Ice Skating News

Today after Burter and I finish doing keyboard lessons, Dad took us to ices skating lessons ( Mum was sick today!)  Today was skate with Santa so we had to wear Christmas clothes.  I wore a green skirt with black stockings underneath, a red T-shirt and a red jacket.  Before we went on some older and more experienced skaters did their routine either by themselves or doing it synchronized with a partner.  After them different groups went on the ice to do their routine.  I am in Yellow group which has a lot of kids!!!  Anyway, I think we did pretty well!!!  After all the groups had finished we had a surprise skater!!!  His name was Jeromy and he got bronze medal twice in the olympics!!!  He could jump and do a triple turn!!!  It was very interesting!!!  After his turn everyone clapped and then all the kids that do skating lessons and the coaches could go back on the ice and skate with Santa!!!  Santa also handed out goody bags for all the people that were on the ice!!!  
 
At the end of free skating with Santa, all the kids gathered around the circle in the middle of the ice rink to get our skating report cards.  I passed stages 1,2,3 and 4!!!  I am so proud of myself!!!

Snow, Snow, and More Snow

This morning, at about 8am, I woke up and saw snow in my front yard.  I quickly woke Burter up and told her the exciting news.  We asked mom if we could go and play in the snow.  Mom said, 'Yes' and she helped us change into our snow jackets, snow pants, snow boots and mittens.

As soon as Burter and I got outside we started a SNOW BALL FIGHT!!!  That lasted about an hour and by then we were STARVING!  We quickly went inside and ate our breakfast.  Then we asked Mom and Dad if they could come outside and join the fun.

When Burter and I first got outside again, we quickly got a snowball in our hands and hid behind Dad's car.  When Mom and Dad came outside, in a flash they were covered in snow!  That's how the snowball fight started.

We all had such fun playing in the snow and I can't wait until we can have more snow so that we can make a snowman!!!!

Cross-Country

At school I have started cross-country.  In cross-country we have to run long distance.

More than three weeks ago we had a cross-country race.  The race was held at a stadium that was in a park.  We had to race against 34 other catholic schools and over 150 kids!!!  Each school picks 4 boys and 4 girls from each class.  The people that they pick represents their school in the race.  I was chosen but I had to run with the Grade 4's because of my birthday.  

Getting Ready:  All the Grade 4 Girls!

The Grade 4's had to run 2.25 km!!!  Some bits of the run was really hilly.  On the run I met a girl called Isabelle.  We were talking while we were running!!!  When at last we entered the stadium I said goodbye to Isabelle and started sprinting.  In the end I came 30th!!!  It was a pretty tiring run but I kind of had fun.

  

Sprinting for the finish!

Day 2

Today was extra fun because I played with people I haven't played with before.

We played Tiggy (Tag).  It was so much fun because everyone was so fast!!!  One person was even sweating because he was chasing me so much!!!

Then in class we had to do double dictation!!!  One page was 35 words long and the other was 50 words long.  We were going to do three but the teacher said we could do something fun instead.

At the end of school we packed our bags, ready for the end of the day prayer.  This time I knew some of the words to it.  I will get the hang of it soon.

So far, school has been a good place to be!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school!!!  We only went to school for 2 hours, but it was really fun.

First, we met our teacher and we met our classmates.  Then we did an activity to talk and to know more about our classmates.  I got to meet a lot of people.  There are 31 in my class.

Next, we made a chart about class rules.  There were a lot of new class rules I haven't even heard of!  I had a few ideas to add too.

Last, we got the rest of our school supplies.  I got 2 large binders and lots of folders.  I also got pencils, notebooks and loads more.

I can tell that this year's going to be a good year.

Something Very Unexpected

On Sunday, it was a nice and sunny day and Mum had plans for the day (like usual) and part of Mum's plan was the family was going out to a fair!  I love fairs.  They are so much fun.  But this fair was not just an ordinary fair...

First we got temporary tattoos of a whale and a pirate hat each.  Then we also heard people playing music and singing.  But it was about 5 minutes until the unexpected thing happened...  

We waited, and finally 5 minutes had passed and two people were rolling a trolly with--was it true?  It was a real life mermaid!!!  Her name was Oceania.  She told us that mermaids are only in Richmond B.C.  Oceania read us a story about a mermaid.  The story was called The Little Mermaid.  It was a different version.  At the end the Little mermaid didn't get married to the Prince, instead she turned into foam.  

When the story was done we got to take pictures with Oceania.  Secretly I touched a bit of her tail.  It felt like rubber.  But she said she was a real mermaid and she was even on the front page of the newspaper!

Soon enough it was time to go as we had ice skating after.  I had an excellent time at the fair and hope to go again next year!!! 

A Good Place To Celebrate A Birthday

A few days ago, on Burter's birthday our family and our cousin Nic went to Chuck E Cheese.    I played a game of Air Hockey with Dad and Dad won but it was a very close game.  It was first to 7 and I was on 5 and Dad was on 6 and when I was about to hit the Puck into Dad's goal but I accidently hit it into MY goal!!!  Anyway I played 2 games with Nic (and both the games I won.) and I played 1 game with Burter and I won   7 to 1.  

Next I played 2 games of car racing with Nic and 2 games of car racing with Dad.  Nic won 1 game and I won 1 game.  Dad won both the games.  

Then I went to take my picture.  So how it works is, only one person at a time we sit on a bench in front of a camera and it counts down from 5.  After the count down is over it takes our picture.  Then we have to wait less than  a minute and it puts our photo on a card and then it decorates the background.  There are 8 different backgrounds.  4 boy backgrounds and 4 girl backgrounds.  I did that 3 times and out of all 4 of the girl cards I had to get 2 cards that had the same backgrounds!!!

Anyway I did a heap more stuff and in the end I got 533 tickets!!!  I had a really fun day at Chuck E Cheese.  

Trying Something New

I've always wanted to do gymnastics but it was hard to get a spot in a gymnastics class where we used to live.

Here in Vancouver, Burter and I have started gymnastics just for the rest of the month.  So far Burter and I have done 1 tryout class  ( the best bit of the tryout class was it was free!!!)  which was the last lesson for July.

We've signed up for weekly lessons for this month only.  I've really enjoyed it.  Yesterday we got to have a go at the uneven bars.  We jumped from the little bar to the big bar.  Our teacher helped us.  On my first go I needed help but after that I could do it!!!  We did it in a circuit.  First we did the uneven bars, next we did a handstand on the ground, then we did a straddle on a horse and finally we did a flip on the rings.

This is one of the games we played.  To do this you will need: a parachute, and at least 5 or 6 people.

Step 1: Everyone holds a side or a corner of the parachute.

Step 2: Someone counts to three and on the count of three all the people lift up the parachute and takes 2 steps in and sit on the side or edge that you were holding.

I had soooooooooooooo much fun at gymnastics and I can't wait until the next session.  

Ice Skating

A few days ago Burter and I got new ice skates.  We couldn't decide to get hockey skates or figure skates.  When Kevin (a person who works there) was done sizing me for hockey skates  and we were about to pay for them Mum's cousin said that figure skates would be better for us.  So we had to go through all the sizing again.  I was a size 3 1/2 in figure skates.  Burter was a size 2 1/2 but the shop didn't have a size 2 1/2.  So my Uncle got Burter a pair of ice skates from a different shop.  

Trying out our new skates. 

   
Every Saturday after piano lessons we go to ice skating lessons.  When we got on the ice it was really slippery.  Eventually I got the hang of it and I was ice skating!!!Soon enough, too soon it was time to get off the ice.  After I took off my ice skates my heal and my foot really hurt.  

At our ice skating lesson

I loooooooooved the ice skating lessons.  It was fun and hard at the same time but I was determined to skate.  I have another 2 lessons this Summer. 

So far...

So far this week we have been doing Yoga for an hour each day.  Today Mum, Burter and I might go shopping for ice skates.  After we get the ice skates we will go to the beach.    

Burter and I tried on our new school uniform this morning.  Our school colours are a medium shade of blue and a goldy colour of yellow.  The medium shade of blue on our school jumpers, don't even match the blue on our dresses.



Yesterday Burter and I did a try-outclass for gymnastics.  Next Tuesday Burter and I will start doing gymnastics.  I can't wait!!!  

  

First day of adventure

Yesterday, my Grandpa got out of the hospital.  He was in the hospital for over a week!!  We were all so HAPPY that my Grandpa was out of hospital that we all went out for dinner.  We all had Vietnamese food.  I had wonton soup.  It was DELICIOUS!!!

I feel happy and sad at the same time.  I feel happy because I get to see my cousins and my Grandpa.  I am sad because I miss all my friends and family and neighbours.  When I first came to Canada I felt anxious and curious.  The reason I felt curious because I didn't know what was on the road ahead of me.  The reason I felt anxious was because the same reason I felt sad.  

My first day in Vancouver, at the beach

  

Preparations

In order to get ready we need to sell most of our stuff.  So far we have sold: my bed, my bed-head, my bike, the dinning table, our couch, Burter's bed and Mum's car.  I now get to sleep on my mattress and Burter has to sleep on the floor next to my mattress.  

For replacement until we leave we have borrowed our neighbors camping chairs.  We are also using my family's sun lounger to sit on when we watch something on TV.  We also borrowed a wooden table and fold up chairs from our neighbor.
Our neighbors are very kind.

If we sell Dad's car I wonder how we are going to get to school. 
I don't have my bike so I can't ride to school.  Driving to school takes 6 minutes.  We might have to walk all the way to school!!!  I predict walking to school will take 7 times as long.  



   
                      

    

Meet Mads

My family and I are going to Canada in 12 days!!!  I am a little excited and a little nervous.  I can wait and I can't wait at the same time.  I have lots of friends at school.  I can't wait to meet my new classmates when I go to my new school.  I also wonder now and then what my new school will be like.  Maybe it will have a lovely outside garden.  Or maybe it might have a huge block of grass outside my classroom.  I just wonder...