Sacred Sunday

Learning How to Dive

Today will probably be the last nice day for a while... before Gustav arrives! We had a great time. We even squeezed in her first Junior Girl Scout meeting in between 2 sleepovers and a swim party this evening. Maggie was exhausted and begging to go home for a shower and bed...imagine that!

Star light, Star bright

OK, since I never make it into Maggie's classroom during the day I have to resort to sneaking into her classroom to see her work after school! I just want to clarify what the above elephant means...she likes the movie Dumbo. She doesn't feel like a dumbo! :-)

Maggie was pleased to get a response in English from her classmate. She told her she is from Beijing, loves the Olympics, likes to read, speaks Putonghua and reads simplified Chinese. Neat. I hope they can find a way to be friends.

It was a long week...

Actually it was a great week...just a tough day today! One of my students FLIPPED out this morning and was asked to leave...that's never happened in my entire teaching career. It made me miss my old class that much more! Anywho, I do like my class. I just won't love them until at least October. :-) It was nice to go out with friends tonight and see everyone. I missed them. Maggie ended up going home with a friend and Ian and I saw The Rocker. Cute movie.

Love Thursday

Love, Hope and Peace go hand in hand...

Exciting Changes

It's not finished yet...but my school blog is getting a refreshing new look! Come for a visit and see for yourself!

Homework is Fun

It's that time of year...homework! Luckily, Maggie is the kind of kid that just does it with no complaints. After school today I showed Maggie how to use the Google translator tool. There are a couple of girls in her class that are not speaking any English or very little and she is wanting to communicate with them. She wrote one letter in Chinese and one in Korean. She wrote her friend Hanna in Swedish and for fun, her teacher in Japanese! I hope one of the girls writes her back. How cute is that?

Oopsie...

sad face by Maggie

Ian emailed me at work to WARN me that he spilled a cup of coffee on my keyboard/mouse at home this morning! There will be no blog posts tonight! I hear new ones are on the way!

Safety Patrol

We were at school by 7:00 am...better safe than sorry, Maggie says. So we did...bright and early! She finally got that highly prized safety badge in her hot little hands. Life is good. Her post was in front of the school welcoming the students and parents into the building. Perfect. Reminiscing about the first day of kindergarten, Ian commented how he remembered the safety patrol looking like middle school aged kids. Who knew we would get there so fast!

Mrs. Rawson has worms!

Maggie had a fabulous 1st day back to school today. The first thing she shared with me was that her teacher has worms and walking sticks in a classroom aquarium. Cool she says. She has already dreamily told me half a dozen times..."I just love school so much!" She couldn't wait to go to the store later to get a big binder...that zips. Time sure does fly.

kindergarten orientation, 2004

Sacred Sunday

Not my usual Sacred Sunday cross but this seemed appropriate. I know this sounds very "old church lady" ...but I am on the banner guild at church. All the babies baptized receive a baptism banner...how lovely is that? Anyway, why I agreed to do a banner that was needed the day before school starts I'll never know...other than I've lost my mind! I actually forgot about it (I knew ALL summer) and didn't finish it until I got back from a dinner out with friends last night. Arg!!! Nothing better than last minute. Unfortunately, the banner went to a family that goes to the 11:00 service and I didn't get a chance to see who Annabelle Lauren was...I never seem to know who the banners go to. :-(

We've got a new baker in the house!

Ian cracks me up. You never know what his new obsession will be. Lately, it has been baking. Every week we've got a new bread or two in the house. As I am catching up with my blog posts, Ian comes into the bedroom dripping in flour for me to taste test the latest creation...Indian fry bread. Yummy, but do I need to love anything else that is fried? Just a thought.

New Digs

One of the things Maggie loves to do every year is to buy a new backpack and lunchbox. That girl LOVES all the prep work involved in getting ready for the school year. The smell of new school supplies...irresistible!

Delicious!

The past 2 nights we've brought these adorable cookies to dinners at friends houses for the children attending. I cannot take credit...they are from Paulie's. :-) Luckily, we have a few left for Maggie's teacher and one for Maggie's 1st day lunch!

It's Official!

Maggie is in Mrs. Rawson's 4th grade class! Even though Maggie already knew...she eagerly anticipated (along with every other child in the neighborhood!) the moment when the lists were posted today at 3:30 sharp to see ALL the lists! She's with several friends we already know pretty well but not have had a class with in the past 4 years at Twain...so I think it's a good group!

Busy as a Bee

I had GREAT helpers helping to unload the tons of school supplies that were delivered today! We're almost there...

Love Thursday

We're Back!

Maggie's getting better (and says thank you for the get well card Grandma Marion!), our principal has been reinstated, my classroom is ready (minus a couple of hermit crabs!), school clothes have been purchased, and class lists are finally complete! I can sigh a great big sigh of relief!

Poor Maggie

Strep!

Sacred Sunday

VBS 2005

It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!

How Cute is That?

Maggie left chocolate mints on our pillows for a late night surprise...

TGIF

I think Maggie is having way more fun than I am...and even had to bring Matthew home with us to have more fun! I'm glad the weekend is here...TGIF!

Love Thursday

My classroom is completely ready and most of my lesson plans are done...I'm totally ahead of the game, thank God! We'll see what next week brings...

Maggie and the Gang

Here's another reason Maggie loves to come to school with me...it's one MASSIVE play date with all the teacher's kids!

Happy/Sad

Today was a sad day for our school. Our principal has been reassigned to administrative duty and quite frankly, I expect her to resign. Inappropriate remarks have been made known to the media and they've really run with it. Apologies have been said and I honestly feel like she has been humbled by the experience...I hate to see someones career end on such a negative note, especially after doing so much for our school and community. Anyway, on a happier note, I decided to start collecting pennies at home for my new project at school. I was curious to find out how many pennies fill a water bottle. I thought that would be an appropriate goal for a 6 year-old and a fabulous way to invite friends, neighbors and family members to join in on the challenge. I only had a few pennies to contribute today but I know a certain 9 year-old that opened her heart and piggy bank and contributed all she had. What a girl.

3 Cups of Tea

A friend suggested I read 3 Cups of Tea and quite frankly, I couldn't put it down! It's about a climber that failed to climb K2 and ended up in a remote village near death. He was overwhelmed by the inhabitants' unconditional kindness and promised to return one day to build a school. He not only kept his promise of one school but built over fifty...especially focusing on education for girls. I finished the book last night (way past my bedtime) and decided to incorporate a related program in my own classroom designed for school children called Pennies for Peace. As I prepare my classroom my mind keeps imagining what it must be like for those less fortunate. A penny in the USA is thought of as nothing but can buy a pencil in Pakistan...and the beginning of an education. It costs $1/month for a child's schooling and $1/day to pay a teacher's salary (yikes!). Our pennies in 1st grade could really make a difference...what a great way for a 6 year-old to feel such empowerment!

Back to School Already?

Can you believe teachers have to be in school already? It was a bit hard getting up this morning.Maggie wants to go. I think she enjoys seeing all the teachers, supplies, running around, etc. She's got a great class and I think I do, too. I always do, right? :-)

Sacred Sunday

We started our new crop of tomatoes, green beans and kidney beans...

Ben's Birthday Olympics

Happy Birthday Ben! The kids had a lot of fun at his birthday Olympics!

Go USA!

patriotic art by Hanna & Maggie

Today was a busy...but fun day. We started out going to Wabash Feed Store to buy a new season of tomato plants/heirloom bean seeds and then afterwards to meet friends at the pool to cool off! We've watched a bit of the cycling (Maggie was disappointed because she thought it was going to be recycling!), volleyball and swimming events. It's a bit addicting! We were so touched to hear the story of adorable Lin Hao during the opening ceremonies last night. What an honorable child...I know his parents (and country) must be so proud of such a brave little boy!

We ate dinner with friends and invited another friend over to spend the night. Have I lost my mind?

Opening Ceremonies

VBS ended with a splash...they had a water day to finish off the week. It doesn't seem like she learned anything but she had fun with all the crap...oops, I meant crafts! Nevertheless, she had a GREAT time! Tonight Maggie invited a friend over to spend the night to watch the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. She has been looking forward to this for months.

Crazy Ducks

We went to Aunt Karen's work today to see her new office and to eat lunch. Afterwards, we went to the pond in front of the building to feed the ducks. As you can see by the picture, Maggie did not prefer to be chased by several dozen hissing geese!

Love Thursday

Maggie and I stumbled across this heart on a Girl Scout camping weekend at Camp Misty Meadows last Spring and couldn't resist taking a picture!

Sea Center Texas

Today we went to Sea Center Texas marine fish hatchery in Lake Jackson with neighbor friends. It was a unique experience...learned all we wanted to know about the life cycle of the Red Drum fish! We went on a tour of the hatchery with a very knowledgeable guide, took a look at the aquariums indoors (the touch tank was closed!), created rubbings of different marine animals, and walked along the boardwalk to see the salt marsh. All in all, it was a fun experience!

Edouard who?

Our anniversary plaque came in...doesn't it look nice? It is hanging next to the back door on the patio. We hung it up today to surprise Ian.

Tropical Storm Edouard came through today...nothing crazy! We got rain but not too much. We didn't lose power and I wished I hadn't wasted the energy moving everything off the patio last night! I pray others are just as fortunate! VBS was cancelled today so we had a friend come over to play. The marathon play date lasted for 7 hours and the girls had a marvelous time. I actually got to spend time updating my school blog...look for a new and improved version mid-August!

Puzzled!

VBS started today but unfortunately will be cancelled tomorrow due to Tropical Storm Edouard! Maggie had a great time in "God's Backyard" and is looking forward to returning on Wednesday. We looked around for Mario Cart for the Wii but had no luck finding it. Instead, we came home a did a jigsaw puzzle...thanks Grandma Vicki!

Wii had fun today!

Aunt Kate trying Maggie's GREAT idea...

Wii boxing while jumping on the mini-trampoline!

We had a busy day today. It started by getting to church earlier than our norm to get Maggie robed for her acolyte duties. She chose to skip Sunday School afterwards in favor of seeing my sister for the earliest lunch known to mankind. Aunt Kate promised a lunch with Maggie at James Coney Island and Wii gaming at our house afterwards. I got sucked into the play (I think Maggie just liked laughing at us dueling at the DDR) and probably ended up getting a pretty good workout! Kate was probably thankful she had to drive back to Austin instead of entering another bowling championship...we had a lot of fun! Afterwards, Aunt Karen came over and we went to Los Tios for dinner. Even Maggie said it, "We are going out to dinner again?" It was nice to see Karen but I think we overdosed on restaurant food! There was an attempt to get Maggie to bed early...she has VBS in the morning...

Sacred Sunday

Happy 60th Birthday, Dad!

Dad's birthday is really tomorrow but Kate came in from Austin and Brent came in from camp today to celebrate Dad's birthday. We went to Spanish Village for dinner and Ann made a yummy pistachio cheesecake!

Texas Rock Gym

Can you tell...this photo is from a year ago!

From what I hear...Maggie had a fabulous time at her slumber party last night. This morning they took her to the Texas Rock Gym and went climbing all morning...what fun! We got to sleep in! :-)

Galveston shells

Galveston is not known for beautiful shells...they are practically non-existent! Maggie cleaned up her cache of shells from Tuesdays Galveston trip...it's a sad collection!

Letterboxing

I've always wanted to introduce geocaching to Maggie but never got around to it because we do not have a GPS system. Then I found out about letterboxing. I was intrigued. After reading an article in her August issue of Ranger Rick we decided to give it a go today. We found out they are EVERYWHERE...just look on the Internet to find them! We set out to Memorial Park for our first hunt...and had great success! The hunt we chose was called "diamonds are forever"...it ended up meaning baseball diamonds! We stamped our stamps (Maggie/elephant and mom/2 hearts) in their record book and we stamped their baseball stamp in ours. We can't wait for our next discovery!