The lawnmower chomps up grass
and gulps it down.
“I want more!”

“I have no food in my empty tummy!”
“I want more food!”

It has a long nose like an anteater
which it sniffs up long grass with.
“Vrrrooom, sniff, vrrrrooom, sniff!”

It runs really fast
down the front and back lawn.
Vroom, vroom- racing like a roller skater.

It angrily steps on flowers
and when it leaves the flowers are gone.
It’s a clear, empty field or plain.

When it leaves
the tall grass is gone
and in its place there’s short, fresh, new lawn!

Click, Clack go the jump ropes when they hit the ground.
Pow, pow go the balls when they bounce.
Knock, knock go the hula hoops
when they bump into the other children.

“Aaaaahhhhh!!!”
go the children when they are playing tag.
Boom! Bang! “I got you!” say the children playing 4 square.
“Ha, ha you missed me!” say the children when they get dodged.

“Ooooooohhhhh…”
Go the children when it’s time to go back in.

BOOM! Went the basketball.
Vrroom! Vrroom! Went the children for driving lessons.
Pow, pow! Went the big volleyball around the room.
“Time to line up!” said Mr. Farrell.

We saw a show with people from Ghana, Africa. They were the Ishangi family dancers. We are writing more to tell you about their heritage. The schools are very small and kids have to work a lot. Kids come in early to clean up the school because there are no custodians. Something interesting is the older kids carry their desks home on school vacations so they don’t get stolen. Most people in Ghana’s schools can’t afford food or lunch so people serve food for them. People in Ghana grow crops to get food. They also eat rice.

After school kids play lots of simple games. They have no electricity so they can’t play any electronic games. One of the games is the bottlecap game. You win by flicking your bottlecap onto your opponent’s bottlecap. They play volleyball and pretend there is a net. There is a season where it hardly rains so kids play games in the shade.

Another thing we learned from the Ishangi Family Dancers and their heritage is they sing and dance when they do chores. We learned a lot form the Ishangi family dancers.

One night on Christmas Eve I had a dream about a book I had read that evening. It was called “The Polar Express.” I loved it and I was wishing to be like the boy in the book. As I was thinking I heard a sound…

It was a sound I had never heard at night! It was the sound of a train! I looked out the window and there it was- The Polar Express! The conductor stepped out and motioned for me to come to him. I couldn’t resist. I dashed down the stairs, put on my shawl and slippers and ran outside…

The conductor asked if I wanted to come. “Are you coming or not” I hopped on and sat down. I was so excited because it was the first time I had gone to the North Pole. When we got there we all ran out. We saw so many elves. Santa Claus came out of the crowd. He pointed at me and said, “How about this girl here to come and pick the first gift of Christmas?”

I said I wanted one of his bells. He gave me a big hug and cut a bell off of one of the reindeer. When we got to my house I waved goodbye and ran upstairs. THE END.

When my brother Lucas was born I was so excited! My Daddy and I went to the store to get him some presents. We got a little bathtub toy whale and a froggy mirror.

Then we went to Phelps Hospital. Phelps is a hospital in Tarrytown. I was born there too.
My Mommy was there for two and a half days! A nurse gave my Mommy a huge bowl of bad tasting oatmeal.

A friend of Mommy’s and mine babysat me. Her name is favorite Sara. Her name is favorite Sara because she is the closest person named Sara that I know.

We took Lucas home in the car after the two and a half days. After a couple of weeks my Mommy and Daddy named him Lucas. I wanted to name him Exodus! I kept arguing, “No! I want his name to be Exodus!”

Me and Daddy’s last name is Odefey. My Mommy’s last name is Brandenberg. But Lucas’ last name is Anton because my Mommy and my Daddy didn’t think Odefey was right.

When Lucas first came home I was so jealous but I didn’t say so. Then I realized he was so cute because he kept kicking his feet in the air and waving his little hands.
Four years later… Lucas is so annoying! He is also very fun. He is a tough boy too. I love Lucas and he loves me!