Zach F. 5Ca

The Island Of Anguilla

It was a cool and sunny February morning on the island of Anguilla. It was 6:45 a.m., and the sky was the color of a peach. The bay was an electric blue. The ocean breeze felt like snow falling on my face. The rest of my family was still asleep, while I enjoyed some quiet time on the beach in front of our resort suite. At this early hour, Meads Bay Beach was still empty; I knew I could save a good spot for the day. The sound of the waves made me feel relaxed.

After a while, I realized my mom had been sitting inside enjoying the view. I saw my sister and dad wake up too, which meant it was probably time to get dressed and go to breakfast, but I stayed out a little longer, savoring the beauty of the view and listening to some music. I listened to Aerosmith, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, and Rush until it was time for breakfast.

That first day, and the following six days, went by in a blur of snorkeling, boogie boarding, tubing, swimming, rock climbing, volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Each outdoor sporting activity was incredibly enjoyable, and we would cap off each day with an amazing dinner at one of the local restaurants. Though the temperature was hot during the day, it was quite cool at night; one night at dinner I forgot my sweatshirt and the restaurant gave me a blanket!

Before I knew it, it was our final day of vacation. “Five minutes until we leave,” yelled my mom from inside. It wasn’t until this very moment, just before our departure, that I noticed how much bigger our yard was than I had previously thought. As I explored further, I found boulders curiously stacked like stairs. They led down to a hidden beach. I stood on the sand, wishing I had known about the hidden place before. I rushed up to tell everybody so they would have a chance to see my discovery before we had to leave. “Come see what I found!” I exclaimed. My parents and my sister quickly joined me on the secret beach; we admired its beauty until we left.

Several hours later, it was a shock to the system to arrive at cold and dimly lit JFK Airport in New York City, New York. Once our driver picked us up, we sat through the two and a half hour car ride back to Easton. It seemed like the car ride went on and on and on and…until five minutes later, at midnight, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, I fell asleep. The next thing I knew, we were home. I will always remember this trip, and particularly finding such an amazing, secret beach.

Zach F. 5Ca

Winter

Do you enjoy running across a snowy field? What about celebrating a holiday? Or taking a look at nature?  If anyone does, winter is the season for them.

Don’t worry football fans, football is still around, only harder. The menacing, perplexing challenges include running in snow and the strong wind will bring a player down. Instead of normal gear, teams have to wear hats, gloves, and coats. To make this version of football as death-defying and sensational as possible, people have to play with a rubber or foam ball. The reason for this is because if the ball was leather, you would not be able to hold on to it. The most amazing part of winter football is the last game of the NFL season, the Super Bowl. Some of the past teams to make it to the Super Bowl are the 49ers, Ravens, Giants, Patriots, Packers, and Steelers.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday with 8 nights and lots of presents. The main tradition is lighting a Menorah, in which the number of the night is the amount of candles families light. The soft, savory taste of potato latkes is unbearable to stop eating.

This snowy season is one to enjoy, what with all the changes in nature. In this frigid temperature, all the leaves are gone and nature enthusiasts will find deer roaming around. The sight of the snowy spruce trees is beautiful in the morning light. The temperature will be below 40 degrees almost all the time.

With the amazing sports, yummy food, exciting holidays, and beautiful nature additions, the season of winter is one to enjoy.

Theodore A. 5Ca

A Day at The 

Maritime Aquarium

  

                  "Finally!" I called out, as we left the IMAX theater. “I don't see what was so bad about the movie on sharks?" my mom said. 

          I looked at her like she was crazy. "It was just boring!" I exclaimed. 

          "Let’s just keep on exploring the aquarium," said my brother.  So that is what we did. Our cousins, who were also there, followed along with their parents.

          As we walked around, we saw many different fish such as jellyfish, puffer fish, giant sea turtles, eels and a bunch of other weird types of fish.  But those were nothing compared to what we saw next!  "Guys come over here!" my brother called out.  Everyone came rushing over.  I looked to where he was pointing.  There was a tank full of sharks, and, here is the thing, people were touching them!

          "Are you insane!" I asked, as my mom went to touch one.

          "Don't worry," she said.  "These are sand sharks.  They are harmless to humans."  Then I remembered how the IMAX movie had informed us about that. 

          "Stupid movie," I mumbled under my breath. Even though I knew they were harmless, I still didn’t want to touch the sharks. Neither did my brother. He just held my mom’s iPhone so it didn’t get soaked while she touched the surface of the shark’s body.

          At last we walked away from the shark tank and onto an elevator.  There was classical music playing inside. "Ding!"  The elevator door opened.  I stumbled out, tripping over a hole.  When I managed to regain my balance, I glanced around the room.  It was filled with lizards, frogs, and snakes!  "Awesome…" my words drifted away.  The rest of my group and I ran along throughout the room looking at each animal carefully.  One of the most interesting animals I saw was a tomato frog. It was a reddish brown color and it was about half the size of a bullfrog. We couldn’t hear any of the sounds it was making since it was behind the glass of its exhibit. After exploring all of the reptiles, we exited the amazing room.

         We next entered into a gigantic room of handcrafted boats inside bottles!  Wishing to be able to touch them, my brother and I examined them.  Our cousins on the other hand seemed more interested in the playroom next door!

         After exploring the aquarium a little bit more, the clock struck two and everyone was hungry!  Luckily, we already knew where we were going to eat!

         We rushed out of the aquarium and onto the busy city street.  We ran about a mile until we reached our destination.  There we stood in front of a giant restaurant.  We looked at it for a couple seconds until…  "It’s closed," my mom gasped.  I almost fainted, along with everyone else.  "You have got to be kidding me," I said weakly.  So we turned around to head back to the aquarium.  We ran the mile back.

          We re-entered the aquarium.  "So where are we going to eat now?" my brother demanded.  My mom then pointed.  It turned out there was a cafe inside the aquarium.  We went to the counter, and all we had to do was to pay the guy - all of the food was hot and ready!  We all took what we wanted and sat down.  We had been standing all day.  I almost forgot how it felt to sit down!  The best part about the cafe was not that the food was freshly made, but that it tasted amazing!

          Later, after we finished our meal, we went into the aquarium's gift shop!  We did not get anything there.  We just looked.  Because of this horrific tragedy, we went to the one and the only "Toys R Us" on our way home!

          We walked in.  I was happy to get something out of this long boring day.  I gazed around.  My mom had told me that I could get one thing and that thing could be anything that I wanted… as long as it was under fifty bucks.  Still, I was happy as can be!  I gazed around to look at the assortment of toys.  This was the bright light of my day.  Watching that boring IMAX movie was so worth it now, I thought.

          I ran over to the video game section.  I stopped.  Then I turned my attention to Mario Cart 7.  After picking it up, I did a one-eighty to face my mom.  Holding it out, I asked, "Can I get this?"  "Sure!" she said to me.  "Yes!" I thought.  I ran over to the check-out counter, handed the cashier $24.00, and dashed out.

          I was like a lightning bolt in a glass jar.  I was super anxious to get home to play it!  Screech….!!!!  Sparks burst from under my shoes as I skidded across the ground trying to stop.  In the blink of an eye, I came to a halt.  I tugged at the car door, waiting for my mom to open it.  (Click!)  The door swung open.  I was a blur as I hopped in, put down my new video game, slammed the door, and buckled up.  Slowly we pulled out and sped down the road in our white Subaru.

          Beep, Beep!  My mom was honking her horn at this psycho driver who almost rammed into our car!  "That was close!" my mom said loudly, over the roar of the beaten up car in front of us.  We turned, not because it smelled, but because we were at an intersection.  That car looked like it was going to break down.

         Soon, (Screech!!!!) we pulled into my driveway.  The second my mom unlocked the door of the house, I was gone.  I slid across the room, did a ninety degree turn to the staircase that led to my room, and dashed up the stairs.  Sitting at my desk with my new video game, I took out a pair of scissors and cut the plastic coating off.  (Snip!  Snap!)  I cracked the case open and took out the cartridge.  Finally, I got my brother's 3DS and plugged in the cartridge. "Beep" it turned on, and I began to play.

         When I finished playing it for the day, it was dinner time.  I ran down the stairs and sat at the dinner table.  I ate everything on my plate. After dinner, we had vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, also known as “Neopolitan.”  When I finished, I went upstairs to watch television!  Since it was a Saturday night, there was nothing good on, so I went to my room to go to sleep!! As I drifted off to sleep, I reflected that even though the aquarium was boring, at least I got to spend time with my family and cousins. 

Sydney R. 5Ca

                                     

My First Snorkel

The summer breeze whipped my long locks side to side, instantly relaxing me. The sun beat down on my mother and me as we walked the perimeter of the one beach island. The grainy sand tickled our wet feet. Lengthy palm trees swayed as if dancing to the sound of the white- capped waves crashing onto the shore. Seagulls swooped down into the cold water, gulping down squirming fish. Our boat bobbed in the water. Our captain eagerly awaited our return. The gleaming clouds tip-toed across the clear blue sky. A bright flash from my mother’s camera snapped me awake. The beauty of Sandy Spit couldn’t be captured by even the finest of cameras.

I jolted to a stop, nearly tripping over a rock with jagged, mean- looking edges. In the corner of my eye, I could see a purple blur swirling by. Gingerly, I bent over to see what was lurking in the water, careful not to disturb the creature. I was flabbergasted! A plum-colored, watermelon-sized octopus spun around me. The underwater creature stared at me keenly then raced of into the never-ending ocean. I hurtled over several rocks to catch up to my mom, still astonished by my encounter with the rarely seen animal.

We had visited many islands that breathtaking afternoon. My family was on a boat tour through the U.S. Virgin Islands. I vividly remember docking at an island so small it looked like a spit of sand compared to the other islands surrounding it.  It was when we docked that I decided I wanted to go snorkeling for the first time ever.

“Are you ready?” my dad asked. He fastened the buckle to my life jacket and tightened my goggles. I knew I was ready, but refused to admit it. My stomach churned at the thought of the many Shark Week episodes I had watched previously. There could be anything out there. But I was willing to take the risk.

I gulped in fear as my ankles touched the water. Then my knees. Then all the way to my ribs. I gulped in fear again. There was no turning back. I squeezed my father’s hand. All the way under. Thousands of unafraid fish swam around my feet. Bright, healthy coral reefs welcomed me to the underwater world. The sun illuminated the water. Crabs and lobster were scattered across the ocean floor searching for food. The ocean creatures danced together in harmony. Animals I have only read about or seen on television were swimming before my eyes. Seaweed swayed like the palm trees above. I was careful to steer away from swordfish slicing through the water like lightning cutting through the sky in a thunder storm. We kept swimming. I could see our boat bobbing through the water and the sturdy anchor buried deep in the ground. 

When the water grew dark, my father and I swam to the surface. The sun was slowly setting on the horizon. The sky was a kaleidoscope of vivid colors. The colors looked like they were painted on a canvas, then mixed together with a swirl of the paintbrush. Together we savored the last moment of the day. We swam back to the shore. I took off my heavy snorkel gear and stuffed it into our water proof beach bag. We zipped up and swam to the boat. I told my mother and sister everything that I saw. 

I took one last look at the island and the ocean where I first snorkeled. The boat’s engine roared and zoomed off into the ocean, the very mysterious, never-ending ocean.

Sean O. 5Ca

Snowboarding at Loon Mountain

            There I was at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. It felt like it was -50 degrees out with 40 mile per hour winds. It was so cold out, I thought that I was going to turn into an ice cube. The icy winds felt like knives skinning off my cheeks. It smelled like dying trees with dirty snow.  I already felt like purchasing some hand warmers, but my dad said we should wait until we did a few trails.  I looked around and barely saw any little kids.  All the kids who were there were just in the “Shack,” drying the snow off their equipment or eating French fries from the lunch stand.

I started off on an easy green trail because of the strong winds.  After awhile, I got used to the winds and thought about going to the top of the mountain.  Up there, there were harder trails colored blue.  I heard my stomach growl so I asked my dad to get some food.  For some reason, my dad said with a nice smile, “Sure!”  Usually he would say “no” or “maybe later” with a chuckle.  Inside the “Shack” it smelled better than McDonalds.  It smelled like greasy pizza, steaming hot French fries, and chicken tenders.  It was also cool because there were arcade games and machines that you put your gloves on them and they dry off all the snow.  My dad was in a hurry, so I only got to eat French fries and chicken tenders.  They tasted like heaven while they exploded my taste buds.  My dad said, “You want some help eating those tenders?”  I knew he was joking!  I did not want my dad to wait any longer, so I stuffed the last one in my mouth.                      

As soon as I stepped back outside, it felt as cold as Mount Everest.  My two friends Anna and Luke were right behind me, along with my dad.  We went up to the top of the mountain where the blue trails were; the harder ones.  Up there, the winds were stronger than ever.  While I was strapping on my snowboard, I saw my two friends skiing off the chair lift.  They did not need to strap in because they had skis.    The temperature was so cold up there, for some reason it felt like it was burning my skin!  When all of us were done strapping on our equipment, we started to go down the hill.  From the beginning of the ride down, I did a good job, but then realized I was out of control, going too fast. I went on a jump and flipped, and landed on my back. ”Oooww!” I started to panic and all I wanted to do was get down to the bottom of the mountain. I was shaking and thinking I must have just broken a bone. “I am scared!” I shivered to my dad. He responded,  “I will lead the way down.” Once I got to the bottom, my ankles were hurting because I did so many wipe-outs.                                      

Once I knew I was safe and didn’t have any broken bones, I had some hot cocoa at the lodge and found myself in a very happy place.

Rachel A. 5Ca

Pureto Rico 2013

It was 3 a.m., and my family, my friend Charlie, and I were leaving for Puerto Rico in a half hour. “It’s freezing out,” I exclaimed, stepping outside. Light coming in blinded my eyes for a second. “Dennis is here,” I yelled into the house. (Dennis is our driver.) My mom and dad came rushing down. Plopping into a nice warm car felt good.

   The plane ride didn’t seem too long; it was only about three hours. Charlie and I were talking when, all of a sudden, a rush of sunlight brushed my face, telling me I was finally in Puerto Rico. Once we arrived at our hotel, the view from our room was breathtaking. We had a great view of the beach and also a very well-kept courtyard. (We even got to see a wedding from the balcony!) As soon as we were unpacked, Charlie and I raced down the stairs to…disappointment. The beach had red flags everywhere…no one could go swimming because the waves and wind were too dangerous. Luckily, the water slide was open. We must have spent over an hour on there. After a long day of travel, it was finally time to go to bed.

   “Coqi coqi coqi,” the alarm clock went off. I sprang out of my bed and got dressed. “Charlie, wake up!!” I anxiously said. Charlie looked at the clock and sprang out of bed. “I’m hungry. What about you?”  Charlie asked. “I’m starving,” I responded. “Let’s go down to the café!”

The sun was shining in our faces and Charlie’s hazel hair flew back in the breeze, as did mine.  “I’m going to get a pina colada, what about you?” I asked Charlie. Charlie responded, ”Me too.” The thought of a pina colada made my mouth water.

  I knew I was going to get something else also, because today we were going to the El Junque rainforest and I would need a lot of energy. All of a sudden, we heard a rumble. I checked outside and realized it was the shuttle bus pulling in. My parents came down in a rush, we all plopped into the shuttle bus, and we were on our way.

  When we pulled up to the rainforest, my jaw dropped.  It was amazing! There were different shades of green everywhere. It was like looking at a crayon box with only green in it. The wooden planks creaked under me as I walked across the bridge. There was an outdoor gift shop. Everything in there was so unique, from wooden coqi whistles to hand made clay jewelry. The tour guide said we only had 15 minutes to shop before we got to explore this fantastic forest. I got a coqi whistle and a pair of clay earrings.

   The first stop of our tour was a waterfall. The rocks gleamed in the sun; the water crashed down like waves on the shore during a hurricane. Our second stop was a rustic tower with a lot of stairs. As we finally arrived at the top, there was a breathtaking view of shades of green everywhere going on for miles and miles.

 Finally we arrived at the six-mile walk. It looked really fun with green everywhere and big leaves and vines to swing on.  However, it was pure torture. We had to stop every time we saw a new thing; some things were very interesting, like the coqi frog. Coqi frogs are an orangeish-brown color which camouflages it in the night. Its cute little sound is heard throughout the country of Puerto Rico. When we finally arrived at the El Junque waterfall, the water crashing down made it seem like the water was having a very loud argument. “Looks cold,” I pronounced shivering.

“ I agree,” Charlie replied.

   We shimmied ourselves into our bathing suits, and the tour guide painted golden dust on our faces.  “Are you ready?” I questioned Charlie.

She answered,  “Yes!”

“Let’s do it!” I finally said.  My foot numbed as I placed it in the bitter, icy water. I hesitated before I placed my other foot in the bitterly cold water. The smooth rocks felt good underneath my numb feet is I eased into the water. As soon as I got a little deeper, I relaxed. Charlie and I raced to the waterfall. It was a tie according to my dad. The rushing water felt as if water dropped on your head from 100 miles up in the air.

    I rushed out of the water and dried off. The second I got my body out of the water, a cold burst of air crept all over my body. It felt great to wrap myself in a warm towel and put warm clothes on. It was a six mile walk back up and I dreaded it.  Fortunately, I did find 10 coqi frogs, six salamanders and two lizards which made the walk more bearable. Once the dreadful walk was over, everyone loaded up in the van and we went to have lunch. Along the way we stopped at some landmarks including the old San Juan towers. 

“Charlie, isn’t this cool?” I asked

“Yes!!” she answered.

After touring the landmarks, we stopped at a very good restaurant called El Casita. Charlie and I split mac and cheese, tostones (a fried plantain), and steak with juca and chimi churi sauce. It was delightful! After lunch everybody loaded up in the van.

   On our way to the hotel, we passed a horse farm, and lucky for us, the tour guide knew the owner of the farm and we got to get a quick ride. The chestnut color of the young colt, Dreme, was stunning. Her fur was finely brushed and ready to ride. I swung my leg over the black silky saddle and began to ride. The crisp air blew my hair back as I rode through the vast fields. Nobody else was in sight except for Charlie on her chocolate brown horse trailing behind us.

    A screeching noise came out of nowhere. It sent the horses flying back to the stable. I had to get a good grasp on the horse so I wouldn’t fly off. Dreme came to a sudden halt, which sent me soaring through the air and I landed on a stack of hay.

Luckily, I wasn’t hurt; I walked back over to Dreme and led her to her stall. I reached into my pocket and grabbed a peppermint; I know that horses love them. I cupped the peppermint in my hand and put my hand close to Dreme’s muzzle and let her eat it.

  “Vaminos!” Alexander, the tour guide, yelled to us. The farm was only five minutes away from the hotel, so it wasn’t that long of a ride. On the way to the hotel, Alexander gave us a quiz on the El Junque rainforest. Charlie and I got most of the answers right. Once we got to the hotel, we were both exhausted and went to bed.     This was one of the best days of my life and surely one to remember. The day was filled with exciting and new experiences that I got to enjoy with my best friend and my family. Maybe someday you can go to El Junque too!  

Peter B. 5Ca

The Final Shot

My basketball team was down by 20 points, and we were not doing very well. You could feel the tension in the air and cut it with a knife. Our coach called a timeout and started telling us what we were doing wrong. "We need to get a tighter defense and hold our follow through, whenever we take our shot," he said. The timeout was over and we had possession. I passed the ball to the guard and he brought the ball up the court. I set a screen for him and he rolled off of the pick. Right when he rolled off the pick, I did a pick and pop. That's when you set a screen, go to the open space, and take the shot.  So, that's exactly what I did! I took the shot, and I made it; we were now down by 18.

It was the best feeling ever. My adrenaline was pumping and I felt like we were back in the game. The other team brought the ball down the court and we were playing in a 2-3 zone. A 2-3 zone is when there are two guards at the top of the key. The two forwards are down on the sides and the center in the middle. The guard on the other team brought the ball down the court and looked eager to score. His eyes were huge, his face was red, and he was hyper-focused. You could tell he was looking to score. He passed to the left side, but I stole it and I took off. I went for the left hand layup and I made it. Now, we were down by 16.

The guard on the other team looked like he really wanted to score, so I needed to get tighter defense on him. He passed to the right side to make sure that I didn't steal the ball again. The pass was good and they score. I brought the ball in and was ready to blow the lid off the place. I dribbled down the court as fast as I could, weaving in and out of all the players. The pressure was building to get to the other end of the court; it felt like hours until I was finally under the basket and took the layup. SCORE!  

Next, the other team got the ball. They began passing from player to player. Left, right, right, left. It was exhausting. I finally stole the ball again, but as I was dribbling down the court, another kid fouled me and I got a free throw. YES!!! A lot of pressure was on me because if I made this, my team would only be down by 11. I took the shot, I made it, and now we were down by 11.

After the free throw, the other team brought the ball down the court. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to stop them, but I kept the faith. My coach called, "Man-to-Man.” A man to man is when you pick up a man and you stay with him until your coach calls a different play. But, since we don't know the other team members’ names, we just screamed out their numbers on their jerseys. The point guard passed to my man and I blocked it! I knocked it out of bounds with a good smack. Since I slapped it out of bounds it was the other team’s ball, but still,it was a good play. Once I knocked it out of bounds, the crowd started going crazy. Beeeeeeeeeeeeep! It was the end of the third quarter.

After a quick drink and some instructions from our coach, it was the start of the fourth quarter. Someone passed the ball to me and I brought it up the court.  I took my time moving up the court with the ball. Everybody on my team was echoing each other screaming, "Here, here! I'm open, I'm open!" I screamed to them, "Go to the basket!" Finally, a kid on my team was open so I passed to him, he went in, and scored.

At this point we were all screaming at each other because now we were only down by 9. Our coach screamed out, "Put on the defense.” This play is when the other team passes in the ball and I try to steal it. So, that's exactly what I did. He passed it in, I tipped it, then got control of the ball. Once you tip the ball it flies into the air and it is a fight to recover. Fortunately, I did recover and I scored. Now we were down by seven. Our coach kept on saying “Put on defense,” so that's what we kept on doing. The other team passed it in. I tipped it again, my team got my tip and put it in. We were down by five points. All I was thinking to myself was, “I can't give up now.”

The other team had possession and dribbled right by five of our players. I stole it and passed it up the court where my teammate got it and put it up. Now, we were down by only three. We continued to put up our defense, but they got by us again. I felt like I was in a fight for my life. I couldn’t lose now! I cut in and out, circled everyone, and followed the ball as if it was a piece of candy. I scored! We were down by one!  I felt like an all-star, like no one could stop me. They got by us and were running down the court. I stole it back and thought to myself, “That was a close one!”  I was running down the court with 10 seconds left. As the audience counted down, “Three, two, one…” I threw the ball from almost half of the court….score!!!  The game was over and we had won!

The crowd went wild. I felt as if I was Kobe Bryant and made the last basket of the championship game! This was my game! I did this; I led my team to the win! All these thoughts ran through my head as I left with my dad. He patted me on the back and said, ‘You were amazing!”

 "This was the best day ever," I responded, smiling up at him.

Miah C. 5Ca

My First 5K

   I sat on the dirty curb next to my best friend Emily. We were up against a fence with peeling black paint. The curb was littered with soda cans and candy wrappers. It looked as if there was a party here last night. We were getting ready for our first 5K together. We were both scared out of our heads.

   I looked at my sweaty palms as my mom pinned the number to my chest. My heart was pounding out of my body and I had a knot in my stomach. I felt like I was going to puke. My first 5K, I thought to myself, four weeks of training for this. I can do it, I encouraged myself. I had a feeling I couldn't though.

   Emily and I walked over to the start and took our place at the back. I squeezed Emily's hand as we waited for the signal. Then, the bullhorn blared in our ears.

   My feet started to move without me even trying. It was like magic. I felt weightless. The mob of people running was like a group of villagers running away from a monster.

   We got our pace as we approached the big hill. The hill looked like a giant. Every time a person went over the hill, it looked as if the hill had eaten them. The grass lining the hill looked as if they were big hairy sideburns. The pot holes in the street looked like dimples in the Giant's face. The dark black pavement looked as if it were the Giant's skin.

   This isn't so bad, I thought to myself.

   We ran up hills, down hills, around curbs, on the street, and on the sidewalks. It was a lot of work, but we persevered and pushed ourselves to stick with it.

   After 30 more minutes of running, we were both dripping in sweat. The sun was shining on our backs and frying us like bacon. I could almost hear a waitress saying, “Two orders of bacon coming right up!”

   The trees around us were tall and protective. They had tall pointed tops, and big bushy leaves. They were painted with pink, purple, and white blossoms. It was like they were huge security guards. It felt like the perfect day.

   "I see it!" Emily exclaimed, "There's the finish!" I rounded a corner only to spot a grand banner with the word finish on it. My heart filled with hope.

   There was a crowd of people on both sides of me. There was a loud roar from the left side, then an earsplitting scream from the right side. It felt great to have all those people cheer for me.

   The crowd was watching me run and yelling things like, "Keep going!" or "Almost there!" Their motivating words gave me faith and I proceeded to the finish.     

  

  

  

Max G. 5Ca

Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish

            For the past three years, I have been going to Notre Dame to see the Irish play football and explore the Notre Dame campus. Would you believe they have won all three times I have been there?!

            Every year, we go to Notre Dame with one of my dad’s best friends and his son. This year my brother is going, too, and we are going to see them play Brigham Young University on Senior Day during the week of Thanksgiving. I can’t wait!

            The first time I saw the stadium was through the gates; it was huge! I couldn’t believe I was there! I remember eagerly asking my dad, “Can we go in?!” I didn’t want to wait a moment longer to see the field. At my first Notre Dame game I got to go on the field and meet Harrison Smith. He was a Senior and it was Senior Day. He is a safety and now plays in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings.

            The second year that I went to Notre Dame, we watched them play the Boston College Eagles. The next day, we went to Cleveland and saw the Browns take on the New York Jets. While we were at that game, we sat next to one of the Jets’ player’s family, Kyle Wilson. He is a cornerback. The Jets won that game in overtime when Santonio Holmes had a game-winning touchdown.

            Notre Dame is in South Bend, Indiana. We fly into a famous airport in Chicago called O’Hare. We stay in a hotel in Chicago and drive to Notre Dame. It is a one hour drive.

            Over the years, I have learned a lot about Notre Dame. It was at Notre Dame that the first forward pass was invented. Every Notre Dame helmet has a hint of gold in it because the Notre Dame colors are gold, blue, green, and, white. Notre Dame is also famous for its golden dome on campus and “Touchdown Jesus.” This statue is taller than the stadium, and can probably be seen from half a mile away.

           

            Last year Notre Dame had a very good freshman quarterback named Everett Gholston. He got suspended from Notre Dame for a year because he was cheating on a test. Next year he will come back. Currently, Notre Dame’s quarterback is not as good as Gholston. He is mediocre. His name is Tommy Ries and he is a second-year senior. My favorite Notre Dame player is Louis Nix. He is #1 and his nickname is “Irish Chocolate.” He got his nickname because he plays for the Irish, he is massive, and he likes to eat. He is a beast! He is 354 pounds and he is a nose guard.

            Last year, Notre Dame played in a Shamrock Series game. It was at Soldier Field in Chicago where the Chicago Bears play. We didn’t go to it, but I watched it on tv. They wore customized blue jerseys and they crushed the Miami Hurricanes! This year the played the Shamrock Series game in the Dallas Cowboys stadium. They worse customized white uniforms and they won 51-48.

            Notre Dame is currently ranked 25^th in the country; they are in last place out of all the teams that are ranked. I hope they improve to be in the top 15! This is a big drop from last year when they were ranked 1^st and were undefeated. They were undefeated until they lost to Alabama. Their defense stunk and Manti Teo got run over. It was a blow out!

            My dream is to play at Notre Dame when I am older. I want to be #80 and play tight end. Then, later in my career, I want to get drafted into the NFL as a first rounder. Many all time greats have played at Notre Dame including hall of famers. I am going to keep on trying to meet this goal every moment!

            Play like a champion today! “Go Irish!”

Matthew J. 5Ca

 My Trip to NYC at the Holidays

     It was an exciting afternoon. My friends, brother, sister and I were watching MineCraft on YouTube; all of a sudden my mom called, “Guys! Time to go!” We turned off the computer and ran upstairs from the basement. We were so full of energy! We had just learned that we were going to New York City to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. It would be our first time.

    All seven of us piled into our minivan. I brought my DS for the one hour drive. The ride was long and rainy. Not to mention boring.  We talked and said over and over “Are we there yet?” Everyone asks that on a trip, right?

     When we arrived in the city, it was already dark and jammed with people.  We parked the van, and the load of us got out and bundled up. Brrr! It was cold. We all started walking at a fast pace; I think we were actually speed walking all the way to Rockefeller Plaza. We turned a corner, and there it was: the famous, ginormous Rockefeller Christmas tree.

      My head was about to explode from everything that was happening around me!! There were so many people! There was so much noise! There were so many lights!! But, all I could focus on was the tree. Think of your tallest Christmas tree you ever had. Now, multiply that size by thirty. Then, multiply that number by three, and you might be close to what I saw. I stood in amazement. Almost every single inch of the tree was covered in lights. (How do they pay for all that?!) There was a rainbow of lights, illuminating the whole plaza. The 3D star on the top glowed a ghostly bright white. The star had twelve sharp points sticking out in every direction. I couldn’t imagine how much work it was to cut down the tree, ship it to the city, and assemble it in the plaza! The evergreen smell of the tree reminded me of Christmas trees we had in the past, as well as the pine tree we have in our yard.  I knew I would treasure this moment forever! I also knew that when I got back to school, I would have a lot to talk about.

      After we took the required pictures around the tree, it was time to shop. My mom gave me thirty dollars and said to buy what I liked. Well, right in Rockefeller Plaza is, what else, the beloved Nintendo Store.  Shockingly, I did not buy anything, but my brother got a video game.

       Next, we pushed our way through the crowd and inched the few feet over to the Lego store. It was so cool inside! I love the LEGO store. My friend and I looked all around; our jaws dropped in awe. There were LEGO models everywhere! GIANT! LEGO models. My favorite is this serpent dragon. It spreads all around the store, so everywhere you go, you see a part of it.

       We left LEGO and Rockefeller Plaza to go to bustling Times Square and Toys R Us. Now, this is not your average toy store. This one is like a tower of toys! Like four floors of toys, and a ferris wheel inside it. WOO WOO! Needless to say, I left the Toys R Us with no money, but with one cool game.

      By now, we were starving. We went to a restaurant called John's Pizzeria. It used to be a church, but before being demolished, it was made into a pizza place. Cool, right?  I have been there before and enjoy it. We luckily got seated right away, and I scarfed down half a dozen slices of pizza and a chocolate lava pyramid dessert.

        After dinner, we headed back to our car to go home. At the parking garage, another woman said to my mom that she was surprised kids were out so late on a school night. My mom told her that with the horrible shooting that had just happened at Sandy Hook, she just wanted to share a wonderful memory with her children.

           We drove back to Connecticut talking and playing the whole way.  First we dropped off my friend and his family, and then drove ourselves home. I got into my PJs and went upstairs to bed. I was able to catch some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZs after our long, tiring, and action-packed experience.

Mason W. 5Ca

Winter

Winter’s probably the best season of the year. Most people are getting into the Christmas spirit. You’ll see a bunch of people making creations out of snow or slurping down hot beverages.

Can you believe that Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are two of the most popular days in December?! You get to see how well all your decorations turned out, after working so hard to put them up. Also, you get to watch Christmas movies and shows with your family. For some people, Christmas means going around caroling with friends and family. One thing that kids wait to hear every year is the sound of Santa and his reindeer.

Winter activities are very fun. For instance, most of my friends will gather for a giant snowball fight! It’s fun to hit people in the face with snowballs. Some people make snow forts in the winter. It’s easiest when it is sticky snow. My dad and I usually build snowmen together. The head is the hardest part. A lot of people spend their winter snowboarding or skiing, but I usually just stay at home. When I go to the mountains I choose to snowboard instead of ski.

Some foods/drinks people tend to eat or drink in the winter are very tasty. A lot of people drink hot coco after a long day playing in the snow. Most people drink eggnog as a treat in the winter. A lot of people suck on candy canes, or put them on their gingerbread houses. I’d say the most popular treat in winter is the gingerbread house.

Winter is one of the best seasons that many families enjoy together. It is a time for fun and spending time with friends and family. The snowball fights, food, and fun all add up to make a great time. This is why I love winter so much because it is the most enjoyable season of all.

Maddie D. 5Ca

 Winter

During the winter the snow feels crisp and harsh weather lands on us like a blanket. You know that the time is changing and everyone gathers outside to shovel the driveways. Every year when winter arrives there are going to be changes from fall’s crunchy leaves to winter’s crisp snow. When this happens you will notice white flakes of elegant snowflakes falling.

You might imagine a peaceful day when the snow falls slow, and that is possible but you also might have an enormous and terrific blizzard. It can feel like needles and pins trying to hit you as it gushes down. Just maybe you will soon wake up the next morning and strangely it is peaceful without even an inch of snow on the ground. Chilly snow is always nice but when it gets too frigid, it might be so bad that you will end up begging to get inside. During a blizzard it might be a little challenging to have both feet planted on the ground like a magnet. Just this morning I could hardly walk without holding on to something. Every single piece of grass growing in the ground was frozen solid. I could touch it and the whole blade of grass would crumble up and melt. For a second I actually thought I was in Antarctica.

If you were an animal in the winter you would be in hibernation. Hibernation is when an animal goes to sleep for the whole winter. Bear and coyotes would most likely find a cave in the woods. Animals like mice and squirrels hide in smaller places like a hole in the ground or a small crack in a tree. Others like birds and butterflies migrate. It might sound bizarre but it is not. When an animal migrates it flies away to another part of the world to keep warm. You might be wondering why we aren’t doing these things but it’s just that our bodies can be in cold and warm weather. Would you want to be asleep for that long?

One of my favorite holidays in the winter is Christmas and the joy of being generous and spending time with friends and family. While listening to the radio or news on the television, you will start to hear Christmas songs. On the radio you will hear old songs and there are even two stations for just he holidays! My favorite song is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” It just is so catchy that you can’t get it out of your head. If I asked you the question, “What do you think of presents?” I like getting presents but the best part is to see smiles on other people’s faces when they see your present. I love giving. Any holiday, if it is Christmas or Mother’s Day always want to give them their presents early. My cheeks look like cherries sometimes. I feel like I would explode into confetti.

Speaking of presents, have you heard of Santa before? He wears an enormous coat and hat with a small white and fluffy cotton ball at the end. The weird part is that all of his clothes are white and red. On every Christmas Eve he will come down your chimney and put presents in your stockings and under your tree. Then he goes to the next house until all the kids in the world will wake up happy, ripping open presents on Christmas morning.

The best and most fun thing I like to do is decorate. The colorful lights make the room pop like a rainbow. Clear and crystally ornaments sparkle when the lights start to get bright as everything else gets darker outside. My family loves getting ornaments and putting them on the tree. This year I even got chocolate ornaments so I can eat them! (YUM!). We once had a reindeer that we would put outside but it broke. When you hang lights, how do you feel?

During the winter season you think about sledding, snowball fights, snow angels and building snowmen.  I love sledding. Every year, at least once, I go to the middle school to sled with Kate. Going down that big hill is like a roller coaster. There is this ride that makes you feel like you are going to fallout of and that reminds me of a bump going down the hill.  Snowmen and snow angels are also fun. You can get a carrot as a nose and coal as eyes and a mouth. Snow angels feel like cold, wet blankets on your back. Splat. A snowball lands on your face and you know you need to have revenge during a snowball fight. Building forts to keep the snow from falling on you and throwing snow is a fun way to have fun!

At the end of the season, you miss the holidays and the hot chocolate but who doesn’t like spring? All seasons are nice but I think winter is best. What is your favorite season?

Kate S. 5Ca

Winter Fun

Most kids enjoy the season winter. It is a time to go outside and play. Did

you know that every snowflake is different? Not one is like another! When we see snow for the first time of the year, people start to prepare for the cold weather that is ahead of them. It's common to get cold in the winter.

When the temperature drops, so does the snow! You can do so much with the crystals. Children love to build people out of snow! You know about snowmen! You can start off with a fraction of a ball of snow, but it will grow to be giant! Most people have experienced the fun though hurtful war using snow! We all know about snowball fights! It might be helpful to build protection from the pain. Easy solution to that, forts! The thick shield of snow will help you move on with the game without getting hurt.

Do you have a big hill that you never use? Well, start using it! Sledding is recommended by many enthusiasts. Grab a board (sled) and get to the top of the hill, and slide down! You might feel as if you were a penguin (except you're not on your belly! Well you can try)! Winter is known by its cold weather and fun snow!

If you're not a fan of playing outside or being cold, stay inside! People enjoy doing cozy activities indoors. Most families build fires to keep the house even cozier. Why not roast some marshmallows over the fire! Speaking of food, relatives bake cookies for one of the times your "Starving". Around Christmas you might frost the cookies green for your Christmas tree or red and white for a candy cane. But the best part of baking cookies is eating them! “Yummy"! I recommend staying in bed with your covers pulled up to your neck. You can sleep in all day if you want, as long as you're comfortable!

It's odd to think that holidays arrive so quickly. Starting in December, it's

the last month of the year! Bizarre to think that in a few days or weeks it'll

be a new year! But my favorite holiday is Christmas. Do you believe in Santa? Nowadays, people thinks he's just an old fairy tale. But it's fun to believe. Who else would put those presents under the tree? (Not your parents I can tell you that) I love writing my Christmas list for him! How do you think he could have understood your hand writing when you were little? My favorite activity about Christmas is finding our tree. With my family it takes a little time to find our tree. (What I mean by a little, I mean a lot!) After finding the perfect tree we hang our special ornaments on the tree. Decorating the evergreen is what entertaining fun at the Solway's! When we are done decorating I'm happy with it, and so is my family.

There are so many ways to spend your winter. All from cozy activities to

snow and Christmas! I just hope everyone around the world will have as 

much fun and laughter as I do during winter. Have an awesome winter, and stay warm!!!       

Justin C. 5Ca

Winter

Do you like winter?  I know I do!  In the winter season there are many holidays to celebrate.  If you get hungry there are a lot of food and drinks to choose from.  In addition, if you get bored you can turn on the television and watch the electrifying winter sports. 

During the winter season, Christmas comes along.  Ho, ho, ho.  One of my favorite things about Christmas is to go and get the magnificent Christmas tree.  People all around the world go to a tree farm and buy a Christmas tree.  Some tree farms will even let you cut the tree down on your own.  Once you have put up the tree, then you can put the ornaments and lights on it.  Now that the tree has been decorated you can put the presents all around it.  Finally, once all of the hard work is done, many people enjoy having a party during the Christmas season. 

When it gets cold have a hot winter beverage.  Hot apple cider is a delightful hot drink for the winter season.  Hot chocolate is stunning and sweet and made with either dark or regular chocolate.  Don’t forget to put some marshmallows in it.  Winter is not the same without smores.   This food has multiple layers of good sensation.  Ever wonder where the gingerbread man lives?  A gingerbread house!  You can decorate the house with all sorts of different candies. 

Ever wonder what keeps you occupied during the winter?  Sports are a large part of the winter months.  Ever think of sliding down a gigantic mountain with two skis attached to your feet?  This sport is referred to as skiing.  Speaking about two skis, snowboarding is also a popular winter activity.  When you snowboard, you are sized to a specific mountain for your age.  Hockey is where you have ice skates on your feet so you can skate across the ice rink.  There is a black puck that you must strike with the stick in order to advance the puck to the goal which is protected by a goaltender.  In addition, basketball is an indoor sport that has no impact due to the cold weather.  In this sport the player dribbles the ball up and down the court in order to score a basket.  The player must try to score against the defensive player called a guard. 

Winter is a such an electrifying season because there are so many ways to celebrate it and sharing it with family and friends.  Even when you put up a Christmas tree or sitting down for a meal also enjoy the magnificent winter sports it will always be proposed as stunning season.

Danylo R. 5Ca

My Baby Brother

My story started the day my parents told me that I would have a brother or sister. When I heard this news, I was very impressed about it.  

S0, for a long time I was dreaming about my brother! “But what if it would be a baby sister?” I thought.  Hmm… For some reason I was sure that it would be a brother!

"Who it will be? A brother or a sister?” I asked my parents.

"Only God knows,” my father said. "But if you will wait a little, the doctor will tell us who it is and we will start to choose a name.”  Eventually, we found out it was a boy!

"When will the baby be born?" I asked my mom.

"You have to wait about 8 months," Mom said.

So, I prepared for a long wait.

         

Three months later, we were riding in the car to the cinema, and I started to talk. I talked about what we would name my brother. Mom said Gavril would be his name, Father said Justin, and I said George.  After long talks they said yes, his name will be George.

      A month later my parents said that baby George would be born in America.

Two months later we were all on a flight on an airplane to New York.

One month later when mom went to the hospital to have George, I was at my aunt’s home. The next day my father said that George was born! He took me to his car, and we rode to the hospital. Father said that we were going to see George and Mom. I will never forget the moment when we entered the room where George was with my mom and I saw him for the first time.