One More From Thanksgiving

There was a wide array of headgear. One girl in the back is getting her pilgrim bonnet on.

Feast!

Tuesday was the kindergarten Thanksgiving feast. Here are some highlights.





And what was our family's contribution, you might ask? Mini chicken tacos. This is L.A. after all. They were a big hit.

Quote of the Day

An early morning conversation.

Mama: Why don't you go to the bathroom, and I'll get breakfast started.

Boylee: You read my mind.

Photo by Boylee

Reality 2

Boylee's teacher seems to think that teachers won't be laid off -- because they have contracts and must be paid. So that would carry us through June, but after that...

Reality Sets In

Have you heard this news?

L.A. UNIFIED CONSIDERS STARK MIDYEAR BUDGET CUTS
BY JASON SONG AND HOWARD BLUME FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

November 17, 2008 -- The Los Angeles Unified School District has developed stark new plans including larger class sizes, layoffs and early retirement incentives to deal with a worsening state budget situation.

District officials -- already in the process of identifying $400 million in cuts for next year -- almost certainly will have to reopen this year's budget and find about $200 million to $400 million to meet an anticipated shortfall.

According to our principal, this could have a big effect on our tiny school... One scenario: laying off 2 of 10 teachers (need less teachers if class sizes are bigger), then having laid-off teachers with more seniority from other schools replacing some of our other teachers. Worst case scenario: the school, among the smallest in LAUSD, could even be closed. And to enhance the pain, the budget cuts will take effect in the middle of the school year, meaning kids classrooms could change in February. Even now, all money is frozen. We got lucky with that field trip earlier this week, now everything going forward that hasn't already been paid for is cancelled. Doesn't matter if the money exists in the principal's budget -- his accounts are totally frozen. One more thing: We aren't discussing any of this with Boylee.

Field Trip!

On Monday we were all set to go on a walking field trip to a local theater to see Sleeping Beauty...but with the terrible fires causing horrible air quality, the district wanted all kids to stay inside all day. That meant the field trip would be cancelled! But our terrific principal coughed up $500 from his very limited budget to order a bus for the kids. Sleeping Beauty was great, but here's what Boylee thought of the bus:

Quote of the Day

Boylee to Daddy: "Daddy, you're old. You're going to die soon."

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Triumph!

In October the math coach at school launched a "problem of the month" project. Every month, a different math problem for each grade is left in the library. Kids can come in on their own if they care to try to solve it, and at the end of the month those who got it correct are honored with their names on the school's announcement board. Look who solved his first problem correctly:



The kindergarten problem involved a bunch of dots on the page. Question 1: How many dots are there? Question 2: How did you figure out how many dots there are? Boylee's answer was "I counted them," and I spelled it all out so he could write it himself.

We have already answered November's question so I will let you know how it goes.

Autumn in Studio City

Who says we don't have seasons in L.A.? Check out the scene in our backyard.



That's a Japanese maple, by the way.

The Brain

Boylee is really getting into reading. At the beginning of the school year, his teacher told us parents that the kids would recognize 80 sights words by the end of the year. (Her explanation of sight words is easy words that the kids immediately recognize, without needing to sound them out or even think about it -- just instant recognition.) Now I think that number is too low, because reading seems to be exploding through his brain.

He recently received a letter from Papa and a postcard from Nana, and he read them both himself. So if you care to send him a little note -- written very neatly, please, and with simple words -- he will no doubt enjoy receiving it.

Quote of the Day

Mama: Boylee, Aunt Rhona just had her baby! It's a boy!

Boylee: I don't want another cousin.

Oops

I have been a little remiss in posting this week with all the political excitement, so here's a pic to make up for it. The expression says, "This candy is SOUR."

An Important Day

Scott had to wait 50 minutes to vote this morning -- very out-of-the-norm, at least here in LA where we have lots of polling places. I didn't have that much time to spare, because I had to take Boylee to school. But the poor Boy was so disappointed -- I had told him we'd vote together before school. He cried at not getting the chance! What a great little citizen! But I promised him we'd vote together after school.

Now I'm off to phone bank at the Valley for Obama headquarters. I guess it's a proud day to be a valley girl.

Hope you're all voting and enjoying the excitement of the day!

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Here I am phonebanking with the girls! We had a great time calling voters in Virginia and Ohio.