I’m so glad it’s summer!!!! Last year I didn’t do much. All I really did was swim team and read A Tale of Two Cities (I’m so glad that’s over with). This summer has been a BLAST! I have enjoyed swim meets because of the new friends I made last year are on the teams. It’s funny to think that I swam against those friends last year and didn’t have a clue who they were.

I have also stayed busy with volleyball at a nearby church! It started toward the end of the school year with friends from track. It sure is a hit! We play for hours using the little volleyball skills we have. Friends run by as they stay in shape for cross country and join in for a while then continue their run. Another church started volleyball where they have ice cold water and trophies. However, I’m sticking to the hose that provides our water and where the number of rounds you stay on the court declares the winner. Sometimes we play for several days in a row, Although sometimes I’m left sore the next day, it still go back for more!

A lot of my friends have gotten really good at running! There was a time trial recently for those who did xc training and I was amazed at how much my friends have improved! Several how made their way up into the top 20. They have worked so hard by running all year and totally deserve it! I haven’t done xc training and I haven’t in the past. I did run for a little bit on my own, but then I became unmotivated. I have made a “promise” that if I make it to the top 20 then I will start working harder. This xc season I’m planning on actually pushing myself. Last year I didn’t train harder and just ran 4 miles everyday. Never really pushing myself or trying to improve. My times did improve, but they could have been better. Then there was the whole shin splints situation 3/4 the way through the season and it all went downhill. This year I know what to expect, have actual running shoes in really good shape, and have a positive attitude!

Summer reading hasn’t exactly been my cup of tea. I have to read 2 AP books that are about history and take thorough notes on one book and write a report on the other. I also have to read 2 other books for language arts. I’m almost done with one! I have a plan and I will be able to finish on time!

I can’t believe how fast time has been going. My 365 album (where I take a photo everyday for a year) was inspired by a really good friend of mine because she has a 365 album and I love to look at her pictures! It kinda slows time down a bit. So i was thinking about writing daily on my blog since I only write every couple months. I will try to write daily or maybe every other day and just about what happened that day. Simple. Hopefully it turns out enjoyable and help friends and family keep up with what’s been happening lately. 🙂

July 31, 2009

The Honorable _____

House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative _____,

My name is Claire _____. I am ___ years old and a rising ____ grader at _____ School. I am writing to you in opposing the idea of government run healthcare.

First off, I would like to mention that I am all for having an African American president. However, I do not approve of his ideas such as legalizing late term abortion, taking money from those who earned it to “spread the wealth”, the Carbon Tax, which will cause our energy costs to skyrocket, and President Obama’s $819 billion stimulus plan, which will make my generation and future generations pay for these debts. I have heard about President Barack Obama’s plan about future healthcare in the news numerous times. It has been just recently that I have discovered what this plan is all about. Along with President Obama’s other ideas, I definitely do not approve of this one.

It is to my understanding that the elderly do not receive medical treatment because of the assumption that they do not have much longer to live. Saying that it just is not worth the time. Additionally, those who are expected to only have a few years left of their life, due to a fatal illness, are denied treatment. If even a child breaks a bone, they are technically “put on hold” to receive treatment for their injury. None of this sounds like it would actually do any good for the United States. This government run healthcare plan is a death sentence for the old, injured, and ill. I am going to have to live the rest of my life in this mess. Evidently, I am not the only one. Moreover, I am not the only one who disapproves of this bill. If congress does NOT pass President Obama’s healthcare plan, it will make the citizens of the United States have a sigh of relief and make this country one step closer to where it should and is expected to be, free. Our own national anthem states we are the land of the free. The Pledge of Allegiance, which I recite every morning when school is in session, articulating “… with liberty and justice for all.” I am speaking on the behalf of over half of America. Do not pass government run healthcare. It will be one the most favorable things to us all. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. If you would like to respond, please send your letter to my address _____. Thank you again for your time.

Sincerely,

Claire ____

Can you find the difference between the two pictures?

* There are 6 things different about these two pictures.

* There are 4 things different about these two pictures.

* There are 7 things different about these two pictures.

WARNING! Answers a below

Answers: First one: Curtains are opened. Pillow is moved from green chair to desk chair. Towels are switched. Little white creature is on top of the magazines. Pillows on the bed are switched. Green medal on bookcase is gone. Second one: Painting is replaced by the mirror. The brown jewelry box is gone. The light up spinning flower is gone. The easy button is up-right. Third one: There’s a bear at the end of the bed. Top of wooden tulip is off. I’m in the corner. The calender page is flipped. The music box at the corner of the nightstand is gone. The blanket is gone. Candles are switched.

Yesterday, after school I spotted a magazine on Mom’s bed.

Before she started her nap, she told me to find the recipe for the delicious looking cake on the front cover.

I looked and looked, but there was no recipe for that cake.

So, I decided to make something the whole family would enjoy and that would be healthy too.

Something you could eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack.

Then, on allrecipes.com, I found a great recipe for banana bread.

The bread turned out great… even though I only added 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour accidentally instead of 1 3/4 cup.

However, I still would like to share the recipe.

You will need:

A large bowl

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

1/2 cup of honey

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup of mashed bananas

1 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 cup of hot water

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together

Add eggs and mix well

Stir in bananas and vanilla

Stir in flour and salt

Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix

Then add to batter

Blend chopped walnuts

Pour batter in a 9×5 loaf pan

Bake for 55-60 minutes

Cool for 1/2 hour before eating

Enjoy 🙂

* The person with the recipe on allrecipes.com was PEDGI

Valentine’s Day this Saturday!

We spent our day of love quite… differently.

I woke around 9 with dad gone and wishing Mom a Happy Valentines Day!

After having toast, sunny side up egg, and banana, I just relaxed.

Around afternoon Kelly drove us to a very special store.

There we shopped for ONLY organic food.

It was fun to find healthy food includes delicious desserts!

Kelly and I were treated to some very fancy chocolates.

We both got 3.

At the end of the day, we were too full from eating lunch.

Instead, we decided to try out our organic cheese, french bread, and olives!

It all tasted great together!

When the night came, Mom gave Kelly and I a box of chocolates with a small teddy bear.

Dad gave Kelly and I a very nice necklace!

Thank you Mom and Dad!

Here’s a picture I took with my camera to “summarize” my Valentine’s Day.

Over the winter break, Kelly, Mom, and I busied ourselves by baking. With the help of Kelly, we made some delicious sugar cookies with homemade icing. “Cut-out sugar cookies” is what they were called. Time: Half a day?

Next, Kelly and I had to make a gingerbread house without any instructions. At first, it was a disaster in the making. However, we were able to get the sides to stay together and could have fun with the decorating. Although it was fun to look at, the clean up was horrible with the dried on icing and the decorations flying in every direction. Time: 1-2 hours

Since I had some stomach issues, Mom and I bought FiberOne muffin mix to make, but we never ended up making them. So, I ended up making the banana nut muffins which turned out to be quite delicious. Time: Half an hour

For quite some time Mom and I planned to make some homemade doughnuts. Early in the afternoon, we started by putting some ingredients in the dough mixer and for an hour and a half we waited for the dough to kneed and mix just enough. After that boring step, we rested the dough on a flower-covered surface for about 30 more minutes. I waited eagerly sitting next to the pile of dough and watching TV to make the time pass. When 30 minutes passed i was excited to cut them out finally fry them… but no. We had to cut out doughnut holes and the rings and put them in the oven to let them rise. After the minutes slowly passed, we took them out and heated up a pan with oil in it. Frying them took only 10 minutes! 12 doughnuts and 15 doughnut holes in 10 minutes. To some we added sugar and other a glaze. They tasted great with how soft and warm they were. (as you can see by the picture we really enjoyed them)

I was at the doctor’s office a couple of weeks ago and mom was looking at a magazine as we were waiting for a doctor. She pointed out the article about “Monster Pillows” and thought it would be cute if we made our own! Over the weekend i looked up how to make a monster pillow. Nothing showed up except you sew “inside out”. Therefore, I had to make up a design and improvise from there. I took some old clothes that weren’t in good enough shape to give away. So I drew my design on paper, cut it out, traced it 1/2 in from the design and hand sewed it! My first monster pillow 🙂

Today, there was no school and I decided to make another monster pillow. I tried to use a pattern from last week on the sewing machine, but that didn’t work out too well. Meaning, I had to start all over. I thought of what animals i liked…FISH! Based on the goldfish crackers, I drew a “goldfish” straight on a soft piece of fabric. Then, i cut out some strips from all the old clothes I had saved for this. Using the sewing machine I sewed the first layer leaving 2 in opening to turn the unstuffed pillow inside out. Next, I stuffed the pillow and closed up the hole by hand. It took me the whole day to hand sew the strips on. I didn’t have enough for the back and I didn’t want to leave he back blank. So, I took a button and sewed it on along with a mouth. And I had a fish pillow 🙂

And a special thanks to Mom for helping me work the sewing machine

and Kelly for letting me use her camera 🙂