I just overheard the girls planning some Mother's Day surprise, and I totally eavesdropped! :) Hey, it involved chocolate ice cream with crushed up Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Yummo!
Seriously, who needs diamonds??
Emma has been making and hiding things all day. She got very upset and cried when I found a card on the front table. I gave her a quick pep talk about leaving things out in plain sight....and told her I didn't really see anything-which I didn't.
This evening she has Ally in on the action too. They've been scheming for an hour. And Emma has made several calls to Jason. I need to check with him...I think that she thinks that he is going to get her in the middle of the night and take her shopping. lol!
****omgoodness! As I'm typing this, the girls just brought me a water bottle mixed with one of those Crystal Light powder mixes, and Emma recited the following poem:
Rose are Red
Violets are Blue
I can't believe
I got a Mom like You!
Too sweet!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
1st QUEST Presentation
Emma did SUCH a great job with her QUEST presentation a couple of weeks ago! Each student presented in front of their peers (there are 6 other 1st graders in QUEST with Emma) as sort of a trial run before the big fair.
Jason asked me later that night if Emma was nervous during her presentation.
My answer:
"Are you kidding? She had an overhead projector,a pointer, and an attentive audience. She was in heaven!" LOL!
She did really, really well. She covered all of the facts on her transparency and also added in tidbits of info and fun facts that were not included in the text or diagrams on the page. Her back was to the group for most of that part (arrrgh! the teach didn't point out until her critique at the end that Emma could have #1, lowered the paper, and #2, stood beside the overhead and point the the things on the page from there so she could better address her audience) but she did turn and address the group regularly.
Emma called students to read the "Did You Know" facts from her interactive poster. She was so cute introducing it..."If you like, you may come up to look at my poster and find out what you may or may not know about dolphins!" :)
She also had bookmarks that she made to pass out that included more info about dolphins and a dolphin that she drew at the bottom with an arrow that said, "color me!"
And the piece de resistance...the much awaited, the much anticipated....3D Product!
Nana had so smartly suggested that Emma make a paper mache dolphin. How fun, right!? :)
Well, our third attempt ended up turning out great.
The first attempt turned out like this:
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I cannot even begin to explain the reaction when that thing sunk in....we were literally putting the very last piece on and were ready to let it dry. Emma had been holding it for 40 minutes or more while I slapped on the gooey stuff. I smoothed out the last piece and it sunk.
We both just sat there in silence for a good beat of 5....then Emma said, "Do you have to start all over???"
Then she cried. Poor thing!
Anyway, after attempt #2 we figured out that this has to be an indoor project. The balloon can't handle the heat and sinks after awhile.
Jason was a dolphin making pro by the third attempt. He made the form each time and the girls and I would add the paper mache. Even Grammy had a hand in it on the final day because we were running out of time!
All in all, it was a lot of fun and Emma learned SO much. She loved researching. She brought home lots of books about dolphins, she would show me pages of written out notes that she had done during class, and even did some Google time at home. This class is really good for her.
The big fair is next week, and we'll be adding some finishing touches before then. She wants to find a recording of dolphin sounds, and make a costume of some sort....she has in mind a wet suit complete with flippers.
We may have to compromise. :)
Here are a few pics of her presentation. Emma's teacher from last year came to see her and snapped pics while I filmed -another aggravation-my ancient camera didn't get any sound! :(
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Jason asked me later that night if Emma was nervous during her presentation.
My answer:
"Are you kidding? She had an overhead projector,a pointer, and an attentive audience. She was in heaven!" LOL!
She did really, really well. She covered all of the facts on her transparency and also added in tidbits of info and fun facts that were not included in the text or diagrams on the page. Her back was to the group for most of that part (arrrgh! the teach didn't point out until her critique at the end that Emma could have #1, lowered the paper, and #2, stood beside the overhead and point the the things on the page from there so she could better address her audience) but she did turn and address the group regularly.
Emma called students to read the "Did You Know" facts from her interactive poster. She was so cute introducing it..."If you like, you may come up to look at my poster and find out what you may or may not know about dolphins!" :)
She also had bookmarks that she made to pass out that included more info about dolphins and a dolphin that she drew at the bottom with an arrow that said, "color me!"
And the piece de resistance...the much awaited, the much anticipated....3D Product!
Nana had so smartly suggested that Emma make a paper mache dolphin. How fun, right!? :)
Well, our third attempt ended up turning out great.
The first attempt turned out like this:
.jpg)
I cannot even begin to explain the reaction when that thing sunk in....we were literally putting the very last piece on and were ready to let it dry. Emma had been holding it for 40 minutes or more while I slapped on the gooey stuff. I smoothed out the last piece and it sunk.
We both just sat there in silence for a good beat of 5....then Emma said, "Do you have to start all over???"
Then she cried. Poor thing!
Anyway, after attempt #2 we figured out that this has to be an indoor project. The balloon can't handle the heat and sinks after awhile.
Jason was a dolphin making pro by the third attempt. He made the form each time and the girls and I would add the paper mache. Even Grammy had a hand in it on the final day because we were running out of time!
All in all, it was a lot of fun and Emma learned SO much. She loved researching. She brought home lots of books about dolphins, she would show me pages of written out notes that she had done during class, and even did some Google time at home. This class is really good for her.
The big fair is next week, and we'll be adding some finishing touches before then. She wants to find a recording of dolphin sounds, and make a costume of some sort....she has in mind a wet suit complete with flippers.
We may have to compromise. :)
Here are a few pics of her presentation. Emma's teacher from last year came to see her and snapped pics while I filmed -another aggravation-my ancient camera didn't get any sound! :(
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Precious
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Aren't they aDORable?!!?
Looks like the Cherry Tomatoes will be the first on the table this year! We also have little blooms and buds on both yellow and red bell pepper plants and some on the zucc. and yellow squash. Hooray! I LOVE tending to the garden and seeing some exciting results!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Acrostic
Funny the things you learn about yourself when your children start writing poetry...
Emma's latest poem, just for me, about me:
M athmatic
A rtistic
M isty
A lligator-lover
Stapled together with the Acrostic was a nice letter (spelling and punctuation intact):
Mama you are great becuse you care for ant bites and love us as well as care for us and you are vere swell with a keen eye for love I love you Mama! as much as a Dove.
Emma's latest poem, just for me, about me:
M athmatic
A rtistic
M isty
A lligator-lover
Stapled together with the Acrostic was a nice letter (spelling and punctuation intact):
Mama you are great becuse you care for ant bites and love us as well as care for us and you are vere swell with a keen eye for love I love you Mama! as much as a Dove.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Edits
I meant to add to my last post the other night, but I'll just put it here. A little funny from the end of my disaster day.
I realized as I was finishing up cooking dinner that I had managed to make:
breakfast tacos w/egg and sausage
bacon on the side
AND
biscuits and gravy
First of all, yes, I said "dinner". I love breakfast for dinner.
Secondly, I ate some of ALL, AND drank a FULL glass of milk. And I don't drink milk.
Can you say, comfort food?!!? Ha!
I realized as I was finishing up cooking dinner that I had managed to make:
breakfast tacos w/egg and sausage
bacon on the side
AND
biscuits and gravy
First of all, yes, I said "dinner". I love breakfast for dinner.
Secondly, I ate some of ALL, AND drank a FULL glass of milk. And I don't drink milk.
Can you say, comfort food?!!? Ha!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
When it Rains
I'm sure you know the rest.
Did I mention the RAIN???!! I'm NOT talking about the wet stuff falling from the sky, though we do have some of that lately. I like that.
I'm being metaphorical.
Right?
Sweet Ally and I were rear-ended on the way to work today. It was a VERY scary thing! Not much damage to our car (actually MIL's car-I have her car while Jason has my car while Jason's truck is in the shop), but MAN, did that hit pack a punch!
I was slowing down ready to make a right turn on a very well known intersection around here (let's just I'm now a new fan of taking 183A down to 1431), and seeing 2 cars coming my way at 60 mph I decide to wait and turn after they had passed.
The car behind me apparently did not anticipate this decision. Or just wasn't paying attention at all.
SMACK! It sounded like a gun went off in the car. And at first I didn't even know what happened. When I did realize what happened, I screamed. Loud. Hit something within reach I'm sure, then went FLYING out the door around to check on Ally. I don't know what happened to the cars that were coming towards me. Thankfully they were either gone or slowed and veered, because I did not even pause to look for traffic. And I was 2 lanes out in the intersection now.
I flew around the car and flung Ally's door open.
And there she was, calm as could be. Not even phased, not upset, worried, crying.
Nothing.
Just calm. It was weird.
She kept asking what was wrong with me.
The other guy came up behind us and asked if we were ok then jumped in my car to move it to the side of the road. He was thinking a little bit clearer than me. I was still standing in the middle of the 60 mph road, clutching my sweet baby girl and crying.
We exchanged info (** a funny note-we found out we live on the same street. I told him to avoid problems in the future why don't we just carpool. Ha!) and I was off to work. I broke down again on the way there and was crying when I pulled in. I felt almost silly. By looking at the little bit of damage on MIL's car, you'd think we got nothing but a small nudge. But I was so shaken up-physically shaking for a loooong time afterwards and again every time I recounted the story.
Someone asked if this was my first wreck. Without pausing, I answered, "The first one since I've had kids." It really takes on a whole different category, you know?
Anyway, one lingering headache and one sore neck and back and we'll be ok. Sweet Ally still fine and still tells me she was not scared. She's my hero! :)
Did I mention the RAIN???!! I'm NOT talking about the wet stuff falling from the sky, though we do have some of that lately. I like that.
I'm being metaphorical.
Right?
Sweet Ally and I were rear-ended on the way to work today. It was a VERY scary thing! Not much damage to our car (actually MIL's car-I have her car while Jason has my car while Jason's truck is in the shop), but MAN, did that hit pack a punch!
I was slowing down ready to make a right turn on a very well known intersection around here (let's just I'm now a new fan of taking 183A down to 1431), and seeing 2 cars coming my way at 60 mph I decide to wait and turn after they had passed.
The car behind me apparently did not anticipate this decision. Or just wasn't paying attention at all.
SMACK! It sounded like a gun went off in the car. And at first I didn't even know what happened. When I did realize what happened, I screamed. Loud. Hit something within reach I'm sure, then went FLYING out the door around to check on Ally. I don't know what happened to the cars that were coming towards me. Thankfully they were either gone or slowed and veered, because I did not even pause to look for traffic. And I was 2 lanes out in the intersection now.
I flew around the car and flung Ally's door open.
And there she was, calm as could be. Not even phased, not upset, worried, crying.
Nothing.
Just calm. It was weird.
She kept asking what was wrong with me.
The other guy came up behind us and asked if we were ok then jumped in my car to move it to the side of the road. He was thinking a little bit clearer than me. I was still standing in the middle of the 60 mph road, clutching my sweet baby girl and crying.
We exchanged info (** a funny note-we found out we live on the same street. I told him to avoid problems in the future why don't we just carpool. Ha!) and I was off to work. I broke down again on the way there and was crying when I pulled in. I felt almost silly. By looking at the little bit of damage on MIL's car, you'd think we got nothing but a small nudge. But I was so shaken up-physically shaking for a loooong time afterwards and again every time I recounted the story.
Someone asked if this was my first wreck. Without pausing, I answered, "The first one since I've had kids." It really takes on a whole different category, you know?
Anyway, one lingering headache and one sore neck and back and we'll be ok. Sweet Ally still fine and still tells me she was not scared. She's my hero! :)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tell me a Story
Just wanted to document Ally's latest craze. Well, by now she's moved on a bit. She's trying to draw more rather than write, but about a month ago if she had a free minute, you would find her at the table, markers in hand, writing "stories".
Sometimes they'd be stories, sometimes just lists of friend's names. She can spell many of them without asking now. And sometimes pictures for friends or family members.
She was so serious about it. Pure concentration, very intentional with shapes, colors and marks.
I joked to someone about this, but in all seriousness, she may have gone through an entire 500 pack of printer paper in about a month. lol!
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Sometimes they'd be stories, sometimes just lists of friend's names. She can spell many of them without asking now. And sometimes pictures for friends or family members.
She was so serious about it. Pure concentration, very intentional with shapes, colors and marks.
I joked to someone about this, but in all seriousness, she may have gone through an entire 500 pack of printer paper in about a month. lol!
.jpg)
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