Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Charlotte's First Mystery, by Zoe Brozyna



Chapter 3: Party fun, but the excitement has just begun.



The next morning was Charlotte's Birthday. Mama and Daddy gave her a Toy Detective Kit.(Little did Charlotte know that this fun present would come in handy a little later on.) Paige had made her a card and a bracelet. Aunt Olivia had already given her her gift the day she came. Breakfast was Porridge, Bacon, and orange juice, Charlotte's favorite. Soon, it was time for her birthday party. The party was Mermaid themed of course, because her party was at the pool. Charlotte put on her favorite sparkly turquoise bathing suit on, and put her doll in a little pink flower print bikini. Finally everyone was ready to go. Mama and Daddy had gotten tickets for Florida last night. They would leave the next day.

Charlotte had a great time at her party. She and her friends had swimming races, did underwater handstands, went down water slides, and went off the high-dive about a million times. For lunch they had pizza. Then everyone sang happy birthday, Charlotte made a secret wish, and they all ate the super yummy cupcakes on a paper mermaid plate. Charlotte took a sip of fruit punch and asked, "Can we go back into the pool now Mama?" "Yes, for a little bit longer. But why don't you open your presents first?" Mama replied. "Ooo, yes-yes!! Open them! Open them!!" The girls cried. Charlotte grinned happily and she did. She loved all her gifts, especially the silver heart shaped locket necklace that her best friend Lizzie gave her. Then they all dived back into the water again.

"Paige, where is my hot pink vest??!" Charlotte asked. It was after dinner, and everyone was packing for the trip. "Vest?" Paige laughed. " We are going to florida remember? I hardly think you will need it." "But it might get cold at night and I want it please. So do you know where it is?" Charlotte answered. "It's hanging on your purse rack." Paige zipped up her suitcase and set it on the floor. "Girls! Do you need some help? It's almost time for bed." Mama walked into the bedroom the sisters shared. "Bed!? What do you mean? it's only 7:30." Charlotte exclaimed. "I know, but we have to get up early tomorrow and you need to get some sleep." "Can we read for a little while first?" Paige wanted to know. "Yes you can read a chapter each. Goodnight!" "Night!" The girls replied.

"Wake up!!" Paige insisted. "It's time to go." Charlotte sighed and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Then she climbed down the ladder of her bunk bed, clutching her Bear under her arm. When she reached the floor, she stuffed Cuddles in the front pocket of her suitcase and put on the outfit that she had picked out last night. There were scones and eggs to-go downstairs. As they all started to walk out the door, Paige suddenly laughed and told Charlotte to look at her feet. She did, and as soon as she saw what she had done she burst out laughing too. She still had her slippers on. She took them off, put on flip-flops, and walked towards the car carrying her slippers and suitcase.

"Oh look, look! It's Florida!" Charlotte and Paige said at the same time. The Buttercup Family was in the airplane and very close to Florida. "Ahem, attention please. Please note that we will be landing shortly, so put those seat belts on, and please put away any electronics, or other devices you have brought on the plane." The man on the microphone said. Charlotte quickly put her book, Bumble Bar wrapper, and sticker book in her lime green backpack. Soon the plane landed, and they were all on their way to the house in aunt Olivia's car. "I can't wait for you to meet Elizabeth and Flora. Flora is just my age, and Elizabeth is only one year younger." Aunt Olivia was saying. Finally they reached the house, and the Buttercup family Oooed and Awwed. It was a little stone cottage with a pool and flower garden in the back yard. They all got out their suitcases and bags, and walked up to the bright red door.

Soon, a lady with brown hair, a long green skirt, and pretty white blouse opened the door. Her face was tearstained. "Flora! What is the matter?" Aunt Olivia asked the girl. "Elizabeth's missing!" Flora sobbed. "What!? What do you mean??!!" Everyone said at the same time. "Come inside and I'll explain." Flora responded. So they all walked into the living room and sat on the couch. "I was making dinner for me and Elizabeth last night, and when the dessert was in the oven, I went to my room and started writing  a letter to my niece, who just won an award in horse back riding class." Flora said. "Then I went back to the kitchen to see how the pie was doing, when I noticed the time. It was about 5:30 and I realized that Elizabeth should have been back by that time. But I thought that she would be back soon. But she wasn't. I must have fallen asleep, and when I woke up, Elizabeth was still missing." She finished. "Well….." Aunt Olivia began.

Just then there was a loud slamming sound, and a girl rushed into the room. "Elizabeth!!!" Aunt Olivia and Flora exclaimed. "What happened??!!" "Oh I'm so sorry!!!" Elizabeth cried. "I'll tell you everything!!!!" And then she told what had happened. "I was teaching surfing class just as I told you I would Flora, and I was just getting ready to go when a yellow lab dog came up to me, with a little blue capsule on its collar. I couldn't possibly help being curious about it, so I looked at it. And do you know what I saw??!! Written on the capsule was my whole name!!!" Mama gasped. "So of course I opened it up, and just guess what I saw?! A hand-written message in secret code!" "What?" Now it was Charlotte's turn to gasp."But you still haven't told us why you didn't come back last night." "Right. I'll tell you. Now I know I should have called you Flora, but I had forgotten everything else. All I could think about was finding out what the note meant. So I went to the library and looked up books on secret codes. Soon the library was closing up and I still hadn't found out what it meant. But then I fell asleep, and spent the whole night at the library. And then in the morning I hurried back as soon as I could. And nobody knew what I had done." "Whooa. That's a LOT of stuff." Charlotte breathed. "I totally agree." Flora answered.

Just then Charlotte realized something. "Elizabeth," She said slowly. "Did you ever find out what the message meant?" "No." Elizabeth replied. "Then there is a …………MYSTERY!" Charlotte cried.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Happy First Birthday Ginger!



Exactly one year ago today you were born right here, and we are so happy you came. We love you Ginger!

Also, I want to thank my dear friends who have donated their baby clothes to Ginger this year. We are so grateful! We haven't bought Ginger one single item of clothing, and the boxes of hand-me-downs keep coming. Thank you Laura, Amanda, Becki and Lisa! We love you!

♥, Kelly

Monday, July 30, 2012

Happy Birthday Ashley!


Ashley B

Age today: 8 years old

What is your favorite thing to do? Riding!

Where is your favorite place to go? Red Frog (Coffee)

What do you like to drink? Coconut juice 

What do you like to eat? Ice cream! 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Happy Birthday Zoe!



Zoe B

Age today: 10

What is your favorite thing to do? Play with dolls, read, have sleepovers, watch movies.

What are your favorite books? Rainbow Magic, Nancy Drew, Fancy Nancy, Judy Moody, American Girl books

What is your favorite food? Salad, pizza and tacos.

What is your favorite song or CD? Mama Mia, Just Want to Be With You, Beach Boys

What was the best thing you did this year? My surprise birthday party. 

What was the second best thing you did this year? The Laura Ingalls Wilder party.

If you could go anywhere where would you go? Hawaii and Paris

Why? Hawaii is so fun and warm, and Paris is so beautiful and fun.

If you could have any superpower what would it be? To create world peace and make rainbows.

Why? Because I don't like it when people fight in the world, and rainbows are so cheery and I feel happy when I look at them.

If you could have any wish what would it be? To have my very own library and a real piano.


Friday, July 20, 2012

Charlotte's First Mystery, by Zoe Brozyna

Chapter 2: a trip to Florida, and a potential mystery

"What?!" everyone asked. "well.....," said aunt Olivia, "just very wierd things have been happening." "Like what?" Mama asked. "Oh, just things like .......... wellllll....well alright, dogs have been going missing in the town that I live in and I think that there might be a dognaper and....." "Oh Olivia, it sounds like you are just imagining it." Mama replied. Charlotte was uneasy. "But...." aunt Olivia began. "Olivia." Mama began. "Oh, alright, I guess I am really imagining it. Maybe I am just home sick." Then aunt Olivia's face lit up. "Hey", she said. "I've got an idea. How about you guys come visit me for a while? You could stay at the house me and two other girls I know are sharing. Oh, I am sorry, I forgot to tell you. Well I couldn't possibly afford a house in florida on my own, so I am sharing it with two other girls, named Elizabeth and Flora Pearl." "Oh can we Mama? Can we Daddy?" Paige asked. Charlotte was wondering the same thing. "Well...." Daddy began, but Charlotte inturupted him. "After my birthday, and my birthday party which is tomorrow of course." She said. "Well..." Daddy said again. "What do you think about this Belle?" He asked Mama. "I think that if you want to go, and if we can get a ticket some time tonight, after the girls go to bed, it would be nice." She smiled. "Well then, lets go!" "Yay! Yay, Yay yay!!!!!!" Charlotte screamed, and Paige echoed her. Mama, Daddy, and aunt Olivia laughed. "Alright now, calm down, calm down. How about you put on the Judy movie movie,...." The girls giggled. "I am sorry the Judy Moody Movie." Mama laughed.

When it was time for Charlotte and Paige to go to sleep at 9:00, Charlotte grabbed her stuffed Bear Cuddles, and climbed up the ladder to her top bunk. Mama and Daddy came in to say good night, and aunt Olivia came in too. Then Daddy turned off the lights and left the room. Soon she could hear the grown-ups laughing and talking down stairs. Charlotte lay in bed for a long time thinking. Finally, she kicked of her blanket, and climbed down the ladder. First, she checked her clock. It was 9:12. She crept over to Paige's bed. She was relived when she saw that Paige was awake too. "Paige", she said. "Paige I have been thinking. I don't think aunt Olivia was imagining those things that she told us about." "What? but..." Paige started the say. "Paige!" Charlotte said. "Are you kidding?! you really think that a grown up would imagine somthing like that?" Paige looked worried. "Hmmm...... I guess you have a point. But how could all those dogs be going missing?" "That," Charlotte said, "is why, I, think that there is a mystery. Somthing scary is going on at the town aunt Olivia is living in."

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Charlotte's First Mystery, by Zoe Brozyna

Chapter one: Aunt Olivia's arrival 

 Nine year old Charlotte Buttercup sat on her top bunk playing with her dolls.Today she was especially happy, because aunt Olivia was was coming.Her tenth birthday was tomorrow, on monday. Aunt Olivia was was going to be there for her birthday party. My was Charlotte excited! Aunt Olivia always brought such wonderful presents, and she was the most fun grown-up Charlotte knew. Charlotte's older sister Paige, who had just turned twelve four days ago, always agreed. Aunt Olivia was going to come to Paige's party too, but she had had a cold at the time, so she could not come until she was better. Paige said she did not mind this, that she was just glad that aunt Olivia could come now. After a while, Charlotte decided to write in her Journal. This is what she wrote:

 Dear Diary, Today aunt Olivia is coming! I... 

Just then, Mrs. Buttercup called up the stairs,'' girls! time to go! We gotta pick up aunt Olivia from the airport.'' '' Coming Mama!'', both girls called back. Charlotte quickly thrust her Journal in her backpack and ran down the stairs. ''So which airport are we going to again?'' Charlotte asked for the 2nd time. The Buttercup family was in the car, on there way. ''the one in boulder."Paige said.

Charlotte and Paige's parents were in the front seats, Mama driving, Daddy reading the newspaper that he got from Red Frog Coffee. Daddy turned around in his seat to smile at his Daughters."Hmmmm..... I don't think these girls are excited....." "oh daddy we are!"Charlotte exclaimed, not getting her father's joke. And she said it the same time as mama laughed, and Paige shouted,"we're here!!!" Charlotte jumped in surprise. She hadn't noticed.

When they got inside, Charlotte looked around. She didn't see anybody but strangers. After a few minutes, Mama suddenly called out, "Olivia! over here!" Charlotte and paige spun around. There, walking towards them and laughing, was aunt Olivia! Once she was where the Buttercup family was standing, she huged and kissed everyone. There was lots of "oh!"s and "I'am so happy your here!"s.

When they got home, aunt Olivia got out two sparkly gift bags from her red duffel bag. She handed charlotte a yellow one, and paige a violet one. "oh, oh, oh!" Charlotte cried out in delight. In her bag was a Care girls doll, a box of twistables crayans, and a Nancy drew mystery book. Paige had a book too, and a mood necklace, and a pencil set with butterflies and shiny swirls on them. Aunt Olivia smiled."I am very glad you like them. But that is not all. The other present is for you to to share. Its a Judy Moody movie!" The two sisters howled with delight at that.

At supper Aunt Olivia put her pizza down after taking a bite. Charlotte was confused."don't you like it aunt Olivia? I thought you said pizza was your favorite food." "oh yes, yes my dear, I do love pizza. But........alright I have some good news for you! I moved to florida! but........ oh well I suposse I should just get it over with................I have some very bad news...................."

Thursday, April 26, 2012

DIY Big Kid Water Table

I don't know why water tables only seem to come in toddler size. My big kids love them as much as they ever did as toddlers. They give their doll a bath, or pretend to be cooking, or just enjoy pouring water from one container to another.

Recently, I made a water table tall enough for them. It was really easy.




For the base I used these storage drawers (which is really convenient, because they can hide things in the bottom two drawers when they're done playing).

I put a long storage bin on top, and secured it with some bungie cords. Presto-magico — it's done :-)

The bungie cords are not very tight (I don't think it would be safe if they were) —they're just there to keep the top from easily sliding off.



Here are Zoe and Ashley with my neighbor's cutie-pie.





You can really tell from this angle that the table is at the right height for bigger kiddos.

Fun things to play with in the water:

♥ Reused kitchenware from the thrift store (whisk, egg-beater, spatula, ladle, funnel, plastic bowls, etc).

♥ Dolls that can get wet.

♥ Sticks, leaves, rocks (you can build your own floats with sticks and twine - so fun!).

♥ Squirt toys (bath toys that squirt water - especially great for hot days).






♥, Kelly

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