Sleepless Juggler

Thursday Thirteen #14 for me

2008-01-30T18:33:00.000-05:00

Thirteen things we've done in the past few months to get our house ready to sell


1. painted the inside of the house


2. removed wallpaper in the kitchen, dining room, E's room, both bathrooms, and the breakfast room - I will NOT have wallpaper in my new house!


3. hired someone to clean up the front yard, trim hedges, and put new pine straw around the natural areas - curb appeal, baby


4. repaired low window sills that our cute, but very destructive puppy, had chewed to smitherines - No wonder we only kept him 6 months!


5. replaced carpet throughout the house that our cute, but very destructive puppy, used as his personal potty


6. repaired the wall where our cute, but very destructive puppy, chewed through the plaster at the corners of some of the walls


7. rented a storage building so that we could clear out some clutter - trying to make the house look bigger by having less "stuff" in it


8. packed, hauled, and stored at least 60 boxes in the storage building


9. cleaned out the basement - or at least started- We sent a ton of stuff to the American Kidney Foundation


10. put a "For Sale" sign in the yard and at the entrance of the subdivision - Evidently, you're not allowed to put one at the entrance of the subdivision on a road that is owned by the state. The sign was removed within a few hours.


11. cleaned out every closet and drawer to get rid of clothes and things we can no longer wear or use


12. replaced the towel racks and "hardware" in the bathrooms to look fresh and new


13. replaced air vents that looked old and one that was bent due to our son's curiosity about where the vent would lead

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Sunday Seven

2008-01-26T20:02:00.001-05:00

Seven significant scenes from this past week.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed watching my youngest daughter play basketball. It is her first season to play and their team had only won one game until yesterday. They won. That was fun, but the thing that was the most fun was to watch her become at ease on the court. She felt more confident and relaxed and had fun! It's fun to watch your child do something they really enjoy.

2. I had the opportunity to spend Saturday with my parents. I haven't seen them in a while and they came to Nat's game. Afterward, we just hung out at home and talked. It's always so good to spend time with them and chat!

3. We had dinner this week with RJ's family. What fun! All of us (with the exception of one child who was attending a birthday party) around one big table, eating, talking, and catching up.

4. RJ and I have talked a lot this week about "the house" and "the land". We've made some big decisions that have had to be changed and we've made new decisions this week. He's a very level-headed, calm man. That calms me.

5. I got back in touch with old friends this week. I have 2 college friends that I haven't seen in almost 3 years. I miss them! However, life had gotten hectic lately and we'd not kept in touch as closely as we usually do. By "we", I guess I mean me. I was the weak link. But they kept on sending notes and this week, we've connected again through email - much easier to me than phone or snail mail. I love hearing what's going on in their lives again!

6. I turned in my preference form at work stating that I would be seeking employment in another county for the next school year. I've been at this school for 14 years and I've loved it. It's an excellent school, but I'm ready to make the move - and now it's becoming "official" that I'm leaving.

7. It's not been a restful week, but it's been a productive one. My grandmother has said that often the things we DON'T do wear us out more than the things we DO. That's definitely true in my life. This week, I was able to catch up on many things that have been on my TO DO list much too long.

A Done Deal...Again

2008-01-25T21:48:00.001-05:00

Can you picture a house sitting here, looking out at the mountain? I can. It will be our house. RJ and I started an adventure in house-building last summer. It is January 25 and we've yet to break ground. When we started looking for land on which to build, we settled on this 10 acres very quickly. It is gorgeous! The very back of the property is a huge field, and the rest of it is wooded and fairly flat. From the very beginning, I could see our three children growing up on this property, playing in the woods, running in the field, and enjoying the outdoors. Toward the back of the property there is a slight rise of the earth which would make the perfect spot for the house. That's where this picture was taken. We bought this property before really looking at any other pieces of land, contracted a builder, picked out a house plan, signed a contract, had the building site cleared of trees, and had a date for the building to begin.

Then, the adventure really began. To make a long story short, due to a subdivision developer who made us an offer on the land, we changed builders and house plans, signed a contract to sell the land, searched for a different piece of property, and signed a contract (after many, many hours scouring the city) on a smaller parcel of land which happened to be right across the street from this lot. We switched gears - went to plan B. Plan B is never easy for me. Well, yesterday, plan B started to crumble before our very eyes. Today, plan B is history. As much as I resisted plan B when it started, it was hard to watch it fall apart. The developer of our original 10 acres is backing out of the deal, which means we can't buy the 4 acres, which means we're back to plan A. I like plan A. Here is our future home site - the place my children will grow up. We loved it the first time we saw it, and it's easy to come back to now. We hope to close on the construction loan within 2 weeks and start building by the end of February. I'll keep you posted.

Thursday Thirteen # 13 for me

2008-01-24T16:30:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things I've missed about blogging!
This is not an exciting or even terribly interesting post. But, hey, at least it's a post. I'm taking baby steps back to the blog.


1. expressing my thoughts

2. having an outlet for my emotions

3. having some time to myself to think and type

4. feeling like part of the "blogging community" - something bigger than just my little section of the world

5. feeling in touch with family - Many of my family members blog, and I like to read what they write.

6. keeping a "journal" for my children to read sometime in the future

7. checking everyone else's blogs - I miss reading about what's going on with everyone else.

8. thinking - Not that I don't think all the time anyway, but there are some clever blogs out there that make me laugh, smile, wonder, and think.

9. having time write - which is something I really enjoy

10. participating in all the little memes

11. reading everyone's answers to all the cute little memes

12. venting, contemplating, considering, organizing, ranting, raving - I missed a venue for my feelings

13. Sunday Seven - One of my favorite memes - an opportunity to count my blessings regularly and frequently

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Thursday Thirteen - #12 for me

2007-07-19T06:37:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that the Thursday Thirteen meme has been around for 102 editions! Some people, like my mom at Daddy's Roses, have written posts for almost ALL of these editions! Wow, I'm in awe of that! I've written a whopping 11 Thursday Thirteen posts, and haven't written a new one for several weeks. Here are 13 reasons I haven't written a TT in weeks.

1. I can't think of anything else to write about! I hate to think that I've only got 11 ideas in my head, but that seems to be cold, hard fact.

2. I haven't been able to write anything lately. I don't know what's up, but the computer and blogging time just haven't floated my boat lately. I've enjoyed reading other blogs, but can't seem to write on my own.

3. Woops! There's only 2 reasons - not 13. See what I mean?

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Sunday Seven - # 12 for me

2007-07-01T08:12:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin?! It's been an incredible week! Here are a few of the highlights.

1. We were able to go and see my family last weekend. We had fun visiting.

2. We brought our nephew home. He's a trip! We had a wonderful time taking him to basketball camp each day. We were able to see his final scrimmage and awards program. He won top score for the week in the daily hot shots contest they had! He did great and it was fun to see him play basketball! The kid can hit a shot from anywhere on the court!

3. Each afternoon after the camp, the boys and I would take a fun "field trip." We had fun skating, bowling, painting pottery, and playing at Chuck E. Cheese! But, some of the most fun we had was playing video games together at home!

4. My girls stayed with my parents for the week. They had a blast playing with their cousins and seeing family. They were able to go swimming and bowling, see Rae play basketball and LaD play tennis!

5. We've had a roller coaster of a week involving some property we want to purchase. It's 10 beautiful acres that could be a great sight for a future home. However, we've run into some snags with the survey. The deal's been on again and off again all week - frustrating and emotional, but we want to make sure it's the correct survey before we purchase. Thank goodness RJ caught the mistake on the original survey!

6. We worked together in the basement yesterday. I have worked this summer to get the upstairs cleaned out and organized. Now that the upstairs is looking good, the basement needs the same treatment. It's going to be a huge job, but now we've officially started.

7. We are five again. Years ago when E was three years old, our oldest daughter went on a camping trip with her girl scout troop. E has always been fascinated with numbers and was very aware that our family was not all together. We did some shopping the night B left and E sat in the shopping cart and repeatedly said, "We're not 5. We're 4." Our family of 5 was missing one and it bothered him. Well, we're 5 again after being apart this week. It feels wonderful to be back together.

The Three Blowing Lily Pads

2007-06-28T07:07:00.000-05:00

In Art class, E's kindergarten group had been studying different mediums when he created his masterpiece. He used paint as his water background. Then, he used textured paper and crayons to make the lily pads that he cut out and glued on the painted water. He envisions the lily pads drifting across the water as the wind is blowing. E's art work adorns our living room in along with B's and N's.

Natalie's House

2007-06-27T04:06:00.000-05:00

N's art class had been studying house designs when she used chalk to create her masterpiece. The students had looked at many unusual houses and unique architectural designs, and N had even taken a photograph to class that she had snapped in Florida of a dome-shaped beach house. The children were instructed to create their own houses, and N designed hers primarily in her favorite color - yellow. We bought her art work from First Art Works, too, and have hung it proudly above the piano with B's and E's.

Dark Shadow

2007-06-26T06:03:00.000-05:00

In her 4th grade art class this year, B was studying landscapes and shadows. This is a landscape she created with oil pastels. She entitled her masterpiece "Dark Shadow." First Art Works is a company that framed one art piece from each of our students, displayed them, and sold them to parents. This piece is proudly hung above our piano in a arrangement with N's and E's art works which will be shown in future posts.

The Three Musketeers

2007-06-25T10:30:00.000-05:00

My daughters are 12 1/2 months apart in age, and my niece was born within that 12 month period. So, with three girls in the family born within one year, they are very close and love to be together! Usually, it's a giggle-fest when they see each other. They always "pick-up where they left off" and play together like they haven't been apart. They love to dress up, play with make-up, sing songs and put on little concerts, play kickball, practice cheers, and "hang out." Their personalities are very different, and that may be the main reason they get along so well. I'm thrilled that they have each other for friends and hope they continue to be confidants throughout their lives. They don't know, yet, how fortunate they are to have each other!

These three sweet girls are together this week, unfortunately not with me, and I know they're having a blast! I miss them and can't wait to see them this weekend!

Sunday Seven - #11 for me

2007-06-24T09:19:00.001-05:00

This has been an eventful week for us.

1. Monday I had our 1st grade staff at our house to plan for the upcoming school year. It was a beneficial time and we had a good time catching up with each other. I work with a wonderful team of teachers!

2. Wednesday I took the kids to see the free movie at the mall. It's a weekly summer tradition for us. The kids wear their bathing suits under their clothes. We join the herds of other moms and children to watch the free family movie, eat in the food court, and play in the sprinkler/water fountain at the mall. Fun, inexpensive treat!

3. I started my Christmas shopping! Yea! I bought 9 gifts this week! They are for girls/women in the family - mostly my daughters and nieces. For some reason, they are the ones I end up buying for early.

4. Friday we went to north Georgia to look at a piece of property that we are interested in purchasing to possibly build a home! It is a gorgeous plot of land! I think it would actually be easier if we didn't like the land. Now, we have a lot of decisions and work ahead of us.

5. We spent a couple of days with my mom and dad. We were able to visit and mom cooked a great meal that we shared with my brother and his family and my grandmother. We had a great time!

6. My girls are enjoying spending the week with my parents and seeing their family there. But our car felt lighter and our house a little emptier! I miss them, but they'll have fun!

7. On the other hand, we had the wonderful opportunity to bring our nephew home with us. He's going to basketball camp near our house, and will be able to spend some time with us while he's in our neck of the woods! He's a fun kid to have around and E is thrilled to have a "brother" for a week!

Thursday Thirteen - # 11 for me

2007-06-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

I read a theory once that claimed that every person has 7-8 defining events in his life. The article explained that if a person can identify her own, personal defining events, she will understand much about her own personality. These events would help a person understand why she eats too much, or why he's depressed, etc. I don't remember many of the details of the theory, but I found it to be an interesting concept - defining moments - things that shape and define our personalities, characters, and actions.

Our anniversary was this week. We've been married 13 years! There are many defining events in our marriage - moments that have shaped our relationship, defined who we are as a couple, and made our union strong. Here are some defining moments from our 13 years.

1. 1994 - There's an old saying, "Anything that doesn't kill you will make you stronger." I think this adequately describes surviving the wedding and first year of marriage! New house, new neighborhood, new community, new job, new church, new roommate. Life was exciting and happy, but also full of uncertainties and new challenges. There were so many changes and so many things to get used to, that the first year together was quite an adjustment! A good adjustment, but an adjustment none-the-less. We learned to compromise, talk about things, and include each other in our dreams, hopes and aspirations.

2. 1995 - We bought our first house together. We searched together, we talked about our dream houses together, we toured the house we chose several times together, we packed together, we moved together, we unpacked together, and we made millions of little house decisions together. I don't remember a single argument, but I remember many nights spent talking and dreaming about our future together.

3. 1996 - After many tests, repeated exams with different doctors, and medications to try to determine why we were having such difficulty getting pregnant, I had surgery. This was our first opportunity to join forces and overcome a very personal, intimate, emotional struggle together.

4. 1997 - B was born. Our first child was desperately wanted and difficult to get into this world. I hemorrahged at 26 weeks putting both the baby and myself in jeopardy. After that, I was put on complete bed rest for the remainder of the preganancy. I was allowed to sit up in bed for 30 minutes a day - 10 minutes per meal. RJ waited on me hand and foot, and did many things that I never thought I'd ever have to ask someone to do for me. He used to bring a bucket into our room, and I'd lie sideways on the bed with my head off the side so he could wash my hair!

RJ's dad was diagnosed with Congestive heart failure and told the average life span of a person with his difficulties was 5 years.

5. 1998 - N was born. We were surprised and scared to death when we found out we were expecting! What if I had to go to bed with this pregnacy, too? With a tiny baby, being put on bed rest would be much harder this time. RJ is always very calm in these situations and was very matter-of-fact about it. We'd simply cross the bed-rest bridge when we got to it and thank goodness, we never got to it. He was my calm presence in a time of swirling activity and uncertainty. This pregnancy went by without a hitch and N was a beautiful, wonderful addition to our growing family!

6-7. 1999 -2000- Life changed drastically! It was exciting and wonderful to watch the girls grow! These two years are somewhat of a blur because there was basically no sleep. It seemed like B never slept and N had colic and cried from 8:00- midnight every night. Although we still attended church regularly, RJ and I slowly dropped out of our leadership roles and committee obligations at the church and concentrated on our lives at home. Our relationship changed dramatically. We were tired, but happy parents, and not just a couple anymore. We relied on each other for logistics of day-to-day life.

8. 2001 - E was born. The boy entered this world like a bolt of lightning and hasn't slowed down yet. Life felt full and our family felt complete. We were not trying to have a boy after having 2 girls. We've been asked that question many times. But, for some reason, 3 children felt right and IS right. We were at peace and at home with our family of 5. We had routines down pat and our teamwork made life clicked along well.

Then, RJ's mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, had surgery, and told that most women in her condition live 4-5 years.

My mom had gall bladder surgery that was terribly botched and had several more surgeries to repair the damage. She fought to recover as RJ's mom began chemotherapy and fought for her life.

9. 2002 - After a fairly routine heart cath procedure, my dad was sent directly to the hospital for quadruple bypass surgery.

10. 2003 - Family time was top priority.

11. 2004 - We, along with RJ's brother's family and sister's family, bought a farm house to use as a hunting lodge and weekend get-away. It was a good investment, and a wonderful place to go to escape from the daily hassles of life. Again, we found ourselves decorating a house, planning, and budgeting money.

12. 2005 - RJ's mom passed away. Our hearts were broken, and we clung together to get through the pain of losing her. We work together to keep her alive to our children who were very young at the time of her death.

13. 2006 - RJ's dad passed away. Again, our hearts were broken and we clung to each other. How do people get through tragedies like this without God and people they love to help them through it?

Conclusions? Our defining moments have made our relationship stronger. We have a deep, abiding love for each other cultivated by mutual respect. We are stongly committed to each other. We are happily content in each other's company. We are aware that life is fragile and that family is a gift from God and very precious. We support each other and compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses well. I thank God for our 13 years together and look forward to the next 13!

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Puns

2007-06-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

Our school puts out a weekly newsletter for our staff. It is full of important information about meetings, deadlines, procedures, dates, etc. Usually there is a light-hearted article on the last page to try to relieve some of the stress induced by the other pages listing upcoming duties and responsibilities. This was published in one of our last newsletters this past year.

Read only if you like puns……

1. Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. However, all the Swiss league records were unfortunately destroyed in a fire, and we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.

2. King Ozymandias of Assyria was running low on cash after years of war with the Hittites. His last great possession was the Star of the Euphrates, the most valuable diamond in the ancient world. Desperate, he went to Croesus, the pawnbroker, to ask for a loan. Croesus said, "I'll give you 100,000 Dinars for it." "But I paid a million Dinars for it," the King protested. "Don't you know who I am? I am the king!" Croesus replied, "When you wish to pawn a Star, makes no difference who you are."

3. A man rushed into a busy doctor's office and shouted "Doctor! I think I'm shrinking!!" The doctor calmly responded, "Now, settle down. You'll just have to be a little patient."

4. A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day, his supply of the birds ran out so he had to go out and trap some more. On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately, he was arrested and charged with transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal porpoises.

5. Back in the 1800s the Tates Watch Company of Massachusetts wanted to produce other products and, since t hey already made the cases for watches, they used them to produce compasses. The new compasses were so bad that people often ended up in Canada or Mexico rather than California. This, of course, is the origin of the expression, "He who has a Tates is lost!"

6. A thief broke into the local police station and stole all the toilets and urinals, leaving no clues. A spokesperson was quoted as saying, "We have absolutely nothing to go on."

7. An Indian chief was feeling very sick, so he summoned the medicine man. After a brief examination, the medicine man took out a long, thin strip of elk rawhide and gave it to the chief, telling him to bite off, chew, and swallow one inch of the leather every day. After a month, the medicine man returned to see how the chief was feeling. The chief shrugged and said, "The thong is ended, but the malady lingers on."

8. A famous Viking explorer returned home from a voyage and found his name missing from the town register. His wife insisted on complaining to the local civic official who apologized profusely saying, "I must have taken Leif off my census."

9. There were three Indian women. One slept on a deer skin, one slept on an elk skin, and the third slept on a hippopotamus skin. All three became pregnant, and the first two each had a baby boy. The one who slept on the hippopotamus skin had twin boys. This goes to prove that the squaw of the hippopotamus is equal to the sons of the squaws of the other two hides.

10. A skeptical anthropologist was cataloguing South American folk remedies with the assistance of a tribal Shaman who indicated that the leaves of a particular fern were a sure cure for any case of constipation. When the anthropologist expressed his doubts, the Shaman looked him in the eye and said, "Let me tell you, with fronds like these, who needs enemas?"

Sunday Seven - #10 for me

2007-06-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

This was a wonderful week and there are many highlights for which I am thankful! Here are seven.

1. This week I had jury duty. I am happy to do my share of civic duty, but I have to admit that this is the best jury duty I've ever done. My mom came to stay at my house to keep the kids while I went to the courthouse. Each night I called the jury number, and each night I was informed that my number was excused for the following day. I didn't have to go to the courthouse a single day and I had the entire week to visit with my mom!

2. This week was Bible School for my kids. In the morning, my girls went with their friend to her church's VBS, and in the evening their friend went with us to our church's VBS. The kids had a blast and learned a lot. Our church always gives the kids a CD of music used during Bible School. This year it had a cowboy theme and the music was a lot of fun. The kids enjoyed showing us the motions and dances to the songs, and we enjoyed watching them practice. I have a feeling that it will be a CD we'll keep around long after Bible School is over. And, while the kids were at VBS, I had more free time than I usually have to visit with my mom!

3. VBS also gave me time with my son. He didn't go to the morning VBS with our neighbor. So, each morning, with the girls gone, E had his mom and gram to himself. We enjoyed some special time together!

4. The major thing "I" accomplished this week was "sprucing up" my house a little. I have 11 1st grade teachers from my school coming to my house tomorrow and Tuesday for planning sessions. I had worked to organize and clean out the house, but it really began to shine this week as Mom helped me spruce it up. She has a decorative touch. For the last nine years, with 3 kids, my house has turned into a purely functional house - no pretty touches, no time or energy for frills and decorations. Everything needed to have a purpose and function, or it needed to be gone. Mom helped me make the house pretty. The buffet has dishes nicely displayed instead of being the main hub of paperwork and needed supplies. The guest bathroom now has towels to match instead of old printed towels that won't be ruined by dirty little hands. The surfaces of my house are decorative instead of being piled with scissors, papers, pens, calculators, kids books, etc. that we leave lying around because we use them daily. My house looks pretty and inviting instead of chaotic but functional. Thanks, Mom!

5. I enjoyed seeing my dad twice this week! Dad was at a conference not far from our house. He dropped Mom at our house on Monday and picked her up Friday and visited a while each time. It's always fun to have him around, and it was especially nice to see him the week before Father's Day.

6. It rained! We have had such a drought lately. So little rain for months. It settled in and rained most of the day Friday. We still need more, but I'm glad we had some to brighten up the earth and give the plants some relief.

7. My front porch is clean! Mom had all the kids get into their bathing suits, drag out the water hose and wash all the yellow pollen off the front porch. It's amazing how much brighter and cleaner the white banisters look when they are not covered with yellow dust!

It's a Brand New Ballgame

2007-06-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

I grew up playing softball. As a matter of fact, some of my fondest childhood memories are being at the ball park all day long. I played. My brother played. And my father played. We'd go to my dad's tournaments, and my brother and I would play pick-up games of cup ball all day behind the bleachers. I loved watching my brother play in college, long after I had quit playing the game seriously.

Now, I watch my children play. And let me tell you, the game is the same, but the festivities that surround the game have changed! My precious N has made All-Stars. I made All-Stars several times as a kid, and my brother made All-Stars many times. We were thrilled to get the opportunity to keep playing ball for another month. I really don't remember any frills that came with the extra games and practices. But now, All-Stars seems to be mostly frills with some ball games thrown in for good measure. I think the kids still enjoy just playing. We are in a league that keeps extra spending and frills to a minimum compared to other teams we have seen at the tournaments. This has been a learning experience for me, and N has thoroughly enjoyed playing.

As All-Stars each girl on our team was provided with a face mask, a new bat bag personalized with her name, shin guards, a cute color-coordinated hair bow to wear to games, a T-shirt to wear while at the ball park but not playing, a set of temporary tattoos sporting the team name to wear to games, and a new water bottle. They also received beautiful, glossy new uniforms. The girls look fantastic!

We've been amazed to see other teams with matching color-coordinated helmets, bat bags on wheels, and entire matching outfits (shirt, shorts and flip flops) to wear while at the ball park but not playing. The matching outfits are cute and certainly stand out and mark the girls as a team. But I can't help it, all I can see is more laundry to be done after the game! Most parents and siblings also have T-shirts to match that boast the team's name and colors. I was amused watching one young team walk in a single file line from the batting cages to their field. The girls looked wonderful and were all marching with matching fancily decorated pony tails bobbing as they stuggled to pull rolling bat bags that were bigger than most of the girls. It was quite a sight to behold! One team we played ran the girls around the field, boot-camp style behind the coach, with the girls echoing motivational phrases led by the coach. Another team we played had a ritual for each inning. As the girls took their positions in the field the parents in the stands yelled a little chant and the girls responded with a quick cheer and a glove slapping, cleat stomping rhythm. Another team met at the pitcher's circle each inning and did a stomping routine before they took the field.

All-Stars has been a great experience. N has learned a lot about strategy and fundamentals of the game. She's enjoyed the hype and all of the attention the team has gotten and the atmosphere of the tournaments. It's been a lot of fun, and it will be an experience she will remember always. But what she has enjoyed the most is the game and the girls she's had the opportunity to play with. I believe that what still matters the most to the girls is the support of the parents, the opportunity to learn more about the game from knowledgeable coaches, and the chance to play the game! Under all the hype, the brand new ballgame is still the good old game we played as kids.

Balls and Dolls

2007-06-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

I have always been interested in the "nature/nurture" debate. I taught many years before I had my own children and really believed that a child's environment influenced him more than inborn tendencies. When each of my children was born, we tried to expose them to both "girl" and "boy" toys, games, and activities. From the time our girls were born, we offered them balls and dolls (among other toys, of course). They liked both, but strongly preferred dolls. Nowadays, they like balls and they don't seem to see them as a "boy" thing. They both play softball now. They enjoy tossing a football, playing kickball, and learning about tennis and soccer. However, they love dolls! Dolls have always been their toy of choice. When they were tiny, they carried dolls everywhere, and now that they are older, dolls are still the toy they enjoy the most. This past Christmas, they each received 3 dolls and they have enjoyed changing their clothes, diapering the dolls, sleeping with them, decorating their beds with them, etc.

E came along and we approached him with the same philosophy. He was always offered dolls and balls, and although the enjoys both, he strongly prefers balls. The child could dribble a basketball at a very young age. He has played on organized basketball and baseball teams and is currently registered to play soccer. He doesn't see dolls as "girly" and will still play with them occasionally. I find it interesting that he almost always has a ball at hand, but every so often - once every couple of months - he picks up a doll and carries it around while he plays ball. Today was one of those days. He's been dribbling a soccer ball through the house off and on all morning. Each time he has come through the kitchen this morning, he has had Claire on his shoulder.

So, where does this leave us in the nature/nurture debate? I feel that we've exposed our children to the same things, and our girls prefer dolls and our son prefers balls. I hope it leaves them right where they should be - exposed to many things and able to choose their own preferences.

Sunday 7 + 2 - # 9 for me

2007-06-09T19:49:00.000-05:00

I am fortunate that my life is filled with children. I have the incredible opportunity to work with children daily, and I have a wonderful, large family full of children. I am truly blessed to have 9 of the most special children in the world in my life. Today's Sunday Seven is dedicated to my children, my nieces, and my nephews.

1. My niece, K, is 16. She passed her driver's test and got her driver's license this week! She's responsible and dependable and is a fantastic driver! She's absolutely gorgeous! But the wonderful thing is that she's just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside!

2. My niece, R, is 14. She is actively involved in soccer and basketball. Anything athletic comes naturally to her, and she works hard to build on the abilities she has. I hate to be redundant, but she's also a stunning beauty who is not only gorgeous in looks, but also in actions.

3. My nephew, D, is 13. D is another natural athlete who has played and done well in a lot of sports - basketball, baseball, soccer. But he's found a new love - tennis! He iis quick on the court! But this tennis player is also a funny man. His quick-wit keeps us all in stitches!

4. My nephew, J, is 12. He's a fish! The boy can do anything in the water. He enjoys it all - fishing, swimming, skiing, tubing, etc. He's never met a stranger and is one of the friendliest kids you'll meet. I remember when he was tiny, sitting in a high chair in restaurants, he'd throw his hand up to wave and say, "Hi! I'm J. What's your name?" to everyone who walked by our table.

5. My daughter, B, is 9. She's my thinker and planner. We used to be amused because even as a small child, she had to know the next day's plans before she could go to sleep at night. The child sees what needs to be done and does it before you can ask her to. She loves to be the hostess and prepare treats to serve. She is loving, and her belly laugh absolutely makes my day.

6. My niece, AG, is 9. She is outgoing and full of personality. Her sense of adventure and willingness to try almost anything is endearing. She likes to sing, dance, do gymnastics, be in programs at church, cheer, etc. You name it, she'll try it and do it well. She's a fun-loving, good-hearted kid!

7. My daughter, N, is 8. She loves to excel. She works hard and does her best to achieve any challenge put before her. She's found her niche in softball. She loves to play and grins almost the whole time she's on the field. That smile makes my day! N's energy, happiness, and enthusiasm are contagious!

8. My son, E, is 6. Talk about energy! The child goes non-stop all day! He loves anything that involves a ball - and has since he was a baby! Today, as he ran by me dribbling a soccer ball, I said, "Hey. I need a hug." He stopped briefly and grinned, "Well, you're at the right place," he said as he gave me a big hug, and dribbled on!

9. My niece, S is 1. She is cute as a button and is full of personality. She's learning about everything around her and doesn't miss anything! She loves to watch the older kids and they all love to hold her and play with her.

Thursday Thirteen - # 10 for me

2007-06-07T07:45:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things we regularly buy in bulk at Sam's Club.

1 - 2. All paper products - paper towels, napkins, paper plates, toilet paper, paper cups, Kleenex, wipes, etc.

3. Chicken breasts and salmon steaks.

4. Soft Soap to go beside every sink in our house.

5. Fresh fruit - apples, grapes, strawberries, oranges

6. pencils and notebook paper for school

7. Excedrin - Big bottles to use to refill all of my small ones stashed everywhere - one bottle for my car, one for my purse, one for my desk drawer, one for the medicine cabinet at home.

8. Toiletries - toothpaste, hairspray, floss, shampoo, even toothbrushes when needed

9. Snacks for ball teams, school activities, etc.

10. Drinks - water bottles, juice, Gatorade, soft drinks, Diet Lipton Green Tea

11. Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soup. I use them in tons of things.

12. Ramen noodles - My kids love to eat these for lunch - quick and easy!

13. Batteries - In a house with three children, you can never have enough batteries for all the toys, games, and gadgets!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Predictions

2007-06-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

In one of the last publications of our school's staff newsletter this past year, the following was printed. I found it interesting, and thought I'd share it here.

Past Predictions

"Man will never reach the moon, regardless of all future scientific advances."-- Dr. Lee DeForest, Father of Radio &Grandfather of Television.

"The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives."-- Admiral William Leahy, US Atomic Bomb Project Manhattan 1923

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." -- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."-- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"But what is it good for?" commenting on the microchip.-- Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981

"There's no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." --Ken Olson, president, chairman, founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

"The super computer is technologically impossible. It would take all of the water that flows over Niagara Falls to cool the heat generated by the number of vacuum tubes required." -- Professor of Electrical Engineering, New York University

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us,"--Western Union internal memo, 1876

"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" in response to urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.-- David Sarnoff' Associates

"I'm just glad it will be Clark Gable who falls on his face, not Gary Cooper," -- Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in Gone With The Wind.

"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make," -- Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies

"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." -- Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962

"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this." -- Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It" Notepads.

"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau." -- Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929

"I don't know what use any one could find for a machine that would make copies of documents. It certainly couldn't be a feasible business by itself." --the head of IBM, refusing to back the idea, forcing the inventor to found Xerox

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." -- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899

2 Dresses - 2 Generations

2007-06-05T13:37:00.000-05:00

When I was young, my mother made a lot of my clothes. She often made my doll, Reddy (My mother also made this favorite doll with red hair whom I named so creatively.), outfits to match my own. I loved it! Reddy and I would be decked out in matching outfits, looking extremely groovy, when we went out to play. I still have Reddy, but I don't have any of the matching outfits any more. I wish I still had one or two to show my girls.

My mom also made two special dresses with similar red and yellow material. She made one for me and one for my cousin. My cousin and I are very close in age and loved to be together and play. To the left, you can see my cousin and me in our similar dresses many years ago.

A couple of years ago, our families vacationed together and my mom brought those two dresses for our children to try on. To the right, you see my cousin's daughter and my daughter dressed in the same dresses! The younger generation of girls wore the dresses with a little more attitude than we did 30 years ago! They thought it was pretty cool to dress in "vintage" clothing. Now, that's far out!

Taking Care of Future Generations

2007-06-04T07:50:00.000-05:00

I love my family! I love being with them and doing things for them! I want to do whatever I can to provide for my children even after I'm gone.

But, have you heard about this?

In Hawaii, land is being sold for only $40! Wow! Wouldn't you love a chunk of Hawaii for $40?! The catch is that the land won't exist for another 10,000 years! The land is not above water yet!

I first heard about this on a news channel and had the impression that someone was actually trying to market this future land. However, this article from the Associated Press makes it clear that this is just for fun. I like the idea of the boat ride homeowner's association meetings!

$39.95 for Hawaii real estate: Waterfront is still underwater
By JAYMES SONG
The Associated Press
HONOLULU — Real estate is often a long-term investment. But 10,000 years?
Lo'ihi Development Co. will soon start offering ocean-view lots that speculators won't even be able to stand on for many millennia. That's because they're currently submerged more than 3,000 feet below sea level — on an underwater volcano called Lo'ihi, about 20 miles southeast of the Big Island.
The company's Web site will be renovated in the next couple of weeks to officially begin selling parcels for an introductory price of $39.95. Buyers will receive a "deed," but as with Internet groups claiming to sell stars, they probably can't call themselves owners.
"What's the scam?" asked Norm Nichols, co-developer of the online venture. "If you really think there's something here that you can't live with, nobody's forcing you to buy it. It's meant to be fun."
The Web site (http://www.petroglyphs.com/loihi/default.htm) advertises, "Lo'ihi Seaview Estates: Real Estate for the Future. Grand Water Front View Lots." A photo of the sales office is a raft in the middle of the ocean.
Nichols and business partner Linda Kramer, both Honolulu entrepreneurs, envision online chat rooms and newsletters to discuss everything from street names to what kind of government to set up. They want to hold a "homeowners association" meeting — a boat ride over the volcano — every April Fools' Day.
Scientists don't really know when, or if, Lo'ihi will break the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Many guess about 10,000 years, but it could take much longer than that.
Stephen Levins, head of the state consumer-affairs office, said the offer could be a problem if it were serious. "However, if the Web site is clear it's a parody and you're not going to be receiving an actual interest in real estate, that's something else," he said.
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

Sunday Seven - # 8 for me

2007-06-03T07:22:00.000-05:00

I have 7 remarkable aunts. I have a close, large, extended family and have never lacked for positive, loving, female role models. My aunts are strong, intelligent, capable, and compassionate women who have influenced my life in more ways than they will ever know. One of the things I cherish most, is the way my relationship with each of them has evolved as I've grown older. I've gained greater respect and new perspective as I've grown to see them not as my aunts, but as strong, influential women full of inner strength and inner beauty. Today's Sunday Seven is dedicated to them.

1. My Aunt N lives in Florida and is my dad's sister. I have never gotten to be around her much, but always loved going to see her when we were young and playing with my cousins there. It was always new and exciting to get to visit her. Growing up, I'd see her about once a year for a week or so. As a child, she was very mysterious to me. She is a nurse, tall and pretty, and seemed "in charge." I always found it endearing that my dad simply calls her "sister" and she calls him "brother." She is a strong woman, having fought many health battles of her own as well as helping her children fight some serious illnesses. I admire her strength and perseverance.

2. Aunt J lives near Washington DC. She and my mom are close in age and our families spent a lot of time together when I was young. Her children are about the same age as my brother and me, and I have many happy memories of times spent together with them! One story keeps popping in my mind as I type. Once, when I was a teenager, I was shopping with Aunt J. From a couple of aisles over, I heard, "Lynnie, come learn." I headed toward the sound of the voice and received an impromptu lesson on sheets and thread counts. That illustrates my Aunt J's approach to many aspects of life - teacher, advisor, instructor. My Aunt J is an ambitious, intelligent woman who knows what she wants and goes for it! I admire her enthusiasm, her out-going personality, her positive attitude, and the joy she shows and shares about life.

3. My Aunt C lives in Tennessee now but comes our way frequently. I have many happy childhood memories of spending nights at her house and making homemade jelly, hearing bed time stories being told, and playing with their cocker spaniel. As adults, she and I share a profession, and it has been fun to get to know her in a different realm as I talk to her about teaching, children's literature, and reading. I enjoy talking to her about everyday things and real life. She's not an open book and doesn't share every thought that crosses her mind; so, it's fun to learn little bits about her here and there and see new parts of her revealed in different situations. I admire her quiet strength, her calm presence, her strong convictions, her independence, and her sense of adventure.

4. My Aunt S lives in Georgia and I get to see her frequently when I visit my parents. She is very family oriented and is always at family functions whenever possible. She is the ultimate supporter! She is one of the quietest people in our big, loud, rowdy family and is often in the background. But that is by no means to say she is a wall flower! She is personable and often catches a family member one-on-one for a conversation. She's often one of the first people I see and hug when I enter the house and one of the last ones I see and hug when I leave. She has strong convictions, but doesn't need to push them on others. She is a true, quiet-spoken southern lady with all of the dignity and reserve that title implies. She often works behind the scenes (Helping to clean up from a leaky sink, for instance.) to make the family get-togethers run smoothly. She is whole-heartedly committed to her marriage and her family. I admire her down-to-earth manner and the way she is able to put things into perspective and look through the chaos to see what is really important. I admire the subtle strength and commitment with which she supports and helps us all as individuals in the family.

5. My Aunt D also lives in Georgia so that I'm able to see her quite often. She is a model of unconditional love and the epitome of nurturer. She loves with her whole heart, and there's not a soul near her who doesn't know how she feels about them. She loves spending time with the children especially, and they are always drawn to her. She always claimed to love to change diapers - and believe me, in our family there were always plenty to change! - so that she could spend a few minutes with the child. I can hear her cooing, gentle voice as she changed my kids saying, "Your Aunt Debi loves you. You are a special little girl. There is a whole house full of people here who love you." She's a work-horse and a jackie of all trades. She has always donated numerous hours of volunteer work to her church and to the community. I admire her dedication to making family first, her talent for giving children a strong sense of worth and family connectedness, her flair for keeping family history alive through story telling, and her compassion for giving to others.

6. B is only 10 years older than me, and I never used the title "aunt" before her name. She is the one I looked up to as a child and wanted to be like. She is beautiful, and when I was a child and she was a teenager, I wanted to copy her every move. I thought she hung the moon and knew everything there was to know about life. As an adult I lived for a couple of years in the same town as she, and we would meet and walk around the lake. I thoroughly enjoyed those times and talks. She has worked tirelessly at an extremely demanding and stressful job in child advocacy and has improved life for children in troubled situations for years. She is strong, courageous and bravely independent when her life-situations have called for it. I admire her commitment to do what's right to help children, her strength to press forward in difficult situations, and her courage in uncertain times.

7. I never used the "aunt" title with V either since she is only 5 or 6 years older than me. I don't see her as an aunt; I see her as a friend. She has a dry, funny sense of humor. She's always laughing, and I enjoy sitting next to her at family get-togethers and trading funny comments about all the activity and conversation. V is not all play, though. She is another one who is good at working behind the scenes. She sees what needs to be done to keep things running smoothly and does it without fanfare. She's realistic, a hard worker and very conscientious. There are many times that she's seemed to wash dishes the entire time the family's together. I admire her strong comitment to family, her common sense approach to raising 3 girls in very different phases of life, her easy-going manner, and her humor in facing almost any situation.

Inspiration

2007-06-02T01:46:00.000-05:00

Both of RJ's parents passed away recently, and we've started cleaning out their house. Last week we found my mother-in-law's Bible. There were several birth, wedding, and death announcements cut from the paper tucked in the pages of the Bible. We also found a keepsake napkin from our wedding, an assortment of photographs, and two inspirational writings that my mother-in-law had saved and placed between the pages of her Bible. The two inspirational writings are listed below. The first is a poem written by Helen Steiner Rice and given to my mother-in-law by a friend of hers. Included with the poem was a hand-written note of encouragement from the friend.

Sometimes we come to life's crossroads

And view what we think is the end,

But God has a much wider vision

And He knows that it's only a bend -

The road will go on and get smoother

And after we've stopped for a rest,

The path that lies hidden beyond us

Is often the part that is best,

So rest and relax and grow stronger,

Let go and let God share your load,

And have faith in a brighter tomorrow -

You've just come to a bend in the road.

The other paper we found is retyped below.

What Cancer Can't Do

Cancer is so limited...

It cannot cripple love. It cannot shatter hope.

It cannot corrode faith. It cannot eat away at peace.

It cannot destroy confidence. It cannot kill friendships.

It cannot shut our memories. It cannot silence courage.

It cannot invade the soul.

It cannot reduce even one second of eternal life.

It cannot quench the Holy Spirit, and it cannot lessen the power of the resurrection.

Praise God!

-Anonymous

Happy Birthday, Baby Brother

2007-06-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

Today is my little brother's birthday! I won't mention which birthday it is since I reached the same one 3 years ago. But it's a BIG one that ends in -0!

We moved a lot growing up, but that never bothered me much because my best friend always moved with me! We were very close as kids. He has always had a quick-thinking sense of humor even as a young boy. He always did and still does keep me in stitches! I will never forget one time when my brother and I were teenagers, and we were over at my grandparents' house. Our granddaddy's name was Charles. I never heard anyone call him by any other name than Charles - no nicknames. On this particular day, Granddaddy asked S to hang a bird feeder in a tree in the backyard. As S was high on the ladder he yelled down, "Hey, Chuck. How's this?" It took Granddaddy totally off-guard and he roared with laughter. There was no disrespect, just a funny, light moment. S is the master catching a person off-guard with humor. I also remember hearing him and his wife tell of one of the first times he visited her family. He faked a fall down the stairs. I think the family got to know him rather quickly!

I was always proud to be his sister. He was a good guy, fair to people, and treated people with respect and kindness. He was well-liked because of his easy-going, out-going style with everyone he met. Now he's a wonderful man with the same outstanding qualities. He's an assistant principal, deacon at his church, and has been the coach of all kinds of teams. He's still loving, kind and respectful to people even in confrontational or unpleasant situations. He's wonderful with children and is a motivator, comforter, and supporter to those around him.

I loved to watch the boy play ball when we were younger. He was the fastest thing on 2 feet. I would always do my best to get to his baseball games, and it was always fun to watch him slide head-first into second base for the steal! Now, he watches as his children play a little bit of everything - soccer, tennis, basketball, and softball. He plays tennis now and that natural ability and competitive spirit still lead him to victory on the tennis court. He does well in any game or sport he chooses to play.

I'm proud of the man he is. I'm proud of the husband, father, son, and grandson he is. I'm thrilled that my children have my brother as their uncle. I'm proud to have him as my friend.

Happy Birthday, S! I love you!

Thursday Thirteen - #9 for me

2007-05-31T08:29:00.001-05:00

My last day of work was last Friday! Yippee! Summer has started, and I have the opportunity to be a full-time mom for a while! Here are thirteen things I've already enjoyed this summer!

1. My parents came to our house to help celebrate my birthday and to take my kids to their house so that I could work the last 2 post planning days of school. It was a fun evening out, and I enjoyed spending time with them!

2. Since Mom and Dad had the kids, RJ and I were able to have some time to ourselves. That never happens! We had a good time eating out, shopping around and (gasp!) TALKING! We still remember how to do that, and I was somewhat surprised that we could carry on a coherent and interesting conversation without constant interruptions!

3. A trip to visit family. We went to see family over the Memorial day weekend. We had a wonderful time staying with my parents and having an opportunity to visit with them.

4. On this trip, we also got to spend a lot of time with my brother and his family. We played kickball with the kids outside and sat around and talked. What fun to catch up a little!

5. Sunday, we went with my parents, and niece to my Grandmother's church to hear her preach. She's retiring (again) this June, so the times I will get to hear her will be more limited. I enjoyed the service!

6. On Memorial day we had a cookout at my Grandmother's house. My uncle grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, while my aunt made homemade ice cream. We talked and visited with aunts, uncles, cousins, and Grandmother. I can't imagine a better way to spend the day.

7. Putting together some puzzles with the kids! We have several jigsaw puzzles and have put one together so far. The second one is on the kitchen table right now. It's been fun to work with one or two kids at a time and talk while we try to fit pieces together.

8. Cleaning out. The kids and I have pitched in together to clean out all three kids' closets and dressers. We've even cleaned out - brace yourself - under the beds! Eeek! We've bagged up 4 bags of clothes for the American Kidney Foundation. It has been good for us to work together and accomplish something important.

9. Reading time. We've snuggled in each day with stacks of books and read. What fun! I know, I'm a geeky teacher.

10. Softball. We are still going to games and practices. It's fun to be outside in the fresh air!

11. The weather is perfect! It's not too hot yet, and we're able to be outside without roasting! It's gorgeous - balmy and breezy!

12. Dreaming. We've been looking for a plot of land on which to build a house. It is a dream for the future, but it's been fun to hunt for land, find it, walk it, and dream about what can be built on it!

13. Hanging out before getting ready in the mornings! I'm not the type to "sleep in." I just can't do it. I've gotten up early every morning. But, it's a huge treat to me not to have to hit the ground running. I don't have to climb straight out of bed and into the shower. I've enjoyed leisurely mornings!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Sunday Seven #7 for Me

2007-04-29T14:44:00.000-05:00

1. CRCT is over! Standardized testing is a necessity in today's schools, evidently. Since every grade level except kindergarten has to take it in our large school, it has taken 2 solid weeks of off-schedule arrangements to complete the testing according to state guidelines! I'm happy that my own children are through with the testing! I'm glad my students are through with the testing, and I'm happy that our school can return to our regular routine and activities!

2. We had a beach dance for 4th-5th graders to benefit Relay for Life and raised a lot of money to fight cancer! The kids had a great time and a good cause was supported.

3. 18 school days left in this year!

4. B has really improved in her hitting in softball and has finally started seeming to enjoy the game. She got her first base hit last Saturday, and hit the ball well even though she was thrown out at first this week.

5. Our niece, K, turned 16 yesterday! I am thankful to be a part of her life! I am thankful that she is a beautiful girl both on the outside and most importantly, the inside! I am thankful for the positive role model she is for my own children. I am proud of her, her attitude, her efforts, and her accomplishments!

6. We have started cleaning out my MIL and FIL's house. They both passed away during the last 2 years. I am thankful for a family of 12 who can get together for a couple of hours each week and work together to accomplish such a tough task. I am thankful that we get along well and talk things over, and that relationships are much more important than things. I am also thankful that being in the house together again is reminding us of many happy memories and stories. I am thankful that I had loving, caring, and remarkable parents-in-law.

7. I have made a concentrated effort to make meals - as nutritious as possible - at home this week. Unfortunately, we've hit fast food places much too often lately. It made an already hectic week, more hectic, but it's rewarding to feel good about what I've served my family to eat. I hope this week and the coming weeks will help me impress upon my children that French fries are not a food group within themselves.

The Green Skittle

2007-04-28T20:45:00.000-05:00

My son plays on a T-ball team with 11 other 5 and 6 year old boys. They have a lot of fun and the coach is laid-back and handles the boys' playfulness well. Their games are always interesting, because it doesn't take long until the boys in the field are terribly distracted and finding things other than baseball to occupy their time and energy. This week we had a left fielder who was lying in the green grass making the motions to make a snow angel. We had a right fielder who was kneeling on the ground with his head touching the ground in front of him. At another time the center fielder and right fielder had their arms around each other in deep conversation and were pointing to something off the field. The third baseman was skipping around in circles during the 2nd inning, and the short fielder was playing his own imaginary ball game with his very own imaginary ball. The short stop had his ball glove on his head to the chagrin of his mother who kept yelling for him to put it back on. The center fielder kept sitting down and twirling in circles making what I'm sure will be an awful grass stain to get out of the seat of his pants. Several children drew pictures in the sand, and my own son took his glove off, and repeatedly threw it in the air and caught it. It's all very entertaining to watch.

However, this week there was a particular item that proved to be a HUGE source of distraction and entertainment for the boys. In the on-deck circle, there was a green Skittle. One Skittle. Every child that stepped into the on-deck circle found something interesting to do with that Skittle. It was flicked, flipped, stomped, twirled, buried, unburied, tossed, balanced on shoes, stacked on rocks, kicked, hit with the bat, thrown in the air and caught, and bounced in ball caps. It's amazing what can entertain a 5 or 6 year old boy, and it's amazing that they found so many different things to do with that one little Skittle. I was just shocked and thankful that not a single child put the Skittle in his mouth!

Maybe I'm in the Top Ten

2007-04-26T20:36:00.000-05:00

I sat down on the edge of the bed as I took my 6-year-old son to bed tonight. Following our usual routine, I sang "You Are My Sunshine" to him. When we had finished our bedtime prayers, he very sweetly told me that he loved me. Then, with a gentle hand patting my arm he said, "You're probably the best mom I've ever met." I told him thank you and that he was the best son I'd ever met. Then he said, "You're probably the only mom who hasn't given her kid ice cream money for the whole month of April, too."

Maybe that's why I'm only "probably" the best mom he's ever met. One should never underestimate the importance of ice cream!

Just a Thought

2007-04-25T05:18:00.000-05:00

I've missed blogging. Things have been hectic lately. With 3 kids playing ball, homework, and end-of-the-school-year school activities, we simply haven't been home much. I got up early this morning to do some housework - load the dishwasher, straighten the living room, put away some laundry, etc. Nothing major - just some decluttering. As I was cleaning I thought, "Boy, I haven't even been home enough lately to keep the house somewhat straight!" But, then it hit me..."How have we been home enough to make the house this cluttered?" Someone surely must be sneaking in and doing this to our house! Just wait 'til I catch that little bugger - I have a feeling there are 3 of them!

I hope to write again soon. Summer's coming!

Sunday Seven - #6 for Me

2007-04-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

My blessings and highlights this week have been much to numerous to count! Wow, what a fantastic week I've had! Here are a few of the high points.

1. Family time! Family time! Family time! It's so nice to take a break from work and have an entire week to be a full-time mom! I have enjoyed 9 glorious days with my children - without the responsibilities of my job.

2. We had a trip with my husband's brother and family to our farm house. More family fun!

3. We took a trip with my parents to Pigeon Forge. More family fun!

4. We saw 3 excellent shows in Pigeon Forge. It was so much fun to lose myself in the music and comedy and just enjoy the entertainment!

5. My nephew became a teenager this week! He is a wonderfully sweet, thoughtful, and responsible boy. He will make a dependable teenager! I'm proud of you, D, and wish you a very happy year!

6. We had an unconventional, but beautiful Easter Sunday morning. We were leaving Pigeon Forge and beginning our drive home. We didn't go to church. However, we saw some of the most beautiful scenery. It had snowed the night before, and the mountains were glowing with the sunlight reflecting from the snow. The drive was magnificent! Ice hung to the rocks on the side of the mountains. God has given us a beautiful world!

7. Every day is a gift. We are not promised tomorrow. Thank you, Lord, for every moment of this wonderful, exciting, family-filled week!

Thursday Thirteen - My #8 - Spring Break!

2007-04-04T15:16:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Highlights from this Spring Break!

1. E's birthday! We had a blast celebrating it all week long!

2. Being at the farm. Riding and learning to drive a 4-wheeler! Playing baseball, football, basketball with the kids. Sitting on the tin-roofed front porch watching and listening to the rain. Cooking out.

3. Walking and exploring in the woods and just being outside together.

4. Spending a day and a half with my brother-in-law, sister-in-law and niece. We had fun being together at the farm.

5. Spending an afternoon on the floor with my son and daughters building with Lincoln Logs, Magnetix, and Legos. Sitting on the couch with B while both of us read our own books. Relaxing, good times.

6. Getting caught up on laundry! That only happens on Christmas break, Spring break and over the summer! It's a huge relief.

7. I read 3 books and 2 magazines! I never have time to read! It was nothing heavy. I just read three light, humorous novels from Janet Evanovich. I thoroughly enjoyed them!

8. Watching N play ball. My other 2 children had no practice due to Spring Break, but N's coach called a practice. It was a beautiful night and we had fun being outside and watching her play.

The rest of this hasn't happened as of Thursday Thirteen time. So, I guess this now turns into "Thirteen Things I Expect Will be Highlights of Spring Break!"

9. Going to Pigeon Forge with my kids, husband, and parents. We'll have fun being together!

10. Going to 3 shows while we're there- Black Bear jamboree, Comedy Barn, and the Dixie Stampede.

11. Going to the Gatlinburg Aquarium. My kids and my dad especially love aquariums. I can't wait to visit it with them.

12. I'm looking forward to having a quiet cabin in the woods with a hot tub to relax in!

13. Easter Sunday. When I planned this trip, I didn't realize it was over Easter weekend. However, I think it will be very appropriate and special to celebrate Easter Sunday with family in the middle of God's beautiful mountain creations!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Another Farm First

2007-04-02T12:35:00.000-05:00

Another farm first for the children and me this weekend was climbing a deer stand! Wow, those things are high! You'd think they were used to see birds or something in the sky rather than something way down on the ground that can't even climb a tree!

Saturday afternoon, RJ hooked a small trailer to the 4-wheeler and the kids and I climbed on board. We drove all through the woods! What a beautiful trip! We have 56 acres there, and I've never seen most of it. I've taken walks through the woods, but I've never ridden around so that I could see so much of it. We rode all the way back to a beautiful creek that serves as the back property line. It was gorgeous! We saw many squirrels, a deserted turtle shell, many plants and flowers, and a wild turkey!

While we were enjoying the experience of the woods, we stopped by one of RJ's deer stands and each of us took a turn climbing to the top and looking around. What a view! I had hoped we might see a deer or turkey or some other form of wildlife, but even though we didn't the view of nature was outstanding from that high! The girls, in usual form, wanted to go together and clung together at the top of the stand. They declared it scary, but fun. E, in true form, wanted to be independent and go by himself. Even old mom managed to get to the top and look around, although you'll never see images of that posted here! One of my children decided to be helpful and take a picture from the ground of me climbing DOWN the ladder! What a beautiful picture that was! I'm thrilled that digital cameras have a delete button!

Farm Livin'

2007-04-02T07:42:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful and relaxing weekend. We left Saturday morning and went to our farm house in Elberton, Georgia for a celebration of the beginning of Spring Break and E's 6th birthday. We had beautiful weather and played outside all weekend in the huge pastures surrounding the house. We played football, basketball, and softball, and thoroughly enjoyed being outside and together.

I shared a couple of "first" experiences with my children this weekend! We all learned to drive a 4-wheeler! I'd never done that in my life. I've never even driven a stick-shift car, and I really didn't have much of an idea how to switch gears. So, my driving was a little jerky, but a lot of fun. The children each took turns driving, with their daddy jogging beside them giving instructions. My husband is one of the most cautious men you'll ever meet. He doesn't take risks with our children's safety. So, they were only able to get into first gear, which made them drive slowly, and he jogged right beside them - mostly with his hand on the steering

wheel helping them guide the 4-wheeler. Each of them drove with HUGE smiles on their faces and felt so big!

Of course, it was also fun to ride behind RJ as he drove. That way, we went much faster and felt much more confident. We were adventurous and able to go more exciting places. It was fun to ride and feel the wind. It was a feeling of freedom and fun! I could feel stress draining from my body.

What a great day!

Sunday Seven - #5 for me - Happy Birthday E!

2007-04-01T18:55:00.000-05:00

Today is my sweet E's 6th birthday. There are many reasons I'm thankful for and love him. Here are a few things that I LOVE about him!

1. His mind is always thinking and commenting on math. He cracks me up! We can be at a ballgame and he'll say, "Hey, Mom, I know what 10 +3 is! 13!" And if I look around I'll see 10 girls and 3 coaches on the field. He's made a math problem out of the game. This week he told me, "I've only got 3 more days to be odd. (I held my tongue and didn't make a joke here.)Then, I'll be even." It was 3 days until he was no longer 5 and became 6. The way his mind works is fun to watch and the fact that he will tell me what he is thinking is a major joy in my life!

2. This goes along with #1. E has very few thoughts that he keeps to himself. As my father would say, "Everything that pops in his head, comes out of his mouth." He verbalizes everything he thinks, and he thinks some interesting things! He's always making me smile or laugh with his original thoughts. The other day he left a Gatorade in the car while he played ball. After the ball practice he took a drink of the Gatorade and said, "Boy, this Gatorade reminds me of Mom." My oldest daughter asked how a drink reminded him of me and he said, "'Cause it 's HOT!" Both of my girls reacted with disgust and he replied, "What? She's always hot." I am very hot-natured and that's what he meant. He's always making strange connections and saying funny things. He keeps conversation lively!

3. His enthusiasm. He enjoys himself and he goes at new adventures with the attitude that he will have fun.

4. He's gentle and loving. He's loud and rowdy and rough around the edges. However, he's also very gentle, loving and kind. If one of us feels bad, he wants to help us feel better. If someone is sad, he wants to make them laugh. He loves to hold and nurture his baby cousin. It's sweet to see such a rough and tumble fellow be so gentle and kind.

5. He genuinely appreciates things you do for him. This weekend, we went to our farm house to celebrate his birthday. He loved it. He appreciated the cookout. He appreciated the silly string. He enjoyed it all, laughed and had fun, and appreciated our efforts on his special day. (I'll post more on our trip tomorrow.) We're going to Pigeon Forge later this week as part of his birthday celebration, too. He can't wait and he's already told us thank you several times for that trip and it hasn't happened yet.

6. He'll try just about anything. He's outgoing, friendly, and he is usually willing to give anything a whirl. I like his sense of adventure. Sometimes he's a little too sure of himself in new situations, but I like it that he's willing to try new things.

7. He loves his family and doing things with all of us! He loves being with our extended family on both sides. He talks about Gram, Granddaddy, Grandmother and Nanny and Papaw. My husband's parents passed away during the last 2 years, and E remembers them well and talks about them regularly. He loves them and wants to keep their memories alive and with him by remembering things about them. We don't see my parents as much as we'd like, and E is aware that time with them is special and important. He values family. I love that!

Happy birthday, my sweet little boy! I love you!

Thursday Thirteen - My Edition #7 - Junk Food Junkie!

2007-03-29T17:35:00.000-05:00

Last night I made a quick run to my home-away-from- home. Walmart has become a place I seem to frequent. I was embarrassed to check out because of all the junk food in my cart. Here are the reasons I bought a buggy full of junk!

1-3 - All 3 of my children play baseball or softball. We have snack for all three of their teams after the games soon. I bought an assortment of chips and Gatorade for 3 teams.

4. E's birthday is this weekend. He is celebrating it with his class today, so I bought 4 packs of cupcakes.

5. Also, for his party this weekend, we needed pinata fillers - more candy and small trinkets.

6-9. All 3 children have their class Spring party in the next 2 days. We bought 1 dozen plastic eggs and Starburst to put in them for each child.

7. N's class Spring party is today. We bought juice boxes for her class.

8. B needed cookies to decorate for her class party.

9. E's room mom requested a bowl of fruit. So I DID buy one item that wasn't junk.

10. My own class has a party is today. I bought chips for our picnic-themed Spring party.

11. I bought more chips for E's birthday cookout on Sunday.

12. I bought granola bars for my children to take to school for snack time. It's practically a crime to send children to school without a snack to eat in the morning.

13. I bought candy for my AR jar- more Starbursts. My students are allowed to get a treat on Friday when they take an AR computerized test.

Walmart must love me!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Sunday Seven - #4 for me

2007-03-24T21:17:00.000-05:00

My children played softball and baseball 2 years ago for one season. We took the year off and didn't play last season. This year, we decided to put the children in a very large church league close to our home instead of one of the recreational leagues in our area. We were happy with the rec league they played in previously, so it was a hard decision for us. However, I was looking for something a little less competitive and high-strung. I wanted the kids focused on learning the game, and not so terribly aware of the score and their own personal stats. I want them to win and do well, but I didn't want playing the game to be stressful for them. There's enough stress in the world. I'm glad we switched leagues. Here are seven things that I am thankful my children have in their softball/baseball league this year.

1. Teaching. This large, church league is focused on kids having fun while they learn the game. The coaches take time to teach all of the children to how to play each aspect of the game. They take time with the "teachable moments" to instruct and help the children learn.

2. Prayer. The teams pray at the beginning of each game and at the end. I love that my children see strong, athletic people pray outside of church. The players are often given an opportunity to lead the team in prayer if they want. I think it shows the kids that prayer is an important part of life, and not just something we do in church on Sunday.

3. Positive attitudes. Parents cheer positively for their own team and even (gasp) sometimes children on the other team! I have frequently seen opposing coaches congratulate players when a good play is made.

4. Teamwork. Teamwork is a primary focus. A "we're all in this together" attitude. Today, the coach of the team one of my daughter's team was playing was late. Our coach had all of the girls on the field together warming up. It's a game. They were all there to have fun and play the best they could. They warmed up as one team.

5. Fun. It has been stressed to all three of my kids that "this is a game." Last night, my youngest daughter had practice. After formal practice, the coach stayed to "play" with any girls who could stay. They played speed ball with parents, siblings, coaches and players all on the field. They were able to relax, have fun, and enjoy the game - a little batting, throwing, and fielding practice was slipped in with all the laughing!

6. Physical activity. It's good to get outside and run after a day of school work and homework. Getting in condition is an important part of the game and a good life-lesson for the kids.

7. Discipline and hard work. We're all good. We can all get better through hard work and practice. Again, a wonderful life-lesson.

The E-Word

2007-03-21T05:13:00.000-05:00

My mother, wrote a very interesting post on the s-word. Unfortunately, her frustration in dealing with a true e-word caused her to be able to write so cleverly about the s-word! In her post she referred to an incident I had with a 5th grade student over the "e-word." So, I thought I'd provide an explanation of that word here.

I teach in Georgia. Several years ago, one of my 5th grade girls came running to me obviously very flustered. I could tell by the way she was coming that she was going to tell on someone! In an indignant voice she said, "Billy called me the e-word!" She was obviously very insulted and very angry, but try as I might, I couldn't think of an e-word. I talked with her several minutes trying to figure out this awful word. I needed to know what horrible word this child used in order to know how to deal with him. Eventually, I said, "Honey, you're going to have to tell me the word so I can talk to Billy." With extreme frustration and a huge sigh, she said, "The E-word! Eeediot!" For those among us without an extreme southern accent, the word is idiot.

This incident provided me with a good private laugh at the time and many years of a good code word to use during frustrating moments!

Sunday Seven #3 for me

2007-03-18T09:35:00.000-05:00

1. We had a field trip to Fernbank Planetarium in Atlanta on Monday. I left the school with 20 children and returned with all 20. No one got hurt, lost, or sick. We left Fernbank still standing and in good shape. That's a good, successful day by any standards!

2. Tuesday we had a Georgia author and illustrator visit our school. She told us about interesting places in Georgia and demonstrated how she changes photographs to drawn illustrations in her books. It was a lot of fun and the kids enjoyed meeting her. My own kids bought a set of her books and she autographed them. Fun day!

3. My parents drove 2 hours to come to see all three of my children play ball yesterday. I appreciate their constant support!

4. Opening day of softball/baseball season was freezing cold but a lot of fun! We had a "ball!" The kids played well and had a blast!

5. Mom and Dad took our kids home with them because I have a work day on Monday and needed someone to keep the kids. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

6. RJ and I had a nice evening shopping for E's birthday and watching a movie. We stayed up late knowing that no one would be waking us up early this morning. It was a relaxing evening, night, and morning!

7. 9 school days until Spring Break!

Pot of Gold

2007-03-16T18:06:00.000-05:00

For this Saint Patrick's day, I thought I'd share a paper written by my 5-year-old son, E. I typed it as he wrote it for a school assignment. The translations are in parentheses.

If I had a pot of gold I wod get rech and dat girls. I wod biy a new haeas (house). I wod gev it to powe (poor) peple. I wod gev it to the cherde. (charity)

Thursday Thirteen - My Edition #6 - Oops!

2007-03-14T22:04:00.000-05:00

Thirteen embarrassing things that have happened to me in the classroom.

The idea for this post "flashed" before my eyes yesterday. Last night, as I told my family about a "revealing" moment (#1 below) I had in class, it dawned on me that in the 20 years I've taught, I've had several embarrassing moments. Let's see if there are 13.

1. At the end of the school day, I pulled down our class map for a child to show the class a state she had visited. She tried to put the map back up and it didn't cooperate. Each time she pulled a little, instead of springing back up, the map came a little further down. Finally, it was at full length. The wooden dowel at the bottom of the map was practically touching the floor. I gently pulled the map and it quickly rolled to the top. Suddenly, the room was darker and draftier! The dowel rod at the bottom of the map had caught my dress, flinging the hem to the top of the map stand above my head! The hem of my dress was stuck on the dowel that was above my head! I couldn't see and it took me a minute to get the dress free of the map! Luckily, I had on a full skirt and a full slip. Nothing terribly personal was revealed, and my class of 6-year-olds hardly seemed to notice! One child said, "Whew! Your dress flew way up there!" I just said, "It sure did," and kept on going with instructions!

2. Several years ago, while teaching 5th grade, my class was deeply involved in a discussion about WWII. I sauntered to the front of the room while listening to a child share his ideas and sat on the edge of the kidney-shaped table. The table tilted and I was dropped to the floor!

3. This one, I would never have remembered if the children hadn't documented it in the yearbook. Again, in a 5th grade classroom, I tripped over the overhead cord and stumbled across the room. I didn't fall, but it took a while to regain my balance and it seemed like I stumbled for a very long time before righting myself. We got a good laugh out of it. When the 5th graders were asked by the yearbook staff at the end of the year for the funniest moment of elementary school, many of my students listed my impromptu "dance" for balance in the yearbook!

4. Boy, I sound like a klutz! But, here's another stumbling one. I was teaching kindergarten at the time. We had gone outside with our book buddies and played a game of kickball. I was lining all 45 or so children up and beginning to get them ready to go inside. I was talking to them and giving instructions while I walked backwards, facing the children, up a hill on the sidewalk. My foot stepped off the sidewalk and I rolled DOWN the hill! Every child was looking at me because I had their attention and was talking at the time!

5. 18 years or so ago, I taught 4th grade. Wrap around skirts were in style at the time, and I was a young, fairly fashionable teacher. I was walking around my classroom while I taught. I felt something around my feet, but at the time I was passing the desk of a student who often had the floor cluttered with belongings. I kept teaching and gently pushed what I assumed was a jacket under the child's desk with my foot. I kept walking. Suddenly, I realized my skirt was gone! It was under the child's desk! Again, I had on a full slip and nothing major was revealed. Thank the Lord for slips!

6. 5th grade. I was teaching adjectives that follow linking verbs. I wrote on the board, "Johnny's shirt was yellow." At least, that's what I intended to write on the board. I asked a child to read the sentence and tell me the adjective. The child politely told me that he wasn't allowed to read that sentence. When I asked why, he told me that he wasn't allowed to use that word. I glanced back at the board, and I had left the r out of the word shirt!

7. We had had a particularly unruly day in a third grade classroom. I had given a stern lecture about being quiet in class, listening to directions, and not interrupting. After the class was still unable to calm down, I had decided to write a couple of assignments on the board and have the children work quietly rather than do the more active lessons I had planned. I told the children to get out paper and pencil, follow directions on the board and not to talk! I turned to write the assignments on the board when I felt a tap on my shoulder. In a controlled, quiet, firm, but out of patience voice, I said, "Follow directions." I finished writing the assignments and turned to find my assistant principal quietly waiting for me to finish. He's the one who had tapped me on the shoulder! Luckily, he knew me well and had been in my classroom many times. We had a good laugh about it!

8. Numerous times dressing up in the name of motivating children - 50s day, book character day, farm day, etc.

9. Numerous times having to participate in an assembly, carnival, festival, etc. - dancing, being the magic show prop, sitting in the dunk tank, tossing clubs to a juggler, pies ins the face, wet sponges in the face, etc.

10. Many years ago, teaching 4th grade I was walking down the hall and heard one of my very gregarious students yelling, "Don't worry, Miss T, I'll get it!" I turned to find him running down the hall after me, holding out a chalkboard eraser, and laughing uncontrollably! I had worn a black suit to school that day, and evidently I had leaned against the chalkboard. I had a near-perfect list of spelling words down the back of my black jacket and pants! He was planning to erase them for me.

11. My first year of teaching - 4th grade - 21 years old. One of my students threw-up in class. Back in those days, it was my classroom and I was responsible for any clean-ups. I was trying to sprinkle the gravel-stuff on the gross stuff and control my own urge to toss my cookies. A very disgusted, male, veteran teacher walked by my room and saw what was happening. In a not so pleasant voice, he said, "Oh, for goodness sake! Take the class and get out of here before I have to clean up after both of you!" We went to the playground for some fresh air, and he cleaned up my room.

13. I played the piano for the 5th grade chorus concert at PTA one year at my current school. I only had to play 2 songs. The first one went fine. I don't know what happened during the second song, but I got totally lost! I don't think I played a single note correctly after a certain point in the song! I couldn't find my place. I couldn't get my fingers on the right notes. I just started playing softer and softer. I tried to let the children's voices drown out the piano. At the end of the mutilated song, the music teacher motioned for me to continue playing while the props were changed. It was no use. I just quit and we watched in stiff silence while the set was changed. The music teacher has never asked me to accompany the chorus again!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

A Few Thoughts about Thinking

2007-03-13T19:11:00.000-05:00

I think two of the most important things we want our children to become are lifelong learners and critical thinkers. I believe that if we teach children to think critically, they will constantly learn. So, our greatest challenge as teachers is to help children learn to think.

When I taught upper elementary grades, I found that students often wanted to be told what to do and simply regurgitate facts because it was "less work" than trying to find a solution for themselves. That's fairly typical of children, and people in general, to look for an easy way out, so there's no real surprise there. Now that I'm working with younger children, I notice that many of them don't seem to know how to begin to solve problems and think for themselves or even know that they should try to think for themselves. Many young children's very first response is to ask or tell an adult. It seems that they expect to be told every move to make and often have very few problem solving skills. In my experience teaching kindergarten and 1st grade, I've become more and more aware that focus of WHAT children learn is not nearly as important as teaching them to THINK in order to learn. When we teach the critical and higher level thinking skills within the subject matter, learning the content will come. Confucius once said, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."

In a day of such emphasis on achievement tests and high scores, the urge is to drill facts and academic knowledge. It's hard not to "teach to the test" when your job and reputation revolve around the scores of your students. However, it's in the students' best lifelong interest to learn to think. Alec Bourne is quoted as saying, "It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated." Where does that leave our achievement test scores? Hopefully where they should be...as just one piece of evidence of learning - not as the ultimate indicator of the child's intelligence or education.

Think about it. As Aristotle said, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

My Father's Eyes

2007-03-12T06:29:00.000-05:00

Today is the birthday of one of the most important men in this entire world - my father. I know I may be biased, but that doesn't make me wrong. My father has changed this world we live in for the better. He has made a positive impact on the people he has known and served, and the influence of his unconditional love, support, and Christ-like attitude will never fully be known to any one of us.

There was a song sung many years ago by Christian artist, Amy Grant. The song is entitled, "My Father's Eyes" and it relays the message of Christ's love and view of people. The singer wants to have her Father's eyes - "Eyes that find the good in things, when good is not around. Eyes that find the source of hope, when hope just can't be found. Eyes full of compassion - seeing every pain. Knowing what you're going through and feeling it the same. Just like my Father's eyes." I realize that the song is talking about our heavenly Father, but I have never heard it or sung it without thinking about my earthly father. You see, I am truly blessed. My earthly father points to my heavenly Father every day of his life - without words, without lectures, without disapproving looks. In his daily walk, love, acceptance and attitude my dad has his Father's eyes. I have always been able to see Christ's eyes in my father. I guess some preachers talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. That's not true with Daddy. Even at his lowest moments, hardest moments, saddest moments, he lives for Christ and SHOWS us through example how to truly live life.

I want to have my father's eyes. I want to have my father's voice of reason. I want to have my father's people skills. I want to have my father's sense of humor. I want to have my father's ability to handle tragedy with grace, emergencies efficiently, stress with a level head, and happy times with joy. I want my father's ability to love unconditionally, support tirelessly, rescue when need be, advise clearly, and make the best of situations.

Daddy drove 1 1/2 hours to come to my oldest daughter's pre-k graduation. The little ceremony lasted about 15 minutes and with the picnic, maybe 45 minutes. I commented that I was sorry he had a 3 hour round-trip for an hour event. His reply was, "That's not the point. The point is for B to know how important she is." Each of my dad's children and all of his grandchildren know how important they are to him! I hope he realizes how important he is to each of us!

Thank you, Daddy! I love you! Happy birthday!

Sunday Seven - #2 Edition for Me

2007-03-11T07:27:00.000-05:00

1. I hate to sound trivial, but the main thing I've been thankful for this week is the weather! 73 degrees with a refreshing breeze! Who could ask for anything more!

2. We've spent a couple of evenings this week playing softball - just my little family of five. What fun! Hitting, running, catching - we've had a blast!

3. All three children are playing baseball or softball. We've spent a lot of time at practices this week. The children are learning a lot and having a good time. I'm thankful to be able to be outside in the evening, enjoying the fresh air!

4. Hope!

5. Bright yellow jonquils in our backyard! Beautiful!

6. 46 school days until summer!

7. Spring break is in sight!

Thirteen Things That are Right about Education

2007-03-08T18:22:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things That are Right about EducationEdition #5

1. The teachers - I've taught elementary school for 20 years. Teachers are human and make mistakes, but I believe they are the biggest asset to public education. The teachers I have known are in education for the right reasons and have the children's best interests in mind.

2. The kids - Most kids come to learn. Sure, there are exceptions, but most children want to learn. They want guidance and structure, and someone who believes in them to show them how to improve themselves.

3. The parents - Again, there are exceptions, and unfortunately the exceptions are the loudest, but parents are generally very supportive. I have 9 parents in my classroom weekly. They are helpful, polite, and truly want to help the kids learn. Their attitude toward learning and the children is a great asset to my class!

4. Staff Development - As teachers we are required to keep learning. Theories and strategies of teaching are constantly changing, and we have to change with them. Continuing to learn is a good thing.

5. The emphasis at our school is on learning, and not on teaching. What did the kids learn today? Not, what did I teach today? A slight, but very significant change in the way we evaluate the day and each lesson.

6. Care Teams - We have Care Teams made of teachers from our grade level that we meet with regularly to discuss specific concerns within our classrooms. We help each other brainstorm solutions and strategies to deal with difficult situations or learning problems.

7. Technology - Even our kindergarteners have technology competencies they strive to meet. In a technological world, our children will be prepared.

8. Back to the basics. I love the emphasis on reading, writing, and math. The others are important, but the emphasis on reading, writing, and math is a must.

9. Cross curriculum instruction- This goes with #8. Reading, writing, and doing math within the context of Science and Social Studies. We don't stop one subject matter to teach the next. We combine them, link them all together, and teach one within the other. It necessary for a well-rounded education.

10. Safety of our children - Unfortunately this is something schools have had to address. We do tornado drills, fire drills, and lock down practices. We have procedures for reporting every kind of abuse, locating strangers in the building, bomb threats, and evacuations. Our staff is well trained to deal with hostage, trauma, and emergency situations. We're all certified in CPR and have trained in first aid.

11. Performance based evaluations - hands-on learning. Can the children demonstrate that they have the knowledge? We don't just want them to repeat it back to use, we want them to show us or prove what they've learned.

12. Awareness of learning styles. Children learn in different ways. We try to incorporate all of those styles in our classroom. We want children to become proficient in many avenues of learning and even try learning styles with which they aren't entirely comfortable. We are giving them all the tools possible to become life-long learners.

13. Emphasis on higher-level thinking skills. This goes with #11. There is a strong emphasis for children to THINK, not just repeat facts. It's important to tap into those higher-level questions that require children to think and solve situations. There's a push for teachers to turn the tables on the students. Let them create the word problem, or ask the questions about the Science lesson, or come up with a solutions in the story. Children are becoming active participants in their learning, not just spectators who can repeat facts.
Links to other Thursday Thirteens! (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Carol

Joan

Thursday Thirteen # 4 - Half-way There

2007-03-01T06:45:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things that are on my computer desk because I'm in the middle of doing them. I'm not ADD, but if you look at my desk you may think I am. I frequently start things, reach a snag and move on to something else. Here are 13 examples from my computer desk right now.

1. On my computer desk are notes of 2 Thursday thirteens that I've started writing about and haven't finished. I need to check a detail on both of them and just haven't gotten around to doing it. So, I just started a new Thursday Thirteen - the one you are reading right now.

2 - 6. I have half-made plans for a Math Fair, Writing Fair, Reading Fair, Science Fair (not your typical kind of Science Fair), and Social Studies Fair on my desk. After Spring break, I plan to have some fun Fridays focusing on academic subject areas. I have all the days' plans started, but need to gather a lot of materials.

7. All three of my children start baseball/softball this weekend. I have the emails from their coaches and my calendar. I need to write down all the dates, so we can arrange how to get to all the practices and games.

8. School forms. - Three picture money packets, 3 field day t-shirt order forms, 3 Bingo night ticket forms, etc. I need to see what is due next.

9. 2 sets of Math papers, 2 sets of writing papers, 1 spelling test, and various other papers that need to be graded. I should probably be doing that instead of writing this Thursday thirteen.

10. A paper from our children's choir director. The kids are in a spring cantata at church. The paper tells me what kind of costume the kids need. I need to start gathering some unique character costume items.

11. Kids' recipe notes from my oldest daughter. She's interested in trying some of her own recipes and writing them down. She and I have brainstormed some ideas and she's tried them out. Those notes are here, too. Maybe we can work on that this weekend.

12. A shopping list started. What else do I need at the store? I'll take a hint from Scarlett and think about that later.

13. The only other thing I have on my computer desk is kids' books. The girls are reading books for a program at school. We need to log the books tonight.

It will all get done. Maybe not on time, but it will be completed. Tomorrow is another day.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

The Best Medicine

2007-02-26T18:18:00.000-05:00

Today was a Monday - a good day, but a very busy day - a Monday. I had 6 meetings during the school day (4 gifted referral meetings, 1 Care Team meeting, and 1 Student Support Team meeting), so I had three different substitutes in my classroom throughout much of the day. I would rather have been with my students. However, a lot was accomplished on behalf of individual education programs for 6 of my students, so it was a productive day.

I came home wiped out emotionally and intellectually. I found a remedy. We loaded up the kids and headed to our church's ball field that is seldom used this early in the season. Our little family of five had a blast! We hit the ball, ran bases, caught flies, chased grounders, laughed, and had a great time! My right arm hasn't had a workout like that in years and feels like a limp noodle right now, but it was well worth it! It was 70 degrees and BEAUTIFUL outside and it couldn't have been a better way to end the day! Now, we're rejuvenated and ready for homework! What great medicine for a tiring day!

Sunday Seven #1

2007-02-25T07:48:00.000-05:00

1. RJ, the kids, and I enjoyed a day together at the ball park yesterday for softball/baseball tryouts. It was a lot of fun and a beautiful day to be outside!

2. I met with all three of my kids' teachers this week to talk about their progress and school achievements. It's always enlightening to hear about your children from someone else who knows them well. They have great, loving, and caring teachers.

3. E and I got up early this morning and made pancakes together. It was fun to work in the kitchen and have time to talk and listen to him this morning.

4. N and I went for a walk together this week. Again, having time with just one child at a time is precious! She talked the entire walk.

5. B and I had time alone for a quick errand run this week. It's nice to find out what she's thinking and how she perceives things are going.

6. I completed all 20 of my parent/teacher conferences on a positive note. I had 2 particular concerns that were discussed productively. I feel like we're headed in the right direction with both of these kids, and the parents and administration are supportive of my efforts. It's good to know we're all on the same page and have the children's best interest in mind.

7. The gorgeous, warm weather has made being outside wonderful! I have spring fever already!

8. Bonus: I planned a trip this week for my family and my parents. We're going over Spring Break and I can't wait! I'm anxious to go and spend some good time together!

It's Been a While

2007-02-24T15:20:00.000-05:00

It's been a while, but I'm finally back. I've missed blogging, but just haven't had time to write in a while. It's been conference time at work. Conference week is a very valuable time, but it makes for a chaotic, hectic, and exhausting week. Having had them 2 years, I have grown very close to this class and their parents. It will be hard to let them go to 2nd grade without me! My students are outstanding little people and this group of parents is very loving, concerned and involved with their children. They want what is best for them, value my input, and are truly partners with me in education. We had profitable planning and progress conversations last week. It's nice to know we're all on the same page concerning academic needs for the remainder of the school year. However, it's taken me a week to recuperate from all the meetings, paperwork, documentation, and planning and get caught up on laundry and housework!

Oh, My! What Children Learn at School!

2007-02-07T18:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was asking my 5-year-old kindergartner about his day at school. "Did you have a good day?" I asked.

He sighed and said in an exasperated voice, "Yes. It was OK, but M and I had to have a SERIOUS talk."

M is a cute little girl in his class who he has referred to as his girlfriend all year. She refers to herself in that manner, too. Each time I see her in the hallway, she yells, "Hey, E's mom! I'm E's girlfriend!" RJ and I don't encourage this kind of talk and I often try to make as little of it as possible to try to discourage it. But, this had my curiosity. I wondered if his teacher had made them sit and talk because they interrupted class, or what had happened to warrant a SERIOUS talk...and what is a SERIOUS talk to two 5-year-olds?! So, I asked, "Who said you had to have a serious talk."

"M did," he replied.

"Really, why?" I asked.

"Well, I played with R (Who, by the way, is a boy.) more than I played with her on the playground, and she said if I'm her boyfriend I have to play with her the most. But I told her that once we're married, I AM going to go out and play with the boys sometimes!" E explained to me.

I was flabbergasted! How does he know this stuff?

Super Bowl Fiesta

2007-02-04T14:33:00.000-05:00

We are having a Super Bowl fiesta at our house this evening. I'm not at all a football fan and have realized that having a party is the way to go. The game is going to be on no matter what, so why not have good food and friends? That way, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

First, I have a funny story for you. E, my 5 year old son, went with me Friday night to find some bowls and trays with a football theme. We toured the party store and saw all kinds of sports-themed party ware. As we were standing in front of a big display of paper products with various sports balls on them, I started picking up some football items. E said to me in a patronizing voice, "Mom, you know this is for the Super BOWL." The word "bowl" was said very distinctively and lasted 3x longer than it does when most people say the word. I assured him that I knew it was the Super Bowl. He said, "Then don't we need these?" He pointed to bowling party ware - bowling ball plates, bowling pin napkins, etc. At least he's thinking and trying to participate!

For our party tonight I've chosen a Mexican theme for the food. Why, you ask? Because that's what I like and I'm cookin'. I tried to tie something in to the Bears or Colts, but horse and bear food just doesn't seem appetizing. So, I took the wild approach and am preparing food with a theme that has no relation to the Super Bowl. I live on the wild side.

Our menu tonight is: taco soup, Mexican chicken casserole, 7-layer Mexican dip, nacho cheese dip, strawberry-walnut salad, veggie tray, fruit tray, and for dessert - lemon, mango, and key-lime squares. I'll also set out Doritos, Frito's, Skittles, and nuts for munching on during the game.

None of the recipes are original to me, with the possible exception of the 7-layer Mexican dip. I don't even know if my final version has 7 layers. I just included my favorite parts from several versions of the same dip. I think it will be good. Here are the recipes for the main dishes.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

From Paula Deen's Food Network Website

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomatoes
4 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 package flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together the 3 kinds of soup and the tomatoes. Stir in the chicken. Layer the tortillas and the chicken mixture in the pan, beginning and ending with tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

My family is full of good cooks. I don't have to look far to find good recipes. Even my mom from Daddy's Roses, who claims not to enjoy cooking is very natural in the kitchen and an excellent cook. My aunt, The Median Sib, is another wonderful cook and the next recipe is hers.

Romaine/Strawberry/Walnut Salad

1 head romaine lettuce
walnuts (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup grated cheese
Fresh strawberries
Dressing (recipe below)

Wash and tear the lettuce into a large salad bowl. Add the sliced strawberries, chapped walnuts, and grated cheese. Immediately before serving, toss with the salad dressing.

Dressing:

3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Tantalizing Taco Soup

This recipe is from one of my cousins who is a fabulous cook and has many good ideas.

1 pound ground beef
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 chopped onion
1 can corn
1 package taco seasoning
Up to 2 tomato soup cans of water

Brown the ground beef and onion together. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer. Serve with toppings like Fritos, corn chips, sour cream, salsa, and grated cheese.

7-Layer Nacho Dip

1 can refried beans
1 package cream cheese
16 oz sour cream
shredded cheese
chopped lettuce
8 oz picante sauce
black olives
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 carton guacamole dip
1 small chopped onion

Spread refried beans in the bottom of a glass 9x13 glass dish. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Spread this mixture on top of the refried beans. Layer guacamole dip, picante sauce, onion, lettuce, cheese and olives. Serve with nacho chips.

Little Help, Here?

2007-02-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight I was working on some food for the super bowl party we're having tomorrow evening. I like to get as much done ahead of time as I can. I was also putting away clean dishes from the dishwasher and folding and putting away laundry. I filled the washing machine with water and detergent and asked my youngest daughter to put the clothes from the hamper into the machine. I should have spoken more clearly. It's a big hamper, and there were enough clothes in it for at least 2 more loads of laundry. I turned my attention to the ground beef I was browning and really didn't think about the clothes again.

My daughters are both terrific helpers. When I ask them to do something, I rarely have to redo the chore or check up on them. Many minutes later, I returned to the washer to find my eight-year-old STANDING on the washing machine straddling the opening. She was packing the clothes with all of her might into the machine, and every single article of clothing from the dirty clothes hamper was in the washer! It was one of the funniest sights I'd ever seen. She was pushing those clothes down determined to make them fit! She was very proud of her accomplishment! She is priceless! I appreciate the persistence and determination with which she tried to help me!

We took quite a few articles of clothing out of the machine and set them aside to wait for the next load. It was still very full, and the washer shook wildly during both spin cycles. No problem for us, though. We've learned that 3 children sitting on top of a washing machine will keep it from vibrating and serve as a fun ride. There's never a dull moment in our house!

Saturday Gratitude #5

2007-02-03T14:46:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine was buried Thursday after dying suddenly from a brain aneurysm. On the day I traveled 4 hours round trip to attend her funeral, I thought about the many things in my daily life that I am fortunate enough to have life and breath to enjoy. I am thankful for simple pleasures. I am thankful for running water, sunshine, the smell of flowers, the look of ice glistening in the sun as it weighs down tree limbs, beautiful sunny days, and Kleenex. I am thankful for good friends to cry with and friends to travel 4 hours with and never run out of conversation. I am thankful for the love and support of family. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for time - time to share with my kids, husband, parents, family, and friends. I am thankful that breathing is easy, walking is effortless, communicating is natural, and living is not a struggle or battle. I take these blessings for granted. I am thankful for today and the life to enjoy it. I don't know what tomorrow holds. I have a renewed intention to cherish each moment with loved ones, enjoy life, look for the positive, play, make time for important things, show love always, and help others freely. My blessings are too many to count, but I don't want that to stop me from counting them every day.

The Mystery is Solved

2007-01-30T20:58:00.000-05:00

You all are good! I think the only one you didn't get is the first one, and I think it's my favorite.
ckrode = karate (We have been studying the buddy letters ck.)
somtinrelay = something really (as in "Something really big was in her closet.")
polesofosor = police officer
chikrchet = trick or treat
stumeckack = stomache ache
suprist = surprised
McKanik = mechanic
pypole = people (We had talked about y as a vowel.)
evreanml = every animal

I love the knowledge they show about the English language when they write. I started a list for myself today on all the different ways they spell beautiful. So phonetic. It's cute.

Thanks for playing! :-)

Mystery Words

2007-01-29T18:45:00.000-05:00

I love to watch the language development in young children. Last year I taught kindergarten and this year I brought those same kindergarteners to 1st grade. It has been fun to watch them progress from kids who could only sing their ABC song to writers! Here are some words from their writing workshops last week that these 6-year-olds sounded out by themselves. Can you guess what the words are? I'll post the answers tomorrow.

ckrode
somtinrelay
polesofosor
chikrchet
stumeckack
suprist
McKanik
pypole
evreanml

What a Hoot!

2007-01-28T13:14:00.000-05:00

Five and six-year-old basketball players are a hoot! Our son is playing basketball for the first time this season and we've had a ball watching his team. The kids play hard and play most of the game with broad grins on their faces! We've joked that we don't know how they get down the court so quickly. They have to be fighting a lot of wind resistance as it blows through their teeth while they laugh and run at the same time! They enjoy the game, and their coach is all about helping them have fun and learn the basics. Our poor little team is full of young, first-time players. They haven't won a game, but they've tried hard, improved a lot, and had fun learning. We look forward to watching them play each week! They could care less if they are playing a game or having practice, as long as they get to play and have a snack afterwards! "Getting" to bring the snack is one of the most exciting parts of the game!

One of my favorite stories of the season happened in our first official game. The referee (who looks like Will Farrell and has a wonderful, patient personality) blew his whistle and boomed in a deep voice, "Time-out!" Well, you know what time out mean to 5 and 6 year old boys! All 10 of them looked bewildered and didn't quite know what to do! The ref clearly didn't know why no one was leaving the court and just repeated, "Time-out!" All the moms were yelling for the boys to go to their coaches. It was funny to watch them try to process what was happening.

At half-time of each game, all the players line up and shoot 2 free throws. The baskets earned are added to the score. I like this part of the game. The kids all get a chance to shoot and the score is usually a little closer after everyone gets their chance at the free-throw line. It gives hope - hope to make a basket, hope to narrow the lead, or hope to go ahead. I think the biggest advantage is that each boy gets a chance to shoot and in his mind, everyone is watching him and he's in the big leagues! They all get a chance to shine!

Saturday Gratitude 4th edition

2007-01-27T20:30:00.000-05:00

It is a beautiful, although chilly, winter Saturday morning. What's not to be thankful for? I used to work with a man who when asked how he was on a Friday morning would reply, "It's Friday. I'm great! It would take a real pessimist to complain on a Friday."

It's a gorgeous Saturday here in Georgia. We are healthy. We are happy. We are blessed with a roof over our heads, more than enough to eat, and good family and friends. Our problems are small in the grand scheme of things. It would take a real pessimist to complain! Life is good.

Today, I am particularly thankful for:
1. Positive role models for our children. I have a great, big wonderful family full of wonderful examples for my children. We have a school full of teachers who lead my children daily in positive, firm, loving ways. Our church is full of wonderful, loving men and women who strive to live their lives in the best ways possible. The basketball program in our area is fantastic. Even the referee will stop and patiently explain a procedure and let the children try again. We are surrounded by wonderful examples of leadership, love, compassion, empathy, responsibility, hard work, and diligence.

Yesterday at work we had a "super cool" football player and cheerleader from the local high school come to visit our 1st graders. They read books and talked to the kids about the importance of learning and working hard. Our first graders were incredibly impressed and LOVED having these two "cool kids" talking to them and reading to them! What great examples our children have to follow!

2. Modern medicine. The medical field seems to be making huge strides in finding cures for all kinds of problems from allergies to serious illnesses. During the night I watched a TV news show talking about the progress medical experts have made in developing medicines for cervical cancer, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and other serious illnesses. It's amazing. Although there's no cure for many of these diseases yet, it appears to me that medical experts making great progress in finding cures, slowing down the progression of diseases, and making patients more comfortable as they deal with them. Even the smaller, every day struggles that people face such as allergies, infections, high blood pressure, have treatments that seem to be improving. I'm thankful for our advancements in medication.

3. Ant killer! Yes, in #2 I'm thankful for all the modern advances that are saving lives and in #3 I'm happy little bug lives are being ended. We woke up this morning and our master bathroom counter was covered in little, black ants. That's happened a couple of times since we've been in this house. EWWWW! They were on everything on our counter. Yuck. It's taken a lot of restraint for me not to toss everything in our bathroom out and make a trip to Walmart and replenish with items I know haven't had ants crawling on them! Ugh. RJ sprayed and although the house doesn't have the most fragrant odor, the ants are gone.

4. Older parents. RJ and I have 3 children - 9 years, 8 years, and 5 years old. We are both in our forties. We are older parents. When it comes to activities for our children we are frequently the oldest parents in attendance. As a matter of fact, we've laughed about our Sunday School class. We joined a class many years ago that was labeled "young parents." It was actually a class of adults with young children. RJ and I were among the oldest people in the class, but our children were the youngest. We've gotten used to it and it's never been a big deal or caused any uncomfortable feelings - it's just an observation on our part. However this weekend I had a refreshing experience. My oldest daughter, B, was invited to a sleep-over party with a school friend. I didn't know the parents, so made an effort to get to know them and find out about the party before hand. Almost every girl in her 4th grade class was going to this party. Last night, when I took her to the little girl's house, the mothers were almost all around my age. Now, it is true that for most of the parents, their 4th grader was their YOUNGEST child and for us she is our OLDEST, but still, they were all middle-aged moms of a 4th grader. I had a nice time talking to these moms. Not a single one of them was tall, skinny, blonde and said, "like" every other word. Everyone looked a little tired, but happy, and no one looked or acted like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine. It wasn't until I left the house that it dawned on me that we were all about the same age. I don't think about age much and it only caught my attention because it was an unusual situation for me. The mother was aware that we would feel better getting to know her a little. She told us how she planned the evening and assured us the girls would be well supervised. We had things in common, responded to our children in like ways, and needed assurances before we felt free to leave our girls. The parents of my children's friends are good, nice people no matter what their age, but there was something very refreshing about meeting a group of women in the same station of life as I. I mean, it was, like, totally awesome! :-)

My Granddaddy - Thursday Thirteen #3

2007-01-25T05:20:00.000-05:00

Thirteen Things I remember and miss about my Granddaddy. He passed away 20 years ago this past December. I can picture him as clear as a bell. I can hear his voice and laughter. I miss him.

1. His laugh- He seemed to always be ready to enjoy the moment with his robust laughter.

2. His love of family - He seemed genuinely happy to be with all of us and enjoy our time together. He would do anything in the world for us and to help us. I remember one time he had broken ribs. I don't remember how he broke them. I was a teenager. We went to visit him and he was outside grilling. I snuck up on him and grabbed him from behind in a bear hug. He turned around and greeted me with a huge grin and hug. As I turned to walk away, I looked back and he was wincing. Only then did I remember his broken ribs! He hadn't wanted to show me that I had hurt him. He didn't want me to feel bad.

3. His effort to spend time individually with each of us- Granddaddy made an effort to be alone with each of us and give us one-on-one attention. We have a large family, but he always found time make us each feel important, loved, and listened to.

4. His singing - I loved to hear him sing. He sang like he did everything - with energy and full of life.

5. I remember him taking my brother and me across the street to a neighbors pond to fish. I don't know how many times we went - only a few - but I felt very big and very special to be with him.

6. His photography. He loved taking pictures and loved looking at photos. He taught me about centering your subject in the camera lens and making sure the lighting is right.

7. I remember many holidays when we had a stranger (at least to me) at our table. He would have invited someone less fortunate to join our family meal. It was a way of life.

8. He loved the Lord. It showed daily in all he did. He talked the talk AND walked the walk.

9. Pet names. He called me "Penny Lou." (It's a long story. My name is Lyn. My dad called me Lynnie poo. Granddaddy changed it to Penny Lou. Dad later changed it to Penny Loser.) He made up nicknames for all of us.

10. The relationship he had with my dad. It's strange to explain, but it made me happy to know that my Granddaddy and Dad (Granddaddy's son-in-law) had a close, loving relationship. They went to lunch together frequently (at least that's the way I remember it), talked a lot and were friends as well as family. With them both being ministers, I think they were each other's pastor and confidant.

11. I remember going to Michigan with him, Grandmother, my youngest uncle (who is only 5 years older than me), and his girlfriend (who is now my aunt). It was a great trip! We were camping and I can remember Granddaddy wanting us to come in for supper and yelling across the campground for us. We'd hear him and take off running. He'd be standing by the camper watching for us and laughing as we ran to meet him.

12. Going to the beach. Our huge family went together to the beach many years in a row. I don't remember how many years we went before he passed away - not enough. But I can picture him standing in the surf fishing. He was always in the middle of the action.

13. His strength. I always saw my granddaddy as a very physically strong man. I was always aware of his spiritual strength, too. As I've grown older, I've also grown to realize what inner strength he had as well - strong convictions, strong love of family, strong clear values, strong views of right and wrong. He left a strong heritage for me, my brother, and my cousins.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Organizing Earthworms

2007-01-24T18:00:00.000-05:00

There are times that teaching 1st grade is like organizing earthworms. Before you can get them all in order, a couple of them wiggle away. Today was such a day.

In my 7 hours with TWENTY 6-year-olds today,

2 children came in late
2 different students checked out early
3 children visited the clinic
1 child went home sick
1 student had an accident in her pants
2 students had to catch up from being absent yesterday
2 parents dropped by to deliver coats and gloves and wanted to chat with me while they were there
3 students left items on the playground and had to leave class to retrieve them
1 child pulled a tooth causing blood to spill on the desk which caused all kinds of gross reactions from the other students
the same child dropped the tooth causing more distraction while the class helped find it
1 child broke a necklace trying to force it over the other child's head - more cause for the class to hunt and be distracted
the same child cried for a quite a while over the necklace
1 child hit her mouth on the desk while trying to find the necklace - more crying
2 children had runny noses and frequently needed to get up and blow them causing noise and reactions from others
1 child's hamster died last night causing her to cry off and on all day
1 child thought another child took his eraser causing hard feelings and angry stares
1 child lost his ice cream money
1 child didn't get the ice cream he ordered
2 children left for ESOL classes
3 more children left for reading resource help
2 children left for reading enrichment
4 students left for vision/hearing testing
1 child fell on the sidewalk coming back from the bathroom and had to have a bandaid (even though no blood was in sight)
1 child had a cough that sounded like the barking of a very loud seal all day long.

Of course, each child who missed a few minutes of class time had to be "caught up" when they returned.

In between these distractions:

we counted mixed sets of pennies, nickels and dimes,
we made contractions,
we demonstrated force through pushing and pulling,
we illustrated desert life, and
we wrote a "how to" paragraph on brushing teeth.

I don't know for sure how much "education" soaked in today. I DO know for sure that I'm pooped!

Most days, my class runs like a well-oiled machine. Today was NOT one of those days. Today was like organizing earthworms.

Airing my Dirty Laundry

2007-01-15T12:34:00.000-05:00

Intellectually I know that there is more to life than laundry. However, I can't seem to find a way to prove it! In my house, laundry is omnipresent. It doesn't go away and it multiplies faster than rabbits! People talk about losing socks in the dryer. I'd love to lose some! Instead, I think my dryer is a breeding ground for clothing! It's like a clown pulling long strands of handkerchiefs out of his sleeves, as long as I reach into the dirty clothes hampers, the washer or the dryer, there are clothes there! Continuously. Always. Forever and ever.

My mother read a blog in which the writer called the heaps of dirty laundry "Mount Neverrest!" I find that very appropriate. Patricia Heaton, the actress who played Debra on Everybody Loves Raymond, once said, "I don't remember my mother ever playing with me. And she was a perfectly good mother. But she had to do the laundry and clean the house and do the grocery shopping." How sad is that! It's not quite that bad in my house, yet. Although I do wonder what I did before I got married and had 3 children. I don't remember laundry ever being an issue for me when I lived alone. It didn't occupy my thoughts and hang over my head like it does now. However, I don't feel as strongly about it as Laurence J. Peter did. He is quoted as saying, "It's better to have loved and lost than to have to do forty pounds of laundry a week."

Well, the washer and dryer are both running. I think I'll go downstairs and play a quick game of ping pong with the kids.

Hermit Crab Food Sermon

2007-01-14T19:12:00.000-05:00

Each week, our preacher sends a canvas bag home with a child. The child puts something in the bag and the next Sunday, during children's time, the preacher pulls out the item and finds a lesson in it. The children LOVE to have the bag. Our children contemplate and debate for the entire week about what should go in the bag each time they have it.

Today was an interesting lesson. Preacher G gathered all of the children around him in the pulpit area and opened the bag. In it was a jar of hermit crab food. He laughed and asked the little girl if her parents laughed when she decided to put the crab food in the bag. (Some people like to try to "stump the preacher" with their items.) He took a minute to think by asking the girl about her hermit crabs - he seemed to be stalling a little. The stalling was worth the time. I think he ended up making a remarkable lesson out of the hermit crab food.

He took the lid off the jar and asked the kids to smell the food. They were all repulsed and we could hear kids making noises and talking about how "gross" it smelled. Then, Preacher G asked who wanted to taste the crab food. Of course that caused a huge ruckus! No one wanted to taste it and all the children acted thoroughly disgusted! So, Preacher G took it to the next level and asked the congregation if any of them would come taste it. No takers. He insisted that it was food - not people food - but food, so it probably wouldn't hurt them to try it. He reminded them that they really didn't KNOW how it tasted, so why not give it a try. The children were very vocal about refusing to try to the food.

Preacher G then brought out the point that we KNOW some things are bad before we even try them. That's the way it is in life, too. We don't need to try things that we KNOW are bad for us. Listen to your conscience, listen to the teachings of the Bible, listen to your parents, listen to your feelings and don't do things you know are bad for you just for the sake of trying it. Let's experience the good things in life and stay away from the things we know will hurt us. He also talked briefly about peer pressure. Don't give in just because people tell you it's OK or won't hurt you. I hope it soaked in. I hope the children truly heard the lesson. Preacher G certainly thought fast on his feet today!

Saturday Gratitude #3

2007-01-13T18:55:00.000-05:00

I haven't written a post in a few days. I've missed it, but life has just been too hectic lately to find time for it. Which leads me to the first thing that I am very thankful for...

1. E is much better! A 5-year-old boy with a double ear infection AND a stomach virus is pitiful! He has a high tolerance for pain and we had no idea he was sick until 2:30 AM Thursday morning when he came into our bedroom doing everything he could not to throw-up all over our brand new carpet. (His efforts were gallant, but he was not successful. There's one stubborn stain we've yet to get out.) He was one very sick little boy. My very active child was reduced to a heap under the covers that barely moved. He had to stay out of school Thursday and Friday and missed his basketball game today, but he's feeling much better. He's eating and playing. He's even feeling well enough to pester his sisters. Life is back to normal and I'm very thankful that he is on the mend!

2. I am thankful for my SIL whose birthday is today. She married my baby brother and became my sister 16 years ago. She's got spunk, intelligence, a competitive spirit, a loving heart, and a great sense of humor. We've had many fun times on the beach and at family get-togethers. I am thankful that my brother has her for his partner and that my nieces and nephew have her for their mother. Happy birthday, L! I love you!

3. The third thing I am giving thanks to God for today is the return of the two boys kidnapped in Missouri. I sat with tears in my eyes, riveted to the TV screen this morning watching the news conferences of these two families. I can not imagine losing any of my children - not for 4 days like the 13 year-old boy, or for 4 1/5 years like the 15 year-old! I thank God that the police went to that apartment complex to deliver a warrant to someone unrelated to the case. I thank God they noticed the truck! I thank God those boys are home. I pray that they will be able to get the help they need to overcome what they've been through.
Miracles still do happen.

The New Digital Camera and the Fashion Show

2007-01-08T20:25:00.000-05:00

Sunday night the whole family made our weekly pilgrimage to Walmart. We needed 3 items. Only 3. I gave each child an item to remember and truly believed we'd be in and out of the store in 10-15 minutes. Yes, sometimes I dare to dream!

We left Walmart an hour later with a cart full of interesting items. The most interesting item to me is our new digital camera! I'm a scrapbooking girl, and just wasn't sure I'd ever want a digital camera. I like my hard copies. However, I learned that I can take a ton of pictures, email them to Walmart, and pick them up an hour later! How cool is that?! Anyway, we bought a nifty little digital camera that I'm learning to play with. Below you will find the very first pictures taken with our new camera.
This weekend, the girls were in a crafty mood. They made jewelry with bead kits they received from Santa. They made necklaces with clasps, earrings, and bracelets. You can see some samples of their work here.

N also received a Bedazzler for Christmas. She has bedazzled a poncho that her Gram made for her and this denim jacket. Aren't they beautiful?

Also, as I mentioned in another post, the girls painted a jewelry box given to them by a cousin at Christmas. Here's the finished product.

It was a fun weekend. In addition to these crafts, B is learning to use her sewing machine. We've faced several technical difficulties with it, but as soon as she's able to finish a project, we'll post a picture of it. They also used their airbrush tatoos this weekend and sported some fancy body art! Thanks to Turp, Laddie, Raye, Doc, and Boo!

Have you heard of Precocious Puberty?

2007-01-08T04:02:00.000-05:00

It was a new phrase to me a couple of years ago. It is puberty that starts prematurely. In girls, the onset of signs of puberty before the age or 7 or 8 is a concern. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with precocious puberty at the age of 7, and we have had regular doctor's visits with a pediatric endocrinologist every 3 months since then to check her progress. About a year ago, she began monthly Lupron shots to keep puberty at bay. The doctor expects to take her off the shots at age 11 and at that point let puberty take it's natural course. Sometimes precocious puberty can be a symptom of a larger problem. B had to go through an MRI to check her pituitary gland and and ultrasound to check her ovaries. She has no underlying medical problem. Most precocious puberty has no known cause. I wonder how much food preservatives and our diets and environment have to do with more and more children starting puberty early? I haven't been able to find any research backing my theory.

Some symptoms of precocious puberty in girls (Sorry, boys, I haven't researched male precocious puberty much.) are a growth spurt, pubic or underarm hair, acne, body odor, and of course, the onset of menstruation.

To me, one of the main causes for concern about starting puberty early was the emotional stress. Pubety is an emotional time for teenagers - a 7 or 8 year old doesn't have the emotional resources to know how to deal with all the hormone changes. The other main reason we decided to start medication is growth concerns. People generally stop growing after puberty. Therefore, children who experience puberty extremely early, stop growing early and become short adults.

Fire Marshall visits and Severe Weather

2007-01-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

Whew! What a week! We only had a three day week at school, but it was a doozy! The children were fantastic. I love my class! They are such good kids! But as I find often in education, when I've had a rough week, it has nothing to do with teaching or children. It's often all the junk we have to do in addition to the teaching and working with children that makes the day difficult! Most teachers I know became teachers because they love children and wanted to impact kids' lives in a positive way. I wish that were what we were mostly allowed to do. Too often rules, procedures, policies, laws, and other things interfere with teaching and learning.

Warning! Some ranting and raving follows!

This week our school had a visit from the Fire Marshall. This was a pre-visit. It was to inform us of all the ways our school is breaking fire codes BEFORE the real visit. Now, our principal is a real stickler for following rules. We leave our fire doors closed, we don't use extension cords, we don't have appliances in our classrooms, etc. She knows the rules and makes sure we follow them. We didn't think this visit would be a very big deal. Well, to say we were wrong is an understatement! Apparently there are brand-spanking new fire codes, and we are extremely out of compliance! We have 2 weeks to correct our errors before the official visit. (An added pressure is that we've heard that news crews are following the Fire Marshall to document schools who don't meet codes.) Our beautiful elementary school with gorgeous displays in the hall has been turned upside-down. There are two new rules that have flustered us the most. The big one for me is that no more than 20% of a wall can be covered with anything. If you've been in an elementary school lately, you know we post everything! The walls of my suite (trailer classroom) are covered with the alphabet, numbers and number words, our 175 sight words, word family posters, maps, writing stage samples, student work, etc. Probably 90% of my walls are covered. Our bulletin boards themselves cover more than 20% of the walls they are on. The Fire Marshall's response to this was that the fire department didn't put up the bulletin boards. Don't post things on them. So, I (along with every other teacher in our school) spent Friday morning hastily trying to remove 70% of the items we had posted on our walls - both inside our classrooms and outside as hallway displays. We had to take the cloth of the bulletin boards - that's what most of us use as backgrounds to our displays. So, the entire bulletin boards have to be taken down and put back up with NO background - just the beautiful, brown cork-board. I'm in the process of trying to make reference notebooks the kids can use to find our sight words or word families or punctuation marks instead of looking at posters on the walls. These are first graders - they are not yet highly efficient at using reference materials. We are working on these notebooks, clearing our rooms, and completely reorganizing our classrooms and materials while teaching and working with children.

The second rule that really frustrated us all is that there can be NOTHING posted within 5 feet of every doorway! That rule is for people in the building. In the trailers, we have to have a 10 feet clearance. 10 feet! Barely 10 feet of trailer space even exists inside the doorways! I understand they are trying to keep our school safe. I understand they have a job to do. I appreciate the fact that they "have our best interests" in mind. But, boy it makes for a tough job to comply with these rules and still be able to have needed materials to teach a class!

The other interesting thing that happened this week was beyond everyone's control. We had severe weather predicted on Friday. Tornadoes touched down in a couple of counties near us. So, all the trailer classrooms were brought into the building. This needed to be done. I know that and do not in any way object to that. I was in the middle of disassembling my classroom while my students were working on group projects at 10:30 when our principal dropped by our 30 or so trailers to tell each of us to "pack up for the day and come in the building." We had to gather everything we'd need for 20 students for the remainder of the day and come inside. I don't know about you, but I can't carry that much stuff. No one would be allowed back in the suites. We had classes meeting in the halls, the lobby, computer labs, 2 classes per classroom, etc. Another class and mine occupied a resource classroom. The other class had a substitute that spoke rough English. It made for an interesting day. It was fine, the kids handled the situation well, but we weren't able to accomplish what we needed to accomplish academically because we didn't have the supplies and books we needed. And, I kept thinking about the colossal mess I'd left my classroom in while trying to clear the walls. All in all the day went fine. We survived. We learned - even though we didn't learn the things outlined in my lesson plans, we still did some worthwhile activities.

There are no worries, though. Our principal graciously (Please note the sound of sarcasm in my voice.) offered to open the building Saturday - and every Saturday this month so that we can we can re-do our classrooms. I appreciate the opportunity to work six days a week this month. I can feel the released tension from the Christmas break quickly returning to my neck and shoulders. I bought a brand new bottle of Excedrin Tension Headache relief after I left my classroom Saturday afternoon. I have my one day today to relax, and with Excedrin bottle in hand, I shall return to work tomorrow for a full 6- day week. June's coming. :-)

I thank the Lord for my good class. They are why I can return to work tomorrow.

Saturday Gratitude - 2nd Edition

2007-01-06T14:01:00.000-05:00

Last week I started a habit of "counting my blessings" at least once a week. Some of these blessings are very serious, some a little silly, and some may seem trivial. However, they are all things for which I am truly grateful!

1. This season I've been very thankful for Georgia weather! I love being able to wear short sleeves in the winter! I am not a fan of snow and ice. I don't mind it once a year - if it vanishes fairly quickly- so that the kids have a day to play in snow. But as a general rule, I much prefer our warm weather. On Christmas Eve we went to my SIL's house and the kids played outside, without coats, all evening! If the truth be known, some of that time they were barefoot, as well. It was a beautiful night! Yesterday, January 5, I went to school in capris, Crocs, and a short sleeve shirt. I love not being weighed down with and not having the hassle of many clothing layers, jackets, coats, scarves, gloves, etc. Great weather may sound trite, but it's definitely a blessing!

2. A rare Saturday with few plans! Today I am very thankful for a day at home to catch up on laundry, housework and some much needed organizational tasks. While we're talking about that...

3. Washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, ovens, vacuum cleaners and other modern appliances! When I'm overwhelmed with housework, I often think about how long it would have taken me to accomplish my tasks years ago before these appliances were available or as efficient as they are now. Now, I can write a post while the washing machine, dryer, oven, and dishwasher are all running! Now, if I could just get that vacuum cleaner to run by itself...

4. Email and blogs! I love being able to keep up with family and friends via computer at any time of day or night. I have 3 friends with CaringBridge sites right now. I love being able to check on their progress often and hear updates quickly. Also, most of my family have email addresses and write fairly often. I love instantly being able to feel like I'm in touch with family and hear what's going on in their lives!

5. My extended family! I have a humongous family that I've mentioned in other posts. I am thankful for them in many ways, but today I'm thinking about their influence. I appreciate the positive influence my grandparents, aunts and uncles had on my life. Now, it has extended to my children. I am so thankful that my children have the positive, Christian influence of my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins to show them family values. Right now, my children are on the deck outside painting a jewelry box that was given to them as a Christmas present from my cousin Haley. As they've been working, they've talked about Christmas and family and memories. What fun! Thanks, Haley!

Seek God

2007-01-05T17:26:00.000-05:00

My friend sent this to me in an email this afternoon. I've heard it before, but it's nice to be reminded. The phrases are simply written, but are words of wisdom for every stage and place in life.

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
In happy moments, praise God.
In difficult moments, seek God.
In quiet moments, worship God.
In painful moments, trust God.
In every moment, thank God.

Sounds I Love

2007-01-03T20:05:00.000-05:00

Thirteen sounds I love to hear2nd Edition

1. Any one of my three children singing. It is undeniably the most beautiful sound on earth to me!
2. Running water. No, not from a leaky faucet, but from a creek or river. The sound is an immediate stress-buster!
3. Waves on the ocean. I could sit on the beach and listen to the waves for hours. There is something very soothing about the rhythm. We go to the beach every summer. This past summer there were more shells on the shore than I have ever seen. The sound of the waves receding across those thousands of tiny shells was beautiful and unique. It sounded almost like bells softly ringing.

4. My husband singing The Lord's Prayer or Oh Holy Night. He has a gorgeous tenor voice that I haven't heard in much too long.

5. A hand bell choir. I played in a hand bell choir for a couple of years. The tones are so fresh and clear. It is beautiful music.
6. Piano music played by a skilled musician. To me, it's the most beautiful instrument. We had only piano music for accompaniment, no organ, in our wedding.

7. Silence. Being a 1st grade teacher and spending each day with 20 6-year-olds and then coming home to 3 young ones, silence is something I rarely have. It is extremely renewing and refreshing to have very quiet time when I can "hear myself think." When I am up alone during the night or first thing in the morning, the silence is stunning and calming.

8. B's "belly laugh." B is my most serious child. She's a little stingy with her laugh, but when she is really amused by something, her laugh is contagious. It comes from deep within her and only comes when she is genuinely, completely happy. I love it!

9. Newborn baby gurgling and cooing sounds. Those sounds were music to my ears when my kids were babies. After a very difficult pregnancy and birth of my first child, I awoke from an emergency C-section to hear my daughter in the bassinet making little sounds. I listened to them all night. The perfect sounds of sweetness, innocence and purity.

10. The 3:15 bell at work that means it's time to go! I enjoy my job and love the kids I work with, but that 3:15 bell brings a wave of relief. One job done for the day, and time to move to the home job. At least laundry, homework, and housework can be done in a less regimented schedule.

11. The crackling of leaves under my feet when taking a walk in the Fall.
12. Gentle rain falling on the roof as I go to sleep. That's universally a favorite sound, isn't it? When I was in college, I lived in a dorm. One year my room was above the laundry room and the laundry room window had a tin awning above it. When it rained at night, the sound of the rain hitting that tin would lull me to sleep.
13. Nature. Sitting outside in the country at night or early morning while the world awakens is renewing - frogs, crickets, birds, horses, etc. We have a farm house in the country that RJ and his brother and brother-in-law are remodeling. We don't visit it often, but when we do it's relaxing to sit on the porch in the fresh country air and let the hassles from the day be washed away.

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I Am a Teacher

2007-01-02T17:37:00.000-05:00

I started back to work with a planning day today. I enjoy my job, but even with no children there I couldn't get everything accomplished. I had 26 items on my to-do list and only completed 12 of those. I worked hard, but there were just not enough hours in the day. So, I prioritized my list and finished everything I needed to do for tomorrow and started working on things for Thursday. I'll get Friday taken care of in the next two days. My plans are complete, I just have to prepare a lot of materials for my first graders. During one of my meetings today, we were given this essay to read to illustrate the need for prior knowledge when comprehending reading. I won't go into the lesson we were supposed to have gained from the piece. What I noticed is that in this field where test scores are so vital and focused on so tremendously (We'd had a stressful meeting about test results BEFORE this reading comprehension meeting.), not much in this piece about being a teacher is very academic. Being a teacher is many things. It's much more than reading, writing and arithmetic. I loved this and thought the teachers in the family might enjoy it too.

I Am a Teacher

Done, P. (2005). 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny, pp. 1-4. NY: Simon and Schuster.

I read Charlotte's Web and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory every year, and every year when Charlie finds the golden ticket and Charlotte dies, I cry.

I take slivers out of fingers and bad sports out of steal the bacon. I know when a child has gum in his mouth even when he is not chewing. I have sung "Happy Birthday" 657 times.

I hand over scissors with the handles up. My copies of The Velveteen Rabbit and Treasure Island are falling apart. I can listen to one child talk about his birthday party and another talk about her sleepover and another talk about getting his stomach pumped last night - all at the same time.

I fix staplers that won't staple and zippers that won't zip, and I poke pins in the orange caps of glue bottles that will not pour. I hand out papers and pencils and stickers and envelopes for newly pulled teeth. I know the difference between Austria and Australia.

I plan lessons while showering, driving, eating, and sleeping. I know what time it is when the big hand is on the twelve and the little hand is on the nine. I say the r in library. I do no say the w in sword.

I put on band-aids and winter coats and school plays. I know they will not understand the difference between your and you're. I know they will write to when it should be too. I say, "Cover you mouth," after they have coughed on me.

I am a teacher.

I examine new braces and new blisters and holes in mouths where teeth have just fallen out. I can spell vacuum. I know the magic word.

I wear four-leaf clovers and dandelions in my pockets that have just been picked with love at recess. I pray for snow days.

I spend Thanksgiving vacation writing report cards, Christmas vacation cleaning my classroom, and summer vacation taking classes on how to relax. I know the difference between a comma and an apostrophe. I can say apostrophe.

I buy books about cats and dogs and sharks and volcanoes and horses and dinosaurs. I turn jump ropes and am base in tag. I am glad you can only get chicken pox once.

I correct pencil grips and spelling mistakes and bad manners. I push chairs all the way, push swings higher, and push sleeves up while children are painting. I can touch the paper cutter.

I have every teacher mug Hallmark ever made. I say, "Use two hands!" when they carry their lunch trays. I say, "Accidents happen," after they did not use two hands.

I wear green on St. Patrick's Day, red on Valentine's Day, and my bathrobe on pajama day. I poke straws into juice boxes and untwist thermos lids that are too tight. I unpeel oranges that are too tight, too.

I sign library passes and yearbooks and new casts. I attend soccer games and Little League championships and funerals for guinea pigs.

I am a teacher.

I hope April Fool's Day is on a Saturday. I blow up balloons that will not blow up. I always blow the whistle too early at recess.

I can borrow and carry very fast. I give them more time to answer six times eight than two times three. I never end a sentence with a preposition. I know what a preposition is.

I draw stars and smiley faces. I know when to say "can" and when to say "may." I have worn green marker, red paint, yellow chalk dust, glue stick, and glitter all on the same day. I hate glitter.

I always begin a sentence with a capital and end it with a period. I always walk in line.

I leave "shuger" and "vilets" misspelled on their valentines. I know all my continents and my oceans. I tape pages back into books. I can find the end of the new roll of Scotch tape. I call on children whose hands are not raised.

I know that colonel is a really hard word to read, and so is doubt and so is gauge. I know that kids will read started, when it says stared. I have spelled out because and beautiful and friend six million times.

I am a teacher.

I look both ways before crossing the street. I save balls stuck in basketball hoops. I have given 842 spelling tests and have written, "Have a good summer!" that many times, too.

I collect milk boxes and coffee cans and egg cartons. I know all my times tables. I can type without looking. I know that two pretzels do not equal one Hershey's kiss.

I can make a telescope out of a toilet paper roll and a totem pole out of oatmeal boxes. I can make snowflakes out of coffee filters and a space shuttle out of a Pringles can, too.

I know my notes because "Every Good Boy Does Fine." I know my directions because I "Never Eat Slimy Worms." And I can only say my ABCs if I sing them.

I fix watchbands, repair eyeglasses, and search for lost milk money after freeze tag. I know when their fists will make a rock and when they will make scissors.

I know when a child does not understand. I know when a child is not telling the truth. I know when a child was up too late last night. I know when a child needs help finding a friend.

I am a teacher.

Game Day

2007-01-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we attended our niece's first birthday party. She is beautiful and full of personality and seemed to have a lot of fun at her party! While we were there, someone said, "Happy New Year's Eve," to my 5-year-old. He seemed genuinely confused when he answered, "I thought it was Game Day." My kids get very excited about staying up late and playing games on New Year's Eve. We're generally pretty strict about bed time, and staying up until 9:00 PM is a big deal at our house. So staying up "all night" is monumental!

We had a lot of fun together, and for the first time all three children made it to midnight! We made some snacks and played lots of board games. My grandmother had given the children games for Christmas, and Santa had also brought a couple of games, so we had many choices. We played Cadoo, Dominoes, Kerplunk, and Charades. Then we had a Monopoly marathon! B was the winner with hotels on her property that ran the rest of us to bankruptcy. A good time was had by all.

To make the evening even better, E lost his second tooth. He insists on pulling his own teeth out. He showed us how loose it was, went into the bathroom and came out triumphantly with a tiny white tooth in his hand. His first visitor of 2007 was the Tooth Fairy!

We ended the night by watching the newscast of the ball dropping in New York. Of course, the kids covered their eyes and groaned with disgust as the people on TV kissed at midnight! Gross!

2006 was a hard year for us as a family with the illness and death of RJ's father right after the long illness and death of his mother. But, there were some good times too, like the birth of our niece whose birthday we celebrated yesterday. We look forward to 2007 and the many adventures, challenges, and good times it has to offer. It will be a great year!

Happy 2007 to you!

Saturday Gratitude - 1st Edition

2006-12-30T18:25:00.000-05:00

I believe the old saying that it is easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting. Positive thinking is powerful in our daily lives. It's with this thought in mind that I want to take time each week to think about the many things in my life for which I am thankful. I want to set aside Saturday as a time to count some of my many blessings.

This season has reinforced to me how very fortunate I am for my family.
1. I am thankful for my husband who is supportive of me and my wants and needs. He goes with the flow and is comfortable and happy with my huge family and big get-togethers. I'm thankful he doesn't just put up with all of us, but enjoys it and participates.

2. I am thankful for my 3 children who absolutely wear me out, but bring me more joy than I ever knew was possible. My life has changed drastically in the last nine years with the births of these 3 unique little people. I've never been more exhausted and I've never been happier or laughed as much! They are the light of my life!

3. I am thankful for parents who drove 2 hours to my house today and 2 hours back home just to see what Santa brought my children. Not because my parents are that anxious to see things they've already had described to them on the phone. But because it's important to my children that they see the toys and my children are important to my parents. My dad once drove 1 1/2 hours to get to my oldest daughter's pre-K graduation. I told him that I hated for him to drive that far for a 15 minute ceremony. His response was, "That's not the point. The point is for B to know how very important she is to me." That was the point to them today. I'm thankful for that love.

4. I'm thankful for my brother and sister-in-law who opened their home for us to stay in over Christmas. I'm thankful they let their youngest come back with us and spend a couple of days. The girls had a blast and built bonds that will last forever.

5. I am thankful that the Christmas season gives us time to get together and spend good, quality time with each other. I am happy that Christmas makes the world slow down and make time for family.

Family quotes

2006-12-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Thirteen quotes from my family

First edition

I'm new at this and can't quite figure out how this html code works. Here are all the parts, but maybe not in the correct order. Hopefully, I'll master it before next Thursday.

My family is unique and I love each of them. These are quotes that were/are frequently used by some of my family members. Each quote is unique (as far as I know) to the person that uses/used it and struck a chord with me.

1. "Don't tell me what to do" is something my dad would jokingly say to amuse my brother and me when someone told him to have a good day. He obviously didn't say it loud enough that the person who wished him a good day could hear it. :-)
2. "Read the directions. It makes Christmas last twice as long" is a quote from my Uncle G. When I was young, my family spent some wonderful Christmases with my aunt and uncle and their 2 children who were about the same age as my brother and me. This was his answer when we'd ask how to play a new game. He was right, it did make Christmas last longer and was educational too.
3. "Eat to live. Don't live to eat" is something my mother says when we were craving something unhealthy to encourage us all to eat more correctly. Food for thought.
4. "No one is wise enough or good enough to raise children" is from my grandmother noting how difficult it is to be a parent. It is encouragement and seems to imply that everyone struggles with this. No one can do it perfectly. It's an incredibly important job, there's no hand book, and we must do the best we can.
5. "Life is hard. Be nice to each other" sounds very simplistic but has valuable meaning. This is a quote from my grandmother and was meant to remind us that we don't always know what other people are facing. We should assume the best of people and give them the benefit of the doubt.
6. "I despise to cook" was our dinner bell and means come and eat. My mom would yell these words as she separated the parts of the meal we would eat from the parts of the meal that were burned and would be thrown away. This has become a joke in our family and really didn't happen as often as we all make it seem like it did. Mom's a good sport about it. :-)
7. "SB and WP." This was personalized just for me from my Aunt J and Uncle G. It meant "shoulders back and walk with pride." It was to remind me to not slump and walk with confidence. I appreciate the lesson.
8. "As long as I have a dime. You're not broke." I don't know if my Granddaddy really ever said this more than once to me, but once was enough. He told me this when I was an older teenager and the depth of the comment was very meaningful to me. It meant that he'd give me all he had, and he would have done that for any one of us at any time we needed him. He was a very giving, loving person and I miss him dearly.
9. "Sometimes the things you don't do wear you out more than the things you do." The older I get the truer this phrase spoken by my grandmother becomes. It's the things I worry about and dread doing that wear me out. If I'll just dig in and get it done, it's not nearly as tiring. I need to remember this lesson today as I dread taking down all of my Christmas decorations.
10. "Let me get a picture with my oldest and my youngest," is a phrase I heard many times from my granddaddy. He was an excellent photographer, and I am his oldest grandchild. Every time there was a new grandchild (and there are many), he would get a picture of the oldest (always me) and the youngest (always someone different). I loved it.
11. "Why don't you marry it?" a phrase from my brother successfully meant to irritate me. When we were children he'd say (in a sing-songy, high pitched tone) this every time I'd say I loved something. You have to picture it. Me, "Oh, I love these mashed potatoes." Him, "Why don't you marry them?" I bet you all can hear it. :-)
12. "He has no plan B," is a quote that cracks me up. My brother has a unique way to express things. This is his phrase for a person who can't break from the original plan or idea. The person with no plan B can't modify or adjust in any way.
13. "I wish I could buy him for what he's worth and sell him for what he thinks he's worth," is from my dad. It's self-explanatory and I'm sure it was NEVER spoken about any of our family members.

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Family Ties

2006-12-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like family! We've had a wonderful Christmas! We've shared a lot of time with family this week and have enjoyed every minute of it!

We spent Christmas Eve with RJ's sister and her family and brother and his family. This was a tough Christmas. My dear hubby lost both of his parents after long illnesses within a year of each other. This was our first Christmas without either of them. It's excruciatingly painful to celebrate such a wonderful occasion without the people who helped make the celebration so special for so many years. Many things changed and didn't "seem right," but many traditions stayed the same in new ways. We still gathered on Christmas Eve, but not in the same house we'd always gathered. We still celebrated family and being together, but with the screaming absence of 2 people we all deeply loved. We still brought food and enjoyed a wonderful meal together, but without his mother's experienced, home cooked touch. We're still family - with the same values, same history, and same love. We hurt, but celebrate together and will heal together very aware that time spent together is precious. Family is a wonderfully comforting and supportive gift from God!

Christmas morning was a tornado of activity with our three children. We had a great time opening presents, discovering what Santa brought, preparing and eating breakfast, and playing with new toys together. It was a time of excited activity! Family is a wonderfully fun and thrilling gift from God!

Christmas afternoon we arrived at my parents' house to spend time with them and my brother and his family. We opened presents again, had a wonderful meal together, played games, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. There are always many jokes and laughter with my family, many discussions and lot of kids' activity. Our time together is always comfortable and familiar. Family is a wonderfully loving and relaxing gift from God!

Tuesday we went to my Grandmother's house to celebrate with our extended family. My mother is one of 7 children and all 7 were at my grandmother's house with their families. In attendance were my grandmother, her 7 children, 6 of her children-in-law, 13 grandchildren, 4 grandchildren-in-law, 13 great-grandchildren, and 1 good friend. We had hours of loud, boisterous fun, times of in-depth conversation, and times of sharing stories and memories! Opening exchange presents with that many people in one room is a hoot! We had people ranging in age from 84 to 3 years old! No arguments, no disagreements, lots of laughter, lots of fun, lots of interaction! I love to see the small groups of people talking or playing change and revolve to different groups building bonds and memories. Family is a wonderfully secure and traditional gift from God!

Today we're back home with one of my brother's wonderful kids. I'm listening to sounds of four of the children I love most in this world laughing, playing and having fun together. This time is priceless beyond words. I thank God for my family.

Gotta Love It!

2006-12-25T21:45:00.000-05:00

There are so many wonderful things to do with children this time of year! We had fun decorating, shopping for gifts, wrapping presents, going to see holiday lights, making gifts, making reindeer food, participating in Christmas programs and cantatas at church, and visiting with family! My children are perfect ages for celebrating and having fun with the anticipation of the season. Last Saturday, we went with my parents to Blue Ridge, Georgia and took a train ride with Santa. While we traveled from Blue Ridge to the Tennessee border, we sang Christmas songs, heard a Christmas story, played some games and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. At the end of the ride Santa, Mrs. Claus, and two elves arrived to talk to each child, give us all bells and candy canes, and allow us to take pictures. We had a lot of fun.

One of our Christmas traditions is to bake cookies for Santa, of course. Every year we make Peanut Butter Kisses and Buckeyes. Both are good recipes for kids. They love rolling the dough into balls, rolling the balls in the sugar or dipping them in chocolate, and putting the kisses on the cookies. They are good recipes for this mother because they only have 3 ingredients each and a couple of simple steps to the recipes. So, for my family Peanut Butter Kisses and Buckeyes are a win-win situation. This year, we tried a new cookie with a surprise middle. I got this recipe from watching Paula Dean make it on the Food Network. They are delicious, but HUGE! You can't eat more than one of these at one sitting! I'll post the recipes for all three cookies below.

Peanut Butter Kisses

1 C creamy or chunky peanut butter

1 C packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until blended. Roll heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Roll in a bowl of sugar. Bake for 12 minutes or until set. Place unwrapped Hershy's Kiss on top of cookie and let set.

Buckeyes

1 stick butter

18 ounces creamy peanut butter

1 pound box confectioners sugar

Cream together butter and peanut butter. Add confectioners sugar. Roll into balls. Dip into melted chocolate. Place on wax paper.

Paula Dean's Hidden Mint Cookies

18-ounce roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough, sliced 1/2 inch thin

14-ounce package chocolate mint wafers (or any bit-sized candy or cookie)

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon chopped pecans or walnuts

Place slices or sugar cookies on greased cookie sheet about 2-3 inches apart. Top each with a chocolate wafer. Cover wafer with another slice of cookie dough. Brush dough with a beaten egg. Press nuts into top of dough. Bake for about 10 minutes.

Wham! Bam! Thank you, Ma'am!

2006-12-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

I bought the first gifts for this Christmas on December 29, 2005. I have searched for the perfect gifts all year, found clever hiding places (so clever that I actually couldn't find 2 presents), hand-picked specialty items for each of my three children, listed each item, color-coded my list (Yes, I can be quite obsessive- compulsive at times.), and checked the list many times to make sure the lists were as equal as possible monetarily, in number, and in looks. I have worked for 12 months for this day, and I have enjoyed every minute of it! In 1 hour and 10 minutes all presents have been opened! Twelve MONTHS of secretive plotting, planning and hiding - and 70 MINUTES to unwrap all the surprises. Was it worth it! Absolutely! There is nothing like the excited faces of children as they discover what Santa brought and as they open their gifts! As I am typing now, I can hear the children playing, talking, and laughing and still discovering things amid the colorful wrapping paper, tissue paper and empty boxes. They are having a blast! What a whirlwind! I wouldn't trade this morning for anything in this world!

Merry Christmas Adam!

2006-12-23T17:49:00.000-05:00

I stole that phrase from our preacher. He said that when his son was young, he figured that the day before Christmas Eve must be Christmas Adam since Adam was created first. So, merry Christmas Adam to all of you!

I hope you all have had a very good day. I've been to the grocery store twice today and it was a much happier experience at 8:00 this morning than it was at 5:30 this afternoon! Thank goodness I only needed one item for the 5:30 trip! I have "cooked" most of the day today. This is not something I do frequently nor something that I enjoy very often. I say "cooked" because even though I've made 4 side dishes to go with our Christmas Eve meal tomorrow, I've only turned on the oven once. The one dish I tried to "cook"was a disaster! Ovens and I don't always get along. However the spirit of Christmas overtook me, and in fear and trembling I preheated the oven and prepared to make a caramel cake.

Only love for my hubby, RJ, could persuade me to try such an ambitious cooking adventure. My husband's mom was an absolutely fantastic cook. With no recipe, not much measuring, seemingly no stress, and a smile on her face she could turn out an all-out feast! She was known for many wonderful dishes. The other day RJ mentioned in passing that he would love to taste his mom's caramel or coconut cake again. His mom passed away April 1, 2005. This will be our second Christmas without her and it's no easier than the first one was.

I have never made a cake from scratch. Never. I like boxes and kits. I like easy. I knew I would never be able to make a cake just like his mother's but thought I might be able to come close. So, with the help of both of my grandmothers - my Grandmother's cake recipe and my Mamaw's caramel frosting recipe - I attempted to bake a caramel cake. With the help of my 5 year old son, I made 3 beautiful round layers of cake and a pot of yummy caramel frosting. They LOOKED wonderful in separate pans on the kitchen counter. They TASTED yummy in separate pans. However chemistry must have taken over when I tried to combine the cakes and the frosting. I never did understand science. When I tried to put the cakes with the frosting, the entire thing crumbled right before my very eyes! The first cake did not come out of the pan nicely. I had to get rough with it and show it who was boss. I really didn't think it would be a problem. After all, it was on the bottom. It came out of the pan in several pieces, but I glued it back together with frosting. The second layer came out a little better, but still took some coercing. So, with more frosting patching I reached for the 3rd layer. The third layer came out of the pan the best - only in three separate pieces. By the time I patched those, I was running short on frosting. I poured (actually "raked it out of the pan" is more accurate since it was getting a little stiff) the remaining frosting on top on the cake and tried to spread (the nice way to say, "forcibly smear") it on the cake. As I did, the whole left side of the cake began to crumble and fall to the counter. It was somewhat like I picture an avalanche would be, but warmer. It's a sad little mountainish heap on a beautiful crystal cake pedestal. RJ was very gracious and went on and on about how wonderful it tasted. We have all eaten a piece of what we've been able to uncover of the first layer. It does taste good, but it takes a brave person to put something that looks so pitiful in his/her mouth! Maybe another holiday will fill me with the false hope that I can bake a cake and I might try it again someday. But on this Christmas Adam day, I am very thankful for bakeries.

Blogging Inspiration

2006-12-22T20:21:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my first post, many of my family members are bloggers. I thoroughly enjoy reading their blogs and feel that I know them better because of them. My grandmother, of Ruthlace, started blogging a year or so ago, and her blog was recently nominated for the "Best Diarist" award. Her blog is fascinating to read. She tells of many of her childhood memories growing up during the Depression and of her early years of marriage during WWII. As her grandchild, I love being able to step back in time and learn about her life, thoughts, and history from her own words. What a great gift to me and all of her grandchildren and great- grandchildren to have these descriptions of our heritage! Being able to read about my grandparents' lives, beliefs, and values is priceless to me! She is one of my main inspirations to write a blog. I want to write about experiences my children will one day enjoy remembering and reading.

My mother, of Daddy's Roses, is another inspiration for my blogging interest. Her personality and interests in words, word play, and language come through in her posts. She writes about our family and experiences. I feel very fortunate to have these written stories for years to come.

I view my blog as a journal - a written record - of our lives and my thoughts to share with my family. I want my children to have a written record of their lives through my eyes.

Experimental 1st post

2006-12-22T14:27:00.000-05:00

I am always telling my first grade students that if they can't think of anything to write about during writers' workshop they should write about how they can't think of anything to write. My theory is that if they plunge in and begin writing, it will help them think. It's with that thought in mind that I'm writing this first post. I'm not sure about many aspects of blogs. It goes against my cautious nature to begin something before I know all the ins and outs of it. Many of my family members have blogs and I thoroughly enjoy reading them, but I don't know many of the logistics of managing a blog. My mom, of Daddy's Roses, has offered to walk me through this process. So, this first post is experimental. I'm jumping into the blogosphere without full knowledge of how far I'll travel or how I'll get there. I am taking this first step because I like to write and enjoy expressing myself through writing. I'm looking forward to writing about some of my thoughts, ideas, and experiences here. I am looking forward to this journey.