Congratulations Carissa!

Carissa recently won the Reader of the Year award for her school, grades 3-5. We went to the county recognition last week. She wrote an essay that describes what reading means to her. We are so proud of her.
Here is that essay...

What Reading Means to Me
Reading is an energy boost. It keeps me from losing my imagination. When I need an idea of what to play with friends or family, I remember books I’ve read. I can be a hypnotizer like Molly Moon. I can be a talking lion like Shel Silverstein’s characters. I also learn about other people’s imagination and I learn if it’s strong or weak. It also helps me with my free time. I’m not just sitting, staring into space.
I have always loved reading. It’s something to look forward to. Most kids love playing their Nintendo’s when they get home, I read. When I am sad, I read of happy moments and I am happy once more. Reading is something to look up to, like an older sibling, and I’m the oldest, so I am glad I can just sit and rest from the hard times of brothers and sisters.
I know when to stop reading, sometimes. I am always reading, my mom says. My mom also says she can’t believe she didn’t know I was going to love reading because when I was little, I would take out a flashlight and book and look at the pictures, all night sometimes. I am glad I like to read, because otherwise I would only sit in front of the TV, X-box, Wii, or my Nintendo D.S. I sometimes like to read outside for fresh air. Reading outside makes me refreshed, because it’s a combination of my favorite things, fresh air and BOOKS of course. It is nice to know about imaginary things as well as real ones. I love to pretend I’m in the story. I pretend to be characters or even myself in the story. I also love the adventurousness of it all. It makes me feel…free.
The way my books make me feel free is by the way authors spin the sentences into webs. I become a fly, and PLOP! I’m STUCK! I realize that it is so sticky and I’m so close but I cannot take my eyes off those sticky, dangerously beautiful words. That is why they make me free, because I am not able to keep myself, I COME LOOSE AND FLY AWAY! I love flying, but doesn’t everyone love being a flying person?
I read all the time. I love it so much and when I’m not allowed to read there is a big gaping hole that the joy of reading fills.

Carissa Marie Clanton
Mrs. Thomas - 3rd Grade - Sycamore Elementary

Our House has grown by 2 Fins!

Last weekend we went down to Orlando to celebrate my aunt's 50th birthday. The theme of the party was bon voyage, they are going on a cruise. The center pieces were live fish and at the end of the party all the families with kids were offered a fish. I reluctantly said "yes" and the next thing I knew one had turned into two!
Carsten was excited to find out the fish were both boys. Caitlin decided to name the purplish one, Bubbles. Okay I can live with that. Carsten on the other hand had been hearing a word all evening that he thought would be a good name for a fish. COCKTAIL! And he also decided the nick name would be Cock!
After we were home, he was telling a mom of one of his friends about his new fish and the name and she came up with maybe calling him CT. Lets hope we can convince him to go with that instead of Cock.

One of my duh moments

I always love when I do something rather stupid, especially when a random stranger is there to point it out.
The other day, while it was raining rather hard, I needed to run to Publix to pick up a couple things. I love Publix for the mere fact that they help you to your car and load the groceries. It would be even better if they would come home with me and bring them up the stairs. Unfortunately they never take me up on that offer. When it rains our Publix is awesome. They have a drive through that they will wait on you to pull your car up under and then let you load children and groceries there.
On this day a nice woman waited with Caitlin and the groceries while I got the car. After Caitlin and the groceries were loaded, I proceeded to get in on the passenger side of the car. I hadn't quite closed the door when I realized I had to drive. I quickly got out and proceeded around the car to the driver's side but not before the woman who loaded the groceries said "You often have someone else driving, Don't ya?"
How wonderful of that woman to point out my absentmindedness. Thanks!