Noël 2013

Salut mes amis,

Joyeux Noël! Bonne Année! I'm getting off to a late start posting my holiday photos because life has been pretty tough for my family lately. My parents and my sister were supposed to fly over to spend Christmas in America with me, but something put a damper on their plans. Juliette flew over solo, and Maman and Papa were going to follow her. Before they could, Maman's father - my beloved Grandpère - suffered a sudden heart attack and had to undergo emergency surgery. Of course, Maman really couldn't leave her father's side, and Juliette and I wanted to fly home to join her right away. Maman wouldn't have that. She insisted that we celebrate the holiday with our friends first, and then we could come home. 

Nathalie, Chiara, and Jessa were all too happy to celebrate Christmas with not only me but also Juliette. We scheduled our party for December 21st, the day after classes let out. We got gussied up, had dinner at a fancy Italian place, and munched on cookies and holiday coffee for dessert. Juliette spent much of the night telling us how her ballet rehearsals were going and how pretty Paris looks at Christmas. She tried not to let the news about Grandpère get her spirits down, although I know she is even closer to him than I am. She does get to see him much more than I do. 

Finally, it was present time. Our friends Aimee and Olive had sent us a bag full of presents, but since I had another present to open, I let Juliette open this one.

The first item that Juliette pulled out of the gift bag was a pretty princess wand. She waved it back and forth gleefully, pretending to conjure up some magic. "It'll be perfect for when I play the Sugar Plum Fairy!" she kept saying over and over. Juliette's brain is completely wired for ballet; she never completely stops thinking of tulle costumes and going en pointe!

Next, Juliette unrolled a hand-knit pink scarf. "Oh my, this is lovely! It's sure to keep my neck warm as I'm walking to and from ballet practice!"

"Ooh, this is lovely. It's the Star of Bethlehem that guided the shepherds and the kings to see Baby Jesus! It'll look perfect on our tree this year," Juliette said, gushing over a sparkly ornament.

The last gift Juliette pulled out of the bag changed her spirits completely. "Extra Math practice, oh no! I guess Christmas can't be too happy," Juliette frowned, placing the worksheets out of sight. Though she'd gotten better at the subject since having a tutor, she still did not like Math very much at all.

Next, it was my turn to open presents. The purple dress that I'm wearing is what I received from my parents; isn't it pretty? The gift on my lap is from Juliette; what could it be?

I pulled out a white tank and red shorts edged in lace, the perfect summer outfit! I can't wait to wear this as the weather gets warmer. The shorts have tiny white polka dots on them and real, working pockets - I love them!

Nathalie had a gift from Rowena, a friend in Star Valley. She'd been shaking this gift for the past few days, anxious about what could be inside.

Inside, she found a rag doll with red braided hair who only reminded her of her favorite fictional heroine, Anne Shirley. Isn't she cute?

Chiara and Jessa had some small goodies in their stockings. Chiara got a new notebook that she'll probably use for school, nerd that she is. Jessa got a Yahtzee game! She's already challenged me to a game. (She'll probably win. I suck at games, but whatever.)

And that concluded our holiday party. We took a group photo and promptly headed to bed, as Juliette and I had to catch a flight home. The rest of the holiday pretty much sucked for us, as we spent it in the hospital hoping and praying that Grandpère would make a full recovery. He did make it through surgery, but he's still recovering in the hospital as I speak. I hope he is able to go home soon!

 

I hope you had a better holiday season than we did!  In the comments, please tell me about your favorite Christmas or Hanukkah tradition of the year (or whatever you celebrate). What presents did you get? 

Ton amie,

Sophie

Video: Weekend at the Farmhouse

Salut mes amis,

I made a video slideshow with more pictures of my visit to the historic farmhouse that I wrote about in my last post. To see it, play the video below:



 Happy viewing!

~Sophie

Weekend at the Farmhouse

Salut mes amis,
                                                                    

On Saturday, November 2nd, I packed my backpack for a special outing to the country! I'd been invited to spend the night in a historic farmhouse from the late 19th/early 20th century, something I've been wanting to do since seeing photos of my friend Violet visiting the farmhouse in her family. 

I'd been itching for weeks on end to get out of the city, breathe in some fresh country air, and admire the changing foliage. So . . . when I was invited on this outing, I sprang out of bed, dressed in an appropriate outfit, and began contemplating the many possibilities of fun that I could have at the farmhouse.

Trees! While we have an abundance of trees on our urban schoolyard, we have no trees to climb! I was so delighted to find this PERFECT climbing tree in front of the farmhouse. I climbed as high as I could, found a comfortable perch, and pretended that I was Katniss Everdeen hiding from the District 1 and 2 tributes. I pretended that I could see my friend Rue in that tree across from mine. I swore that I could see her warning me of the tracker jacker hive . . .

When I climbed down from the tree, I hopped up onto the fence surrounding the yard, and suddenly, I became Anne Shirley walking the ridgepole of the kitchen roof. Holding my arms out for balance, I walked from one end of the fence to the other without falling once!

I hopped down from the fence and decided to run around the yard, looking for signs of autumn. I thought this tree full of tiny red leaves was so pretty! I played underneath it for awhile, dubbing myself the 'Red Leaf Princess.' It was very fitting that I'd decided to wear red that morning! 

There was a little footbridge nearby that was just my size! I plopped down on it and watched the creek run past. I thought about how nice it would be to wade here in the summer. Perhaps I'll just have to make a return trip?

I found a large rock near the creek's edge and opened my backpack. I was glad I'd thought to bring along Abima, my favorite UglyDoll, to keep me company. I stayed here for awhile, pretending that the creek and the surrounding rocks were part of King Abima's kingdom. My backpack became his castle! King Abima ruled that anyone who infringed on his kingdom would be sent to the Bog of Eternal Stench (what I named the creek - yes, a Labyrinth reference!). I wished at this point that I'd brought along Ice Bat or Ninja Batty Shogun, though. King Abima needed someone to capture!

With King Abima safely stowed in his castle (aka my backpack), I went off in search of something else to do. I didn't go far before I noticed this feather on the ground. Isn't it pretty? Does anyone know what kind of bird this is from? When I was just about to play a new game of pretend, in which I was Dancing Butterfly, an Indian Princess, I was called for dinner - shucks! I quickly stowed the feather in my backpack to play Indians at another time. 

After dinner, I changed into my flannel nightgown and decided to explore the inside of the farmhouse. I found a perch on the stairs and stayed there for a while, overseeing anyone who would dare to come into the hallway. Can you see the family photos on the wall behind me? I think they only add to the charm of the historic farmhouse. Looking at the photos made me miss my family back in France! My grandparents in Bourgogne have a wall of old family photographs just like this!

And what's the best thing about stairs? Why, sliding down the banister, of course! 

When I'd had enough of sliding down the banister, I decided to explore the bedroom that I'd be staying in. It's called the 'Yellow Bedroom' because - as you can probably guess - the décor is predominantly yellow! It reminded me of a room that Kit and Ruthie would love, with the metal framed bed and the chenille bedspread.

I waved to my mirror friend, Katie Maurice! There were several mirrors in this room. 

I found another mirror as part of a huge vanity and spent several minutes brushing out my hair in front of it. I felt like I was an elegant young lady of yesteryear brushing my hair 100 strokes before bedtime! 

I'd thought that I'd be staying in this bedroom alone, but after exploring it a little more, I saw that I was mistaken. I met this little blonde girl who told me her name was Anita! Anita and I played for a while, and I introduced Abima to Bobby, her teddy bear.

Anita and I posed for a picture together. Isn't she sweet?

Then . . . I went apple-picking! Well, not really. The fireplace screen in the bedroom looked so much like a backdrop that it was easy to pretend I was Anne Shirley again, picking ever so many apples for Marilla to bake into a pie! 

All too soon, it was time for bed. I read a little bit of Saige before turning out the lights. Bonne nuit!

After breakfast the next morning, I discovered that the farmhouse had a toy room - quel amusement! Inside, I found this antique rocking horse that was just my size. So, what did I do? I pretended to be Felicity Merriman rescuing Penny from Jiggy Nye!

And, before I knew it, it was time to leave! The weekend was ending quickly. So, I packed up my wagon, and headed back to the city. Just kidding! I'm ever so grateful for the modern automobile, but isn't this wagon neat? I felt like Laura Ingalls riding in it! 

I can't wait to get another chance to visit the farmhouse! Maybe I should bring some friends? I know Nathalie would LOVE a place like this . . .

Have you ever visited a historic farmhouse? What was it like? 

Ton amie,  

Sophie

My Bedroom, 2013 Edition!

Salut mes amis,

I took a break from studying today to film an updated tour of my bedroom! To see it, play the video below:



Do you have a room of your own?

~Sophie

A Summer Update

 Salut mes amis, 

Sophie here! Long time no see, huh? I hate when I go FOREVER without blogging, but I must say that I've been pretty busy this summer. I spent the majority of the summer visiting family in the Bourgogne region of France where my dad is from. That's actually where I spent my birthday (on August 9th), so I wasn't able to have a birthday party at school, like I did last year . . .

. . . but that doesn't mean that I wasn't given presents! Earlier in the summer, my parents surprised me with new clothes from American Girl: Saige's Sweater outfit and Saige's Sparkle dress! My teacher surprised me with something else: tickets to the Annapolis Irish Festival to see The Gothard Sisters as well as my very own Gothard Sisters tee! We've been wanting to see The Gothard Sisters live for . . . eight years now? While my classmate Anya actually got to visit Pleasantville on her own set of travels (the lucky duck!), we've never even come close to seeing the Gothards perform until this summer. They'd never even come close to where we live! But, Annapolis? That was doable.

We drove up to the Annapolis area on Friday, July 12th to be able to see the Saturday show. We'd decided not to go to any of Friday's festivities, which turned out to be a good thing - not only did we get stuck in heavy Annapolis traffic, it also rained quite a bit on Friday! Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day for the festival (it did rain again, but after we'd left that evening!), though, if you can forgive the humidity. We were grateful that the first Gothard Sisters performance of the day was under a shelter! Thank you, Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds!

Sitting in the front row, we had a magnificent view of the stage . . . and when the Gothards made their first appearance, I nearly died of happiness. I just wanted to run screaming over in delight, but I held that impulse in . . . hehe! I knew there'd be plenty of time after the show to introduce myself! Instead, I just sort of hoped I'd catch their gaze (and I did), contenting myself with waving.

 

When the concert was over, I jumped out of my seat and pulled my teacher over to the merchandise area. There was already a line forming, but I pushed my way through eagerly. I had to meet Greta, Willow and Solana at long last; I had to! My teacher was embarrassed at my boldness, her face reddening quickly. But I didn't care! Being timid never gets you anywhere; you have to be bold! So . . . I introduced myself to the Gothards and asked them to sign my Story Girl album. Then we all took a photo together, which you can see here:

I wanted to stay longer to chat with the Gothards, but it was already super hot . . . and I was thirsty! I said my goodbyes and went on my way to find a nice, cold lemonade. I am so glad I got to see them in concert, though, as well as meet them afterwards. I really hope they come back to Annapolis next year!

A few weeks ago, I received a package in the mail: it was a belated birthday present from my friend, Inky! The present was wrapped in the prettiest black and white paper that I almost didn't want to open it . . .

. . . I said almost! I gave in as my curiosity got the better of me. What was inside this pretty wrapping paper?

Inside, I found a sundress made with the cutest fabric. It was Paris-themed! How cool is that?! Inky knows me so well. 

I wasted no time in trying the sundress on for size. Doesn't it look cute? I paired it with purple flats and made sure to don my beret and Le Tour Eiffel charm necklace. I wanted to look like the ultra stereotypical Parisian, haha. Merci beaucoup, Inky! I love my new dress, even if I may have to share it with Juliette, Maura and Isabel . . .

What did you do this summer? Did you take a trip? Did you celebrate any birthdays? Go shopping for new clothes? Do tell! 

Ton amie,

Sophie 

Violets & Daisies Brilliant Blog Bouquet Award!

Salut mes amis,

My friend Taryn from The Bolton Girls' Travel Journal recently nominated me for the Violets & Daisies Brilliant Blog Bouquet Award. Merci beaucoup, Taryn! Thanks so much!
 

Now to answer the questions:

1. If you could have a 'flower pen name' like we have here on our blog, Violets and Daisies, what would it be?

'Une Rose Sous Un Autre Nom . . . '  which translates to 'A Rose By Any Other Name . . . ' which is the beginning of a common phrase that I'm sure you've all heard of before ("A rose by any other name would smell as sweet") as it's in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

2. What is your favorite ever Bible verse and why?

I love Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 best because it seems to sum up life in general, that there is a time for everything including a "time to dance."

. . . which brings me to my next reason. I fell in love with the book/movie A Time For Dancing, and this Bible verse is a big part of that storyline. I don't read the Bible as much as I probably should, so sometimes I rely on books and movies to introduce me to particular biblical passages.

3. What are the blogs that inspire you most?

The blogs that inspire me the most are the ones who've been around much longer than mine (in some form or another) because they are the ones who originally inspired my blog in the first place. These blogs include Super Inky!, As Told By Susie, and Violet's Space. I was so enchanted with the idea of having a blog to document my own travel adventures, as all of these girls have done/still do. Even though I blog about day-to-day life at times, my favorite posts are always the ones that tell about some trip I've gotten to take, and consequently, travel adventures are my favorites to read about on other blogs, too - especially if there are lots of clear, well-taken photos to go along with the words!

4. If you and your friends could visit any country in the world, where would you go?

Other than France, which in my case would be the obvious choice, I'll love to visit Canada again. Also, England, Wales, Austria, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Greece . . . well, you get the idea. Europe in general. 


I nominate the following blogs:

1. As Told By Susie
2. Wendy's Life
3. Violet, Girl of Today
4. Water Street Girls' Blog
5. Dabbling Dani 

~Sophie

The Best Blogger Award!

Salut mes amis,

My good friend Violet Boudreau nominated me for an award: The Best Blogger Award! Merci beaucoup, Violet! Thank you!

She asked me to answer five questions, so that I will do. 

1. What is your favorite post you have ever created?
I would have to say that I really love the post that I wrote about my twin sister Juliette visiting America. It took me a while to formulate what I wanted to say, and the very fact that Juliette took a hiatus from her one true passion - ballet! - to come and visit me in the States still touches my heart dearly. Runners-up would be when my best friend, Nathalie, returned to Fair Hollow and when I returned to France to celebrate Christmas with my family. Generally, my favorite posts are the longer, more detailed ones because I've spent that much more time on them (not that I don't spend time on my other posts. . . ).

2. What is your favorite photo story you have taken part of?
I really have not been in a photo story for quite some time! As I started blogging more, my photo stories became less and less frequent. Any "photo stories" that I upload to my Facebook page are simply extra photos from my blog posts. When I was traveling, I had the opportunity to be in a few photo stories, and one of my favorites is The Mystery of the Lost Puppies, which was a photo story created by my friend Marsali's mama. I relish the chance to solve mysteries!

At Fair Hollow, I am more often starring in stopmotions. My favorite of those is definitely The Lonely, a music video I did for the Christina Perri song. The song very closely mirrored how I was feeling at a time when Juliette and I weren't talking, and Nathalie had left for Canada (her home) without saying goodbye. 

3. Why do you blog?
I blog for many reasons. Mostly I blog because I love to travel and like to share my adventures with the world. I like the idea of having my own little place on the web (and an actual website is something I'm not motivated to keep up . . . I tried!). Blogging is also a great outlet for creativity and something I can do to keep from feeling bored.

I love that we've started a little community of AG blogs, and it's great fun following so many of you. I feel like I really "know" you all - even the ones I haven't actually met!

4. How many followers do you currently have on your blog?
I currently have 202 followers - over 200! Wow! I know I don't say this enough, but I very much appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you so much for staying with me over the years and for leaving wonderful comments!

5. Do you like being nominated for blog awards?
Yes! Doesn't everyone? I feel very loved and appreciated whenever someone nominates me for one.

And, finally, I nominate these girls (who haven't, to my knowledge, been nominated previously):
Marsali and Taryn of The Bolton Girls' Travel Journal
Sophia and Emma of Sophia and Emma: Halifax Twins
Inky of Super Inky!
Violet of Violet, Girl of Today (well, you deserve to be nominated, too!)
Saffron, Violet, Clara Rose, Zipporah, and Olive of The Valdez Quintuplets

If you are nominated, please answer the same questions I did and nominate five blogs for the award (and try not to nominate blogs who have already been nominated).

~Sophie