Violet's Space

It's Red Panda Day!

2010-11-13T18:50:00.003-07:00

That's not a red panda in the photo- that's me! Today is International Red Panda Day, a holiday to celebrate red pandas. They're an endangered species in the wild, but I've been lucky to visit them in zoos. Inky and I celebrated the holiday by making this mask and going down to her courtyard to play red panda vs. poacher. Of course, the red panda always got to escape!

Red pandas are Inky's favorite animal by far. We pinky-promised each other that one day, we will travel to Asia to see one in the wild!

Happy Red Panda Day!

Susie Visits me and Inky in NYC

2010-10-05T17:57:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! I'm having a lovely time spending with Inky's family in New York City. In fact, I haven't been the only visitor. Last week, my friend Susie came down to New York from New Hampshire to visit us. We had a great day at the Bronx Zoo and Lincoln Center seeing the New York City Ballet. Here's Inky's album, check it out!

Hiking at Jamaica Bay

2010-08-16T22:51:00.003-06:00

Guess what Inky and I did on Saturday? We went on a hike in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to learn about estuaries and coastal environments. I made a little photo album of our trip, click on this link to check it out.

Since Inky is already a Jamaica Bay Junior Ranger, she helped me earn my badge. Of course, she had to wear her favorite green t-shirt; Inky thinks it makes her look like an official park ranger. Isn't this picture silly? Inky set the self-timer on the camera, but the camera took the picture before we were ready.

Happy August!

2010-08-12T16:56:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! I'm having a great time at Inky's house. Last weekend, we took another trip to Fire Island National Seashore. That's where Inky took the this photo of me. Unfortunately, there were really strong riptides, so we didn't get to play in the water- hence, no photos.

Yesterday, Inky and I were exploring the new neighborhood when we made a new friend, Sonali! Click on the photo above to go to Inky's photostory about what happened.

Sunset on Fire Island

2010-08-01T14:53:00.003-06:00

I love the beach! On Friday, I went with Inky's family to a beautiful sandy beach on Fire Island, a barrier island off of Long Island. To get there, you have to drive across a long causeway across the water. Once you're there, you go around the big traffic circle and head to the lighthouse. Awesome! The water was freezing cold, but Inky and I wore swimsuits just in case.

We had fun playing in the sand, even though we forgot to bring sand toys. It was a hot day, so the sand was nice and warm between our toes.

Inky was brave and ran off to wade in the waves, but I stayed back on the beach blanket- I had just heard that there were sharks sighted here recently! Luckily, we had picked up our Junior Ranger books just before the ranger station closed, so I get a head start on the different activities.

We stayed at the beach watching the sky until the sun set. I loved the beautiful colors in the sky. It was so nice to lean back against the lifeguard chair and smell the sea breeze, listen to the sea gulls, and watch the sun go down. I love the ocean! Inky likes to tell me how envious she is of the mountains in Utah, but I think she is the lucky one- she can go to the ocean any time she likes!

I'm in the Big Apple!

2010-07-29T00:25:00.004-06:00

Hi everybody! It was a long trip, but today I arrived at Inky's apartment in the Big Apple- New York City. I sneaked up on Inky while she was playing in her fort. When she saw me, she ran up and give me a big hug. It's so nice to be together again; we haven't seen each other since last summer.

We took the elevator up to Inky's family's new apartment. Wouldn't it be fun to get to ride an elevator every day? Inky says it gets boring after a while, but I still think it's exciting. We grabbed our toys and talked for ages. Inky's new room is really nice.

It was really hot outside, so Inky and I stayed inside in the air conditioning. I really want to explore Inky's new neighborhood, but I had fun playing Connect Four with Inky. She even had purple pieces for me to use.

I'm really glad to be back with Inky. Spending time with friends is the best part of traveling. I can't wait to have a summer full of adventures with Inky.

You'll never guess where I'm going!

2010-07-14T20:47:00.001-06:00

Guess where I'm headed???

INKY'S NEW HOUSE IN NEW YORK CITY!

I left today actually. I can't wait to see my best friend in the whole wide world again.

Did you know Inky is a totally awesome ballerina? Like a REAL ballerina, she goes to the School of American Ballet. Isn't that neat? She is going to be famous one day.

Anyway, she and her Mommies moved into a new apartment in New York and they wanted ME to be their first guest! I can't wait, especially since things here in Utah have been DUUULLLLLL. I've been working on my homeschooling a lot, and not doing much of anything else. I've been going to swim class and hiking club, but no travels, well until now!!!

I think Colette and Jen have some fun things in mind for Inky and I while I'm there. Colette always does the best stuff to make my stay super fun, and Inky has two of the cutest and funniest cats ever. Can't wait to see them again. And work on my Russian with Inky, since that is her first langauge.

See you soon in NYC!

Some photos of me playing in the backyard before I left today.
Queen of the world!

Zion National Park!

2010-03-30T14:17:00.000-06:00

Oh I LOVE National Parks! I've been to so so many! And I've been to all the ones in Utah! Last weekend we went to Zion National Park, which was SO much fun. I love to hike and look for desert toads in the streams. I love to get my passport stamped and work on my Jr. Ranger Badges. I just LOVE National Parks.

One of the neatest things to look for in Zion NP is the carved sandstone. Can you see that the river has carved out the stone and left it looking all striped?
It is so pretty!
I stop to look for desert toads at one of the deeper pools. I don't see any (but I have seen them in Zions before!) but I do see water skeeters.
I love Southern Utah.
And I love Zion Canyon.
Did you remember that I have a National Park album? I've gone to so many parks that I decided to put them all in one big album!

Hint of spring at the farmhouse

2010-03-08T20:21:00.005-07:00

Guess what I did last weekend? Went to the farmhouse of course! I love going to the farmhouse all times of year, but spring and summer are my favorites. So when I can finally feel spring in the air, I'm happy.

I took a walk with my new camera and took some photos. I love to watch the river and look for animals. I also love to pretend I'm a winter fairy with all the pretty white snow around me!

I love my sweater I got for Christmas this year and my skirt I got for my birthday last year!
Everything is so white and clean.
Remember this photo from last March? Well I took another one in the same spot this year!

Guess who has a new blog?

2010-03-03T20:25:00.003-07:00

Inky!

Yes, my best buddy Inky decided to move to Blogger, because it is so so cool here.

To celebrate her move she is doing a giveaway on her blog. What is a giveaway? It is a chance to win a really neat prize and it is easy to enter! Just comment on her blog and you are entered! Easy peasy!

Check out Inky's blog now, ok?

Here is the outfit you can win, but you need to visit her blog.

Olympics!

2010-02-13T20:57:00.005-07:00

I LOVE the Olympics. So does my BFF Inky. She and I always email and talk about the Olympics, and we even got matching shirts for the Beijing Olympics back in 2008 (here is a photo of mine). Of course we needed new Olympic shirts, and I was so so happy when I got the mail the other day and there was a present from Inky! What could it be? Only an Olympic tee! AND the most AWESOME present ever! A Miga stuffed animal!!! She is a cross between a Kermode Bear and an Orca and she is soooooo cute and soft!

Remember that I got an Olympic pin from Inky for Christmas? Well I did, and I was so excited to wear it with my new shirt. Miga and I are already best friends. AND, Inky has a Miga of her own, and a matching shirt! We are so lucky!

GO for the Gold USA!

Two of my favorite winter sports to watch are skiing and ice skating. That is because they are two of my favorite sports too! I love to ski and ice skate. I wonder if snowshoeing will ever become an Olympic sport. (Click the links, they are awesome)

Yes, my shirt rocks. And my pin rocks. And Miga rocks.
Isn't Miga the cutest?!
We pretend to be figure skaters. We'd win gold for sure. :)

Winter Wonderland Camp!

2010-01-29T15:41:00.008-07:00

Oh my gosh!!!! Camp was soooo fun! I love sleep-away camp, but I've never ever been to one in the winter!

The camp was up the mountains in this really neat lodge. When I got there I checked in and sat near the fire with the other girls my age. There were some really funny girls and I made lots of friends. Every night we had a HUGE hot dinner in the lodge near the windows. One night while Leah (my best friend from camp) and I were eating dinner we saw a porcupine out the window! How cool is that?!

Most days we woke up early, took a morning snowshoe adventure, play games and drink hot cocoa in the afternoons, and then take another afternoon snowshoe or sometimes a night snowshoe after dinner!

I took my new camera with me to camp, but didn't take a lot of photos. It seemed like I was having too much fun and always forgot.

On my birthday I was at camp and that night all the girls sung "happy birthday" to me and we even had a big cake. It was an ice cream cake. Who ever heard of having an ice cream cake in the winter? Anyway, it was soooo good!

Here are a few photos I took (and a few Leah took of me) -

Look! One thing we learned about at camp was animal tracking. We spotted moose tracks and rabbit tracks and lots of bird tracks! These are quail tracks, I think.
Most days were so sunny and warm! Didn't even need to wear gloves!
I tried to experiment with my new camera a little.
My main Christmas present - new snowshoes!
I love Winter Wonderland Camp!

Christmas has come and gone!

2009-12-29T16:58:00.007-07:00

Boy, I have been so busy in Utah! People have asked me if I'm a big sister because they heard about a baby named James, and I have to say, no, I'm not a big sister. I'm an only child. That is the story Mama came up for me, and wants to keep it that way for awhile. :)

But, that said, there is a new baby in the house that is keeping everyone so busy that I haven't been able to blog much. I hope to improve that soon.

But, even with being busy with a baby, I had an awesome Christmas! I got everything I wanted! And guess what I really wanted and got? A Winter Wonderland Sleep-away trip for a Christmas/birthday present combo! What is that? It is a Girl Scout trip that they do every year where you go stay in a cabin, learn to snowshoe and ski, and play outdoors a lot. I spend an entire week there! Can't wait!

And, my birthday is only about a week away! I'll leave for camp soon after.

So what did I get? Only the best things ever!

Do you see my other main present?!
Snowshoes and a new snow outfit! PERFECT for my Winter Wonderland camp!
And my best friend Inky sent the neatest presents! A 2010 Olympic pin (Inky and I LOVE the Olympics) and a Cheburashka puzzle!
Daddy also got me a new camera! It is a digital and is really good.
Merry Christmas!

My new room

2009-11-18T21:14:00.003-07:00

Mama and Daddy decided I was old enough to finally have a basement room, something I've been begging for for three years! Last weekend we moved all my things downstairs. I love my new room, it is a little smaller than my last one, but I have wood floors and it is so nice!

I decided to paint the back wall pink, and I LOVE it!

Fall day at the farmhouse

2009-10-26T17:33:00.006-06:00

Last weekend was such perfect weather that Mama, Daddy and I decided to take a day trip to the farmhouse. I wanted to invite a friend, but Mama said it was a family day. Wish Inky was here...

Anyway, we drove down and stopped for lunch at my favorite spot, Little Acorn. I got a hamburger, fries, and root beer, which was a perfect start to the day. Once we got to the farmhouse it was so pretty! The sky was pure blue and almost all the leaves were either yellow, red or orange. We took a walk and visited the horses and saw some hawks.

Then after awhile we decided to take a drive and spotted a great horned owl in Spring City!!!! I wasn't even in my lucky owl shirt, but Mama spotted him, and he was so cute and big! I love owls so much, they are my favorite.

We took lots of photos, visited the goats down the road and headed home after picking pears and playing with Zoey, the neighbor dog. I am so happy I went down there, it was a really fun day!

ANOTHER National Park to check off the list!

2009-10-13T17:26:00.008-06:00

Mama, Daddy and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park last weekend! We flew to Colorado for one of Mama's friend's weddings and were there long enough to see a little bit of Rocky Mountain National Park, but we weren't there long enough for me to get a Jr. Ranger badge, so I'll have to go back!

Guess what we saw? Tons and tons of elk! It was awesome. At one point we even saw a big boy elk chase away another boy. It is easy to tell which ones are boys and girls because the boys have HUGE antlers!

Guess what else? There was already snow on the ground in a lot of places! I was glad to have my hoodie, because it was quite chilly.

Here are my favorite photos, and I've been updating my National Park photo album, so make sure to see it!

Isn't it pretty? It looks a little bit like Banff and Jasper, not not quite.
The sky is blue, for now... It snowed later in the day!
Here is some snow in the shade. Brrr...

Fall day at the cabin

2009-09-18T11:56:00.000-06:00

Sorry I haven't updated for three weeks. Mama said that I really needed to get serious with school work, now that it is September. This year I'm in the fifth grade, and I'm home schooled. I have three big reports this year, a science report (I'm going to research geology), a state report, and an animal report. All are very big tasks!

But yesterday I didn't study too much because I went to the cabin instead! It was such a pretty day there, the sky was deep blue and all the underbrush was changing to yellow and red already. Can you believe it? It is already fall!

After lunch I decided to take a walk and look for all the signs of fall.

Isn't it amazing that in the mountains the leaves have already started to change?
It is a perfect day, no clouds in sight!
Isn't this plant pretty? It is turning red.
I walk down to the pond to look for frogs, but it seems like they've already left.
But there are a lot of water skeeters!
This flower is called "Bread and butter", isn't that the neatest name?

I am back from Banff and Jasper

2009-08-27T15:03:00.005-06:00

I got back just a few days ago from my family's annual summer vacation! This year we decided to go to the Canadian Rockies, Banff and Jasper National Parks. I had such a good time! The mountains, rivers, lakes and streams were so pretty, but the best part was looking for animals.

Here is a list of what we saw:

Grizzly Bear (yes, I know, exciting!)
6 Big Horn Sheep
3 Elk
Lots of deer
Pika
Cute birds
Coyote
LOTS of fat squirrels

I have been working on an album of all my favorite photos from my trip. Here it is! I hope you like it.

Here are some of my favorite photos, all taken along the Icefields Parkway, which is the highway that connects Banff National Park with Jasper National Park.

Inky has gone home

2009-08-14T21:19:00.006-06:00

Inky and I have been so busy over the last two weeks! We've gone to the farmhouse, played lots and lots of games and yesterday we got snow cones. Today was a super sad day because Inky left for home. I miss her already.

Mama says I can't be on the computer too long tonight, because I've already spend an hour finishing my Inky visits album!

Here is a link to the album (you must see the entire thing, it is so cool!).

Here are a few of the photos from the last two weeks!

Inky and I play with our favorite toys at the farmhouse.
Yesterday we walked around the block to get snow cones. Look at all the flavors!
I decided on Sour Grape, my favorite color!
The snow cone guy thought we were so funny! He was even willing to pose for a photo with us.

It is hot in Utah! Even the moose are swiming!

2009-07-20T16:05:00.007-06:00

Oh my gosh, it is so hot here in Utah! Inky and I are having such a good day together, we've been playing space most of the day, because 40 years ago man walked on the moon. Neat!

Over the weekend Inky and I took a little hike up East Canyon in Utah. Along the way we saw a tiny speck of brown off in a lake. Guess what it was? Yes! A Moose! He was so hot he decided to take a nice swim across the lake, then and long drink. After, he didn't get out. He just sat there cooling off. It was funny!

Here is the road up part of East Canyon, isn't it pretty?
Finally we get to our destination and start our hike. Yikes it's hot!
Do you see that tiny brown dot?
He's a moose!

Grand Canyon on the North Rim!

2009-07-16T09:46:00.008-06:00

Inky and I wrote this together, here it is:

Daddy and Mama booked a cabin on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon this summer. They asked me if I'd like to bring a friend because they knew it is hard being an only child and I said "yes! Inky!" Luckily Inky got to come and I was so excited! She arrived a few days before we left, and she was super excited too.

Both Inky and I are pro Junior Rangers, we've become Jr. Rangers at all the parks we've visited together, and that's a lot of parks!

On Friday we left Utah and and entered Arizona! I hadn't been to Arizona yet, so it was so fun to mark that off the list, plus exploring a new state is totally awesome. Pretty soon we entered the prettiest forests, there were HUGE meadows everywhere and pine trees all around. Then we slowed down to enter the park. Inky and I wanted a sign near the park entrance, like always!
Once we got to the North Rim we checked in. Yea! Mama and Daddy rented a little cabin on the rim! It was so perfect for us because it was close enough to a lot of the trails. We could even hike alone! Plus the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge was so so pretty. Inky and I loved all the old radios, the sculpture of Brighty the mule and the patios with really neat canyon views.

Over the weekend we went on a lot of really neat hikes. On one hike we even saw mules on the trail! One mule was really funny and had his tongue sticking out like he was really tired. He was so cute!

Don't we look awesome on our hikes? And check out the view.
We are close to the edge, but are being careful.

When Daddy and Mama wanted to relax at the cabin Inky and I worked on our Jr. Ranger booklet. This was a fun booklet because in once activity we had to be animal detectives. We saw lots of animals down there, mostly fat squirrels hanging around our cabin.

On the last day we said goodbye to our little cabin on the rim and said goodbye to the lodge. Before leaving though, we got our Jr. Ranger badges!

Isn't our cabin neat? Can you see Daddy on the porch?
We got our badges!
We have lots more photos from our trip that we'll upload into an album soon! Until then, you'll have to wait!

Inky and I are back!

2009-07-13T21:54:00.002-06:00

Inky and I just walked in from the Grand Canyon - it was so fun! We want to do a full joint post, but it will have to wait, I'm tired. Until then, here we are-

Christmas in July!

2009-07-08T11:42:00.004-06:00

Guess what?! My best friend in the entire world showed up in Utah two days ago! Inky is here! In addition to having my best friend visit, she brought gifts! She was so sad that she missed Christmas and my birthday last year she wanted to make up for it, and make up she did!

Having my best friend her is like the best present, but she also brought along all of these items:
1. Ugly doll toy! He is not plush like my other one. He's so cute!
2. Mama horse and baby horse toy. I love these!
3. T-shirt with girl at the pool (it is soooo cute, the girl looks like me!)
4. T-shirt with my favorite animal - owls!
5. AND...... Rebecca doll!!! Can you believe it? American Girl dolls are expensive and such a treat! The last time I got one was 1.5 years ago, I got Kaya for my birthday. Well I've been saving and saving for Rebecca. With some of the money I've been saving I'll have to buy Inky a present. Rebecca is so beautiful.

Doll party!

2009-06-30T20:54:00.007-06:00

On Saturday all the friends Mama has met on the doll boards decided to meet up for a party. I was so excited to go because lots of my friends were going to be there, even my traveling friend Sophie! Sophie speaks beautiful French and looks a little bit like me, so I was excited to meet her.

The party was held at such a pretty garden! All the girls and I explored everywhere! It was so fun to explore and play in the garden with all my friends, even Suzie came! Inside there was food and drinks and lots of fun things to see. Mostly I was just happy to be with Mama on a girl's outing.

Sophie and I found a swing that was just perfect for us!
Isn't the garden lovely?
All the roses were in bloom, even hundreds of pink ones!
I found a wonderful spot in the shade. Doesn't it look magical here? (Also, can you see my cute hair do?)

Weekend with Mari

2009-06-17T14:31:00.007-06:00

Do you remember Mari? She is my friend that I went to Thanksgiving Point with last fall. She is so silly and we have such a fun time together. This weekend Mari and I went with our Mama's up to a friend's cabin! It was so rainy, but I taught Mari that you can still have fun in the mountains in the rain. Mostly we played inside over the weekend, but finally the sky cleared up a little bit and we took a hike.

Mari and I love the woods in Utah! We like to pretend we are little squirrels and live outside even in the rain. But little squirrels also have dens, and they are warm and cozy!
We even spotted a squirrel on our walk, but he ran away to quickly to take a picture. We had to be extra quiet from then on...
Also the woods were FULL of wildflowers! Mari and I decided to pick some to share with Mama in the house. Aren't our bouquets beautiful?
Guess what else? Mari is working on growing her hair long! Can you tell it is longer than last fall? She says she wants it to be as long as mine, maybe even longer!

Cabin in the rain

2009-06-05T21:13:00.004-06:00

Mama and I took a girls trip up the cabin today with all the girls in my family! We got there and took a nice walk and cleaned up a little. When we were making lunch it started to rain, and rain, and rain. Grandma's doggy Willow could hear the thunder and started getting really scared and was shaking. I was trying to tell Willow it was okay, he's so funny.

After we had hot chocolate the rain cleared up just a little. I explored near the meadow and looked at all the yellow wildflowers covered in raindrops. And then it started to rain again! We all decided we were too cold and we came home. Now I'm warm in my PJs in my room, and of course it is raining outside!
There is even snow still up at the cabin in places. Isn't that amazing?

Grand Canyon & Inky

2009-06-04T09:00:00.004-06:00

Mama has been talking to Colette a lot lately. Daddy is out of town and so is Jen, so Colette and Mama are so bored they've been talking on the phone a lot! Inky says she is really sorry about my Christmas and birthday presents, but they are coming soon!

Anyway, Mama told Colette that we were going to the Grand Canyon in July, and she invited Inky along! Can you believe that??? I'll have my best friend back in Utah for a visit, and not only that, we'll go on an awesome trip together.

Inky even says she *might* get me a bigger present from her favorite store in NYC, but I don't know what it is, and Mama won't say. I can't wait!

Weekend at the farmhouse with Lei Mei

2009-05-26T16:09:00.011-06:00

Mama was in a really good mood on Friday, so I decided to ask her if I could bring a friend with me to the farmhouse. Usually I don't get to invite a friend because my cousins are there, but I asked Mama if Lei Mei could come with us.

Lei Mei is one of my best friends and she lives only three houses from me! She is only seven years old. Even though I'm 11, I don't mind playing with Lei Mei, because she is really cute and funny. Lei Mei moved here from China only two years ago, so sometimes she helps me learn Chinese and I help her learn English.

Annnyyyyywwwwaayyy, Mama said it would be okay to bring her. Lei Mei's been to the farmhouse a few times before, and she LOVES it, just like me! We brought our dolls and played outside when the weather was good. We took lots of walks, explored a lot, and even enjoyed the lilacs that were in bloom. It was a very fun weekend.

Lei Mei and I climbed on top of the fence to play dolls for a little while. Nobody could get us, we were too high!
And then I showed her my secret fort that I showed Anna Lee last winter, remember?
Mama said we were looking so cute, she wanted a photo of us together. "Cheese!"
The next day we went on a walk to see the lilacs.
Soooo pretty!
And they come in purple! This bunch matches my outfit.

Road trip to Eureka

2009-05-17T11:20:00.006-06:00

Yesterday the weather was really good so Mama, Daddy and I decided to take a family road trip to some ghost towns. We packed a lunch and left around 11. It took a really long time to get to Eureka but the drive was really pretty. When we were almost there Mama said we should take a different road and we found a really neat ghost town called Mammoth. Mammoth was an old mining town that now has only a few people living there. Eureka wasn't much of a ghost town anymore, though, because the mine has re-opened and lots of people have moved into town again.

But, on the way back we stopped near Warm Water Springs and looked at the old Tintic Refinery. The springs fill a big field and birds and fish live there, we even saw a blue heron. Across the field we saw a big refinery that was abandoned! It was so neat. Once we came home we did some research on the location, and I learned a lot about mining in Utah. They were able to refine metal there in the 1920s! Wow!

Can you see the refinery behind me? Up on the mountain? It looks like a castle!
See? It is really big.
And there was an abandoned train track there, which was neat to explore.

Mother's Day weekend and hike

2009-05-11T18:13:00.007-06:00

It has finally stopped raining in Utah. The good news is everything is green and the tulips are still in bloom, the bad news is Kirsten didn't get to see much, too much rain!

BUT, on Mother's Day it was beautiful! Daddy and I planned a little hike to a waterfall for Mother's Day, and I got to spend Saturday alone with Mama all day, we went to the doll show! We met some of Mama's friends there and then went and got Mexican for lunch after. It was a very good Mother's Day weekend.

I love to go hiking. I can hike a long ways all by myself.
Isn't the trail pretty? I might want to show Mari this trail soon.
And look at the waterfall at the end!
And everything is so green! Mama and I decided to pretend we were fairies. Her name was Fairy of the Glen and my name was Waterfall Dancing Fairy.

Goodbye Kirsten!

2009-05-11T18:09:00.004-06:00

Kirsten and I had so much fun in April. We didn't do a lot outside though, because it rained and rained and rained! Bummer! We mostly worked on school work and played in my room. Kirsten has the funnest ideas for games, and she is really smart too, so working on school work with her was fun. I will miss her!

Here we are playing games in my room.
Goodbye Kirsten! Enjoy your travels!

Springtime in the garden

2009-04-21T15:42:00.007-06:00

Kirsten and I have been having so much fun! This is a busy time of year for my home school. My new favorite subject is biology and Kirsten and I have been learning so much about plants and fungi for the last week we thought it would be fun to go to Red Butte Garden and test our skills.

FINALLY the weather has cleared up a little bit. After our sunny day on Easter it snowed and rained again for an entire week, but today is just perfect, a perfect day for the garden that is. Kirsten was very interested in Red Butte Garden, their gardening methods in the desert of Utah, and how the entire garden is actually built on the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains! It was so fun to walk around and look at the daffodils, which were all in bloom!

We are excited to explore the garden. Kirsten is excited because it is NOT raining!
Look at all the daffodils! Hundreds and hundreds were in bloom.
Aren't they pretty?
I even wore my yellow garden shirt!
Kirsten and I walked all through the garden and spotted lots of birds, butterflies and squirrels. It was fun! Kirsten even saw one extra fat squirrel she named Nutty.

Happy Easter my friends!

2009-04-14T17:10:00.009-06:00

The Easter bunny came to the farmhouse, can you believe that, that he knew where to find me, and knew I would be down there? Neat!

The Easter weekend started out really cold and yucky. I was worried the Easter bunny wouldn't come to visit because of all the rain and snow. But, on Easter morning I found my basket and it was stuffed! Plus, there was a new girl down there named Chrissa and on Easter I showed her all around the farmhouse. It was cold and chilly but we both didn't want to cover up our cute Easter outfits with coats.

I tried to stay awake and wait for the Easter bunny but the farmhouse beds were too cozy, I fell asleep after only an hour of waiting!
Somehow the Easter bunny knew I was at the farmhouse!
Chrissa and I took a little walk outside. It was rainy and gloomy.
But we loved pretending it was sunny and warm. Plus, do you see a little blue spot of the sky? We did!
But then when I got home the clouds had cleared and it turned out to be a beautiful day! Plus, Mama said we might be getting a Easter visitor. I waited outside on the porch and a new friend came to stay for three weeks - Kirsten - and she is a traveler just like me! She has been all over the US and has been traveling since last fall! Anyway, after she arrived we had an egg hunt in the back yard and played in my room. It was a very very good Easter!

Back at home it was beautiful and sunny! Almost like a different day, but it was still Easter Sunday. Kirsten arrived and we became friends very easily. She loves to travel just like me!
After she put her things away in my room we had a little Easter hunt in the backyard. We collected lots and lots of Easter treats!

My spring walk

2009-03-27T14:44:00.006-06:00

Mama and I have been dealing with spring snow this week, but today is partially sunny but still a little bit cold. We decided it would be a good day to put on our spring coats and go for a walk.

I brought along an empty Easter basket in hopes of filling it with things I found along the way that remind me of spring.
First I decide that any good spring basket needs to be filled with fresh green grasses, right?
Next I discover a tree that is beginning to sprout. I pull off just one sprout and add it to my basket.
Down near the river I gather some of the prettiest and roundest river stones that remind me of bird eggs and I add them too!
Along the walk we spot a beautiful shy hawk.
And I discover the first flowers of spring growing along a steep bank, yellow dandelions of course!
Happy spring! Enjoy your Easter basket!

Spring is slow coming

2009-03-23T10:26:00.005-06:00

Last weekend we went to the farmhouse. I was so excited for a spring weekend, and we got that, sorta. Spring in Utah is always crazy, it can be beautiful one day and snowing the next. I was very very happy to see some green little grasses pushing up through the earth. It felt like spring was really truly here!

And guess what else? Easter is only a few weeks away! I LOVE Easter! I LOVE Spring!

Look look! Some little green weeds! I looked and looked for a leprechaun but didn't see one. Mama read me this story she wrote when she was my exact age about a leprechaun named Lindsay and I loved the story. I really wish I found one, to grant me my wishes.
The weeds are brown now but within a month or two there will be green ones sprouting everywhere.
And I played in the ditch across the street from the farmhouse. Daddy played here too when he was a boy.

Great Salt Lake

2009-03-09T12:11:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I went to the Great Salt Lake for a report I am doing for home school. I had to pick one interesting thing about Utah and write a two page report, I picked the Great Salt Lake. It was a windy but clear day and Mama and Daddy said they would drive me for some "in person research". I've been to the Great Salt Lake before, when I was little. This time we looked at the salty sand and I found some cat prints in the mud. The lake has gone down a lot so we didn't walk all the way out to the water because the sand was too stinky. It was pretty though, in a really lonely way, maybe I'll write that in my report. Hopefully it will get warmer soon and we can go to other interesting Utah locations. My vote is Zion National Park in Southern Utah.

Heber with Jasmine

2009-03-03T11:35:00.004-07:00

Last weekend Mama and Daddy helped Aunt Chelsea move a piece of furniture in Heber. Since we had to drive up there anyway, we decided to make a whole day of it. Uncle Joe cooked a really really yummy dinner and Jasmine and I even got to try a sip of wine (it was not good!). While the adults were talking inside the house Jasmine showed me around outside. It was so pretty and not very cold. Jasmine is lucky to get to spend this much time in Heber with Chelsea and Joe, and explore. She said I should come back in the summer time and we could play in the clubhouse near the river. And the clubhouse even has a boat doc! Lucky!

Here are two photos, isn't the view awesome! This is the view from Uncle Joe's living room. Lucky! Also, check out my new shirt! Harry Potter rocks.

Anna Lee left yesterday and I'm feeling a little sad

2009-02-19T11:42:00.002-07:00

Anna Lee was here for over a month and I really got used to having my "Yosemite sister" so close. We had a sleep over every night, Anna Lee helped me with my home schooling (and Mama even gave her some assignments), and we've been playing fairies and winter princesses a lot. I'm really going to miss her now.

Anyway, while she was here we worked on a photo album. She wrote all the captions. I hope you like it!

Anna Lee Visits Utah

Love Violet

Happy Valentines!

2009-02-17T12:25:00.006-07:00

Happy happy Valentine's my love! Who is my love? Ummm... the kitties, and Daddy and Mama. And my friends!

Anyway, Anna Lee is leaving tomorrow and so we decided to have a Valentine's Tea. Actually, Mama set it up for us and wouldn't allow us in the kitchen until everything was ready. Anna Lee and I both wore pink outfits with skirts. When we walked into the kitchen it was so pretty! The table had a lacy tablecloth and the white tea set was set up. We had cookies and chai with lots of sugar. Anna Lee and I had such a good afternoon. I'm going to miss her when she leaves tomorrow.

Happy Lunar (Chinese) New Year!

2009-02-11T15:28:00.006-07:00

Oh my word, I am so late! Lunar New Year was weeks ago, and Lei Mei hosted such a wonderful party for Anna Lee and me. I feel just horrible about not posting photos yet.

Thank you Lei Mei for such a wonderful party, and bring on the year of the ox!

Lei Mei had such a pretty table set for us. Her Mama painted the walls red just this year! I told Mama I want my room red now!
Lei Mei knows how to brew tea and make rice perfectly. You always have a feast on New Years.
Happy New Year!

Back from the farmhouse, we had FUN!

2009-02-03T11:55:00.005-07:00

Anna Lee is headed home soon, so I was so happy that she could join me at the farmhouse one more time. The weather was cold (but not as cold as last time) and the sky was blue. On Saturday we played Harry Potter UNO, colored in our coloring books and played outside. I wanted to show Anna Lee the barn down Gordon's Lane that is CREEPY!

On Sunday we went for a little drive and had fun looking for hawks and exploring the Spring City Cemetery. We found lots and lots of old graves. Some were really sad because they were kids, and some were from really old people. We hoped to see some bald eagles in the cemetery because they like to hang out there, but they were not there this time.

Anna Lee is excited to head back home because she has missed Katie and her sisters so much, but I'm going to really miss her here. I love having my Yosemite Sister so close by!

Isn't this hawk neat? Mama caught it on her camera right before it took off. She didn't realize she caught such a neat photo, she clicked the camera and the hawk was gone, she thought she'd missed him. She only realized later when she went back to look at the photos.
Here we are exploring the Spring City Cemetery. Notice the perfect blue sky! We saw this headstone and it looked really really old, and we were right! This person died in 1866.
Spring City Cemetery is one of the most pretty places near the farmhouse. We've gone there a lot of times in the summer but this was the first time in the winter. There were even a heard of deer that came and visited while we were there!

I have been just horrible about updating

2009-01-30T21:42:00.006-07:00

Anna Lee is still here. We've done some much for the last two weeks, but I've been horrible about updating! We've had a New Year's Eve party with Lei Mei, we've played lots of games in my room, we've watched some movies and we celebrated the inauguration of President Obama! AND, guess what else? We are going to the farmhouse again tomorrow! Anna Lee is very excited because she knows what to expect. I will miss her when she heads back home next week.

Do you want to see our Obama ball? We watched the inauguration on TV and then danced and cheered for the rest of the night. We had such a fun time, and we dressed in beautiful outfits! Yea for Obama (and guess what else, Malia is almost exactly my age! Wouldn't it be fun to live in the White House and have your Mama or Daddy be president?)

We watched the entire inauguration in our ball gowns, it was so fun!
Yea yea yea for President Obama! Look at my new dresses, Anna Lee is borrowing a new gold dress Mama got me, and isn't my blue one beautiful?
And now that the inauguration is over, I've been working on a report about presidents in the USA for school (home school). I had to write about what having a new president means to me. It was a hard report. I wished Inky was here to help me, she is so smart when it comes to presidents and stuff.

Weekend in the mountains

2009-01-19T13:48:00.007-07:00

Anna Lee and I spent last weekend in the mountains with my entire family. We had such a fun time! Anna Lee said she'd never ever seen so much snow in her entire life, and I told her that other years there is even more!

We played lots of games and ate lots of tasty food while up there. Anna Lee thinks my family is crazy, she says my Daddy is so funny. I agree. Plus Grandma brought up a little Yeti she made out of felt, and she kept making the funniest voices for him.

Yesterday it was really sunny and Anna Lee and I went on a walk. The snow that was in the sun melted a little and had formed ice crystals! They were huge and everywhere. Neither of us had seen anything so pretty so for the rest of the day we played that we were ice princesses and the forest was our kingdom. We even pretended that we never got cold in the woods even though it was really cold out.

Here I am showing Anna Lee around the cabin. Even though it is cold outside it is toasty warm inside!
And here we are, the two princesses of the woods! Anna Lee's princess name was Blue Snow and mine was Winter Ice.
AND.... look what I got from Katie in the mail before I left?! A new nightshirt with my favorite character from Rainbow Brite, Shy Violet. Thank you Katie! I wore it this weekend and it was perfect!
And tomorrow I told Anna Lee I want to through a ball for inauguration. I can't wait. And remember that Anna Lee has a blog. Here is the link: http://annaleemerced.livejournal.com/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

2009-01-08T19:53:00.006-07:00

Happy Birthday to me!!! On Tuesday it was my eleventh birthday, but I had my party today and it was so fun! Also, Anna Lee was here, so she got to come to my party. We had a spaghetti party and even made the spaghetti ourselves. Plus, I got the BEST presents! I'm working on an album that I want to share here, but I have to say I have the best parents and cousins and friends ever.

Here are some of the things I got-
1. Scrapbook paper set. I love to scrapbook all my travel photos, and I got an entire set for my crafts.
2. Under the bed organizer for all my toys
3. Note cards so I can write to all my friends
4. An aquarium!!! I've been begging Mama for a pet and Sophia and Abygale got my two fish and an aquarium. It is soooo neat!
5. A really pretty skirt I've been begging for
6. Fawn, a Pixie Hollow doll. She is my favorite, my second favorite is Silvermist. When you get a Pixie Hollow doll you can go online and check out their website, make houses, and of course watch parts of their movie.

Here are a few more photos to share, and make sure to check out my entire birthday album. Happy birthday to me!

Sophia and Jasmine helped make the spaghetti and fry the meatballs (I made the meatballs, getting my hands gooey in that meat was worth it though, the meatballs were good!)
Suzy made sure the bread was nice and hot!
The spaghetti tasted so yummy! Doesn't Anna Lee look like she is having a fun time?
Look at my new aquarium. I can't wait to name my fish. I think the yellow one will me Limone, which is the way you say Lemon in Italian.
And, if you don't know about Pixie Hollow you have to go to the website and watch the preview. The movie is so good!

Anna Lee Merced is here!

2009-01-03T14:36:00.008-07:00

Guess what?!?! Anna Lee Merced is here all the way from Michigan. I met Anna Lee two years ago when I visited her house while traveling, and she loves to travel just as much as me! Guess what else? She loves the Merced river in Yosemite just as much as me! We've both been there and we've both played in it. We call ourselves the Yosemite sisters because we both really love Yosemite.

Anyway, Anna Lee came here to visit me for my birthday, which of course is in two days!! Yippee yipee yippeee! She said she had a very special birthday present to deliver, but her Mama's sewing machine broke right before she left. Poop. Anyway, she is very very excited for my party on Tuesday.

Right now I'm at the farmhouse with Anna Lee and it is COLD cold cold. Brrrr... We played outside with our animals a little earlier (she brought a bison that she bought in Yellowstone!) and I played with North. We soon got too cold, and now we are sitting near Old Betsy in the kitchen. Anna Lee asked why we named the coal stove Old Betsy, and I didn't know! I asked Daddy and he didn't know either, he said it has always been named Old Betsy, always.

Tonight we are going to stay up really really late and talk about our favorite National Parks. Anna Lee is just as crazy about National Parks as Inky and I! She's been to lots! Maybe more than me!

Here are some of my favorite photos we took today before our hands got too numb.

I showed Anna Lee the deer tracks in the yard. The deer love our yard and always sleep here!
And I showed Anna Lee where I always make forts under the trees. She agreed it was a very good fort location, and we decided to play with our toys here. (Anna Lee loves forts as much as I do!)
Isn't my hat neat? Auntie Jen made it for me last year, for my birthday. I love it and wear it almost all winter!
Buffy and North get to know each other. Buffy was more interested in munching on the tree than playing with North.
And guess who is coming down to the farmhouse later? Jasmine, Suzy and Abygale! Yea!

Oh, and before I forget, Anna Lee has a blog too, here is the link.

Late Christmas post

2008-12-29T17:58:00.008-07:00

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! I didn't update my blog on Christmas, or the day after, or the day after that. Mama says one reason I have my own laptop is to practice typing, and I'd rather practice on a blog than in an boring Word document. Yuck.

Anyway, Christmas was A.W.E.S.O.M.E. I got so many neat toys and clothes. I got an entire puppet set, and now I really want to put on a puppet show. Plus, I got the puppet show set from Playmobil! And guess what else? My birthday is in only eight days! I rock.

So Suzy's second cousin (or something) moved to Utah! She was here in time for Christmas, and she is so funny. Her name is Jasmine (Yas-meen), but Sophia calls her Meina. She can hip hop even better than Suzy!

This is Jasmine, doesn't she look nice? She speaks Portuguese, and was born in Brazil!
Here is one of my puppets. Daddy hates him because he's a gnome. Heehee!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is almost here!

2008-12-24T11:52:00.003-07:00

And Hanukkah has arrived too!

Mama said that Santa is probably already delivering in Japan, because it is night there. That means they get Christmas day earlier, which is really really not fair.

Here are some of the things I asked for this year for Christmas:
1. New cute outfit. I asked for a new sweater, long sleeved tee, and maybe a skirt.
2. Playmobil puppet show set. It is so cute, and my favorite new set
3. Surprises from Inky and my cousins
4. World Peace.

Love Violet

I'm earning money for Christmas shopping

2008-12-17T12:18:00.007-07:00

Mama and Daddy made a deal with me that when I turned 10 I would have to earn half of all the money for buying Christmas presents. They said they would match what I earn, and from that I could buy gifts. I took this responsibility very seriously, and has been babysitting for the neighbor family since October! I rock!

Amanda Kate is a very good baby. She is elven months old and likes to be held and played with on the floor.
She has the cutest little feet.
And if I hold her up she even likes to pretend she is walking!
The best part about babysitting is earning money! I am saving my money to buy my friends and family Christmas presents.
Afterwords, I buy presents, head home and shut my bedroom door so I can wrap all of the presents I bought. Merry Christmas!

My Christmas ballet was today!

2008-12-12T23:06:00.016-07:00

Merry Christmas! Today was the big day, the day of our ballet. Remember I said we were practicing extra hard for the Christmas show? Well it went perfectly, I'm so glad I practiced as mush as I did.

Our dance was to Carol of the Bells and our new red and white costumes were so pretty. My cousin Mia played the piano for the performance, and it was perfect! As we spun around on stage I was imagining that we looked like candy canes. Also, all my cousins came to support Abygale, Sadie May and me. I was so happy.

It finally snowed!

2008-12-09T16:05:00.004-07:00

It finally snowed! I've been waiting and waiting for Christmas snow, and it finally happened! Yipppeee!!

Suzie and I watched the snow start to fall yesterday in our jammies. I'm glad we had a blanket to wrap around us.
And look at today! Snow and a blue sky!

Hip hop with Suzie

2008-12-08T21:30:00.011-07:00

As I was telling Suzie all about my ballet show coming up, I asked her why she doesn't got to ballet lessons with us. She says she used to take ballet, but girls from Brooklyn don't take ballet, they take hip hop! Hip hop is the kind of dance all the kids on The Disney Channel do. I asked Suzie to teach me. It was lucky I asked, because Suzie is pretty much a pro hip hopper.

And look at the awesome style Mama put in our hair for the hip hop show!
I love having my cousins visit.
Oh wait, I almost forgot! We helped with the Christmas lights yesterday, we even climbed up the ladder onto the roof, but we weren't scared.

The view really is better on the roof.

All done!

Suzie decided to spend the weekend

2008-12-07T13:09:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was St. Nickolas Day, which means Aunt Chelsea hosted a tea party! She does this every year, but this year was extra fun because afterwards, Suzie asked Chelsea if she could spend the weekend with me, and Aunt Chelsea said yes! This is big news, because the last time a cousin stayed with me was two years ago.

Suzie and I had such a fun time last night, we played with Lyra and Santa and pretended there was a Christmas disaster and Lyra and Iorek Byrnison needed to help Santa save the day.
And then we talked about Santa Claus. Both Suzie and I still believe, of course. We can't wait for Christmas day. Also, Suzie promised she'd come to my Christmas ballet show!
Today we've got a big job, help Daddy set up the Christmas lights outside. We are going to Home Depot now to pick some out.

I finished Inky's album

2008-12-04T10:46:00.003-07:00

Now that Inky's home and she's shown her Mama all of her presents, I think I'd like to post the album of her adventors here in Utah.

Inky visits Utah again!

And, the Christmas tree is set up. I was feeling so Christmasy I got dressed in my Christmas recital dress for the ballet and have been practicing.

Goodbye Inky

2008-12-01T17:36:00.005-07:00

Inky just left. I feel very sad and lonely. She was my roommate for a month, and now it is quiet. At least it is December 1st, which means Christmas is right around the corner. Nobody can stay sad for long in December!!!!

Inky and I had a great time over the last week. Even though we new she was leaving today, we didn't let that stop us from having a blast.

On Thursday (Thanksgiving) while we were getting ready for the feast, I noticed Inky was sad and quiet. I asked her why and she looked at me and said that Thanksgiving is not a time in her family to "give thanks" because it celebrates the time when white people came to the new world and took the land away from the Native Americans. And also when they brought disease and most Native Americans died. We talked a lot, and afterwards had a little feast to celebrate that Colette survived.
Then on Saturday we went to the farmhouse again. We explored all around and took a Utah Architecture tour with Mama (she is crazy about this stuff). I had so much fun with Inky, I'll miss her!
Daddy noticed I was feeling bummed out about Inky leaving, so tonight he said we could set up the Christmas tree, he said he's sure that will lift my spirits!

Happy birthday Inks!

2008-11-23T17:47:00.005-07:00

Inky is still here (I know, I am so lucky to have my friend visit for a month!), but today was EXTRA special because it is Inky's eleventh birthday! Mama and Daddy booked a hotel room up Little Cottonwood Canyon, so we packed all the birthday presents and birthday cake in the car and headed up there. Inky and I had so much fun exploring the hotel on Saturday, and then today, I wiggled Inky awake, and when she finally opened her eyes I said "Happy Birthday!"
Right after she woke up she wanted to open her birthday presents, and then we had birthday cake for breakfast! We were so cold and wanted to get dressed but Mama said that we should put our swimsuits on, we were going outside!? Then Daddy said that we were now old enough to go to the Cliff Spa where we can relax, enjoy swimming in the pool and soaking in the hot tub on the roof! Yea! Once we were in our suits we ran across the outside patio to the hot tub, because it was only 40 degrees out! Inky was having the best birthday.
But the best part of all? The view from the pool! We are so lucky!
After we dried off and ate lunch we went on a little hike. I think Inks had a great 11th birthday here in Utah with me!

Ballet class

2008-11-17T14:06:00.003-07:00

For more than a year I've been taking a ballet class with my two cousins Abygael and Sadie. I go every Thursday at five for two hours, unless I'm traveling. I really love my ballet class, but the best thing about it is? The Christmas Show! We've been practicing like crazy lately, and the Christmas show is only a few weeks away, which means I couldn't miss class on Thursday.

Mama called up my teacher, Ms. Vanessa, and asked if Inky could join our class a couple of times. She told her that Inky is a very good ballerina, and has also been taking classes in NY. Luckily, Ms. Vanessa said it was okay if Inky came to class. Inky was pretty much the best in our class and we had a lot of fun practicing all of our positions and rehearsing our dance for the Christmas Show.

I'm a Jr. Ranger again!

2008-11-09T21:41:00.006-07:00

Inky and I are pros. We really are. We each have more than ten badges, and yesterday we added another one to our collection! Mama and Daddy drove us up to Northern Utah (it was such a long drive...), and we got our Jr. Ranger Badges at Golden Spike National Historic Site. This is the place where the railroads finally met each other in 1869. That meant that now people could travel all the way across the country on the train if they wanted to! And mail and packages now could be delivered in days, rather than weeks or months on horseback.

Inky and I had such a great time. We answered all the questions in our Jr. Rangers booklet and we even talked to a real train engineer. Plus, we saw some really neat birds, and some Nasa Rockets, but Inky says we need to do an entire post just devoted to rockets.

Here we are where the railroad met!
Here is the original photograph from that day, neat huh?

Go Vote!

2008-11-04T16:47:00.002-07:00

Inky and I are having so much fun! We've been trick-or-treating, played witches and black cats in the back yard, visited the farmhouse and next weekend we are going to get another Jr. Ranger Badge!

But, with being this busy, we didn't forget to vote. (Well Mama and Daddy voted, because they are old enough). Inky and I just showed our support.

Tonight we are going to have a party and eat pizza, watch the news and cheer on Obama!

(This same post is on Inky's blog because we typed it together on my laptop!)

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T10:18:00.004-06:00

Inky and I dressed up last night to show off our super awesome new costumes! We can't wait to go trick or treating tonight. I can't wait!

Inky really wanted to be Cheburashka for Halloween (remember him?) and I wanted to be Violet Parr from the Incredibles.

Happy Halloween!

Inky is here AGAIN and we are having so much fun!

2008-10-30T15:49:00.003-06:00

Yep, Inky is here again! I love hosting her, she's pretty much my best friend. Today we had such a fun time playing witch and black cat, but the best part was we made a real spell!

Here is the album, and here are a few photos from our fun day. Tomorrow is Halloween!

I met a new friend, Mari!

2008-10-27T19:29:00.005-06:00

The day after I got home Mama and I went down to Utah County to meet a doll friend. Her name is Caroline, and she is a very nice lady. She thought I was so cute. But you know the best part? She has a daughter that is my age! Her name is Mari. Mari loves to travel, loves the color purple (like me!) and met Valerie Tripp in NYC!

We met Mama's new friend at a pretty garden called Thanksgiving Point. We walked all around looking at the pretty fall colors and enjoying one of the last days of warm weather. Mari and I ran around and even pretended we were princesses in the rose garden.

And guess what is in four days? Halloween! Inky is coming to visit. I'm the luckiest girl in the world, I think.

Halloween is right around the corner!

2008-10-23T17:07:00.006-06:00

Halloween is right around the corner, a very very spooky corner. AND, I'm back in Utah! Today Sophia, Abygale and I went to the pumpkin patch, and guess what was there??? Only the BLACK PEARL from Abygale's favorite movie, Pirates of the Caribbean! She was so excited she almost fainted. Haha!

Mama must have know there was a pirate ship at this pumpkin patch, because as I was leaving, she asked "do you want to dress up in your new pirate outfit?" I was like "okay!". Anyway, it turned out perfect and so fun. I think Blabins (Abygale) is in LOVE with Jack Sparrow!

Here we are on the Black Pearl. Isn't that the neatest ship you've ever seen?
This is Jack Sparrow. Blabbins wants to kiss him, I think. I think he is old, plus, boys are gross!

I am in Maine!

2008-10-16T12:33:00.008-06:00

Mama teases me that I never stop traveling, and I guess she is right.

Two days after I got back from Japan I hopped on another airplane and headed to Maine! It is so fun here! I've made friends with some really nice girls that are just my age. There is a girl named Abigail and she is so funny! We have had such a blast exploring the woods near her house.

Any you know the best part about Main this time of year? The LEAVES!!!

Notice I added a new photo on the right below my links

2008-09-28T22:33:00.003-06:00

Isn't my photo collection on the right hand side of my blog neat? I love it! There I am in Tokyo Japan, London England, and more! I really want to keep adding my my collection. I want to add Paris France (with a photo of me and the Eiffel Tower!), Bangkok Thailand, Beijing China, Machu Picchu Peru, Sydney Australia, and so much more! Where else would be a neat location for a photo?

I'm so excited, I have a travel album from Japan

2008-09-25T09:27:00.005-06:00

I've been working on this album like crazy, all my photos from Japan! I hope you like it! You should leave LOTS of comments! :)

Doesn't it look like I have an awesome time???

I visit Japan!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the album:

I am back from Japan!

2008-09-23T20:17:00.002-06:00

And I have so much to blog about! Mama is insisting that I go to bed early, so I'll work on my blog tomorrow. Until then, here I am in my kimono!

I'm home!

2008-09-12T11:38:00.004-06:00

What a day yesterday was. First I thought I got dropped off at the wrong house, then it seemed like my world turned upside down.

I think my photos will explain what I'm trying to say. I was sure in for a surprise. Or should I say 10 surprises?

Back in Utah!

Here is a photo of me in my new room checking out my new kimono!
The fabric is so beautiful.

Goodbye Inky... until next time.

2008-09-12T09:27:00.005-06:00

First let me say, I miss Inky SO SO SO much. She is the best friend any girl can have. Plus, I learn so much when I'm with her. My Russian is awesome, since Inky teaches me so much when I'm with her. It is so funny, because we always try to insult each other in Russian, but she knows more insults than I do.

And guess what we did on one of my last days there? Since we're homeschooled, we don't have school photos taken. Instead, we went to American Girl Place and had our portrait done with our dolls! It was so much fun. We both wore our AGP hoodies and carried an American Girl doll. I miss Inky so much.
Inky and her Mamas got me the most wonderful presents while I was there. Not only did I get my ears pierced, and my photo taken and AGPNY, I also got my very own Ugly doll!!! He is so cute! His name is Abima and he's a little crazy. I love him.

Here is the album Colette and Inky made before I left. We had such fun.

Pierced Ears!

2008-09-05T21:09:00.003-06:00

Remember how I got my ears pierced last year? I'm embarassed to say that I let them close up. Mama and Daddy told me I'd have to wait to get them done again. Well, my Auntie Colette and I had a special day yesterday, just the two of us. She took me to get my ears pierced! I had to promise I would take excellent care of my new ear holes.

I'm starting out with stars, but I also picked out some extra pairs to wear later, once I can change them. I can't wait to show Mama and Daddy!

P.S. Auntie Colette told me Mama said it was okay! Phew! I was a little worried she would be upset that I got my ears pierced again!

Castle Clinton

2008-08-29T17:42:00.004-06:00

Inky and I have been having such fun that I keep forgetting to update my blog! Yesterday, Inky and I went to Castle Clinton. It's an old fort in Battery Park that's been tons of different things, like a fort, an opera house, an aquarium, an immigration processing center, and now, the ticket office for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Inky and I had to do a really, really hard crossword to earn our badges. We had to ask the ranger for help- and even he didn't know the answers!

My visit to New York is coming to an end very soon. Inky and I have such a great time together, I'm going to miss her so much when I leave. I'm going to ask my parents if Inky can come visit again soon. Inky says she thinks our families should meet at a National Park between New Mexico and Utah. I'm crossing my fingers!

More NYC visits: Teddy Roosevelt NHS and Tibet House

2008-08-27T14:15:00.006-06:00

Inky and I did another Junior Ranger program yesterday! Now we are officially Junior Rangers at the Theodore Roosevelt National Historic Site. President Roosevelt lived ages and ages ago. He did some cool stuff like advocate for Universal Health Care, clean up the NYPD, and named his son Kermit.

Inky and I have earned FIVE Junior Ranger badges together. They are:

Canyonlands National Park
Cape Cod National Seashore
New Bedford Whale National Historical Park
Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

One of the best parts of being homeschooled is getting to do awesome stuff like earn Junior Ranger badges all the time! Inky's even luckier than me- she's unschooled, so she doesn't even have to do math homework (ew!).

We also visited the Tibet House, a museum and gallery about Tibet. This is me and Inky in front of a statue of His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama. He is one of my heroes because of his support for peace.

Who are your heroes?

P.S. You can see all our pictures from our trip here.

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

2008-08-26T07:14:00.007-06:00

Inky and I had another adventure last weekend! Since both of us are homeschooled, we often get to read really cool books that other kids might not have the chance to read in school. It turns out both of us are big fans of Edgar Allan Poe. We got the chance to visit one of his homes, in Philadelphia, on Saturday.

Here we are on the front steps of the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site. In order to get in, you have to bang the knocker once. Then, a park ranger will let you in. We were a little nervous! The ranger reassured us that when they restored the house, they checked under all the floorboards!

The first thing we did was ask if the Site had a Junior Ranger program- they did! We got our booklets and got to work. We saw a video about Poe's life and looked over the exhibits. One of the rangers asked us if we'd like to go on a ranger tour. Of course we did!

She showed us all over Poe's house. There wasn't any furniture, but we climbed up the narrow staircases and looked out his windows. We learned that Edgar Poe married his cousin, Virginia Clem, when she was only thirteen! Wow! That's not much older than me and Inky. We agreed that we definitely are not ready to get married, even if a famous author asked us.

The last room we saw on our tour was the cellar. It was dark and damp. The ranger told us a scary story called "The Black Cat." Then she revealed the false chimney that inspired the story! Inky and I got shivers up and down our backs. You'll have to read the story yourself to find out why! This picture is of us climbing on the false chimney.

After the tour, the ranger gave us keys to a large trunk. We had to complete several activities with the items in the trunk in order to complete our Junior Ranger booklet. When we finished, we received our badges! One of the rangers took our picture with the ranger who led our tour.

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site is definitely the creepiest National Park we've been to so far!

The United Nations!

2008-08-25T13:28:00.006-06:00

Last Thursday, Inky and I decided to go an adventure to Manhattan. I was nervous, because we decided to go all by ourselves! We are both very independent and travel all the time, but this was my first time into the city without an adult.

We rode the train, then a bus, and finally we walked the last few blocks to the United Nations Headquarters. There were so many flags lined up outside! We had to go through security, just like at an airport. Inky and I had both packed backpacks with water bottles, a subway map, and our cameras. We put them through the scanner. Before we went in, we had to check our bags at a counter for safety. Luckily, we got to keep our cameras.

The first thing we saw was Sputnik! Inky is so proud of her country's achievement in launching the first satellite; I took this photo of her in front of the model. It is dark, because we couldn't use flash in that part of the building. You can still see how excited Inky looks!

After that, we walked through some exhibits of paintings. There was a special exhibit of paintings of the Olympics by children from all over the world. I loved it! Inky and I were very impressed by how well the kids could draw. There was a little station there to draw your own Olympic picture, so Inky and I each made one.

Then, we saw the portraits of the Secretary Generals. We asked another visitor to take a picture of us under Kofi Annan's portrait. He was the Secretary General when I was born, and only stepped down last year. Doesn't he look handsome?

Downstairs, we explored the different gift shops and the UN's post office. We each bought one another a little souvenir. I wanted to send my parents a postcard, but I didn't quite have enough money. Inky said that we might be able to go back again before I go home to Utah.

Finally, we posed for a photo in front of the UN flag. Inky says she thinks the flag is especially awesome because it shows the Arctic North, her favorite part of the world. I agree! We leaned really closely to see if we could see some polar bears!

On the way home, we pretended that we were both polar bears in the Polar Bear United Nations. We have matching polar bear toys and we decided that from now on, they will be diplomats!

Cape Cod II

2008-08-25T13:10:00.004-06:00

Inky and I have been so busy that I haven't had time to update my blog! The last two days of our trip to Cape Cod were great.

We tried out a beach on the ocean side of the cape called Head of the Meadow Beach. There was a huge sandbar protecting a little part of the beach, so Inky and I could play safely without being afraid of the undertow. I did some boogie boarding. It was fantastic! I was riding the waves! When the wave came up, I would kick and kick and then I'd go flying on top of the wave as it crested. I can't wait to do it again someday!

We also built a sandcastle. The only flag we had to stick on top was Kazakhstan! Isn't that silly? Inky said she had a Soviet flag at home, but that was it! Inky taught me the Kazakh National Anthem. It goes:

Kazakhstan- greatest country in the world! All the other countries are run by little girls!

Isn't that silly? I thought so too! I decided to write a letter to Kazakhstan telling them their anthem is really funny, but when I went to research it I learned that Inky taught me a made-up song. Isn't she funny?

Before we left the beach, Inky checked her lobster trap- she caught a crab! I steamed it for dinner in a big, blue enamel pot. Yum!

The last thing we did before returning to New York was stop in New Bedford, MA. We visited the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and earned another Junior Ranger badge! Inky forgot the camera in the car, so we don't have any pictures. Stinkbugs! (Inky says that whenever she's frustrated.)

Cape Cod Weekend!

2008-08-22T16:58:00.013-06:00

Inky and I had so much fun during our trip camping on Cape Cod! We went on Friday and got home on Tuesday. On Friday, it rained and rained and rained so hard that all we did was stay in the tent and play Scrabble. We didn't take any pictures because I left the camera in the car- I didn't want to get soaked running from the tent!

During all the rain, Inky and I worked on my Junior Ranger booklet! She had grabbed one for me when she was last there, so that I didn't have to wait to go to the Visitor's Center to start. I did ALL of the activities that I could do without a ranger's help- that's how much rain we had! Inky and I pretended that we were stowaways on a ship, so we had to be quiet and hide in the hold.

On Saturday, we went to the Provincelands. That's a part of the cape on the tip, with lots and lots of dunes. The European settlers stripped them all for farming, but since they were made of sand, it didn't really work. Now, the Park Service is working to let plants grow again on the dunes. Inky and I went on a Junior Ranger hike to explore the dunes and the bogs around them. We got to eat wild blueberries and bearberries! We also got to learn to read some of the animal tracks.
After the hike, we went to Corn Hill Beach for Inky's kayak lesson. It was so cool! I think I will ask Mama and Daddy if I can learn to kayak too! I stayed on the beach to watch- and guess what I found?It's a hermit crab! It was so tiny! Inky and I watched it for a long time after she was done with her lesson. If you sat really, really still for a long time, the crab would poke out of the shell and walk around a little bit. Some kids on the beach told us that you can keep hermit crabs as pets and if you take good care of them, they can grow as big as a baseball! We decided to let our hermit crab friend go before we left the beach.
A giant storm blew in only a few minutes after we left the beach. Inky and I huddled in the tent and listened as big pieces of hail rained down all around us. I was worried the sharp pieces of ice would cut the tent, but we were safe.
On Sunday, we visited a lighthouse called Cape Cod Light. It was so cool! They had to move the lighthouse 400 feet back from the edge of a cliff so that it wouldn't fall off; the cliffs are eroding. We learned all about erosion when we were at the Provincelands, but it was so cool to see it in action. It was really windy up there and you could see sand flying off the cliff.

Doesn't it look so beautiful? Inky and I loved looking down at the ocean. You can even see that the earth is round by looking at the very gentle curve of the horizon. Awesome! I bet Mama and Daddy won't be so happy when they see what we were standing next to! (It was a big sign that said "Sliding Cliffs! Danger! Keep back!")

I will write more later, but now I am going to help Inky clean up her room. I don't know how she gets it so messy!

P.S. I finally finished my photo album of our whole trip up to Cape Cod. Check it out!

Look who it is!

2008-08-21T10:52:00.002-06:00

Inky and I are laughing and laughing. We just got back from a really fun trip to Cape Cod, and before I post photos from that, I wanted to show you what we found online-

It's me!
Inky, you should post one of yourself on your blog too!

Stop #2: New York City!

2008-08-14T20:34:00.007-06:00

Today, after a super long journey from St. Louis, I finally arrived in New York City! I was so excited, because I hadn't seen Inky since May. As she would say, "Stinkbugs!" There was so much traffic, but I finally got to her apartment. Inky moved from Wisconsin last summer; I hadn't seen her new digs yet.

I knocked and knocked... and knocked. No one answered! Finally, I pounded really hard on the door. I heard a voice yell "And it's Pavlova for the Gold!" Pavlova is Inky's last name, so I figured I was at the right place. I knocked and knocked some more, but no one answered! I decided to see if the door was open- it was!

Inky looked super confused at first, but suddenly she ran right up and hugged me!

Inky's roomie Iris was away at Violin Camp, so I get her bed. Iris was really sweet and not only made her bed for me, but she also cleaned out her nightstand and armoire! I'll make sure to leave her a thank you note. Inky gave me some awesome presents- 2 new shirts, a journal, and my own Ugly Doll, Abima! Abima Rules!

Once I was unpacked, we made cupcakes and hung out all evening talking about silly things and all our adventures. We get to stay up until one so that we can watch Olympic Gymnastics! Good thing too, because we had tons of stuff to pack for the weekend.

Guess what we're doing?

P.S. Don't forget to read Inky's blog to hear HER side of the story.

Double trouble

2008-08-08T14:00:00.007-06:00

I'm in trouble - double trouble. Here is what happened:

Piper's sisters, friends and I piled into Katie's car in Missouri. We were headed to Kansas to spend a week on the lake. I was so excited, how could anything go wrong?

Well Piper and her sisters can do magic, real magic, and they go to a magic school, kinda like Hogwarts! Anyway, we got to the lake and were having so much fun! It is really really beautiful in Kansas. The air is warm and the water is cool. We were having so much fun on the dock. Whenever Phoebe jumped into the water she would come out completely dry. We were laughing and laughing, because all the sisters are really good at magic.

Anyway, here is where the trouble began... Piper wanted to know if I wanted to learn a little magic also, of course I did! I thought you had to have special powers or talent to do magic, but Piper said, no, if you are not born with magic, you can just wear these special red shoes and it can help you do spells. Plus, they made me my own magic wand! How could I say no?
Piper taught me some of her favorite spells, and I couldn't belive it, they were actually working! (I so want some of these shoes at home!). After I learned summoning and vanishing spells Piper told me I could try something myself. She said "just raise your wand and think of a magical thought." Well guess what I thought? I didn't mean to, but "twins" just popped into my head.

Oh dear....
I guess I'm talented, look what I summoned-
I didn't know what to do! I wanted to vanish them, and not get in trouble, but Piper said I wasn't in trouble, instead she was thrilled!

I guess I'm the next Hermione Granger! When was the last time she summoned twins? (To see the full album of our dock party and the magic lesson, check out our album!)

Sleepovers with Piper

2008-08-03T17:14:00.003-06:00

Why don't adults have sleepovers? They are so fun! I can't remember the last time my Mama or Daddy stayed up late telling stories, eating snacks, laughing and watching movies with their friends. These are the things Piper and I have been doing every night since I got here! A few nights Lily and Holly joined us, but mostly it has been just Piper and I. We sometimes pretend we are the twins in The Parent Trap, separated at birth, and now together again.

Wouldn't it be funny if Piper went home to my house and I stayed here for awhile, and we both tricked our parents? Sometimes that is what we giggle about the most, because Piper can't speak Russian at all, so nobody would be fooled. And I can't do magic like she can.

When I grow up I will still have sleepovers, I know it.

I'm out traveling again!

2008-08-01T14:21:00.012-06:00

First stop - St. Louis, Missouri. And guess who lives in St. Louis? PIPER!!! And Lily! I was so excited when I found out I would be traveling to see them again. Plus, there is a really cute little girl here that loves me. She and I have been playing a lot, and she has been teaching me about her three favorite animals, dinos, wolves and sharks. But the best thing about this little girl is that she made me a special bed right next to hers and let me snuggle with all her favorite stuffed animals.

Lily, me and Piper-A few days later we went to Mastodon State Park where they found mammoth bones. Of course Piper and I dressed like twins, and we pretended to be twins the entire day. Someone even came up and asked us if we were twins. :) The mammoth bones and all of the exhibits were really interesting, and I was so glad to learn more about prehistoric animals in the Americas.

After the state park we still had lots of energy so we headed to the zoo (yep, in the same day!). The zoo in Missouri is awesome because it is really big! Right outside the gates they have this really pretty fountain with seals. One seal is even popping his head out of the water near the edge. He was so cute. Piper and I both really like seals, especially babies.

Isn't this a neat fountain?
Inside the zoo there was so much to look at. The elephant area was really neat, and they even have a baby elephant that was born last year. We saw a cool aquarium and also an awesome dinosaur exhibit! I'm really learning a lot about prehistoric animals on this trip.

And guess what is next? We are heading off to Kansas to spend a week on a lake! Piper and Lily promised me we could have a dock party with the girls.

Dutch oven cooking with Daddy

2008-07-21T16:14:00.009-06:00

My Daddy is such a good cook. He always makes really tasty things in his dutch ovens. Dutch ovens are huge cast iron ovens that you cook with over hot embers or coals. He can make anything in a dutch oven, even dessert.

Well this weekend while we were down at the farmhouse he gave me a lesson. I wanted to learn, so he helped me pick a recipe (Mexican Casserole), helped me shop for the ingredients, and helped me make the entire dinner (but I did most of the work!). Doesn't he sound awesome?

Here are some photos, I made dinner for my friends and cousins!

Daddy shows me how to place the coals-
You even have to put coals on top, for it to cook all the way through-
Yea! The Mexican casserole is almost ready, the cheese just needs to melt.
Here are all the plates served up, yummy huh?
Abygale, Sadie, Allison, me and Jess enjoy a picnic dutch oven dinner.
Inky loves dutch oven food too, we ate it a lot when we were in Canyonlands this spring. Next time she comes to Utah I can show her how to cook dutch oven dinners, because now I know!

Picnic with Sophia and Abygale

2008-07-13T21:33:00.006-06:00

Yesterday I went over to Grandma's and had the most fun! Sophia and Abygale were there, and we always love to play and explore. Grandma lives near the woods where there is lots of ivy and birds, so before dinner we explored. Sophia lead the way, because she wanted to show us her favorite trail.

Sophia is so funny, she kept making bird calls trying to call the pretty birds closer, but they kept getting more and more scared, and they all few away. We even tried to call a bear, but either we didn't have the right call, or there are no bears in Grandma's backyard.

Once we were done exploring we sat down to a summer picnic! We made root beer floats and had grilled shrimp shiskabobs. Yummy! The entire time we ate we talked about our new favorite movie - Kit Kittredge, an American Girl!

FROGS!

2008-06-30T15:31:00.005-06:00

I love frogs. And I love the cabin. And I love sleeping outdoors.

We went to the cabin last weekend and the meadow was full of frogs! They were so noisy and cute, I loved to catch them and look at them. I was always super careful though, and always put them back. Daddy said that I shouldn't move them, because they might miss their girlfriends. :)

You have to be very still and very quiet when you look for frogs.
This year the meadow was really really flooded. There were mini rivers and ponds everywhere which made lots and lots of good places for the frogs to hide. Today I'm writing a report on frogs.

When doing my research I found this-
Here is a list of some of the different ways people think frogs sound around the world!
Afrikaans: kwaak-kwaak
Arabic (Algeria): gar gar
Catalan: cru�-cru�
Chinese (Mandarin): guo guo
Dutch: kwak kwak
English (USA): ribbit
English (GB): croak
Finnish: kvak kvak
French: coa-coa
German: quaak, quaak
Hebrew: kwa kwa
Hungarian: bre-ke-ke
Italian: cra cra
Japanese: kerokero
Korean: gae-gool-gae-gool
Russian: kva-kva
Spanish (Spain): cru�-cru�
Spanish (Argentina): berp
Spanish (Peru): croac, croac
Swedish: kvack
Thai: ob ob (with high tone)
Turkish: vrak vrak
Ukrainian: kwa-kwa

Aren't they cute? They are really slimy and fast, but I finally caught one!

Update on the summer

2008-06-20T15:18:00.003-06:00

I have been busy with school work and crafts this summer. Because I am not traveling as much, I've been working on a lot of reading and ballet. Also, I go to swim classes twice a week.

Yesterday I worked on a shadow box for the seashells I found in Grand Cayman. I think it turned out really well, and now it is hanging in my room.

I don't have too many big trips planned, next weekend I might go to the cabin, but I don't know. Mama and Daddy are going to NYC to see their friend Ben, but they say it is an adult vacation. Poop.

Also Daddy is going to Japan in late July, and I'm begging and begging him to go. Mama has been helping me, but Daddy says no. Darn it, I really wanted to go to Japan.

Well Sophia just called, I think we are going to go to the pool! Bye!

School and Ruthie

2008-06-04T17:52:00.002-06:00

Since we got back from the Caribbean I have been busy finishing my school year. Because I'm home schooled, I don't really ever stop learning, but most of my assignments are done until next fall. That means I can spend the summer working on my Chinese, Russian and Italian, some of my favorite subjects.

And guess what else? There is a new girl living down the road here. She is so funny, her name is Ruthie, and she is from the 1930s. Kit has been talking and talking about Ruthie for ages, she is going to flip to see that Ruthie is here when she gets back from her Aunt Millie's.

Welcome to Utah Ruthie!

The first day she arrived Rachel and I threw her a party. We all dressed as 1930s girls and enjoyed the sunshine in the back yard.

I love to snorkel

2008-05-13T16:41:00.005-06:00

Guess what I've been working on? My album of my vacation to Grand Cayman! I worked really hard on this album, so I hope you like it, here is the link.

And guess what else? Yesterday we went to Target and got our underwater cameras developed, and some of the photos are so COOL! I love snorkeling, I'm so glad I learned. Using fins is a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it you can swim fast!

Here I go. When you enter the water you want to walk backwards so you don't trip on your fins-
You have to really use your leg muscles to kick with flippers-
But it is worth it because you get to see awesome coral reefs!
I LOVE TO SNORKEL!

I love Grand Cayman

2008-05-10T09:12:00.003-06:00

I don't have long to update my blog, Daddy is saying he is ready to leave, today we are going snorkeling again! This place is awesome though, the house we rented is SO BIG! And the beach is right out the back door. This morning I looked in the tide pools before anybody woke up.

Well I better go, I think we are leaving!!

Here is a photo-

WE ARE OFF TO GRAND CAYMAN!

2008-05-01T16:27:00.003-06:00

Guess what happens tomorrow at midnight? We leave for Grand Cayman! Yippee!!!! I've never been to the Caribbean, and I'm so excited. It has snowed ALL DAY in Utah today, and it is May!

Here is where we are going:
I say "bring on the sun and sea!" I finished my last snorkeling lesson ages ago, so I hope I still remember how to clear my mask so I can see all the fish. We are staying in a house right on the beach, and my cousins Sofia and Abygeale are coming too, we are going to have so much fun playing. I really want to play Pirates.

Inky is leaving tomorrow and I am so sad. I asked Mama why would couldn't take her to Grand Cayman because she took me to Ukraine, but Mama says that she is nervous about taking Colette's most special doll near all the sand and water. Daddy is nervous too, because I heard Mama and Daddy talking about it.

Inky and I had such a great time. She is pretty much my best friend. I am really going to miss her. I hope I remember all of my Russian once she leaves.

Inky is still here, and we are having so much fun!

2008-04-28T10:19:00.005-06:00

Inky's Mama is probably wondering why I haven't updated my blog, and why Inky hasn't updated hers, it is because we have been too busy having fun!

We've done so much over the last week, it is hard to remember everything, but I'll try-

We went to the Clark Planetarium and Inky taught me all about Venus, Yuri Gagarin and the space race in the 19060s. Inky is so smart when it comes to outer space.
We saw a show called Human Body at the planetarium, in was on Imax, which was so cool!
We explored the woods near Grandma's house, and we played lost girls, my favorite game
We went to the doll show and tea downtown. Inky loves the Beehive Tearoom, and we both ordered violet tea, yum!
I completed a new Girl Scout badge, I needed to give a tour in a place of interest to someone that didn't live here. Perfect! Inky doesn't live here, so we went down to Temple Square and saw 16 brides and lots and lots of flowers. We pretended the temple was a castle.
We took a tour of historic Hotel Utah.
Inky has been helping me with my Russian ever day, and I'm getting really really good. Lei Mei has been playing with us, and she is teaching Inky some Chinese.
We've watched three movies, a Russian one of Inky's that is really funny, Secret Garden, and a documentary on space.

Here are some photos:

Inky and I play lost girls in the woods. It is so fun pretending to try to look for a place to sleep and what to eat.

After the doll show we go to the Beehive Tea Room and both order violet tea. It is my favorite!

A few days later I give Inky a tour of Temple Square for my next girl scout badge, and all the flowers are in bloom. It is really pretty!

Then we reach the temple, where LDS people get married and stuff. We even saw 16 brides! Wow! Inky and I liked to pretend the temple was a castle.

My friend Inky is here!!!

2008-04-15T09:39:00.007-06:00

I hardly believed it when I opened our front door and saw this:
Inky!

I never thought Inky would visit me in Utah without Colette by her side, because she is Colette's most special girl. But I guess Mama and Colette worked something out because Inky showed up about a week ago.

Piper and I were playing in my room when I hear the doorbell, and of course I ran down to get it! Piper was excited to meet Inky too, because she has heard so much about her from me. Piper was sad too, because she was getting ready to go home, and couldn't stay for mine and Inky's awesome adventures!

And our adventures started right away because Daddy and Mama were planning on taking a trip to Canyonlands before Daddy starts his new job.

Yippee! Inky got to show me where she lives when we visited Ukraine together, now I can show her where I live, and show off the red rocks of Utah!
Inky and I had SO.MUCH.FUN. in Southern Utah! We hiked and hiked and we celebrated Yuri's Night, or День Космонавтики, the day to celebrate space exploration, by watching the stars and the moon in some of the darkest skies in all of the US!
Inky even thought some of the slick rock looked like the moon, so we played outer space with our toys, and pretended they lived on Mars. It was easy to do, because the rocks were so red and there were caves for our toys to live in.
Don't Ice Bat and Cheburashka look like they are on Mars?

And guess what else? The first day we went into the visitor's center and the Ranger was very interested in us. I told him that Inky is from Ukraine, and she traveled all the way from NYC to visit me in Utah. He asked if we knew about the Junior Ranger's program, and told us about the activities we needed to do to become Junior Rangers.

Inky and I were so excited, and got to work right away. We needed to go on some hikes in the park, fill out some puzzles and talk about what we've learned and even pick up some litter. On the last day we went back the the visitor's center to get our badges. The Ranger laughed and laughed, saying that she had never seen two dolls become Jr. Rangers before.

But, we took our oath, and told her our favorite parts of the park (mine being cryptobiotic soil, and Inky's being that you could see space) and then we got our badges!
Inky and I are putting together a full photo album of all our adventures, so that will be up soon, and make sure to check Inky's blog, because she is going to update it soon too!

Now I've got to go, because Inky says she wants to go outside and look for a good place for a fort.

More fun with Piper

2008-04-08T11:05:00.005-06:00

I've been having such a fun time with Piper, I'm really going to miss her when she heads home this week.

Last week we played dolls in my room for an entire day. We had such a fun story going on, first they found this magical pony in the woods, then there was a flood, and the pony didn't make it onto the boat, so Kaya had to save her! It was so fun!
Then on Thursday was Mama's birthday, happy birthday! For her birthday Piper and I took her up to Red Butte Garden. This is a pretty garden at the mouth of Red Butte Canyon. It is still early spring here in Utah, but all the daffodils were blooming. Mama and Daddy walked around while Piper and I pretended to be flower fairies. We even sat down right in the garden to look for bugs.
And guess what else? Piper and I have finished our photo album! We've been working on it since she got here, and it shows all the stuff we've been doing, and there are a lot more photos.

Here is the album: Piper visits Violet in Utah!

Love, Piper and Violet (the twins!)

Also, check out my new crocs!!

Fun at the farmhouse

2008-03-31T13:23:00.003-06:00

Piper and I are having such a great time, I'm really going to miss her when she leaves in a week. Last weekend we went down to the farmhouse and had a really fun time. Saturday was sunny and warm, and really really nice. We played in the corral, went to Ephriam and visited the Co-op, took a walk and played near the river at Maybel Pierceson's house. And guess what? The lady at the Co-op thought we were twins! When she asked, we said yes!

That night we changed into our jammies, had chocolate milk, and played lots of games with my cousins. We ended up going to bed really really late, almost at midnight. I hope Piper's mama doesn't get too mad.

The next day was very cold and cloudy, but it was foggy too, which was neat. Piper and I took a walk and visited a horse down the road. We also drove around with Daddy looking at the mountains and Fairview and stuff. Piper said she liked driving around and seeing everything. Pretty soon it started to snow, but that was okay. Piper and I wanted to see the abandoned social hall in Milburn, but we didn't explore long, it was too snowy!

This week we have other fun things planned, but I can't spoil the surprise. Right now we are in my bedroom playing American Girl dolls and Playmobil.

Love,

Violet and Piper (the twins!)

Hiking and Yoga with Piper

2008-03-28T14:21:00.004-06:00

Piper and I are having such a fun time. I can't believe she has already been here a week! Last Saturday we went on a hike up Rattlesnake Gulch in Millcreek Canyon. This is one of my favorite hikes, because the view at the end is really pretty! And dogs are allowed on this hike, so Piper and I got to visit some really cute puppies.

There was still some snow on the ground, but the air was nice and springy, so that was good. Piper said she had never seen mountains so big, and I just grinned, because they get a lot bigger!

Today I had my Kid's Yoga class to go to, so I asked Piper if she would like to join me, and she said yes! She had never done yoga before, so it was a lot of fun going with her and telling her that yoga was started in India thousands of years ago! She couldn't believe it was that old, I couldn't at first either, but it is!

The class was so fun, and our teacher Rosy was really nice to Piper and explained things because it was Piper's first time. Now both of us are really sore from our class and we are having root beer floats! I told you it was fun to hang out with Piper!

Happy Easter from Piper and me!

2008-03-23T15:29:00.002-06:00

Piper is here! She got here on Friday, but we've been having so much fun playing and exploring, I haven't had a chance to update my blog. So far we've already done a lot! And guess what, Piper said she will join me at my Kid's Yoga class later this week!

The best part has been pretending we are twins, we've already been asked twice if we are twins, and we say yes! It is so fun.

Do you want to see how pretty we look today? Happy Easter! The Easter bunny visited, and we both got lots and lots of goodies!

Piper is coming to Utah!

2008-03-18T16:16:00.005-06:00

Oh my gosh! I am so so so excited!! Piper is coming to visit me in Utah, and she will be here for Easter! Piper is Lily's friend (remember Lily, we met in North Carolina when we were both traveling, and then she got here when I was leaving for Canada?). Well her best friend is coming to visit now too! And guess what's even neater??? Piper looks A LOT like me!

I've always thought it would be fun to be a twin, and Piper says even though she has sisters, she has always wanted to be a twin too. We've decided the entire time she is here to pretend we are twins! It is going to be so fun!

Piper and I started talking through letters and cards once Lily got home from her travels. At first it was just Lily and I that wrote letters, but soon Piper started to too, and then Mama asked if she would like to visit Utah, and she said yes!

Here are some things you might want to know about Piper-
* Astrological Sign: Gemini
* Industry: Human Services
* Occupation: Student & Teacher of Magical Arts; someday I will become a Charmed One, Professional Good Deed Do-er & Helper (this means she can do magic!)
* Location: St. Louis, MO

About Me
I am a doll who has been blessed with magical powers. I have two sisters: Prue, Phoebe who also share my gifts. Together we are learning about our recently discovered magical abilities as well as teaching our skills to my two best friends--Lily and Holly. I have a third sister, Paige, who I am hoping to be reunited with very soon.

I love spending time with Lily and Holly. We enjoy playing outside, especially in the snow, going to the Zoo, playground, and most of all visiting my Nana and Papa's house on the lake. I think the lake is the most magical place in the world and all of my sisters agree with me.

I love to read adventure stories and also books about other girls my age. I also love to write and I have a wonderful pen pal named Violet who is far more adventurous than I am!

Interests
* reading (just like me!)
* toys (just like me!)
* traveling and outdoor adventures (... and just like me! Can you see why we are friends?)

Favorite Movies
* Harry Potter (all of them), Enchanted and The Wizard of Oz

Favorite Music
* Rock and Pop. I love Pink Floyd!

Favorite Books
* The Half Magic series by Edward Eager
* Little Women
* All of Madeleine L'Engle's books, however "A Ring of Endless Light," "The Moon by Night" and "Many Waters" are particularly wonderful

Here are some photos of Piper, and as you can guess, as soon as she gets here, there will lots and lots of photos of us pretending to be twins. I can't wait!

Note- these photos are Piper, not me! I told you we look alike! Maybe we are long lost twins... (insert Twilight Zone music here).

Arches National Park

2008-03-03T14:42:00.010-07:00

Here I am at Balanced Rock.

Guess what I did last weekend?? I hiked all over Arches National Park! Mama's entire family went down there and it was so fun! There was even a hot tub and the condo, so after our long hikes we got to soak!

On Friday we left really early. It was still cold in Salt Lake City, so I wore long pants and a sweatshirt, but it was so warm down there! I took off my sweatshirt and rolled up my pants and we took a hike to Corona Arch where you even have to climb a ladder, oh man it was fun!

On Saturday we took a really short hike and then a really long hike, the short hike was around Balanced Rock, and then we hiked in Devil's Garden. It was such a long day, but so fun too!

On Sunday we woke up early and I had to help with breakfast duties. We made sweet rolls, hash browns and sausage. My job was to spread the frosting on the the rolls when they came out of the oven. After we cleaned up from breakfast we took another hike in Negro Bill Canyon. It was so pretty, but really cold. Then we went to the Arches National Park Visitors Center and I got my journal stamped!

I love national parks!

This arch is called Wall Arch because it is right in a wall!

Here I am hiking the Balanced Rock trail.

Here I am at the beginning of the Negro Bill Canyon Hike, can you tell it was cold that day?

Oh, and I almost forgot!! On the last day we stopped at a really fun rock shop. Rocks are so neat. I found some neat geodes and some rocks that were bright green!

HUGE news!!!

2008-02-22T11:38:00.006-07:00

Guess what? I have a huge announcement! Mama and Daddy are planning a trip to Grand Cayman in May! And guess what else? My cousins Abygale and Sophia will be there too, along with aunts and uncles, and even Grandma and Gramps! We are all going to go and spend a week in this huge house right on the beach.

Oh I can't wait! And guess what else? Mama said I could take snorkeling lessons before we leave, so I will know exactly what I'm doing as soon as I get there.

Here are some photos of the house we will be staying in. Notice the beach, that is where you will find me!

Snow fort!

2008-02-19T15:34:00.015-07:00

Last weekend was so fun, I got to go down to the farmhouse with my two cousins Sophia and Abygael. It was a really nice day on Sunday and not even very cold. Because the deep deep Utah snow was melting it was very good for snowballs and snow forts, which meant of course we HAD to build a sweet fort for our toys.

I was the main engineer, and decided to make a snow fort with a roof, but Sofia had a great idea about using icicles as the drawbridge, and then we found a HUGE icicle and used it as the tallest tower.

Can you tell we had fun? Here are a few photos:

I look around for the perfect spot for the snow fort, and of course North joins me.

Once finding the perfect location, Blabbins and I start building the walls.

Then Sophia and I secure the HUGE icicle.

All done! Do you see all our animals inside? Can you see the icicle draw bridge?

Be my Valentine

2008-02-15T14:28:00.007-07:00

Valentines is the day of love, so I want to list a few people that I love:
Mama, Daddy, Jess, Inky, Lei Mei, Kirsten, Kailey, Kit, Sophia, Abygael, and my three fat kitties!
Mama and Daddy got me something special for Valentines this year, something I have been wishing for since Christmas! What is it, you ask?
Playmobil! And the castle set! Yea!!!!
Setting up Playmobil is so fun, but playing for endless hours is the best. Did you know this castle has a secret room AND a trap door? I can't wait to play Harry Potter and Castle in the Attic!

新年好- Happy Chinese New Year!

2008-02-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

Lei Mei is so awesome, just the other day she asked me if I'd like to attend a New Years Feast for the Chinese New Year! She also told me it is 鼠的年 (the year of the rat). I was so excited to go to a traditional Chinese New Years Party, and Lei Mei's cousins are so funny! Plus, I got to dress in a beautiful Chinese dress and I got red envelopes with money inside! We made lots of noise and said "Gung Hay Fat Choy" lots of times, which means "Happy New Year!" Also we had to say a special prayer to Lei Mei's ancestors, which is traditional.

Lei Mei's English is really getting good, she is learning so much. And my Chinese is about as good as Lei Mei's one year old cousin, which means I only know 15 words! But I'm working on it, Lei Mei is a very good teacher.

Do you want to see some photos from our New Years party?