Alyssa's 2nd Grade Animal Project

Alyssa just had to do a project. And she chose tigers, all on her own. She said she chose them because I like them. Is that not sweet or what?



But this project had been given to her the week of mother's day, and was due May 21st. When and how did I hear about it? On the Monday before it was due, and by one of her classmates mom. (She works with me.)









So she had to create the habitat that the tigers live in, in a shoebox. So we bought some moss (swampy lands), and some fake trees (forest), and put in a small pond/lake. Tigers will bathe and hunt in the water. Bought some blue foam, and some stickers to make the sky. Teacher said not to spend a lot of money on this, to try to use things around the house. So instead of actual Bengal tigers, we used Tiggers! And we bought stuff at the dollar store!











Did you know that you can hear a tiger's roar up to TWO miles away?
(that's gotta be in the wild, cause I don't think I could hear it over the trains near our house!)























Did you know that, just like snowflakes, no two tigers have the same exact stripes?






They monkeys, deer, boar, and buffalo.



She and Alannah wrote all the facts on the poster, and then I went over them with a marker. (I was trying to avoid mistakes with the marker!) It's really hard to copy kids' writing, and you can definitely tell which one wrote which fact! But all in all, it was a great project. Really great for knowing about it 3 days before it was due!

Rest In Peace 2/13/31 - 5/17/04 Dorothy McFadden

Pretty much self-explanatory.

The day started real bad. The boys had a bad night, they kept coming in our room crying, so I didn't get much sleep. Overslept, missed the alarm, missed mass. The mass that my whole family went to. It was raining. I was at Five Points, and my family didn't want to wait on me. It was a family thing, but I guess...well, nevermind. It's too much drama for some people. So I met my good friend Mary, from Cathedral at the cemetery. She bought the red roses that are in the bottom picture. I did pretty good. I didn't cry.
Then we headed off to the park. There we had a little fun. It was still raining. Hung out with the family a little.
I was able to get some good pictures of the kids in their new outfits. The boys really look like twins, and the girls had spirit week the week before, and friday was Green and Gold day, so therefore they have yellow and green.
I did pretty good. I miss mom, badly. I wish she was still here. I wish she could have met Damien and Christopher. I can't wait to hold her in my arms again. I miss you mom. I can't believe it's been five years.
The kids have grown up. Alannah is starting 5th grade in the fall. Alyssa will be in 3rd grade. Alannah started Kindergarten the year that you passed away. They are so beautiful. You would love them so much. The boys, you would eat them up. They would definitely give you a run around though. They are fiesty. But they know who you are, we talk about all the time. Damien knows who are in a photo. Every time we drive past a cemetery... any cemetery, he points out that's "Special Grandma's Flowers!" Not bad for a three year old that never met you.

Mom's day is coming....

I miss you so much! You have no idea. You meant the world to me. Then the Lord took you from me. My life will never be the same. You are my hero, my inspiration. You are my mom until eternity.
You looked so happy. This was Alannah's 3rd birthday. I miss seeing you like that. I would do anything to have you back in my arms.
OMG! I miss you so much. I wish you were still here. I would have loved you to meet Damien and Christopher. They would love you so much. They both call you their special Grandma.

I was doing fine today, until my brother Mike called me. I was doing a great job at holding my feelings in. Today, on my way to the car wash, I saw a funeral procession. Many others and I all stopped on the road and watched the procession proceed. It got me thinking, that two weeks from today would be five years since my mom passed away. It brought tears to my eyes. But because the boys were with me, I held them in, as I didn't want them to ask what was wrong.
I proceeded to the car wash, vacuumed out the truck with help from the boys, and then Damien wanted to go thru the car wash. So if it rains, you can blame it on me.
I came home, and was sitting in my chair, when my phone rang. It's not very often when my brother calls me, so it surprised me to see his name on caller id. I was praying that nothing was wrong as I answered the phone. It was an idea...and I really can't say it on here, because I don't know who all reads this and I don't want to spoil the idea. But I think it's great.
Mom, I love you.
There's not much more I can say than that. I think I speak for everyone when I say that you are missed.

3rd Nine Week Awards Ceremony

Alannah received an award for being on the honor roll, and the roaring reader award. It's really cool how they do the awards. The students get a chain, and the awards are on plastic dog-tag like charms. The roaring reader is a plastic charm. So far this year she has three honor roll tags and a roaring reader.

Here she is with Mr. Sasser, the assistant principal and Ms. Murphy, her teacher.



















Alannah had no idea that I was going to the ceremony. I had switched days so that I could attend. Last year I was able to go to Alyssa's, I thought it was only fair for me to go to Alannah's.














I didn't realize that both of them has the ceremony on the same day, so I stayed for Alyssa's also. She did not actually receive any, but I sat through the whole thing anyways. To get the roaring reader, she has to turn in her reading log every week, and she failed to that in the third nine weeks. So far this nine weeks, she's turned them in, so hopefully she'll get a charm at the end of the year.

I also took a picture of Alyssa with Mr. Sasser and Ms. Peele, her teacher.


























After the ceremony, the girls from Alyssa's class were all hanging on each other, and wanted their picture taken.

Yeah for Alannah for her awards this past semester!!

Fun with Lizzie!

Yes, they are suction cup toothbrushes! The five of them were having fun decorating my glasses, and then taking pictures of me! We were just having some fun!
















You ask Lizzie to hold a camera, and this is what happens!



But the amazing part was.... the fact the three girls got along this time. Lizzie is 15 now, and I think she realizes that she needs to set the example. She's a little more mature now, and loved hanging out with the girls. Alannah more so than Alyssa, but the three of them had so much fun this time. I am so happy! Usually they had not gotten along. The boys always love her, and don't understand why she's not always around.

We all can't wait for her next visit. Maybe it will be during my week vacation in June!

Playing at the Golden Arches!!!

We went up to the McDonald's on Business 70, they have a really cool play space. We had already been there one time this week, but not with Elizabeth. Alannah had told Lizzie about it, and she asked if we could go. So on Zack's birthday, we had dinner at McD's.


This McDonald's has Wii's! They have skateboard and snowboard ones, and they are actually a little harder, cause to steer, you have to lean which way you want to go on the skateboard.



Damien loves the bikes, even though he does not know how to pedal!

They also have a fun house mirror, which Damien and Lizzie loved making faces at themselves! Trampolines... in little cages so no one falls off and gets hurt!























Damien is not a fan of little tight spaces. He loved the twisty slide at the park, but hates going up into the Playspace here and any other play space. I got him to come up to this point, and no further. This was at the bottom of the slide. I went up to the top with Christopher, and Damien waited for me at the bottom.

We all had fun at McDonald's. This one was different, a little further to drive, but we still had fun!
This will be the place we go for a treat.

Fun with the Cousins!!!

My little sister, Christine, and her boys - Zack and Xander, came to visit us today. The boys played at the house for a little while. Since one of Damien's favorite things to play with is cars, we have plenty of them.

Christine got hungry, so we ventured off to the Mickey D's in Smithfield with an indoor playground. The boys so well playing with each other.

Got some great pictures of the boys playing, and even some of Christine and I when we went into Playland! Xander needed some help going up there, so Christine went with him. Damien hates going on indoor playgrounds, so he asked me to go up with him, but chickened out when we had gotten to the top. So I finished going through the maze anyways.










So there is a repeat of Xander's picture in here, once in here, I didn't know how to delete it. So pardon the repeat... but at least the repeat is a good picture. He looks so cute in the position that he was in.


The boys had so much fun! Christopher passed out in the truck, and I'm sure Xander did the same! Damien asked me on the way home if Christine, Zack and Xander could come to our house and play another day. I said sure, cause I want the four youngest grandkids, six if you include the girls, to know each other.