School Days

Ella has had a few projects going on in school.  Her 2nd grade class did a "Mini Society". Each student got "Burrito Bucks" by doing jobs...like presenting their poems to a Kindergarten Class, etc.  Each student also needed to have a business which provided a service or sold an item.  Ella decided to do a Bean Bag Toss. It cost $2 to play and you got a treat for playing.  If you got any number of bean bags into a hole then you got an additional treat.  The Mini Society was held each Tuesday afternoon for 4 weeks.  This gave the students an opportunity to adjust their business plan.  Ella's business did very well.  There was usually a line at her business.  Each student gave a brief business presentation prior to the opening of the society.  Ella usually had her eye on something she wanted to purchase like...a pet rock, origami, paper plate ping pong, puff ball shooter, etc.  With a suggestion from Dad, she decided to change it up on the last day.  The first 4 students to get all 3 bean bags in a hole would receive a full size candy bar.  It was funny because as soon as the society opened, Ella closed her business to go and purchase something, while A LOT of students lined up for a try at a candy bar.  It reminded me of Black Friday shopping 2nd grade style.  Ella made lots of money and didn't spend much of it.

Her teacher gave me some money and Ella gave me some as well.  I enjoyed several back massages, playing hopscotch and buying a few treats.  It was fun and the students loved it.

It was Ella's turn to do a science experiement for her class.  We tried a few things but finally settled on, "Can you peel a raw egg?"  Is it possible?  You place a raw egg into a container and add vinegar to cover it.  The vinegar mixes with the egg shell and after several hours...like overnight...you have a peeled egg.  We did the experiment every day for 5 days and took all of the specimens to her class.  As the egg peels, it takes on the vinegar and swells in size.  She demonstrated the experiemnt and then to everyone's amazement uncovered the pan of specimens.

Look Who's in 2nd Grade

Ella is in 2nd Grade this year!  I wish my heart felt such enthusiasm, but I am glad that she is happy to go to school.  It truly is more of an adjustment for me.

There are A LOT of kids Ella's age.  I think there are 8 or 9 2nd grade classes at her school.

It's Spring!

We are so happy that it is Spring.  All of our Daffodils are in bloom with the Tulips right behind them.  I love this time of year.

Ella has been waiting all winter to sell lemonade.  It was still a little chilly but hey when you are 7 as long as the sun is shining it is a good selling day.  I had to laugh because the first price they wanted to put on their sign was $10.00 per glass.  We need to work on economics!  I tried to get them to lower the price even more....really who buys neighborhood lemonade at $2/glass.  I was surprised.  They did get a couple of sales....and I told them those people get free refills for the whole summer.  Ella reminded me that the glasses are really big and they needed to charge enough money to be able to split it between the 2 of them.  She has big plans for this summer.

Easter egg coloring

I found this fun wind catcher for our yard.

Happy Easter!

Local PTA day at Harmon's.  Ella was so cute with the girls who painted her face.  

Dr. Suess dress up day at school.  Any guesses????  I dislike the whole dresing up thing anytime of year and so I was pretty worried when I realized how important this day was to Ella.  I searched the Dr. Seuss books for the simplest thing and came up with this.......Yertle the Turtle. 

The mustache was a prize from the dentist who visited Ella's school class.  Silly!

This is a very common occurrence at our house.  Byron and Ella reading.  I'm usually doing something else.......catching up on sleep comes to mind.  Ella hasn't missed a day of reading since school started....well actually she hasn't missed a day in her whole life......being read to clearly counts.  We have Byron to thank for her passion for reading.  He says that I don't give myself credit but I know Ella would not be as great of a reader if it wasn't for him.  Thanks Byron!!  

There is a reading train in Ella's 1st grade class and I think there are 15 stops or cars on the train.  You get to move to the next car when you have read for 10 days.  Ella is on train stop #8 for the second time.  Ella is having a read-a-thon at school today.  She got to wear pajamas and take a blanket, pillow, stuffed animal, treats and of course a book to read.  She was excited!  Great job Ella!  Now if only they could make learning math that fun.

Back to School

We have year around school.  I don't like it in the summer, but I am getting more used to it during the other times of the year.  I still have to check the school magnet calendar to see when she is supposed to be in school and when she isn't.  It is fun to do things that we probably wouldn't do if Ella was in school.  Ella says the best thing we did while she was off track this time was "Going to Gardner Village".  She liked to look for the witches.  Ella is excited to go back to school tomorrow and see her teacher.  She is ready to tell everyone her "secret".....that she lost her first 2 teeth while off track.  The truth is they didn't come out on their own.....nitrous, numbing medicine, a ceiling movie..."The Tooth Fairy" (her choice), and a shake from In and Out made it just great.  I asked her if she wanted all of her teeth taken out that way and she said, "yes".......I say that's too expensive!!

Ella's first day of 1st grade!!  This is my way of catching up on my goal of starting a blog...use pictures that aren't current, but are related to the theme.  We had our first winter storm this week!