Ice Skating!

So I've been meaning to post this for about a week, but I guess the only free time I have any more is at 7:30 on Saturday mornings. I'm cool.

Anyway, last Friday, January 16, to celebrate the completion of our English Language Arts standardized test, the ENTIRE fourth and fifth grades went to Chelsea Piers to go ice skating. At first, I'll admit I was slightly terrified that one of my kids would lose their fingers or get stabbed by an ice skate or something else that is equally horrifying. But surprisingly, nothing bad happened. Even more surprisingly, it was really, really fun.

Here are some of my favorite pictures:

Zeinabe and Steven shortly after the latter crashed into the former and they both took slid about 10 feet across the ice.

Darilis, my adopted daughter.

Mohamed after a hilariously spread-eagle trip.

Brittney and her brother, my favorite chaperone. He keeps all the boys busy on the bus by playing with Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Awesome.

Some of my boys: Heriberto, Justin and Steven.

Khristian was posing for a picture and I snapped it right as Jesslyn came crashing into him. Perfect.

What's Next: Studying for our standardized math tests, planning a character study unit and figuring out my grad school admissions. Fun, fun, fun!

Stopping by Central Park on a Snowy Evening

So I meant to post these photos weeks ago. They are from our first real snow on Friday, December 19.

I couldn't help but think of Robert Frost's "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening." I think I read that poem in about the fifth grade, and I still for some reason remember the words.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.