Classroom SOLSC Celebration Ideas (Need advice please!)

I am planning (slightly) ahead ... wondering what I will do for our Classroom SOLSC celebration once April arrives.  My plan is to invite families in to our classroom, serve slices of cake and share writing.  I need advice!  What do other Slicers do in their classrooms?  Gifts?  Ways to share?  Please do comment.  :)

Had To Laugh

"Mom, don't look!"  Never a good way to enter the house after a day at work.  I slipped off my boots, threw my school bag down on the garage floor, and sprinted up the stairs, skipping every other one.  "What on earth could have happened?  Is he ok?" I cringed at the thought of what could be awaiting my arrival.  As I turned the corner into our family room, all I could see were giant tufts of brown stuffing, mixed with wood chips and slobber.  Wedged between the shredded bed and my 11 year old daughter, was the culprit.  Crouched down, tail so far between his legs the tip actually touched his belly, he stood-guilty as ever.  One look and a quiet, yet firm "Elvis" was all it took.  He started shaking and peeing uncontrollably all over her sneakers.  "What did you do?"  I didn't think it was possible, but he crouched even lower to the ground and wouldn't look me in the eye.  There was nothing left to do but ... burst into the biggest belly laughs we've had in a long time.  Good 'ol Elvis.  We thought our 2 year old Black Lab had outgrown the puppy chews.  Clearly not.  His reaction-priceless!  Guess he'll be sleeping in a heap of stuffing from here on out.

Admiration

"Daddy, do you think they'll win?" Sebastian looks up at him-eyes peering at his, in hopes he'll say yes.  The bond between a father and son is like no other.  Some moms may feel jealous.  I choose to feel grateful.  When given the choice, Sebastian always chooses Daddy-time.  Whether it was when he was three and our septic tank backed up (yes, it was THAT bad) or heading to the big game, Daddy is always the one.  We were snowed in today and, from the moment Sebastian woke up, he was concerned with whether or not Daddy would have to go to work.  Every couple of minutes, he'd give the latest meteorologist report and it would always have the power of persuasion (man, he could be a great writer someday).  "Treacherous conditions out there.  The worst we've seen ALL winter!  Travel ban for the entire state.  Brownie day declared."  

This bond-may it never end.  So lucky to see such a relationship between a father and son.

Happiness Is ...

• Belly laughs from my kids
• Cuddling with my dog
• Getting in my PJ's after a long day
• Spending the entire day in my PJ's
• The first snow of the year
• Warm sand between my toes
• Big Squeezy hugs from my daughter
• Ah-ha moments
• Fresh pizza 
• Cold Pizza
• Completing a long-distance run
• A clean home
• No dirty laundry
• A clean car
• Love letters
• Having no plans on the weekend
• Vacation
• A good book

Is it bedtime yet?

Long sleepover last night-kids finally asleep at 5:30 am and suddenly woken up by a text at 8:02.  Time for bed ... and hopefully a great night's sleep.

What's your favorite childhood memory?

Thinking back to 25 years ago, I have to admit that my absolute favorite memory as a child is that feeling I'd get heading off to bed on Christmas Eve.  While most families celebrate Christmas Eve with loved ones-creating an extension on the holiday, my family was different.  I am one of three children, with my brother and sister being 9 and 10 years older than me.  My parents (don't know how they got away with it) always reserved Christmas Eve for them.  They'd let us pick out the latest and greatest movie to rent from the local video store and let us eat our dinner away from the dining table, snacking on sweets of our choice while they'd have their romantic evening just the two of them.  Once we were all in bed and asleep, they'd exchange gifts as well.  Despite the fact that I never understood what other families did on Christmas Eve until I went off to college, I never felt slighted.  You're probably asking, "Really?  That's so sad!"  Christmas Eve, believe it or not, was my favorite childhood memory year after year.  It all centered around that moment I would snuggle up in bed after my dad would read the well-loved, tattered copy of  The Night Before Christmas.  That feeling of anticipation of what was to come when I'd wake up before daylight Christmas morning.  It really was the scene from the story where "children were all snuggled in bed while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads".  As an adult with 3 young children, I still get that magical feeling every Christmas Eve as I head to bed.

Pizza

There are certain things that should NEVER be put on a pizza.  Take for example, the McManiac-inspired by none other than McDonald's ... crust topped with sauce then topped with a 6-piece Chicken McNugget, fries, and 2 cheeseburgers that all look like they just came out of a Happy Meal.  Then there's squid ink pizza-the ink replacing the tomato sauce.  I stumbled across what looks like an artery-clogging pie that appears to have every kind of meat stuffed in every single slice of the entire pizza.  The last one I just came across was a pie that contained roast beef, fried hot dogs, ham, buffalo chicken, sausage, bacon, chicken nuggets, meat sauce, pepperoni, and cheese.  Thanks, but no thanks.  Think I'll stick with my usual-Margarita pizza-Yum!