School Projects

Ally’s class is wrapping up their unit on the Oceans, but before they do each student gets the chance make a giant sea creature. Ally and her class mate Jaylinne did the Pulpo (octopus).

When I picked Ally up from school one day last week I saw the beautiful octopus. I got out my phone and snapped a picture. The next day her teachers showed me that the girls did research about the octopus and said I should take more pictures, since now the research was done!

An octopus look like a floppy balloon is the main part of the octopuss body it is called the mantle

Home work at school this week was to find one thing that floats and one thing that sinks. Ally set up a container of water on her craft table and searched the house for things. She came back with a silver cup (that sinks) and a wishing star (that floats). The assignment was to bring them in, and draw of picture of them.

Ally's teacher emailed all the parents the picture above - Ally is 3rd from the left on the bottom row. It was great to see all of the students with their masks. It was really interesting, because they are masks of themselves, which is pretty funny.

Black History Month Concert

Last week Ally had her school concert. She attends a k-8 school, and every grade had something to perform. The concert started at 630 with the kindergarten classes, all 4 classes performed together. Lots of people left after that, but we stayed thru the whole thing, because Ally asked to, and at the end the entire school and parents sang 2 final songs together.

Ally at home before the concert. The school asked that the students wear white tops and black or dark colored bottoms and shoes. Every student also made a collage pin (Ally is wearing hers – it’s the yellow square on her shirt) which was supposed to be a symbol of school unity. The pose on the left cracks me up – its Ally’s current picture pose.

Ally and mommy walking to school. We met up with Erik and his mom on our way in, and were able to get a picture of the two friends before the concert. (Erik is Ally’s friend from pre-school, and they two of them have been in the same class for 4 years now.)

The performance!  They sang 3 songs:

There’s A Little Wheel A Turning In My Heart

Que Canten Los Ninos

We Shall Overcome

Ally sat with her friends for a while after the kindergarten performance, but most left so she came and sat with us – it was a long wait until the end – the concert was not over until about 845!  But we stayed and joined in with everyone else to sing Lift Every Voice & Sing and This Little Light of Mine.

It was a great night.

Florida Part 4–Adventures & Silliness

 

The picture on the left is at the airport in Boston while we waited to board our plane. There was a snow storm and we were a bit concerned our flight would be canceled. It was not canceled just delayed a bit while we were de-iced. Ally was as usual a perfect passenger and travel companion. She never complains and is so easy going.

I set Aunt Martha’s hair a couple of times during the week. She likes it, and I don’t mind at all – its kind of fun to do an “old school” beauty task. Ally is sporting a new dress (thanks Aunt M).

It’s a tradition to go to the “bird restaurant” the birds were not so exciting this year, and we had a bit of a wait to be seated. But we still had a great meal and a good time.

One of my mom’s neighbor’s bought Ally a very cute stuffed teddy bear – she is holding a pink rose, so we named her Flower and she had the honor of accompanying us every where the rest of the week.

 

Later that day we decided to go out for ice cream, but Aunt Martha wanted to stay home – we had Ally ask her if she wanted us to bring her some back. Of course she said yes – so we then made Ally write down the flavor “pepr ment” and since it was February and I was afraid they would not have peppermint ice cream we made her ask for a second choice and “ment halet”

As it turns out they did have peppermint! But the 4 of us enjoyed our ice cream in the Village and Aunt Martha had hers at home later.

 

 

One day we went to an orange grove. We took a tram tour of the orchard and they have a small rescue center for animals. Ally was enthralled (we have officially deemed her a future scientist of some kind). She said her favorite part was getting her picture taken with the small screech owl.

 

We got mini donuts one day, and Ally loved them.

A highlight for Becky and I was watching Ally work on this picture. Above left is Ally working on the picture, right is what she wrote on the back.

Below left is the finished masterpiece. Ally drew her the view outside the window (picture at lower right). The detail is amazing to us – the orange sand truck, the pink bucket, the curved legs of table, the bushes had reddish leaves up close, the roof line – it was all so real and true and accurate.

 

Out to breakfast one morning Ally had a HUMUNGOUS pancake, and we all giggled that Grandma Barbie wore her bathing suit to the restaurant.

 

Henrietta the white heron was back again this year – Ally walked over close to it, and it flew up on the roof.

A group shot of all of us outside the restaurant on our last night there.

 

Good bye picture at the airport.

Thank you Grandma Barbie and Aunt Martha for a wonderful vacation.

Florida Part 3–The Pool

I think Ally spent on average 4 hours a day at the pool.

Trying to blow water out of the noodle at mama  - if you look closely you can see that Becky’s noodle has water coming out like a fountain.

Ally was pretty brave about jumping in – she even jumped into the deep end.

She loved having me throw her – and she even stood on my shoulders for a while.

Standing on a noodle was another challenge.

Grandma spent tons of time in the pool this year – it was really hot. Ally just had so much fun, she loved the pool.