Thank You Letters for Abigail

This was my third year teaching the constitution lesson to local 5th graders, but it is the first time I have ever received...

  thank you letters from the kids! 

 One whole class wrote to me, 25 precious letters in all.  

I have absolutely loved reading them and looking at the cute pictures they drew.  What sweet and funny kids.

 

When I teach I really capture their attention with the objects I bring in my little suitcase; a replica key from Independence Hall, an umbrella, candle and holder, hammer, pictures of myself, Washington and Benjamin Franklin and a big copy of the Constitution.  The most popular comment was that they loved my blue dress (even the boys)!

 The most frequently asked question was whether the replica key from Independence Hall would still work or not.  I decided to contact the curator and find out once and for all.  She said that you could still use the old key to unlock the front door from the inside!  I can't wait to write the kids back and tell them!  They especially like the key because I let them pass it around the room and see how heavy it is.  It is an old fashioned, cast-iron key (lovingly pictured in the top letter).

I had a lot of kids say they were coming to the fair and couldn't wait to see me there, or they hoped I would come visit their school next year.  Some kids said they couldn't go but gave me good reasons why they couldn't. One kid had a football game and needed revenge because the other team beat them in the playoffs last year. Another said her mom had to work. 

 

This kid's note was short but he drew this great picture of a 

military chipmunk?!

What great kids (and teacher) to give me such an unexpected treat!

 

Olivia loves to make funny videos with the distorted setting on the computer camera. I thought you might like to check this one out even though she'll probably kill me when she finds this! Of all my kids, Olivia is the least shy and the most determined to win American Idol or somehow be famous! Enjoy!

Super Saturday

We did it!! 

We had 47 women making 191 crafts at over $1,100 worth of supplies rockin' the Val Vista building today, Sept. 27, 2008. I was called to be a 'specialist' in charge of Super Saturday. I had just been released from YW and I think I had a target on my back.  I am glad though because it was a great way to get to know the sisters in relief society again. A big thanks to all the teachers who taught classes and to Joy Marinez, Mandy Stewart and Allison Wirthlin who were the main women behind the scenes!

Here are two of the projects that I did.  The magnetic-clip board-chalk board-chore chart was a total hit! Taught by Brooke Sampson.  She painted the magnetic paint ahead of time and then we painted them with chalk board paint and added the ribbon and chalk she provided.  At home I printed up the chores that Chloe and Olivia do each morning and their name and pictures. I laminated them (Thanks Suzan Eck!) and hot glued them to magnets and stuck them on their boards. Now when they are finished with each chore they can just put a check mark next to it with the chalk! They love them and we are going to hang them on a nail outside their bedroom door.

The fabric boxes are ones I made to practice for the class that I taught.  I got the idea from my sister-in-law, Jami, who made some darling boxes for me for Christmas a few years ago. She taught me how to make them over the phone and then I tried it out myself. They turned out sooo cute and they look great in my newly redecorated blue and brown master bedroom! 

Other projects included scrapbook paper covered tin recipe boxes, marshmallow guns, family plaque picture frame, JOY block letters, glass block light up pictures and temple bracelets. I will try to get photos of them so you can see these great projects!  Everyone's turned out unique and beautiful!  

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf was right, creating something new from unorganized matter does feel AMAZING! 

Tess Battles a Mother-of-a-Spider!

I was hungry for a midnight snack last night and headed down stairs to find the house in disarray, the lights all on and the back sliding door open! Tess explained that she had battled a mother of a spider who was carrying hundreds of babies on her back.  Of course, the battle begun with Tess grabbing the camera and snapping this picture! 

 

See all those fuzzy balls on her back, those are living, crawling little spiders!  After snapping the all important photo Tess grabbed a clear plastic container and trapped the spiders inside.  Next she searched for a chemical that would kill them without hurting the carpet.  "Spotshot" was her solution.  She lifted the edge of the container and sprayed them and watched as they scattered around the inside of the container and start to slow. She then bravely lifted the container and smashed the momma and all the babies that tried to get away with her geography book.  Then she took the container full of poisoned babies and ran out the back and threw it over the fence! I vacuumed her room out several times as she uploaded this picture to her facebook page. At about 12:30 she headed to bed and I ate Wheaties straight from the box and read my new science fiction book. What an exciting night and a brave Tess! 

ATTENTION:  An hour after posting this story I was sweeping the kitchen when I saw another huge wolf spider run behind the fridge.  When Russ got home for lunch I asked him to move the fridge so I could kill it.  I wedged myself back there and smacked it with my flip flop and guess what happened..... hundreds of babies went skittering off her back!!!!!!!!!!  I am not kidding!  I was screaming, HOLY BABIES!!! and smacking all over the place with my shoe. Russ grabbed the 409 and we sprayed the babies that tried to get away!!!  Some one needs to call the pest control guy!!!  I guess that would be me!

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grade... Teacher?

Once a month Chloe's class has to take a standardized test called the Tungsten.  As an incentive their teacher also takes the test.  If a student scores higher than she does they get a big candy bar and Chloe picked a MILKY WAY!  

This week Chloe was the only one to score 100% on the math section.

Her teacher only got a 96%

It's nice when hard work pays off- in chocolate!

Good Memories with Livvy

Sometimes on Wednesday nights Olivia and I get to have some snuggle time alone because Tess and Rustin are at mutual, Dad is at bishopric meetings and Chloe is at gymnastics.  Last week she was in the mood for coloring so she picked these funny gorillas for us to color and we both got really into it!

Livvy's is the Dad. She called him "Mr. Grouchy Pants." I LOVE his briefcase on the grass!

Mine is the Mom. She is a homemaker but apparently not a happy one.  You might be able to tell she's in our kitchen.

Handy-dandy Blow Dart Gun

After staring at two mylar birthday balloons for over two weeks I decided to hire Rustin and Treven to shoot them down for me.  Treven brought over his blow-dart gun (Rustin's was bent) and chose the darts he thought would put the biggest hole in the balloon and the smallest hole in my ceiling.  They took turns balloon killing and enjoyed every breath!  Amazingly they never missed the balloons and no darts stuck in ceilings or walls.  The second balloon took a few shots to get the hole big enough but it came down!  Who knew their skills would come in so handy?

Thanks Treven  and Rustin for destroying the pesky balloons!

Treven in action

IT WORKED!!!