Thank you so much for all of your kind words, cards, and gifts this Christmas!  It was very difficult for me to be away from your sweet kiddos the week before break, but I knew that they would be in great hands with Mrs. Veenstra and Miss Tonya holding down the fort -- and they were!

Since arriving home yesterday, I have stopped into the classroom and seen pictures and videos from the Frog Room last week.  WOW!  They sure kept busy in there!  I was so happy to hear that everything went well and now my hope is that all of your boys and girls are healthy, happy, and enjoying a relaxing Christmas break with the people they love.  I will be so excited to see them in January!

My week in Ghana was better than we ever could have imagined, and I am now pleased to introduce you to the newest member of the Nelson family...

Elias Emmanuel Nelson

We were able to attend court on December 19, and this little man officially became a part of our family and gained our last name.  We could not be happier!  Everything is now in the hands of the US Embassy in Ghana and we will wait for them to finish processing our final paperwork before we are able to travel again to bring him home.  We are hoping that Eli will be home in Zeeland, for good, sometime this Spring.  Thank you so much for all of your encouragement and support; I will keep you posted!


Wishing you joy and peace this holiday season!

 
As mentioned in today's newsletter, our class will have a pre-Christmas bucket fillers celebration with our 3rd grade buddies this Friday, December 14.  The theme of our day will be "Don't Be a Grinch!" and we will do a number of fun Grinch activities to recognize how hard the kids have worked to fill our class bucket for the 2nd time this year!  I am so proud of the kindness that I see in our classroom and I just couldn't pass up this opportunity to celebrate Christmas with the kiddos that I love before I leave for Ghana.

Our book exchange and class Christmas party will be held next week - on Friday, December 21.  The book exchange will take place with Mrs. Veenstra in the morning and the party will be led by our two fabulous room moms in the afternoon.  



Please let me know if you have any questions!
Happy Holidays!
 
A special Christmas visitor surprised us in the frog room today.
Check out the video below for more details...
Be sure to check in with your first grader to hear about Elfabet's crazy antics each day until Christmas!
 
A note came home today explaining that our class will be having a holiday book exchange on Friday, December 21.  I am asking each student to send in a book (ranging in price between $1-$3) sometime between now and the 20th.  The safest bet is to purchase a "gender neutral" picture book that your son/daughter would like to receive him/herself. 

The book should be wrapped and addressed as follows:
"To:  A Friend"
"From: your child's name"

The packet of book orders that I recently sent home is filled with reasonably priced books that would be perfect for the book exchange. To order online, visit Scholastic Book Clubs.
  Enter our class code "GZ7YQ" and make your selections.   Remember that each order placed online earns a free book for our classroom library and for your family!  

December book orders are
DUE BY THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7.
Thank you!!