A Pinch of This and That:
The tree lot has been set up since the day after Thanksgiving. The proceeds go to pay for a portion of the boys' camp costs. Pippi has garnered a lot of attention on her trips around town, so Michael had her hang out at the tree lot to help get some attention for the tree lot.
Aaron next to a load of trees:
Eve helped unload trees because she loves to help with stuff like that (cleaning her room is a big NO, but she is eager to carry trees):
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Zoo Atlanta with my sister, Tracy, nieces, Jessica and Haley, and with the Taylor kids:
Noah wanted to be helpful by reading the map:
The birds were very skittish. After 10 minutes, Jessica was the only one who could get a budgie to eat from the seed stick we bought:
Eve loves to hang out with her big girl cousins:
Rachel and Haley...Beautiful:
Komodo Dragon:
Komodo Dragon and a boy that probably tastes like chicken:
Dead mice...nom...nom...nom:
Jessica gets a close up:
Eve gets to pet a hedgehog:
The second time around the budgies are a little less skittish:
Rachel worries that mom is not around to get the photo. (Oh ye of little faith):
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Baking Braided Christmas Bread:
Sister Weiler pouring salt. (I love how the salt granules are suspended in the air)
Rachel was an enthusiastic participant:
This song kept going through my mind as the girls worked the bread:*******************************
Music education
Rachel was busy switching channels when I heard this amazing voice throw out a few words and made her go back. I love the voice of Lou Rawls and this song makes me remember listening to the radio as a kid, so I offer this great youtube video (it also uses the word "need", so I see a running theme in my own twisted way):
A Pinch of This and That:
The tree lot has been set up since the day after Thanksgiving. The proceeds go to pay for a portion of the boys' camp costs. Pippi has garnered a lot of attention on her trips around town, so Michael had her hang out at the tree lot to help get some attention for the tree lot.Aaron next to a load of trees:
Eve helped unload trees because she loves to help with stuff like that (cleaning her room is a big NO, but she is eager to carry trees):
********************************************
Zoo Atlanta with my sister, Tracy, nieces, Jessica and Haley, and with the Taylor kids:
Noah wanted to be helpful by reading the map:The birds were very skittish. After 10 minutes, Jessica was the only one who could get a budgie to eat from the seed stick we bought:Eve loves to hang out with her big girl cousins:
Rachel and Haley...Beautiful:
Komodo Dragon:
Komodo Dragon and a boy that probably tastes like chicken:
Dead mice...nom...nom...nom:
Jessica gets a close up:
Eve gets to pet a hedgehog:
The second time around the budgies are a little less skittish:
Rachel worries that mom is not around to get the photo. (Oh ye of little faith):*******************************************
Baking Braided Christmas Bread:
Sister Weiler pouring salt. (I love how the salt granules are suspended in the air)
Rachel was an enthusiastic participant:
This song kept going through my mind as the girls worked the bread:*******************************
Music education
Rachel was busy switching channels when I heard this amazing voice throw out a few words and made her go back. I love the voice of Lou Rawls and this song makes me remember listening to the radio as a kid, so I offer this great youtube video (it also uses the word "need", so I see a running theme in my own twisted way):
Mornin’
The background to this is that several mornings I would make Noah cinnamon sugar toast and Rachel didn't get any. I would usually make her oatmeal, or a blueberry bagel, but she longed to be included in each sugary breaded breakfast treat.
I asked the kids, "What do you want for breakfast?"
Rachel responded, "Are you making anything special for Noah?"
Me: "Yes, because I like him best."
Rachel: "I'll have that."
Another successful interaction with my children to start the day.
:::::::::::Book Club::::::::
Today is the last session of Book Club with Eve's 2nd grade class. They are smart kids and quite silly. I baked them cupcakes for our last treat.
Remain Calm!!!
Noahisms:::::::::
Yesterday Eve was acting like a maniac with a pair of safety scissors. She was threatening her moon project by saying, "I will cut you!" I was trying to get everyone to calm down to say a blessing over breakfast, so as they promise that they are ready I look up at Noah who has his arms crossed like Bela Lugosi and has his eyes rolled back in his head. I start snickering, but try to get on with the prayer.
Rachel said, "Mom you obviously lack self-control."
Noah quipped, "She lacks all kinds of control."
Pot to kettle, my friends!
A few minutes later Rachel meets me in the hall to relate the next Noahism. She said she had stolen a piece of his cinnamon sugar toast and popped it in her mouth. Noah told her, "That acid will burn through your sarcophagus!"
Rachel: "My sarcophagus?"
Noah: "Yeah, your sarcophagus, you know, that thing in your throat."
Rachel: "You mean my esophagus?!
Of course, I wrote these things down to wit Noah said, "I'm very quotable today!"
:::::::::::::::::Last Minute Science Projects R US:::::
Now to help with Rachel's project where I can!
Later!
That’s a Blog!
Noahism:
Noah came home from school on Monday and said, "You know you forgot to pack me a snack?"
Me: "Sorry. I realized that after you left that I only packed one for Evey."
He wanted to eat some sugary snacks, so I said, "I know you like to eat crap."
Noah: "I call it unhealthy goodness."
Me: "Nice. Why don't you eat an apple."
Noah: "I said I was hungry not desperate. That's a blog!"
::::::::Neighborhood Clean up:::
Below is a link and article from back in April when we joined Aaron's troop to help clean up the park next to the scout hut. I was quoted, so I thought I would share the article on my blog:
http://www.tuckercivic.org/NewsEvents.html
April 2010
Scores of volunteers at Cofer Park cleanup
More than 70 residents of all ages joined in TCA’s “Give An Hour” at Cofer Park on May 10. There were local homeowners and their children, Boy Scouts, and more than a dozen congregants from Tucker First Baptist Church. After the county Parks Department dropped off a mountain of mulch and four new metal park benches, some volunteers spread mulch around bushes and flower beds while others dug post holes and poured cement to anchor the benches near the park’s fishing pond.
Another large job was removing a two-inch deep layer of silt from the floor of the park pavilion, then digging a trench around three sides of the pavilion to direct future stormwater runoff. There was real enthusiasm for this event. First Baptist Pastor Randy Shepley explained, “Our church exists to love our community through Jesus, which means working with our neighbors for the common good.”
Victoria Taylor, mother of a Boy Scout, said, “Anything that can bring people out to the park to work with their family and others while enjoying nature is a worthwhile effort.” Juliet Melvin, whose 13-year-old daughter plays soccer in the park, added, “We use the soccer fields here, and it’s invaluable for children to see that you have to clean up the facilities that you use.”
TCA’s next “Give An Hour” is scheduled for May 1, 10 – 11 a.m. Volunteers will freshen up Fitzgerald Field, a youth athletics facility at 4877 Lawrenceville Highway, in advance of the Tucker High School spring football game.
For more information, contact Ron Wilkinson at district4@tuckercivic.org or
:::::::::::::::Arts in Education::::::
I got to be the hostess for one of the most fun presenters from Young Audiences. Cathy Kammerlain came to the elementary school this morning to present a show on Georgia history. The kids learned and laughed. Her show allows for a lot of audience participation. Here is a picture of Eve at the show:
Eve represented the month of September in Georgia when we have the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain.
Now to color correct photos and upload them for the yearbook...oh, and throw in housework.
Smiles, Victoria
Reading is Fun…OKAY!
::::::::Reading with Eve::::
When you have a struggling reader it is interesting what word they might connect from their brain to the letters they see on the page. Eve and I had quite a fun time when she was reading Madeline and The Bad Hat by Ludwig Bemelmans and she came to the line that read, "One day the Spanish Ambassador..." She began to sound out the "S.pa..", but didn't know the word so I said, "Spanish". Since she could tell that the next word was long she decided not to sound it out and, instead, fill in a word from the file in her brain. She said, "...Inquisition!" I have to admit that "One day the Spanish Inquisition..." did sound like an interesting children's story. Maybe we should write one?
:::::::::::::Banned and Challenged Book Week
I enjoyed reading my selection from the book list:
Galadriel Hopkins, or Gilly for short, has been moved from foster home to foster home since she was 3. She is left with a photograph of her mother expressing her love for her daughter. The hope of reuniting with her mother is always in Gilly's heart. Now 11, she has decided to stop becoming attached to her foster families because the moves are never permanent. She wields control through excelling at school, then putting the brakes on everything. She is placed with Maime Trotter who has carried for many children over her years as a foster mom. Ms. Trotter is already caring for a little boy who is scared of everyone. William Earnest Teague allows Gilly to soften her attitude over the course of the book. Mr. Randolph the blind, elderly neighbor gives Gilly an opportunity to make impressions by actions rather than sight. Mr. Randolph's kind approach also breaks down some of Gilly's wall.
I was intrigued by the interactions between Gilly and her teacher Ms. Harris. When you are introduced to Gilly she has a negative attitude toward black people. She has moved around the South and has landed in Ms. Harris' 6th grade class. Gilly decides to make a card to anger her teacher who she says as frustratingly fair to every student. She delivers the rude card to no reaction the entire day. When Gilly thinks all hope is lost of getting her teacher to react the teacher asks her to stay behind. The teacher says, "You and I are two of the angriest people I know." She expresses her envy of Gilly's ability to face her anger, whereas, Ms. Harris was taught to deny hers.
It is inferred by comment from the social worker that Gilly's mom was a flower child. Courtney, Gilly's mom, was one of the free love generation, which found out that "free love" actually had a price, and she wasn't willing to pay it. Her character is selfish, distant and unforgiving. She likes others to take care of her problems, so she writes her estranged mother to take custody of Gilly from foster care.
The ultimate lesson of the book is summed up by Maime Trotter when she tells Gilly that life is tough and no one is owed anything. Good things do happen, but don't expect them all the time. Doing well on something that was hard makes you happy too.
This book is well worth the discussions it would bring up. For example, foster care, racism, responsibility, family relationships, and gossip. I also liked the way the author wrote down what Gilly was thinking followed by the actual dialogue. Most people are usually thinking much more than they actually say. Worth your time, indeed.
Always learning. Smiles, amigos!
