Our Weekend With Clifford

Clifford, the big red dog, is one lucky pup! He gets to take turns spending the weekend with each of the 2nd year students (the older class) at our preschool throughout the school year. He comes with a packed bag that includes several books, his blanket and two pillows, and mini stories written by each of the families summarizing their ventures with Clifford. The stories often include photos, pictures drawn by the student, and mini journal entries for each day/activity. Mrs. Skees said that families have really stepped it up recently in their record-keeping and are now far more detailed and creative than they ever used to be!

I found out we were going to have Clifford for the weekend on the Friday that he came home with Will (November 11th). Will's first activity idea was to bake chocolate chip cookies with Clifford. He's actually been asking to do this again for weeks now, so I guess this was the perfect opportunity to finally get on that. We got down to baking after dinner that Friday night.
Will showed Clifford how he uses the mixer and adds all the ingredients.

Then, after bath, Clifford got to enjoy a warm-from-the-oven cookie and some milk with Will. (Actually, he just posed in front of daddy's cookie. :) Daddy and Will enjoyed their treat together while Clifford watched.)

The next day, we had to attend a funeral in the morning. But after nap, Clifford, Will and Craig drove over to the farm to meet Papa Riedeman and take a ride in the combine with him while he harvested his fields.

On Sunday, our cousins Cora & Lincoln came over to play and Clifford was there to watch. I was too busy catching up with Molly though to remember to take any pictures. So Craig and Will just worked together to draw a picture instead. Then, on Sunday early evening, I printed some of our pictures and made our little, weekend journal on some card stock I had laying around.

(Craig sketched Clifford, of course.)

It was fun to include Clifford in our weekend as though he were a real, visiting guest. And it's neat to see what other memories the students have shared with Clifford in their own homes.