Saturday, May 30, 2009

A New Teaching Partner

(Amy, Jennifer, and Cheri)


Cheri and I have taught 4th grade together for the past several years. This year we will be embarking upon a journey into Project CHILD. Students in CHILD are grouped into a cluster of K-1-2 or 3-4-5. Each teacher becomes a specialist in either reading, math or writing. Students rotate between each teacher for instruction each day. Not only does each teacher specialize in a subject but they also get to really know their students because they will have them over a course of three years.



This will be the first year for Project CHILD intermediate (3-4-5) classrooms in our school. Cheri and I are forntuate to be joined by Jennifer as we embark on this new adventure. Cheri will have the 5th grade homeroom and will specialize in math. I will have the 4th grade homeroom and will specialize in writing. Jennifer will have the 3rd grade homeroom and will specialize in reading. We are all looking forward to CHILD and the difference it can make in our students lives.



It is a wonderful feeling to really enjoy those you work closely with each day. I am looking forward to the upcoming year. Not only will this be better for our students, but Cheri and I will also be gaining a great friend and co-worker. :)



Thursday, May 28, 2009

A Memoir

(Connor, Rob and Keaon -Easter morning on our way to church.)
The following is Connor's memoir he wrote as a 2nd grader this year. He read it aloud at his class memoir party. It was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud. Rob wasn't able to go to the party but sure wanted to know why I had let Connor write such things when he read it.
My Good Dad
By: Connor Creek
There is a special person in my life that has influenced me by teaching my how to play sports. He has taught me everything I know about sports. He told me to choke up on the baseball bat, Don't be afraid of the ball, and don't catch the ball on the side of your body. The person I'm writing about is my dad, Robert Creek.
My dad's eyes are green like a lake. He smells like a dumpster with stinky dogs in it at night. His hair is black and short. He moves silly at night and at day he moves kind of fast but also a little slow. His skin is rough at the chin like tiny pine needles and smooth like a bag everywhere else.
My dad's hobbies are playing golf, annoying my mom, and coaching me at sports. His talents are burping loudly and being a stink bomb. My dad's job is to tell people what to do like put the boxes on the trucks at 12:00.
My dad is funny but not funny funny. He is funny at home but his jokes aren't funny. The only way how my dad is funny is he burps words. He gets paid a lot of money.
My dad takes me to a golf course on Thursday nights in the fall so I can be his caddy. The golf course is in town. I do not know what the golf course is called but its medium size. My dad tells me short stories about when he was a kid and stories of him as a child, and stories of when he started playing sports.
I'm a better person when I make my own choices. My dad told me be a leader not a follower and he has told me don't be a sore loser and we are not sore losers.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Some shots from the last couple of games the Yankees played. Thanks to my friend Gerrie for taking the pictures. I'm always busy keeping the book. It's a little hard to take pictures and keep the book correctly. (I'll be especially grateful for her picture taking now that Keaton has torn my camera up with one of his many photo shoots.)


This is a shot of Connor after a big win game. The Yankees were down 1-8 until finally in the fourth inning they came alive. Connor got his first homerun hit this night (only one other player on base). He got a hit every time and had several RBIs. Way to be a hitter, Connor!! Yankees ended up winning 18-19. Connor made the hit that brought in the winning run!!

Connor up to bat against the Hot Rods.

Warming up before the big winning game against the Tigers.



Getting his arm loose so he can make throws from short to first base.




Finishing that swing during the Hot Rods game.

(I posted the pictures out of order. )


Making it to first during game against Hot Rods.


Ready to run!



Playing short. Connor had a really good night a few games back playing 3rd. He made every throw to first. So Rob moved him to short. Hadn't found anyone else who could make the throw. Since then Connor has been playing short stop. He hasn't had a defensive night as good as the one on 3rd (the ball just hadn't been there for one reason or another, ie., bouncing off the pitchers foot ) but he continues to do well and has really improved in the batting department.


Sunday, May 24, 2009

A Birthday Party!!

Yesterday was Chloe's 1st birtday party. She is our next door neighbor's/friend's youngest daughter. The boys had a great time helping celebrate with water play, pizza and cake.


Isn't she a cutie in her pink birthday party girl tutu?


She did take off the tutu for the cake. She had a great time. You should have seen what was left of her cake. YUMMY IN THE TUM, TUM TUMMY!!




Here is a shot of Connor after changing back into to dry clothes after the water play. He had a great time playing with Landon, Chloe's oldest brother.



Keaton had a great time playin in the water. Water play (whether in a pool or not) is his all time number 1 favorite thing to do. A birthday party, water play, pizza and cake, Keaton was in heaven with all of his favorite things at once.