B is for Babbling and Books

By Aziza

"This needs to stop!" my mom yells at me. I shrug and say I can't help it. It's a huge problem and all, but it's not like I can do anything, it's just my nature. 'What?' you say? Talking. I've got a serious problem with it. That, and zoning out. I just can't do anything about it, it just happens. My teachers are always telling me to shut up (maybe not like that) my sister is always doing it, and sometimes I even want myself to shut off my train of thought to get a little peace. How did I stop this? Well, easy. I occupied myself. Whenever I have a little time to myself, I read. Even when teachers stop for a second, I pull out a book and read. It's the only way I can keep myself from turning around and starting to talk to someone. If I'm reading, I'm captured in my own box of solitude, and I'm so occupied with my book I don't have the temptation to start talking. It might seem nerdy, but it works for me. Than, after I started using that strategy, I started noticing that I read so much I really didn't feel like actually talking to people, and that I only wanted to read, and became a lot less social. Even when I didn't have a book, I still wanted to stay in my bubble. So, either way, a problem arose. But I figured out a way to put a balance between when I wanted to talk to people and when I wanted to be solitary.

Life Lesson: A solution to one problem might be a gateway straight into another one.

F is for Feeling Really Stupid!!!!

By Gabby

Track. I wanted to do a sport, but I knew I wasn't good at anything. I tried out for basketball, didn't make it. I tried soccer, too lazy to go to try outs. I even tried out for an Arlington Lacrosse team and didn't make it. So finally track season started. I knew I wouldn't have to try out but I easily knew I was the slowest runner. So I decided to go easy and try long jumping. It turned out I was really good at it. I went to every practice and started getting really serious about the sport.

Then one very sunny Thursday there was practice. " Why aren't you wearing your gym uniform?" a girl on my track team asked me.

Well, I had totally forgotten there was practice again and I had already changed into my regular clothes. Dang! Now I would have to get back into my sweaty gym clothes! "Um.... I'm not going to practice today" I answered.

"You know if you have one unexcused missed practice, you can't compete in the next meet." Emory said. Ugh, I was really tired, and I just wanted to get home!

"I know.... I'm quitting track. Tell that to the coach" I said. There. I wouldn't have to go to track now.

The next day Emory came up to me. "Hey! You know you got picked to run in the track meet in the girls 11-12 long jump division!"

 

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! 

 

I had missed that track meet for nothing! I could have competed! I was so stupid. I didn't want to go to the coach and explain about how I wasn't really quitting. Now I have made a promise to myself to stay on track or whatever sport I choose.  

 

 Life Lesson: Never give up or there will be consequences!!!

S is for Sharing

By Alexis

  "Why do I have to share a room?"
   "Because there are 6 years between your sisters, and only 2 between you and Logan." (Logan is my younger sister)
   For my entire life (from what I remember) I've had to share a room with either my older or younger sister. I hate it. It's like adding a piece of burnt charcoal to your s'mores, instead of a golden- brown, fluffy marshmallow. On weekends, I never get to sleep in until about 9:00 AM when I would like to. Instead, I have to wake up at about 6:30 or 7:00 AM with my little sister. The reason is that she insists on making her bed before she leaves our bedroom, and she is as loud as can be when it comes to making beds. Another thing that she does to take away my sleeping time is when I go to bed early, just about every time, when she walks into our bedroom, she turns on the light. I think you know what happens next.
   Also don't you hate it when you get in trouble, and you didn't even do anything? Well, when our cleaning lady comes, if there is anything that is in her way (a.k.a out of it's place in her mind), then she will stuff it into my walk- in closet. Then, when my parents get home and go into my room, and look into my closet and see a mess (which is mainly my sisters stuff) I always get in trouble. Boy do I get mad then.
   Life Lesson: Sharing is hard, especially with family members (ones you share a room with mainly)

9 is for 9th Time's the Charm

By Jay

At the Long Branch fair today, I had one main goal in mind, to win the cake-walk! I was done doing my various walking and game playing when I meandered over to the cake-walk. I guess my luck was just off, because I tried seven times and just never walked on the right number. By then I had run out of tickets, and had to refuel. One last dollar would be put to the cause which got me two more times. I lost the first and started to doubt myself, but I persevered and was victorious in the next walk. I was overjoyed and might just have hugged a column.

Life Lesson: Persevere and don’t give up!

8 is for 800 Meter Race

By Lauren

I scrolled down the list of names wondering what I could possibly be doing. Not my name not my name, I know her, not my name, finally! I thought to myself. The list said Lauren M. 800 meter. How long is that again? Oh yeah, Ugh half a mile. All day the dread of having to run the half mile in the first track meet of the year was a lot of pressure.

I waited and waited for them to call up my race. Then those dreaded words came out of the coaches mouths "800 meter girls race, line up!" My heart was pounding already and I hadn't even started running yet. We all lined up and got ready to start. "On your marks, get set, GO!" the man shouted, and I was off. First lap of four, you can do this, it's not that hard, I thought to myself. Second lap, only two more, third lap only one more, you can do this. I could hear the kids cheering and the coaches repeating "Good job, Keep it up, your almost done!" Last lap come on you can do this just keep going. I tried to speed up, but I was really tired and already running really fast. Everybody else had run this race before and had actually practiced it, unlike me; I hadn't ever even practiced more than a 200 meter race. As people started passing me I tried to go faster, but I couldn't feel my legs.

Finally I passed the finish line, I had gone from second to fifth, but I didn't care. I had finished the race without collapsing and in only a little more than three minutes. My legs felt all tingly and it was hard to think straight, my head was pounding so hard. But I didn't care; all I cared about was getting some water. When I could think straight again I realized that it hadn't been all that bad, just a little hard for the first time.

Life Lesson: Don't be afraid to do things that you have never done before. Also it doesn't matter how well you place as long as you tried your best, especially if you have never done it before.

7 is for Getting Older

By Alice

So, every sixth grader is going to seventh grade next year (MAJOR DUH!!!), and I'm really excited, because seventh grade is one step closer to eighth grade and eighth grade is almost high school, and you drive in high school, and I turn sixteen in high school (like everyone else, right?), and you drive at sixteen, really want to drive. Like right now.

Back to 7 is for... I'm also just really excited to not be the youngest at our middle school, and also the seventh graders have better team names (trivial much?), and they have really cool field trips, like the Outdoor Lab again. And I just want to really seem older and more mature compared to my sister. Not hard to do, really. And I turn thirteen next January, so, I get to volunteer at this camp that I love, and art camp at the Community Center. I have been at that camp since I was eight years old. Plus thirteen is where you are not a kid anymore. I'm sick of being called a child!!!!!! -_*

Life Lesson: Getting older isn't that bad. Especially thirteen and sixteen. And driving is cool and so is being an official non-child.

6 is for...6 (and Counting) Year-Old-Dog.

By Silvia

On May 10th, two days after mother's day, a little beagle was born.
Who knows what will happen to this beagle. Maybe it will find a home. Maybe not. Maybe it will be nourished and get taken cared of in a shelter. Maybe not.
But all I know is that dog will be ours.

At June 2005, we have adopted the little dog and taken her home.
But the way she looked was very different from the way she acted.
It turns out that under the little bundle of soft fur was a little monster underneath.

No, not a monster. More like a hurricane mixed with a tornado.
This dog will turn our house upside down, as her stubborn attitude makes us do stuff we have never done before.

Once that dog came into our lives, we had no choice but to change our lifestyle.
She literately destroyed everything she saw.
The next minute, our living room is filled with pillow stuffing and unidentified pieces of clothing.

She is an escape master when we limit her into her cage.
Later we decided to throw it away since she broke the lock.
And yet, this puppy is no longer a puppy once she reaches a year old.
She turns into a destruction machine.

And her maximum destruction level was at high.
She was about to chew the whole house down until we have started to let her know that we are the parents. (Especially my older sister and I.)
And now she is enjoying her life now with us.

A few days ago, we celebrated her 6th birthday. (That is 42 dog years!)
And I then realized that even though she looked older, she still has that rambunctious, puppy-like energy in her.

LIFE LESSON: No matter how old something looks, it can still have the same spirit it had when it was young.

5 is for 5 Hours in a Car

By Johanna

Singing, laughing, and Spanish fills the car. The smell of a slow baked banana and apple perfumes it. A book lays open and an activity bag is lying on it's side. A drowsy kid is trying to sleep in a very awkward position.

Happy Memorial Day! My family just got home from Burlington, North Carolina, where my grandma lives. The visit was very short and boring, except for the video, Remember the Titans, and the 5 hour car rides there and back were actually not bad.

I was woken up at six in the morning (on a weekend!) and so I stumbled out of bed, and without any breakfast, got into the car. I made room for my head on the middle elbow rest in the back of the car, lay down, and tried to sleep for a bit. After one hour, we stopped in the Aunties Pancake House in Ruther Glen for a seven o'clock breakfast. My dad and I have been here when we were going to North Carolina for Christmas. My mom said she disapproved, but I could tell she wanted to do it. I got a pancake platter, with three giant buttermilk pancakes and some bacon, and milk, which was 2 percent, which I don't like. My mom got a waffle that she shared on fourth of it with me, and my dad got a pecan banana pancake, which my mom and I agreed was crazy. Everyone got a big scoop of... butter for the pancakes! We only used about a fourth of it, and so it was a big waste. Everything was so good. The pancakes were warm and delicious, the bacon was fatty and crisp, and the waffles were, well, like waffles! Even the syrup, even though it was fake, not real maple syrup, was good and warm. Then, when we had finished, I could hardly stand up! We got back into the car and kept going.

I read a little, a new book- The Book Thief, and then I got out the unfailing card pack of things to do on a car trip. I chose to do the "Hum a tune and make people guess what it is" card. But humming was too soft, so we whistled. It happened a lot where we knew the words and tune but not the title. Then we did "Name a place or location starting with A, and then the next person has to name a place that starts with the last letter of the word that they said". For example, my dad said Arkansas, and so I had to say something like Santiago (the capital city of Chili) or South Carolina. I said South Dakota, so my mom had to say something like Antarctica. We found out that there were a lot of places that ended in "A" or started with "A". Then I tried to nap again, and before I knew it, we were at my grandmas house!

Then on Sunday, we had to go back home. We started out at three in the afternoon, and got home at about nine. I mostly read, did an activity book, or slept. My mom and dad tried to listen to this very quick paced Spanish course CD, but they finally gave up. This time, we had already had lunch, but by the time it was seven, we were hungry again. We stopped in Fredericksburg, and the only place we found was "Carlos O'Kelys" which was a Mexican restaurant. My mom told dad to remind her to not stop in Fredericksburg again, but the food there was good. I got an enchilada, which was very yummy. Then, we got in the car and kept going. When we finally got home, I was so sleepy! I climbed into the car, put on my pj's, and went to sleep before my head touched the pillow.

Life Lesson: Car rides can be fun if you make them be fun.

4 is for 400 Meter Run

By Annabel

My heart was constantly pumping as I walked up to the starting line. Since this was my first track meet I didn't fight to try my way in to get the inside lane. Instead, stupidly enough, I took the far outside lane; real smart I know! My tense stomach was full of hundreds of tiny butterflies, swarming around inside. "In and out." I whispered to myself. "I can't do this." I said quietly. One of the timers told us what to do, and what the rules were, but I still had soooo many questions. I didn't want to get disqualified because I didn't know what to do, so I asked all of them.

It was at another middle school, and you could barely see the lines marking the track. Suddenly, one of the timers yelled to the runners, "Runners take your mark... Get set... GO!!" And the buzzer went off. I got a great start, the best part about it was that I had gotten the inside lane, and was following closely behind the girl from the other school who was in first.

The 400 meter run is two laps around the faded track. After the first lap the girl in first and I pulled away from the tightly packed group of girls. The timers were yelling out our half times as we crossed the starting line again. Both of the coaches from both teams told us to pick up the speed. That's exactly what I did. I gave myself an extra boost, and passed right by a girl from the other school in front of me. I don't think that one of the coaches from the other team liked that I passed her, and started to yell. “Come on Sara! Don't let that girl beat you!!" The track coach from her school shrieked at the girl. I started to see Sara out of the corner of my right eye. She was all out sprinting, and soon going to pass me, if I didn't pick up the pace.

When we came around the final corner, she was just a step in front of me. “I am not going to lose to her!" I thought to myself. Right before the grassy finish I emptied out all of my fuel in the tank and surprisingly I stepped right in front of her, and won by a step! Crossing the finish line, I almost tumbled over, face forward into the muddy track. I won!! Everyone on the track team came over a congratulated me on my victory. I felt really good and proud of myself after that race for not giving up.

Life Lesson: Even when you think that you have nothing left, give it everything that you have left!

3 is for 3rd Place

By Silvia

"And the first place winner is-"
I kept my hopes high enough. Am I going to be in first place?
"Anonymous person!!!"
then the anonymous person who won 1st place went up onto the stage.
"Now the second place winner is-"
Again, I had my hopes up high.
"Another anonymous person!"
Then the person who won 2nd place went up onto the stage.
"Now the third place winner is-"
I knew my name was going to announced, like always.
My prediction was right, and I went onto the stage.
But I wasn't happy.
I mean, how can someone's lame drawing of a tree win first place? And how can a cheap drawing of a lawn win second.

After leaving the stage, I gave the certificate proving that I won THIRD place to my sister.
"Come on,"my sister said. "At least it's better than nothing."
"Yeah, but THIRD place? I never got to even TASTE first place." I tell her.
It's really true. I'm the person who is stuck at Third place. Never got to even taste the sweet victory of First place.
Well I have, but it was for little things like the first person to complete an equation at 5th grade.
I stare at the certificate. Another thing to hang on my wall of Third place things.

After that day, I had to go to school.
And apparently there was someone from the same contest in my class.
She walked towards me, and told me:
"you're lucky that you actually got into third place."
"Why?" I ask her.
"I always get a participant certificate whenever I go into a contest."
"Then shouldn't you try harder then?"
"Nah...." She then walked away.
I didn't even know that there were people like her.
After that day, I thought about what she said about always being a participant.
Maybe she wasn't that confident about herself. Or maybe she wasn't even trying in those contests.
But then I felt happy about winning Third place in most things. At least I didn't win Participate in the contest.

LIFE LESSON: Third place isn't that bad. Just try harder, and you'll probably be First place next time.

2 is for 2nd SOL

By Riittisha

Our second SOL of the sixth grade year .. Mathematics.

I aced it. I know it in my gut. Well, of course, I aced it, I've been totally prepared, but I mean I got a 590 or above. I just like, know it. 600.

This time, it wasn't cold, and even though I wasn't wearing my sweater. I think it was because we were all so warm from running around outside, and drenched with perspiration. And the heat of everyone made the room warm.

Now, the SOL. Easy, peezy, lemon-squeezy(: True, there were some questions I spent quite some time on, but I used some strategies.. process of elimination, and just common sense. There was especially one question I was worried about, and I called Ms. R to say I didn't understand, but she said read it over carefully, and try again. That helped. I'm not being sarcastic. Just hearing someone else say what you already know, it kind of soothes you. So I went back, and I think I chose the correct answer.

You know how people say they reviewed everything, but they really don't most of the time? I don't sometimes, because I'm just so glad I finished everything, and I know I did my best, and I'm, oh so tired and everything? Yeah. I don't do that anymore.

Today, I had this feeling that I HAD to check it over, I made mistakes, so I listened to my gut and I did. Boy, am I glad!! I made 2 careless mistakes, and that shook me. It made me less confident that I did my best the first time, and I guess that's a good thing. So from now on, I will check and re-check everything.

Life Lesson: Second time's the charm. Check and check again.

1 is for 1st Place

By Lauren

Water splashed in my face as I race to the finish. Swimming backstroke as fast as I possibly could, this race I was ready to win. I had had a flip turn lesson with my swim coach earlier in the week, now I felt ready to win. As I had approached the flags I counted my stokes then flipped over. Flip, kick, then out, the best flip turn I had ever done. I had soared off of the wall. As I kept racing, sprinting toward the finish, I thought this has to be my best time ever. This meet was the last one of the season, if we won this we would move up a division. I looked a little to the side and saw all the coaches standing cheering. I thought to myself oh it would be cool if I was in first place, but Sophia is really fast so she is probably in first, it would be cool if I was in second or third. There the flags I was almost there, just a few more meters, sprint it in. I touched the wall and stood up, there was no one else in, I was in first place!!! I could hear everyone cheering. I was thrilled that I had just got first, and scored points for my team to win. As soon as I got out of the water my coach came over and game me a high- five "You just dropped five seconds off your best time!" (if you don't know that is a lot of time for a swimmer). I was really proud and happy at the same time really happy. Everyone kept congratulating me on my time and place. It was a really great day.

Life Lesson: With practice you can do anything, and never underestimate yourself.

Z is for Zip Line

By Delgermaa

For my end of the year fifth grade field trip, I went on a zip line. It must have been one of the coolest things I have ever done.

We were all in groups, the whole fifth grade I mean. I was in group number three which meant I have to wait. I was kinda relieved that I was in third and not first. Since we had to wait, the teachers made us eat our lunch and some people just couldn't ( too scared.) I watched as the people climbed up at the ladder one by one. I saw the first person go and it looked terrifyingly fun. As the first group was done, the second group went up ( of course) and that was when it hit me. I was so calm about it, I wasn't freaking about it like the others. As I should mention, IT WAS NOT SO SCARY. But when as the time went by, my nerves suddenly grew. My palms were sweaty, and it was pretty hot because it was summer well almost.

Before I knew it, it was my group's turn. Okay, I was freaking out now and kind of shaking everywhere. My group had about 10 people so I made sure I was last but that did NOT happen. A classmate actually pushed me to be first! I gladly pushed him back to first. And my teacher made him go first. I stuck my tongue at him. He-he, I always win! But I was still NEXT to go! My teacher made me climb the ladder fast because so many fifth graders were waiting to go on.

I climbed the ladder, as I got to the top of the wooden bridge as I may call it. The staff lady buckled me into the belt and put some other safety things on and a helmet. I wiped the sweat off my forehead. Why is it so hot today? The lady led me to a bridge, no it wasn't at all. It was a black thick wire that you have to walk on to get on the other station and that was super scary. I mean I can't go on a string and not fall!! "Don't make me," I said to the lady.

"It's fine, you won't fall."

I gathered all my courage and stepped on the wire. "But if I die, tell my parents I love them." I said to the lady and she laughed. This is not a laughing matter. I walked very slowly, and when I mean very slowly I mean really slow. I looked down my peers waved at me. I tried to smile but couldn't.

I finished the path on wire. I wrapped my arms around the huge wooden thing that kinda looked like a tree. But the whole thing wasn't over yet, I still had the main part to go. The Zip line. I can't go on! This thing was LONG and was up pretty high. Other staff took off my cable from the string bridge and put another on the final zip line. I'm going to die. I grabbed on to the top part of the cable and closed my eyes. I was moving. I peaked a little. And as I looked, I could see everything. The top of the beautiful trees, the looks of my classmates as I pass them, and the sky was so clear that day. And I headed all the way down, the ride was so pretty to watch cause you were so high! I would love to go on again.

Life lesson: Try new things, you may never really see the world without doing so.

Y is for Years

By Briana

Ok, here is a riddle for you: How many seconds are there in one year? I will tell you later!

Years pass by so fast an you don't even notice. Well lets say you had your tenth birthday and you say "I am going to remember this moment forever", But then you lose that special moment.

Of all the years I have lived, I would say my favorite year would be when I was.....well.... I don't really have one yet. I guess I would have to wait and see.

At the beginning of the year people want it to be the end of the year(Christmas) and then the year goes by and look you are already in the next year. Just like kids, why did I say kids? Well because kids always want to be adults, but at the years go by and when they are adults they want to be kids. So that is a problem! Well I don't want to waste my years! You shouldn't waste yours.

Answer to Riddle: There are twelve, January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd, etc.

Briana's Word Of Advice: Use your years wisely, you won't have them forever.

X is for X-Ray

By Joann

As I entered the room, I felt my earrings buzzing around in my hand which freaked me out a ton. All I was doing was getting an X-Ray. Why be so worried? Because the room was filled with all types of pointy things that the doctor could use to pierce me if I wasn't following instructions.

But luckily, my doctor was a woman and she had scrubs on which had teddy bears all over them (all nice people love teddy bears) and I instantly felt relieved from all of the worry.

The doctor's name was Ann Marie and she was going to take the x-ray today and she told me what to do in a nice tone and then after I was done getting in the position, I had to rest my head against the red target. I felt like I was the arrow from the bow and arrow and she was the bow, aiming for me to get to the right place so she would take a good x-ray and find out what's wrong with my mouth.

After that, we went outside and she gave me three lollipops. THREE! Usually, nice doctors give you one. But this doctor, I guess some pixie dust was sprayed over her in the morning in bed and gave her an extra boost to be nice because THREE! Usually, doctor's offices are cheap and greedy and only give you one. SO HA! THIS DOCTOR IS BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE!

Life Lesson: Don't underestimate the scary things in your life. They can always change and become nice and give you three lollipops if they have hands.

W is for Water Fight

By Kimberly

It all started with a balloon and ended with a deadly fight. (Deadly as in really enthusiastic about the “fight”) First water was used to fill the balloons, but as soon as us teenagers got the hose, let's just say we weren’t exactly aiming for the balloon. Instead water started splashing everywhere. The spirals in the hose made it just as flexible to turn around as our arms. As I reached out to grasp the handle on the hose my friend aimed it directly at my face. First at my face, but as soon as I opened my eyes I was drenched. I quickly took control of the hose and got him back. Then I sprinted over to the bucket, carefully avoiding the water, and got hold of the water balloons. I soon learned that as soon as a balloon touched the grass it would explode, creating water to burst. At the moment we didn’t realize it but the whole front lawn was soaked in water. Cars, windows, everything was wet. We ended it with me 2 wins, 1 loss, and my friend, 3 wins, 1 loss. So we teamed up, filled the bucket with water, and got my cousin soaked. It didn’t make their day, but it made ours :) .

Life Lesson: Even when you lose, sometimes you win.

V is for Vanishing Bun

By Lauren

A few years ago when my family went to Outback for dinner, like we do every once in a while. But this time was a little bit different. All our dinners had come and we were adding all of our toppings. Will had gotten a hamburger, so he took off his bun to add his ketchup. But when he looked up, his bun had vanished, gone. So we all started looking around wondering were in the world his bun could have possibly wrong. We looked all over the table, on the booths, under our table and nearby tables. But there was no sign of Will's missing bun.

So then we started making up stories about were the bun could have gone, "It could have been dropped on the ground then carried away by a colony of mice!" Will exclaimed.

"Maybe it rolled all the way out the door," I guessed. In the end we never ended up finding the missing bun. But now it is good for laughs every time we go back.

Life Lesson: Always make sure you know where your buns are at all times.

U is for Up Ahead

By Riittisha

Summer. That's what's lying ahead. I haven't given it much deep thought lately. I mean, I've thought about it, like, "WOO! Schools over!!" "Beach, beware, we're about to crash into you!!" or "No homework, no getting up early, and no stress!!" But is summer really a good thing? And I don't mean "good thing" like I'm about to talk about like how chlorine and stuff can harm you. No. I mean sadness. I've been thinking a lot about memories, and the past. But summer. It's a good two months away from school, but everyone knows, when you get back, everything's going to change. New people, old friends, not the same schedule, you and your best friends could be not in the same team, you know you're not going to have the same teachers, and everything.

I'm looking forward to summer, we're either going on a cruise or to Disney World, we always go to beach, and what's not fun about having two months to hang out with your friends? But summer also marks the end of the school year, your time for this year is over.

And I can't get over how different next year is going to be. I love my schedule, my teachers, my TA.. and my team. All the people in my classes, everything. I know it's not going to happen next year. If by some miracle, everyone in the Dolphins is a otter, and the classes are the same, which is NEVER, no Mrs. Y. wouldn't want me saying Impossible, it's VERY un-likely. And no way, are the same teachers, same team, all that. It gives you a hollow feeling at how different things are going to be. Why can't we just have summer, and repeat the whole sixth grade again, but learning seventh grade stuff, and all that. Oh and anyway, the whole Math thing and everything is changing. Life has too many changes. But we can face them, even if they knock you down.

Life Lesson; When changes occur, don't grit your teeth, and hide. Instead, prepare and brace for the ride.

T is for Tornado Tantrum

By Ashley

"Oh my goodness! For real?! No way!"

I dreaded the words that the meteorologist had said. The 2 words followed me everywhere.

I'm careful and on the lookout. Like a mouse looking for cheese but is nimble/careful for any mouse traps.

As I took a look out of the window, I feel the winds roaring. I open up the window and SPLAT..PATTER PATTER PATTER..SPLAT..PATTER PATTER PATTER..SPLAT! The continuos noise of hail and rain mixed together was annoying. So I decided to close the window.

The feelings I got when there's a tornado watch or warning, were just like that. I get so scared that I panic. It's like I'm having a physco attack! And sometimes I talk a lot to get that bad thought out of my mind. But I just simply can't!

I have NEVER been in a tornado. But I have mixed emotions to rather wanting to be in one and not. I want to be in one so I can have that experience. And I'll know EXACTLY what to do in case of one. But I don't want to be one because I could lose my life or something. And that would be terrible!!!!

Life Lesson: Don't freak out over something that might not happen. And being in a tornado may be a good story to tell your friends. But it won't be when someone gets hurt!!!

S is for Squirrel

By Andriana

Today I was walking home and I was just talking with my friends and one of them says look at that dead squirrel. I walked over and I saw the squirrel, but it wasn't dead and that is what made me mad. It was lying on the side of the road and it was so helpless. It's leg was broken. Two of my friends were just laughing the entire time because the squirrel would try to move and it looked like it was twitching and having a spaz attack. Me and my friend really felt so bad because we would rather see it dead than have it suffer all the pain. One part that made me really upset was when the squirrel started moving really fast and we thought it was going to walk again but it got up on it's feet and then flopped back down again not even being on it's feet for about 1 second. Me and my friend didn't want to just leave it there so we went up to the house right next to it and we asked them if they could do anything and the lady called animal control and they said they would come. We were excited, but we really couldn't wait much longer. This squirrel was about to die. It's breathing was getting slower and its easy were watery and they were close to closing. Apparently my friends said it has been there all morning in the same place so it hasn't ate or drunken anything. I was really upset that a car would just run over it's leg and I didn't want it to die. Animal control was taking it's time so I had to leave because it was getting late. I hope animal control came in time and they could do something about it. I really hope that they didn't have to put it to sleep. So I am praying for the squirrel and it better not be there when I get off the bus tomorrow.

Life Lesson: Always help an animal in need because if that was you wouldn't you want someone to help you.