff we headed back to the house. After eating dinner at the pizza restaurant with my mom we headed back to the house and went to bed.

Skiing at last!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we finally went skiing. We all had to get up really early because the skiing place closed at four o clock. The drive there was beautiful there were evergreen trees everywhere covered in snow. When we finally got to Winter park we parked and then got our rental gear. Once we had our gear, we headed to the slopes. The ride up was really long since the mountain was so big. We finally got to the top and went on the slope named the march hare, almost all the slopes had names from Alice in Wonderland like the mad hatter and the door mouse. It took forever to get to the bottom even though we really weren't at the bottom, we were just down the hill a little ways. The snow felt different since it was naturally there unlike the snow in Ohio which was manmade snow. Then we went up another slope that was surrounded with trees. Once we made it down the hill a little ways I started to feel bad since I hadn't eaten lunch yet and we were higher up so it was harder to breathe. My dad took us up another lift and to one of the lodges to eat. Since the mountain was so big there were lodges and cafe's on top of almost every lift. Once we had eaten macaroni in bread bowls we headed out on the slopes again. We split up with my brother one time since he wanted to go in the terrain park. We ended up losing him luckily we had a meeting spot and found him and went on another slope. We tried to get to the top but the lift was closed so we decided to go down the slope and back to the car since it was getting close to the closing time. When we got in the car we were all really thirsty and me and my sister finished a bottle of water each. Once we got home we ate dinner and went in the hot tub before going to bed. 

A hike, daddy, and downtown Denver

Today, since my dad was gone on a trip my brother, mom, sister, and I went on a hike. When we arrived at the hiking trail we started out all energetic and happy. A little way down the path we saw a giant rock slope which we all immediately wanted to climb. My brother first went to the very top of the slope which I at first were to afraid to go on but the realizing what a view I would miss headed up behind him. The way up was pretty steep and when you got close to the top there was a little walk way in between two giant boulders. It was worth the climb, the view was beautiful, you could see a few mountains in the back and the whole peaceful field which the path went through. As we carried on we headed into the forest which was full of green plants and sparkly rocks. Finally, we came to a river with a bridge over it. My sister and I went under the bridge on the rocks and came up the other side before crossing the bridge. By then we were really tired and were just thinking about nice cold ice cream which we were getting afterwards. Since we didn't have water with us we would scoop up fresh snow and eat it whenever we got thirsty. Finally we got back to the car and went to get ice cream. When we got back to the house we ate dinner, went in the hot tub and right to bed. The next day we went to pick up my dad at the airport in Denver. On the way there we played games and talked. When we got there we went to get the what was said to be the best pizza in Denver which was really good. Next we went to a bookstore which was really fun. we stayed there for awhile just reading books and laying around on the comfortable chairs. When we left we decided to take a walk around and go to get dessert. We took a bus over to a street where we walked to a bakery to get cake a brownies. Finally, we headed back to the car. We drove back to Evergreen and had dinner at the house. We went in the hot tub again that night before reading and going to bed. 

Hiking on sand Dunes

Today we all had to wake up early because we were going to hike at the sand dunes which were three hours away. We drove for a long time and in the car we had to entertain ourselves by playing thumb wrestling and rock, paper, scissors. When we finally got there we went to the visitor center. When we finally got to the entrance of the sand dunes we took off our shoes and put them by a bush. At the sand dunes you could walk anywhere you wanted there was no certain path because the wind would just cover up your tracks. My brother, sister, and I ran ahead collecting rocks and climbing all over the sand. For a while we thought nothing could go wrong just climbing over a huge sand mountain but then the wind came. Sand would blow into your face and it would sting but then after like 10 seconds you could continue on. My sister and I would run and crawl up the steep cliffs of sand and whenever the wind would come we would stay put and hide under our sweat shirts. My sister and I also ran down a big cliff even thought my mom and dad warned us that whatever we went down we would have to find away back up. They were right, going down might have been easy and fun but going up was tiring and hard. When we went up cliffs we would have to crawl on our hands and knees and when we would do it we always slid back down. My mom and dad didn't want to go to the top of the sand dune so while they walked to a lower cliff, my brother, sister, and I hiked to the very top. Since it was just sand and no trees wherever we went on the sand dune we could always see my mom and dad. When we got to the top we were so happy since next the fun part came, running down. Even though it was really steep you could still sprint down because it doesn't hurt when you fall on sand. When we got to my mom and dad. My brother and dad were jumping off the cliff and onto the sand. My brother even did a flip on the sand. When we were done jumping we headed back down the sand dune. On the way down the cliff my sister and I slid on our bellies head first down the sandy slope and our pocket filled with sand. Finally we got to flat ground and my sister and walked behind my mom, dad, and brother collecting rocks. Finally, we went back to the car. Once we started heading back we ate and went home and we were all tired enough to go straight to bed. 

The recreation center and the best pizza ever

Today we got up and did are school work as usual and the my mom told us that she would take us to the recreation center in evergreen to climb the climbing wall and go swimming again in the water park. Before we went we went to a mexican resteraunt to eat. When we got there we went straight to the water park. My sister and I met my brother in the lazy river and swam around playing tag for a little while then we went on the slide. On the slide we would take turns watching wach other go down. One time we would sit cross legged and then the next we would go down on our bellies. After we played in the water park for a 3 hours we went on to the climbing wall. First my brother went on one of the hard walls with no hand holds he had to put his hands in the little cracks. Then my sister made it to the top on the easy wall. Next it was my turn, I went on the medium wall. My brother went on the hardest wall next and then my sister went on the medium wall like I had done. Then I did the wall my brother just did and then the one with only cracks. When we left we went back to the house to just relax until we went to get my dad who was just getting back from a trip. On the way to Denver we listened to a tape. When we got there we picked up my dad and headed back to evergreen. When we got to evergreen we ate at a pizza resteraunt with the best pizza ever. It had the thickest crust ever. My dad, brother, and I walked back to the house. When we got back since the hot tub water was low my brother and I had to fill it back up my brother would dump a bucket in while i filled up another bucket. When we were done my dad and I went in the hot tub before going to bed. The next day we would be playing on sand doons.