Sacks of Love for Linwood Elementary

Sweet treats for our party

Playing hilarious games, right Riley?

Faster Jordan, faster!

Hannah's decorated sack is going to make a second grader smile!

Peyton and Maddie are planning

Mason has a novel idea for decorating his sack.

What creative ideas will they come up with?






Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Christmas parties are always fun, but even more so when the focus is on giving to others. We had the privilege of preparing sacks of toys, books, and candy for the second graders at Linwood Elementary in Oklahoma City during our party. This school is where Mrs. Leadford's daughter teaches second grade. Our fourth graders thought it would be nice to reach out to this school and show Christ's love in a very tangible way. Our creative ideas abounded as we decorated the outside of the sacks and made certain that just the right items filled our sacks.

We also enjoyed a meaningful Christmas story told by Mr. Steven Fite along with Bailey who read from Luke 2. Mr. Fite also played his guitar while we sang some favorite Christmas songs. Yummy cupcakes along with hot chocolate made for a tasty treat and we roared with laughter, cheered, and jumped with glee as we played games.

The final few minutes of party even included a surprise for me! They had secretly organized a joint birthday and Christmas gift, including some VERY stylin' boots and gift certificates to myfavorite restaurants. How special is that!!!! I appreciate their thoughtful so very much.

And now we have two weeks off to enjoy Christmas with family and friends. How blessed weare to celebrate Jesus as baby and King!

Christmas Cheer in Room 207

While it may be only December 1st, our class is already getting into the holiday spirit. Our walls are decked, the tree is decorated, and we are busy making nativity mobiles for our rooms. Each day we read a favorite Christmas story and enjoy pondering the mystery and wonder of the birth of Jesus and his choice of Mary and Joseph to be His earthly parents. Our journals will be overflowing with thoughts, dreams, and desires as we contemplate all this month holds for us as believers in Jesus.

Featuring our Feast and Minuet

These photos featuring our feast and minuet were sent by Nancy Deprang, Kelsey's mom. Thanks so much!

Colonial Days 2009

What fun we have had this week with our thirteen activities related to colonial life. Monday included a formal tea, tin smithing, and calligraphy in the morning and by afternoon we were making hats and wigs, cooking, and playing games. Then on Tuesday we created pomanders, practiced our weaving, and learned to quilt during the first part of the day, while the afternoon included designing a whirligig toy, making candles and learning papyrotamia. We prepared for our feast Wednesday morning by decorating our tables symmetrically with fruit, nuts and ribbon. This art form is called dellarobia and the colonial homes often featured these types of centerpieces on mantels and tables. Dancing the minuet for our parents was another memorable experience and then we enjoyed a scrumptuous meal of turkey with all the trimmings. Our principal, Mrs. Leadford, joined us for our feast as did many of our parents, enrichment teachers, Mr. Caldwell, Mrs. Catania, Big Bob, and Mr. Les. I don't believe any of us will forget these last few days for a VERY LONG time!

Touring a Colonial Home

Would you ever imagine that a home patterned after a New England colonial home exists within ten minutes from our school? Scott and Debra Duncan were so kind to allow our fourth graders from OCS to tour their home yesterday. They have spent the last 28 years researching colonial history and collecting authentic pieces for their home. We learned how the houses were often attached or very near the barns due to the weather extremes. We saw how a colonial kitchen might function with a reflector oven, fireplace, and other wrought iron, pewter, and kitchen tools. What a treat to taste oatmeal cooked over an open fire in a cast-iron pot! Mrs. Duncan showed us how rosemary was ground up with a mortar and and pestle. Other items of interest included seeing a handmade lock used to lock all the windows in the house and understanding how precious and costly nails were to a homebuilder as each were handmade. We learned about different types of wood used for furniture including pine, maple and mahogony. Mr. Duncan discussed some of the reasons that lead up to the Revolutionary War including taxes and laws that Britain imposed on the colonists that made life very difficult.
Perhaps the favorite part of our field trip was watching Mr. Duncan load a Flint lock rifle. It took several attempts to fire it, but at the last moment as we were literally watching away, the rifle finally fired, much to the delight of the fourth graders!



A bucket hanging in a hallway would be filled with sand in case of fire. This is also a "Good Morning" stairway. There was a hallway on the left and right of the top of the stairs and members would greet each other with a "good morning" as they met at the top of the stairs each day.

Learning about cooking with a dutch oven.

Grinding up rosemary with a mortar and pestle

Mr. Duncan tells about some reasons for the Revolutionary War.

Examining a handmade window lock

Looking at musket balls

Ready. Aim. Fire!