The Contraction Game!

We have been learning all about contractions, which proved harder than anticipated. After a charming debate with Lissie on Monday I decided we'd have to come up with a better way to learn them. Lissie called from the back, "Miss, I don't like contractions" and was bitterly frustrated when I reminded her she'd ironically just used a contraction. So today we played with our words. They were all given a few different cards, some of which had contractions and the others a pair of words that can combine to make contractions. On the count of "Ready, Set, Go!" they set off to find their matching cards. It was even cuter than I could have imagined, and I'm hoping we get to play again tomorrow! The first round they just matched their cards and brought them to me excitedly. The next round I had them tell me a sentence with their contraction before they could take off to find another match. Some of their sentences were awesome! "We're going to Spain to play futbol." "It's my panqueque." "Don't touch me!" "They're totally awesome!" Hahah that last one really got me. That one was Eric referring to the students of Miss Harris which he corrected to Miss Harris' students when I raised an eyebrow. And by the way, yes they are!

Part of my Breakfast Club even got into the game!

Maybe the sentence was more like, "You can't eat my panqueque." These girls always get me laughing!

So we had tons of fun, and even managed a little learning. After school Dana cracked into the cookie mix she brought down. The cookies were chocolatey delicious, and went great with the cup of coffee I'd been craving since about when my alarm went off this morning. Oh and before I forget--Ariana brought me a big, fat mango today. It smelled so ridiculously good sometimes I'd slip it out of my bag just to awkwardly take a big whiff. It will be the perfect treat tomorrow morning. These kids are learning the way to my heart!

Pastor Alfonso called and asked if we wanted to go see the house people from church are building for Hermano Amilcar, so Maryann, Dana and I headed out with him for a bit. We spent time with a great family, and the girls got to hold some little chicks! The view of the mountains from their house was just incredible. I couldn't get enough of it! I told them I want to come down sometime for the sunrise. I had a little tortilla patting lesson in the kitchen before we left, and they got better with each try. I am in such awe of how quickly and perfectly round they press those babies by hand! Amilcar's granddaughter, Michelle, was great entertainment while we were there. She is too stinking cute with her Shirley Temple curls. She kept bringing us flowers to put into our hair, and she said she had a Barbie that looked like me! We went a visited a few more people who live in the neighborhood which was a nice surprise. Dana is visiting for the week, and I was glad she got to see inside some more of the houses down here.

Their current house, where seven people live. They're building one next door out of concrete and cinder block.

Hermano Amilcar with his nieta, Michelle. 

algunos pollitos! 

beauty.

After the time with Pastor Alfonso we headed into town to meet Jen and Zenaida for dinner at Doña Tina's. Dana thoroughly enjoyed her chicken and tajadas, and agreed that her salsa verde is ridiculously tasty. It was a long, full day, but full of smiles and curly-cutie laughter, so I'm going to bed happy! Something new to love every day.