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Six

Without their stuffed animals to play with, Superstorm and Bluebelle were bored. They decided to go out for a scoot around the block. Bluebelle held on tight to her big brother as they scooted up the hill next to their house. From the top of the hill they could see for miles around.

“I wonder if we can see where the stuffed animals were banished to,” said Superstorm. Even though Bluebelle didn’t know how to talk yet, she answered.

“Brother, I can hear them,” she said.

“What do you mean, Bluebelle?” asked Superstorm.

“I can hear them in my head, just like you’re hearing me in your head. They’re asking for our help. And I know where they are.”

“Let’s go rescue them!” said Superstorm. “Can we take my scooter?”

“Yes,” said Bluebelle. “But we’ll have to go faster than we ever have before.”

They started scooting down the hill, faster and faster. They went so fast the scooter began to shake. Superstorm wanted to put his foot on the brake to slow down, but something stopped him. “Faster,” Bluebelle.

And all of a sudden, they were flying through the air.

They flew up above the treetops and circled around over their house. Down below, Superstorm and Bluebelle’s parents looked up and waved to get their attention. “Make sure you’re home before dinner!” yelled Mama.

They flew over the town center, over the highway, over the forest and the river until they reached the mountains, which they flew right over. Superstorm steered the scooter while Bluebelle navigated.  After a while, Bluebelle said, “We’re getting close. It’s time to land.”

When they touched down, Superstorm and Bluebelle found themselves in an unfamiliar land. “It’s a good thing we brought snacks,” said Superstorm. They scooted onward until they reached a very large cave, with an even larger boulder blocking the entrance.

“I can hear them! They’re inside the cave!” said Superstorm. He pushed the boulder with all his might, but he couldn’t move it, even a millimeter. “But we can’t get them because this boulder is too big,” he said, discouraged. Just when he was sure they’d have to turn back, he heard Bluebelle’s voice.

“Don’t worry, brother. I’ve got this.”

Bluebelle stared at the boulder and concentrated. Superstorm had never seen his sister as focused as she was at this moment. The dust around the bottom of the boulder began to vibrate. Bluebelle concentrated even harder. And the giant boulder lifted off the ground! It hovered an inch off the ground, then began to move slowly to the side until there was enough room for the stuffed animals to squeeze out. Bluebelle let the boulder drop.

Out came the stuffed animals. Ida B. Whale, Malcolm Rex, Fannie Lou Hammer, Harvey Milkbone, Dolores Fuerte, and all their stuffed animal friends. Last of all came Reinhold Beaver.

“I knew that you would find us, Superstorm and Bluebelle. Thank you for rescuing us,” said the wise old Beaver. “Now we must return to the kingdom.”

“But you’re banished, will you be safe if we go back?”

“When a king says it’s ok to hit people, when he’s so greedy that he never shares, when he doesn’t tell the truth - then no one is truly safe,” said Reinhold Beaver. “You have much to learn, Superstorm and Bluebelle. Put us on your scooter and take us home, and we will teach you. We will start today with your very first lesson, as soon as we’re back in the kingdom.”

Superstorm and Bluebelle piled all of the stuffed animals onto the scooter. In order to make them all fit, Superstorm had to sit on Malcolm Rex’s shoulders, while Dolores Fuerte and Harvey Milkbone rode Ida B. Whale. Bluebelle held on tight to Superstorm with one hand, and with the other she held Reinhold Beaver, who dangled precariously from the scooter.

Superstorm got the scooter rolling, faster and faster, but just before they took off he remembered that he had a question for Reinhold Beaver.

“What is the first lesson, Reinhold Beaver?” yelled Superstorm as they took to the air.

Over the sound of the rushing wind, the Beaver bellowed his answer. “Power!” he said. “Power must be met with MORE power!!”

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Five

Superstorm and Bluebelle were surprised when Reinhold Beaver spoke, but not too surprised. He had always seemed like he had a lot to say.

“But Reinhold Beaver,” said Superstorm, “We’re just a couple of kids! What can we do?”

Reinhold Beaver was about to answer, but they were interrupted by a loud knock at the front door. It was Steven Badman, there to pick up the box of stuffed animals.

“Trust me, children,” said Reinhold Beaver. “We will see you soon.”

And with that, Superstorm closed the moving box. “Goodbye,” he said. “For now.”

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Four

One day, Greedy King Cheezo was on TV. That was his favorite place to be, other than golfing. On his right stood Steven Badman, one of his favorite henchmen. On his left stood Jeff Secessions, another of his favorite henchmen. Greedy King Cheezo was about to make an announcement.

“We have a very dangerous problem in our kingdom, and I am the only one who can fix it,” said Greedy King Cheezo. “The problem,” he said, “is teddy bears.” Jeff Secessions and Steven Badman nodded their heads enthusiastically. “Teddy bears are small, fuzzy, and brown. They are different than you and me, and therefore they are dangerous. In fact, they’re animals. And so, I hereby decree that teddy bears and all of their little stuffed animal friends are BANISHED from the kingdom!”

Superstorm and Bluebelle gasped. Their stuffed animals were all very loving and not dangerous at all. In fact, they were part of the family! How could anyone want to banish them?

But Greedy King Cheezo had made his decree, and so Superstorm and Bluebelle went to their room and began gently putting all their stuffed animals into a moving box.

They packed Malcolm, their fuzzy bespectacled Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ida B. Whale, their intrepid cetacean, Dolores Fuerte, their fierce lioness, and Harvey Milkbone, their pioneering puppy. Last of all, they packed Reinhold, their wise old Beaver.

Just as Superstorm was about to close the box, Reinhold Beaver did something he had never done before.

He spoke.

“Superstorm and Bluebelle,” said Reinhold Beaver, “You are more powerful than you know.”

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Three

Superstorm and Bluebelle woke up that morning in November and noticed that their parents were very upset.

“What’s wrong, mama and daddy?” asked Superstorm.

“Something very bad has happened,” explained Daddy. “Somehow, Greedy Mr. Cheezo won the election. Now he’s Greedy KING Cheezo.”

“But mama,” said Superstorm, “I thought that kings were supposed to set a good example! He can’t be a king. He always lies. And he’s so greedy  that he never shares. And worst of all, he says it’s ok to hit other people!”

Mama agreed. Greedy King Cheezo was not setting a very good example. And they were pretty sure he would not be a very good king.

Superstorm and Bluebelle wanted to help, but what could they do? They were just a couple of kids.

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Two

Superstorm was a regular kid, and so was his little sister Bluebelle. They were regular kids in every way except for one. They were also superheroes.

Superstorm’s power was that he had the fastest scooter on his block. Sometimes he went so fast he thought he could fly.

Bluebelle had a very powerful mind. It was so powerful that she could read other people’s thoughts. It was so powerful, in fact, that even Bluebelle didn’t quite know what she could do.

Superstorm and Bluebelle lived a very regular life. Until one fateful day in November.

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One

Greedy King Cheezo hadn’t always been king, but he had been greedy since the day he was born.

He was born into great riches, but instead of using his money to help people, he used it to get attention. His favorite way to get attention was to lie. He lied, then he lied about lying, then he lied about lying about lying. And not only that, he also said it ok to hit people!

He was so greedy for attention that he decided he would pretend to run for king. But a person like Cheezo could never become king, could he?

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Jake and I went to a carnival in Lexington in 100 degree weather but we had fun. I felt green around the gills after the baby roller coaster though; I am old.

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Jake and daddy mountain biking!!!!

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Jake memorized a poem

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Sharing a whoopie pie = brotherly love

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Backlog....

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Entire foot in mouth.

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Water baby loves water

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Me and Jake take an epic adventure in Boston while Tony is away- jakes first ride on an mbta bus, on the T, then the carousel at the greenway , then we split steamers at Legal by the aquarium (I have an insanely picky kid but he still eats steamers!! That's my boy) then we watched the seals (free) and the ferry boats leaving and coming, then we got cookies, then Tony came back and picked us up. Home again!

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Jake on a tractor, Jake gets treated to spaghetti after his swim class, Jake sleeps the sleep of the just with his beloved soccer ball.

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Jakes fourth swim class marks a turning point in getting more comfortable with the whole thing. Practiced getting out of the pool (a good skill!), was at ease floating on his back supported, did some nice kicking. Doesn't like water on his head (this is not news to me) but I bought him some snazzy goggles today after his lesson that he adores (he took them to his bed for his nap) so maybe they'll help. Proud of him!