Christmas Wish list

           Christmas time is almost here! I have been singing Christmas songs, twirling with the kids in my playgroup, coloring candycanes, reading Christmas stories and the Nativity story, listening to Christmas music and the other night watched White Christmas. I love this season. I love the warm, family memories. I love the excitement of Christmas light seeing. The smells. But preparing for Christmas has been a little different this year. I had to wait until after Thanksgiving to listen to Christmas music (okay...i cheated a few times!), I didn't get to pick out a tree, crush the needles and have that Christmas smell follow me. But I have read the Nativity Story over and over. After asking my class one why do we celebrate Christmas and getting answers about Santa, presents, "25th December!" (poor confused kid...), Father Christmas but not one about Jesus I've made sure that everyday I tell/remind them about the Nativity story. And one little boy got it telling me "Baby Jesus is the gift". At the end of every class we go over "what is christmas about?" (me)   "JESUS!" or "BABY GOD" (the kids). In this season remembering the Greatest of Gifts I wish you a Merry Christmas, full of joy and laughter. 

Here is my (with Amanda's) Christmas Wish List for the boys and school! I will be home for Christmas and am hoping to fill up my luggage with fun things for the boys and the school!

 STUFF FOR THE BOYS:

z   Spiderman stickers

z   Hawaiian candies

z   Stickers

z   Crafts

z   Easter story in Eggs

z   Cake decorations (the kind you eat!)

z   Spiderman band aids

z   Fun candies (like pop rocks)

z   Jell-O

z   Pudding mixes, cake mixes, cookie mixes

z   Chocolates for birthdays (the little square ones work really well)

z   Seasonal/special/fun pencils

z   Coloring books/activity books

z   Puzzles

z   Games: catch phrase, pictionary, cards ect

z   Superhero coloring books

z   Floaties for the pool/ pool toys (like diving stuff)

z   Storybooks! Storybooks! Storybooks!

z   Toys like building blocks, or legos

z   Magazines

z   Flavored toothpaste

z   Adventures in Odyssey

z   Things about sharks/under the water

z   Growing sharks/ dolphins/animals

(some ideas from Amanda!)

• fun toothpaste
• Big Red chewing gum
• storybooks- yellow "Where's Waldo" book, I-spy, "Eyes on Adventure"/"Eyes on Nature" books, "Treasure of Illustrated Classics," ANY books!
• old calendars (the pictures are great for bulletin boards!)
• children’s devotionals
• "Walk through the New Testament"
• fun boys’ underwear (sizes: 6-12; at least 16 pairs)
• boys’ socks (all sizes, white/gray medium-length athletic)
• kids DVDs: (preferably not cartoon versions) Robin Hood, 101 Dalmatians, Little Rascals, Veggie Tales, etc.
• bigger boys DVDs: (action, comedy, CLEAN!)
• fun things for birthdays (glow sticks, trinkets, prizes... about 20 each)

And a few big ones... 

• money for school computers: $500 (x10 computers)
• money for remodeling the boys’ bathrooms: $3,500 (x2 bathrooms)
• money for new tractor: $7,000

                              STUFF FOR SCHOOL:

*    Folders

*     Binders

*  Scissors! (each classroom only has one pair!)

*   Worksheets!

*   Art supplies (glue sticks, markers, ect)

*    Plastic eggs

*   Crafts

*   Hula hoops

*  Activity idea books

* Missionary stories

*    Flannels (the bible story ones!)

* Sunday school materials (for moral science class)

*  Cotton balls

*    Hawaiian storybooks

*  Foam crafts

picnic joys

Indian Kalana 

I LOVE picnics. Always have and am planning on continuing to do so. When I first heard the rumors about a field trip at school I stated wishing I could go. Trying to decide the best way to ask to be allowed. The day of the picnic arrived and I (oh so casually) told Frieda that if they needed anymore chaperones I would be willing to go. Of course the excited jumping after she told me I could go gave me away :)

It was for both class twos. One I do Life Skills (Christian take on life) with on Friday mornings. It was really fun to get to be with them more and get to play with them!

I loved it!

We went to this beautiful old Maharajah's palace. I loved it from the first glimpse. Sadly a large gate and lock separated us. So what did we do? We took the 60+ kids and jumped the wall, trekked around the back side and got in.

Then reminding me I was in India we sent the bus driver to look for the guard to unlock the door so we could leave easily. My feelings were more of hide from the guard if he came! We had broken in! But this is India.

My buddy

 It was breaking down and over grown and absolutely magical. I could have spent hours roaming around the rooms, playing in the twists and turns, and loving the beauty.

I see you!

Superman Bharat

The kids were awesome! Fun and talkative (Class Two B's English is amazing! They understand everything and can respond!!!). And so generous with their tiffins (snacks) especially with the spicy chips [not my favorite!].

What can be better than a day off school spent in a lovely bus ride, "exploring" to get to a palace, eating a yummy lunch, and exploring in the ruins of a palace?

It was one of those days that you just enjoy!

School ideas?

To all you wonderful mothers! Especially you home schooling moms: When I come home I’m going to be trying to gather school things and teaching tools. I want to bring back worksheets, new ideas, posters, creative ways of learning…really what I need is fun, colorful ways to teach! If you have any ideas, thoughts, old material or words of wisdom I would really appreciate it! I especially want fun spelling and math things to do with the boys. Oh, and worksheets that go with a story are really great! Thanks so much!