Last week was rather busy. I mean, busier than usual. It started out with Monday at school, where the 3rd graders had a special guest, their favorite tutor from 2nd grade--Jake B.! Jake was a high school senior last year and is a private in the army right now. He came back from Georgia for the holidays and surprised the class with a lunchtime visit. They were just a little excited to see him!
Monday was also the day that the kids presented their big colonial projects to their classmates...and Tuesday we took the show on the road! Here's the "Colonial Village of 1711" out in the hall, a "living history museum" open for tours!
Each of my students was given over a week to research, report, and create visual aids describing a colonial occupation. Everything from cooper (Ally in the purple, at right) to tanner (way down by the exit door)!
Paige was the housewright/carpenter. She did a great job of researching the various facets of her job, and she & I built a little wattle-and-daub miniature house for the museum. Did you know that the early colonists didn't build log cabins? Oh no, they didn't come until the Swedes started settling the New World. (See how much we learn in elementary school!!) Anyway, be sure to ask Paigey what daub is made out of. ;)
Shae was the village apothecary and doctor. She understood that this is like a pharmacist, but she also took on researching the various medical practices that a doctor did at that time, like blood letting (YIKES!). Shae made a jar of homemade cough syrup and gave out spoonfuls to willing tourists. It was actually pretty good and sort of like the home remedy my mom uses!
Later that afternoon, I slipped down to Dubuque for the second half of my lovely root canal. About as fun as you would imagine. Let's just say, the 2nd time around was shorter and less painful, with no blurring in my left eye due to the Novacaine! For which I am very grateful.
By 5:00, I was back in town helping the No Strings Attached puppet group set up. Our middle school youth group fed the puppet team (about 20 people) and set up chairs/mats in the elem. gym. We were hoping to piggy-back off of the parent group's Santa's Workshop that night, and I think it worked. Look at the great turn-out!
"A Camel Called Donkey" was the production of the night. It was pretty good, and NSA always does a nice job with their music/soundtrack/production. I was grateful for them donating their time, with all proceeds going to the Alexander family. Between the Santa's Workshop and the puppet show, we raised over $200 that night!
Later that evening, Wynne vomited. Hooray for the Holiday Flu! NOT. Anyway, the next day was the rehearsal for the big elementary Christmas concert that evening. Poor little Woots missed her first Christmas concert. She cried and cried and cried. Sigh. I reassured her that we would have a little concert at home and listen to her belt out "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and the like. She is so fun to listen to, especially when she's improvising. I think she would make a great jazz vocalist. You should have heard her go on in different keys with "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" yesterday. When she doesn't have a formal audience, she kicks it! (Gee, I am not biased at all.)
But my other enthusiastic singers were a joy to listen to and watch. Paigebird...
and Shaebird. And again, I am not biased at all in my opinion that the 3rd graders sang the most on-key and strongest of all the classes. Not biased at all!
Their last number was with those boom-whacker things. They make different sounds (due to their different lengths/diameters). It was kind of a sports-themed holiday tune to rock music. Cool beans!
Cy's class was the oldest....and after subbing in there on several occasions, I have a special place in my heart for the fifth graders. They opened up with a jazzy spin-off of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" called "Grandpa's Gonna Sue the Pants offa Santa". I know, not very sacred, but a fun tune to hear/watch! They acted it out with pizazz!
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| Rudolph (Cy) and Santa (Nate), the defendant! |
The entire K-5 elementary school (minus several flu victims) sang the traditional finale, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Mrs. Sturmer did a great job with all of them!
Finally it was the last day of school before Christmas vacation! We had a good (Crazy) day at school and finished up with a home basketball game for Ally that night. Marla and her kids brought good luck as we posted our first victory of the season!
The next night, Christmas Eve Eve, was mintmaking time with my sisters' families. We used to do this faithfully every year when the kids were all little, but it's been a few years since we gathered to make and dip mints. Julie is the leader of this project, and we are lucky enough to participate in the yumminess! Kaycie was back from college, and it was good to just get together and relax with family.
If mintmaking can be called "relaxing".
Cy said, "These taste just like York Peppermint Patties!" and they really do. It's an old family recipe which I shall not divulge at this time.
A jam-packed, frantic-yet-fun week!
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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. --Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
