The good day continued ...

For a variety of reasons I didn't  make it upstairs to bed until 2:00 this morning, when I discovered Ali reading - she said she couldn't sleep. So I got her to turn out the light and we chatted quietly for a bit to try and calm her down. While I was telling her that she was the best little girl in the whole world, she told me I was the best mom in the world ... other than herself when she becomes a mom :-)

Alison's recent story: "Too Much Snow"

OK, I'm an overenthusiastic mom, but I think the story Alison wrote recently is surprisingly good. See what you think!

Andrew Lost Teeth - Both Kids Write to Tooth Fairy

Andrew lost a tooth last night (and another this morning!)

Last night he wrote a letter to the tooth fairy. Ali, meanwhile, remembered that she hadn't let the tooth fairy know about a couple of recent lost teeth so she wrote a letter too. Here's their letters (plus a translation for Andrew's

Text of Andrew's letter:

Dear Tooth Fairy, I still want [to keep] my tooth. You might remember where my house is. From Andrew to Tooth [Fairy] This is my second tooth [to fall out].

A great story by Alison

Alison was assigned a class exercise to write a story about a playground fight between two friends. I think this is fantastic!!

Alison's latest essay

Ali had to write a "journal entry." I'm not sure what the guidelines were, but here it is ...

An old quote from Ali -- May 13th

Forgot to put this in, but it's so Ali ...

Ali and I went for a walk to the other side of the lake and she climbed on a jungle gym (climbing frame) she hadn't played on before. She said, "This jungle gym is really made for me. It's so fun -- there's so many different ways to go on it. Every time you go on it you can go a different way!"

A New Story: "Hello Israel", by Alison

Today Alison brought home a story she wrote at school. I think it's just amazing.

Alison plays the recorder

Alison has been practicing for her big recorder concert in two weeks and she and I have been playing some of the duets together. I am astonished at the fact that I remember the fingering. And even more astonished at how absolutely fantastically fun I find playing duets with my little girl. She and I are having a blast.

Her teacher gives them colored "belts" (actually pieces of wool) that are tied to the end of their recorders as they pass various levels of achievement. Alison was very excited to earn her "purple belt" last week

Question from Alison's math test

OK, so I'm a math geek. But Ali showed me this from her recent math test and said that her teacher said that hers was OK, but the red one he drew was better. After making sure she understands the concept (she does) I *love* her line (and think it's better!)

(Note for non-math-geeks ... the arrow at the end means it goes... on forever, so EF goes on forever in both directions, but HG starts at H and only goes on forever towards G and beyond)

Our Snowman

Even more snow today ... and some sleet ... great for making a snowman. Here's the result: traditional charcoal eyes (Alison's idea), carrot nose (my idea), button mouth (Andrew's idea), and a paint job (I brought the paints out, but it was the kids that did the painting!

Mommy's new swimsuit

I got a new tankini (two-piece bathing suit) in the mail last weekend. The bottoms have a little skirt thing because I might as well take advantage of the fashion to hide my hips. I asked Alison what she thought of it. 

Ali: "It's cute, mom, but, you know ... your legs ... you might want to wear stockings with it." 

Me: "With a ...bathing suit?!?" 

Ali: "Oh, I thought it was an outfit. If it's a bathing suit it looks great!"

One wonders where she thought I'd be wearing it. I imagine she thought it was some sort of party dress ...

Ali soccer -- which way is left?

Ali's coach told her that she was going to play left fullback at the game the other day. She walked out onto the field and then held her hands out in front of her (I think to check which side was left by seeing which thumb and index finger form the letter "L". ) Then she ran to her place.

Andrew roots for Ali at Soccer

Took Andrew to watch one of Ali's soccer games. He was cheering "Ali, Ali, Ali, Ali !!!" through the game :-)

A Mathematical Riddle

My mom is spending the night. It's later than I'd like for them to go to bed, and so my Mom & I are rushing to get Andrew into his PJs and then mom is going to read to Andrew. Ali dances in the room while brushing her teeth and tells grandma a riddle: "A snail is trapped in a 10 foot well. Every day it climbs up 3 feet and then back down 2 feet. How many days until it gets out? I'll be back in a second to hear your answer" and she dances out the room.

Andrew stage whispers to my mom, "grandma, it's 7" (I don't think he understands, but he's heard Ali tell it 20 times now

(FYI - on day 7 it goes up 3 and then gets out before it drops down 2, get it?)).

Kids Flu Shot Notes - 9/25/09

Ali and Andrew got flu shots. They weren't as bad as they thought they'd be. I asked them to write notes to themselves saying that they weren't so bad so they could remember it later:

Andrew's note (dictated to me):
Dear Andrew,
I know the shot was quick, but I don't know why we had the flu shot.
Love, Andrew

Ali's Note (she wrote it)
Dear Ali,
A shot is not so bad any more if yo don't riggle. It's just a dot done!
Love,
Who fond out shots are not so bad
Alison

Alison's Letter About 3rd Grade

Tuesday night I went to "back to school" night in Ali's classroom where I got to meet her teacher and hear a bit about what the class is doing at school. Each child had written a letter to their parent(s) during the school day. Here's Ali's letter -- apparently she *really* likes her new teacher. I like him too.

Alison's Passover Questions

Very old stuff that I never posted that's from last Passover:

Ali (who's almost 8) usually can't sit still for more than 2 seconds, and I thought I might make it easier for her this year by asking her if she would be willing to lead the seder (it was just us, my parents, and Abby) -- I'd make up a spreadsheet of what to do when, but she's in charge of asking different people to read, leading the songs, etc. She loved the idea. I upped the ante slightly by saying she had to pick among some of the questions in the "family haggadah" we have for discussion during the seder. She said she didn't want to do that, she wanted to make up her own. So here is her list of questions:

For all of the questions I'm going to ask tonight there is no right or wrong answer. Also, if you can't think of an answer you can say "pass" and we'll come back to you. Finish this sentence: "I like this seder because …."

• Why do you think that Moses wasn't scared to go up and demand his people's freedom?
• How would you explain Passover to all four children at the same time?
• Leaving Egypt was exciting and sad. Which would you feel: more happy or sad and would you like to explain (but you don't have to)
• What is your favorite symbol on the seder plate?
• Why do you think we wash our hands twice?
• These symbols stand for bitterness and cement. Why do we put the bitterness and cement together?
• Do you think Elijah likes coming to everyone's house and does he have a straw or not?
• Israel is a happy place. Would you like to live there?

Alison's Writer's Notebook

Today was the last day of school and Ali brought home her "Writer's Notebook". In it she wrote a lot of cute stuff. Here are some of my favorites:

9-16-08
On the first day of school I was wairing pink. I colored a picher of a bear. I played with my firends from last year !!

9-26-08
I lik to eat rols from shoprite. When I go out I like to go with my mom. When Andrew dusint come I like to sit in the highe chairs. You can see out thou the windose.

10-3-08
10 good things about Andrew.
1. There is sumone to play when mom and dad is bisay
2. I love Andrew and he loves me.
3. Sumtimes when he gos out and gets sumthing he gets me sumthing too.
4. When he has sum cinde of toy he will shair most of the time
5. When I play a game I don't have to play it by my self.
6. Andrew is nice
7. Andrew is funny
8. Andrew is fun to play with.
9. He is the best brather.
10. He is cute.

10-8-80
My list of Favorite Foods
Vnilla ice cream
decrating donuts
spgetey with cechup
corn on the cod
cheedos
soft Pretols
Chips
Soy Chips
Stroderys
bloberys
apples with huney
Pizza

11-10-08
On the 4 days off I had a sleepover. I had alot of fun. I watched a lot of tv. Soon it was time for diner me and my brother had pasta shapt like letters. After diner it was time for bed. In the morning we went ot my hebrew school. oops!! There isn't hebrew school today. Then we went shoping. Soon it was time to go home!!

2-17-08
Have you ever bin on a indoor Picnic? I have! In my house I have a door in the living room. On the other side there are screens to keep the bugs out . But air can come in. So it is just like being out side with out the bugs. We bring the table and chairs in after we move some of the stuf that is in there. Because we keep other thing in there. When we are set up we can finly eat. It is a lot of fun! If you never bin on a indoor picnic, you should try one!!

3-5-09
"I can win now I know it" I said. As I went back in the cort for the new game. I was in for about a minet And then I was out. Wehn I wated for the new game, I akst myself why do I always get out? When I got older I got beter at gaga. When I was about 4, 5, or 6 I won. Now I win all the time. And now gaga is my favorite sport. I like gaga because it is fun to hit and doge the ball. Have you ever tried gaga? Cas if you haveint you should try it.

4-8-09
to night is the first night of passover. And I get to lead the seader. I pick questchuns and a game. I tell all the page nubers. I say who leads what untill it is over. It will be very late and my mom will say "go strate to bed or you will be very cranky" but I won't go to bed! Ha ha.

Alison's Travel Journal 06/02/09

At the top of the page is a picture of our car driving down the highway

Today I got up and then wacthed some TV. Then I packted [packed] and packted and packted. Then we went on the long journey back home. I'm so glad to be back home and to see my friends.

Alison's Travel Journal 06/01/09

The picture at the top of the page is of a flower shaped cookie with M&M candies all over it.

6-1-09 day 9

Today when I got up I wacted [watched] some TV. Then I went to the beach and Played and staed (stayed), Played and stayed played and stayed. I thought I [had] a big personal beach [before] but the beach today was huge. When we left for the beach in [it] was morning. When I left it was dinner time. After one of the best dinners ever [nothing special, but she was really hungry!], I ate a MEM cookey [cookie] and now I going to bed.