[horses whinnying]
[horse nickers]
♪ I'm gonna ride ♪
♪ I'm riding free ♪
♪ So come along, let's go along ♪
♪ Come on a journey with me ♪
♪ I'm gonna ride ♪
♪ I'm riding free ♪
♪ As long as I am here with you ♪
♪ I feel the spirit within me ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
[Jim] Are my girls hungry?
Ready for some breakfast? Whoa!
Sorry! You caught us right in the middle of practice.
-Huh? -[Polly giggling]
Polly is so close to crawling, Jim.
I think she'll start really moving any day now.
Don't worry yourself. She'll start crawling when she's ready.
Kids develop at their own pace.
Soon they're running and galloping all over the frontier.
Dad! Kate!
[grunts]
[laughter]
-Hey, Polly! Crawling yet? -[Kate laughs]
Almost!
I can't wait until Polly is ready to come on a ride with Spirit and me.
[gasps] Hey! Is that from Palomino Bluffs?
We heard back from the riding academy? What does it say?
We haven't opened it yet. Wanted to wait until you got home.
[whimpers]
Uh... [grunts]
"Beautiful Palomino Bluffs...
...plenty of space...
...dorms..."
Where is it? Where is it?
[whimpers]
[gasps] Yes! We're in!
Spirit and I got in!
-I'm so proud of you! -Congratulations!
Wahoo-hoo!
[laughs]
[all grunt]
-[both] We're in! -Me, too!
[all] Yeah!
-[girls cheering] -[Spirit nickers]
[Abigail] All right!
-[Lucky] We did it, Spirit! -[neighs]
-[Lucky sighs] -[Spirit nickers]
-[Pru] Yes! -[Polly babbling]
Oh, my gosh! She's crawling!
-[babbling] -[nickers]
[giggles]
Polly! I knew you could do it!
[babbling]
By the time you girls come back to visit,
she'll be walking and galloping all over the frontier.
Besides the classes, there's all kinds of fun things.
Look at the Canter Houses we'll be living in.
Two stories - one for the horses and one for the us's!
[Spirit neighs]
Abigail, do you have the supplies list?
We should check it before we put in our orders with Winthrop.
I've been practicing my paper-folding skills. Good, right?
Yeah, very realistic.
There are so many things we need for school.
I hope Winthrop is ready to take a big order.
And a small order for ice cream.
I got you covered, sis.
My treat.
You want to buy Abigail ice cream?
Why?
Can't a brother want to treat his bestest big sister?
Not for no reason.
Fine!
I need Abigail to help me.
New Teacher says I don't know how to read and write so good,
even though I know all ten letters!
There are 26 letters.
I know the ten important ones,
but New Teacher doesn't agree.
She said if I don't know how to write,
she'll keep me inside during recess until I learn how!
My whole life will be over!
You got to teach me, Abigail.
Please!
-I'll do it! -Yes!
Seriously?
Meet me at the schoolhouse in an hour and we'll get started.
Thanks! You really are the bestest big sister.
[Señor Carrots braying]
Abigail, you might want to rethink this.
What's there to think or rethink? I'm going to miss Snips when we leave.
He's not so bad... sometimes.
He can even be sweet.
Like when?
Like... Oh!
When my mom makes cookies,
or when he plays the Daddy Daffodil at the Spring Bloom Festival.
Oh.
What's wrong, Abigail?
Well, I just realized that with us going to school at the beginning of the year,
we're going to miss the Spring Bloom Festival.
Yeah, I guess we will.
I've been so excited about going to school,
I didn't think about what we'd miss.
Maybe we can come back?
School will have just started, and we can't come back for everything.
[sighs] That's too bad.
The Spring Bloom Festival is my favorite.
I'm sure it won't be so hard. Lucky once moved to a new town.
Yeah! You can help us learn the ropes.
Well, not actual ropes.
-I think I have a leg-up on that one. -Of course I can help!
Don't worry about a thing, PALs.
I know all about moving.
I wonder if I can get my parents to mail us some of the blooms.
Think they'll fit in an envelope?
-[nickers] -Be right back, Spirit. But get ready.
I have a great idea.
Reading and writing isn't too tough when you put your mind to it.
It can be fun when you get to books,
and stationary with the little horses on the edges,
and a pencil box full of fun erasers--
Are you just going to talk about school supplies again?
I told you, I don't like school,
and I don't know what supplies are, so why would I care?
Let's start with basic letters, like "C."
"C" is kind of curvy on the side, and the first letter in "cat."
-Snips! -[grunting]
What are you doing?
-Sorry. -[sighs]
I thought you wanted to learn how to read and write.
I do!
But this is boring.
Can't you make it fun?
You need to have a good foundation before you can try harder words.
Foundations make me sleepy.
OK. Let's try this.
♪ Letters are your very best friends ♪
♪ When you know them, the fun never ends ♪
♪ So follow along and then you'll see ♪
♪ A, B, C, D, E, F, G ♪
♪ H and I, they walk on by ♪
♪ J and K ♪
♪ The very best friends, you will agree ♪
♪ It's W, X and Y and Z ♪
[gasps]
Did you know I can fall asleep with my eyes open?
I just learned that!
I guess you did teach me something.
If even the ABC song won't inspire you, then nothing will.
I give up!
No, wait! Please!
You have to help me.
Please, please, please!
I promise I'll be better.
Fine. But wait here.
Teaching one Snips is a two-person job.
I'll be back to sort through all my school supplies later, Kate.
Bye!
Spirit, we're gonna do something extra special for Pru and Abigail.
They said missing the Spring Bloom Festival isn't a big deal,
but they have no idea what they're in for once they move away from Miradero.
When I moved, I missed out on everything in the city,
like Emma's birthday.
I felt horrible!
They don't know it yet, but they're gonna feel horrible, too.
I'll make sure they don't feel left out of what they'll miss in Miradero
by recreating...
the Spring Bloom Festival!
First things first.
We'll need blooms.
It's not spring, so I guess blooms are a little out of season.
[nickers]
So, if we can't find spring blooms, we'll have to make them instead.
-[Lucky] Hey, Winthrop. -[Winthrop] Lucky?
-Did you forget to order something? -Nope!
Wait a minute. You're not backing out of going to school again?
[scoffs] I knew it.
Shouldn't have put those orders in.
I thought, "Winthrop, you know it's a 50-50 chance they'll go--"
Wait, wait!
I am going to school.
Officially this time.
[scoffs] I'll believe it when you're gone.
So, what do you need?
I'll take all the crêpe paper you have, sir.
Oh. Well, I think I have some in the back.
Are you learning paper-folding, like Abigail?
Kind of.
I'm recreating the Spring Bloom Festival for Pru and Abigail
since we won't be here for this year's.
Oh, oh, oh! Wait!
Whoa!
While I've got you, would you mind being my tester? Try this.
Is this... peanut butter?
Yes!
My own recipe.
I'm debuting it at Founder's Day this year.
You girls would love it!
Founder's Day!
I didn't even think about the fact we'd be missing Founder's Day, too.
Pru and Abigail are gonna be so upset
when they realize they're missing the fireworks, the cakewalk, the parade.
[sighs]
Winthrop, I'm gonna need that ice cream.
But it's my only batch!
[Pru] I'm heading out, Mom.
-Ready to go for a ride, girl? -[whinnies]
-Oh! -[gasps]
Hey! Didn't see you there.
[sighs] You scared the beans out of me! What are you doing?
Just visiting my good friend, Chica Linda, here.
Aren't you supposed to be teaching Snips?
[chuckles] You gave up, didn't you?
No!
Yes.
I knew it! Teaching Snips is a nightmare!
I hate to say "I told you so" but...
Well, I don't hate to say it.
You were completely right. I don't know what I was thinking.
I don't think anyone on the whole planet could teach Snips to read.
Even you, Pru.
Well, hold on there.
I'm a pretty good teacher.
I taught Mary Pat and Bianca to read.
Oh! But you have no idea.
Snips isn't like Mary Pat and Bianca.
They were reasonable.
Snips is a real challenge.
He's un-teachable!
[scoffs] No kid is un-teachable, even Snips.
I bet I could do it.
Pru, you don't have to.
It will be so hard.
I can do it.
If Snips needs to learn to read and write, he'll have the best teacher around.
Great! Let's get going.
Snips is in the schoolhouse waiting for us.
Put the ice cream over there, Spirit! OK.
Spring Bloom Festival has become a Founder's Bloom Festival.
The PALs are gonna love it! Now, to make the blooms.
[groans]
-[muttering] Here. Like that and... -[nickers]
There!
[sighs] Uh...
Let's come back to this.
I want to borrow lights for the barn.
That way it will really look like Founder's Day in here.
-Ready to head out again, boy? -[nickers]
Lots of people say reading isn't tough when you put your mind to it,
but they're not pushing themselves enough.
Reading isn't for babies. It should be hard.
[Snips] No kidding!
Teacher Pru, do you really expect me to read all this?
Are you OK in the brain?
Of course not. We'll start with something easier.
No way!
The best way to learn is to dive into the deep end headfirst,
with your eyes closed.
Tough words and long sentences help you adapt faster,
and small words are a piece of cake after that.
[Snips] So...
if I learn these words...
I get cake?
[neighs]
Hey, Lucky, Spirit. What's going on, you two?
Could we borrow your string lights?
I'm planning a party for Pru and Abigail
since they'll miss out on the Spring Bloom Festival and Founder's Day.
Oh! And the Harvest Bonfire.
That's too bad.
I'm happy to let you girls borrow my lights. Let me grab them.
[whimpers] How did I forget the Harvest Hunt, Spirit?
Actually, Althea, can I borrow one more thing?
[grunting continues]
-[grunts] -[nickers]
I'm OK, boy.
I know this seems like a lot, but it's for Pru and Abigail.
Plus, it's just a Harvest Spring Founder's Day Celebration... and Hunt.
We can handle that.
[neighs]
But we might need just a couple more things.
The Apple-Picking Party.
The Pie-Baking Competition.
The Snow-Day Spree.
-Midsummer Merriment. -Honey Badger Hoedown!
-May Day Mooncake Contest. -The Winter Solstice Singalong.
We can do it, Spirit.
It looks like a lot, but the Harvest Spring Founder's Picking Party
and Midsummer Pie-Baking Snow-a-thon Craft Fair is still on!
[breathless] Even just saying the name is wearing me out.
But I know Pru and Abigail will appreciate this when we're at school.
I don't want them to miss out on any of Miradero's festivals.
We have an hour until the PALs show up, and this barn has to be perfect.
-Let's get to work. -[nickers]
"Ca...
Ca..."
Keep walking! Gets blood to your brain and your mind thinking harder.
[straining] "Cat."
-Faster! Knees up! -"Ca..."
Run! Let's run! We're so close!
"Catastrophe."
-You've got it. -Abigail!
You tell him the word, that defeats the purpose!
[grunts] I wasn't learning, anyway.
Your way is too hard.
And your way is too boring.
And I still don't see any cake!
Come on, Snips! On your feet, soldier!
You want to slow down, go over the ten letters you already know?
We're done.
I thought you wanted to learn.
I can't take it anymore!
Now I'm gonna be stuck inside for recess every day until I die.
You two are the worst teachers ever!
But I've taught plenty of people to read.
-I hope not like this. -Why did you undermine me?
-Why did you make everything hard? -Because that's how you succeed.
He'll never learn if you give him the answers.
Answers? How are you supposed to know answers when you're running?
It's a technique!
Your technique is confusing, exhausting, and very sweaty!
[Pru] It's not! Example: "Catastrophe."
Understand the word, you can deconstruct the compounds "cat" and "strophe."
Or you could start with "cat" and work your way up.
"Cat-astrophe."
If you didn't want my help, you shouldn't have begged.
I didn't! If you didn't want to help, you shouldn't have come!
It's not my fault Snips is un-teachable!
Maybe he's not teachable your way!
Or yours! Let's see what he says.
[sighs] Typical.
That goes there. And lights over here.
[grunting] Phew!
[humming tune]
[sighs]
The blooms! I forgot all about them!
I'll just fold these real quick and I'll be done in a second.
And done!
[neighs]
One down.
This is gonna be...
great.
-[knocking] -[Abigail] Lucky?
They're here! What do we do?
You think she's OK?
You think the barn's OK?
Hey, PALs. What's going on?
You told us to meet you here for a surprise.
Uh...
Come back later.
Lucky, whatever you have in there, I'm sure it's wonderful.
You've been working on it all day. Don't you want to show us?
No! Don't come into this barn until tomorrow.
Actually, give me two weeks.
We can't use the barn for two weeks?
[Lucky] No, no, no, PALs! PALs, no!
Ta-da.
Lucky... what happened?
Did an earthquake hit? And also a tornado?
And also, were we reverse-robbed?
I don't remember all these things being in here.
I started planning just the Spring Bloom Festival today.
But then I realized that wasn't the only festival you'd be missing,
so it turned into a Harvest Spring Founder's Picking Party
and Midsummer Pie-Baking Snow-a-thon Craft Fair...
which completely failed.
I'm sorry.
You tried to recreate all these festivals for us?
Why?
So you won't feel left out.
Thank you, Lucky.
But we won't feel left out.
We know we'll have to miss some things when we leave. It's fine.
No, it's not fine.
You've never moved before, but I have.
And it's really hard!
You miss out on everything!
Lucky, is something bothering you?
When we leave for school,
you won't be able to just come back for Miradero's festivals.
Are you... scared to go to Palomino Bluffs? Is that what this is about?
What? No!
-I'm really excited about school. -Then, what is it?
[sighs] I don't know. It's complicated.
[nickers]
I think I need to go for a ride. I'm sorry about the barn.
I'll clean it up when I get back.
Should we go after her?
No. Let her calm down.
I know Lucky said she had it,
but maybe we can pick up a little before she gets back.
I've got a better idea.
OK, so we're going to need a couple of things from Winthrop,
then we can get to work.
Got it.
Hey.
Oh, hey! Didn't see you there.
Snips, we're glad we found you.
We wanted to apologize.
We're really sorry we didn't teach you how to read, Snips.
We owe you.
Maybe a scoop of ice cream with that cake?
More than that!
I promise to practice reading and writing with you every day until we leave.
All day.
Me, too. We'll work together.
That's OK. I may have learned some words.
"Snips is un-teachable."
Hey, did you write down our fight?
It was the most funny thing you said all day.
I had to remember it for later, so I wrote some of it down.
We did it! We taught you!
[chuckles] No! Your teaching was a ca-a-trophy.
[girls laugh]
Hey, Snips, now that you're an expert wordsmith,
how would you like your first writing job?
I don't know what's wrong with me, boy.
I wasn't this nervous about leaving for Tides Run.
I guess I was so focused on getting you ready,
I didn't really think about Miradero.
Miradero is my home.
I'm gonna miss it.
But it's not just the place,
it's everything.
When I left the city,
I left all my friends and all the traditions.
And now I have to do it again.
But this time, my dad isn't coming with me.
And Kate and Aunt Cora...
[sighs] ...and Polly.
[nickers]
I'll be OK, Spirit.
It's just... hard to move on.
[nickers]
Let's take the long way home.
[Spirit nickers]
Huh?
[Spirit nickers]
-Whoa. What is all this? -[chattering and laughter]
Welcome to Miradero's Festival of Festivals!
Wow!
A little bit of every Miradero tradition,
celebrated all on the same night.
[Lucky laughs]
[goose honking]
[kids laugh]
Did you two do all this?
It's really beautiful.
With some help.
Turns out everyone you talked to liked your idea,
and they wanted to know how they could pitch in.
I did the flowers.
I'm amazing at them now.
I'm also done making them for a very long time.
Welcome to the Festibal of Festibals!
I wrote the sign.
You know, Lucky,
even if we don't miss the festivals, we're gonna miss Miradero.
Then we'll miss it together.
I wish I could remember everything about this exact night when we leave.
[Jim] I think we can manage that.
We know you're feeling a little anxious about missing out, sweet pea.
Oh! You'll be off making so many new memories at school,
you'll be so busy and learning so much,
you won't have the brain space to miss all of us.
We'll be missing you.
It's a memory book.
I've been keeping one since I was a little girl,
to recall all of my experiences.
And now you can do the same.
Thank you, Aunt Cora!
I'll write in it every day.
Your camera?
It's your camera now.
You'll need to tell us about the adventures you have.
Plus, a picture's worth a thousand words in that memory book.
These are wonderful.
Thank you.
[Polly giggling]
[Lucky] Hey, Polly!
She's been on the move all day.
[babbling] Lucky!
[gasps]
Lucky.
She said my name!
She's never said that before.
[Polly giggling]
[Lucky] You know, I am sad to leave Miradero.
But I'm excited about new traditions, too.
Because what makes Miradero special isn't the festivals, it's the people.
It's my family.
Thankfully, some of my family is coming with me.
Because Miradero will always be my home.
And it will always be here for me.