Valentine's Day at Tucker's School

Tucker's class had a small Valentine's celebration this afternoon and I went in to help his teacher pass out cupcakes and juice boxes. (Being an anti-cupcake school, this is a big deal! Apparently the teachers can choose three days to "allow" treats, usually Christmas, Valentine's, and the last day of school). His teacher made all the cupcakes but the kids were more excited by all the candy/valentines they received! (Sort of like a mini-mini-Halloween!) I did eat Tucker's cupcake because as some of you know, he doesn't like cupcakes. Then all the kids wanted me to eat theirs too. We ended up wrapping them up in wax paper to take home with them.

Here are a few pictures of Tucker checking out his Valentines.



We had to send in empty cereal boxes for the kids to make mailboxes for the Valentines and I couldn't picture what it was going to look like but it's actually pretty cute as you can see!

A Fun Family Day

On Sunday (yes I know it's Friday), it was an absolutely beautiful day. We had been promising Tucker we would go to this pizza place that has a model train set. So off we went to Pizza Works and a YUMMY pizza! They have two areas set up that are connected so the trains can go back and forth between the two. As you can see, he's just a little excited to check out the trains!



After we enjoyed our pizza, we went for a walk down on the boardwalk in Niantic. It runs alongside the train tracks so the trains speed by every so often which is a little strange but it's still a nice place to walk. (And yes, those are swans in the water. It was fun watching them float in the water alongside the seagulls!)




Because we were only a couple of blocks away from our local children's Museum we walked over and Tucker spent the next few hours having a great time! Here he enjoys playing the organ

He always likes to climb inside this guy (although he doesn't fit as well as he used to!)

Michael and Tucker work together on a track for the ping pong balls to follow without falling off

Ringing the bell on the boat

All in all, it was a really fun day and just nice to be outside enjoying the day. These warm days are always encouraging that spring really is coming someday!

Happy Birthday, Abraham Lincoln

Every American knows President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. "Honest Abe", as he was commonly known as, was born in the wilderness country of Hardin County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809.

Abraham Lincoln became president in 1861. Although he hated war, he was drawn into it as he believed it was the only was to save the nation after the southern states declared their secession to the Union.

In addition to serving as president during the civil war and saving the Union, Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery in the U.S. forever.He also wrote and gave The Gettysburg Address, memorializing the bloodiest and most important battle of the Civil War. Gettysburg proved to be the turning point of the war.

Shortly after the war ended, Abraham Lincoln became the first U.S. President to be assassinated. He was shot and mortally wounded on Good Friday, April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth in Ford's Theatre.

Source: holidays.net

Childrens Classics Tuesday- A.A. Milne

This is my first time participating in the Children's Classics carnival over at 5 Minutes for Books and I was excited to see the theme was A.A. Milne. I had read some picture books when my son was a baby and of course, seen the Disney version.

Not that that could even come close to the delight of this book. I read The World of Pooh: The Complete Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh corner and thoroughly enjoyed every word of it from the first chapter "IN WHICH We Are Introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees, and the Stories Begin" to the final chapter "IN WHICH Christopher Robin and Pooh Come to an Enchanted Place, and We Leave Them There". In between are delightful adventures of Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, and Eeyore. We are introduced to Tigger, and Kanga and little Roo. I especially enjoyed the whimsical songs and poems Pooh would make up about these adventures and in fact, his friends looked to him to do this!

Because Eeyore has always been my favorite character, I especially enjoyed the chapters that featured him and have found that I love him even more. His no-nonsense attitude in dealing with the others is something I admire!

I enjoyed reading this book and I think appreciated it more reading it as an adult than I would have as a child.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today, February 9, 2009

Outside my window...it is SUNNY and WARM (for February in New England anyway!) It's in the mid-40s.

I am thinking...that I did good (well?!) on the state social worker exam. I should know in about two weeks.

I am thankful for...my family

From the kitchen...spaghetti and meatballs, tacos, probably meatloaf(didn't make last week).

I am creating...valentine crafts for family (can't share pictures because some of the recipients read the blog!)

I am wearing...jeans and light blue shirt

I am reading...finished The World of Pooh. (Read my review tomorrow). Will be finishing The Boleyn Inheritance and starting Les Miserables for Classics Book Club in March. With Tucker, we read about Ground Hog Day, and picture books about snow and penguins. His favorites this week were What Happened Today, Freddy Groundhog? and Jimmy On Ice (a Jimmy Neutron book).

I am hoping...to have a productive week.

I am hearing...the fish tanks and the TV.

Around the house...Tucker has moved the army base upstairs to the living room (or as he calls it "the HQ"...dishes need to be done...laundry to be folded...a few more loads of laundry to do.

One of my favorite things...how Tucker's laughing turns into snorting and then the hiccups.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a character education committee this afternoon...working on the PTO fundraiser...a PTO meeting tomorrow tonight...finishing up the valentines crafts...listing some items on eBay...bringing some clothes to the consignment store.

A picture thought...
This is a picture of Tucker with his winning car and certificate from the Pinewood Derby. (not the picture I wanted to use but my camera and computer aren't getting along today and I wanted to do this post!)

Click-A-Day Challenge

You may have noticed I added a new button on my sidebar...MommyWizdom is sponsoring a challenge. Read on for further info...(i copied and pasted from her blog)

To accept the Click A Day Challenge, here's what you'll need to do.

1. Commit to clicking some or all of those buttons for fourteen days in the month of February. Choose the ones that are important to you or choose different ones each day. I have no way of tracking you, so it's on your honor. Do as many as you can! Some of them are also fun and instructive! Linking them to your page directly is okay too. As long as you're clicking them daily for at least 14 days.

2. Then, at the end of the month, if you've completed your commitment, let me know and you'll be entered into a drawing for prizes.

3. You can show your commitment by blogging about the challenge and by sending me your link to stanle17y {at} gmail {dwot} com (or click E-mail Me on my sidebar). If you don't have a blog, just send me your name, a valid e-mail address, and your commitment. I will add you to the list. That's the beauty about this challenge. You don't need an online presence. All you need is internet service and a mouse.

Get others to join in too. The more the lovelier. Just for committing to do this, I will enter you into a separate drawing to win a $10 GC to Target.

That's right! There are two drawings; one for your initial commitment (which will be drawn in the middle of the month) and one for actually meeting the 14 day goal of one click a day (to be drawn at the end of the month)!

Since I just thought this up, I am still working on sponsors for the prizes.
(Please e-mail me if you'd like to donate some prizes!)


Here's a list of some awesome prizes:

* A 100% organic cotton Obama T-shirt (L) donated by MommyWizdom

* A set of 12 photograph cards donated by Heather at Sentimental Journey - Etsy Store
Photograph cards are my favorite because they are not gender specific; they are great pick-me-ups for both the men and women in your life.
Please check out her Etsy store, she's a truly talented mommy. Also, check out her blog.

* $50 gift certificate to CreatedByMom.com donated by the owner, Quinn Curtis
CreatedbyMom is an amazing concept. It's a store with products strictly made by moms! There are gifts here for everyone. Please check out the behind the scenes CreatedbyMom blog for more information about this wonderful chic boutique!

* [Your donation and name here]

Happy Birthday, James Dean

James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 - September 30, 1955) was an American actor, born in Marion, Indiana and raised in Fairmount, Indiana. Dean began his career on the New York stage, and did several episodes of such early-1950s episodic television progams such as Kraft Television Theater, Danger, and General Electric Theater. His rave reviews in Andre Gide's The Immoralist led to his being called to Hollywood and film stardom.

He appeared in several uncredited bit roles in such forgettable films as Sailor Beware, but finally gained recognition and success in 1955 in his first starring role, that of Cal Trask in East of Eden, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He followed this up in rapid succession with two more starring roles, in Rebel Without a Cause, also in 1955, and in the 1956 production of Giant, for which he was also nominated for an Academy Award.

Dean died in a road accident in a Porsche Spyder 356, before Giant was released. He is buried in Park Cemetery in his home town of Fairmount. He is one of only five people to be nominated for Best Actor for his first feature role, and the only person to be nominated twice after his death.

Dean epitomized the rebellion of 1950s teens, especially in his role in Rebel Without a Cause. Many teenagers of the time modeled themselves after him, and his death cast a pall on many members of his generation. His very brief career, violent death and highly publicized funeral transformed James Dean into a cult object of apparently timeless fascination.

James Dean is interred in the Park Cemetery, Fairmount, Indiana.

Source: netglimse.com