School in NY

Because Maggie is such a little angel, I've been able to take her and volunteer in the schools a fair amount lately. I don't think they want you to bring a child, but a while ago I wrote a note saying that I could come help if I could bring her. (It was just sitting and filling out certificates.) The woman said it would be fine, and Maggie sat coloring and playing so nicely, that I just keep taking her. Everyone raves about her behavior, and I figure we'll be a package deal until someone asks us to stop.

 So anyway, the other day we were helping at the book fair. In Utah, they have it after school so parents can guide the choices. Here, the parents send money with which the kids can shop during school.  There are wealthy people in our area, but also a lot of disadvantaged families. So I really don't like this system where the whole class comes and some buy. One little boy Tori's age came up to me and handed me a book and then a nickel and five pennies. I said, "Oh.....sweetie, you don't quite have enough for this book..." He quietly and quickly went and put the book back. I was frantically thinking what I could do, but I'd already given away the small amount of cash I'd brought with me. He was gone before I could think of a way to quietly write a check for his book. It broke my heart.

 I often go to lunch with the kids. Here are a few pictures of Tori with some friends. I should take pictures of the boys' friends as well.

Here's a bonus picture:  our homemade fortune cookies.  I printed up some silly fortunes ("The fortune you seek is in another cookie", etc.) and we gave it a shot.  Once I got the hang of it, they weren't too hard.  We made them to celebrate the Chinese new year.  We also made a Chinese kind of salad.  So - happy year of the snake!