August 15. Down to about 52º again this morning, and very chilly again this evening.
It has been quite a busy day. Up around 5:45 so we could wash clothes and I could finish getting the party food ready for fun day, and still have time for breakfast and quiet time. I didn’t open the door for the students to come in until 8:25, but it was 8:45 before the last one arrived. While the others were waiting, they guessed the number of items in a little bottle of goodies and wrote their guesses on little pieces of paper. Mike won the goodies bottle with an exact guess of 33.
Our first game was a Bible game called Twelve Keys. The students were divided into two teams and had to answer Bible questions. With a correct answer, they were allowed to guess a letter to start filling in blanks for Bible words that they could guess. The team was awarded one point for each correct letter, three points for each word guessed correctly, and six points for the starred words. Team two won the game with a total of 58 points.
After that, they played musical present. The present was a kina coin (like a dollar) wrapped in about 20 wrappers. Next was phonics pies, a game in which words with long vowels were written on one side of paper pies and words with short vowels on the other side. First I called short vowel words, and whoever had the long vowel word that matched could call out. If he were correct, he could put a marker on the space. The first one to fill the six spaces had to call out “pie-o-my” and would win that game. Then they turned the pie over and we did the opposite - I called long vowel words, and they found the short vowel words that matched.
After that, they had a team race, putting alphabet puzzles together. They had to put each letter in the puzzle in order. The first team to finish received ten points for their team.
Last of all, they did a couple math puzzle pages -- first helping Freddy Frog across the pond by jumping only on odd numbers; then doing a dot-to-dot with even numbers from 2 to 98. The first one to finish each of those correctly was the winner of the game.
Then I gave them their lunch - rice and fish, peanuts, cookies, lollies, and orange juice. We sang happy birthday three times - first to Graham, and then Bethuel, whose birthdays were last week, and last of all to Steve, whose birthday is next week. Dallas prayed, and they ate their lunch. I warmed up lunch for Daddy and me. After we ate, I let the students choose their prizes. Dallas was the grand winner and got to choose his prize first. Everyone gets a prize on fun day, but the high scores get first choices. Also gave them their report cards and gave birthday gifts to the three birthday people and took their picture. Had them do a little clean-up before sending them home.
We had a lot of fun, but I was really exhausted by the time the morning was over. Slept a little bit extra long nap. Afterward, I put away some of the things I had used for games, worked on lesson plans for next week, washed up the party dishes. Daddy gave the chalkboard one more coat of paint. The first coat finally dried after several days. We wondered if it were going to dry at all. So now we’ll have to wait several more days for the second coat to dry before we can try it out.
After supper, I hung up my clothes that Daddy had brought in from the clothesline after lunch. Then I finished up the lesson plans for next week. Daddy was teaching Bible school, and all was quiet in here. When I finished lesson plans, I read the e-mails while the dish water was heating. (Daddy had gotten in e-mails right after supper.) Then I washed up our own dishes for today. Got me a snack, and here I am at last, writing in my jounal. It is now ten past nine.
Still have a LOT of things to do the next couple days before the new week and new term of school begins.
“And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.” Exodus 13:3