Holy tomato! Speak up! #communication,#tweenblogs,#tweengirls,

Khali squinted her eyes from the glare of the bright sun as she walked into her home after school on Monday.She had to tell her mom that her purse was stolen out of the girl's dressing room in the gym. *(what happened) After gym class, Khali and her friend Vanessa were going to a meeting at 5th period.It was a meeting with Mrs.Morris(the school secretary)to talk about decorating the front office for the holidays.Khali and Vanessa's Math teacher said that the girls could help Mrs.Morris if they finished their Math test early.Five were chosen in all,4 girls and 1 boy. After gym class was over, it was time to go to the office and help put up decorations.Vanessa told Khali that she was going to leave her backpack and purse on a bench in the girl's dressing room in the gym.Vanessa said that her stuff would be fine there.It was the last gym class for the day and the coach had left.Khali thought that someone may come in and steal their belongings. Khali didn't want to be different from Vanessa and the other girls.Khali just went with the crowd and left her purse and sweater on the aluminum bench in the corner. The girls and the one boy finshed hanging the garland and ornaments on the desks and walls in the front office.Khali and Vanessa laughed because the scotch tape kept sticking to their fingers. The bell rang.It was time for the girls to pick up their things and walk home.They opened the door to the dressing room. Khali,Vanessa and the other 2 girls stood still for a second.They could not believe their eyes!They saw their opened backpacks thrown on the floor.Books,pens,and notebook paper was scattered everywhere! The girls shouted,"Oh No !!!!,Holy Tomato!!! What happened???!!!! Their purses were gone! Their free passes to the football game on Friday were in their purses.Khali's purse was gone and she had $5 in cash in her wallet. The girls picked up their books and what was left of their supplies and rushed to report the theft to the assistant principal. "Why would someone do this?", they kept asking themselves. Khali walked up the step to go to her house.She did not have her house key because it was in her purse!!! Luckily,she knew that her mom put a spare house key by the plant. "What a bum day!",she thought. She was irritated with herself because she KNEW that she shouldn't have left her purse in that dressing room! "I'm going to follow my OWN mind next time.Then won't have to go through all of this trouble!!" Whereever there are people, there are those who steal. Khali learned this lesson the hard way... sweet communicating, Marie

hanging with the thief ~ #friendship,#tweens,#peerpressure

Joni,Heather,and Mary Beth were friends and went to the same middle school.Heather and Mary Beth made the honor roll each semester.Joni was a good student,but did not make all A's.They all lived in a quiet neighborhood near Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Heather and Mary Beth went over to Joni's house to ask her parents if she could go to the mall and shop.Joni's parents said that she could go after she finished her chores. She had to clean up her room.The girls came in and helped Joni clean her room and throw away some trash.Joni told Heather and Mary Beth that she did not have much money to spend today.Heather told her that it was okay. Heather's older sister dropped the girls off at the mall and they headed to Claire's and Justice.They looked around and picked outfits that they liked.Heather had a large pink bag with her.Mary Beth carried a small blue shoulder purse.Claire's was filled with earrings,bracelets,bff jewelry,boots,hair accessories,nail polish,mirrors,fashion glasses,socks,etc. Mary Beth and Joni each picked out a bff owl necklace.Mary Beth chose the pink necklace and Joni bought the purple one.The two girls checked out and looked for Heather.Heather was at the back of the store and had two hair bands in her hand.Heather paid for the hairbands and the girls left the store. Heather's sister called and said she would pick them up in thirty minutes.They all were hungry and went to the food court to get some chicken nuggets and a drink.After sitting at the eating table,Joni noticed that Heather's pink bag was full of stuff from Claire's.Joni could see a Justin Bieber diary,earrings,sunglasses,and writing pens.It was stuff that she didn't pay for! What was going on? Did she steal those things from the store? Joni told Mary Beth of her suspicion when Heather went to get more napkins from the chicken store.When Heather returned,Mary Beth asked her about the stuff in her bag.Heather said,"I put some things in my bag, so what?" Joni and Mary Beth looked at each other in disbelief.They were in shock at what had just happened! They were hanging out with a shoplifter.... a thief!! Heather's sister arrived to take them home.Joni and Mary Beth sat quietly in the back seat of the car all of the way home. What would you do if you found out that one of your friends was a thief? ~sweet thoughts, Marie