Saint Valentin (en retard)

Bonjour ! C'est Aurélie, et oui, j'écris de Saint-Valentin en retard ! Désolée- j'étais trop occupée avec la danse classique. 

Alors...
Valentine's Day. I know it was months ago, but I'm now finally getting around to posting about it. 

I first opened my card from Inky...

Inside the bag was the cutest puzzle!

After that, I pulled out the envelope. I love how Inky put it together- her cards are always adorable.

I loved the "danse" pin that she included! I immediately put it on my dance bag. It adds a nice touch, right?

The second gift was rather large, and it was from Julien. I know that money is tight for him right now, so I hated to see him spend a lot of money on me. I wondered what it could be? The boots I want? The cutest dress I saw in a little shop?

I carefully tore off the pretty pink paper (in my favorite shade, nonetheless) to reveal an American Girl doll!

I've heard of these dolls before. Sabine was Skyping Lilly once, and she noticed that one of Lilly's childhood dolls was on the top shelf of her closet. Lilly's doll turned out to be an AG doll that looked like her, and she named it Fair Lillith. Lilly believes that the doll is possessed, evil, and will haunt her dreams, so it's out of the way. Lilly thinks dolls are absolutely terrifying! I have a collection of antique dolls on a shelf in my room that were passed down for generations, so I guess I am used to "creepy" dolls? Dolls were a large part of my childhood, though I don't really enjoy them now. I felt terrible that Julien spent that kind of money on me- especially on a doll! He really didn't have that money to spend. I was thankful for his gift, don't get me wrong. I just feel bad when does such things despite not being in the best place financially. 

When I opened her box, however, I realized why Julien bought her for me. Like me, she was a dancer- an aspiring professional ballet dancer. I quickly skimmed through her book, which I'd have to read at some point to work on my English skills. I noticed that Isabelle doubted herself a lot because of her competition. I don't doubt myself, but I really get upset when Sandrine gets the parts I wanted. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because I'm too shy while Sandrine really promotes herself? I don't know. We're both on the same level. I wouldn't call Sandrine outgoing. In fact, she really keeps to herself. There is just something about her personality that screams, "Look at me!"

Julien included a note with the doll that said (rough translation):

Aurélie,

I know you're too old for dolls, but when I heard of this one, I knew I had to go out of my way to get her for you. I did my research, and she reminded me so much of you. Happy Valentine's Day!

-Julien

It was the sweetest thing ever, Julien being one of my best friends and all. He really gets me, but maybe because we are both painfully shy and quiet? He's just one of the only genuinely nice people I know. (Sabine says I need to meet Melanie when I do the summer program in the States; Melanie is apparently the same person as me. She's shy, quiet, reserved, and an awesome flautist! Maybe we can practice playing our flutes together?)

But for now, I really have to hand it to Julien. He's pretty great, and I'm glad that he's in my life.

Bisous,

Aurélie

***

Salut, tout le monde ! C'est Sabine !

I'm writing about Valentine's Day, too. Julien sent me the prettiest red roses, and I went out to dinner with him, his mom, and sister. Coral, Inky's friend, also sent me a pretty valentine! 

The theme of the card was a bingo board. I would definitely have to hang it on my ribbon board!

Merci, Coral !

~Sabine

My super not-sweet 16

Salut, tous ceux qui lisent ce blog ! C'est Sandrine. 

Oui, my birthday was December 19, and oui, this post is months late. I do have a life, though, and that life involves ballet and sadly, going to school. I'm busy.

Here's how Sabine and I celebrated our 16th birthday: NOT the way I would have liked to celebrate it. My mom let us invite one friend each, and we went out to lunch and then went to see Frozen. I wanted to invite my friend Coralie, but she is just so freaking weird sometimes. She always rejects my invitations to go out to eat and makes up dumb excuses about how busy she is when I know she isn't busy. Seriously, I wanted to go to Meert with her, but she told me that she had plans. She totally didn't, considering she Snapchatted me several pictures of her disgusting cat along with selfies depicting her boredom! If she's going to lie, she should at least get better at it. You think she'd take lessons from me, right?

Sabine invited Aurélie. Mon dieu, I swear she does things like this to spite me. I deal with her in ballet class and have no desire to deal with her in another setting. I was so desperate to invite somebody that I almost considered inviting Axelle, but I wasn't THAT desperate. Maybe I should have been more desperate because Sabine invited JULIETA when I lied to our mom and said none of my friends could make it.

I'm not sure if I made my feelings clear about Julieta, but even if I did, I will do so again. I'm sick of how she speaks "franspagnol": that is, a mixture of French and Spanish. She's so enthusiastic all the time, and I just can't take the fierce optimism. She also thinks she's "too good" for the flamenco classes in Lille. She even tried a ballet class. She's SUCH a good dancer, vous savez, even if she lacks proper technique and whatnot. Ballet would probably help with her flamenco. I will give her credit: she can balance on a cup. Flamenco isn't terrible by any means, but she loves to brag about it. Sabine insists Julieta isn't bragging but is just so enthusiastic. Yeah, well, take it down a notch.

At lunch, I had this misfortune of sitting next to Julieta and across from Aurélie. I swear I'm unlucky. I have a mom who doesn't support my desire to have a professional ballet career, a sister who chooses the most obnoxious friends, and a friend who never comes to things when I invite her. I did sit by my mom, too, and that was better than I thought it would be. She was being a decent human being for once, and I actually had a good conversation with her. We talked about ballet, shopping, and she even suggested that I style her hair. She never brought up the crappy things I've done in the past or how I'm a failure because I'm not into school. She seemed...cool. She actually paid attention when I demonstrated how to do a fishtail braid. Great, if only she allowed me to compete in the Youth American Grand Prix or the Prix de Lausanne or something that would allow me to get a head-start in my professional ballet career...

At the movie, I sat by Julieta AGAIN. Ugh. I also sat by Maman, and since we were civil with each other for the day, it was fine. Julieta tried to talk to me about ballet before the movie began, and I gave her terse responses. She seemed taken aback, but she still kept talking. 

Frozen was definitely a fantastic movie, and I could definitely relate to Elsa. I have a secret that I don't want to be exposed, but Axelle might blow that because of her nosiness. I also have a bad habit of shutting people out, but most importantly, we are both SNOW QUEENS. I danced the part of the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker. Her ice gown was also too fabulous. Can I just be her? She's definitely my woman crush, even if she's an animated character.

Yeah, so that was my not!Sweet Sixteen. I got a lot of money, so I bought some new clothes and makeup. 

Bisous,

Sandrine