Please Let Me Know

Parent/Teacher Meeting
I thought our Parent/Teacher meeting was very productive tonight. I love how Mrs. M is so organized and pretty much has an answer for everything. LOVE IT! As soon as I sat down, there was a syllabus in front us. I glanced through it and there were lots to cover. Our meeting lasted maybe an hour, but we went over what the kids will be covering the next several months - READ AND WRITING.

According to Mrs. M, next week all of the children will be getting into the meat of the Kindergarten experience. They all have taken their class assessments on literacy. We will receive the results as soon as she gets them back. She did warn us to not get upset if our child scores low because this is the first time they've been exposed to testing. It basically tells where the teachers need to begin and when they are tested in January, it will give them a better understanding as to their teaching skills.

To help out with letter and sound recognition, each child is to be responsible for being a specific letter expert. For instance, Katie is assigned the letter "Ff." She has to tell the class, with Mrs. M's help, what the letter is, how it sounds, have a show and tell that begins with that letter and to recite a poem Mrs. M has assigned. Mrs. M said it is totally optional if the parents want to give a treat out to the students that begin with the specific letter. My question is what GOOD treat could I share with the class that begins with the letter "F"? I need your help. Doug suggested, Fish (Goldfish crackers), Frosted Flakes and fruit. I can't give fruit because it will need to be kept cold. I thought of Frosted Animal Crackers, but would that be too much sugar? Please let me know. I value your opinion. Thanks!

Next week, Katie has to turn in a poster all "About Her."  Mrs. M gave me a sheet of tan construction paper with a little girl/boy traced out.  This girl is suppose to represent Katie.  I have to cut it out and dress it up to be her.  I'm not an artist by no means, so I need your prayers to get this project accomplished.  I do know we have to have a lot of ballet and pink.  Stay tuned . . .

Katie will be bringing books home every day next week to read and have projects to complete.  I'm so glad I started her on the "Bob" books this past Summer.  She is comfortably reading the pink books to me and she read, with help, one green book tonight. 

I think I've bumped my head because I signed up to help out with two out of SEVERAL activities this school year.  I'm going to try and help out with the Christmas party and the field trips.  I'm kind of excited about the field trips.  No, we're not going to have one every month.  When it is much cooler, we are going to the zoo.  This is awesome because I didn't find the time to take the kids this past Spring, so I'm happy we'll be able to go at this time.  An added bonus, Birmingham has been doing some updated to the existing exhibits and adding some new exhibits.  I hope to be able to go with them, but we will see.  The second field trip will be to see this guy . . .

Stephen Fite  . . . in concert!

I think Katie will enjoy this. Mrs. M said he is really great entertaining the children.



Calling all local aunts, grandparents and cousins!
I need your BOX TOPS.  If you don't know what "Box Tops" are they look like this . . .

You can find them mostly on cereal, instant meals and Ziploc boxes or that's where I've found them.  I have found them on toilet tissue packages in the past.  Katie's class has the opportunity to keep the money from Box Tops this year for things that they need in their classroom. Right now until early October, Mrs. M has a contest going on Boys vs. Girls. Whomever gets the most Box Tops (Boys or Girls) that group gets to choose the theme for the party to celebrate. If you live locally, I'd be more than happy to pick them up from you. Thank you!

Fresh Ripe Tomatoes
There is a great little produce farm a little over a mile from the Eva four-way stop.  You can't miss it because there's a sign "PICKIT."  His fields are irrigated, so his crops are really pretty.  Dad, Mom, Colton and I went tomato picking today.  The guy charged us $8 for a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes that we picked.  I like to pick them because it's a great experience and you know what you're getting.  Unlike the pre-wrapped produce that you get from the store, you are not going to pick a rotten or too ripe vegetable or fruit.  We had to drive around the fields to find the ones that had not gotten too old or picked through.  He said that he should have tomatoes up until beginning of frost.  I'd like to thank Millard and Peggy for bringing this farm to my attention.  BTW, he had other produce for sale.  I bought Doug a cantaloupe from his fruit stand.  Doug said it was delicious.  If you're interested and you live locally, please send me a message and I'll give you directions. 

 Movie Rentals
I have a feeling we are going to have to break down and order NetFlix.  My friend, A, told me how much her and her family have enjoyed it and it's only $8 a month.  WOW!  I don't mind the $8 a month thing, but according to my dear beloved husband, you have to purchase a PS3 in order to set up for the NetFlix.  Surely there's got to be another way?  Doug insist there is not another way, this is IT.  I don't see why we would have to spend $300 just to get a monthly subscription for movies.  Is he just jerking my chain?  Is this really the ONLY way to get a subscription to NetFlix or is it he just REALLY wants a PS3?  Please let me know.   

Now I say this because I walked into Blockbuster this afternoon to pick up the new release "The Last Song."  As you remember, I recently did a review on this book here and was excited to see that it was on it's way to the shelves.  First, I went straight to the Blu-ray rentals and to my disappointment they only had one spot for this movie.  Of course, the Blu-ray movie was gone.  The regular DVD movies, which were a whole lot more than just one spot for this movie.  Unfortunately, they were all gone as well.  Disappointed, I headed out the door.  Well, one of the clerks stopped me and ask if there was a specific movie I was looking for.  When I told her, she asked clerk #2 to check her bin to see if any came back today.  While she's looking, I thought I would chit chat.  I told clerk #1 how disappointed I was that there were only one Blu-ray movie out of all these other DVD "The Last Song" movies.  She gave me a pretty lame excuse, but I just let it go.  Then, I asked if either one of the girls had seen the movie.  "Oh yes," I got from both girls.  "You'll really like it" clerk #1 said.  I told them how awesome the book was and how I would love to see the movie because I feel it will be just as good.  Clerk #1 pipes up and says "oh, well the books are always better.  I mean, this was an okay movie, but it's not that great."  Ok, first off how does someone go from "oh, you'll really like it" to "it's not that great" just because I said that I read the book.  Everyone knows the books are better than the actual movie, but that shouldn't stop you from wanting to watch the movie.  Clerk #2 made a face when the clerk #1 was expressing her disapproval.  Clerk #2 mouthed to me that I would still like it.  Unfortunately, neither clerk had the movie in their bins.  I hated having to go home empty handed.