Downton Abby or Duck Dynasty?

 Hello, lovely readers!  As you can see, we are back to our house.  But before I continue, I must warn you that if you have not heard of both of the shows mentioned in the title, some of the humor in this post may not make sense.  Because we had invited Julie over, but she said she couldn't make it, Chrissa and I were pleasantly surprised when she showed up at our door ...

 "Julie!  I missed you so much!" my sister yelled, giving Julie a hug. "Even if we were only gone for a couple weeks."

"I missed you too!  How's gymnastics going?" Julie replied, returning the hug.

"It's going great.  It's funny to think that I go to Innerstar University every Thursday and never see you."

"Hello, Julie." I said happily, walking down the stairs to see my friend.

 "Hi, Elizabeth!  Hey- I've got an idea!  Since it's such a long drive, why don't you come and spent Thursday night at my dorm?" Julie offered.

 "That would be wonderful!  If our parents don't mind, I think Chrissa and I would love too." I agreed.

"Awesome!" Julie exclaimed. "Do you want to watch a movie or something when you come over?"

"Have you ever seen Downton Abby?  It's one of my favorite shows." I explained. "I have the first three seasons on DVD."

"Yes!  Only one episode, though." Julie said, nodding. "Do you want to dress up like those Downton Abby people?  I think you have some dresses that would be perfect."

"Indeed I do."

 In very little time, Julie and I had pulled on some of my dresses.

 I wore Caroline's Holiday Gown, ...

 ... while Julie chose to wear Caroline's Travel Dress.

 We were in the middle of a reenactment when Chrissa bust into the room.

 "Hey- enough Downton Abby!  Let's watch Duck Dynasty!" she said, holding a soft drink can. "What?" she added, because Julie and I were both starring at her.

"Chrissa, you just interrupted a very sad moment." Julie said, still starring.

"The thing about Downton Abby is that no matter when I interrupted, something sad would be happening."  Chrissa stated.  "Downton Abby is just too depressing.  That's a fact, Jack!"  

"So perhaps we should watch something that we all would enjoy." I suggested.

"What would that be?  Downton Dynasty?" Julie asked, making us all laugh.

Who, or what, makes you laugh?

The First S.A.H.O. Disagreement

 Hello, lovely readers!  On Sunday, Saige and Julie drooped in for a visit.

 Because Julie wasn't exactly sure when they would arrive, I was busy washing dishes.  Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Saige!  I'm so glad you're here!" I greeted my friend.

"Thanks for inviting us!" Saige warmly replied.

"Where is Julie?"

"Oh- she isn't felling well, so her parents dropped me off and drove to Walgreen's to get some Tylenol or something."  Saige said.  "She'll be here any minute."

Ding-dong.

"Hello, Julie!" How are you feeling?" I asked, opening the door.

"Not so well.  I went to the doctor earlier this week, because my stomach hurt, and there's something wrong with it, so they're going to do a bunch of tests." Julie said unhappily.

"Chrissa and I will definitely pray for you." I told Julie.

"Hey, what's-" Chrissa said, walking into the room.  "Julie! Saige!  You're here!"

"Yes we are!" Saige agreed, laughing.

"Would you like a snack?" I offered.

"Like what?" Chrissa asked hopefully.

"Perhaps popcorn?" I suggested.

"Sure!"

Julie and I climbed upstairs, and we popped popcorn.

"What do you want to do?" Julie asked, snacking on the popcorn. "Besides talk, I mean."

"What if we did a S.A.H.O. meeting?" Chrissa said.

"That's a great idea!  Let's set it up!" Julie said excitedly.

Here's our official S.A.H.O. sign.

On our whiteboard, we each signed our names.

"Hey- I have a idea!" Julie said. "What if we wrote all our pen pals and made them members of S.A.H.O too!  We would have so many more members!"

"Um, Julie, don't forget that S.A.H.O. stands for St. Augustine Hang Out." Chrissa reminded.  "How can pen pals, who live in different states, hang out in St. Augustine?"

"They wouldn't be the like, official members, but kind of different, you know?" Julie explained.  "Okay, I could write Willow and Brooke, and who could you write, Saige?"

"Maybe Juliet or McKenna?" Saige said. "Oh- not your cousin." she added, seeing Chrissa's confused face.

"Well, I have my cousin Libby, my friend Lexie, and Kit P." Chrissa listed off. "They are already my pen pals."

"What about you, Elizabeth?" Julie asked, a dry-erase marker in her hand.

"My cousin, Marie-Grace, and Lexie's sister, Melody." I replied.  "Both Chrissa and I are pen pals with Kit P."

"Okay, now let's get our stationary and write some letters!" Julie said.

"Wait a second, Julie." Chrissa cautioned. "I didn't say I wanted to do this."

"Why? Don't you think it's a good idea?" Julie replied.

"Well... It's just that you're being kind of bossy about it." Chrissa said.

"No I'm not!" Julie replied, her eyes flashing.

"See, you're even being bossy right now!"

"Well, you're just being inconsiderate." Julie retorted.

"No I'm not!" Chrissa defended.  By now, both Chrissa and Julie were facing each other, glaring.

"You are just jealous that I thought of it and you didn't." Julie defended herself.

"I am not, because I think it was a terrible idea." Chrissa said angrily.

"WHAT!?  You are so mean, Chrissa Edwards!  I thought that you were my true friend!" Julie complained.  "I now see that you aren't really.  I never want to talk to you AGAIN!"

"From the way you're acting, I never want to you again!" Chrissa retorted angrily.  "Good bye!"

Julie stalked away towards the door and thew back the beach towel, and disappeared.  During their argument, Saige or I had not been able to get a word in between Julie and Chrissa's verbal fight.  So, I slipped out to talk with Julie.

"I don't want to talk." Julie resentfully said.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, I told my friend,  "Julie, you know that we shouldn't let the sun set on our anger."

"Yea, because if the sun was hitting our anger, it would make it more hot." Julie said, not really paying attention.

"You know what I meant, Julie." I told her gently.  After a moment of silence, ...

"It's all her fault." Julie started quietly, growing louder.  "I had this fun idea, and she just cut me down.  She even said that it was terrible!"

"I am sure Chrissa said that in the extreme heat of her anger, and didn't really mean it." I said. "When you are full of anger like you both were, you are liable to say mean things."

"I know.  But what am I supposed to do?" Julie asked, turning around to look into my eyes for the first time.

"Apologizing is a good place to start." I offered.

"Okay." Julie sighed.

Meanwhile - int the other room another conversation was developing..."Do you want to tell me about your feelings?" Saige asked Chrissa.

"I'll tell you this: I hate being bossed around!  Since I'm the youngest in our family, everyone bosses me around!" Chrissa exploded.  "Just because I'm younger doesn't mean they can tell me what to do!  It's rare that people listen to what I have to say." She added in a quieter tone.  Just then, Julie and I walked back into the clubhouse.

"I'll apologize as soon as Chrissa does." Julie said stiffly.   With a small sigh, my sister said,

"Julie, I'm sorry I called your idea terrible.  I didn't really mean it, I just am very annoyed when I feel like people are telling me what to do."

"Wow!  You actually did!" Julie commented, sounding surprised. "I'm sorry too, Chrissa.  I didn't mean to boss you around.  Friends again?"

"Friends again." Chrissa replied, standing up and hugging Julie, who returned it.

Relationships are like plants; they need work to keep growing.  I'm so glad that Chrissa and Julie resolved their disagreement.

Have you ever had a fight with your friend that needed to be resolved?

A Sleepover with Julie and Saige

 Hello, lovely readers!  Last Friday night, we invited Julie and Saige to come over for a sleepover.

 "Good afternoon, Julie!" I said.  "Thanks for coming over."

"Saige and I were glad to come!" Julie said.  Looking around, she asked, "Where's Chrissa?"

"Oh, she grabbed a quick nap before you two came." I told Julie.  "Where's Saige?"

"She's-" Julie started, but didn't finish, because a ear-splitting scream echoed though the house. 

 Unknown to us, Saige had sunk up right next to Chrissa's face and said loudly,

"Hi Chrissa!"

 Screaming, Chrissa quickly sat up.  "Saige, you scared me!" she said, looking hurt.  Saige and Chrissa came down the stairs, my sister came in the living room to talk with us, while Saige used the restroom.

 "Chrissa, why did you yell like that?" Julie asked, frightened.

"Saige came right up to my face and was like 'Hi Chrissa', and it was so freaky!" Chrissa shuddered.  "I don't know why did she did it though"  she thoughtfully added.

"It's like she's mad or something." Julie said. "She has been acting strangely."

 Saige had been listening through the wall of the bathroom, and she came out crying.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, lying on the couch. "It's just that Tessa and Dylan are being mean to me, Mimi broke her leg, I can't ride the Picasso right, and I just can't do anything right!"

Chrissa and Julie piled on top of her, smothering her in a hug.

"Elizabeth!" Mother called from the kitchen, "Please come set the table!"

"I't okay, Saige." I said over my shoulder, running upstairs. "I'll be back!"

"We're here for you, Saige!" Julie comforted.

"Yes, we forgive you." Chrissa agreed.

"Thanks, you guys are true friends." Saige said, sniffling.  After a delightful dinner, we put on our pajamas, brushed our teeth, and climbed in bed.  We stayed awake talking for quite a while, but fell asleep eventually.

In the morning, Saige and I got up to make breakfast, since Mother was still sleeping.

Julie and Chrissa decided to take advantage of the Saturday morning and slept in.

While we were eating, Chrissa brought up her dream.

"I had this really weird dream.  There was this giant or something chasing me, and for some odd reason, I was scared that it was going to sit on me.  It did, and I woke up to find that Julie was lying on top of me." Chrissa told us, looking at Julie, who was smiling.

"Well, I had a strange dream too." Julie said. "The problem is, I don't remember it!"

Smiling at Julie, Saige told her "Julie, you have a serious case of bed head!"

After breakfast, Julie and Saige had to leave.  They are such a blessing, and Chrissa and I are so glad to have them in our lives.

An "Enlightening" Experience

 Hello, lovely readers!  Yesterday Julie, Saige, and Livey invited us to their dorm for the afternoon.

 "Thanks for coming over!" Julie said as she opened the door, where it was pouring rain.

 "Thank you for inviting us!" Chrissa replied, hanging up her raincoat.  "It's raining like cats and dogs out there!"

 "Can I get ether of you a drink?" Livey asked us.  "Elizabeth, there's some tea brewing, if you'd like some."

"I'll have water" my sister said.  "Thanks, Livey."

 "Tea would be quite nice." I smiled at Livey. "Thank you."

 "Hey Julie," Chrissa started, "Why does Santa Claus have three gardens?"

Glancing at me, Julie replied, "I don't know."

"So he can ho, ho, ho!" Chrissa laughed.

"Good one!" Livey said.  Pointing at their wall, she asked "Do you like the collage?"

,

 "I love the collage! Did you make it?" Chrissa asked.

Nodding proudly, Julie said "Yes, I did."

"What would you like to do, Elizabeth?" Saige asked me quietly, as Julie, Chrissa and Livey carried on with their conversation.  "There's a new episode of Cupcake Wars on, if you want to watch it."

"That sounds great." I said.  So Saige turned on the TV.

 "And the winner of Cupcake Wars and $10,000 is..."

Inconveniently, the power went out.  What followed was mayhem.  There was what sounded like two screams, and loads of running that followed with a few crashing noises.

 Julie and Chrissa had dived under the the safety of the table, Chrissa taking Chocolate Chip and Julie grabbing Sugar.  Meatloaf escaped both their grasps and landed on top of the table.

 "Is everyone alright?" I asked, hoping for the best.

"Yes" Julie said, huddled under the table.

"Yes" Chrissa agreed.

"I am" Lively said, standing up.

"I think we're all fine" Saige said.

"Excellent." I said.

"What should we do?" Livey asked.

"I think the best thing is to wait for the power to come back on." Saige said.  Smiling, she added,  "And it's safe to come out from under the table, you two."

 "No it's not." Julie and Chrissa said at the same time.  "You should come under the table too.  It's much safer." Chrissa defended.  I smiled at Saige.

"Shall we do something to pass the time?" I inquired of my friend.

"Why not tell stories?" she suggested.  Finding that to be great idea, we did. And we all had a blast.  The lights came back on later, but in the meantime we had loads of fun.

Sometimes, you just have to make the best of a bad situation.