Kasey, my new dog!

Hi, friends!

I have some exciting news for you! I got a new dog! My 10th birthday is coming up and my parents asked what I wanted for my present. I told them truthfully that what I really and only wanted was a pet dog.

We had been looking to adopt a dog for a little while. My mom always had dogs when she was a kid growing up, so she's used to having dogs around. My dad on the other hand never had a dog, so I kinda had to work on my dad for a little while to get him to get used to the idea of a pet dog.

We went over to a pet store on Saturday where we have before met a man who takes in and shelters dogs that need new homes. I saw the man and walked over to him and right away saw his German Shepherd. I asked him about the dog and he said that the dog, named Kasey, had been living with an elderly woman who had to move into an assisted living home and could no longer care for Kasey. So Kasey needed a new home.

I was able to take Kasey for a little walk, and I knew right away she was the dog for me:

We adopted Kasey right away, and took her home that day. She is so well behaved! She hardly barks, she obeys commands, and she can play fetch and have lots of fun with me! I've been taking her for walks around the neighborhood and even from school. I've introduced her to my friends in the neighborhood and everyone thinks she is so sweet and cute!

You'll have to come and play with Kasey too!

Your friend,

--James

Clayton Fun Run!

Hi, friends --

Saturday was a pretty fun and special day. Let me tell you about an event we had at my school, Clayton Elementary. We have a Fun Run every year that we use as a fundraiser for the Parent-Teachers Association. It was a great event! We run around the school and then afterwards enjoy all sorts of games and activities and yummy food.

Here Andrew and I are arriving at the front of the school ahead of the run:

And here I am gathering with some of my classmates getting ready for our heat:

After all that yummy steak I ate for dinner Friday night, some might say I needed the extra exercise! But hey, I'm just a kid.

Come and Take It (the exercise)!

Your friend,

--James

New York Strip Steak!

Hi, friends!

We had a special treat last Friday. I had finished two of my Star tests earlier in the week and my parents wanted to celebrate for me. Let me tell you about the Star tests we have here in Texas. The tests take not only four (!) hours each, but we have two days of tests! I finished the writing component, and next week we move onto math and reading. All I'm saying is that I'm a fourth-grader and we have tests as long as my dad said he had in graduate school!

So back to our barbecue. We picked up some of my favorite steaks, New York Strips. Here they look as I was starting to prepare them:

These steaks can taste so good, as long as you keep the fundamentals just right. The thickness of the steaks is one important variable. I had these steaks cut one and a quarter inch thick. A thin steak will just cook through too quickly and lose its tenderness.

You don't have to fancy the steaks. All you need is good salt and pepper and olive oil. Here's how the steaks look after I applied the rub:

You have to make sure the grill is good and hot. We got the grill to approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I was ready to put the steaks on the grill. You can see a few of my friends came to join me by now:

Timing is another important variable. Because of the thickness of these steaks, I knew I should grill them no more than six minutes per side. Any longer than that I could run the risk of overcooking and drying out the steaks.

At just under twelve minutes I pulled the steaks off the grill and brought them inside the kitchen. I let them rest a few minutes (the steak continues to cook and the juices flow evenly throughout the meat). Now I was ready to slice the steaks:

How does it look to you? It was awesome!

Come and Take It!

Your friend,

--James