Saturday, June 23, 2012

Birthday - real & friends

Shara and I had a couple of fun days together. They were pretty relaxing, but also spent getting ready for her friend birthday party - a sleepover! So Thursday, her real birthday, we went to Trucchis to get the colored popcorn and other shopping for the party. We also took our time because it was so hot and couldn't really move too fast. After we got the shopping done, we had some lunch and went out to play in the pool. We were in it for a good couple of hours and it was fun. Shara also wanted to play on the Wii for her birthday but we didn't really have time because we didn't rush through everything. It was just a relaxing day spent together. For dinner, we went to her currently favorite sushi place and we got a boat - I think we all ate about the same amount! Then over to Best Buy to pick up the new blue-ray player, since we were going to have a movie sleepover and really needed a reliable player. The craft store didn't have what we were looking for but it was still fun to look around and we did end up getting a couple of things, including the goodie bags. On the way home we stopped at Flint Farms for ice cream, of course. Shara ate a few bites - too much sushi! I wish I had a dime for every time she said, "but I'm the birthday girl" or "it's my birthday, I don't have to..." Luckily she said it in good humor.

The next day was the day to prep for the party, since people were expected at 6 PM. What a big help Shara was. It was a good time for us to work together - Shara packed the popcorn and got the goodie bags together. The Amazon order with some of the treats came as the last of the girls left, but we did get some cute nail polish and pretty crazy, but disgusting tasting, popcorn. I frosted the cupcakes and got the toppings for the pizzas together and Shara cleaned her room, picked up all her things around the house, and put her clothes away. She also helped me put up the rainbow room decoration - that was cool - crepe paper streamer thing that hung to each corner of the room.

By the time the first kids arrived, the house was a balmy 90 F. The storms were also approaching, but it was all fine. After everyone got here they found seats at the table and made pita pizzas. I got a great tip from another site saying they wrote the kids' names in edible marker on the crust. I used it to write on the strip of parchment paper that lined the baking sheets and it worked out beautifully. Alan was a huge help as well, of course. There was a lot of running back and forth, getting toppings to everyone, drinks, etc. When I started thinking of it as a restaurant where we were the wait staff, it was easier.


When pizza time was done, they went downstairs and danced while we got everything set up for cake. They came back up, all in pajamas! After cake, I had an allergic reaction to something in the air and Alan had to supervise present opening while I found some allergy medicine and blew my nose, etc. When I came downstairs, there was Shara, with each kid 2" away from her in a circle, while she opened the presents. Crazy! Since I'm the mean one, I had them all sit back, give some space and let everyone see what was going on. She got very nice things - popular presents include anything Orbeez, a couple of nice games, makeup, a couple of gift certificates, and a mood ring! 

Then came the movie - Wizard of Oz. There was a bit of a disagreement between which version would be watched. Shara really wanted the original and a couple of others wanted the Muppets. The ones who didn't want to watch the original were free to go play a boardgame in the game room or Shara's room. It actually worked out fine and in the end, they all finished the movie together, eating yucky, too sweet popcorn. It was funny seeing how they all worked out sharing the bathroom for brushing teeth and washing hands (before & after eating). They had no problem with four girls sharing the sink and moving over while one had to spit. They also were just as silly as boys, as far as body noises, etc. That was a little surprising to me, but funny. What some had a hard time doing was getting comfortable. There were four who couldn't get to sleep - Shara being one of them. She ended up sleeping on the couch, me on the floor (good thing for mattress pads), another one on the futon, a third in Shara's bed, and the fourth went home. And everyone slept until about 7 AM, with the last one getting woken up by the rest at 8 AM.

We had a nice family breakfast of pancakes and different fruits. The girls enjoyed just talking about what they were eating and various conversations kids have - they also talked a bit about school next year and who had what teacher and at what school. It sounds like they're really mixing everyone up. No more than two or three kids from the same school in the same new classroom (it seems). They all got picked up and a couple (3 actually) had to make return trips to get what they forgot the first time around. The house is hardly a mess - but while I was laying on the floor, trying to go to sleep but not able to because they wouldn't stop talking or fussing, I vowed not to do this again. But then when everyone was sitting and being so cute during breakfast, I had to rethink all of that. We'll definitely do a movie night/sleepover again. Without combining the dinner, cake and presents, I think it will be much more manageable.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Big 8

Happy Birthday, Shara! We get to spend the day together - swimming & Wii were requested activities.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

2nd Grade Journal

September 7, 2011
I'm in second grade. There are 22 kids in my class. It's very fun! My teacher's name is Mrs. Esmeraldo. We are the oldest kids in the scool!

September 9, 2011
At first I felt nervous, but then I felt better when I got to school. As soon as I got to school I was fine. In second there's harder work.

September 20, 2011
Dear Parents
My teacher's name is Mrs. Esmeraldo. She is very nice I think. Music is my favorite period. And I love Library too.

Shara, I am so happy I got to see your classroom tonight. You are so excited, it's wonderful how much you love school. I'm very proud of you.
- Mommy

Shara,
It was really fun to learn about what you are learning in second grade. I enjoyed you showing us around your classroom.
Dad

September 21, 2011
Yesterday in gym I played a very fun game called Secret Agent Tag. There are two taggers and two secret agents.

September 22, 2011
Last night my cat named George died. He was getting so sick that he let me pet him. And he never lets me pet him. He was losing waight. And one kidney was smaller than the other.

September 26, 2011
This is he schedule for today. Journel Writings which I'm doing right now. Morning Meeting, Math, and Music.

October 3, 2011
This morning for breakfast I had a waffle with pumpkin butter. It was very good! And for a fruit I had mango. (My mom bugs me about having fruit.)
[drawing of a waffle]

October 6, 2011
It's Thursday but were having a spelling test today. And we usually have it on Friday. Because Friday is a holiday. I don't no what holiday it is but I do no that it's a holiday.

October 11, 2011
Over the very long weekend I went over to my aunt's house. And for shall I went over to my grandma's house. I went to the actual Girseans (Gershon's)! And when I was there I got coleslaw and a tuna sandwhich.

October 13, 2011
Today I started reading a new chapter book! IT's Magic Tree House series. I'm on the second chapter already! And the name of the is, Day of the Dragon King. And after I finish that book I'm doing Ancient Greece and the Olympics. Day of the Dragon King is #14.

October 17, 2011
Today is Monday and the special for Monday is... Music! Music is my favorite speical. In music we sing alot. And I love to sing alot. When I grow up I want to be a singer.

October 19, 2011
Nutrition
Learning about and eating healthy foods to keep our bodies strong and healthy. There are 5 healthy food groups to choose from every day.

Grain Fruit Meat (protein) Dairy Vegetable
Breakfast: Apple juice Pancake Ham Yogurt tomatoes

October 20, 2011
Last night I started getting fancy. I don't know why but I just did. I were a sparkly blue braslet. and a blue butterfly necklace. And I even started wering berets. And last night I were my boots.

October 24, 2011
Yesterday I went to the King Richard's Fair! At King Richirds Fair I saw alot of acting. Most of the acting was fighting. I also saw a joust. A joust is where two people are on horses and there carying sticks and try to nock there apodent off the horse.

October 27, 2011
Firefighter Chris said to stop, drop, cover, and roal. He also told us to not play with matches lighters or sigerets. He told us to change smoke alarms 2 times a year.

November 1, 2011
At school we had alot of activeities that had to do with Halloween. We had one activeity, and it was a beanbag toss. There was another activeity and it was when you would make a pipecleaner bracelet. And there was another activeity where we had a pumpkin and we had to put continents on the pumpkin.

November 3, 2011
At art we made pinch pots. This is how you make them. First you get a peace of clay. Then you roll it into a ball. Next you stick your thumb into it. Finaly you pinch all around it. But if the top gets cracks in it then put your finger in a little water and put the water on the pinch pot. And then you have a pinch pot.

November 4, 2011
We went to a Native American program. And we went in a teepee. And we sat on fur. I thought it was grose at first, but then it was not grose. We learned that Native Americans lived in teepees. We also learned about what animals they kill.

November 7, 2011
Over the weekend I played twister with my friends.

November 14, 2011
Over the weekend I went to my friend's birthday party. She also had a sleep over. We slept in sleepingbags too. (We slept on the floor.) This is her name, Hannah. These are her family members, well she has a cat, a dog, a little sister, and three big brothers. And of course a mom and a dad. The cat is very soft. And the dog gets very exited.

November 18, 2011
My favrite book is The twelve dancing princesses. The main characters name is ... well I forget, but here is a summary of the book. Oh I finaly remember the main characters name it's Geniveave. Ok back to the summory.

November 21, 2011
Over the weekend I played on the Wii alot. And this is what I did on the Wii... skiing! I also went to church. At church I learned about David, he is from the bible.

November 28, 2011
Over the weekend I went to my grandmother's house. And I made grapeleaves with her and my aunt. This is how you make them. First you get nine pounds of meat and mix it with rice, pepper, spice I think.

December 1, 2011
For art today I made my portfolio. It has a big shell on it. This is how you make a portfolio. First you get a big piece of paper, then you fold it. Next you draw something on it that starts with the first letter in your name. After that you put your name all around your drawing, and make that the outline of your drawing. And use sharpy for your name, and also color it in.

December 5, 2011
Over the weekend I went to this place I forget what it is cauld. But I do remember what I did there. I sat on Santa's lap and talked to him. I also sang a lot of Christmas songs. I stood near a fire with my mom my dad and some strangers. Over the weekend I also went to a parade. I got alot of candy. Santa was atually in the parade! After the parade I had lunch.

December 9, 2011
The Gingerbread Man
The Gingerbread Man was baked because an old man and woman wanted a tasty treat. The problem is the Gingerbread Man has to keep running away from everybody. Charactors he meet along the are a sow, a cow, a buchtur and a fox. At the end the Gingerbread Man met a fox and said to the fox. Run Run as fast as you can you can't catch me I'm the Gingerbread Man. The fox said. I can't here you could you lean a little closer. Then the Gingerbread Man said. Run run as fast as you can you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread Man.

December 15, 2011
If I could take a train ride, I would go to California. Because I want to go to Lego land. And At Lego land I would go on every ride! And I would see alot of life size places all made out of legos! Isn't that so so cool. I have been thinking I realy want to go on a ploom. And get water in my face.

December 19, 2011
Over the weekend I had a cookie party. At the cookie party all the kids got to make gingerbread houses. There was a lot of kids. We all had a realy fun time playing in my room. Let me name all the kids at the party. Well there is Keira, Katy, Will, Ben, Jenny, and Cadance. I know there's one more girl but I forget her name. There were alot of cookies and every family got to take a box of cookies home.

January 3, 2012
On Winter vacation I celebrated Christmas. On Christmas I got alot of presents. Let me tell you what I got. Well let's see I got a jeuler to put jeu in my hair. I also got sea monkeys. Let me tell you what sea monkeys are. Sea monkeys are little creatures that are a micture of fish and monkeys, that's why their could sea monkeys. I also got two kidz bop CDs. I'll tell you which ones I got. I got kidz bop 20, and 19. I love kidz bop so so much. Hmm let's see what else I got. Well I got this realy cool crayon maker.

January 9, 2012
Over the weekend I went to my grandmother's house for dinner. There were other people there. I forget their names. Let me tell you what I had for dinner. Well, I had this really spicy soup that had mushrooms in it. I had mashed potatoes. I had rooladen, which is a kind of meat. I had really cheasy brocolie. I had a little bit of cabbage.

January 12, 2011
Martin Luther King Jr's birthday is January 15, 1929. He won an award called the Wallcot Peace Prize. I would like to know what his childrens names are. He didn't like the law about white and black people.

January 17, 2011
Over the weekend I went to the market with my mom. Let me tell you what I got. Well I got, two things of ice cream, four bananas, some spinach, about like three energy bars. I got V8 fusion, six V8 cans, they were both blueberry pomagranet. I also got a bunch of lettuss. And I also got cookies.

January 19, 2012
I hope in 2012 there will be no more burgalars. I hope in 2012 there will be no more poor people. I hope in 2012 people will recycle. I hope in 2012 people will be nice to whales. I hope in 2012 people will save the trees.

January 24, 2012
Dear Mrs. Esmeraldo,
Yesterday we learned about the Chinese New Year. We read a scholastic news. Let me tell you what it was about. Well it was mostly about the chinese dragon. You know what, I learned in a chinese story dragons chased balls. So in parades dragons chase balls.

January 30, 2012
Over the weekend I went on a hike, with my mom and dad. It was very rocky and molchy. I also went to my grandparents house. I played on my Iphone, at my grandparents house. I also went to church. I had learned about King Solamon at church. He is a hero from the bieble. I bet you are wondering what church I go to. Well I go to Unitarian Universalist Church. I got a stamp on my hand from church. It means I was good, and I purticipated. The stamp did not wash off yet.

February 1, 2012
For this journal writing I am going to write about my favorite foods. For the fruits I like mango. For the vedgetables I like cellery. For the meats I like bacon. For dairy I like cheese. For grains I like bread.

February 6, 2012
Last night I watched the game it was really cool. Yesterday I went to church. I go to Unitarian Universalist church. Tomorrow someone from sheep pasture is coming to the second grade classes. On Friday I was not in school. I was not in school because I had an ear infection. So I needed medison. The medison is flavored like bubblegum. Bubblegum is my favorite flavor.

February 13, 2012
For this journal writing I'm going to write about me. My name is Shara Yabroudy. My address is ______. My phone number is _______. My father's name is Alan Yabroudy. My mother's name is Laurie Lessner. My dad's email address is __________. My mom email address is _______. I want to be a singer when I grow up. My favorite color is pink.

February 16, 2012
I am going to write about my favorite kind of fruit. Well I like mangos. Mangos are yellow, round, and delicious. I also like plums. Plums are round, moruna, and yellow on the outside. I also like bannanas, once when I peeled a bannana a little and it was in the shape of a heart, so my mom took a pitchure. I also like grapes. Grapes are little, round and green or purple.

February 27, 2012
For this journal writing I'm going to write about weather. First I am going to write about rainbows. A rainbow has six (6) colors. The colors are yellow, orange, green, blue, red and purple. They go in order like this red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Now I am going to write about precipitation. There is not that much about precipitation, but I will tell you any way.

March 5, 2012
Today I am going to write about my favorite things. Well, my favorite colors are purple and pink. My favorite fruits are mango and apple. My favorite dried fruites are dried mango and crasans. My favorite vedgetables are boc choi and broccoli. My favorite movies are the new Lorax and Areal. My favorite shapes are diamond and heart. My favorite books are Oh say can you say and the Magic tree house series. My favorite dessert is ice cream. My favorite treat is whoppers. My favorites number is 16. My favorite cereal is rice crispies.

March 8, 2012
My favorite series are Magic Tree House. The main characters are two little kids named Jack and Annie. The authur is Mary Pope Osborne. I like it because you learn a lot, and it is very interesting. I will tell you about the very first book. Well, Jack and Annie are playing in the woods, and in the biggest oak tree Annie finds a tree house, though she does not know it is a magic tree house. So she calls over Jack.

March 12, 2012
Over the weekend I got a hair cut at Snip-its. The lady that did my hair even put in a french braid! She was very nice. At the end I got a top. I only got a trim. My hair is now at my shoulders. I can make my french braid look like a head band. I also went to church. At church I did Sunday school. My mom teaches my class. I go to this Unitarian Universalist. I also made a fort in my mom and dad's bedroom. I was realy big and realy cool. My mom did not feel good. She does not have a cold, she just has allergies. She was lying on her bed. And playing on her phone. My dad went in the attick and found my old car.

March 15, 2012
I would rather be a lion. I did not pick lamb because a lamb is little and could be eaten by a lion. A lion is strong and very very tuff. And a lamb could be eaten by human. But a lion can attack a human, and other animals. (So that is why I would be a lion. And if not I would not go near a lion.) And if I were a lion I would be able to live in the wild, and a lamb would probably be kept on a farm.

March 19, 2012
Over the weekend I went to my grandma's and grandpa's house for St. Patrick's Day. And for my grandpa's birthday. I gave my grandpa a card and something I made in pre-school. The thing I made in pre-school had a pencil on it, and on the pencil it said Look at This. And it also had a red button on it. And two kids on it, and a blue background. The present was in a box and the box was in a bag, and the card was also in the bag. And my mom made my grandpa his favorite dessert: bread pudding. And we all had chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was realy yummy. And we also had pizza. I had sausage and cheese pizza. And the grownups had vegetable pizza.

March 21, 2012
Yesterday I went tot he Harvard Museum of Natural History. I will tell you what rooms there were. Well there is a jewl room, a glass flower room, a mammle room, and Aisan animal room, and that is all the rooms (at least that I remember).

March 26, 2012
Over the weekend I went to church on Saturday, for something at dinnertime. Most people who came made food. This is what my mom made: a salad, with greens, strawberries, and craisans in it. My mom called it a strawberry salad. She also made: sables, the sables have suger sprinkles, cocoa powder, and taste realy good. At home we even made the sables into ice cream sandwhiches. The ice cream sandwhiches were even better than the plain. On Sunday we went to church like usual. At church we are doing this surprise pal thing. Surpise pal is like secret santa, but just for Easter.

March 26, 2012
Fossils and Dinosaurs
1. There are two kinds of fossils.
2. Any living thing can turn into a fossil.
3. Dinosaurs were extinked a while ago.
4. Dinosaurs can also fly like birds.
5. If you did not know the oldest fossils are 3,500 years old.
6. Coal is actualy a kind of fossil.
7. Dragonflies could be as big as birds.
8. Insects were some of the first animals on Earth.
9. Dinosaur footprints can tell us how heavy the animal was, how fast it moved, and two other things.
10. Scientists take pictures of when and how they found the fossils.

April 2, 2012
Over the weekend I went to my grandparent house, after church, Because my mom and dad wanted to go see the movie The Hunger Games (it is for young adaults.) My grandparents house is realy fun, I will tell you what we did. Well we had lunch, for lunch we had well I forget.


April 10, 2012
Today for our field trip we went to Sheep Pasture, it is in Easton. We learned about habitats, it was realy fun! It was fun because I learned a lot of new things. I will tell you what I learned. Well, I learned that rolly polly is a nickname for isopod. We even got to touch them, and we got to look at them through magnafine glasses. We also learned the six things an animal needs. They are food, water, sun, air, and I forgot the two others. We all so learned turtles, their habitat is a pond. We all so learned about coyotes, their habitat is a field. I will all so tell you who our chaperones were. Well, there was Cracen's mom, Caroline's dad, Alex's mom and some more.

April 12, 2012
Chocolate Touch
In the story The Chocolate Touch the main character's name is John Midas. The setting is John's neiborhood, and school. The problem of the  story is John eats too much chocolate. Here are some details of the story. John loves all candy, but chocolate is his favorite. These are some of John's favorite candies: Boiled candy, cotton candy, licorice all sorts, old-fashioned toffee, candied orange and lemon slices, crackerjack, jelly beans, fudge, black-current lozenges for ticklish throats, nougat, acid drops, peppermint sticks and lollipops.


April 19, 2012
Over the weekend I went to my grandmother's house, for Easter. It was realy fun because I got five Easter baskets, plus one from home, plus fourteen pieces of chocolate, and four dollars. I'm glad because I love chocolate and money. And the Easter egg hunt was fun too, there was even fithee-one eggs, it was funny because there were egg from last year. I liked dinner a lot too because we had ham and potatoes. And for dezzert we had chocolate covered strawberrys. For dezzert we also had cake.

April 23, 2012
Over my vacation I went over to my baby-sitters house. At my baby-sitter's house I played with the other kids, it was realy fun. I also read: Harry Potter and the Sorcerurs Stone, and I read up to chapter ten on the second book: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. They are realy good books. I also played with an old friend from my babysitter's, it was realy fun because there was this realy cool fort. But it was a little small for all of the kids because it was for babies. I will now tell you the kids at my babysitter's there's my babysitter's sons Jack and Michele ___.

April 25, 2012
A habitat is a home for a living thing. The six basic things to survive are: air, water, food, space, warmth, and sunlight, shade, shelter.

April 30, 2012
Over the weekend I worked in the garden a little. Well my mom did most of the work, I only watched. But it was still fun. We even found a lot of worms, and a frog. This is what my mom did: she pulled weeds, she planted flowers and that is all. I ate a lot of mint. I love mint! I didn't even have to wash it. Now I'll tell you what my dad did. Well my dad organized the gouradge. He even got two pegboards, to hang stuff up. If you don't know what a pegboard is, a pegboard is a board with a lot of holes in it, to put nails in the holes, and hang stuff up.

May 7, 2012
Over the weekend I was sick, because my dad got sick from someone at his work. But, this is what I did. I went to Wendy's for lunch on Saturday. It was realy fun, because I got to have a caffean free diet coke. I liked the caffeen free diet coke a lot. I also played on my computer and watched tv. I also made my mom a present for Mother's Day.

May 11, 2012
My favorite animal is a cat. A cat is my favorite animal because I have one of my own. I also like cats because they're very soft and cute. I also love bunnies. I love bunnies because they're cute, and fluffy, and you can hold them in your arms. You can cuddle with bunnies and cats.

May 14, 2012
For Mother's Day I gave my mom the presents we made in class, and a present that my dad helped me to make at home. The present that I made at home was tissue paper roses, my mom loved them. We also went to a realy fancy place to eat. This is who went with us my mom, my dad, my dad's mom and dad and my mom's mom and dad. The place that we went to was realy fancy and the food there was realy good. I will tell you some of the food there was. Well, there was bacon, lobster crape, salad with balsamic or ranch dressing. There was also lox, bagels and cream cheese.

May 16, 2012
My animal is a chameleon. This is what I know about chameleons. Well, first I'll tell you the six basic needs. For water there is dew from bushes and trees. For food there is, well I forget. But, for sunlight there is the sun because they are cold blooded. And for shelter there is bushes and trees. For space there is trees and bushes. And for air they breathe threw their lungs.

May 21, 2012
Over my weekend I mostly worked on my diorama. But I also went tot he library with my mom because she was doing this tech talk thing. It was about ebooks, music and what you can download. And this is what I did for my diorama. Well I got an artificial plant, I colored the background the color of the chameleon, I got something to lift the chameleon, and my dad got me a dead bug to make the chameleon's food. (And I might put some water on it for the dew, for the water it drinks.)

May 29, 2012
Over my very long weekend I went to my grandparent's house for a day. I also showed my grandparents how to use Netflicks. And Netflicks is awesome because you can watch a lot of movies at a time. We also played outside a little but it was realy hot out so we went back inside. On Monday I went outside for almost the whole entire day. When I was outside I worked in the garden and played in the sprinkler.

May 31, 2012
Today I will write about all different animals and pets.

June 5, 2012
Yesterday I went to Sachuest Point in Rhode Island. There were lots of chaperones. I will tell you who they were. They were Mrs. Cathie, Mrs. Hilliard, Mrs. Manney, Mr. Peper, Mr. Feroli, and Mrs. Mcmacname. I will also tell you who my chaperone was, she was Mrs. Hillard. These are the kids in my group: Evan Hillard, Charlie Mcinus, Aisha Giraud and me.

June 12, 2012
Yesterday it was field day. The only times I was in the classroom were lunch time, the morning and the afternoon. These are the things I did at field day: I went on the bouncy house obsticle course, I played frisbe, I played musical chairs, I ate a piece of watermelon, I played with hacky sacks, I played a game where I had to roll boulders, I played a buddy skiing game, I played a game where my class is train tracks and a ball is the train, I also played on scooters.

June 15, 2012
Soon I will not be in second grade - AWWW! I'm sad because I have or had the best teacher in the world: Mrs. Esmeraldo. Mrs. Esmeraldo is the best teacher in thw world because she is super-duper nice to me. Now I will tell you what I usually have in my desk. Well, I have a homework folder, a math journal, a writing journal, crayons, pencils, earasers, markers, glue, scissors, a highlighter, a reference folder and three just right books.

Recital 2012

Obviously Shara did great. They all did. She had 4 dances and 4 costume changes - Tap > Ballet > Jazz > Ballet. We were both glad I went back and helped her get changed after each dance. She could have done it herself, but it's pretty stressful when you're working out of bags.
View the terrible quality videos taken during rehearsal
Tap - Mean
Ballet - Nutcracker
Ballet - Never Grow Up

After the recital we all had a nice visit and family birthday party for Shara. We had her new favorite cake, Chocolate Cake with Caramel Buttercream and Caramelized Bacon




She is now watching the Never-ending Story, from Auntie Chrissy, and putting on nail polish from Oma. She also got into the pool with her crazy cousin Lizzy, but when her lips turned blue, mean mommy made her come out. All in all, it was a very lovely weekend of dance.

Last night we had tickets to the night of African Drums and Dance at Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton. I don't remember the names of the performers, but it started with a man playing an instrument made of a gourd and strings of shells. Then people did a traditional harvest dance and reenacted breaking bush, which depicts the time children spend in the wilderness with teachers/guides then come back to their families, a coming of age process. Then other percussion playing and dancing. They also had a woman and girl from RI perform a liturgical dance that was interesting. It was not easy to see everything, but still enjoyable.

For dinner we had calla, fried dough w/cinnamon sugar; plantains that were amazing; a spinach and chicken dish; a couple of rice dishes; and what we believe was a fish and rice dish with tomato based sauce. It was all greasy goodness. Linda did the cooking and the MC was a man whose name I cannot remember but spoke with several times at the fishbowl conversations. I told him last night I didn't realize how funny he was! He did a great job vamping with Liberian history and other interesting cultural facts about Africa. The room was full and there were about 7 or 8 First Parrish people there.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Happy-tat

Today was the Habitat Expo at school We entered the classroom and found every desk had a tri-fold presentation display and a child. We were given instructions to go around and ask questions of the kids and some sample instructions. We started with Shara and she gave us all the information she learned about chameleons. Did you know that chameleons communicate by inflating their throats? They also use their tails to grab branches, if needed, and eat insects, small birds and even other lizards.
We then made our way around to the other kids and asked questions. They're all such nice kids and when they heard I was Shara's mom, they had comments such as, "oh she did a really good job" and "she used a real bug!" 

Wednesday evening our big event was a scavenger hunt at the school Shara will be going to in the Fall. She thought it felt like where she went to summer camp - which was held in a big, new high school. For the tour/scavenger hunt, the school paired each new student with an out-going fifth grader and we got to see all the major areas of the school. Then the best part was the end, where the kids got to have a slushy and go play on the playground. I don't foresee the transition to third grade being very traumatic. Yup, I said it. Now I cursed the whole thing!



Saturday, June 02, 2012

2012 Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl -

2012 Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl -I want to go! I've never been but heard it's great - all the ice cream you can eat from 10 ice cream manufacturers. If you go, let me know how it was and think of me!

He said it again!

Tonight we did dinner and a movie. Alan has always been a fan of Xanadu and I've always made fun of him for it. After tonight I can no longer do so. We had a lot of fun singing and watching the dancing, but the best part was talking with Shara about the great 80's. This was rated PG but there were several "hell"s and at least one sh*t. Whenever the main male character said, "hell" Shara would say, "not again!". Then we danced with me spinning Shara around and her trying to get me to do swing dance moves.

Oahu 2023 - Day 6

 Since I believed my official time of isolation was over, I took a bus to Pearl Harbor. There weren't any tours available, but I learned...