Baby, it's cold down here!

Okay, everyone in the northern climes can have a good laugh at our expense, but let me tell you the blood thins out when most days are 90 degrees and the same humidity!

The temperature in South Florida dipped into the 30's last night (an extreme rarity) and it was in the low 40's when it was time for school this morning. (the schools issued a severe weather report and "robo called" all the homes of each child to tell them how to dress)

Parnham family attire:

Jia: 2 shirts,1 jacket hood up of course, sweatpants, socks and sneakers
Katie: one long sleeve shirt, one short sleeve shirt, a sweater and a jacket
Anna: three shirts and one sweat jacket, and 2 pair of socks
Lesa: one shirt, one sweatshirt, leggings, jeans big jacket 2 pair of socks
Drew: (who believe it or not minds the cold more than any of us) shirt, sweatshirt, jacket and his quote "my hands were froze"

An interesting aside, people in South Florida look like vagrants or victims of some unfortunate clothing accident when it is cold, none of us have much winter clothing, and what we do have we bought 10 years ago and have worn on the 1-2 cold days ever since...the only person I saw looking good today was my friend Diane and she is from Alaska!

I only have one picture today. Jia's new school had a teddy bear sleepover tonight. Each child had to bring their favorite bear to school this morning accompanied with bear pj's a blanket, a suitcase, toothpaste and toothbrush (thank goodness for build-a-bear). They put the bears to sleep when they leave, tomorrow morning they will find their bears all over the room and a big bear mess! (God bless those Kindergarten teachers) Jia was thrilled and she is so happy at school, it is too soon to say, but I think her move was a good one. Teddy Bear sleep overs were a little more what I think Kindergarten should be about!

Before I close I would just like to say that I am filled with humility and gratefulness for all of you that follow our blog. I started this as a way to keep in touch with far-flung relatives, I never imagined I would get so many readers from so many places. I have heard from places as far away as the Australian Outback to people that I don't personally know right here in Pembroke Pines. Thanks for the kind words about our life and our children and please keep reading! I appreciate all of my new friends in the blogger world.

IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

OUR PRESIDENT!

The Obama Girls!

Little Obama girl on her way to her new school!

You know I am an awesome shopper when I can find a Chinese Obama shirt!

My Lunch Buddies minutes before we jumped up and screamed

My students who brought me to tears

Whew, don't look at that chin. Trivia fact: Obama and I are the exact same age....Can you imagine ME as president? What a scary, scary thought.

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness,"
-PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

There is great happiness all the way around in the Parnham house tonight. Here is an overview:

Katie: Loves her new teachers, thinks her favorite will be Art, (their assignment today was to sketch a portrait of Barack Obama and the teacher said Katie's was very good).

Anna: Teachers were great, thinks her favorite will be Honors English. Really happy that there is beef stew in the crockpot.

Jia: Loves her new teacher and her new school. She gets to sit at a table with another little Asian girl. The teacher is not the one we asked for, but Jia seemed very happy and said that "this school is better". She got to be picked up from school by her sisters and walked home! And to make it even better she has soccer practice tonight.

Drew: ditto on the beef stew.

Lesa: All my girls are happy, and can you tell I might be a little pleased that Barack Obama is the president of the United States?

SO VERY PROUD OF MY STUDENTS...

"I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible."
-President Barack Obama

I am sitting in a classroom of 28 students--African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian. Christian, Jewish and yes ,even a Muslim girl. I am proud beyond words to see them sitting rapt watching the President of the United States-Barack Obama, and spontaneously clapping, and then standing up for the National Anthem without being asked. These are seventh graders, hard to impress, way too cool, and sometimes very self-centered and they were moved.

I'll be back later with news of Jia's first day of school and Anna and Katies first day in new classes.

God Bless President Obama!

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

"I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land." Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am beyond excited!!! One more day!!! And how very appropriate that the inauguration of Barack Obama is the day after Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday! Our country has a long way to go but I believe this is a huge step towards Dr King's Dream!

Back to school tomorrow. If you know me, you know I love quotes, and I'm going to use them in my lesson tomorrow. What a very teachable moment!

I am going to put two quotes on the board. One from Dr. King and the other from Obama. Here they are:

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We welcomed immigrants to our shores, we opened railroads to the west, we landed a man on the moon, and we heard King's call to let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
-President-Elect Barack Obama

My students need to realize the incredible importance of tomorrow. Through these two quotes they will write down their thoughts and feelings, and tell me how one quote builds on another.

God Bless America!

Videos Up and Running!

Jia Speaks!

Jia's First Game!

Jia's First Soccer Game

I love this picture, look at the complete joy on Jia's face!

Jia is in position and ready to roll.

In this picture the ref just called Jia's name and she is raising her hand.

Coach Drew trying to explain the game of soccer in 30 seconds. Jia is number 5.

Hold on to your seats! I have "still" pics of Jia's first soccer game and then Anna and I are going to try to upload some video. Since I got the new camera we have been having difficulty. By the way, Jia is #5 in the pictures.

Oh My Goodness, I have TWINS!

Okay, this is so weird. My beautiful older daughters violently resist dressing in anything remotely similar. If they accidentally get dressed in even the same colors, one of them changes. That is why I almost fainted in the dressing room at Macys when the two of them decided to buy the exact same dress for a wedding they were attending. These pics are the end product, my gorgeous twins on the way to the wedding!