It's 12/12/12! What a day!
I see that Julie posted about reindeer yesterday. The arctic animal I'm researching is the arctic fox. They are pretty cool animals too. Here are some fun facts about them:
+ Like all foxes, arctic foxes are members of the family Canidae, which includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, and jackals.
+ Arctic foxes are the only members of the Canidae family to have fur that turns color seasonally. Their thick winter coat is white or near white. Their summer coat is various shades of blue-gray or gray-brown.
Winter coat:
Shedding:
Summer coat:
+ Arctic foxes' winter coat is the warmest of any mammal in the world. Their rounded bodies, short snouts, small ears, and short legs are all adaptations to minimize heat loss. They don't start shivering unless the temperature drops below about -90 degrees Fahrenheit!
+ The dens arctic foxes live in often are quite complex with multiple entrances.
+ When arctic foxes lay down to sleep, they curl their bushy tails around themselves like fuzzy blankets.
+ Arctic foxes' hearing is so good that they can pinpoint faint noises of prey buried in the snow. They then pounce on the prey to break the snow layer and hopefully catch it.
+ Kits (baby arctic foxes) are blue-gray or gray-brown when they are born. Normally kits are born in litters of 5-7, but litters as big as 25 have been recorded.
+ The lagopus part of arctic foxes' scientific name, Alopex lagopus, means "rabbit footed." This makes sense, since arctic fox paws grow dense fur in winter to give them traction on ice.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Snow and Reindeer
Julie here. It's snowing! It's not technically the first snow of the year, but it is the first time snow has stuck to both the grass and the pavement. I'm hoping it will still be around after school so that we can go horseback riding in it.
The snowglobe conditions outside make it seem more believable that Christmas is only 2 weeks away. We are all getting excited, especially Bethany, since it will be her first Christmas Eve and Christmas morning here.
For science class, each of us is researching a different arctic animal. I'm researching reindeer, and I thought I would share some interesting reindeer facts with you.
- In North America, reindeer are called caribou.
- The word "reindeer" comes from the Old Norse word "hreinin," meaning "horned animal." The word "caribou" is based on the French word for "snow-shoveler."
- Reindeer's double-layer coats are such effective insulators that when they lay in the snow, the snow doesn't even melt.
- Reindeer are the only species of deer that have been widely domesticated, though there are still large populations of wild reindeer.
- Reindeer are strong swimmers.
- In most reindeer populations, both male and female reindeer grow antlers (males grow bigger ones). Reindeer are the only species of deer in which females grow antlers.
- Mature male reindeer shed their antlers in early December. In my mind, that means one of the following:
1. Santa replaces his reindeer sled team with young males every year
2. Santa's reindeer team is female
3. Santa's reindeer team is made up of males wearing fake antlers
4. Something about the magic that makes Santa's male reindeer fly also keeps them from losing their antlers
* I like to think it's #2 :)
- Northern populations of reindeer tend to be smaller and whiter in color, while southern populations tend to be bigger and darker in color.
- Reindeer footpads adapt to changing seasons. In summer when the tundra is soft and wet, they become sponge-like to give the reindeer extra traction. In winter when the tundra is hard and icy, the footpads shrink and tighten to expose the hoof rim, which allows the deer to dig through snow and helps keep the deer from slipping.
- Scientists think that reindeer are one of the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light.
And now for pictures of some of the reindeer subspecies.
Tundra Reindeer:
Woodland Reindeer:
The snowglobe conditions outside make it seem more believable that Christmas is only 2 weeks away. We are all getting excited, especially Bethany, since it will be her first Christmas Eve and Christmas morning here.
For science class, each of us is researching a different arctic animal. I'm researching reindeer, and I thought I would share some interesting reindeer facts with you.
- In North America, reindeer are called caribou.
- The word "reindeer" comes from the Old Norse word "hreinin," meaning "horned animal." The word "caribou" is based on the French word for "snow-shoveler."
- Reindeer's double-layer coats are such effective insulators that when they lay in the snow, the snow doesn't even melt.
- Reindeer are the only species of deer that have been widely domesticated, though there are still large populations of wild reindeer.
- Reindeer are strong swimmers.
- In most reindeer populations, both male and female reindeer grow antlers (males grow bigger ones). Reindeer are the only species of deer in which females grow antlers.
- Mature male reindeer shed their antlers in early December. In my mind, that means one of the following:
1. Santa replaces his reindeer sled team with young males every year
2. Santa's reindeer team is female
3. Santa's reindeer team is made up of males wearing fake antlers
4. Something about the magic that makes Santa's male reindeer fly also keeps them from losing their antlers
* I like to think it's #2 :)
- Northern populations of reindeer tend to be smaller and whiter in color, while southern populations tend to be bigger and darker in color.
- Reindeer footpads adapt to changing seasons. In summer when the tundra is soft and wet, they become sponge-like to give the reindeer extra traction. In winter when the tundra is hard and icy, the footpads shrink and tighten to expose the hoof rim, which allows the deer to dig through snow and helps keep the deer from slipping.
- Scientists think that reindeer are one of the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light.
And now for pictures of some of the reindeer subspecies.
Tundra Reindeer:
![]() |
| Barren-ground caribou (NW Canada, W Greenland) |
![]() |
| Mountain reindeer (Arctic tundra of Eurasia) |
![]() |
| Peary caribou (NW Canada and the Nunavut Islands) |
![]() |
| Porcupine caribou (Alaska, the Yukon, and NW Canada) |
![]() |
| Svalbard reindeer (Svalbard islands of Norway) |
![]() |
| Finnish forest reindeer (Finland and NW Russia) |
![]() |
| Migratory woodland caribou (boreal forests of Canada and far northern contiguous US - not Alaska) |
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The Wrapping Paper Test
Lily here. It's December, and we're really starting to get excited for Christmas. The 4 of us took The Wrapping Paper Test, a online personality quiz thingy. It shows you these 9 wrapping papers and tells you to choose your favorite.
Here's what our favorites supposedly say about us:
Bethany
You approach the holidays with joy and playfulness.
You refuse to let the holidays be stressful. They should only be about fun.
The holidays truly make you feel like a kid again.
And you believe it's your job to make everyone else feel like a kid too!
Of all the types, you're the most likely to give someone a gift early... because you can't wait.
You're also the most likely to wrap your presents quickly - or not at all.
You refuse to let the holidays be stressful. They should only be about fun.
The holidays truly make you feel like a kid again.
And you believe it's your job to make everyone else feel like a kid too!
Of all the types, you're the most likely to give someone a gift early... because you can't wait.
You're also the most likely to wrap your presents quickly - or not at all.
Felicity

You Are Considerate and Mature
You approach the holidays with responsibility and cooperation.
You'll do your part to make sure that everyone else has a happy holiday.
You aren't particularly picky or high maintenance during the holidays.
You're happy to be in the company of people you love, and you're willing to "go with the flow."
Of all the types, you are the most likely to give someone exactly what they want.
You're also the most likely to wrap all your presents well - to prevent peeking!
You aren't particularly picky or high maintenance during the holidays.
You're happy to be in the company of people you love, and you're willing to "go with the flow."
Of all the types, you are the most likely to give someone exactly what they want.
You're also the most likely to wrap all your presents well - to prevent peeking!
You approach the holidays with harmony and thoughtfulness.
You realize the holidays can be a hard time for some people, and you're there to lend your support.
Not only do you enjoy giving during the holidays, you enjoy receiving greetings, love, and gifts. You graciously appreciate every holiday gesture made in your honor.
You realize the holidays can be a hard time for some people, and you're there to lend your support.
Not only do you enjoy giving during the holidays, you enjoy receiving greetings, love, and gifts. You graciously appreciate every holiday gesture made in your honor.
Of all the types, you are the most likely to give a gift that's meaningful for you and the recipient. You're also the most likely to hand deliver as many of your gifts as possible.
Me (Lily)
You Are Whimsical and Imaginative
For you, it's yet another opportunity to express your glorious view of the world.
Whether you're decorating your house or baking cookies, you like everything to have your personal touch.
You do your best to make the holidays a unique and special time for everyone around you.
Of all the types, you are the most likely to give delightfully surprising and interesting gifts.
You're also the most likely to wrap your gifts in an quirky, beautiful way.
Pretty cool, huh? To see what the other wrapping papers signify, check out the link:
Friday, November 30, 2012
Uprising
Lily here. Normally I'm not the one to be posting about books I've read. That's more a Bethany or Julie thing to do. However, Bethany recommended this book to me. So, I read it over Thanksgiving break. All week, I've been wanting to write something about it but haven't gotten around to it until now. Uprising is super well-written book by one of Bethany's favorite authors, Margaret Petersen Haddix. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I think the designers did an excellent job on this one. It really sets the powerful, haunting tone of the book well, and it gets Bella, Yetta, and Jane (the main characters) stuck in your mind.
The book is historical fiction based on real events that happened in the early 1900's in New York City: the uprising of the 20,000 (a strike by 20,000! garment workers - mostly young immigrant women) and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that killed 146 workers. This fire was the most deadly business-place disaster to take place in New York City until September 11, 2001. I couldn't quite picture a shirtwaist despite the description in the book, so I looked up a picture. They aren't exactly popular nowadays, but they were all the rage for women back then.
The story is written in the 3rd person, with each new chapter focusing on a different one of the main characters. Bella (far right in the picture) is a super recent Italian immigrant to America who gets a job at the Triangle. Yetta (center in the picture), one of Bella's coworkers, is a Jewish Russian immigrant who's been in the U.S. longer and who gets really involved in the strike right off the bat. Jane (far left in the picture) is the daughter of a wealthy businessman, and she's just started to realize her wealth has come at the expense of factory workers. It doesn't happen overnight, obviously, but the three 15-year-old girls eventually end up becoming close friends.
The first chapter starts 20+ years down the road, with one of the daughters of the Triangle Factory boss coming to talk to "Mrs. Livingston," one of the three girls. You learn that Mrs. Livingston is the only one of the trio to survive the fire, but you don't know which girl Mrs. Livingston is. You don't find out for sure until the final chapters. My guess was totally wrong!
All book long you're dreading the fire you know is coming, but tons of other truly horrible stuff happens to these girls too, especially Bella and Yetta. It is appalling the stuff people got away with doing to young immigrant women. And it wasn't just male factory owners, overseers, and police. It was other women too! These girls were tough and determined to the max - you can't help but get emotionally attached to them. Everything that ends up happening seems so real and vivid in my mind.
This book really makes you think. About where your clothes come from, for one: who makes them, what kind of conditions the workers work in, and whether they are paid fairly. It has inspired me to learn more about the Women's Rights Movement. It also has made me feel really blessed to live in this time period as a middle-class American girl. Way too often we take it all for granted!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Pass the Pie
Happy Thanksgiving!
This is the most spectacular first Thanksgiving I could've hoped for! It is sunny, breezy, and 58 degrees outside! Mom and my sisters say that this is highly unusual. I'm told that it's usually cold, dreary, and wet from rain or slushy snow by the 20's of November. Julie, Felicity, and Mom even remember a Thanksgiving snowstorm from a few years back. Oh, Michigan weather.
The four of us dolls just got back from an awesome trail ride on our horses. We thoroughly enjoyed what is most likely our last ride of the year without wearing heavy coats. Now it is almost time for all of us dolls to eat Thanksgiving dinner. We just have to wait for the humans to leave for their own dinner with relatives. I'm most excited to try pumpkin pie for the first time! Okay, gotta go! Mom and family are leaving!
~Bethany
This is the most spectacular first Thanksgiving I could've hoped for! It is sunny, breezy, and 58 degrees outside! Mom and my sisters say that this is highly unusual. I'm told that it's usually cold, dreary, and wet from rain or slushy snow by the 20's of November. Julie, Felicity, and Mom even remember a Thanksgiving snowstorm from a few years back. Oh, Michigan weather.
The four of us dolls just got back from an awesome trail ride on our horses. We thoroughly enjoyed what is most likely our last ride of the year without wearing heavy coats. Now it is almost time for all of us dolls to eat Thanksgiving dinner. We just have to wait for the humans to leave for their own dinner with relatives. I'm most excited to try pumpkin pie for the first time! Okay, gotta go! Mom and family are leaving!
~Bethany
Monday, November 19, 2012
Bad Writing At Its Best
Hi. Julie here. Mom came across these gems online last week and shared them with me. These are supposedly similes real students have used in their essays. I don't know if that's true or not, but they sure are funny. Enjoy!
1. Her face was a perfect oval, like
a circle that had its two other sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head,
making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. She caught your eye like one of
those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly
up whenever you banged the door open again.
4. The little boat gently drifted
across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
5. McMurphy fell 12 stories, hitting
the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
6. Her hair glistened in the rain
like nose hair after a sneeze.
7. Her eyes were like two brown
circles with big black dots in the center.
8. Her vocabulary was as bad as,
like, whatever.
9. He was as tall as a
six-foot-three-inch tree.
10. The hailstones leaped from the
pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
11. Long separated by cruel fate, the
star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two
freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the
other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
12. The politician was gone but
unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.
13. John and Mary had never met. They
were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
14. The thunder was ominous sounding,
much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the
storm scene in a play.
15. The red brick wall was the color
of a brick-red Crayola crayon.
16. Even in his last years,
Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so
long it had rusted shut.
17. The door had been forced, as
forced as the dialogue during the interview portion of "Jeopardy!"
18. The plan was simple, like my
brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
19. The young fighter had a hungry
look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
20. He was as lame as a duck. Not the
metaphorical lame duck either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe
from stepping on a land mine or something.
21. Her artistic sense was
exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from "I Can't
Believe It's Not Butter."
22. She had a deep, throaty, genuine
laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
23. It came down the stairs looking
very much like something no one had ever seen before.
24. The ballerina rose gracefully en
pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
25. It was an American tradition,
like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
26. He was deeply in love. When she
spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
27. She was as easy as the "TV
Guide" crossword.
28. She grew on him like she was a
colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
29. She walked into my office like a
centipede with 98 missing legs.
30. Her voice had that tense, grating
quality, like a first- generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band
tightened.
31. It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you
accidentally staple it to the wall.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Fall Marches On
Halloween has come and gone. We had a blast at the costume party we had with our cousins (the dolls belonging to Mom's sisters) in the basement on Halloween night. My sisters and I went in colonial dresses.
Here are some photos of us a few days earlier modeling our costumes:
Even though I'm not a huge fan of dresses, I'll admit we all looked pretty good. It was weird to see Lily wearing my dress, though. This was the first time I'd seen it worn by anybody else.
Now we've headed into the blah month of November. Mom saw her first snowflakes of the year on an early morning walk on Saturday, but luckily no significant snow is in the immediate forecast.
I was on Basilmentos' blog and got my first glimpse of Saige, the 2013 Girl of the Year doll. Don't ask me why AG is already divulging photos in November. Whatever. Here she is:
Here are some photos of us a few days earlier modeling our costumes:
| Lily |
| Bethany |
| Julie |
| Me |
| Group Shot |
Now we've headed into the blah month of November. Mom saw her first snowflakes of the year on an early morning walk on Saturday, but luckily no significant snow is in the immediate forecast.
I was on Basilmentos' blog and got my first glimpse of Saige, the 2013 Girl of the Year doll. Don't ask me why AG is already divulging photos in November. Whatever. Here she is:
I kind of like her, though that outfit is totally not going to work for riding that horse. I'm guessing her eyes will be the new aquamarine that Caroline and Marie-Grace have. What do you bet AG introduces a light gray horse with her? I seriously hope it's in the trotting pose so that Mom doesn't get any crazy ideas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
The Thin Veil
We're well into October now, and man, we can't remember a better one weather-wise. If all Octobers were like this, I'd totally j...
-
Lily here. Normally I'm not the one to be posting about books I've read. That's more a Bethany or Julie thing to do. However, Be...
-
I know we're late to the party. HI3 introduced zebras to the game back on May 4, but we didn't even venture into their turf, the sav...
-
Well, Felicity, we're still here. So much for the 12/21/12 apocalypse. ;-) It's the shortest day of the year today, but luckily th...


























