Chimney Slide or Window Climber

          For decades, kids have contemplated how a man with such a big belly fit through the chimney as their parents have told them, but the original story of St. Nick says that he threw the gifts through the window. The question remains, does he go through the window or does he sail down the chimney.
          If Santa doesn't go through the chimney, how does he eat the cookies and stay long enough for the warm milk not to burn him. The presents are all laid out very neatly under the tree so unless Santa is an amazing shot and he might be because he has had a lot of practice, he came into the house. There also is the fact of "Why would our parents lie to us?" They have no reason to lie about how Santa leaves the presents, we're happy just to get them.
          If the story of Santa comes from St. Nick, then shouldn't he keep true to the old story just a little more extravagant? He may be able to throw in all the toys into the stockings under the tree. It would explain how such a fat man fits down a chimney. Some people don't even have chimneys.  Though there is the fact that he's is magic. If he is throwing toys into the house shouldn't we be able to hear him, especially if there is a light sleeper in the family. Of course that can also be explained with his magical abilities.
          I personally love the magic in him going down the chimney with his large belly and big bag of toys. If you're going to believe in Santa Clause it is much more fun to think that he is going down the chimney while I sleep. Thinking he is throwing presents through the windows makes me wonder how is he sopposed to eat the cookies I so carefully laid out.

Santa, first of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my letter even though you have millions to read. For Christmas, I would like a puppy. Puppies are really nice and playful. They would help me get exercise and happiness. You could get me a rescue puppy. That would save a young puppy’s life. Getting me a puppy would be good for both me and the puppy.

I already have a dog, but I love her so much I would like another one to keep her company. She is very lonely, especially  when I’m away at school. Another dog would help her to not be bored and chew things. That means we could leave her out of her crate.

    I have been very good this year. I took good care of my dog Cookie. Also, I help my mother out around the house. I did all my homework. I believe I have followed all the rules to get a good Christmas present. I have put in countless hours into my current dog. Thank you for taking the time to consider a puppy as a present for Christmas this year. I hope you decide that I am deserving this amazing treat.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Welch

Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving is a day of tradition. The tradition I have dicided to investigate is the turkey. It is a turkey because that is sopposedly the meal that the Pilgrems helped the Indians make. They had a turkey because this was the only bird they managed to hunt. All the others had gone south. They enoyed this meal with great relish, happy that they even found meat. We still eat the turkey to recagnize that we are still thankful to get anything we can even though thanksgiving could bring steak or lobster. We eat the simple turkey so we can feel a connection to our ansestors and that thanksgiving. Also so even poor people can have a traditional thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks and everybody should be able to do that.

Graditude

Most people spend their lives wondering about ifs and ands, but I know when I have something good in my life. I am thankful for many things. Topping my list is my wonderful family. I could have been given abusive parents, but instead I got parents that love me more than life itself. I am also thankful of the fact that I have been given many talents that I did not earn but am working very hard to deserve. Henceforth, I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to get a full education, thanks to the country I was born into- America. Furthermore, my morals are not vulgar and do not make me an adversary to anyone but people with moral that are skewed. Another thing I am thankful for is the privilege of not being required to work a horrible job during my youthful years. I am also thankful for the fact that I am able to love and have positive relationships as many people with disabilities can not. I am thankful for my luck that has given me these opportunities. These privileges I have just mentioned were earned but given, and that makes them so much better.

Turkey Sandwhich

         Yesterday I packed my lunch to take to my grandma's. Ugg. I went and I didn't have my lunch, so when I went home I saw my sandwhich with tire tracks in it. My mom had run over my sandwhich!

Halloween

Halloween is a time of getting the pants scared off you, overpriced costumes, and stomachaches.
The one I remember the most is when I was 3. I started off the day at daycare where they had us trick or treat with the teachers. I got more candy than most people because of my cuteness. Awesome, right?
After getting my first stomachache of the day, I went home. I snuck in walking up behind my mom and yelling, "Boo." My mom pretended to have been scared, and I was very proud of myself.
I was a powerpuff girl and so was my sister. My dad was dad was the professor. We set out on an expedition untill 9! We only kept going by the suger rushes. We went home and endulged our sweet teeth untill we were sick.
Halloween is a holiday that acculy encurages you to take free candy and ruin sombody's say if they don't give it to you- blackmail. Writing this I relized it's not free candy, it's stolen candy. So THAT'S why it tastes so good.

“Does Patriotism Still Matter?”

What kind of question is that? You’re asking me if the love of our great nation still matters. If it didn’t matter, we wouldn’t be fighting for over 200 years to keep it. The answer is yes, of course it matters.
To me, patriotism is a lot more than just a word. It’s a love of America that surpasses your desire for the comfort of home. It’s facing an army that will might kill you to fight for a cause that you don’t believe in. Patriotism is honor for your country, not just when it’s good, but when it’s bad, too. To me patriotism still matters, and it always will.
Millions of people have died fighting because they’re patriotic. Millions of people leave a loved to fight for country. The only thing that keeps those brave soldiers going is the fact that patriotism still matters, and the fact that it’s always going to matter. It’s the fact that they’re keeping their families, (the country) safe from being maimed or murdered.
At least a dozen flags fly in every school around our spectacular nation every day honoring patriotism. Some people may not know or care about patriotism, but it still matters. Who cares what a few ignorant people think or don’t think, if the rest of us loves it.
My uncle was in the Vietnam war. He doesn’t really like to talk about it, but he knew what he was getting into. He didn’t sign up just to pay for college. He didn’t do because he likes fighting. He did it because he was patriotic. He did it because he loves his country.
Wars take place all over the world. They are bloody, loud, and deadly. No one likes them, but countless people pray for those who take part in them. Countless people join war. Why do they do this? They do it because patriotism still matters to everybody, not just soldiers.
Killing is a horrible thing. No human wants to kill. It goes against our nature. It’s hard to kill. It’s going against our instincts, but soldiers work extremely hard to overcome it because of patriotism.
In a word the reason why people fight, go away from home, cry over a MIA, wave a flag, and pray for people you’ve never met is, patriotism.

Ralph Fletcher

In Ralph Fletcher's, Marshfield Dreams, he portrays many childhood memories that are close to him even in his adulthood. His writing is something that all people aspiring to become a writer should study. He includes many techniques, but without it being unatral. He doesn't just stick a bunch of things to make his story more advanced. He is an excellent writer.
In his short story "Bobby," he writes "He sat in his playpen, happy as pie." (P. 59) I think this is good because is he includes a simile. Also, the expression "happy as pie" is not a common one. Furthermore, everybody loves pie, so it helps them to keep reading even if they have a short attention span.
Another excerpt from this collection of stories that I think shows good writing technique is, "Though I was confused, one thing was clear-my father and I had drifted away in a small, but important way..." (P. 84) I thought this was good because it showed that his father now considered him to be an adult, even though he still wanted to be a child. It also shows emotion. The reader is supposed to think, "That's so sad, all he wants is a kiss from his dad!"
Ralph Fletcher is a fenominal writer. I hope I have shown him for his glory in this blog post.

My Family, a Trampoline, and a Knee

“I’m getting off,” a much cuter version of myself whined.

“Noooooo!” my cousins really wanted me to stay. I mean I can see why, I’m AWESOME, but I really didn’t feel like being on the trampoline. They had continued jumping to prevent me from getting off. I tried to get off anyway. This appeared to be my fatal flaw. As I put my knee down to help get myself over the bar, it slipped and, “Owwww!” my knee was in the spring! It hurt SOOO badly. At my scream, my cousins looked around, and saw me heavily bleeding. My eldest cousin had picked me up and placed me on a stump, and went to get my parents and a band aid. I was sitting there crying until one of my cousins had given me my new stuffed dog that I had gotten earlier in the day. It had been bought because a goose had bit me.


“Here play with your dog,” my cousin, Amy, had ordered to seize my attention. This had stopped me from crying, but my knee continued to spill blood. My cousin came back with my parents.


She sympathized, “We don’t have any band aids, you’ll need to go to the store.”


My dad came over to me and asked, “Is it okay for Megan(my eldest cousin) to come along?


“U-huh,” I sniffed. I think I took it pretty well for a 3 and a half
year old.

I still have that scar. I like it because it reminds me that I am AWESOME!

Women are Powerful, Too

Woman are powerful and they deserve to be recognized for it. The fact is most of the time they aren't. There are some female priests that connect their parishioners to god ten times better than some men, but they aren't given a chance in most churches. A female running back could be the best running back in the world, but she would laughed at if  she tried to join the NFL. To most men all we can do is cook, clean and take care of kids, but we are so much more than that we are beautiful, we are strong, we are smart, we are powerful. We can do anything boys can do. Most men will think unconditionally that we are weaker than them.  Ever heard the saying "Can't hit a girl. You're lucky, I would have beat you up." It's an excuse. Boys hide behind it. They're too afraid to fight. It isn't fair. Even the Constitution prefers men over women. It says all MEN are created equal. Not all PEOPLE are created equal. The world needs to see that we are capable of doing anything including physical activities. There isn't a gene that makes us less. They don't believe with us. We don't believe in us, and we need to start. How are they going to if we don't?

The sweet sound of the Friday bell.

Have you ever felt relief rush over you like a cool wave after a scorching day? If you have you must be in school. Adults may have harder work, but the end of a long work week just doesn't compare to the sound of the Friday afternoon bell. It's even better when you don't have homework you feel like you can just drop your books and run out of the school. Words can't even begin to describe it, but I guess if I had to I'd say it was freedom after long hours of physical labor. Ahh the sweet sound of the Friday bell, freedom.