Merry Christmas!

Well, we survived our week!  (Or should I say Mrs. Ferrell survived???)   The excitement has been building since December 1 and we finally made it!  We had a wonderful surprise this morning when we went to the gym to sing Christmas carols.  Mrs. Dekker returned after retiring last year to play the piano for our event!  The kids were so excited to see her and she looked just as happy to be back for a visit.

After lunch, recess and show and tell, our Christmas events began.  Miss Kerri was SO excited to receive her gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods.  Her eyes opened wide when she saw $71.00 on her gift card.  Thank you to everyone for contributing to her gift.  In Miss Kerri's words, "I LOVE that store!  How did you know?   I could spend hours just looking in there!"  So I guess we made the right gift choice for her!

Miss Kerri had a gift for each child in both of her classes as well.  She gave each a large candy cane with  a new pencil and a small coloring book.  Miss Kerri is passing her gift below followed by Abigail showing her artistic abilities in the coloring book!

Mrs. Ferrell was next, sharing her gift with the kids.  Each child was very excited to open a spiral notebook, box of 24 crayons and box of 10 markers!  Markers have not been allowed in class until Christmas, so the kids were very excited to hear that they could bring their markers back to school in January to use on 'fun sheets' and in their free time notebooks.

We made necklaces made of red and green macaroni noodles and used our markers or crayons to color a Christmas tree for the center of the necklace.  Then, it was finally time to open our gifts to each other!  We played a musical gift exchange game to decide who opened which book.  The girls began and everyone was happy with the book received.  Then it was the boy's turn and they were just as excited!   See below for a picture of the happy readers!

We ended our fun afternoon watching the second half of 'Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer'.  This version was different than any other they have seen.  The voices of John Goodman and Whoopi Goldberg as Santa and the Ice Queen entertained them.  You should have heard the singing in the final scene.  Do you remember "Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer), had a very shiny nose (like a light bulb), and if you ever saw it (saw it), you would even say it glows (like a light bulb)..."   It is hilarious to hear them sing the same version we sung as kids.  Funny tradition to pass down isn't it?

Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!   Thank you to everyone for the gift of allowing me to teach your child.  I love every one of them very much and will miss them these next two weeks!  Be safe, don't forget to read and practice math flash cards (you know I had to remind you!) and I will see you all in 2012!