Sunday, June 8, 2008

Ahh, Summer!

Hey there, dear FIFTH graders!

It's summer! I celebrated the beginning of summer break by spending the day planting flowers. I find great delight in sitting on my patio on balmy June mornings. Somehow, the grim news in my daily paper doesn't seem as discouraging, and my coffee tastes especially lovely, when I am surrounded by vibrant pinks, greens, purples, oranges and yellows. Of course, Elsa loves to join me - that is, after she has thoroughly sniffed out the corners of the yard and chased the bunnies back under the shed. She has work to do, after all. No summer break for her!

Today, as I sit here at the computer looking out at the drizzling rain, my husband and daughter are riding their bicycles from Hinckley (where Tobie's is - famous for their carmel rolls) to the Twin Cities. Yesterday, they rode all the way from Duluth to Hinckley. By the time they finish this afternoon, they will have ridden over 150 miles. Usually my other daughter and I also pedal in this annual event. It is a fund-raising ride to raise money to fight the disease called multiple sclerosis. It's a difficult name to say, so most people just call it MS. MS affects a person's nervous system, making it hard for his or her brain to send signals to the muscles. It gets worse over many years. Currently, there is no cure, but the bike ride is one way people try to help fight this disease. The money they raise from friends and neighbors, pays for scientific research to help find a cure. Thinking about MS makes me grateful for good health.

That's what's on my mind today. What about you? How did you celebrate the beginning of summer break? Have you ever participated in a fundraiser to fight a disease or to support some other cause?

I look forward to hearing from you! I certainly hope you all have an enjoyable summer!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Mme Powell, to celebrate the beginning of summer break, I had a little pool party at my pool in my back yard. The shallow end is 3 feet deep, and the deep end is 9 feet deep. To go on the deep end, all the kids have to pass a deep end test. The test is to swim to the edge of the pool and back. I was really suprised when my little nabore pass the test. But of corse we don't want kids dronding, so I (the one giving the test) Always swim beside them with a nouddel or tow, just incase!!! I wish Annika and Regina in Mme.Miller's old class could of come, but they could not, however Patricia came and so did my friend Peter going in to Mme.Revara's class!!!! Over all I had a great last day of school, but I will really miss my 4th grade teachers!!!!!
-Cristiana

Anonymous said...

Dear Mme Powell to celebrate the beggining of summer break I go swimming at the Edina Pool. Since we have passes we go there very often to swim. I go with my dad and my mom goes to the park with my brother Isaac. Me and my dad do races from one end of the pool to the other sometimes he wins and sometimes I do. It's very fun! We also play tag in side the pool. Running would be swimming! A cause that I have helped I is when are class wen to feed my starving children. We make food with SChicken, Veggies, Soy and Rice it' s very FUN!I am going to miss all of my teachers!!
Shannon

Anonymous said...

Hi MMe.Powell I spent the first week of Summer Trying out for another Baseball team. My anonymous friend said "Do you play baseball all year?" I replided "No, only Winter Spring Summer and Fall... I mean yes I do play baseball all year round". And I have Been at WISE GUYS

KEVIN $