The "What I'm Thankful For" contest

Hello future readers!

Outta site! Thanksgiving is coming! And that means there's not only groovy stuff going on at home, (with my mom and me cooking!), but also groovy stuff going on at school, too. We made turkeys out of clay and fake feathers in Art class, the teachers announced we're gonna have pumpkin pie in the lunch room this week, and they also announced that we're having a :What I'm Thankful For" contest at school. All the kids from 2nd grade to 6th grade have to write a composition about what they're thankful for. Two kids from each grade will be picked to be the winners. Those kids will get a chance to read their compositions in assembly on Wednesday, and their stories will even get printed in the Springfield Gazette, (that's our town's newspaper) for the Sunday paper next week! Isn't that the coolest thing ever? This past Tuesday, Kim came over to my house so we could work on our compositions together. Since her parents had gone to buy a new refrigerator, Kim was gonna spend the afternoon with me and stay for dinner. She's going out of town after school this Wednesday, so her family can spend Thanksgiving with her aunt in upstate New York.  I'm gonna miss her. She spent her very first Thanksgiving in Springfield with me a couple of years ago, and she was with me last Thanksgiving too. So I'm glad we could hang out before her trip.

I had been thinking since last week, (when the contest was announced), what I was gonna write about. I do have a lot of things to be thankful for, I have a lot of friends, I live in a nice house, I have lots of toys, and good things to eat. I really like my school and my teachers...but I think the very best thing of all I'm really thankful for is my mom.

I know most kids have a mom and a dad, and I just have my mom.  My dad died in a car accident while my mom was still pregnant with me. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to have a dad. I have my Uncle Richard, and even Kim's dad, Jeff, since her parents are really good friends with my mom., but it's not the same. Still I'm pretty lucky. My dad left all his money to my mom in his will even before she got pregnant. Even though my mom has a job, she has enough money now so she only has to work part time when I'm in school, She's always around when I need her. She lets me do groovy things like have parties with my friends and stuff. And she's a really good cook! I think my mom is just about the best mom in the whole world!

Kim is writing about being thankful for all the great friends she's made since she moved to Springfield. Not just me, but all the kids in the 4th grade...even the boys!

It took us almost 45 minutes, but I think we both came up with some far out compositions. Then my mom told us to set the table for dinner.

And man, what a dinner! We had lasagna, garlic bread and salad. Yummy!

Yep, Mom's a super cook, alright! And we even had eclairs from the bakery for dessert! Right on, Mom!

After we finished eating, we went to my room to play until Kim's parents came for her. I turned om my radio, and took out my Minnie Mouse jigsaw puzzle.

My mom gave me that puzzle a couple of years ago after I spent my whole allowance buying Easter candy for my friends, and pretending I was the Easter Bunny. See how dynamite my mom is?

I like doing puzzles, but I always have to make sure Boomer doesn't jump on my bed and mess it all up.

Kim's parents picked her up before we got a chance to finish the puzzle, (darn it!). But it was a school night and she had to go home. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that I'm one of the contest winners. It would be so groovy to have my composition printed in the newspaper! This is gonna be a really busy week, future readers, but I promise to tell you all about who won next time!

Until then, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman