The Beginning of Mexico

By Paris

Grade 5

Rolling Hills Public Charter School - Boise, ID.

You wouldn’t expect a nine year old girl to rather stay home over spring break and go to a birthday party then go to Mexico. Would you? Well get ready for some changes because that would be me. I never expected Mexico would be all that fun until I went. First of all it’s all about waking up at six A.M. “Or even earlier!” to get on a plane at seven A.M. Your dad drops you off and you give and get hugs and kisses. You tell your dad you will miss him and think it won’t last a bit. Your dad tells you don’t be careless in the ocean. You walk into the airport there are tons of people. You pull your sister’s luggage and you get your luggage weighed, wait a half an hour because your airplane tickets need a little something else, then you get your luggage checked and dropped off, it’s gone. Your mom, you and your sister go through the long, big airport and your mom asks you if you are hungry you look at your sister she nods her head “yes” and you answer your mom with a sweet yes! She looks around, all of the signs are glowing s a burning sun, and she told us to follow her. We got a breakfast meal at Mc Donald’s then we ate then sat for a very long time, playing games, smiling, eating talking, and of course getting in trouble. Finally it’s time to get on the plane there is a very long line and I mean very long line. The lady at the counter said a few nice things then we passed her. We went down a long hallway next we got on the plane for which seemed like hours, but probably only five minutes. We were off to Mexico, actually the Elay airport, but still exiting. It was early morning we were in the airport a long time. We went shopping, looked at books, compared prices and finally got on the plane to Mexico. What a relief. We fell asleep, got molasses cookies and spilled 7-up on my mom what fun. When we arrived in the hot, sparkling Mexico, there was a guy in the airport who wanted my mom to rent ea car and she told him she was being picked up. He said, “huh?!”She ignored him he said something like bla bla blee bla fish. I was really confused now. My mom said her papa was picking her up, actually her father in law. He said ahhh mmm FUN! I was freaked out by that guy. We walked out and my grandma and grandpa were waiting with adorable signs over their faces with the names Paris and Capri in pink and purple curly letters. I noticed it but my mom did not. Is that weird or what? Well we drove home to grandpa grandma’s house where they had a surprise for us they had little huts in the backyard that were made out of bam boo and brick, they were awesome. Inside was a room for me and my sister with pink  canopy mosquito nets they were beautiful along with a dresser to mess up for a week, and a sparkling courtyard with sprouting flowers like water spilling out of a broken pipe. From this trip that America the beautiful might be beautiful but I’ve explored a bit more of wondrous Mexico.

Kari Bender

By Allie

Grade 5

Rolling Hills Public Charter School - Boise, ID.

Kari Bender was once like everyone else she picked her kids up from school went to the movies ate pizza and ice cream while watching “Law and Order” just like everyone else. More important Kari Bender was once a part of my family.  

Kari, her husband Rob, their son Lucky, and their daughter Haley all lived in a three bedroom apartment in the towers on the eighth floor with us below on the seventh. 

Earlier on that year we met at one of my soccer games, Haley slipped and fell into a mud puddle and my mom helped her up. Lucky was a defender on my team so we were fast friends. 

Kari was a very healthy person so we were all really surprised when she was diagnosed with cancer and even more surprised when she and her family had to move back to Virginia to get the treatment she needed. 

We waited two years for the cancer to leave and once it did my mom and I got the first flight out of Japan to go to Virginia and visit them. After our six hour plain ride we scurried the air port looking for Kari or Rob but they weren’t there so we hopped in a cab and went to their parents house. 

After two weeks we had to leave but we weren’t gone for long. After we left Kari had a huge attack. While she was sleeping a bacteria snuck up on her and acted like an acid and ate almost all the skin off the left side of her rib cage and wound up in the hospital again so we were at her side once again. 

I can remember her looking up at me with those big brown eyes filled with tears and dark purple circles underneath. Silence trampled the room until Haley filled with sorrow walked up to her mom’s bed and asked “Why you?” Kari, weak as a bug looked up and said “Why not me?” Haley looked down and slowly began to walk back to her seat. 

The next morning we walked in those halls, sat in those chairs, and ate that food for the last time because Kari Bender had recovered and was ready to become Kari Bender again. I now know in my heart that she is and always will be fine. 

In this period of time I learned that if the opportunity you shouldn’t ask why me you should ask why not me because if you think about it there is a short line between why and why not and if it wasn’t you it would be someone else so just forget about it take life by the hand and never let go!!

Chickens: My Most Memorable Moment

By Sarah J.

Grade 5

Rolling Hills Public Charter School - Boise, ID.

I have quite a few memorable moments.  I guess I’ll start with chickens.  I bet so far you think I’m crazy.  Okay, so let me fill you in.  I’m at my grandma’s house and my cousins and family are playing and having fun. Me, I was sitting in a corner upset that I had to stay in Utah at my grandma’s antique mansion instead of play in the warm, sunny, and non-dry California.  Here, it was as hot as a lava monster threatening to eat the house whole, it felt dry as a savannah in mid-July, and defiantly, DEFINATLY not California.  Finally, my grandma says there’s a surprise in the backyard.  “Finally,” I said in my mind. We finally got there, and I see a giant chicken coop the shape, color, and my last favorite, smell of a barn.

Before my grandma could explain, I was sprinting down the hill toward the barnish coop. first thing I get in there, I see 20 chickens.  I start screaming in eximent as my grandma and family rush down to see what had happened.  They walk in and I am cradling a little, black, silky chicken with strange feet and a feathery afro.  To my cousins it looked like a blob.  To me it was the cutest thing in the world.  It’s kind of like when a five year-old girl gets a Barbie Dream House and her brothers want to puke.  Finally, Grandma calms down and says “I see you’ve already met the family favorite.”  “WHAT!” said my family in unison.  “How can that... that...thing be your family favorite.” said my brother as so called “Family Favorite” pecked harmlessly at an imaginary fly.  “Well, that’s Tiny Tim” said my grandma. ‘Isn’t she the cutest thing you ever saw?”  “Uh, no.” said my brother.  “Be nice on her” said grandma.  “She’s mentally disabled.”  Silence struck the coop.  There was only the sound of bocking chickens.  Then, a giggle and a sonic laser of laughter blasted from the group.