January
2008 Journal
HAPPY
2008 ~ question is, will it be great?
We already have some big plans for the upcoming year - a
trip to Florida is being planned and hopefully a group trip
with all our friends - possibly to the beach! Look out
ocean here we come!
Let's just take it one month at a time.....
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Happy New Year ~
2008
January 1 , 2008 |
Whoa - none of
us made it to midnight to ring in the New Year...we all were tired
and went to bed! December 2007 was just an exhausting month!
HA!
Daddy made his yummy (well, he thinks they are yummy) sandwiches and
Mommy fixed a meal of pork, sauerkraut and dumplings. I had a
hot dog! Mommy thinks I my soon turn into a hot dog!
**Update (1/5) - the sandwiches are gone...all 40 of them!
Mommy wants it known that she had
3!
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Week #18 ~
Kindergarten News
January 4 , 2008 |
Things have
settled down from the holidays and we are getting back on track and
right into the swing of things again! Mommy thought it would
be hard for me getting back into my school routine but it hasn't.
Our main struggle has been Nintendo DS control! I guess I am
playing it "too" much - if there is such a thing!
Anyway, we have been busy reading winter stories and doing follow-up
activities. We are doing a lot of journal writing, retelling
and putting stories in order, comparing and contrasting stories and
discussing storylines.
I know a lot of new words now - so many it is hard to keep track.
I have been practicing them more at home now.
I got a perfect score on my last math chapter and test, which were
on more/less concepts and graphing. We are now starting
patterns. It will include numbers, people, color, rhythm and
shapes.
Our centers are Winter themed so I will be making a penguin puppet,
writing a sentence about it on the back, finding and writing winter
words around the room, making a mitten with a pattern, reading
number words, filling in a missing work in a book and sequencing.
I guess I am going to be getting tested at the end of the month to
see what level I am reading at independently - that means with no
help!
Vacation was fun - but it feels nice to be back in a routine and
seeing my friends!
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First
Basketball Game - Go Dark Green!
January 5 , 2008 |
I had my very
first basketball game today! Mommy, Daddy and even Amanda came
to my game! I was very nervous but my coach told me not to
worry about it and have fun!
We are the dark green team and I got my team shirt - number 6!
"Hey, I'm SIX! Cool!" I play defense and played in the 2nd and
last half of the game. Whew, no one told me there would be so
much running! I stuck in there though and didn't slow down
(for me). Coach had to give me "some" reminders every now and
again but I KNEW where I was supposed to be and what I was supposed
to be doing. I didn't get any shots at the basket, I need to
practice my catching. I"m a little bit afraid of the ball.
However, I did get to pass the ball out and then dribble it down and
make a pass to a teammate that was open. A few of my teammates
did make some baskets. I think Daddy said that we made 6 the
whole game! We don't keep score and the grown-ups were
cheering for everyone! Coach said we did great and he was
impressed - he does a pretty good job of giving everyone a turn and
making things as fair as they can be.
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PA Farm
Show
(link)
January 6 , 2008 |
We have been
going to the farm show every year since I was a baby! WOW!
So, this year would be no different. I don't get that excited
for it, it smells yucky in there! However, no matter how I
protest, we still go and I end up having a good time! I am
quickly learning that it's not just about all the animals you can
see up close...but how good the food is! You can't go and not
get a milkshake...yummy! Daddy got some kind of beef sandwich
and Mommy had lamb stew! I had a gigantic hot dog! Then
I had to get my bag of cotton candy and Daddy and Mommy split some
fried cheese!
We did more than just eat, we visited all the animals. I like
the ducks and chickens but they were really loud this year! We
got to see this gigantic buffalo! He was HUGE and weren't
allowed to touch him...but next to him was this huge red deer with a
gigantic rack. I was able to pet him...kind of disturbing that
right next to him they were selling his meat! I hope it wasn't
his brother!
We watched some of the cow judging and I really liked looking at the
things people made and entered in contests, like cookies, jellies,
beeswax, evergreen trees, gingerbread houses and little garden
boxes.
I like looking at the tractors but apparently have outgrown the
desire to sit in them. Mommy said she didn't think they get as
many tractors as they used to, the room used to be filled with all
kinds and HUGE ones. It's probably too much of a pain and a
waste of money/time to bring them in anymore. I did really
have fun this year looking at the horse trailers...ya, I know....but
there was one that was like an RV in the front, had a bed, sink,
table, a fridge that had stuff in it and a bathroom. Then the
horses were behind there. I wondered if you would still be
able to smell them.
My other favorite highlight of going to the Farm Show is riding the
shuttle bus to the car! See, simple things amuse me!
**No snowstorm forecasted for this years Farm Show - funny, you used
to be able to count on a big storm coming when it came to town!**
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Basketball
Practice #5
January 6 , 2008 |
We had another
practice today. We are learning what it means to be on offense
(we have the ball - go to the corners) and defense (the other team
has the ball - go to the blue line). We had to practice
running back and forth and to our spots when the coach yelled either
"offense or defense". I was in a great mood and ran to my spot
and yelling a big "woo-hoo" which all the grown-ups thought was
pretty funny.
Again we practiced all of our skills, I really need to learn to
catch a ball and not be afraid of it. It cost me the chance to
get a basket at our game, I kind of flinched and hid my face and
totally missed the ball. Oops. Oh well, I am learning.
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Lego Building
Contest
January 7 , 2008 |
I got my Lego
Magazine in the mail today and in it they are having a "Build a
Super Police Vehicle" contest. I told Mommy right away that I
wanted to do it! So, I got started and I did it all by myself!
I think it's pretty cool. I also had to write a poem (Mom said
it's called an essay). I wrote it all by myself too.
Mommy helped me to sound out the words though. All I need to
do now is get a photo taken of my vehicle, which I so properly
named, police car, and mail it all in. I am so excited...if I
win I get 100 dollars to spend on an Lego set that I want! How
exciting is that?
This is what my poem says:
Pols Car.
Lits flash. Robbrs cant brak the windo.
Car has bad gi radr.
Wish me luck!
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Basketball Game #2
January 12 , 2008 |
We had our
second basketball game today and this team we played were pretty
tough. They were a bit more aggressive and were able to get a
lot of rebounds, so that meant a lot of running for my team! I
did a pretty good job and had fun. I started to get tired
towards the end but my team didn't give up.
Mom and Dad said that they have fun watching everyone play - and I
thought it was funny that a girl from my class was on the other
team!
I think I know what we will be doing at practice tomorrow!
Rebound, rebound, rebound!
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Bowling
Fun
January 13 , 2008 |
Daddy had to go
to work today but that didn't stop Mommy and me from going bowling!
We weren't able to go last weekend because of the Farm Show so we
didn't want to miss another weekend.
It was busy this morning as they were holding a tournament but we
were able to get a lane, we just had to be right next to people.
That was fine, although at first I didn't want to because I didn't
want people watching me.
This time Mommy and me bowled 2 games instead of just one and I did
just fine. I got 2 spares and the one I picked up was a split!
I remembered how to put my fingers in the ball but I need to work on
my backswing - I still kind of just throw it down there instead of
rolling it. Mommy did pretty good too...she got a "turkey" -
that means three strikes in a row! It was awesome and I
cheered for her!
There was an older man and young adult bowling next to us and Mommy
showed me how you wait until that person is done before you go up
and throw your ball...well, anyway, when they were finished, the man
came up to Mommy and said that it was a pleasure bowling next to us
and that her son (hey, that's ME!) has excellent bowling etiquette!
:) He also said that I was doing a pretty good job at bowling
too!
I had kept myself entertained by drawing while I was waiting for my
turn, I am working on my own Lego design and I am drawing the
directions. Anyway, it was a fun morning...I bowled a 77 and a
78. Mommy bowled a 166 and a 126. We hope that Daddy can
come next time...as he and Mommy like to compete. So far Mommy
is winning!
We also think that I may try to bowl a few frames without using the
bumpers next time we go. It was just too crowded this week and
since we were right next to someone, Mommy didn't want to go onto
the approach with me.
Whew...this is a long entry just about bowling! I still have
basketball practice later!
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Basketball Practice #6
January 13 , 2008 |
Just like I
thought and the coach's first comment was....what did we NOT do at
our game yesterday? REBOUND, REBOUND and REBOUND!
So...guess what the first 15 minutes of practice was.....yup!
I tried and tried but wasn't able to get one! I didn't get
upset and the coaches were trying really hard to get one up there
and in my direction. Some of the kids are just faster and
taller than me and I have to admit I think I am a bit afraid of
people knocking me over or getting hurt. I tried and the coach
said that is all he wants to see.
We also practiced "stopping the ball", too many of us are running
(heads down) and to our spots and not watching the ball. So we
had to practice running to our spots but turning around to see where
the ball was at and if it was near us to go to it first.
Then we practiced passing...to be sure that we aren't trying to
throw the ball too far. I did pretty good with this just need
to be a little faster before the other team still my ball that I am
dribbling!
I learn a lot at practice and actually kind of like it!
Typical for me though, I won't tell you that, you can just tell by
watching me.
I have developed
quite the "fan-base" though...all the parents root for me at
practice!
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Week #20 ~
Kindergarten News
January 18 , 2008 |
Yup, I am still
in school and learning more and more every day. We are still
reading a lot of stories about winter which seem a bit odd, since it
hasn't exactly felt much like winter around here. We did
manage to get some snow yesterday but when I got home from school
today Mr. Sun had melted it all! Bummer!
Anyway, my class has been learning all about the parts of a story
and we have written our first class book called "The Mitten".
I will get to bring it home for Mom & Dad to read and they get to
write a comment on the back for my teacher to read to the class!
We have been talking a lot about winter animals, animal tracks and
hibernation. We are practicing writing sentences.
Remembering to use an initial capital, spacing between words and
punctuation at the end. My favorite to use is the excitement
mark!!!!
We finished another math chapter, this one was on patterns and I got
another perfect score on my test! Woo-Hoo!
Our theme for centers is all about The Farm. We had to decide
if the writing on an animal is a letter, word, or a sentence and had
to sort it correctly. We are unscrambling wall words!
That is tricky but fun! We will be creating a farm scene and
writing bout it, graphing farm animals, sorting fruits and
vegetables, reading a farm book a, and writing clues to an animal of
my choice to hide inside a barn.
Whew...we are busy kids!
Exciting news for next month is report card day is coming up! |
Basketball Game #3
January 19 , 2008 |
We had an early
game today, but we had to arrive even earlier and have our pictures
taken!
I managed to get one rebound today and started dribbling right up
the court, only to find out that the ball was "out"
already...bummer. Everyone still cheered for me though.
My team scored quite a few baskets and Coach said we did much better
this week. |
Bowling Fun
January 20 , 2008 |
We went bowling
again and this time we got Daddy to go with us. I did really
good this time and am really learning to throw the ball the right
way. It is now becoming quite obvious that when i throw it the
"right" way, I do much, much better.
Daddy wasn't able to beat mommy this week either! She shut him
up with 4 strikes in a row!
Game is ON next week!
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Basketball Practice #7
January 20 , 2008 |
This week at
practice we went over the same things as last week, a lot of
practice of getting in there to get the rebound.
We practiced more running and remembering to turn around and look
for the ball.
I had to be reminded to pay attention and to stop being
silly....oops. |
Basketball Game #4
January 26 , 2008 |
So, technically,
but off the record...my team has won 4 out of 3 games. This
one was close as my team dominated the "A" quarter and theirs
dominated the "B" quarters. To explain the "A" and "B"
thing...the more advanced/older players play the first & third
quarters and the younger/less skilled players play in the second &
fourth quarters. I'm on the "B" team!
I did pretty good this week. Mom and Dad told me to bring my
hustle this week and I did! Boy, did I need it....there was
one point in the game where by the time I got to my spot I had to
turn right back around and go back! I kept up with the rest of
my team though. I didn't get any rebounds this week but did
have the ball 3 times and got to show off my dribbling and passing
skills. I really do not get close enough to the basket to make
any shots...but we have learned that isn't always the most important
thing!
Although, I won't admit it...probably ever...I do like playing
basketball!
Oh - we got our pictures back already! Daddy thinks I look all
grown-up in them. They are a little dark but still came out
pretty nice. I was excited to be up front in the the middle of
the team photo AND I got to hold the ball!
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Bowling Fun
January 27 , 2008 |
Last Sunday in
January and Daddy's last chance this month to beat Mommy! Did
he pull it off? NO! Mommy is the Queen of January!
I was sooo close to getting a strike this week! I got quite a
few nines! I did manage quite a few spares this week too!
Better luck to you in February Daddy!
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Basketball Practice #8
January 27 , 2008 |
I am enjoying
basketball practice more and more. We are doing a lot of
practice with rebounds and stopping the ball when on defense.
The coach told me that I need to eat my spinach so I can get that
ball up to the net!
I'm excited for next weeks game, the Hartley's are going to come
watch me play!
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