MSU Fan?

Hello all!

If you are an MSU fan, then you need to click on this link and check out this site:

http://radiancetile.com/

I also added the link to my "Good Links" section to the right of my blog. Check it out!

Norma-Dean

A few weeks ago, I found out that a good number of my 6th grade class own or have owned turtles as pets! Now, I have always wanted to have a turtle as a pet, but in the states you need expensive cages, heat lamps, special food, etc. It just always seemed like too much work and money for one pet. However, learning that a number of my students had them, made my ears perk up a bit. Could it be possible that I own a turtle!!??! Now, my 6th graders and I are pretty tight. We have conversations; I ask their advice; we talk. So I began asking them about turtles. Pretty soon I had the entire class involved. Someone's parents knew where to find good turtles, someone's aunt's turtle just had eggs, someone else's uncle could build me a cage...hmmm maybe this IS possible! This very day (November 5th), one of my student's mothers offered to pick me up after school and take me to the pet store where I might buy a turtle! I decided I could go and see how much work and money this might take. When I showed up to the pet store, learned that it would only cost 8 Cedis (about $8), that I could keep it outside in our garden, and that it ate people food like veggies and fruits, I was sold! Well, except for one little thing. The only smaller turtles that they had were female! Quick back-track: for some reason, when my family and I were visiting an aquarium when I was younger, my mother and I decided to name one of the sea turtles Norman. Ever since then, we've been calling ALL the turtles Norman. So of course, if I actually OWN a turtle, it's GOT to be named Norman. Now if my turtle were a female, I wouldn't be able to call it Norman, you see my dilemma?? This was quickly solved by my adopted mother for the day..."Just call her Norma". Well, duh, Meg! So, I decided her full name would be Norma-Dean because it was Dean and his mother that brought me my Norma. Here are some pictures of her...Isn't she cute!?

Character Day 2008

Normally the 31st (in the U.S.) is called "Halloween", but not at A.I.S.! We had Storybook Character Day last Friday and it was a BLAST!! There were PLENTY of creative costumes with a book-in-hand to match! Some stretched it a bit (me included), but costumes are hard to find when your closet is limited! Here are the costumes and characters our school came up with...

I KNOW Jack Sparrow was from a MOVIE, but SOMEone has published a storybook SOMEWHERE about Pirates of the Caribbean right?? So TECHNICALLY I was a storybook chracter...Jack Sparrow-tattoo and all :) I won a contest in case you were wondering...one of the three most elaborate costumes on the teaching staff...woop woop! I better have won! I stayed up LATE man.


I came to school thinking my costume was pretty sweet...then I met up with DaVinci and his hand-made beard!!!! Rock on Davinch!


Look at the Little Princess and Helen of Troy (who lost her wreath)


Early in the morning kids were showing up in costume, everyone was in a fabulous mood that day :)


Indiana Jones came out to play!


Zorro!!!!!!


Ladies from the Archie Comics-sorry girls I don't know your names


Huckleberry Finn with the biggest hat I've ever seen!


And another winner in the "Most Creative" category...The Doppler Effect! (Those are sound waves. On her back they are farther apart-she's a science teacher, she can explain it better than I can of course)


SpiderMEN


Secret Service/The Joker/Stormtrooper...or something


Nancy Drew was there too!


Frank Hardy and friend


The Joker and his melting face


My 6th graders who dressed up...they rock :)


Okay, I can't remember all the characters, but I know Cat In The Hat, Ester, and Oliver Twist


Zorro, Frank, Rugby Guy, and Indiana


Two of my 7th graders decided to team up to be Nascar


I had to get both angles because they were SO COOL! They ALSO won "Most Creative" for middle school.


7th grade rocks too


High School and some teachers


Crazy 6th graders :P


Funny Face 7th graders


And last but not least, I had to show a picture of the very first day our new/used couch arrived! We've had wicker-backed furniture for as long as we've lived in this house, where our beds were the only place our bums could find comfort. Well, turns out, the school decided to bless us with an EL couch!!!!! Hooray. Ever since it has arrived, we have spent countless hours on that piece of Heaven, watching movies, chatting, and laughing. Oh it's just been glorious....What a great Character Day!! :)


I would LOVE to see costumes of yours if you have pictures to share through e-mail or something. The day felt so odd without pumpkins on every porch, leaves crunching underfoot, OODLES of candy on sale at the store, or little kids shrieking and running around in costume after dark. I hope everyone had a fabulous end to their October, you know this means Christmas is coming soon right? :)