Benjamin's account of Field day, his first race a story and a report

Mixed up senses

I woke up one morning and my senses were all mixed up. I could smell with my ears and see with my mawth and herre with my nose and tast with my hanse. Wen I tried to pike up my fode I gist ate it. I opineed my mawth so I could see howe my hans loked. They had mine mowse. I was sprist. I cindov liked haveing my sensen like this. After a wil I wanted to chang my senses back withawt a sawnd it chaged back to nrmle. The end

Standardized:
I woke up one morning and my senses were all mixed up. I could smell with my ears and see with my mouth and hear with my nose and taste with my hands. When I tried to pick up my food I just ate it. I opened my mouth so I could see how my hands looked. They had mini mouths. I was surprised. I kind of liked having my senses like this. After a while I wanted to change my senses back. Without a sound it changed back to normal. The end.
____________________________
Field Day
5-6-14

My favrite part about feld day was the watr bloon toss because my bloon hrdle ever poped. Then it finle poped. I did not get a frte, segined or trde plas ridin. I awsle likeed the cupcakes. I got a choclit blue one. It was taste. Jaylien got a blue one. He got a blue tage. Thuts what my favrit pat about fied day was. The end

Standardized:
My favorite part about field day was the water balloon toss because my balloon hardly ever popped. Then in finally popped. I did not get a first, second, or third place ribbon. I also liked the cupcakes. I got a chocolate blue one. It was tasty. Jaylen got a blue one He got a blue tongue. That's what my favorite part about field day was. The end.

_____________________________
Book Report

The store was abawt chees. A rat fand the chees and standing ulon in the modo. The rat wonted to eat the chees. Then the cat jumed out of the tree and sed the chees staned olon sed the cat the rat sed give me one resin becuse the cat fot the soge the soge ses the chees stans olon sed the cat. That's sile sed the rat. Even the cat dided have time to rgyou abat the chees so thay sedof to get the chees then win thay slid unde but who shwd thay see

Standardized:
The story was about cheese. A rat found the cheese and standing alone in the meadow. The rat wanted to eat the cheese. Then the cat jumped out of the tree and said "The cheese stands alone" said the cat. The rat said "Give me one reason..." because the cat thought the song. "The song says, 'The cheese stands alone'" said the cat. "That's silly," said the rat. Even the cat didn't have time to argue about the cheese so they set off to get the cheese. Then when they slid under but who should they see [unfinished]
_____________________________
Tucker Road Race

Over the weekend I went to the tucre roed rase. I got fived plas. I got a green ribin, I oso got one plan bagl. Then my dad sed have one with crem chees I got one and pit crem chess on it. It was good I had a noder one. Then it was time to go home. I trned on mreo crte Wii®. I was just abat to play wen my mom or dad (I can't rmebr ) came in and one of them sed tr the wii. I tred it off. (O I frgot to tell you , I got a bag. I wont to tell you wot wse in it.) Thar was a T-stre, a pen, some food and medsin. Then I ate brecfisd. The end.

Standardized:
Over the weekend, I went to the Tucker Road Race. I got fifth place. I got a green ribbon. I also got one plain bagel. Then my dad said, "Have one with cream cheese." I got one and put cream cheese on it. It was good. I had another one. Then it was time to go home. I turned on Mario Kart Wii®. I was just about to play when my mom or dad (I can't remember) came in and one of them said, "Turn the Wii." I turned it off. (Oh, I forgot to tell you, I got a bag. I want to tell you what was in it.) There was a T-shirt, a pen, some food and medicine. Then I ate breakfast. The end.

Cant resist a closeup of the registered trademark symbol. :D

running in the Tucker Road Race

One mile in 10:42. Go Benjamin!

 Benjamin and Jacob before the race

 stretching before the race

The weekend - by Benjamin

4-24-14
Over the weeked I am going to whch pokemon with dad. Then I'm going to run uroud the hose like I'm crazze. Then I am going to play slter with my broter. Then after that I'm going to help swih the beds (if thay rnt all rete swihed.) Then I'm going to play shlter with my broter agen. Then I'm going to eat dinre.

Standardized:
Over the weekend I am going to watch Pokemon with Dad. Then I'm going to run around the house like I'm crazy. Then I am going to play "Shelter" with my brother. Then after that I'm going to help switch the beds (if they are not already switched). Then I'm going to play "Shelter" with my brother again. Then I'm going to eat dinner.

4-28-14

Over the weeken I ran araond the haose like I was crazze. Aftre I ate dinrre. The nekst day it was clen day. I was woching tv. Then dad came in. He sed that I coed cepe waching if I was clening up the toy rome at the same time. I sed no. He toke the disk out. Then I made up a nuw game. I plaed it for a wile. Then I tokt with my broter ubaat a move clleed avtre the last air bender. We wre taking abaut what epusode we snu wach aftre we clened up the toy room. We clened up the toy room. we endid up waching woned pets.

Standardized:
Over the weekend I ran around the house like I was crazy. After, I ate dinner. The next day it was clean day. I was watching T.V. Then Dad came in. He said that I could keep watching if I was cleaning up the toy room at the same time. I said, "No." He took the disk out. Then I made up a new game. I played it for a while. Then I talked with my brother about a movie called Avatar: The Last Airbender. We were talking about what episode we should watch after we cleaned up the toy room. We cleaned up the toy room. We ended up watching Wonder Pets.

Benjamin also made me a flower, over this weekend.

And Levi did, too. :)

The kids played at the train table at Little Shop of Stories

And Levi drew circles on a lot of papers and placed them like this.

    Such is the life!

Kindergarten journal - by Benjamin

When it rains
4-15-14

When it rains, I like to get my swimsot on and go outside. Then my brutre may ask to get his swimsot on and then we both go outside. Then we run outside into the rain. Then we go in inside wer socing wet we get into a wome bath. Then mabe we will woch a sho. The End

Standardized:
When it rains, I like to get my swimsuit on and go outside. Then my brother may ask to get his swimsuit on and then we both go outside. Then we run outside into the rain. Then we go in inside. We're soaking wet. We get into a warm bath. Then maybe we will watch a show. The End
_________________________________________
 I Woke Up

I woke up in a strange place. The grass was red, the ske was yellow. The hawse that I woke up in was made of stikrs. Where I'm I, I yeled. The dorse wre opin. It semed if somebute was woching me. Is this a nitmare? I closed my iuse. Ii was a nitmaie! Hroay! The End.

Standardized:
I woke up in a strange place. The grass was red; the sky was yellow. The house that I woke up in was made of stickers.
"Where am I?" I yelled.
The doors were open. It seemed as if somebody was watching me.
"Is this a nightmare?" I closed my eyes.
It was a nightmare! Hooray!
The End
___________________________________________
Puzzles
4-22-14

The center I like best during "MAD" day was puslsses becuse I tried to finis a pussle but then Mrs. Jeksins came and piced me up. Sens it was "MAD" day we had a math qwise it was nomle. Then win I came bace my grop was in a drifrit center. The end.

Standardized:
The center I liked best during "MAD" day was puzzles, because I tried to finish a puzzle but then Mrs. Jenkins came and picked me up. Sense it was "MAD" day we had a math quiz. It was normal. Then, when I came back, my group was in a different center. The end.
__________________________________________
Recycling

I will help the earth by recycleing aluminum and glass and plastic and paper. I will reducs gas and wate I will reuse things that thing find urand the house. I will pland morm trees. I will not liter. I will pike up liter. I will yous safe mtnels.

Standardized:
I will help the earth by recycling aluminum and glass and plastic and paper. I will reduce gas and water. I will reuse things that I find around the house. I will plant more trees. I will not litter. I will pick up litter. I will use safe materials.
___________________________________________
If I had $3.00

If I had three dollars, I would by 1 dollar things so I cod by three things. The frst thing I would by a nou set of lagos. My secinte dollar I would by cake. My thrd dollar I would by a toey dump truk. Thats what I would by. The end

Standardized:
If I had three dollars, I would buy one dollar things, so I could buy three things. The first thing I would buy: a new set of Legos. My second dollar I would buy cake. My third dollar I would buy a toy dump truck. That's what I would buy. The end.

A visit from grandma!

A couple weeks ago my mom came out to visit us. It was SO great to have her here! My only regrets are 1. that I did not take more pictures of her, and 2. that we did not make it to Fabric World together. Alas! We had a blast, and those are very small regrets. When we were preparing for Grammy Cami to arrive I said to Jacob, "This is just so exciting! It is her first time here and everything will be new to her!" I was anticipating showing her around our new house and our new town and just spending some great quality time with one of my best friends -- my mom!

Levi at the zoo

Jubilee at the zoo

Grammy Cami and Baby Jubi, outside the warthog exhibit. 

This picture reminds me that I gave my mom a haircut while she was here. This photo is a "before" picture. I can't believe I didn't get an "after"! The only time I've cut long hair is on my mom. Once when I was in high school (and she ended up fixing a lot of that one) and then again this month. We did great! She told me everything to do, and I did it. Very, very slowly. Sorry mom! Haha we both had to take a break to stretch a little bit. But it turned out great. It ended up being a cute bob that, if you look at the photo above, follows the line of the blue scarf. Just past her ears or so. Send me a pic, ok mom?

Levi and cutie Charlotte at the zoo

 We went to the zoo with our friends Amy and Charlotte. They're great! They are real pro's at the zoo. Also I had a delicious black bean burger at the zoo restaurant. So did my mom. Her quotable quote was "meh. I miss my animal fats." but I thought it was delicious!!! To each his own.

Benjamin and Levi at Stone Mountain.

 After school got out on the last day of grandma's visit, we went to Stone Mountain. It is a pretty amazing carving. It's huge! The biggest of its kind. If you come and visit us in Atlanta, we will take you there. And please, do come and visit us. We would love to have you! Seriously. Email me. ;)

The boys at Chuck E. Cheese's

Grandma treated us all to Chuck E Cheese that night and we had a great time. The boys ran all over the place, trying out games. Ski-ball was a favorite, since they've played it before. Benjamin's favorite was probably the little machine where you could print out different kinds of ID cards -- you as a police officer, you as a secret service agent, you as a race car driver, etc. There was a squirt-gun game that Levi really loved.

And I'm just so sad to say that many of the funnest things we did with grandma are not photographically represented here. Are 1,000 words worth a picture? I'll tell you some of our other favorites:

Watching the Olympics! -- A Smith family tradition and I loved watching with my mom again. We both adore the skating events. I must say some of the new snowboarding events were awesome, too! And, to his great credit, Jacob got invested in the ice dancing competition this year (how could you not, with such great music and performances?!). In fact we played charades tonight with the boys and Jacob and I were Davis and White. It was epic. Levi guessed it, eventually.

Shopping spree! -- My mom has great taste in clothes and it just so happens we had a fabulous time shopping on the Saturday she was here. We left the boys at home and shopped until we dropped (by which time Jubilee had dropped several times over -- little cutie).

Building fires! -- We have a wood-burning stove here (that is what our fireplace is actually called, apparently) and though Jacob and I had used it for a few fires, it took a visit from Grandma to show us how it is really done.  What can I say? Shutting the doors of the fireplace (stove) is a little counter-intuitive! But that is how you really heat things up.

Just hanging out! -- It was so fun to just be able to chat with my mom whenever a thought occured to me. "What are you most looking forward to about my mom's visit?" I asked Jacob. "The fact that you'll have an adult to talk to during the day." he said. Ha! He knows me so well. And we both were so excited for mom to get to know Jubilee better and just have a great time with her grandkids. Mission accomplished, I think! :D

Anyway, I just had to record this visit, so that I could look back on it fondly in the future. What am I forgetting to mention, mom?

Benjamin's First day of Kindergarten

This kid started Kindergarten! Can you believe it?  Oh, he was so ready! In April 2012 he told me he wished his school was every day (rather than 3 days/week at Little Maroons). Now, in August 2013, he has got his wish!

On his way home from the first day he told me: "Mrs. Rorie is awesome. And I mean it."
"Great! I'm glad you think so! What makes her awesome?"
"Oh. You'll see."
"The only way I'll see is if you tell me."
"Well, it's in my backpack..."
He never did explain what exactly was supposed to be proof of her awesomeness, though we did go through his backpack shortly thereafter.

Today they had music, where they played drums. They also did a fire drill. "But it was just practice." He said, "what does drill mean?"

Yesterday he bought hot lunch for the first time -- it was pizza day. :) "Do you know you don't have to pack your lunch mom?" He told me after his first cafeteria experience.

For those of you who are wondering, I did not cry after dropping him off. I mean, seriously, this was such a happy occasion for him. (And, I'm not going to lie, it was a happy occasion for me, too.) I ended up clasping my hands in front of me and squeezing them together, saying "Oh!" from the excitement and nervousness. Those of you who know Benjamin well now know where he gets his excited hands from.

Yay, Kindergarten!

Two Stories by Benjamin

We're having taco salad tonight of course! Because we're just a little family of four and a pound of ground beef mixed with a can of refried beans definitely makes two meals. Yum! Don't forget the Green Goddess dressing!
---------------------------

I have a question for you. Once 'pon a time. This was a story. About 8 friends. Once upon a time there was 8 friends. And they lived in a house called 8:30. Then they came out. This is the one about the fire and the fire hose. Then a man bring out a fire hose. Then it got all ---- and it rained and rained and washed and washed away the fire. And they were OK. That's the end!
---------------------------
This one's about Shadrach and Mommy. Once upon a time there was Shadrach and Mommy.  This one is not about the fire hose. This one doesn't have a fire in it. They were having a snack at home and went for a walk and they went to school -- to preschool. And then their daddy were driving them to preschool and then when they got there the bell ring and then it was circle time.
Mom: Is that the end?
Benjamin: No, there's two more verses left. There's a short verse, too, if you want to read it. Then they went home. And then they went for another walk. And then they went to Primary!
---------------------------
Benjamin is a big fan of the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego story, if you can't tell. Also he's very excited to be starting preschool in a few weeks and move from Nursery (18mo-3years) to Primary (3+) at church in January.

Pasta Night

So. Tonight we'll be having pasta for dinner. How about you?

I'm thinking noodles (Levi loves noodles!), sauce, maybe some chicken and veggies? Broccoli most likely.

My dad met the guy who invented broccoli. Or maybe it was my grandpa. Someone, somewhere, knew the guy who invented broccoli. I tell people this all the time, even though it has been years since my dad mentioned it to me, and clearly the details are fuzzy.  But that's not the point. The point is, someone invented broccoli!

Wait. You guys, I just tried to look this up on the internet. I can find no evidence of someone inventing broccoli.

Regardless, let us continue with this story! Someone, Mr. Broccoli, perhaps, created broccoli. In the lab? Accidentally, on his farm? By the hybridization of brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Think about it. It could totally be true.

Dad, what kind of lies were you feeding me along with that broccoli?

Benjamin and the Blanket Named Blue Blank and the Tooth

Benjamin and the Blanket Named Blue Blank and the Tooth by Benjamin Stewart, transcribed by Alysa Stewart

Once  upon a time. There was a blanket named Blue Blank. And Benjamin had it, and put it on his tooth. A lot of tooth. The end. That's the end of the story! Goodbye! See you later!