Marney: Family Meeting Minutes

1- dad fixed the chair, do not jump or climb the chair
2- do not slam the door
3-talk about your feelings to mom and dad
4-jackets have to be hung on the hook and no other things
5-find things to do in your free time
6-do not talk to mom when she is with mason doing school
7-ava has to take care of pedro or we take him away
8-the wii night kids get to go to the green hornet
9puppy things
10-puppy has to play outside
11the puppy can not pee or poop inside
12 talked about the week
13kiki said thank you marney for the coke
14gabe said thank you marney for helping with the pecans
15 thank you franki

Connor: New Puppy

We have a new puppy.  He is a Blue Heeler and part Catahoula.  We have named the puppy Franki. I think Franki is the cutest puppy ever.

Kiki: Student Of The Week

This week school was good.  In this picture I am crossing off my school work on my chart. 

Math

I am doing doubles-plus-one on my math.  I also took a quiz.  I did good!

I was writing numbers that had to go in the right places on the 100 chart.

Reading

This week I went to the library and got lots of books.  Here I am reading my books from the library at DEAR time. 

 Monday I finished my chart of words.  That means I can read all those words.

I am reading a book of stories with Nana and Mama.  I am working on ending sounds.  I read the blue and red words and Mama reads the black words.  I really like this part of school.

I read a story called An Odd Fish for school.  It was a story about seahorses.  I had to answer questions about the story.  They were easy for me.

Phonics

I have been doing a lot of phonics.  It is hard and I like it.  I do a lot of it by myself.

ABC Order

I did ABC order, it is where you put the words in order.  It is fun and I can do it all by myself.

Other Stuff

I am doing prints for art class here.  I like how you use the ink and draw a picture with the eraser on the ink.

 I was doing spelling class with Gabe and Marney for the first time.  It was good.  I knew how to spell some of the words.

I also lost a tooth this week!

And I learned how to tie my shoes all  by myself!

Mommio: Cooking With Kids- Easy Cheesy Pie

Gabe and Connor spent yesterday afternoon cooking together out of our sweet treats cookbook.

Gabe was the chef and Connor took the pictures.  

They made a simple cheesecake called Easy Cheesy Pie.  Here's how you can do it to!

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Make the crust by crushing the graham crackers, mixing them with the sugar, butter and cinnamon. Then bake for about seven minutes.

 While that cools for about thirty minutes make the filling.

3. Scrape the lemon for the zest then juice the lemon and combine in a small bowl.

4. Use a mixer to mix the cream cheese until smooth.

5. Add the condensed milk, the lemon juice and zest to the cream cheese and blend until smooth.

6. Spread the filling onto the pie crust.

7. Decorate with fruit.

8. Refrigerate for a few hours and eat.  Yum!

Connor: Blog Of The Day

One moonlit night at an average summer camp the counselors were sitting around the campfire with the  campers and telling ghost stories.  Adam, the head counselor, told the last story for the night.  "Years ago at this very camp." He began "There was a young delinquent who stole all the chocolate from the camp store."  Everyone continued to listen except Smith who had heard it three years ago.  Adam continued "The delinquent ran into the woods taking the chocolate, some wood, and a pot he had stolen from the kitchen as well as some strange goo he found lying around."  Almost everyone was grossed out at the mere thought of taking random goo off the ground.  Adam resumed "He took all of the stuff he stole deep into the forest and prepared to torture a harmless little squirrel that had wandered into his clutches.  The chocolate at this point was boiling with whatever that goo was in it.  He dropped the squirrel in and then watched as from the pot arose a big, ugly blob.  The delinquent tried to run, but the monster was to fast.  It grabbed one of the delinquent's legs and ate him alive.  They say that the monster still lives in that forest attempting to eat any who enter its home.  The End."  With that Adam put out the fire as a blob appeared behind him.  The campers screamed and then the monster pulled of its face to revel that it was a prank.  Adam turned to the prankster and said "Nice try Harry, but you could at least try to be on cue.  When I said that line about the monster eating people is when you appear."  Harry gave Adam an sorry look and said "Okay sir next time I'll be ready before the line is given."  Adam said in response "No it was my fault for not giving you any lessons on this.  You are a new counselor after all.  Anyway you now the hill back in the forest where the shed in which we store the costume is located?"  Harry said "Yes sir." and marched off to put away the costume.  Once he reached the shed he turned the handle and walked in.  Suddenly a loud roar and a scream had awoken every camper in the camp.  Adam, who was now frightened himself said over the intercom "We will send two counselors to find the source of this noise and Harry."  After turning off the intercom he turned to two of his finest counselors and said "Terry, You come with me.  Kate, You're in charge until we get back.  Good Luck."   Kate watched as they left and said over the intercom "Okay seeing as no one can sleep why don't we listen to some nice music."  Kate turned off the intercom and said to the campers in charge of the camp's radio station "Okay you three, remember your cabin is the radio station and because of that you have to turn on music whenever I say so.  Just don't turn on loud rock music like welcome to the jungle.  Or songs that are not appropriate for the younger kids like Highway to Hell."  The three boys gave her a nod.  With that she left and the three boys turned on Pet Sematary.  Smith said to the entire camp "Hey campers are you ready to rock?"   Fred played the music after three seconds.  James who had only one job, which he did during the day because everyone else in the cabin was stronger and not as bright as him, and it was tuning the microphone so that Smith sounded just as awesome as he wanted to and Fred's music wouldn't be too loud.  James sat on his top bunk reading Pet Sematary while the song played.  Meanwhile in the forest Adam and Terry had found a costume lying on the floor in the shed.  Upon closer inspection Adam noticed the costume had blood on it.  Adam examined the floor as well and found an entire puddle of blood.  Walking outside Terry saw Harry hiding in a tree.  Terry decided to knock Harry out of the tree.  After two seconds he managed to get Harry out of the tree only to discover that he was dead.  Suddenly Adam felt something behind him.  A sticky something with a particularly gooey feel to it was behind him.  Adam screamed at the top of his lungs as the gooey creature plunged the carving knife from the shelf beside him through his heart. Terry heard the scream and went to check on Adam.  Terry saw the monster and grabbed a big knife from his pocket.  The monster had met it's maker realizing that Terry was the very same delinquent that placed it into the boiling chocolate the monster shed a tiny tear.  Terry saw the monster and noticed that it had cryed over its own demise.  Terry ran toward the monster at mach speed and yelled "I should have done this when I was younger!  Die foul beast and I hope I die as well for making you into such a creature.  I just wanted to take out my anger on the wild life.  I'm sorry, little squirrel for what I'm about to do and for what I've done."  And with those last words Terry ran at the monster and missed.  Now crying in fear Terry said "Please don't kill me l little sq squirrel.  I did not mean to harm you.  Please don't kill me I beg of you."  The monster moved the knife and stabbed it right through Terry's chest.  With his last breath Terry said "I don't wanna die.  I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all.  Carry on, carry on because nothing really matters."  Back at the camp Bohemian Rhapsody was playing Fred, James and Smith all sang along.  Finally the monster traveled to the camp to end it all.  In order to cause the ultimate evil the squirrel who was seeking revenge on the human race traveled to the camp and killed the campers and the counselor.  The monster grinned as all who had caused him misery had died and yet the squirrel was not pleased and set off to cause more chaos.  The End or Is It

Gabe: Happy Birthday Max!

Mason: Blog Of The Day

Camping Night

By Mason

One day in Marble Falls at midnight in the woods three kids went camping. They set up the tents and started a fire and told ghost stories. One of the kids told a story of a man that went camping and got eaten by a giant chocolate monster.  It was thirty feet tall and it had thirty teeth. And it kills anyone that goes camping in the woods when they are asleep.  The monster ate one of the kids while he was asleep. The monster ate all the kids except for one kid killed the monster then the kid became the monster.

The End

Gabe: Blog Of The Day

Chocolate Monster

by Gabe

One day there was a man who wanted a chocolate bar from a vending machine but a rotten chocolate bar came out so he did not eat it. Three days later a man spilled an acid  on the chocolate bar. Then the chocolate bar came to life and sucked up the whole vending machine and turned all of it into chocolate. Then the chocolate bar went to the dock by the water and it sucked it up and turned it in to chocolate. Each time it ate something it got bigger and bigger. Then it turned into a giant blob of chocolate. Everybody thought it was a statue so everybody posed in front of it but they all got sucked in. So one day a man from another city came to the city but everybody was gone so he went to the dock and saw the monster. So he pulled out his sword and slashed it with his sword and chocolate blood came out and the man pushed it so hard that it fell in the river and died.

The End

Marney: Blog Of The Day

The Hide Of The People

By Marney

Monday morning the zoo keeper came to sweep the zoo. Then he gave Cocoa a big chip.  Cocoa is a big monster made out of chocolate.  But only the zoo keeper knows.  So then the zoo keeper went to put the sign to open.  Then everyone he met was at the zoo.  Then he said "That is funny. Now you guys go get in line to take a picture of the monster."  He paused right away. Everyone looked at him and laughed. "I mean Cocoa."  Then everyone went to Cocoa. Then they said "Okay that is just fine." Then it was closing time and there were 5 people left and then the monster named as Cocoa stepped away from were he should be and there were 2 doors and they took the death chamber and then they all were screaming and yelling.  And they all died. The monster became friends with people.

Avery: Blog Of The Day

Cocoa Monster

By Avery

It was a dark and stormy night. Jim and his friends were at a beach in Austin. They were making fires and setting tents up. Jim brought his giant tent for everyone to share. After they were done setting up the tent they sat around the fire and had their dinner. He one of his friends named Ruby was eating only chocolate that night.

     " Ruby!", Yelled Jim. " Don't eat that chocolate! You'll get killed."

     " What? Yeah right. Like I'm going to die from eating chocolate. Ha.", Ruby said, finishing her last chocolate bar.

     " Fine. You've been warned."

     Later that night when everyone was asleep. There was a big breeze in the air, branches falling off trees and weird sounds coming from behind the tent. The noise got closer and closer to the door of the tent. Suddenly a monster ripped open the tent and screamed at them. Everyone woke up and ran to the corner of the tent. The monster was big and brown. It had a big green mouth and was about ten feet tall.

     " I told you not to eat the chocolate!", Yelled Jim to Ruby.

     " That doesn't matter right now! We have to get...", Ruby was chomped up by the monster in the middle of her sentence.

     The monster next ate two more of Jim's friends. There was only him and his friend Frank. They ran out of the tent and into the woods. The monster fallowed behind them. They ran for about ten minutes. They got tired and climbed into the trees to hide. The monster stopped and looked down at himself. He was melting, all of him was melting into a big pile of chocolate. Frank and Jim got on the ground and looked at the chocolate puddle. Jim pulled some food out of his backpack and they ate the monster as a fondue.

THE END?

Daddio: 1/26/11 Blog of the Day

Write a horror story about the following picture:

Gabe: Blog Of The Day

 Dear Aliens,
 I just discovered a new food from Earth that they call chocolate! Chocolate comes off of some kind of Earth plant they call a chocolate tree. They put something they call roasted cocoa nibs and grind them up so they are like powder.  Then they add water and mix them together and it makes chocolate. They have something they call a freezer and to make chocolate bars they stick it in the freezer. They have something they call a hot chocolate. It is where they add water and chocolate powder and they heat it. Chocolate is yummy.
From,
Gabe

Mason: Blog Of The Day

One day in a galaxy far away from Earth in the middle of space in an alien ship the alien leader calls all the aliens and told them that he was going to destroy the Earth. One of the aliens likes Earth and went to Earth to bring something back to prove that the leader should not destroy Earth.  He lands next to a cocoa tree and took some of the chocolate back to the ship.  The aliens and the leader tried the chocolate.  They thought it tasted great and it smelled good and the aliens did not destroy the Earth. The End 

Marney: Blog Of The Day

One day there was a alien that was going to go to Earth. So he can see the difference of a person or an alien.  So he got in his space ship.  He said goodbye.  Then he was on Earth and he was not happy because there was no people because it was night. So then he went to someones house and it was Christmas and there were chocolate pieces for Santa.  So he looked at it and said "Is this poop?" Then this boy came out of his room and said, "Santa!".  Then he said to the boy  "Is this poop?"  Then the boy said "No, it is chocolate."  Then he said "What is chocolate?"  Then the boy said "Eat it." Then he ate it.  Then he said "It is hard and it is brown and it has a weird feeling if it touches your cheek."  Then they boy left. It has coco butter and coco in it. Ya that is right. It comes off of a tree, wow.

Avery: Blog Of The Day

Hi. I am K414, remember me from the book. I wrote notes to my master. Well I went back to earth the other day to get some chocolate. I never really tried it. I went to some place in the USA and looked at the trees they grow from. They are called the Theobroma cocoa tree. It starts off as a small bean. Then people pick them off the tree and let them sit for a really long time. Next people put them out in the sun the dry. After that process they need to clean the beans really good so that the chocolate doesn't become all gross. Next they get some people to roast the beans. Next they remove the shell to produce cocoa nibs. Next they ground the cocoa nibs to make pure chocolate in a rough form. I don't know any more than that because I fell asleep. The next day I went to the store to buy... I mean steal chocolate. There were so many kinds. Fondue, white chocolate, dark chocolate, bitter chocolate and milk chocolate! I just couldn't choose. I decided to take the milk chocolate before anyone saw me. When I got back to my home planet I finally got to taste it. It cracked in half perfectly and had writing printed on it. I took a bite from the first half. It was very sweet and creamy. It melted in my mouth after the first bite. It was like a dream come true. I melted the other half of my chocolate over a fire and into a pot. It made a creamy texture. I was able to dip all sorts of things in it. Again... it was like a dream come true!

Kiki: Blog Of The Day

Once there was an alien that wanted to got to Earth.  Then one day he went to Earth.  He got hungry and wanted to go eat somewhere but he had no money.  So then he saw this piece of chocolate on the ground.  And then he tasted it and he liked it.  Then he went to go get his money that was on his rocket ship so he could go buy chocolate.  He ate the chocolate and then he got more chocolate and made it into a statue of chocolate.  Then he at the statue of chocolate. 

The End

The Toes: Happy 4th Birthday Max!

Daddio: 1/25/11 Blog of the Day

For today's blog of the day post, I want you to research chocolate.  Go onto the internet and read up on chocolate- how it's grown, processed and the different things you can make with chocolate.  Then I want you to write a story about being an alien that comes to earth and tries chocolate for the first time.  Be as descriptive as possible when you write about the alien's first experience with chocolate and what he/she learns about chocolate.

To start out, here's a link to factmonster and wikipedia about chocolate.

Marney: Family Meeting Minutes

1- When you blow your nose put it in the trash and not on the counter or the floor.
2- When you drink your water drink it in the kitchen.
3-When you eat you can not get up until you are done.
4-Do not lean in your chair.
5- Rinse your plate when you are done with a meal.
6- Do not listen in other peoples conversations.
7-  Have fun at DEAR time and enjoy it.
8-Kiki said thank you Gabe for helping with her pay chore.
9- Ava said that Connor was being nice.
10- We talked about the week.

Marney: Chemistry

We did chemistry with Daddio today.  What we did in it was we tried doing this blood thing where you use hydrogen peroxide and water but it did not work, it was supposed to change a different color.  And we made a paper clip turn different colors by using fire and chemicals.  And we also made metal, but only a small cube. Here is a few pictures and they are funny

Here is water and hydrogen peroxide.

Here are blue things.

Nana' s Thoughts

Well...I just don't know what to say about someone rejecting your book Daddio...but you seem to be taking it well and that it good.  I love it and knew you had a book in you since you were eight years old.  Can't wait to read the next one.  As for you Avery...I don't have any good advice about your Zombie Family....but I will think on it.

Hey Guys...great ice cream ideas.  Maybe we should have our own ice cream company... I like the well thought out new ice cream flavors...we could be the new Ben and Jerrys. You did a great job.  Just like Max does in school.  Way to go Max...Student of the Week.

Daddio: Acceptance of Rejection

As I posted before, we're trying to get my book published.  Major book publishers don't accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you have to get an agent first.  We've submitted it to a half dozen agents so far, and I got my first rejection last week.  Here's what the rejection said, in its entirety (I've taken out the agent's name, and the comments in brackets are mine):

Many thanks for your submission – I do appreciate you thinking of me and [Literary Agency].

I’m sorry to say that in this instance I am going to pass on your work. The children’s and YA [young adult] market is very competitive, as you may well know, and I’m afraid I don’t feel your story is quite standout enough for me to be confident of placing it for you at this time.

Another agent may well, of course, feel differently – this remains a very subjective business.

Wishing you all the very best and thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to consider your work.

I'm fairly confident from the generic nature of the email that it was a form rejection letter.  I also got it within 24 hours after I submitted it to the agency.

An interesting thing happened when I read the rejection, though.  I actually felt a sense of relief.  It was weird, but a part of me would be happy if the book doesn't get any interest at all, because I know that if it does then people are going to want to tinker with my plot and make me make a bunch of changes that I don't want to make.  So part of me would like to have it get rejected because then I could just write the other two books in the series the way I want to write them and tell the stories I have already planned.

Part of me was also irritated, though, that anyone would read about my book and not fall in love with it right away.  And, of course, my ever-hungry ego wants as many people to like my book as possible, and wants it to get published so I can be Rowling-rich and famous.

Realistically, though, I know that there are many more rejections coming for me in the future, so I would like to celebrate this one.  Because I'll only ever get my first rejection ever.  Huzzah!

Max: Student Of The Week

I was playing the Wii.  The trick is I spin Mario around when he is jumping super high.

I watched a movie about ice cream. After it we got ice cream. Then we went home.

I am drawing.  I am making the letters for TIGER.

I am making a picture of Popo with two arms and two legs and hair and he has a stomach and he has feet.

I am counting money.  I counted to 10.  I got 10 money when I was finished.

I went to the Office Depot and I got a lot of stuff for school.

Mason: Art Class

At art class we were doing print making, the artist we were learning is Durer. I like art class a lot because there is no right or wrong answer and it is fun to do new kinds of art. My print is of trees, the sun and the moon. I can't wait for next Art Class.

Avery: My Novel

Lately I have been working on this zombie novel! It is about this computer nerd named Heather and her friend Marvin. Heather finds out her parents are zombies and they try to take over the world. They use all these guns, crossbows and weapons. So far I'm on chapter two and soon I'll be on chapter three. If you have any cool ideas for Characters or the story just tell me or leave a comment ( this is not one of those posts where you have to comment and mom is checking to see if you read the blog). Just don't tell me to make a characters that are like you. I have enough people in my story.

Connor: Blog Of The Day

Meat Ice Cream

1. Steak

2. Salt

3. Chicken

4. cream

5. Candyland 

6. hamburger

7. the polar ice caps.

8. Luck potion to change the luck of whoever eats it

9. Gravy

Now in one bowl mix cream Candyland and polar ice caps together.

In another bowl mix the meats and salt.

Now combine the first bowl with the second.

Stir the contents for 2 thousand years.

Add  Luck Potion and gravy.

mix for two thousand more years.

If you want add in your favorite video game.

freeze for twenty years.

After twenty years remove ice cream and eat.

Marney: Blog Of The Day

The Ice Cream Tree

What you will need is chocolate ice cream, mint ice cream, an ice cream scooper and  green sprinkles.

1- Get out the chocolate ice cream and make the root. Put the root of the tree on a plate and put lines for more roots. Stack 3 ice cream scoops and make sure you smooth them out.

2-Then put some mint ice cream on top for the tree and put green sprinkles. 

3- Take a picture, that is it.

4- EAT!

Mason: Blog Of The Day

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream

1. Make the peanut butter. First you get peanuts and use a fire-breathing dragon to open them.  Melt them.

2.  Make the grape jelly.  Pick some berries and squish them.

3. Make chocolate chip ice cream.  Mix together chocolate, milk and potato chips.  Use an ice-breathing dragon to freeze it.

4.  Mix it all together.

Avery: Blog Of The Day

WARNING!

The blog post you are about to read might make you vomit all over yourself and/or make you laugh so hard you pee your pants. Enjoy.

Pizza Ice cream

Ingredients

45,000 pieces of pepperoni

A unicorn horn (shake it and salt comes out the point)

Four cups guinea pig milk

One small jar of spicy pizza sauce

pixie dust (for sprinkles)

25 pounds of soy mozzarella cheese

A snowman (to pee out ice)

Spongebob Squarepant ( so I can have him bring me his pineapple house)

Ducks ( to throw up the bread that they have eaten)

Dad's book (to ad excitement to the flavor)

How to make it

1- Pour the guinea pig milk, pizza sauce and duck barf into a large bowl. Mix until smooth.

2- In an other large bowl mix together the pepperoni cheese, the snowman pee and Dad's book.

3- In a small bowl put in the unicorn horn salt, the pineapple house (you can add Spongebob if you like) and the pixie dust.

4- Put all the mixes of food in a blender together and blend until completely smooth.

5- freeze in the freezer over night.

6- Eat and enjoy

Nana' s Thoughts

You guys are great reporters.  I had a wonderful Alone Family Birthday Day with you guys....thank you for a great memory.   But, I danced in the car, at Denny's, at the factory and the bathroom stop.  It was a great day and I was very happy.  When I am happy...I have to dance, dance, dance.  When I drink coffee out of my blue bell cup I will remember a great day.....love you guys...Nana

Daddio: 1/21/11 Blog of the Day

So what's your favorite flavor of ice cream?  Now imagine if you could make any flavor that you wanted.  Today, using the knowledge you got from your tour of Blue Bell, come up with a recipe for the most amazing, awesome flavor of ice cream you can think of.  Then give your ingredients list and give step-by-step instructions on how people can make your new ice cream recipe.

Don't worry about making sure you're technically correct on all the different steps.  What you should focus on is imaginative methods and outlandish ingredients to make the most fantastic ice cream ever invented.  For example, one of your steps may require a leprechaun to hug some love into a bag of sugar before the sugar is added-- that's okay.  Or maybe you need an abominable snowman to poop out crystal clear ice to use in an ice cream machine-- that's okay too.  You don't even have to use realistic (or even real) ingredients.  Want to include the tears of a sad clown instead of salt?  That's great.

Go crazy and have fun.