Because it’s awesome.

And on a side note, I’m currently in the midst of rewatching Firefly from episode one. I burned them onto DVDs so I can happily watch them on my cute, pink TV.
w00t!

You’re welcome, world.

I had this really long explanation written out, but then I decided it was too intense…

So basically, we have two levels of phonics classes (along with our other levels of ‘regular’ classes). These phonics classes obviously have a greater focus on phonics, even though the majority of our children’s classes classes do have a phonics component. For the phonics classes, we work with a specific sound each week. You’ve got the phoneme with its corresponding digraph, plus a few vocabulary words that begin with that sound.

Obviously some phonemes are easier to find vocabulary words for than others.

So let’s cut back to two weeks ago, when in the class that’s mostly 6 – 8 year olds, we were working with ‘Q’ (/kw/).
For the vocabulary, we want to use words that are tangible, right? For each vocabulary word, we also have a flashcard (therefore using abstract concepts makes it even more difficult… not only from a comprehension standpoint, but for the flashcard creation as well, haha).

The only problem is, really, how many good words begin with ‘Q’ (and are reasonably phonetically regular)?

I forget all the words on the list, but the main anchor image is ‘queen’. We might have had ‘quiz’ in there…

But anyways, one of the words was ‘quail’.
Oh yes, that delicious bird.
Here’s a photo of a quail… they’re actually kind of cute.

A lot of the kids knew it was a bird, but didn’t believe me when I told them it was delicious and tasted like chicken, haha. At first, they had a really hard time remembering it… but then it got to the point where for no reason at all, they would just yell QUAIL. No matter what image came up, they’d first say ‘QUAIL!’.

So last week, we moved on to ‘R’ (/ɹ̠/). We were doing the flashcards thing for the new vocabulary… so slowly, I reveal one flashcard at a time. They know a good majority of the vocabulary, so they try to guess what it is as it comes up.

Wouldn’t you know, everything was ‘QUAIL’!!

I’ve never heard quail shouted so many times in my life, haha. It’s pretty cute and funny though.
Even after I said, No! No quail!
They kept on going, QUAIL!!
And of course broke out into fits of giggles.
Which naturally, is contagious.

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All you need is a bit of butter, some sugar and some cinnamon (cinnamon sugar actually tastes better than just plain cinnamon).

After you toast your bread to perfection, add a thin layer of butter, sprinkle on a bit of sugar, and top it off with the cinnamon.

Oh yes. It’s wonderful.

I remember when I was a kid and my mum used to make it for me, but she’d cut the toast into little strips… ahh… those were the days.

It also goes very nicely with a nice hot cup of Earl Grey tea. But then again, I’d say that about pretty much everything.

Mostly because things have been… well, hectic. To say the least.

Guam was awesome. Nice, warm, sunny. We only had rain on one day (which was our last day, and we therefore spent it shopping).

We went snorkeling, relaxed with smoothies and ice cream by the beach, did a bit of hiking (I’m using the term hiking very loosely here) and saw some waterfalls, went to a fruit farm and learned about coconuts and all sorts of fruits…

It was just a really nice, refreshing vacation.

And on the plus side, I didn’t get a sunburn.

AMAZING.
I know.

No it really is, haha. My pale skin burns so easily. Although, I was using SPF50.

I took some photos. Sean took photos. Eri took photos.
I’ll upload them when I have a chance to sit down and just resize and whatever.

Yeah.
Things have really been that busy.

WIN.

A W E S O M E .

So here it is again so I never forget.

Nels, Matty, Wouter and I were all watching some movie about a Mountain that had like, Nicole Kidman, and some other people in it. Cut to a scene where a very familiar actress comes on screen.

Wouter: Is that Natalie Portman?
Matty: What?
Wouter: Is that Natalie Portman?
Matty: What!?
Me & Nels: IS THAT NATALIE PORTMAN?
Matty: YES A GUN IS A LETHAL WEAPON.