Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy 30th, Amanda!

My friend and co-worker, Amanda, celebrated her 30th birthday this month. We planned a picnic birthday party for her, but moved the party indoors at the last minute due to rain. Not to worry - much fun was had by all. We ate chicken wraps and ice-cream cake and played games until midnight.
Here's the birthday girl (below), enjoying all the friends and fun! She received a few gifts, including the game Settlers of Catan and a handmade book of 30+ favorite memories we have with her.

Family Fun Day

Our school recently held the annual school picnic - Family Fun Day - at the Donaupark. It has been raining so much here this spring, but the rain held off through the morning so that we could enjoy sports, food, and conversations with one another. It was a wonderful time for families to get to know each other better and the mix of cultures was so rich. There was amazing food from around the world on those picnic blankets!

Above, I'm pictured with two other elementary teachers and friends. Below, the two Judies rode the Manner train around the park at the end of the picnic. They invited me to come along and we enjoyed a tour of the very large Donaupark. The flowers were in bloom and the smells of spring in the air. This was a special way to end a great picnic.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Happy Mother's Day!

This week we hosted our annual Mother's Day Tea at school. The students made placemats for their moms to use at the tea and placed handmade projects at their mom's seat telling how much they love their mothers.
The kids and their moms sat together at tables and shared juice, fruit and pastries. Moms got to meet other moms and feel celebrated for the day.

After eating together, each class performed a short poem, recitation or skit to honor their mothers. It was a very special morning for moms and kids alike.

Play Ball!

Three of my students are playing on a baseball team this spring. Their moms invited me to one of their baseball games and it was a blast watching them at bat and scoring runs! Going to the ball park and buying hamburgers, Cheetos, and root beer at the concession stand was like experiencing a little piece of America right here in Austria.

Good-Bye, Maya!

This week we said good-bye to Maya, who is heading to Egypt for the summer. She'll be back in the fall for 6th grade and we're all really happy about that. It's great to see these kids becoming such good friends with one another. The day after Maya left, one of my other students commented, "School's not as much fun without Maya!"

Spring Cleaning and Maintenance

Hey, we got a new fence at the edge of our playground area! The old one was falling apart and the neighborhood was beginning to look a little run-down. So Pat and Ron ordered some wood and built a sturdy new wall. They reattached the netting above to keep the soccer balls and basketballs from escaping into the parking lot of the neighboring business. And with the sense of humor that Pat and Ron have, they kept us laughing throughout the whole project!