The Miniature Earth

Facebook has been an interesting esperience. It can be frivilous and I can feel guilty not responding to everything I read or see. The best thing is that it has allowed me an opportunity to touch base again with old friends I thought I would never hear from or see again. I have now had contact with Karen Kushner from elementary and high school days, BJ Prior from camp days and Cheryl Watson and Scott Kelly from Asbury days.

I have been sent a lot of videos and thought this was very pertinent for this time of year when we reflect on helping others. We truly are blest to have financial security, all of our basic needs met, family who care for us, and peace in our society. In particular I am blessed to have peace in my heart. May we all appreciate what God has given us and may we never take it for granted.

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Music Video

As a primary teacher I just couldn't resist posting this on my blog. There is alight show using this song,but I thought this was a little more interesting. ENJOY!

Miss Piggy Goes Camping

I found this Miss Piggy number - just for Jennifer!

I'm Counting My Blessings!

What is eaten in one week!
Just in case you need to think of something new to be thankful for this holiday season.....
This is undoubtedly one of the most interesting e-mails I've ever received. Take a good look at the family size & diet of each country, and the availability & cost of what is eaten in one week.

Italy: The Manzo family of SicilyFood expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Germany: The Melander family of BargteheideFood expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07United States: The Revis family of North Carolina (Sure hope most Americanfamilies eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less junk food than this family.)Food expenditure for one week $341.98 Mexico: The Casales family of CuernavacaFood expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09 Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-JeziornaFood expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of CairoFood expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador: The Ayme family of TingoFood expenditure for one week: $31.55
Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey VillageFood expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03
Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23 ?

Don't know about you, but right about now, I'm counting my blessings!

Winter Storm Warning!

I LOVE snow! I LOVE snow storms! There can never be enough snow, as long as I don't have to drive in it. Tonight we should be getting a dumping. I plan to sit in front of the fireplace and stay warm and cuddly. My favourite memories are when Don and I took a walk about 2-3:00 in the morning when all was still, no one on the roads, and no tracks in the snow. The beauty of fresh fallen snow can't be matched. I only hope it stays around another week until Christmas or we get another dumping just in time for Santa.

Oh - I can't wait to use my new camera to catch it all!

My New Camera

I finally saved up enough money to get myself a digital SLR. YIPPEE! Now they playing begins. It is going to take me forever to learn how to work everything. There are so many options. I can't wait for Christmas. Barbara, hope you can show me everything!

My first official event to photograph was Rick's Christmas party. It was a lot of fun. We had a girl at our table named Heather who giggled through the dinner, especially when there was an announcement about the dancing about to begin. She had a boyfriend at another table and she couldn't contain her excitement.

As for Rick, his big excitement was sitting beside Barbara because the food just kept on coming! Even when Barabra finally announced that the food was gone he reached out his hand and grabbed a handful of whatever he could find and stuck it in. Man, that boy is the fastest grabber in the west! Kudos to Barabra for being quick witted and grabbing back the honking slab of meat that just happened to have a teeny corner sticking out of Rick's mouth. Rick would have been chewing that all night and probably the next day!

Flat Stanley Comes For a Visit

I read the novel, Flat Stanley, with my class. Stanley was a normal boy until one night when he was sleeping a bulletin board fell on him. Now he is as flat as a piece of paper. To encourage my students to write, they each made a Flat Stanley and took him home for the weekend for a visit. I also did the same thing and made a slideshow of our visit. Here are a handful of the pictures from the slideshow:

Flat Stanley walked in the Brampton Santa Claus parade under Don's hat!


Flat Stanley went to pizza hut and ate a whole personal meat lovers pan pizza all to himself!


Don and Flat Stanley spent a lot of time together playing games on the computer. Stanley even beat Don in a game! Later they watched Hockey Night in Canada together.


Yoda and Stanley became buddies for the weekend. Stanley and Yoda slept together.

My students are presently preparing letters and a questionnaire. They are hoping to find people who love to have Flat Stanley visit them for a week and take pictures of his adventures. Stanley's new friends would take him with them wherever they go and take pictures of places he visits. They will also answer the questionnaire and mail him back to us. My grade 3 students will read the journal and the questionnaire and look at the pictures (which could be e-mailed) to determine if Stanley visited an urban or a rural community. FUN TIMES IN GRADE 2/3!

Any takers? If you know anyone who would be interested, let me know.