More fun with Zipporah, Lyre Chickadee, Lorikeet, Violet, and Sora Valdez!

Salut tout le monde!

As I mentioned in my last post, the Valdez quints' birthday fell during my stay with them, and it just so happens that their special day is also New Year's Eve!

So, on December 31, 2009, Jillian and I sang "Joyeux Anniversaire" ("Happy Birthday") to the five - who each blew out their respective star-shaped candles on a very yummy pumpkin pie. Then I watched the girls open their presents: a Nancy Drew computer game for Zipporah, an AG Molly doll for Lorikeet, and chocolates for all. Sora, Violet, and Lyre Chickadee's presents involved visiting the Mall of America for ear piercing. ;)

Joyeux Anniversaire, Zipporah, Violet, Lyre Chickadee, Sora, and Lorikeet!

On January 3, 2010, the girls and I ventured out into the cold to go to the movie theatre. What did we see? Alvin and the Chipmunks: the SQUEAKquel! I haven't seen the first one, but the sequel was awfully funny.

The next day, we all went to the Mall of America so Violet, Lyre Chickadee, and Sora could get their ears pierced at the Boutique & Bistro. They tried to persuade me to get mine pierced as well, but I chickened out - something I actually kind of regret. My friends look so CUTE with their star earrings that I may have to get my ears pierced one day.

I did meet the new Girl of the Year, though. Her name is Elaine "Lanie" Holland, and she is really nice. She loves gardening and nature in general, and she and her family have a camper to travel around the country with! Now that's what I need! Certainly it'd be more comfortable than the box we traveling dolls are forced into.

After saying goodbye to Lanie, we six - and the grown-ups of course ;) - had Chinese for dinner and then headed off to the local library. While the quints were looking at books on Spain, *I* headed to the section filled with books on France, bien sûr. J'ai lu un livre d'une héroïne qui s'appelle Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc).

On January 24th, I got up before the quints, having had an idea formulating in my mind. I was going to pull a prank on the Valdez quintuplets - a prank that would FORCE them into wearing NON-IDENTICAL clothing (you know, because I have such a difficult time telling them apart anyhow).

I quickly dressed and pushed the box containing all of the girls' matching clothes out-of-sight. When the five sleepyheads woke up and couldn't find their matching outfits, I told them of my plan. Some were skeptical, but Lorikeet, always up for a bit of fun, got the rest of her sisters on board.

Et voilà, the Valdez quintuplets in non-matching clothes! Now while I do love seeing them match, it is nice to see each girl wear something that shows off a bit of her own, individual personality every once in a while. I know that Juliette (ma jumelle - my twin) and I rarely dress alike. We do some, but we have slightly different tastes in fashion, at least we did when we last saw each other. ;)

Tristement, my visit with the Valdez quints is coming to an end - I'll be on my way to another hostess for the month of February. I'm excited to see her again - as I've met her once before - but, at the same time, I'm also really sad. It's so difficile to say "Au Revoir" to really good friends like Zipporah, Lorikeet, Sora, Lyre Chickadee, and Violet. I hope I'll be able to see them again someday...

~Sophie

Hanukkah and Christmas with the Quints!

Hiya!

I think most of you have probably seen the album Jill, the quints, and I have made of my visit with them. However, I really wanted to post some of my favorite pictures in this blog because, hey, that's what it's here for! ;)

The quints and I had fun celebrating each night of Hanukkah. Sometimes even their kitty, Angel, joined us!

We all got matching red sweaters, headbands, and mittens - the PWP at the AGP stores! I do think red suits us!

Oh - and look what Jill gave me! A necklace with a darling Le Tour Eiffel charm on it! I've been wanting one of my own since first seeing my friend Christelle's!

And, since Jill and the quints still celebrate Christmas, we six pulled on our PJs and slept underneath le sapin Noël on Christmas Eve...

...now that's a pretty cool tradition!

Christmas Day came and the quints found their much-longed-for bathtub and other neat presents. We each got the holiday shoe set as well - and I got a pink butterfly tee from MoA that I know Isabel is going to steal (because she always "borrows" my clothes and thinks she goes unnoticed doing it - HA!).

Oh - and the girls back at FHSG have assembled their holiday portraits and vignettes album, if you haven't seen that yet. ;)

This has been a really, really fun December - and it's not even over yet! The quints' birthday is looming up quickly - and they'll get even more presents. ;) Anyhow, it'll be wonderful getting to celebrate their special day with them. Especially since Zipporah was able to come to MY birthday party two years ago - on August 9th.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!!!!

-Sophie

La Neige dans Virginie!

Ciao amiche!

As you probably know from my earlier posts, j'adore la neige - that is, I love snow. It's probably because my school is located in Central Virginia, so we don't get it very often.

But, while I've been chillaxing with the quints in Minnesota - but of course I'd visit somewhere where snowstorms are common! - my friends back in Virginia have had a snowstorm of their own!

And how much do you LOVE this picture of me and Zipporah, Violet, Sora, Lyre Chickadee, and Lorikeet?

Et en Décembre aussi?! I don't know WHEN the last time we got snow in December was - certainly way before I moved here!

Et d'accord, it's not much for those of you who are used to snow in Massachusetts or...or...Minnesota, for crying out loud, but Anya, Nathalie, and Coconut were very excited to play in it.

Bien sûr, they were SUPPOSED to deliver Christmas presents, but...


...they got very distracted...

...but who can blame them really?!

I'm so excited for them that I almost miss them - haha! I'm just having so much fun with Zipporah et al.!

If I don't post before the 25th,

Joyeux Noël à tu et tes amis!!!

Love, Sophie

All is well - I'm safely in MN!

Okay - I can relax now!! I'm safe in Minnesota and am now chillaxing with Zipporah, Lorikeet, Lyre Chickadee, Violet, and Sora Valdez - yippee!! Je suis très, très heureuse - very happy indeed!

When I arrived, Zipporah and her sisters welcomed me with open arms, excited that I will be with them for Hanukkah, Christmas, and their birthday. :-) They immediately led me over to one of their beds and engaged me in conversation. I told them about my adventures with Jeanette and showed off the seashell I'd picked up while in Florida.

Then we started playing a Nancy Drew computer game called "Danger By Design" which is set in Paris (yay, my hometown!). A game where there is a mystery to solve that is set in France? Bien sûr I loved it!

I'll keep you updated! Right now I'm just SO RELIEVED to have gotten here safely and am so glad I didn't decide to head back to school.

-Sophie

D'accord. Ce sera vraiment intéressant.

Salut tout le monde!

Ce sera vraiment intéressant. Pourquoi? Maintenant, je suis en route à la personne suivante! La seulement problème est que la personne suivante en ligne a eu à canceller son internet, et la communication entre Laura et cette personne sera difficile maintenant.

Maintenant Laura écriront une véritable lettre à cette personne - cette personne qui je visiterai est la personne de Zipporah et les soeurs habitent avec!

Mais du moins je verrai mon amie encore! Zipporah a visité à moi il y a environ deux ans - elle est une bonne amie. :)

***

Hey everyone!

This will be really interesting. Why? Now I'm on my way to my next host! The only problem is that the next host in line had to cancel her internet and communication between Laura and my next host will be rather difficult now.

Now Laura will have to write a real letter (and not just email!). But who am I visiting? Jill! You'll know her as the caretaker of Zipporah and her sisters.

But at least I will see my friend again! Zipporah visited with me about two years ago - she is a good friend. :)

So as I leave Utah for Minnesota (and sleep in that dreaded box again!), here's a checklist of what I did during my extended stay in Salt Lake City:

* I took a trip downtown to see the beautiful gardens surrounding the Mormon temple - and I even went inside the tabernacle home to the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir

*I went to a huge outdoor pageant in south/central Utah and even got to meet some of the actors - which was really fun considering I do love theatre!

*I went to Florida in June, then AGPLA and the Utah AG meet-up (when I met Violet) in July

*Then there were the HUGE PARTIES with Jeanette's girls - because, you know, many 18" girls live with her in that house :-)

There are pictures, but Jeanette hasn't had the time to upload them - unfortunately. If I see them posted online, I'll post a few here. Unfortunately, I don't see how I'm going to post pictures of my stay with Zipporah, either - merde!! I have the worst timing ever. If only I'd have visited her sooner, but as all of you know, it's not good if we keep harping on "If only this" and "If only that." I'll just keep you as updated as I can regarding my stay in Minnesota - maybe that'll involve a trip to the Mall of America store?

Love, Sophie