Wednesday, April 17, 2013

FLAT STANLEY VISITS AUNT AMY, OR WOULD YOU ENTRUST YOUR CHILD'S CLASS PROJECT TO THIS WOMAN?

Dear Anna and Classmates,
Thank you so much for choosing us to be one of the host families for your Flat Stanley Project.  I was so happy and surprised when he arrived in the mail!  Since I like to read so much, I was already familiar with Flat Stanley's books. I always liked his stories, because even though he was flattened like a pancake when a bulletin board fell on him one night, he still made the best of things and managed to lead a very exciting life!  After all, who else do you know who gets to go on a vacation to California, by being mailed there in an envelope?  He was able to go on even more adventures when you mailed him to my house and I think he really enjoyed them, as well!  (Well, maybe with the exception of our visit to see the goats, at Frontier Town!)  Thank you again, for letting us be part of the fun!
Lots of Love,
Anna's Aunt Amy
XOXOXOXO
     
                                              FLAT  STANLEY'S ADVENTURES WITH MY FAMILY
                                                        Dedicated to Anna and all her classmates
                                                With special love and thanks to my daughter, Jamie  

     
I was so surprised when Flat Stanley first arrived at our house in Washington Township.  We live right on the borderline between Washington Township and Romeo, Michigan. I usually just say I live in Romeo, instead of Washington Township, because more people know where Romeo is. People often visit Romeo because it is famous for all the apple orchards we have, and also for the "Peach Festival" that the village hosts, during the fall.  Here is a picture of Flat Stanley popping out of my mailbox!

SURPRISE!
I was very excited to take Flat Stanley around town to see some sights. Flat Stanley was hoping to drive, but I couldn't let him because his feet didn't reach the gas pedal.  Instead, I had him sit on the passenger seat and, of course, I had him put on his seat belt so that he would be safe!

TOO SHORT TO DRIVE!
ALWAYS WEAR A SEAT BELT!



THE CIVIL WAR MONUMENT















The first place I took him to visit was the historic cemetery in Romeo.  It has a large monument in it, which lists the soldiers from the area who died during the civil war. I showed him all the names engraved on the sides of the monument, and told him that some parents lost more than one son during that war. Thinking how hard that must have been for those families might have made him feel a little sad, because he was very quiet after I had finished.  I can't be sure though, because, between you and me, Flat Stanley really isn't much of a talker.

To cheer him up a bit, I let him pretend he was being shot out of a civil war cannon.  It is a good thing that it was still cold outside though, because in the summer wasps like to live inside it, and he could have gotten stung by one!

FLAT STANLEY PRETENDING TO BE SHOT OUT OF A CANNON!

Next, I took Flat Stanley to Frontier Town.  Frontier Town is a place with some interesting stores, including an old-fashioned general store where you can buy penny candy.  It also has goats in the back of the property, and you can buy goat food, to feed them with.  I guess I should have purchased some of that food, because after I taped Flat Stanley to the post outside the pen and stepped back to take a picture of him, one of those rascally goats stuck his head through the fence and started eating him!!! (Goats really like to eat paper, I discovered!)  I yelled very loud at him to put Flat Stanley down, but goats are NOT very good listeners.  I was extremely sad even though I knew he was only made of paper. I think it was because when you read a good book the characters almost seem to come alive...and that was how Flat Stanley was beginning to feel to me!
Luckily, since Flat Stanley WAS a character out of a book and WAS NOT a real, live, little boy, I was able to make another one!
FLAT STANLEY AND THAT RASCALLY GOAT!

















As soon as I was finished, I took him to the library in town.  I knew he would want to know all about his family, so guess which book I took out for him to read?
THE "NEW" FLAT STANLEY
The next day Flat Stanley and I met my daughter Jamie, at National Coney Island.  She was traveling to California the following day and she wanted to take him with her...this time IN AN AIRPLANE! I think he really liked having the window seat.



HE ORDERED A FLAT-BREAD SANDWICH!
BETTER THAN AN ENVELOPE!


While he was in California he attended a conference with some students Jamie was escorting, who were members of a group called Phi Theta Kappa. They are students who get really good grades at college, so Stan liked to hang around with them. Stan knows how important it is to do well at school!

STAN AND JAMIE
FLAT STANLEY WITH HIS SMART FRIENDS!
After the conference was finished, Stan took in some of the sights with Jamie.  He got to see the Golden Gate Bridge and a few other places, when Jamie met up with her cousin Matt, who lives in California.
THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

MATT, JAMIE AND STAN

This picture though, is my favorite one of all.  I think it looks like Flat Stanley is a GIANT and he is stepping on the tiny humans who are walking on the beach!  It made me laugh very hard when I saw it!
LOOK OUT BELOW!!!
f
Flat Stanley had another nice flight on his way back and even had a layover in Denver, Colorado!
When Flat Stanley came back home he really wanted to attend Macomb Community College, like his friends from the conference did. Jamie explained that he wasn't old enough yet, but she let him pretend to get his ID picture taken, so that he wouldn't feel too disappointed.  
FLAT STANLEY AT COLLEGE!
After that, Jamie returned Flat Stanley to me for one last adventure.  I work at a preschool and we were having an art show, so I let Flat Stanley dress up like an artist, when he visited.  He posed with some artwork, which two of my daughters drew when they were back in high school.  After that he posed with one of the projects that our preschoolers made.  He looks great, don't you think?  I think he might become a famous artist when he grows up!
ART BY GINA AND JAMIE!

FLAT STANLEY "THE ARTIST"

Well, I had a few more pictures of Flat Stanley, but unfortunately, I am having trouble downloading them.  In any case, I think you can tell that we had a great time together, and I certainly am glad that he came to our house to visit!  Thank you again, boys and girls...and I love you, Anna! 

I received this thank you letter in the mail today...I love it!

9 comments:

  1. Just delightful Amy and what a wonderful trip Jamie and Matt took Flat Stanly on. I'm sure he will never forget the aventure! Nancy A.Martin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, i wish i could have tagged along during that leg of the journey. ;D

      Delete
  2. HA HA HA! This is such a wonderful capture of all the moments of his travels. I've really anjoyed Flat Stanley's visit with Aunt Amy!!! Jenny C Eldridge

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Gosh you were right! I loved this post and I love Stan (mark 1 and mark 2). What a man. The goat story was a terrible shocker. Lol. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall (or fence)! I can only imagine the panic. Lucky for Stan he was easy to clone. I love the window seat photograph. He looks delighted. The beach shot treading on human ants is cool too. His ID photo..his artist costume...I am still chuckling. Hilarious. I so want Stan to come over the pond and visit the UK...you never know...'Stan's European Vacation'. The sky is the limit for Stan. XXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well lucy, you never know. i have decided our preschool class needs their own "flat stanley." he has been invited to alaska to visit a friend, but upon his return, he may just end up booking an envelope to visit you, across the pond! a european vacation sounds exciting!! xoxo

      Delete
  4. While I have heard of Flat Stanley, I have never read one of his adventures before. The encounter with the goat was harrowing...who would have thought... :-) I can imagine he would have a fabulous time with Lucy and her sons across the pond so I do hope he makes it and I can read about it!
    Gracie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i think so too, gracie! ...and many thanks for visiting my blog.

      Delete
  5. HAHA. Just read this for the first time. Hilar!

    ReplyDelete