This summer I went on a two-week vacation to Florida, Philadelphia and New Jersey with my family. We flew there on an airplane. We stayed with other family members in a nice house. I felt joyful being with my family and having nice dinners.

While in Florida, I went to the beach. I only put my feet in the water because the waves were too strong. My mom and I built a sandcastle with a moat around it. I saw so many sand crabs coming out of the water.

 I like smoothies! Why? A smoothie is a good source of protein and energy, it tastes good as well as it’s easy to make, and it’s on the go. I make one every morning before I go to school and even on the weekends, too, and so does my dad! Here is one of the recipes my dad makes for me.

 Make yourself feel fruity with a berry blast!

Ingredients:

 • 1 cup ice

• ó medium banana

• ó cup of vanilla ice cream

• ó teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup blueberries

• . cup milk

• Fresh mint on top!

A new play is coming to Valley of the Moon, and it sounds like it is going to be funny! My mom and I got to talk with Dante Crossroad, the co-director of “The Monty Tale of King Arthur.” He told us what families can expect if they come to the play. It is a comedy and is about an hour long. It is the Valley of the Moon’s own rendition of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Crossroad told us that if you are a Monty Python fan, then this is the show for you!

I went to Patagonia Lake to go fishing with my family during winter break. We drove there for what felt like hours but when we finally got there it was cold and raining. I did not care. I really wanted to catch a fish.

I practiced throwing the fishing rod a couple times. I felt ready and my dad put the bait on my hook. I sat there for a long time waiting to catch a fish but I did not. I moved to a different spot and tried again and still did not catch a fish. No matter what, I still had fun fishing with my family.

 Did you know there are so many kinds of shoes? I collect basketball shoes and stylish shoes.

I think these types of shoes are cool, and they look good. My grandma bought me my first pair of Jordans around three years ago. I thought they were so neat and wanted to get more. That is when I started collecting shoes.

My favorite shoe is the Dior 3. Some are going for more than $900! There are also Jordan, Yeezy and Nike shoes. Some of my friends and I trade shoes with each other. I get other shoes from the mall or online.

I love Pokémon! My friends Lindsey and Landen got me interested in Pokémon. My favorite Pokémons are Pikachu and Charizard. I like to read Pokémon books and collect Pokémon things, too.

I got a Poké Ball, and it is really cool. It lights up and changes colors, and it’s sensitive to your hands. The Poké Ball is a replica and a prop. I have it on my dresser in my room. My Papa got it for me for Christmas from Amazon. I wanted it because it is really cool. It’s the size of a baseball, and it is metal. I want more Poké Balls, but they’re around $100.

Did you know there are three types of formations of rocks? They are metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous. In my opinion rocks are a good thing to collect. If you are bored and looking for something to do, then you should go to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show!

Do you know about the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater? I saw the show in October at Fox Tucson Theatre, and it was really interesting! It was fun watching all of the pets come out and do their cool tricks. I really like animals. They are so cute, no matter what they are.

 Do you have a pet? Or favorite animal? Then you should go to the Tucson Subaru Pets of Pima Parade, or POPP! This parade is a way for humans to show their love for their pets, of all shapes, sizes and species. This is the inaugural parade, and will also have music, classic cars, entertainment and more!

POPP starts at 8:30 a.m. on Historic 4th Avenue in Tucson on Saturday, April 23. Attendance is free but the parade will serve as a fundraiser, with donations and proceeds supporting the Pima Animal Care Center, also called PACC, which shelters animals.

 I met Mayor Jonathan Rothschild at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible playground at Reid Park. The playground has ramps and plenty of shade.

Mayor Rothschild said his favorite part of this project was getting the funding to build it. He also enjoyed seeing all the kids having so much fun together.

The new playground is located near the DeMeester band shell. The old playground there was removed. The playground has an area for little kids and one for bigger kids too.