In Pennsylvania with Slugmama!!

Wednesday July 8, 1998
I arrived today in Pennsylvania from California. The journey cross-country wasn’t too bad as I had company in the box. My traveling companion was Samuel, one of the new Attic Treasures bears. He was a gift from Suzann the last PAW host to new Mom Denise and the Arcures my new foster family. They all liked the new bear very much. I was greeted upon my arrival by Noah, 2; Holly, 5; and Matthew, almost 7. Mom Denise took our photo and I felt right at home. Tomorrow is a big day so “night, night” from Pennsylvania.

Thursday July 9, 1998
Today I had an important job to do! Little Noah had to go to a special doctor called a neurologist and have a test done called an EEG. This doesn’t hurt but can be scary for a little boy just 2 years old. I went along with Mom Denise and Noah to keep Noah company. The nurse put a cloth hat with a lot of wires coming out of it on Noah’s head and gave him some medicine to make him sleepy. While he slept a big machine wrote lines on a long piece of paper. It was recording his brain waves. I think I did a good job keeping Noah calm because he held me and went right to sleep. Mom Denise even took our picture after the test was over and Noah kept sleeping-right through the picture!
The good news is the test went well and the doctor didn’t find anything wrong with his brain. We celebrated afterwards by going to the mall to look for new beanies. No beanies there but we did have a chocolate milkshake….yummy!! Holly changed me into my PJs and tucked me in bed with her. I get to sleep in Matt’s room tomorrow night.

Friday July 10, 1998
We stayed home today since Mom Denise didn’t have a car. It was in the shop getting a tune-up. So, I played in the yard with the kids. They have a little pool out back but I didn’t feel like swimming so I watched as they splashed around. It is really pretty here! The Arcures live in a forest in the Pocono Mountains. So far in their backyard I have seen chipmunk, deer(even 2 fawns), and a flock of wild turkeys.
Mom Denise says there are also black bears around here but I hope I don’t see one of those! There is even a bat that sleeps under the porch. You can see him come out and swoop around at dusk catching bugs for his dinner. Speaking of dinner, it is about time to eat. Tonight’s menu is Chinese food and ice cream for dessert. Bye for now!

Saturday July 11, 1998
I got up early to watch cartoons with the kids. After a pancake breakfast we picked up the car and ran errands with Daddy Dan. I think Holly is really going to miss me when I leave. She is really taking very good care of me and getting attached to me. I like to play with her and her beanies a lot! I got to go riding in her Barbie car today. Matt and Noah showed me their Power Rangers and we all rode together in the car and played. Tonight we had popcorn and watched a Power Ranger movie while in our PJs. I am sure glad Mom Amber and Sarah packed me a warm wool sleeping bag. These Pennsylvania nights sure get chilly sometimes! Sweet dreams everyone!!

Sunday July 12, 1998
Another big day for me! Today is Matthew’s Birthday, he is 7. Matt had his party at McDonald’s Playland 2 weeks ago so we had a cake and sang “Happy Birthday to you” to him today. Then it was off to the Arcures’ Grandma’s house. We drove across the Delaware River to New Jersey! Grandma was very nice. We went to the playground near her house and played with all the kids there. Then we went back to Pennsylvania and Matthew stayed with Grandma to spend the week with her.

Monday July 13, 1998
We ran some errands today to the grocery store, Post Office, the bank and the gas station. Later in the day I was sitting and relaxing with the Peace Bears and the Garcia Bear who live with the Arcures. We had a real nice chat! They also surprised me with a gift. I was a T-shirt they got for me at the last Beanie Baby Show they went to last month. It says, “Peace Bear went to a Beanie Baby show and all I got was this stupid shirt.” I was sooo funny I laughed out loud! I am going to miss my Peace Bear friends when I leave.

Tuesday July 14, 1998
I think this was the best day in Pennsylvania so far. All the Beanie Babies at the Arcure’s house had the monthly Birthday Party for the Beanies. Holly got all the beanies together and Mom Denise looked up the July Beanie birthdays. Blackie and Ringo weren’t able to attend but we did have Weenie and Bubbles come as the Birthday guests of honor and I got to sit between them and hold the birthday cake!
Holly made sure every beanie had on their best outfit. Legs entertained us in hi clown suit while riding and doing tricks on his tricycle. Congo took time out from his astronaut training to attend and Erin was looking regal in her cape and crown. Chip and Spunky were impersonating frogs and Bessie, that “cut-up”, was pretending to be a ladybug. Even some of the teenies came. Peanut and Bones brought their babies in strollers. We even had noisemakers and party hats. Mom Denise said I could keep one to take with me back to Amber’s house so that when it’s my birthday I can celebrate and wear it! Thanks guys!! After the party we posed for a group picture…it was quite a sight!

Wednesday July 15, 1998
Today is my last day here. I am sure going to miss the Arcures. But I will have many happy memories to take with me. Mom Denise, Holly, Noah and Holly’s best friend Lizzy took me to a neat place near their house today. It was a waterfall! Mom Denise says, a group of Native American Indians use to live in these mountains by the Delaware River. The band was called the Lenni Lenape and they were part of the Delaware Nation. They are all gone now. The first woolen mill in this part of Pennsylvania was built next to this waterfall in 1825.
The man who built the mill was from Great Britain. He brought sheep over from Yorkshire, England to use the wool from the sheep to make woolen fabric at the mill. But he died 7 years after building the mill and all the sheep were set free in the woods here. There are stories about the descendants of those sheep being seen in the wild around here and Mom Denise tells me she has even seen one herself on a mountainside!
After we got home, we played inside and watched Holly’s favorite cartoon show, “Rocko’s Modern Life”. Noah got a presents today from a nice lady named Sandi who lives in England. It was a green Telletubbie and he really loves it! Mom Denise tells me that I am going to stay for awhile with Sandi and her daughter Georgia in England later in the year. But first, I need to pack, say my goodbyes here and start my journey to my next host family, the Wiggins, in Kentucky. Mom Denise has talked to Mom Hayly from Kentucky and she is real nice! I can’t wait to go there. Goodnight and I’ll be writing to you all from Kentucky in a few days!
Signed, PAW