Trip to Six Flags Great Adventure

Liam playing with his Lego car.

Kay and Liam in  the  Rolling Thunder train.

Fort Independence

El Toro

El Toro

Mr. Six

The kid and I went to Six Flags Great Adventure yesterday. It was a sunny, breezy day, and we were hoping that it wouldn't be too crowded like the last few times we've been there. 

It WAS crowded, but we managed to go on Congo Rapids 2 consecutive times without much wait.  By the second trip we were all drenched!  There's nothing worse than walking around with wet clothing and wet socks/shoes. 


We then walked to the other side of the park so the kids could ride The Runaway Train. On the way there, we stopped so I could have a photo taken with the kids.  (I know, wonders never cease!) Afterward, we took the skyline which took us back to the park where they kids rode the Jolly Roger and the Buccaneer.

We got in line at 3:00 p.m. to watch the dolphins and  sea lion show in Fort Independence at 3:30 p.m. Our diligence paid off as the kids were able to score front seat rows. They wanted to be splashed by the dolphins - me, not so much, so I sat on the 5th row.  The show was pretty much a bust.  They had "technical difficulties" so we couldn't hear a thing! Last year's show, "Shiver Me Timbers," was really good so I have no idea why they would change it.

Another thing I've noticed is that there are less characters in the park posing for photos with the guests. We managed to find Mr. Six and had a picture taken with him. Of course, Liam didn't want his photo taken...


We spend about 6 hours at the park and dined at our favorite pizza shop in town. This is probably our last trip to Six Flags until October, when Fright Fest begins.  The kids go back to school full time on September 7th.  I am ready, but they aren't! :)10009

Trip to Six Flags Great Adventure

Getting Crafty! - Animal Unit Project

Liam's First grade class has been studying about animals and their habitats, all leading to a field trip to the Philadelphia Zoo.

Liam was supposed to pick an animal, create same using a box, and include 5 facts about it. He chose a Rockhopper Penguin, who, incidentally, likes to hop from rock to rock thus the name. He used a hot glue gun to cover the box with felt, construction and crepe paper. We tried very hard to keep it as close to real life as possible.

While I was helping Liam, Kaylie kept busy by making a creation of her own. She calls it "Sleepy Girl." I call it, "Creepy Girl." :) She drew the bed and made a blanket out of pink felt. She is very crafty.

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Getting Crafty! - Animal Unit Project

Good News

Liam is like a totally new child. Back in February I had him evaluated for ADHD/OCD and was placed on medication. The improvement in his behaviour, level of concentration and obedience has been truly significant.

He no longer disrupts class and is able to focus on his work. His relationship and interaction with his peers has also improved markedly. The teacher took him off of the daily behaviour cards so I haven't received a note from her in over a month and a half.

Each week I volunteer one hour in his class. Yesterday, the teacher told me that she is very pleased with Liam's improvement and went as far as saying that he was like a new child. She didn't know that Liam had been placed on medication so that she came to this assessment on her own. Because he is very intelligent, she will recommend him for AT classes/advanced classes.

Yesterday, he came home with a TOP SECRET ADVENTURE bag. He has to read a book to find clues which will enable him to complete puzzles that will lead him to discover who a certain villain is. In this instance, the adventure took place in Mexico and there were 6 suspects. He had to complete challenges to be able to figure out the "whoduneit." He and Kaylie loved it!

We received his report card maybe 2 weeks ago. He is above grade level in reading, spelling and writing. Now, he has to work on penmanship. He is able to work independently and consistently the majority of the time.

He is looking forward to a school trip this coming May. They are going to the Philadelphia Zoo.

I am so happy and excited for him.



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Good News

Letters and Card from Liam

During the last few days Liam's class completed their fourth unit of study, Letters and Cards. There are letters meant to be shared with specific people in Liam's life.

12-10-2008
Dear Dad,
I missed yo yesterday!
"I know you came home late yesterday."
"I hope you come home "erley!" (erley - early)
Yorus, Liam
Merry Christmas

12-10-2008
Dear Mom,
"I like when you cook my favorite soup!"
"I want it again"
"Have a Merry Chrismas and a happy New Year!""
Love,
Liam

12-15-2008
Dear Mom,
"I hope you think that you'll buy more candy canes soon!"
"I think you'll put then on the Chrismas tree!"
Yours,
Liam

12-16-2008
Dear Kaylie,
Can you stop bugging me?
Well stop telling me what to do! (well stop = will you stop)
Yours,
Liam


12-16-2008
Dear Mom,
"There is 7 days until Chrismas!"
I wonder wh
Translation: He must have been so excited or distracted that he couldn't even finish his thought!


12-16-2008 (Liam's letter to Santa)
From Liam
to Santa Claus

Dear Santa,
"How's your elves doing?"
Is it cold at the north pole?"
"I think you like chistmas!
"Merry Christmas!"
Love,
Liam

12-16-2008
Dear Mom,
"You were sopost to bring in paper plates!" (sopost=supposed)
Will you bring them in tomoro? I hope so. (tomoro = tomorrow)
Secerily, (sincerely)
Liam
Translation: The teacher gave him the note on 12/16, how am I supposed to have the plates in class when I didn't even know it yet?


12-17-2008
Dear Mom,
"Your the best mom in the world!"
You always make my favorite soup"
Love,
Liam

12-18-2008
Dear Kaylie,
"Why did you chose Chuck E. Chese? (Chuck-E-Cheese)
"If you'd pick the bolling allay that would be fun!!!! (bolling allay = bowling alley)
Love,
Liam
Translation: Kaylie is having her birthday at Chuck-E-Cheese. He wants it at a bowling alley. :)

For a six year old, he has good sentence structure and spelling. The quotation marks are all by him, too. :)
Note: The spelling in the transcription is exactly as it appeared on the originals.

Letters and Card from Liam

Snowflakes All Around

Oh goodness gracious it is cold here in New Jersey. As we were walking out the door this morning, snowflakes were swirling all around. As if on cue, Kaylie and Liam automatically stuck out their tongues trying to land snowflakes. It didn't snow much. It's a good thing too because I had to take Liam to the pediatrician and it would totally stink if I had to drive on snowy, icy roads. Winter is coming...it is around the corner!
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Snowflakes All Around

Of Puffer Fishes and Sea Urchins...

When we were discussing Liam's school project we bounced around several ideas...octopus, eels, fishes, but what caught his imagination was a puffer fish we saw on National Geographic. We then remembered that Mrs. Puff, from Spongebob Squarepants, is also a puffer fish, which made up his mind. Liam is very good with concepts but lacks the skills to implement his ideas. The boy can't draw to save his life, but does what he can. If he were asked to write about it, then it would be a totally different scenario. That he can do. Anyway, I thought that the sea urchin was a most original idea and that he should take that project in, but he didn't want to do it. He was just so proud of his sea urchin model that he wanted to keep it at home. Has anyone seen my hairpins? I seem to have lost them all! :)


Liam proudly showing off his SEA URCHIN.

Of Puffer Fishes and Sea Urchins...

Entepreneurial Spirit / Shaking Down the Neighbors

Hello from hot, hazy and humid New Jersey. It is 8:30 in the morning and the temperature is already 90 degrees and climbing. The temperature is expected to rise to 101, with a heat index of 105-110. There is no way I am going out of the house in this kind of heat.

Anyway, picking up the story where I left off yesterday. As I was sitting over at Mary's house (our neighbor that lives 3 houses down from me) she was telling me that the kids had stopped over her house sometime last week. Liam, who was out riding his bike, had an empty milk gallon with him. Unbeknownst to me, he was making a collection. He told Buddy (Mary's dh) that he was making a collection and needed 35 cents. The conversation goes something like this:

Liam - "I am making collection. I need 35 cents."
Buddy - "What do you want the money for?"
Liam - "For food."
Mary - "Don't you have food at your house?"
Liam - "No."
Buddy - "Ok. I'll get the 35 cents."
Liam screams to Kaylie: "Kaylie, I got one!"
Buddy - Thinking to himself: "Yeah, you got a live one!"
Buddy to Liam - "Ohhh, and Liam, please make sure that you don't go ANYWHERE NEAR my car when riding your bike, ok. "
Liam - "Ok."

Buddy and Mary have 4 grown children of their own and lots of grandkids, so they know how kids can be. But man, was I mortified.

As a rule, the kids can only ride their bike on the sidewalk. They are only allowed to ride 3 houses up and 3 houses down from us. These are the neighbors that I know.

Just last Week, our neighbor 2 houses down from me came to ask for my help. Apparently, while Liam is out riding his bike, he stops by her driveway and walks into her garage. He doesn't take anything, but he is very curious so he looks. She tells me that the garage is usually open so he walks in there all the time. She also has 2 young drivers who zoom in and out of the house, so she is afraid that they won't see Liam speeding by on his bike and hurt him one of these days. So, she doesn't want Liam riding his bike by her house. So, from now on, I will have to try to keep him from going down that way.

There is never a dull moment with Liam, that is for sure.

I have to go now. My computer is seriously out of memory and I have out of memory messages flashing. I have to seriously delete stuff to make room.

Have a great day and try to keep cool and or warm whichever the case may be.

Entepreneurial Spirit / Shaking Down the Neighbors

POA - May 9th

Off to school her goes. Dark and rainy day.

POA - May 9th

POA - May 8th

Look who turned 6 years old today!

He has the creamiest skin...with a few freckles here and there. Soooo cute. I love his eyes, too. Ok, I am biased.

POA - May 8th