The Library Dog: Part #2

Part #2: (This will be a 3 part story)

The next morning, Kanani motioned for Payton to come speak with her while the other girls were all hustling and bustling around, finding homework assignments, sweaters, backpacks, and lunchboxes for school.

"I made a call to Dr. Paisley already," Kanani informed Payton.

"You did?" Payton asked. Payton felt a little upset that Kanani had taken charge of finding Honey's owners without her, but Payton tried not to show it. She knew that Kanani was only trying to do what was right.

"Yep. She said that she can make a house call at 9:30 this morning. It's a good, because the parents will be out of the house in time and we will be home alone for her arrival. The secret will stay safe. I told Dr. Paisley that we'd take the appointment. She knows to drive right to Cabin 8 to examine Honey."

Payton nodded. "So, are you planning on staying home too?" 

"Yes. So is Lanie - we just need to make sure that Honey gets the attention he needs. Last summer I rescued a seal in Hawaii and ever since I've really found joy in helping animals."

"Good," Payton smiled. Suddenly, Payton was really excited for what the day was going to bring.

The girls hid under the bunk beds to hide from their mothers so they could stay home from school. When all the parents had left the house to go their separate ways and run errands or work, the girls crawled out from their hiding spaces at 9:27. Dr. Paisley walked through the door to Cabin 8 (the shared girls cabin on the farm) moments later.

"Well, Payton, Kanani, Lanie, hello!" Dr. Paisley was a fun and young yet experienced veterinarian.

The girls all said hello and Dr. Paisley then set into examining Honey. She knew information about him already since she had spoken with Kanani earlier in the morning.

The girls all watched nervously as Dr. Paisley poked and prodded and inspected Honey's nametag and collar set. Finally, after a 15 minute examination, Dr. Paisley addressed the girls.

"He seems to be a perfectly healthy dog. From what I can tell, he hasn't been lost too long, he's only about 16 weeks and I can still smell shampoo from his latest bath! I need to take him back to my office though, to consult my veterinarian team and to check his microchip."

"Will you bring him back?" Payton asked hopefully. She didn't want to admit it, but she was getting attached to Honey.

"Possibly. I think it may be better to have him with a nice family than to have him nervous in a cage in my office. So, I'll call you in about an hour and I'll return him around noon if I haven't tracked down the owner yet."

"Okay, well, see you soon, Honey!" Payton ignored the possibility that Honey would possibly be returned to his rightful owner.

Dr. Paisley picked up Honey and walked out of the room and climbed into her aqua blue pick up truck.

Kanani sank back into the chair and sighed. "I just hope that we can track down Honey's owner. There are so many dog owners out there. I sure do hope that Honey has a microchip."

 

"I know," Lanie shook her head sadly. "Someone must be missing that dog something awful right now. I can't imagine what it would be like if I lost my bunny Lulu."

 

"I don't know what I would do if I lost Barksee. I can barely make it through a day without seeing him!" Kanani became lost in thought.

Payton didn't say anything, because she didn't really have a pet. Sure, she had the horses and all the girls shared their animals with her, but she could never say that she actually owned an animal. All the other girls had an animal - some of them even had more than one!

"I wish I had a pet," Payton sighed.

"Well you might not own one, but the horses and barn animals are kind of your pets," Kanani smiled.

Payton knew she was right, but Payton was thinking of a dog or cat or even a bunny!

Suddenly Payton had a terrible thought. What if she could just keep Honey forever? What if she could put things in the way of Honey getting back to his owners? Payton knew it was terribly wrong, but she couldn't help it.

When the phone rang an hour later, each girl reached for it; two of them hoping the dog's owners had been found and one of the girls hoping she would become the dog's owner.

"Dr. Paisley?" Kanani reached for the phone.

"Honey isn't microchipped, however the collar she is wearing is only available through a certain homemade collar company so we're going to see if the lady who sold the collar remembers who bought it. She may have information. In the meantime, I'll drop Honey back off with you girls."

"Okay," Kanani replied as Dr. Paisley hung up.

"Oh I sure hope the lady who sold the collar knows something about Honey's owners! I just can't believe Honey doesn't have a microchip! Nearly all shelters do that nowadays!" Lanie shook her head. Kanani nodded in wholehearted agreement.

Payton nodded in halfhearted agreement.

An hour later, Dr. Paisley showed up at the door and set Honey down in the house. She could see that Payton didn't look very happy. "Don't worry my dear," Dr. Paisley leaned in close to her. The girls often invited her over, so they were pretty close. "Honey is going to be found. Don't look too sad about it. Honey will be back home in good time."

"Uh huh," Payton looked away. Dr. Paisley had gotten it so wrong.

Later in the afternoon, the other girls got home from school. They all crowded around as Payton and Lanie told the story of the day's events. Well, Lanie tried to tell the story but Payton took over.

 

 

"...And Honey's owners might not even be found! We might have to keep him!" Payton exclaimed, sounding just a little too excited for the circumstances.

"You sound a little excited about that," Elizabeth frowned. "Don't you want Honey to go to his real home again?"

"Of course I do!" Payton smiled, straight up lying.

Grace snorted and started to leave the room. "Could've fooled me."

"What?" Payton asked, but Grace was already gone.

The next week, around the same time, all of the girls had just gotten home from school and were doing schoolwork. Well, Payton was playing with Honey... The girls had been hiding Honey in the secret hideout they shared while they went to school.

Molly ran into the room and exclaimed excitedly, "Dr. Paisley just called! They were finally able to track down two different families who are both missing dogs similar to Honey and both bought collars from the specialty collar store."

Lanie jerked her head up from her book in surprise. "You've got to be kidding!"

"Nope - I'm serious! Dr. Paisley is going to come over tomorrow night with one of the families. I'm still figuring out how they can come without the parents noticing."

"We'll think of something," Lanie assured her. "Anyway, we'd better get ready!" The girls hurried off, but Grace and Payton stayed. Grace was just finishing an important assignment and Payton was playing with Honey (though she should've been working on the same assignment as Grace).

"Aren't you even a little disappointed that Honey is going to be leaving?" Payton asked Grace after the girls left the room.

"No," Grace shook her head without looking up as she read her book.

"You mean you aren't disappointed? Not even a teeny, tiny little bit?"

"Nope," Grace shook her head again, though she looked up this time. "If you ask me, Payton, I think you are being very selfish."

"Well no one did ask you, but what do you mean?" Payton was upset with Grace's remark, but she was also curious as to how Grace had figured out how selfish she was being.

"I know - and so do the others - that you don't want that dog to find his home. You just want to think about how you'll feel. You want him here because he makes you happy, but he'd be happy with his real owners and you can't look past yourself to see that!"

Payton didn't think she'd ever seen Grace say so much at once.

"That isn't so!" Payton replied, though she knew that each word Grace said was a realistic observation.

"It is too!" Grace replied before closing her binder and leaving the room.

"You're right, Grace," Payton whispered guiltily as Grace disappeared behind the room's door.

 

Oh, and thank you so much to everyone who has voted on the poll so far. Currently, about 9 people have voted. Please vote now if you haven't! I really, really want to know what my readers actually want to read! So far, it seems that everyone wants more photo shoots and stories about the everyday lives of the AG Farms girls. That's really cool - I am already thinking of a few ideas in my mind! Remember, you only have about a week or so left to vote, so please, please, please vote NOW if you haven't XD 

Hope you enjoyed the photostory!

Part #3 should be up in a week or more or less or who even knows. I'm so bad at keeping with a schedule that I'm not going to give a time limit for Part #3. :P  XD 

Lost: An Original Mini Photo Series Part #1 of 5

A quick not before I begin this post: Part #2 of The Library Dog photostory is going to be up soon; the camera died in the middle of my photographing and the other camera I have just can't take as good pictures, so I need to wait for the good camera to charge. I got a lot of positive feedback for that photostory, so I know that a lot of people liked it and Part #2 will be coming up soon.
Oh, and remember to vote in the poll! Vote, vote, vote because it closes November 15! 

Earlier this week, I thought of a great idea for a mini photo series. A mini photo series is just like any other photo series on this blog (Little House on the Prairie, Princess Annabelle, etc.) except that it will only have 5 parts and have a clear beginning, middle, and end, rather than an episode with a new plot line in each part.
The idea for this came to me when I was looking at my AG Winter Chalet in January, but I never really pursued the idea further until this week! I suppose the series was a bit inspired by my favorite book series; The Boxcar Children, only while it is similar, it is different in its own way too.
Here is an introduction to the series: 3 sisters (played by: Elizabeth, Molly, and Shola H4H girl) escape from a foster care situation after the death of their parents several months before the story. They run off in a snow storm and stumble upon a cabin where they stay; fearful they will be caught and worrying about what next plan of action they should take. Then, when someone starts leaving them food and necessities, they decide to uncover who it is.
Here is my Photo Story Preview Poster:

Elizabeth, Molly, and Shola; orphans

Now, for the actual photo story (Part #1):

"We need to get to shelter, we'll get frostbite or worse if we don't!" Molly cried out dramatically over the wind gusts that continued to blow her soft voice away.

"I think that's a cabin up there in the clearing!" Elizabeth answered as they came upon a clearing where a quaint cabin stood. It wasn't very big at all, in fact, it was rather small.

The girls quickly came to the cabin and Elizabeth began to prepare to try and open the door with all of her might, but it wasn't necessary. The door opened easily with a satisfying slide against the beautiful wood floors.

The inside of the cabin was plain yet cozy with a fireplace, a poster, a bench, a window, and a tiny bathroom in a little sectioned off room.

The snow-covered girls entered the cozy little cabin. They were wet, freezing, and covered in little flurries of snow.

"Suppose we rest here until the storm is over?" Molly suggested. She was the middle child of the three and was used to her older sister making the final decisions.

"I think that would be a good idea. It just simply isn't safe to go out in such winds," the eldest sister, Elizabeth replied. "We should only rest for a small bit. As soon as the storm stops we must be on our way again. I can't imagine we've made it very far in just 3 days."

On the first day, there had been a light snow; the kind that one could take pleasure in as the tiny flurries fluttered to the ground and stuck.

On the second day, the snow had turned to ice in some patches and it snowed some more; only this time it was harder and thicker flurries; the kind that one would not particularly enjoy.

On the third day, that very day the three sisters found the cabin, the snow had turned into even thicker and fatter flurries; nearly balls of snow dropping on them and gusty winds had picked up across the land they walked on. It was most definitely the type of snow one would feel the need to seek shelter from.

Elizabeth began to help Shola unbutton her coat.

"Unbutton it faster, Bethie" Shola urged; excited by the idea of staying in a new cabin.

"I'm trying, I'm trying," was Elizabeth's somewhat frustrated reply. Her fingers fumbled around the buttons; each finger still feeling numb from the frosty cold they had been exposed to during their hike through the snow.

"There we go!" Elizabeth smiled as she helped Shola take the coat off once and for all. Elizabeth set it in a warm corner to dry. The cabin was somewhat drafty; some parts were cold while others were considerably warm, but it was a good enough shelter for the girls.

Shola raced off to be with Molly who was setting her snow filled coat in the corner. "Pick your things up and put them somewhere proper," Elizabeth told her sternly, taking on the authoritative position that she had often found herself having ever since she was left to care for her sisters.

Elizabeth was quite tired, and she let her eyes pass quickly and half-heartedly over the little bench in the corner of the cabin. However, she gasped at what she saw. Not believing her eyes, she did a quick double take and sure enough, there it was. Food and blankets!  

"What is it, Bethie?" Molly asked, wide eyed.  

"There's food; a mashed root of some sort, salmon jerky, and cheese. Oh, and the mug of hot chocolate is still warm. Someone must've just left."

"But who would leave in this storm?" Molly wondered aloud.

"That'd be crazy to leave during a storm like this," Shola's tiny voice chimed in.

"Well, I suppose it could've been kept warm in this corner. Anyway, we may as well use the pillow and blankets here while we rest and wait for the storm to be over."

Elizabeth put the food off to the side and began to unfold the pillows and blankets.

"These sure are soft blankets!" Elizabeth couldn't help but exclaim happily.

Surprised that neither of her sisters had agreed with her exclamation or answered her, Elizabeth turned around to see what they were doing. They were eating the food from the little tin! The food that wasn't even their food!

"Molly, Shola, stop it!" Elizabeth told them right as Shola was putting a piece of salmon jerky in her mouth.

"But I'm really hungry Bethie," Shola whined between munches on the jerky stick.

"It doesn't matter!" Elizabeth shook her head confidently. "The food is not ours to eat. Now finish up that salmon jerky since you've already eaten almost the whole piece and then leave the tin of food alone for the rest of the night unless I tell you otherwise. Same goes for you, Molly!"

Both girls nodded. When Elizabeth got that stern with them, they both decided not to fight back. Not yet anyway.  

As night fell, the girls all agreed to stay for the night in the cabin.

"But only for tonight," Elizabeth reminded them as Molly moved the bench out of the corner to make room for the girls to sleep.

The girls soon settled into their beds after Molly started a fire with the firewood piled up against the fireplace.

"I'm not tired, Bethie," Shola told Elizabeth as Elizabeth leaned back into her makeshift bed. "Will someone tell me a story?"

So, Elizabeth took Shola and told her a few stories.

"I wish Mama and Daddy were here," Shola sighed after the story. "I don't mind this cabin, but I don't think I like it very much."

"Well, they aren't here," Molly told her. "So you should just stop thinking about it!"

"Molly, stop it," Elizabeth told her and gave her a warning glare before turning back to Shola. "It's okay, Shola, because they're watching down on us and keeping us safe. Besides, we're going to have one big adventure!" Of course, Elizabeth really wasn't one for adventures, but she wanted to brighten Shola's mood.

Shola laid back down and eventually fell asleep.

Both girls sat by the fire together. The two sisters had drifted apart after the death of their parents, but now that they were safe - even if only for one night - in the cabin, their friendship seemed to come back.

"This cabin sure is nice," Molly sighed.

"Remember when we went with Mom and Dad to those ski cabins last year? Oh, that was such fun! You sure were an impressive skier."

"Nah - not as impressive as that other girl was...what was her name?" the girls continued to relive fun memories together in the firelight. They were glad to have a night to just enjoy being sisters again, just like the old times.

 

 

Part #2 coming sometime this holiday season. I'm going to try and space these 5 parts out a little bit just because I want the series to last through Christmas.

 Oh, and my goal for 2015 was to have at least 50 followers, so spread the word and help me reach that goal! I know we can do it! : )

Oh, and please don't forget to vote on the poll! I want to know what you want to see more of on this blog. After all, I don't want to post a bunch of stuff that no one is really interested in! So, if you, my reader and friend, want to see more of the kind of posts you enjoy reading, please vote!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Awesome Food Award

Nikki (www.dollsarebestfriendsalways.blogspot.com) not only nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers award, but she also nominated me for The Awesome Food Award. Thanks so much Nikki! You have nominated  I did not see a picture of this award on her blog, so I just Google image searched one up and I found this cool picture for the award. I don't know what blog this came from or where this came from or anything, but if the owner of this award picture finds it and doesn't want me to use it, just let me know and I will remove the image. XD

Anyway, onto the award itself!

The answers to the 10 questions are below!

1. What is your favorite foreign food?

A: Well, I really like pizza, which is originally an Italian food, but I feel like the pizza here in America is probably way different from the pizza in Italy. I also LOVE tacos, which are Mexican I think. Anything in a taco, well, let me tell you, it tastes AMAZING! XD

2. What's your favorite dessert?

A: I love cheesecake SOOO much! I enjoy making it at my house and I also enjoy ordering it whenever I go to The Cheesecake Factory. Trader Joe's also makes GREAT cheesecake. I've never tasted a bad cheesecake!

3. Do you like fruit?

A: I've never tasted a fruit that I didn't enjoy eating! Fruit is just so delicious and sweet and it is really just so pure. There is nothing artificial about it and after eating it I don't feel all sick like I do after eating too much cake! XD My favorite fruit is probably watermelon or maybe cherries or blueberries or raspberries or - you get the idea. :P

4. Are you allergic to any foods?

A: I like to believe that I'm allergic to seafood because I hate it so much, but I'm not. XD I am starting to believe that I might be allergic to pineapple though, because after eating a lot of it my throat and tongue feels weird and so do my teeth. Does anyone else get that? My cousin does and my uncle does and one of my friends does too, so I'm starting to wonder whether it is just a common reaction and probably not an actual allergy.

5. Chocolate cake or vanilla cake?

A: Vanilla cake (with chocolate icing, preferably)! Chocolate cake always makes me have more of a stomach ache and vanilla is just lighter and sweeter, I think. Both are delicious though.

6. Do you like cheese?

A: I LOVE cheese! Like, real cheesed though, not processed cheeses or anything. My local farmers market has delicious cheese. My three favorite cheeses are cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone cheese. I cannot stand blue cheese or Swiss cheeses though.

7. What's your favorite kind of candy?

A: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! They are so delicious and really can melt in my mouth!

8. Beef, chicken, or pork? 

A: Chicken! My local farmers market has delicious chicken too. My mom puts it in a Crockpot with salsa and we have delicious tacos with it. I can't resist a pulled pork sandwich, though! They are delicious. I'm NOT a fan of beef though. Beef is just more unhealthy really and it doesn't taste that great in my opinion. 

9. Do you like shellfish?

A:NO! I don't like anything with the name fish (unless it is Swedish Fish Candy) or seafood. I just can't do it! It's so fishy and ugh, ugh, ugh...XD

10. Do you like foods with lots of herbs or not?

A: I'm not really a fan of lots of herbs. I prefer my food more plain, though I really like pepper or peppercorns if that counts as an herb? I don't think so, but anyway. XD 

 

Thanks again for nominating me, Nikki!

 

Now, here are 5 people that I nominate! If the following nominees do not accept the award, then I will nominate another 5 people later on. XD So, please accept the award! :P

1. Candidly Charlie (www.candidlycharlie.blogspot.com)

2. Polka Dot Bee (www.polkadotbee123.blogspot.com)

3. Small Town American Girlz (www.smalltownamericangirlz.blogspot.com)

4. American Girl Place (www.americangirlplace1234.blogspot.com)

5. Glowy Zoe (I know she hasn't posted in a month, but I like her blog) www.glowyzoe.blogspot.com

 

Here are the 10 questions:

1. Do you eat more healthy food or more junk food? Which do you prefer?

2. Do you like candy corn?

3. What is your favorite fruit and your favorite vegetable?

4. What is your favorite restaurant and your least favorite restaurant?

5. Do you prefer to eat at a restaurant or to eat at home?

6. Do you have a food that you dislike so much that you can't even eat it?

7. Have you ever tasted a dessert that you didn't like?

8. What do you prefer, sweet or sour or salty?

9. What is your favorite snack food (chips, cookies, fruit, nuts, etc.)?

10. Do you grow or raise your own food in a garden or on a farm?

 

This was such a fun award! Thank you so much for nominating me, Nikki!

 

 

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Hi everybody! I'm sorry I kind of stopped posting in October. I got a really bad cold or something like that (sore throat, coughing, tired, etc.), and I just did not feel like being online or looking at blogs or taking pictures or anything, so I kind of took a break from the blog world (I did post on the AGH Message Board once, but that was enough!) XD. So, I was all better as of last week, and then I went on a family vacation and I got home just a few days ago, thank goodness. I was really disappointed to have gotten sick in October, but luckily I was well in time to participate in the fun activities!
So, since I took a break from the online world for a little bit, imagine my surprise when I just decided to log onto my blog account today, to find out that I'd been nominated for a few awards! I hadn't looked at any blogs recently due to my cold, so of course, I was extra surprised! Wow! XD I take a break from posting, looking at blogs, being online, etc. and I still had exciting news awaiting me!
So, enough of my apologies for not being here for the past half-a-month, and now onto the award! I was awarded by Nikki (www.dollsarebestfriendsalways.blogspot.com); who has an awesome blog because different dolls besides AG are showcased on it (I think it is pretty neat to have a variety of dolls like that together on a  blog). I was also awarded by Sunny (www.everythingfununderthesun.wordpress.com) She has an awesome blog too because she posts about a variety of different subjects! She also likes the Waltons just like me! :)

I will answer Sunny's questions first and then I will answer Nikki's questions!

1. Crayons, colored pencils, or markers?

A: Colored Pencils! I love how they can color so smoothly unlike crayons, and how they don't get all runny and smudgy like markers. When I was really young though (pre-k) I used to refuse to use anything but markers (and occasionally crayons). I hated colored pencils, but now they're my favorite! XD

2. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

A: My favorite is a tie between Rocky Road and Berger Cookie Ice Cream (made either at my house or by a café place that I love to go to! You can't buy it in stores or anywhere else!)

3.What is your least favorite flavor of ice cream?

A: I love them all, but I'm not a big fan of raspberry ice creams.

4. What's your favorite holiday?

A: Christmas! I love it mainly because it is a big celebration of Jesus' birthday! The winter festivities is fun too of course!

5. Have you ever gone bowling before?

A: Yes! I've been bowling with duckpins (smaller bowling balls) since I was 4 or 5! I love going to the bowling alley with my family and friends!

6. What type of pet do you wish you had?

A: I really wish I had a horse!

7. What did you have for dinner tonight?

A: I haven't had dinner yet, but I know that I am having green bean fries, corn bread, and lentil burgers. Oh, and probably some Halloween candy for dessert...Well, maybe a little more than some Halloween candy. XD More like, a lot. ;P

8. If you celebrate Halloween what are you planning on dressing up as this year?

A: Well, Halloween was last night, but I dressed up as a tuxedo cat and it was really cute!

9. Do you like seafood?

A: NOOOO!!!! XDXD

10. Mobile device or actual computer?

A: Actual computer!

Thanks again for nominating me, Sunny!

 

Nikki's questions:

1. What's your favorite season?

A: I love the fall! The changing of the leaves is just SO beautiful! Also, apple festivals and chilly weather make it great too!

2. Do you like to dress in vintage-style clothes?

A: Yes, definitely! I am not really a graphic tee person that much - I like more vintage traditional clothing.

3. Colored Christmas tree lights or white ones?

A: Colored lights! It is just so fun to see all of the different colors twinkling. However, white lights are beautiful too!

4. Do you have any hobbies?

A: I think a better question would be "Are there any hobbies that I don't have?" XD I play musical instruments, I write, read, draw, bake, skate, blog, act, and I even dance a little too!

5. What's your favorite kind of cake?

A: Vanilla cake with chocolate icing!

6. White, milk, or dark chocolate?

A: MILK CHOCOLATE!!!! XD After milk, I'd choose dark, and then I'd say white. I don't have much experience with white chocolate.

7. Do you like to sing?

A: No - I sometimes find singing to be really annoying and I'm not very good at it anyways.

8. Do you like Disney movies? What is your favorite?

A: I love Disney movies! My favorite is probably Sleeping Beauty.

9. What do you like to do in the summer?

A: I love to sail! Sailing is my favorite activity - being out on the water is just so refreshing and docking the boat and exploring secluded islands is really fun too!

10. Do you like old T.V. shows?

A: Old television shows are the only shows that I DO like. XD My favorite is the Waltons and my other favorite is Little House on the Prairie. All of them are really good though!

Thanks again for nominating me, Nikki! 

Now, I am going to nominate 3 people. I know, I know that I'm supposed to nominate 10 people or something, but this seems to be a pretty popular award, so

1. Carrot and Claire (www.carrotandclaire.blogspot.com) - I love the beautiful photo shoots on this blog!
2. Darling Dolls (www.darlingdolls4.blogspot.com) - Her recent post of the 10 yr. old AG catalog she found is pretty darn cool!
3. Polka Dot Bee (www.polkadotbee123.blogspot.com) - I love her review posts and her photo shoots and sewing posts too. Plus, her comments on my blog always brighten my day! : )

Now, for the 10 questions! I wasn't sure if the questions were really supposed to have a theme or not, but anyway, here they are:
1. Do you like to read more realistic fiction books or fantasy books?
2. What is your favorite month and why?
3. Have you ever been surfing? (I never have, XD - I was just curious)
4. What is your favorite activity to do on a stormy day?
5. Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors? Why?
6. Do you have any really unusual pet peeves?
7.  Would you choose ice cream or cake?
8. What's your favorite candy?
9. Is there any animal that you are afraid of?
10. Do you like to bake? If so, what is your favorite recipe to bake?

Alright, well, thanks so much for nominating me Nikki and Sunny! I really appreciate the award! You girls are great! :P

 

 

The Library Dog: Part #1

This is just a short photo story (probably 2 parts or 3 parts) and it is kind of similar to Because of Winn Dixie (the book/movie) at the beginning.

Anyway, I have my Costume Idea #3 almost ready, and it will be up tonight. Thank you for the positive responses to the other 2 costume ideas! I am so glad that you like them! I am having lots of fun creating them!

One Thursday afternoon, Payton & Grace were walking to the library after ballet. The ballet center was connected by a long haul to the library, and the girls were walking down it.

"I really hope that I get a good part in the Nutcracker this year - last year I was just a party guest and then I got sick before the performance!" Payton shook her head and sighed.

"I would be grateful to just get a part!" Grace shrugged. "I've never had a part in the Nutcracker before - my ballet group was so intense that I never passed the auditions."

"But you're the best in the class!" Payton gasped. "You mean you weren't the best in the class back in Paris?"

Grace shook her head just as they entered the library and were told by a stern librarian to "please quiet down".

The girls took a desk in the corner and sat down. "I have a LOT of science homework - it's really hard. Will you help me?" Payton begged.  Both girls had their backpacks with them.

"I don't know," Grace shrugged. Payton hadn't been very nice to her on her first day of school and Grace really wasn't ready to do her such a big favor as to help with her homework.

"Oh," Payton studied her phone for a minute. "My mom just texted me - she can't pick us up. She wants us to walk home by ourselves."

"Okay," Grace slowly rose from the table.

As the girls left their seat in the corner, Payton nearly tripped over a strange creature tearing through the library.

"Oh my goodness!" Grace gasped and then put her hand over her mouth - she wasn't allowed to be so loud in the library!

"What is that? A book on legs? Maybe things really can get up and walk away by themselves!"   

The dog tore through the library; not knowing where to go - the books were covering his vision!

The dog spun around, his tail flapping so much that he was like a tornado!

"Is that a dog?" Payton asked just as two librarians came running up. The whole library was looking over at them; the girls and the dog had clearly caused an unwanted distraction.

Payton tried to grab the book off of the wiggling dog.

"Get that creature out of here!" The woman librarian squealed; making even more of a distraction and making a spectacle of herself.

"I'm going to try!" The man librarian stepped in front of Payton and tried to grab the dog, but it was no use. Grace stood off to the side, trying to take everything in.

Then, suddenly, the science book flew off of the dog and just as the librarian tried to make a grab for him, the dog leapt out of reach.

The golden blur leapt onto the beautiful table.

He nearly missed the tabletop, but he did make it. It all happened so fast that all everyone could do was stand and watch.

Then the dog proceeded to dive into the dance bag on the tabletop and then he began to devour an almonds and honey granola bar.

Thank goodness I didn't buy the chocolate granola bars! Grace thought to herself. That would have been a bad scene. Chocolate was one of the main foods that was terrible for dogs.

"Let's get that dog to the pound - quick!" The librarian said. "It's a good thing you had a snack in your bag - I don't know how we would've capture him otherwise!"

"I'll call up the local shelter," the second librarian said. "Do you two have anything to do with this?" She looked at Grace and Payton sternly.

Neither girl had a chance to respond, because the librarian was already scurrying off to call the shelter.

 

"I'll keep the dog in the back books room until someone can get here to pick the thing up," the librarian did not sound very happy at all.

Grace didn't like how he had called the dog "the thing" - he clearly didn't care what happened to the dog.

"Ummm, he actually looks like my friend's dog - she was missing him earlier today, she was just in dance class." Payton reached over and winked at Grace. Grace understood and played along.

"Oh yes, I do think he is Amy's dog. Let's call her and tell her we've found him. Better yet - let's take him to her house."

Payton glanced at the tags that the dog wore. A single word was on it - Honey.

"His name's Honey," Payton told the librarian. Honey wagged his tail harder when Payton said his name.

"Leave the library now," the librarian told them sternly, he was going to let them take the dog!

Both girls hurried out of the library, trying to carry the dog together.  It was going to be a long walk home.

At home, they snuck the dog into the girls room and put him on the bottom bunk. He sat there, just looking around. He seemed content and happy enough. "I wonder who he belongs to?" Jasmine asked, coming in the room - excited for a new adventure to start.

"Whoever it is - must've been missing him for a while, because there aren't really any homes near the library - that's in the heart of the city!" Payton shook her head, puzzled.

"If whoever it is is missing him at all..." Jasmine sighed, referring to the possibility that he was just dumped on the street.

"Nah - they miss him," Payton told her certainly. "They wouldn't bother with such nice tags if they didn't care."

Jasmine nodded in agreement. "I guess so. It just seems kind of suspicious."

Kirsten quickly began to type up "Found" posters.

"It could take forever for the owner to see the poster," Payton sighed. "I wish we could just find them right away - before I get attached to him!"

"Suppose they have moved before they see the poster?" Grace worried, as she sat on the top bunk of the bed. Honey was now up there resting with her.

"I don't think they would move so quickly if they truly missed him."

"Maybe we can go to Dr. Paisley and see if Honey is microchipped!" Jasmine suggested.

"Finally!" Payton cried out excitedly. "Someone has a good, reasonable idea."

"I don't want the parents to know about this - they wouldn't like it," Payton shook her head, leaning into the room more, and nearing the girls as if she was telling a secret.  

"I'll skip school tomorrow and take him to the vet. I elect Jasmine to come with me," Payton told the group of girls.
"That's ridiculous!" Jasmine exclaimed.

"Then Grace can come with me then," Payton gave her the evil eye. "I want to be at the vet's office and I have ballet after school tomorrow - I can't miss it and we need to get Honey into the vet right away. I'll just have to do it - we'll figure it out later tonight."

"We'll have to figure something out. I just don't know what," Jasmine sighed.

Honey didn't care what happened next - he was just enjoying the comfortable blankets!!!

 

Part #2 coming up (in a day or week or so?)... 

Costume Idea #3

I know that I didn't post a costume idea yesterday, but I've just decided that I probably, realistically cannot post a new costume idea every single day. But, I'll try! Anyway, here is Costume Idea 3:

 

Pippi Longstocking!

 

A lot of people know her; whether you know the books, the Swedish television show, etc. Whatever it is, most people tend to have at least some idea of who she is.

For me, well, I've grown up with Pippi Longstocking in my life! In fact, I received a Pippi rag doll and book for my 4th birthday! I got the DVD set of the television show out of my library when I was around that age too (I know that there are cartoons, movies, and more made about Pippi, but the only one that I've seen is the 60s/70s television show/movies that were made in Sweden and are in a different language with English dubbed in. XD They are really good; I recommend them)

Anyway, the point is, I LOVE Pippi. (Who doesn't?) Everything about her is just so exciting! A while back, I made a costume for her, and I believe I even made a blog post about it, but that costume/version of Pippi just isn't as good (I don't think) as the one that I made today!

Anyway, here is today's costume:

 

Here she is! Felicity loves being Pippi; both girls are so similar!

For the costume, I used Julie's Original Meet Outfit (pre-Beforever) tunic, and a pair of denim shorts to go under it (I think they are from Julie's Patchwork Outfit).

The apron is from my Pippi ragdoll, but the apron isn't necessary for the costume; and you could always make one out of paper or something too!

For the shoes and socks, I made socks out of construction paper. If you have ever seen the show, you probably recognize these as socks that Pippi wears all the time! I know that construction paper is certainly not sock material, but it works!

I used Josefina's Meet Outfit shoes, though they look too small.

I know that the original Pippi is supposed to have freckles, so I got out my construction paper and double sided tape and made a...

DISASTER! XD

Those do NOT look like freckles at all. At least I tried. XD I was too scared to watercolor her skin. XD
Needless to say, these freckles were quickly removed. They might look okay if I had down them smaller.

Pippi looking down at the camera.

I made the braids stand straight out by braiding her hair really tightly and holding it in that position for a short time. It made her hair really easy to bend and shape. I would not keep her braids in this position for too long though.

Felicity was really getting into character!  

"I am Pippi Longstocking..."

 

 

Payton, Felicity, & Grace

Here are the #3 costumes so far! Without me telling anyone, I bet you can guess what each one is! XD

I think that ending picture may become my header picture. I just love the costumes together!