We are having a short vacation in Maggie Valley to welcome 2011. As you can see from these pictures the 17 inches of snow is just another Christmas gift from God. It is so bright and amazing. I always forget how fluffy snow can actually be. Marshall & Emerson have entertained themselves by having snowball fights and making a snowman. A crisp snow makes everything so quiet. Please enjoy your last few days of 2010 and think about the many blessings God has given you during this past year.
Our last week was so hectic that I forgot to put up our letter picture. We had carolers on our door and sang so perfectly at the Christmas program that we decided we would use the letter v for voice. Sometimes it is angelic and sometimes it is loud - but thank you God for our wonderful voices to share His word and love with those around.
Forgive this very late post, but my hard drive died and my sweet husband worked through Christmas to restore everything to a new one. This is now past due, but as a proud mama I had to put this up. On Sunday 12/19/10 the children of St. James Lutheran Church performed a musical about the arrival of Baby Jesus. It was a cute play about the happenings in the stable from the animal's point of view. I was so proud of all the children, especially Marshall & Emerson - just because they are mine. The little ones were so funny in their animal costumes but were so big sitting, standing & singing on cue. As a parent, there are some moments in life that are awe inspiring. I am amazed that God blessed Jeff & I with two beautiful boys, but more awesome is the fact that our 9 1/2 year old was brave enough to sing a solo. Yes God is an awesome God!
This is something you don't see everyday - a hot air balloon right over our house. We happened to catch this on Sunday afternoon. Maybe you were lucky enough to see this magical sight floating over Food Lion, Saxe Gotha Presbyterian & Mallard Lakes/Hills. There is something so inspiring about a hot balloon and it was a fun thing for all of us to see.
I know that the children love to open treats, but there is one small item in their bag that should be placed under the tree until Christmas morning. If you can help your child wait on this tiny gift, please do. This is God's Christmas gift to us and will be placed in the tiny manger your child received at the beginning of December. We are still waiting and it is so hard for all of us. "Get ready! Get ready! Get ready for the baby!..."
It was such a good day on Thursday, even without going to the playground. We did a little bit of work, played some games, enjoyed a yummy lunch and had lots of fun!!! Party day is always a little bit crazy, but we were really well behaved. Thank you to the parents who helped make this day special. You can see from the pictures above that we came to school with festive clothes and silly faces.
It was a day of perfecting our "passing" skills because we played pass "Rudolph" and pass "Frosty." This is much more complicated than you think because when the group gets smaller, you have to pass with more skill, while refraining from throwing. (This is so hard when the music is fun to listen to.)
Even waiting in the hall to switch classes was fun because all of friends were "trading" too.
Our class game was an easier version of "musical chairs." This was a really fun class game that even required a little math skills with number recognition. I think we'll use this again on rainy days.
Best wishes for a safe & happy holiday season. The children will be missed, but please take some time to relax & enjoy your family.
For those of you who don't get to make it to the preschool, here is the latest display outside of our classroom. We sent home our really cute trees and put up some comments about Christmas. You can read them pretty well, but in case you can't see this - Do not leave chocolate out for Santa's elves. I was just informed by one of our classmates that they are allergic to chocolate. Who knew?
We celebrated the "day before the last day of school" with pajama day. This is always a super fun day filled with energy & excitement. Even though it was probably one of the coldest mornings in years, we braved the bitter chill in our pj's for a movie & some hot chocolate. (and some work too.) Again I confess that the energy in our classroom is contagious and invigorating. Yes it is loud, but childhood is magical and this is the season to celebrate! We also ended our day with our warm hot chocolate. (complete with marshmallows, whipped cream & sprinkles.) If you haven't ever celebrated pajama day, maybe you should recommend it to your employer. It is really fun, especially if you have any shopping to do. I am not sure if other shoppers thought I was a little crazy or maybe just "really" in the Christmas spirit.
We also had another friend stop in today and say "hi" to our class. He is a daddy that has been gone for a very long time working far away and our friend in our class was so proud to "show him off." He even read us two books. (Amazing that daddy's can read!) It is rare for us to sit for two whole books, but we all loved it. Welcome home to our friend's daddy! (PS - Our door is always open to any parent volunteers to read to us - just beware that a group hug will occur at the conclusion of the book.)
Today was such a special day (besides being pajama day!) One of our teacher friends came back to say Hello! We were so HAPPY to see her! Can you tell by the way that we are all crowded around that she was a special helper last year in the three year old class downstairs. Christmas is for visiting with special friends - even at preschool!
Today we learned about another Christmas family tradition. It is the Cuban Christmas celebration called "Noche Buena" and it means "good night." This hearty meal of pork, black beans & rice is enjoyed on Christmas eve as the family waits on the arrival of Baby Jesus. Our treat today was the yummy dessert enjoyed by the family and they are called "churros." This is like a doughnut with sugar on top. It was so good. (It is best described as a "funnel cake.") Thank you so much to our mom who made these fresh this morning to share with our class. These treats would make it so much easier to wait on Christmas at my house. Warm & sugary - they were delicious on this really cold day. 
I cannot begin to express my thanks for making this birthday so special! I am so humbled by your generosity and can not find the right words to share my feelings. This was such a wonderful day. I know that it sounds "hokey" but I love this job so much that I feel guilty getting a pay check for doing it. (Your support of ourclassroom is gift enough for me.) God blessed me with this wonderful opportunity and I praise Him every day for the gift of your families. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for all that you did to make my very old birthday so great!
Silly faces are everywhere. Today we lit the third candle on our advent wreath. (As you know, leaving only one until Christmas!!!!) We are full of energy and excitement as we finish this last school week of 2010. Unfortunately the cold temperatures are not giving us any relief on the playground. It appears that we won't get to go out any day this week. Isn't Christmas joy contagious? You would think that this kind of thing gets old, but it never does. Childhood is infectious - especially this time of year. I hope it is catching at your house. We can't wait for Baby Jesus! (and Santa.)
Today we visited another country as we learn about Christmas around the world. It was St. Lucia Day. These are our maidens for St. Lucia, aren't they beautiful? They helped serve our snack to the boys in our room. Don't be surprised if your girls want to wear these at dinner and ask if they can help in any way.
Part of our Christmas Art Show this year was a wooden "spindle" tree. This was a labor of love for Mr. Jeff & myself. We are not woodworkers, so be kind in your observation of this simple gift. Some of the arms aren't exactly straight, but it was a first attempt for us. (Factor in the learning curve for next year and they will be better.) See this document to explain the meaning of the ornaments on the tree. We painted our trees white because the children want to make some ornaments for each season of the year. (Valentine's Day and Easter - the rest will be up to you.) I use Emerson's tree to display pictures and phrases - so it is kind of an ongoing display. The crosses that are pictured here are a new addition this year. This ornament is based on a traditional Lutheran Chrismon made of beads where a large cross is affixed to a round glass globe to signify that God is bigger than the Earth. The traditional Chrismon is a little too complicated for us, so I adapted it to a wooden cross. The children were so excited to make their ornaments. Please enjoy this tree during the Christmas season and rejoice in the GOOD NEWS that Baby Jesus is on His way. Happy Advent & Shalom!
The boys and girls did such a great job singing in our Christmas program. Even though some of us were very scared, we did it! (and one of us even had shots and did the program with "boo-boos" and aching legs) Standing in front of lots of smiling faces can be a little bit intimidating, but I was so proud of each child. We were dressed in our best and ready to share God's love.
It was a wonderful program last night and there were proud grandparents in attendance. (Of course they had to come to see these beautiful children sing about the coming of Baby Jesus.) I know that I still missed some of you but am working hard to make sure that I get a picture of everyone. It is so obvious that these boys and girls are blessed with wonderful families. Thank you for being wonderful grandparents!
With all of the holiday craziness, our class has been a little bit wild. This week we learned about the letter Uu and we decided it was for "upside down." This is that fun, amazing time of year that we are busy, excited, and tired all at the same time - sort of upside down.
One of our class sayings is "always do your best work." This friend was so proud of his work today. (and this was only the first of four little pictures on this sheet.) He really took his time with this umpire and I had to share it. Great job!
We had another guest reader today. He read us a really great book about Splat the cat and a Christmas "adventure." The children had so much fun watching this friend read his funny book. (not to mention his funny expressions.) Thank you friend for coming to visit us today. We can't wait to grow up and learn to read just like you.
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