Back to School in Portsmouth

Hi everyone! I can't believe that it's already time to start eighth grade! It feels so long ago when we left on Zen, heading for the Caribbean; but Tonga feels like only a couple months ago even though it's been a whole year. The whole trip was absolutely amazing, and I loved every moment. Lots of people have asked me if I would do it again. My answer is always "yes"!! There was really nothing I didn't like. Things like no internet, having to conserve water and electricity, and living in such a small space made me appreciate what we have even more than I did before. I never realized how privileged everyone in this beautiful country is. Yesterday I was washing some pans in the sink and I was thinking about how wonderful a dishwasher is!! 

About a month ago, we moved into a new house in Portsmouth. It's only 10 minutes away from our old townhouse, and is right on the water. We absolutely love it! It's also our first single-family home, in a real neighborhood. 

As I said, school is starting this week for both Cole and I. Cole is going back to Saint Michael's School in downtown Newport, and I am doing homeschooling. I decided that I didn't want to go straight into a crazy schedule with school all day, then lots of homework, and dance every day. Homeschooling is just so much easier! 

This year I am dancing 6 days a week not including rehearsals. On Fridays I am taking classes at my very first studio in Newport, which I am really excited for! All of my other classes are in Providence (about 35 minutes away from our house). 

Well, that's about it. I'm sitting at the dining room table right now eating some really yummy muffins for breakfast. Mmm!! 

As a last note, I'll add some random stuff at the bottom. Bye!!

Favorite Place: Aitutaki, Cook Islands and New Zealand

Would Love to Live In: New Zealand

Loved:  going swimming every day; the beautiful weather; whales

Appreciate: the dishwasher; the washing machine; internet

Total Miles Sailed: 20,000

Countries Visited: 20

Cruising Boats Met: a lot

I've been sitting here for 5 minutes and I can't think of a name for this blog.

Hi everyone! It's crazy how quickly things can change. One day we were in New Zealand, the next we were on a plane to New York. One day we were in Florida, and the next we were at our house in Rhode Island. Right now I'm sitting in my room in Portsmouth. This time last week we had just arrived into RI after a 3 hour flight from Florida. Today, we just returned from a really fun dinner at Miss Erica and Scott's house (for those of you who don't know who they are, Miss Erica used to be our babysitter, and Scott is her husband). Tomorrow I have dance class at Festival Ballet up in Providence! Actually, less than 24 hours after we arrived into RI, I was up there taking classes. I'm now dancing Monday through Friday and I really love it. If it all works out, I may even be able to do culmination, the end of year show! Very exciting. Well, this is only a quick blog, and I've got to go to bed. Good night! 

Back to the Tropics!

Hi everyone! I just realized that a blog that I had sent a few weeks ago never got posted and I can't find it anywhere on my computer, which stinks. Anyway, right now I am sitting at the dining room table in Nonna's house in Florida. It's in the high 60's and I am planning on going swimming as soon as I finish writing this blog. I love the warm weather! I have to say though, snow is really fun as well. 

Last Tuesday, Cole and I left Pennsylvania to fly to Florida. At the time there was still snow on the ground after a medium sized blizzard where we get 18 inches of snow. It was so fun! The flight out of PA was pretty uneventful. We arrived into FL around 4:30 and were at Nonna's house by 7:00. Even though it was raining, walking out into humid air was so nice. The next day we went to the grocery store with Nonna to get some food into the house, and got Cole some flip-flops and a sweatshirt. On Thursday we went to Justice so that I could get some summer clothes. I had no shorts that fit, and only 3 shirts. Luckily, I can now actually choose what to wear, and don't have to wash my jeans every night so that they are clean to wear the next day. Nonna and I had fun, but I think that Cole would have rather been somewhere else. That night I went to take a class at a dance studio I might go to. It was ballet, and at the end we did a little bit of pointe. Yesterday was Unkie's birthday! He was supposed to go sky diving over Satellite Beach, but sadly it was raining and he couldn't jump. Instead, we went to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians the movie. It was a great movie, but a lot of the book was cut out and the story line was changed a bit. It was still a great movie though and we really enjoyed it! Today I'm going to go visit another dance studio even though I won't be taking any classes as of yet. If I go to this studio, I will only be taking ballet and pointe 2 times a week, but I will also have jazz, lyrical and musical theater. 

Well, that's all for now. I'm off to go convince Cole to come swimming with me. Should be fun. :)

Back to 'Real' Life

Hi everyone!

We are having a great time here in PA. It's kind of funny to get back into 'real' life, but I really like it!

I just finished a big series of tests and today I get to go back to a regular day again! I have 7 dance classes a week (2 on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, 2 on Thursday and 1 on Saturday). They are really fun and all the other girls in my class are really nice. I'm having a really great time!!

Cole is looking at cars on the internet right now while we wait until 8:45 to drive Lolly to school. He is doing karate classes on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. The dojo is great and Cole is still a brown belt. He loves his classes, and is really happy that the school teaches Kenpo as well as many other different kinds of karate. 

Lauren is reading right Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume right now and really likes it. I remember reading Judy Blume's books! We went to her class yesterday to watch them do presentations on their ancestor's home country. Lauren did Italy, there were a bunch of Irelands, a Native American tribe, and a few others. They did a great job! Also, on Wednesday, we went to her lower school to see the science fair. Katherine, Darlene and I helped Lolly make her science project and stood at her booth for a while. It was really funny. There are so many kids in that school!!!

Katherine is already at school....she starts school at around 8 o-clock just like Cole and I used to. Today is her Roman Day at school. Everyone gets to dress up in togas and gladiator costumes, they have no official school work to do, no homework for the weekend, and they get to have lunch with their whole grade while watching a movie. She is so excited! For her costume, she is wearing one of Pete's long t-shirts, a brown belt, leggings and my island flip-flops which have black straps and a braided bottom. 

Pete stays here all day while he works, which is really good. He comes down for lunch and for about an hour he hangs out with us. 

Darlene works 3 days a week, but she's been really busy because there have been lots of meetings that she had to go to. It is really fun when she is here though, because we can go places after school.

Abby, their 1 year old yorkie-poo is so cute! She is just like a younger Harley! She, of course, thinks that she is bigger than all of us and is the queen of the house. Oh, and she is also a serial killer.......of stuffed animals. Step one: rip out the eyes........Step 2: gouge all the fur out of the faces........Step 3: kill it in any other way thought of. It's really funny!!

Well, that's about it for us. I'm going to go read my book. Bye!

Our New Home

Hi everyone! We arrived into the Barkman's house in Pennsylvania last night, and have just finished school. It is a little odd....our best friends, Kak and Lolly are at school and our parents are here with us, while we do homeschooling in their house. So we have basically claimed their house as our own, and moved in. We have also stolen their dog, Abby.

Well, not really, but close. Abby is the cutest puppy in the whole world and is just hysterical. She has 'puppy spasms' when she runs around the house randomly at top speed while barking her head off. It is so funny!

I've gotta go find something to do with myself for the next 2.5 hours while my poor friends suffer through their 7 hour school day. Luckily Kak and I have dance class tonight at 5!!! :D Bye!
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Camo