makin' magic

by Adam

Oh, the fumblejacks,
They'll make you rack.
Your grey matter wonders,
Don't they make blunders?

Oh, the doodlekings.
They just love noodle.
While your mind ponders,
Are these wanderers?

Oh, the hightyjack.
He can cook a flapjack.
While your brains think,
Is he a fink?

No.
No.
No.

Every year, our family goes to a tree lot to pick out our Christmas tree. The boys have loved one particular lot that has barrels of peanuts placed among the trees, and this is one of their fondest traditions.

Being far away from the peanut lot, we needed a new tradition. Last weekend we got a permit from the Forest Service ($5!) and drove down to the Beartooth Mountains. We were awed by the beauty of the green river flowing over terraces of ice. With daylight dwindling, we found the perfect tree. When Andrew finished sawing through the trunk, he cried, "Timber!" as it fell on Adam and Aaron.

With a taller ceiling in our house here, we were able to get a taller tree than ever. We didn't measure the tree, but it seemed like maybe a little shorter than we wanted. When we got it home, it was just inches from the tallest part of our ceiling (about 12 feet). It is some kind of spruce, maybe an Engelmann. We decided that the trees looked much smaller in the grand forest than in our little living room. The whole experience definitely blew the peanuts away.

by Andrew

Christmas smells like crisp fresh evergreens.
It sounds like Santa's jolly laughter and ringing bells.
It tasts like thick eggnog and candy canes.
It feels like coarse straw.
It looks like joyful radient angels and the pure baby Jesus.

by Aaron

Christmas looks like a Christmas tree.
It smels like gingerbread houses.
It sounds like ranedeer on the roof.
It tastes like oranges on the mantel.
It fels like the warm feleng of santa in the house.

by Adam

Christmas sounds like jingling bells.
And feels like prickly pine.
It tastes like moonlight and gingerbread.
Christmas smells like evergreen and oranges.
It looks like green carols.

Sam Smiles
a comedian
He laghed his head off.
(by Andrew)

here lies Aaron Aposhian.
Aaron died becus he jumpt in the oshin.
his last words were Ime going to jump in the oshin
(by Aaron???)

Jack be lazy
Jack be fat
Jack just had a heart attack.
(by Adam)

Bob Jones
remarks from Brother:
He had such a great smile.
remarks from Sister:
Such a great brother, he gave the best hugs.
remarks from Father:
He had a loving heart.
remarks from Mother:
Good riddance!
(by Andrew)

Robby Dalles
Dead as a dornail
(by Andrew)

dig down 5 1/2 feet for
Joe Lems
|
|
\/

(by Andrew)

by Adam

Once on a dreary hollow below, malice surround the ditch of turmoil, menace trench of caves and caverns, abyss where great beasts realm. The spiders creeply crawl along. The houses misty sleep with slumber. Oh, trees dead there with no leaves to flutter, no birds to sing, and no frogs to croak again. Sky black with stars no more to twinkle.

In village yonder that sleeps in slumber with houses, mist, and slumber. Boy is sleeping, Ma is sleeping, Pa is sleeping. Mr. Fan is walking. Behind him I follow sneackily, along Main Ditch Street in our little town called Dreary Ditch. Mr. Fan strides but not with pride in his commens clothing.

Ah, Mr. Fan, I will call him Fan in rest of the my old story. Me and him were old great friends in that time oh long ago.

He ran ahead and into the Dreary Ditch. I followed his foot steps and I saw a sight. You guess what. Fan going down abyss into inky blackness. I followed He yonder and saw a great sight. It was Father Spider crawling and creeping toward Fan. I couldn't belive Fan intended no running to bed. He walked forward and I ran away at this time for Fan had lost a leg and hopped away.

by Andrew

That ominus night I woke from the sound of a ruthless wind tearing through black oblivion. My window then opened with a sharp creak. Giving me a clear, flawless veiw of an inky dark veil covering the world. Though it was a cloudless night, no moon nor star stood gaurding agenst the ripping dark abis of blackness. Bare felt the wourld that night I thought. Then suddenly and abruptly a cruel screech ripped through the night. The vicious sound not ceacing it almost seemed althogh the wind was speaking.

"The day is no more and the night will not wake. The day is no more and the night will not wake. " It spoke again and again then malicius cold laghter. I lay there, my blood prickling hours and hours. Though the night did not wake and my watch had stoped.

"The day is no more and the night will not wake" it said.

"No!" I wanted to shout but I couldn't for the night was too perfect to break. I tried to break free from my bed but I could not for it was as though the dreary hands of death held me.

Now I lay doomed, dorment, my eyes ridged open, cought in the abis of night. While the wind ruthlessly torments me, whispering. "The day is no more and the night will not wake."

by Aaron

In a dark and damp house, there was a man that was lying and looking out a window at the dark stars--so dark that he could barely see. He was almost asleep. It was almost morning, but there were still just the dark stars.

The dogly monsters were creeping on the gray floor. The squidly monsters on the ceiling high and low were sneaking down the hollow walls.

One dogly monster struck the bell in the middle of the town. The whole town went running with the man toward the bell tower, but they didn't see anything through the darkness but the bell moving and the windows creaking and the wind blowing.

All the monsters went scarily skittering toward the bell tower. They went up every ladder in the bell tower until they got to the bell floor and surrounded the people with a big screeching noise. Some screamed, some covered their eyes and ears.

Then a shadow went up from the ladder door. The man walked out into the room, looking at the monsters and smiling. He said, "I will get these monsters out in just a minute."

The man sniffed, slowly sliding away. The monsters went staring after him to the ladder. And then they started following the man to a dark cave, and he was never seen again.

Andrew gave a fantastic report on the element Carbon for our Great Brain group last month. Here is the poster he made as one of his visual aids.

by Andrew

Dr. Tooth Yank MD
is quite scary, as you can see.
His eyes are quite a fright,
Not to mentone his sight.
He has no feet, but his teeth!
Those are anything but neat.

Dr. Tooth Yank MD
Is silent as can be,
Which would be good,
Exept that once in a wile he laughs as all things should.
But this laugh is evil,
And when you hear it, it could be lethal.

Dr. Tooth Yank
Gets his name from giving kids a good spank,
Before wrenching out plyers,
Yanking out your incicers!

Dr. Tooth Yank MD
Hoards teeth with glee,
And if you try and steel them
Or even just feel them,
He'll gobble you up just like that,
Or save you for a snack.

But Dr. Tooth Yank MD
Absolutly hates the letter Z.
So if you ever meet Dr. Tooth Yank MD,
I'll tell you the key.
Just say, "Zoo zan't zake my zeeth,
Zoo zittle zeaf.
Zour zust a zream zi'm zaving."
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

by Andrew

When I woke up this morning I had a cold and a big rat's nest in my hair, and it hurt to get it out. After that I thought it would be the second worst day ever. But I was wrong, it was the worst. Then after I poured my cerial my brother told me the milk was gone. Plus all my socks were dirty.

When I walked to school I stepped in fresh dog poo. Then at school my last pencle broke, and I didn't know where my sharpener was. So I had to ask Joe for a pencle. He chews on his pencles. At recess it was freezing, and I didn't have a coat. Then my friend asked me if I wanted to go to the movies right after school. But I couldn't go because I thought I had a dentest appointment.

Then when I got home, guess what, dentist appointment next week, and my friend will probably be going with Joe to the movies. Then when I went to hold my gerbil he had escaped. Finily when I cought him he bit me. I said to myself, "At least I still have scouts. WHAT? Scouts canceled?!"

It was leftover night. I hate leftover night. When I went to brush my teeth my lucky, brand new toothbrush was gone, and next week I had a dentist appointment! When I went to sleep I found a bed full of bread crumbs. But when I saw my poster that said "Life goes on," it helped me go to sleep.

Life does go on.

We have been appreciating "Big Sky Country" lately.

A few weeks ago, I was getting some things ready for school, when the view through the window took my breath away. The sky above the Rimrock blazed in a fiery pink, stretching its day's greeting above the picturesque sandstone cliffs. After too fleeting of a moment, with my racing between windows to drink it all in, the sky became a tranquil blue, with no lingering hint of its gift to me. We have enjoyed many beautiful dawns since.

Last week, the boys and I finally took advantage of our new grass. Spread out on blankets, we drank in the miriad stars. Using a star chart, we identified many constellations. This is something I've wanted to do since I took Astronomy in college, not knowing it was physics.

by Aaron

I woke up. I was freezing! The windows were open. Some blankets were on the floor, and my brother Andrew took them all.

Then I went to get dressed, that horrible day. But then I had no long pants left. All I had was short-sleeved shirts and shorts. And it was snowing outside. And there was snow in my room, because the windows were open. And I had to clean it all up, and my mom was the one who opened the windows!

When I went to have cereal, I forgot there was no milk left. I took the filtered water and poured it into my cereal.

After breakfast, I went into the office, and i dropped my quarter into the vent. I tried getting it out, but then I accidentally bumped it, and the vent opened, and the quarter fell in.

During school, I had to practice violin, and the strings squeaked. Usually when I play violin, I get chocolate chips. But this time--no way!

We were doing chemistry, but I hate chemistry. Chemistry is one of the worst subjects in school!

After school, we went skiing. When I started skiing, I fell! I tried again, and I fell! And I tried again, but I fell. And then I looked on my skis. They were bent on the back.

When I got home, I painted my periodic table pillowcase with glow-in-the-dark paint. Then I went to put it into the dark, but it didn't glow! This was the worst day ever!

At dinner, we had tomato soup. I tried it, and the tomotoes--yuck!

When I was going to bed, I forgot to brush my teeth. My brother said that my breath stunk like yellow, rotten eggs.

Some days aren't so good. Tonight, I want to make sure the windows are shut.

by Adam

I woke up, had cereal, and poured the milk in. But I forgot and went to do my chores and came back to a bowl of soggy cereal.

I looked under my pillow. My lucky cork was gone.

I went to take a drink. My monkey mug was leaking.

I looked out the frosty window. No snow. I decided that this was the worst day ever!

I scraped my knees riding my bike; any bandades? Nope. They hurt.

I was writing a report. My mechanical pencil ran out of lead! I decided this day was the worst, worst, worst day!!!

And I had TO EAT AVOCADO AND TOMATOS!!!!!!

But there's one good thing......only 192 days 'till Christmas.

by Adam

Rumplestiltskin's favorite food was children. So one day he heard that a miller claimed that his daughter could spin straw into gold, and that if she didn't she would die by the order of the king. When he heard that, he sprinted all the way to the castle and ran in, got to the room, and came in saying, "What will you give me if I spin all this straw into gold?"

And she said, "My neck ribbon." While she said this, he thought, "Surely the king will marry her, and she will have a child, and then, and then I will eat it!" And he took the ribbon and started spinning. It was hard work, but Rumplestiltskin the mannikin would do anything, anything, for a nice, sweet, juicy and tender meat of a roasted child. He worked until finally he was done and ran out of the room happily to his home that was deep in the woods.

Rumors came from the other animals, saying that the maiden was put in a larger room, with more straw. At this, he ran to the castle, thinking, "If I do this, she will be surely married to the king then!" When he got there, he asked, "What will you give me if I spin this straw into gold?"

She answered, "My ring." He took the ring and while he was spinning, he thought, "My juicy child, my juicy child, I want you!" He finished and went happily thinking, "Child tonight!"

He went back again because of rumors to still bigger room! He asked, "What will you give me?"

She said, "I have nothing left."

And he suggested, "Your first child as queen. Promise me so." She promised, and he skipped home singing and thinking, "JUICY CHILD IS MINE!"

Years later, rumors came that the queen had a child. Rumplestiltskin thought in his mind, "MINE, MINE, MIIIINNE!" He went to the castle that night, "That wonderful night." He woke the queen, saying, "Give me what you promised."

She cried and wept, and he thought, "I will give her a chance." So he said, "If you can guess my name--oh yes, my name is hard to guess--you may keep your child dear. In three days, you may try to guess my name." So the queen kept track of every name she could think of. She sent messengers out to find out the names that anyone has ever given a child. At his house in the woods, Rumplestiltskin was laughing and dancing, saying, "She'll never guess my name!"

So he went to the castle to see if she could guess his name the first night. He thought, "She'll never think it's Rumplestiltskin." Then she asked many names. And he said, "Nope! You have no success." And he ran away happily.

Then he came back the second night. She asked strange, you could say very strange, names. And he was happy as can be, thinking, "She'll never guess my name."

On the third night, she asked common names that she had not asked before. Then she asked the dreaded name. Rumplestiltskin! He thought, "How could she get such a thing! Someone must have told her." And he was so mad, he ripped himself into pieces.

(by Andrew)

Here I am sitting behind bars in darn jail and innocent too. Everyone says I tried to eat the grandma and Little Red Riding Hood. I was hungry, but the rest of it's nonsense. Let me tell you how it really happened.

Well, like I said, I was hungry, but hungry is not the right word. I was starving, famished. I was ravenously hungry. When I was prowling around looking for food, I saw Little Red Riding Hood with that wonderful smelling ginger cake and milk. I just had to have that ginger cake and milk! I never thought once of eating Little Red Riding Hood. I would never do that. When she told me that the cake and milk were for her grandmother, I was so sad that it was for curing her grandma and not for me. But alas, that cake and milk was my favorite, and I was on the verge of starving to death. So I made up my mind that I would steal it, but not here. I hinted that her grandma would like some fresh flowers, because maybe that would cure her poor grandmother. Then a thought came to my mind that I would go around by the house and hide, and then before she went inside, I would pounce on her and take the food. That way the girl wouldn't run home and not give the flowers to her grandma. No, she would run inside to her grandma's house.

So I ran to the house, and found a hiding spot right under the window. Well, it just happened that that was the kitchen window. I could smell frying sausage. I could not stand it, so I went to the door and said I was Little Red Riding Hood. The grandma told me to come in, so I did. When the grandma saw I was a wolf, she shrieked and fainted. Us wolves are so misunderstood, and of course, I didn't know she had fainted. I thought she had died--died from that sickness Little Red Riding Hood told me about. I hated to waste, so I swallowed the grandma whole. I was so hungry, I ate the sausages too. Those darn sausages made me even hungrier, so I put some of the grandma's clothes on and waited for Little Red Riding Hood and her scrumptious cake and milk.

When Little Red Riding Hood came, I told her to come in. Rumor says that I said a bunch of stuff about my ears and my teeth and my nose. That's all nonsense! As soon as she opened the door, I leaped on her and, alas, I accidentally swallowed her whole, cake and all. It was in my nature. I was so sad, I cried myself to sleep. Then I was woken up by the snapping of my ribs. The stupid hunter was doing the Heimlich Maneuver. Out of my mouth tumbled Little Red Riding Hood and her grandma. In my mind, I sighed with relief that they were OK. I didn't really sigh. I was howling with pain from my ribs. The stupid hunter dragged me off to jail, and me, innocent too.

Please spread the word that I'm innocent, so I can get out, because I'm hungry.

by Aaron
Once upon a time, not too long ago, there was a person named Robin Hood. Robin Hood lived in a park with his Merry Men. He went into the woods and he went in a tree with his Merry Men. The sheriff was walking by. He was looking for Robin Hood. The sheriff had his gun out. He had been looking for a long time. Then he went back home in his police car. Robin Hood got down from the tree. He got out his machine gun. He went back home with his Merry Men in his disguised car. His car looked like it was the sheriff's car. When Robin Hood got home, he saw little children playing on the playground. When they saw Robin Hood, they ran away.

The next day, in the newspaper, he heard that the sheriff wanted to have a contest to see who was the best machine-gunner. Then Robin Hood got in a disguise and went to the contest. He was the first one to shoot the targets. He took the machine gun out. He wasted all his bullets in the middle of the target. The next machine-gunner was the sheriff. He got three-quarters of his bullets in the middle, and another quarter out. Then it was one of the sheriff's men's turn to shoot. He shot a half in the middle, and the other half out of the target. It was one of Robin Hood's Merry Men's turn. He got a half in the middle, a quarter not on the target, and another quarter on the white of the target. And then Robin Hood and his men ran home to the park.

The next day, Robin Hood went to steal at the store. He was disquised as the sheriff. He looked at how much money a person had. Then Robin Hood took the person's hand. He said, "You're under arrest." And so he got money. He went to the poor people that lived in little houses. He found the poorest house. He gave them money.

Robin Hood went back home. When he got home, he saw little children playing on his playground again. And they didn't go away. They kept on playing. So Robin Hood found a different place to live. He built a house made of rock in the mountains. THE END

Congratulations on your successful audition into BYO's Concert Orchestra! "Fantastic job!" I was very impressed by the amount of preparation. Give yourself a pat on the back for your achievement.

Viva la Musica!
Lisa Bollman
Billings Youth Orchestra

Never
by Adam

Never lick
the outlit or your
tastebuds will
explode!

Never
smoke a cigarette
or you'll fall
in a commode!

Never
write too much
or your hand will
be a toad!

And...
never
be late to
school
or you'll
have
to
write
a poem...
like me.



by Aaron
Always change your underwear, or else the underwear you're wearing will turn electric and shock you and you'll say "ouch" and blow up.




If You Forget to Feed Your Gerbil
by Andrew

If you forget to feed your gerbil Benj,
He's sure to have horrible revenge.
He'll start jumping around and biting
And making shreaks that are really frightning.

Then if you still don't feed your gerbil,
Oh, will you be in terbil!
He'll start shrinking just like that
Until soon he'll be the size of a gnat.

Then all he'll have to do
Is slip right through.
Those bars are so small,
It will take nothing at all.

Then he'll come and gobble you up!

BURP!!!!

Today we hung up poems (some are haiku) and wishes in the wind, like the Japanese do for their Star Festival.

by Aaron:

I wish for money.
I wish for a baby sister.


Brothers raking leaves,
Red, orange, yellow, and brown.
The rake is bent.



by Adam:

I wish I could grow up to be a poet.


Fall

Orange, yellow
Raking the autumn leaves
Red fall. Crimson trees.



Leaves go down from their high post on trees,
To go to the yearly fall meeting for leaves.

Then Hallowen comes to hant the trees.
The leaves get blown as the children run by.



Mist Mountian

Mighty mist mountian
Strong, tall, noble, rocky, cold
Old tower, misty

Rock, strength
The mountian somber.
The powerfull big mountian



by Andrew:

Autumn cool breeze
Vivid orange and crimson
Rustling gliding leaves


Rustling whispering trees
Hallow chimes in misty soft wind
Time is quiet

by Aaron

I used to have all my baby teeth, but now I have a big, fat tooth.
I used to be afraid of falling, but now I am afraid of yellow, orange, and red spiders.
Back then, I couldn't hang upside down from a table, but now I do it.
I used to like puzzles, but now I like legos.
I used to get in trouble for throwing things, but now I sometimes slam the doors.
I used to not be able to blow a bubble, but now I blow huge bubbles.
I used to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," but now I play it on the violin.

by Adam

I used to be realy short, but now I'm not.
I used to be afraid of the dark, but now I like the dark.
I used to cry like a babe, but now I cry like a king.
I used to add a lot, but now I divide a lot.
I used to squeal a lot more, but now I talk a lot more.
I used to draw stick guys, but now I draw like Velasquez.
I used to think I was magic, but now I'm king of the world.

by Andrew

I used to have baby teeth, but now I have adolt teeth.
I used to drink pickle juice and tabasco sauce, but now I sneak choclet chips.
I used to eat rice with tabasco, worchester and soy sauce, but now I eat rice with Yoshida sauce or soy sauce.
I used to be afraid of the dark in my bed, but now I like it dark so my eyes can rest better.
I used to hate it when I didn't get to play 1st base, but now I hate peanut butter sandwiches.
I used to not be able to blow a bubble, but now I ski on black dimonds.
I used to love playing legos, but now I love playing with legos.

If you have a cold, then take a strip of paper, put it down your nose, and pull it out your mouth ten times. (Aaron)
If you have a tooth ache than go to a apple tree and eat all the rotten apples then next new moon chop down the tree with a rusty axe and be done by 2:00 AM. (Andrew)
If you have chicken pox, stuff blue cheese up your nose (1 sq. in.) and Onion Then cut a small tuft of hair and eat it. (Adam)

by Andrew

Return of the King is an amazing fantisy movie epic by New Line Cinima, the third and final movie in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I think this is a great movie, espitaly having read the book. However I might suggest that in some ways that the movie is not outstanding for somone who is new to The Lord of the Rings.

One thing that I might point out is that the movie is particularly long, mesuring 3 hours long. Also throughout this seqence the story is particularly dark. The movie is much better veiwed with The Fellowship of the Ring (#1), and The Two Towers (#2) in my opinion.

For those who have read The Lord of the Rings I think the movie is particularly good. I think that New Line Cinima did a fantastic job of makeing the books into the movies. There is avalible an extended version of Return of the King on DVD, as the other two movies. Reading the book before veiwing the movies might be a good idea, although the movie is 3 hours long it might be a little bit confusing.

I enjoyed the movie very much. The graphics in the battle on Palanor feilds is amazing with the flying nazgul soring overhead to Minis Tirith and oliphounts raking aside the riders of Rohan. The movie is violent and the terribly life-like Shelob is frightning, so it would be a good idea not to take kids 10 or younger to this.

Over all I think this amazing fantisy by J.R.R. Tolkien and brought to life in motion picture by New Line Cinama is worth seeing.

I like the goblet of fire. It is raded PG-13. I like the part when Harry gits the chri wizrd cup. If you are litl then you shouldn't woch it. I like the dragon in it.

Aposhian Academy
More Diamond Poems:

Magellan
by Andrew

................Magellan
.........Courageous, adventurous
.......Daring, exciting, believing
.........Sea, wind, salt, spray
......Exploring, venturing, sailing
.............Curious, noble
................Magellan

Stars
by Adam

................Stars
.............Hot, bright
.......Lighting, exploding, warming
........Gas, debris, light, power
........Amazing, shining, rotating
............Powerful, cool
................Stars


Sun
by Aaron

.............Sun
..........Cool, hot
...Burning, lighting, setting
..Light, people, plants, warmth
....Moving, rotating, rising
.........Yellow, sunny
.............Sun


Space
by Andrew

..............Space
.......Heavenly, miraculous
....Orbiting, floating, flying
..Comets, planets, stars, nebulas
....Exploding, moving, rocketing
.........Unknown, awesome
..............Space


Explorers
by Adam

..............Explorers
.........Adventurous, curious
.....Mapping, exploring, predicting
......Sextant, compass, maps, ships
.......Sailing, climbing, wrecking
.............Brave, Ready
..............Explorers

Diamond Poems

Sea Otter
by Aaron

................Sea otter
...............Furry, fast
........Swimming, diving, cracking
........Seaweed, water, crab, baby
.......Sleeping, floating, wrapping
..............Cool, Awesome
................Sea otter


Dwarves
by Adam

.......................Dwarves
.................Short, underground
.............Mining, forging, dwarving
............Metal, rock, pickaxe, hammer
............Picking, hammering, carving
...................Bearded. rough
......................Dwarves


Gerbil
by Andrew

....................Gerbil
..................Furry, busy
..........Sniffing, scurrying, squeaking
...........Nest, rodent, furball, seed
..........Clicking, burrowing, tunneling
................Whiskery, little
.....................Gerbil