read

pack up the clutter! I'm moving :)

2011-05-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

time for a fresh start
i'm moving
i'll post a link as soon as i'm settled :)

pardon my clutter

2011-03-30T15:33:00.001-07:00

this blog is in a re-design process

please return soon

christmas came early

2010-12-12T17:47:00.000-08:00

i WILL post a photo of this. soon. i promise. let me just say a big, huge, jumbo THANK YOU to my dear friend heather. (you can find her blog over on the right sidebar... the finicky frog)

heather and her girlies just delivered a kitchen aid stand mixer right into my dining room. wow-e-wow! how can you top that?

thank you heather and daughters 100 times over. guess i better get mixin' and bakin' and send some goodies your way.

a very long engagement

2010-11-27T06:45:00.000-08:00

17 years my friends. feels like 17 minutes.

engaged to the love of my life.

(yes, we're married)

yet we still acknowledge and celebrate the date of our engagement

best friend

encourager

he gave me the gift of education (see nanny mcphee)

every day he asks me to be be the best self i can, and he leads by example

he won't like this post, and yet i could write more.

he doesn't toot his own horn, and shies away from anyone tooting for him

Dear Daniel,

you are the best friend/husband i could ever hope to have.

thank you for you love.

This Our Hymn of Grateful Praise

2010-11-27T05:38:00.000-08:00

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Lord of all to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

(Folliot S. Pierpoint)

the house is clean

the air smells of turkey and pumpkin pie

and someone's exotic perfume :)

two little men run around just as their daddies did (a long time ago) but with shorter hair (long story)

one little prince can say his abcs, the other can pass a football better than some thrice, no quintuple his age

our grandparents who raised us are now gone from our table; we would set a place for them, but space doesn't allow. and that is good, for my table is full of siblings. the siblings in whose home i was not raised. pieced together, patched together, one phone call, FB message, and txt msg. at a time. and the babies. little 2 year old princes who are a perfect blend of the daddies and mommies and the grandparents. tiny men who grow stronger and smarter every day.

sifting through the memories, gleaning warmth and love's embrace from the past-- choosing which to perpetuate (someone must learn to make THE CANDY) we have the stuffing and fixins under control, and my husband's turkey is better than (bacon makes everything better)

we'll keep up the joke of the NO FUN HOUSE, but really we can have some fun. we'll play wii at Christmas and maybe there will be stockings; each one bursting with one apple, one orange, one Hershey bar, and maybe a chapstick

how many Buckeyes must one eat to fill the pit in your stomach, the ache of missing Oscar and Lorene so much? why does it hurt more today than last month? last year?

how much love can we lavish on each other to match what those two dear people gave us?

what should we do each day to carry on their legacy? the hole they left is in the shape of ladylike manners and Boy Scout camp expert... working hard for every dime, saving, sharing, and even sometimes splurging. if it costs too much and it's made of plastic, built it yourself, make it better and nicer! you get what you pay for. take care of what you have. be kind to God's creatures. Don't spend all your money in one place. Don't use too much toilet paper!

Visit the shut-ins. share what you have with those who don't. Don't be greedy. Teach Sunday School. Take your turn at VBS and the nursery. Wear an underslip. There is no need to show cleavage. Don't talk with food in your mouth. Conserve your paper plates. Read your Bible. Send a get-well card. Send a sympathy card. Keep your car's gas tank FULL.

Keep your heart thankful every day.

An Introduction to Project-Based Learning | Edutopia

2010-11-16T14:43:00.000-08:00

An Introduction to Project-Based Learning | Edutopia

take a look at this video :)

studying

2010-11-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am keeping my promise to myself and my future students to be a lifelong learner. My latest venture is to train myself in the Kristina Smekens/Dr. Maureen Scane Writer's Workshop method also known as 6-Traits. A few of the teachers in our building have had the opportunity to participate in the actual workshops, and one wonderful lady has loaned me her materials! I am thrilled to have the chance to improve my knowledge and skills in writing so that I may be a better facilitator in the classroom.

I don't want to infringe upon any copyrights, so I won't be posting any PDFs or downloads. You can google Kristina Smekens, or go to her website if you want details.

Moving on....

I have made a commitment to abstain from complaining for the month of November. As day 1 draws to a close, I must confess that while I've kept my oath (no verbal complaints) outwardly, the little nagging voice in my head has been chitter-chattering nonstop. When will she tire?

Recently pulled from the shelves...

Chris Van Allsburg books

Just a Dream

The Garden of Abdul Gasazi

My Evil Plot

2010-10-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

An Evil Plot and Some Gratitude

So, ok now...

It's been about a month since I last posted. You know that. What you may not know is that my Evil Plot has come to fruition: create a blog, entice some followers, then ditch the whole dang thing. Check, check, and check!

Maybe I need a theme. Maybe I imagine myself to be a lot funnier than I actually am. Could it be that once I roll thoughts around in my skull enough times, that is enough and I really don't need to share my opinions with all of the blogosphere? Possibly.

While I chew on some options for the future of this blog, I'll leave you with a brief list of gratitude. Wonderful things, people, and events for which I am truly thankful.

1. my dear husband and the selfless way he made my "birthday weekend" very special

2. the privilege of attending a memorial service of a Godly man whose "Life was well-lived, and his family was well-loved"

3. great dinner out at New India. yum yum yum (including non-complaining children)

4. positive class time with students who were genuinely excited and engaged in our reading activity

uglies

2010-09-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

i have the uglies. my 10 year old has good uglies, as in ugly dolls. she stitches them by hand. she painstakingly draws, cuts, stitches, and stuffs her little friends. (photos soon, i promise)

back to my uglies. mine are bad. mine are jealousy, discontent, and impatience. you don't want photos of my critters. S C A R Y, i tell you. i need to get rid of these nasties. maybe i could sell them on ebay or craigslist. people get lots of icky stuff on craigslist. grr. chomp chomp.

just a few things

2010-08-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

Today we traveled to Auburn for our nephew's 2nd birthday celebration. If you ask him to tell you his name, he says "two". This kid is a hoot. He can pitch a baseball better than most 6 year olds. He won't be needing the tee in tee-ball. Probably his mom and dad should get him on a team. tomorrow.

Our other nephew will be turning 2 in a couple of weeks. He loves Buzz and Woody. His mom and I had an interesting dialogue about how we would never have matched up the 22 inch stuffed Woody doll to play with the hard plastic Buzz sized 6 inches smaller. They just don't go. But, they do.

We have kids who are much older than the sweet little nephews. 12 going on 45 and 9 almost 21. You know how that works, right? That's not to say that our munchkins aren't sweet. They are. We just have to be more intentional about noticing the sweetness. And praise it, and pray for more.

Lest you be misled into thinking we are young, I should disclose the fact that we have 2 adult nephews and they each have a wife and 2 kids. These things happen when your husband's mother has 5 kids all spread out and the oldest gets married and has offspring while the baby (my husband) is still in elementary school. This is normal, I am sure of it. And the nephews (nearly aged 30) relish every opportunity to say "Brant, tell Great-Aunt Layla thank you for the (whatever)" Nice.

My brain is all tangled in knots tonight, so let me just make a little list of where we've been and what we've done.

Friday and Saturday : our yearly journey to the Windy City

hotness freaking hotness! our dear old Honda wagon has given up on even trying to keep us cool, so we made the entire trip with the windows down.

good trip

great memories

2 hour tour on double-decker boat down the chicago river and out into lake michigan

rain on the boat

drunken stupidity on the boat (not us, we don't need beer for that)

lovely skyline

trek back into the city when we could have been driving home

wonderful husband hunts down a cupcake bakery for me YUM

Wow-E-Wow! $4 cupcake

stop at super-target

discovered a new neighborhood to investigate: Lincoln Park

trying to convince husband we should do a 1 month house swap with some nice unsuspecting family in Lincoln Park

Smoque BBQ. maximum occupancy 45. they were cutting it close. might have something to do with all the busboys lurking in wait to sanitize the tables.

So I should be writing a rough draft?

2010-08-03T05:06:00.000-07:00

Oops. I just read some nice lady's blog and she was going on about how she NEVER post on the fly, as in, she usually has a process of brainstorming, pre-writing, editing, and all those great elements necessary for good writing. Oh.

See, all this time I have been operating under the impression that the blog world was exempt from the rules and mechanics of writing. Well, not completely exempt because most of us probably don't appreciate typos and misplaced apostrophes when reading our favorite crafty-blog.

Well shame on me. I always write on the fly. And when I say always, what I really mean is "when this nut-ball actually wanders away from lurking on other people's blogs to write her own post".

Now that I have that off my chest...

WHAT I AM THANKFUL FOR TODAY

I need to share some really exciting news. A friend found me. A friend I had not seen or spoken to in 30 years. Wait, how OLD am I? Now I am sounding like someone's granny. So this friend, Heather found me through a post I left on thecottagenest.blogspot.com. (By the way, pop over to her blog and take a peek at all her lovely ideas for creating a lovely cottage dwelling.) So, anyway, the way I understand it, Heather saw my comment on Jen's blog, thought it might be me, then proceeded to stalk me and my family/friends on Facebook before sending me an email. I have never been so happy to be stalked! Before I leak out any more of this gripping saga, I need to chat with Heather about doing a guest post over here. Maybe she can bring some sense and clarity to my mish-mash of writing and help me tell this story in a way that makes sense.

chloe's pick

2010-07-21T15:53:00.001-07:00

Chloe is working her way through this book for the 2nd time. Good enough to read twice. I'm thinking of creating a response activity for her to do. Though if I'm smart, I'll just wait and see what crafty/creative thing she emerges with. She's good that way. Creative, clever, and thoughtful.

turn on your brain

2010-07-21T15:49:00.001-07:00

After watching Food Inc., I ran to the MPL to find this. Given my propensity toward greed, I always check out way too many items from the library. Hopefully having this book a 2nd time will be more motivation to finish it. Like it so far. Good points and thoughts, even if you don't agree with the lifestyle choice of the author.

holding our bookmarks

2010-07-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

I nearly finished this before the due date. Marion Public Library does not have the 1st book in this series. (this is #2). The young Bertie in this story is a riot. You may want to kill his mother, i'm just saying. A nice lady from our church owns every published Alexander McCall Smith book, and she has graciously offered to lend me any book at any time.

StonyField:recipes:Lemonade Pie

2010-07-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

StonyField:recipes:Lemonade Pie

i've never linked up this way before. let's see if it works.

library

2010-07-18T05:18:00.000-07:00

I've paid dearly for the Indiana Public Library Access Card (PLAC), so I'm using it like there's no tomorrow. Actually, that isn't quite true; the kids and I have only traveled as far as Marion for books and dvds. My neighbor, however, has jumped through all the hoops for the Muncie library system and frequently treks over that way for her reading/caffeine fix. (I hear they serve coffee with flavored creamers).

For those of you who may still be living under a rock, the PLAC enables the patron (for a fee of around $60)to check out books from any Indiana library granted you are willing/able to follow their particular guidelines and actually return the materials in a timely fashion. I've often daydreamed of venturing downtown Indy for some of their books (and i am longing to lurk around in their stacks), but there's the pesky due date and the extra travel to return the books. Libraries are funny that way.

If you are interested in obtaining your own PLAC, contact your local library. If you live in an unserviced area, you may find yourself forking over a hefty sum of cash. The librarian can help you navigate the paperwork and signing away of your firstborn child along with your social security number and the requisite forms of photo ID.

next post: books of the week, and how much reading the kids are doing this summer

install/attach a zipper? any volunteers?

2010-07-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

read: a mccall's sewing patern

learn: how to add an additional panel to a skirt that should fit your friend, but instead fits your 9 yr-old girl

grow: mad skills for installing a zipper

come back soon for the exciting photos which will reveal a finished zippered skirt (or me with a seam ripper jammed into my skull)

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar

2010-07-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

this is READ, LEARN, and GROW

READ: reading published poems, freshly written poems, rough drafts, final copies

LEARN: learning right along with students as they work to improve their poetry craft

GROW: growing a bit more muscle as a facilitator of learning rather than an all-knowing lecturer

We've been busy bees this week. The kids and I have been helping/participating in a poetry camp of sorts each day from 9-12. I can't really show photos (haven't taken any) given that I don't have that kind of permission from any of the parents. The format is set up as a hybrid Vacation Bible School/Elementary school model. One of the wonderful professors from Indiana Wesleyan University shares poetry selections and background on the poets. He actively engages the students by having them clap, wiggle, shake, etc. Each day begins with a reading of Shel Silverstein's

INVITATION

if you are a dreamer, come in,

if you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

a hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...

if you're a pretender, come sit by my fire

for we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

come in!

I could listen to Dr. McCracken read aloud and recite poetry every day for the rest of my life and not grow weary of it.

We are learning how to read poetry without the nya-nya's (the forbidden sing-songy rhythms that can take over rhyming poems)

We are learning (and i am facilitating) ways to write free verse, non-rhyming, haiku, shape poems, and many things in-between.

All grade-level groups have written and collaborated on a class poem to be performed at Friday's poetry jam. We have a special guest poet who will jam with us.

Wow, how boring is this? a photo-less blog post. yikes!

My motivation for volunteering to facilitate at Summer's Cool is two-fold: I want to do all I can to encourage and empower children to love reading and writing by giving them the tools necessary to be successful in both, and I wanted to get on the inside of this week-long learning-fest to see if it is something that could be done here in fairmount, possibly at my church.

I ask that all 12 of my blog lurkers will join with me in prayer on 2 points

1. the children who attended summer's cool 2010 will continue to grow in their knowledge and love of learning, reading, and writing

2. wisdom, ability, and resources to implement something like summer's cool in fairmount (for 2011)

thanks :)

how about some organization?

2010-06-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

i've been giving a lot of thought to the disorganization of my blog. the banner of my blog proclaims READ.LEARN.GROW., so duh, i think i'll organize in that fashion. each post will be directly related to one of the three options. maybe i'll connect a post to more than one at a time. it could be about reading and learning. oh, oh, oh, maybe i could even do all 3! YES. brilliant.

i will return soon with a new, updated version of my sad little blog. wish me luck.

I Miss You Already

2010-06-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

pink chair, duh

wish we could have sat in it

this was painted on the wall in the lower level of the museum as part of a children's books exhibit

(this is not the museum)

I am too tired to compose witty captions for these photos. Yesterday we took Chloe to the art museum in Chicago.

The importance of the day:

1. time with just one kid

2. gettin' outta fairtucky

3. an epiphany... Chloe would rather spend time creating art than looking at it (well all right then)

A Beautiful Park Remembered

2010-06-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

A Lovely Walk

Many weeks ago I had the opportunity to support a friend in a walk for Autism awareness. I arrived at the location early (very early, I feared getting lost en route). While I waited for the remainder of our group to arrive, I went exploring. Armed only with my cell phone camera, I traipsed around looking for beauty in nature. This is at Minnetrista cultural center in Muncie, IN. I am not sure if this is a central focus or feature of the property, and I really can't tell you what it is supposed to be, other than fabulously lovely. I considered scaling the fence, abandoning the walk, and meandering around the property.

Beauty is all around us. Remember to open your eyes, ears, and heart. Thank God for the ability to appreciate his creation.

A Walk in the Park

2010-06-10T14:03:00.001-07:00

INSERT LOVELY NATURE PHOTO HERE. I WILL HAVE SOME PICTURES TOMORROW.

Walk No. 1

Chloe is enrolled in group tennis lessons at the public park in Marion. While she learns the finer points of slamming a small, bouncy ball back and forth over a net, I've been lounging in the early morning 9:00 sunshine, reading the varied works of Andrew McCall Smith peppered with glimpses into The Compassionate Carnivore. Alright then, today I took it upon myself to walk on the paved path that meanders through the park. I must confess it is L.O.V.E.L.Y. This path is a perfect mix of sun and shade. Birds and squirrels populate the area in just the right proportions: pleasant mix of chirp and squawk, easy on the bird poo. This walk put me in one of those all is right with the world moods in which I imagine walking for endless miles, burning every calorie I had ever consumed, and emerging 45 minutes later with a perfect figure and long, blonde, cascading curls. No such luck. I did, however emerge 30 minutes later refreshed and grateful for God's blessing of nature and fresh air.

Walk No. 2

This walk included 2 munchkins and a hot, cranky mama. Fortunately the kids were mostly engrossed in the discovery of a playground at which they had never frolicked. (don't your kids frolic?) This gig was earned by taking the Honda for an oil change and tire rotation by our ever faithful Mike at Upland Tire. We love him. Sometimes if I take the Honda myself, Mike and I chat about NPR's Car Talk (Click and Clack). I daydream that he is our own personal Click AND Clack, all rolled into one. We swap stories about the Honda he let go and how the current teenage owners drive past his shop daily, reaping the benefits of his labor some 5+ years later; he laments giving it up for a minivan.

We're supposed to be at the park/playground, though. Somehow I became disoriented in Upland and couldn't find my way to the public park, so the kids and I hoofed it to the school playground. This play area boasts some sort of freestanding rock climbing wall which the kids climbed about 3 times before succumbing to the oppressive heat. I wanted to remind them that we are only in early June, and if they thought this was hot, wait until August. August, however, will come in its own time and we don't need to bring undue worry upon ourselves regarding dog days of summer. Speaking of Dog Days, I heard the Chicago Cubs announcers discussing this very idea awhile back. Apparently the Dog Days refers to a time in late Summer, and under no circumstance can that phrase accurately describe any weather, no matter how unbearable June heat/humidity may feel. hmmph!

Now that I've lengthened an already long narrative to a super long story, I just need to express my thankfulness that we have the freedom and ability to walk and play in outdoor parks at our whim. We don't need to ask permission of any government or the police. No passports or vouchers are needed to roam the county. We can just walk, ride a bike, or drive to wherever we would like to go, at any time we would like to get there!

I'll leave you with my short prayer.

Thank you, God for the freedom and the ability to travel with my children. Thank You for the sunshine and warm weather. Amen.

Currently Reading

2010-06-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

I started book 1 on Monday. Late this afternoon I am 1/2 way through book 3. These are quick and entertaining reads. Great for a taste of life somewhere other than where you currently reside. (unless you are in Scotland, duh)

This comes from the same author as the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Those have been made into

films for HBO.

Next on my list...

For an exclusive FB by invitation only reading group! My first ever!

thoughts on raising a boy

2010-06-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrated Jacob's 12th birthday. Wait, we took him out for lunch on Sunday. (3 days ago) Grandparents will arrive bearing gifts in 4 days. Jacob has the privilege of extending his celebration over the span of many days. In our effort to keep him from feeling slighted, we may err on the side of overindulgence. That is not to say that we over-shop. Certainly not. About an hour ago he unwrapped 2 presents. Yes, only 2!

Let me backtrack 12 years to explain how this extended celebration came to be.

Jacob's predicted due date: ??? sometime near the end of May, 1998 ???

Almost date of birth: Indy 500 Sunday (Memorial Day weekend)

Actual date of birth: June 9, 1998

Actual size of baby: 9 pounds, 2 1/2 ounces (giant) 22 inches long

Actual size of mommy: 5 ft. 2 in. (pre-pregnancy weight around 115 pounds)

First words spoken by Dr. Swan: "Hurry up and weigh this kid! He's huge!"

Actual words spoken by night-shift nurses: "You'll never have enough milk for this baby. We gave him a bottle in the nursery."

Actual milk production: enough for that kid to eat for 20 minutes on each side everyday, on demand for approximately 3 months. (then we found a schedule)

Sorry for the digression. So, why do we celebrate Jacob's birthday in such a scattered, spread-out fashion? Because my husband is the director of admissions at a university who holds a new-student enrollment fest every year in early June. No matter what day of the week June 9 happens to fall, it always conflicts with the 3-4 day spread of registration at the college. Boo-hoo, poor us, I know. If Jacob had been born over Memorial day weekend, well, lots of things would be different (like his birthweight). After 12 years I would like to report that I'm "over it", but sadly, I have barely come to terms with this fact. (9 pound babies should be born to mothers closer to 6 feet than 5) Well, that's my birthday complaint, and I'm stickin' to it!

I have grown up a lot while rearing our 2 kids. I've had a lot of help from my wonderful husband. ( I can't imagine doing this alone. )

Maybe tomorrow I'll have some great and wonderful insights to share regarding raising kids. There might even be a recipe of two thrown in. We just devoured half a dark chocolate cake smothered in Nutella ganache, and I am feeling a bit sluggish.

Good night.

Happy 12th Birthday Jacob!

2010-06-09T14:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jacob !

This post is short and sweet. I will post some more intriguing thoughts and observations later.

the last to know

2010-05-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

apparently i am still living under a rock

just google nutella recipes

click on images

let's make life simple

nutella recipes

2010-05-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

nutella is delicious over ice cream

drizzle nutella ganache over cake

sorry readers (reader?)

i apologize for the delay in posting my NUTELLA recipes...

1. you can pretty much use nutella anywhere you might use peanut butter, though i don't suggest you combine it with grape jelly. that just sounds nasty.

2. nutella ganache

purists may pooh-pooh this as cheating, but here it is...

ingredients

1. fresh jar of nutella

2. heavy cream

3. 12 oz. bag finest chocolate chips you can afford, or not. really any choc. chips will suffice.

4. rigged-up double boiler (i use a stainless steel mixing bowl over a med. size pot)

5. wooden spoon (or 3) for licking/testing ganache

HEY WAIT A MINUTE! whilst searching for a photo of nutella and/or ganache on google, i happened upon no fewer than 6,000 recipes for nutella ganache! i swear i didn't copy any of these! i improvised my concoction a few years ago when i was sick of using betty crocker frosting from a can for my kids' birthday cakes.

once again, nothing new under the sun. :(

at any rate, here's what i do:

slowly heat heavy cream in double boiler, add chocolate chips, stirring frequently. add globs of nutella at your whim. don't lick all of it from the bowl.

what can you do with nutella ganache?

eat it straight from the jar without getting caught by husband or children

top your favorite chocolate, vanilla, coconut, or coffee flavored ice cream

spread it over your favorite artisanal bread

smear it on your regular toasted bagel

nutella brownies

glob however much nutella you want to while mixing your box-mix of brownies

i also like to add a few tablespoons of strongly-brewed coffee

welcome to uglyville

2010-05-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

sweet creativity

welcome to uglyville

founded 2010

chloe g. solms, mayoress

maybe you are familiar with ugly dolls. our girl munchkin loves uglies. L.O.V.E. is an understatement. every fabric she sees, every scrap she can swipe, she whips it into an ugly!

recipes forthcoming

2010-05-15T13:58:00.001-07:00

snacks and gas

2010-04-29T14:15:00.001-07:00

one of my responsibilities as a title 1 aide is to read or listen to ISTEP tests. wow. all i can say is wow. oh, and apparently the snacks make it all worthwhile, or at least bearable.

i have two humorous bits to share with you.

student: i really hate these tests. i don't like doing them. i want to get done and go to the computer lab. can i go to the lab now?

me: i am sorry you hate the istep (in my head i say that i hate istep as well) no you may not go to the computer lab now. we can, however take a break. would you like a snack break?

student: yes. i guess i'm just here for the snacks.

me: well, ok, then. let's eat.

2. let me preface this by saying that i have a horrible sinus infection right now and am MISERABLE with a capital M. i can't take penicillin or any of his friends, so i go straight for things like keflex and zpac. heavy duty. hard on the intestines if you know what i mean. ick.

my stomach: gurgle, gurgle, pop

student: wow

me: sorry, i'm taking some nasty medicine right now, but don't worry, all the air bubbles are staying inside my stomach. (i hope)

student: oh, well, that's ok mrs. solms... my dog does that too.

me: oh, really?

student: yes! when my doggie lays down at night and puts her belly up in the air, she makes those same sounds.

me: alrighty then. let's keep working.

snacks. gas. istep. i think they go well together, don't you?

rabbit trails, thankfulness

2010-04-27T16:38:00.000-07:00

coffee and custard

as i was browsing through my pics on the cell phone, i happened upon some shots of a great semi-local custard/coffee joint. the name is Payne's Custard. but baby, it is SO MUCH MORE!

they have fresh roasted beans, made from scratch custard. great soups served with crusty bread, or in a bread bowl. once i had soup there, and ordered crusty bread on the side; they waitress apologized for serving me such a large hunk of bread. there is no such thing as too much crusty bread with a soup, am i right?

my friend jaime and i met up there for our mini christmas gift exchange. in february. late february. we may be a bit over committed, preoccupied, or just plain bad friends to each other.

before i got around to posting about our wonderful excursion, life got in the way.

kids, work, homework, church, well just stuff.

i have been thinking about the importance of embracing the wonderful, positive, meaningful moments that God has given me. meals shared with friends, unexpected kid-free hours on a saturday morning (time alone with the husband). lately i have allowed the sad parts of my life to cloud my thoughts. too much boohoo time makes layla a cranky lady!

other photos/reminders i found in my pics on the phone...

great sweet treats consumed in lousville with my husband

happy kids

kids with friends

meals with friends

how can we appreciate the fun, shining moments without the willingness to accept, even embrace the bad times? just a little lesson in the art of comparison.

i challenge you to make a list of at least 5 things for which you are thankful

you may find your list grows beyond 10 or 20. i would love to hear from you, and see your lists!

here is my mini-list

husband he is my best friend

children they challenge me every day to be a better mom, and i love watching them grow

car (old honda) to drive

job

four walls and a roof over our heads

growing friendships

struggling friendships-- to remind me that i'm not perfect, and i need to keep learning/growing

(maybe the struggling friendships are the real "growing" ones)

leave a comment to tell me what you are thankful for and why. it can be an encouragement to us all :)

happy belated april fools' day

2010-04-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

i still want my elephant!

i'm not really trying to extend the 1st of april, just do a bit of a rewind and remember. i am amused by younger kids who don't get the joke of april 1st, and love to see their reactions when you explain to them, that they really DO need to come to school on the 2nd. hey, i didn't write that joke, our school news team did that.

anyhoo

all during the day on april 1st i heard funny little stories of kids and their jokes to each other. some students even fooled teachers saying "miss ______ your shoe is untied" well, miss _______ was wearing slip-on shoes; but i digress

my april fool story centers on me at age 5, and my grandpa oscar. when i was little i lived with grandpa oscar and grandma lorene. (you almost never hear those names anymore--well, oscar for the award, but anyway...)

grandma lorene went to work early everyday so grandpa oscar got me ready for school and gave me breakfast. he would wake me up when he was dressed and ready (we only had 1 bathroom). grandpa woke me with a startled voice calling from across the house, "layla, there is an elephant running around in the front yard! go look!" i hopped out of my bed quick as a lark, and scurried down the hallway to the den. "where grandpa? where is the elephant?"

grandpa: oh, darn he must have gone around to the backyard, go to the kitchen window

me: ok i'm running. grandpa! i can't see him! where did the elephant go?

i really don't quite remember how the rest of this charade went down, but it wasn't pretty. i was honked that we did not have an elephant in the yard, and i am sure i probably cried. my grandpa had the patience of a saint. he explained the idea of april fools' day and that people like to tease each other for fun. this is the same man who took the time and energy to explain the sunday comics to me. how do you explain comic strips? explaining jokes really must have taken the humor out of "beetle bailey" and "wizard of id" (are those still in print?), but my grandpa wanted me to enjoy comics so he made the effort.

the elephant in the yard was a pretty darn good joke, and makes a great story even 30 years later.

sometimes

2010-03-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

sometimes i wish i had the drive to run a marathon

sometimes it would be nice to run a complete mile without my shins screaming in agony

sometimes i wish i could meet emily dickinson

i would put on a white dress, go barefoot, and put my hair in a bun

i would bring along a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils and share them with her

sometimes i dream of having a smoke with c.s. lewis

though eavesdropping on him would suffice

sometimes i wish we lived out in the middle of nowhere

sometimes it would be nice to live in the middle of the windy city

sometimes i am happy to live in our little yellow house on east 3rd

sometimes i wish i had more friends

or that i treated my few friends better

sometimes i dream about cooking a gourmet meal (cruelty free, whine free, and healthy)

sometimes it would be nice if i cleaned up after the meals i do cook

sometimes i wish my grandma and grandpa were still here

mostly i am glad they are no longer suffering

what are you eating? from where did it come?

2010-03-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

did you know that fish (tilapia and salmon) eat corn? i just learned that this morning. yuck. the farmers have found a way to encourage salmon to grow teeth so they can eat sweet corn.

NO? you don't believe me? well. ok. the fish do eat corn. really. just without teeth. and probably without butter and salt.

good thing i have a carton of Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt in my fridge, or i might be going hungry for lunch.

a pretty cool life.: Festive Valentine bunting and a crash course on bias tape

2010-03-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

a pretty cool life.: Festive Valentine bunting and a crash course on bias tape

GO TO THIS BLOG. FIRST GET MUG OF COFFEE OR TEA. BROWSE AND ENJOY.

where are the photos?

2010-03-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

I lurk on some people's blogs just for the eye-candy. Glorious photography skills can suck me in for hours.

I pine for delicious photos. I long for a fabulous camera. I also want a lot of other junk. Perhaps I should have given up "wanting" things for Lent. forever.

polka-dot pj pants

pink rubber rain boots

floaty-flirty skirts in 6 shades of cocoa

moleskine books for every topic and whim

bistro chalk markers

perfect blonde hair

a never-diminishing amazon.com giftcard

and maybe also a card for jcrew, gap, anthropologie, and crate&barrel

I digress.

oooh, and a spring trenchcoat, hip-length. khaki. size M.

ok, there.

a camera. i don't know which one i want/need, except that it must be fast. you know, so i don't keep missing action shots of my kids flinging pillows and such around the house.

a camera that doesn't take 67 minutes to focus.

and while we are wishing, maybe a printer with plenty of ink and paper would be a good idea.

so, until the perfect camera finds its way to my grubby mitts, i'll be pirating photos from google or uploading shots from my phone.

from start to finish

2010-03-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

March 6, 2010 marks the date my grandfather left this earth. March 6, 1928 marks the date he entered. Full circle. Beginning and end. Something about dying on your birthday seems like completion.

My grandfather Oscar was not perfect. He was not glamourous. Oscar was a good man. He built his house with his bare hands and paid cash for it as he went along. He and grandma Lorene cooked on a hot plate for themselves and 3 children while they built one house and lived in another.

After my grandparents should have been finished raising children, I came into their lives and they welcomed me as their own.

For a few days I will be posting remembrances of my grandparents and what they mean to me... and the lessons I learned from their example.

he ate tooth pieces of pizza

2010-03-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

here's a great lesson in counting...

i LOVE learning new words, phrases, and perspectives from Kdg. people!

we had a pizza party after school today. one of my Kdg. munchkins ate a slice of pizza. after he began munching away on the next slice he yelled, "mrs. solms! i'm eating my tooth (twoth) piece of pizza!"

sometimes you just want to scoop up a small person and put them in your Lands' End Jumbo Ginormous Tote Bag.

oooohhhhh noooo!

2010-02-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

drink me

EAT ME

love me

Lent is upon us. Or lint as some little person in our home referred to it not so long ago. This is really making me nuts. Rather my nuttiness is compounded by the cravings for sweets. Chocolate chunk cookies, mommy's minty hot-cocoa with a twist, and reese's cups are dancing over my head like some deranged movie theatre snack-bar commercial.

the song goes something like this:

let's all go to the lobby (3x)

and get ourselves a snack

As far as I am aware, the Wesleyan doctrine isn't too pushy about observing Lent. Growing up in a super evangelical, borderline legalistic congregation, I can't recall ever hearing a sermon about the Lenten season. Some of this still new to me. I'm working it out as I go.

Why am I doing this? At any given moment I will have a fresh reason for you. I want to honor Jesus' sacrifice. I want to rely fully on God to meet my needs. I don't want to use food to soothe myself. I want to prove that I can do this.

I am currently at the stage of denying myself the treats, but not quite allowing God to speak to me. I'm still trying just to ignore the cravings rather than spend time in prayer. Why do I insist upon making this so difficult? How is it that I keep missing the point?

i welcome any wise words and input you may have to send my way :)

followers? really? for me?

2010-02-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

feelin' a bit guilty here. just noticed i have more than 2 followers. wow. thanks. gee, i don't really know what to say.

i don't have any brilliant academic theories to share. no magic solutions for your misplaced learner or your misguided coworker.

last week i taught my 9 year old to use the sewing machine. we made some simple polka-dot scarves. but i don't even have a tutorial for you. oops.

i've given up sweets for lent, so you won't find any dessert recipes here until after easter.

i promise i'll have something brilliant-- or at least worthwhile to share on this little blog very soon. very. soon. i promise. :)

maybe we should re-do the alphabet

2010-02-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

hello all of you who misplace the apostrophe

though you don't know who you are, or you'd quit doing it

the letter S does not automatically need an apostrophe. trust me. leave the darn apostrophe alone. he's tired. worn out. bushed. beat. overworked. underpaid.

i'm not giving you a grammar/spelling lesson. you haven't paid attention thus far; i doubt you'd get it now.

just watch yourselves, ok?

i am watchin' you!

holding my bookmark

2010-01-22T05:09:00.000-08:00

it's a bit slow-going, but i'm reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. This book was translated from French (to English, duh) and is now available in paperback. So far i'm really liking it. maybe i'm late to the party and all of you already know about this and have formed an opinion. this book caught my eye at B&N a few months back, and i couldn't get it out of my head. not wanting to make a purchase without a recommendation, i commandeered my neighbor to pick up a copy at one of the many libraries she haunts. (i have my own PLAC card, but none of "my" libraries showed a copy in their collection...)

anyhoo, i'll keep you posted on my progress and thoughts from this highly-acclaimed novel

wonder and confusion

2010-01-22T04:59:00.001-08:00

good morning dear reader. tomorrow danny and i will visit my grandfather in the hospital. again. yes, i know, i've already said my goodbyes, but maybe grandpa hasn't. i can't even give you a clear update on his status. earlier this week the ventilator was removed, and grandpa breathed independently. amazing! wonderful! my hopes are not up; i really don't know what to think or how to feel. bewildered. i'll go with bewildered. and a bit grateful.

grief

2010-01-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

To continue yesterday's blog-o-drama...

My grandfather Oscar helped raise me. He and my grandmother Lorene made a place for me in their home and in their lives when I was about 2 or 3 years old. Really, I should just say they raised me, because ultimately that is the long and short of it. I could get into my parents' divorce, re-marriages, custody, visitation, blah, blah, blecccchhh! But the important thing here is that Oscar and Lorene Andrews took care of me when I needed them most.

In March it will have been 2 years since we lost grandma. Right now my grandpa is in the hospital, and has been there for more than 2 weeks. Initially the issue was Pancreatitis, but now the list is a mile long. He has been sedated and on a ventilator for more than 7 days. Last Saturday my husband, dear children, and I went to say our goodbyes. I don't really even know if grandpa heard us. My heart is breaking. I don't want to lose grandpa, but in my heart, I feel he is already gone.

So this is the reason for my freak-out. My stress level is high right now. I want to rely on Jesus to get us through this difficult time. I want to keep on living my life in a way that shows I have faith that God is in control. I want to trust that God knows what he is doing, and I don't have to know what He is doing. (I guess He doesn't need my help on this one.) Imagine that.

Through all of this, my wonderful husband has been listening to and sharing with my mom. You know, about God things. Jesus stuff. While I was off crying over Grandpa, and fretting that he's been on kidney dialysis for MANY days, Danny was trying to help my mom with her faith.

There are many more details I could fill in, but ultimately I just want to be living my life in a way that shows I trust God with all the details. It's that simple.

waiting

2010-01-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

This post is begging to be written and pleading to be ignored.

I have been pondering this post for more than a week, and I guess that now is as good a time as any to pour it out. All over blogland. Eww.

Can a person's faith be measured by the way the act/react during trials and hard times? Is the proportion of my trust in God directly related to how freaked out and worked up I get about stuff? Am I exposing my lack of faith by lamenting and whining? What should be saying/doing instead of fussing and worrying?

ok. need to think about this some more. will finish later.

teach mama: a scared and lonely bear: predicting

2010-01-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

teach mama: a scared and lonely bear: predicting

pop over here for some great ideas :)

good ideas

2010-01-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

hello again friends. all 6 of you. you are important to me. thanks for taking time to follow my simple blog.

pop over to the "where i lurk" blog list on the right side of my blog...

these are splendid blogs for creative learning activities ---

teachmama

the write start

and a new one added to my list... Lavender and Limes not so much for direct instruction strategies, but for the luscious visuals this lady has recently returned from an extended stay in India. her photographs are superb. these could be used as a great starter for writing assignments.

i found this photo from a site called blissfully domestic (?)

by googling "kids write"...just really like the image

stop freaking out and do your job

2010-01-08T05:17:00.000-08:00

Right now I should be cleaning up the kitchen. I cooked dinner yesterday. And dessert. Do I really need to further explain? Chicken casserole and Reese's cup ice cream dessert. It took a few minutes to find the coffee maker. (how do you find said coffee maker without actually having the coffee first?)

As I have previously mentioned, I am a title 1 aide in our local elementary. Additionally I tutor 2 afternoons each week for 2 hrs. Have you spent any time with 5 yr. olds after 7 hours of school--for 2 more hours by yourself? You need a snack, lots of potty (and poo) breaks. A sense of humor, a snack for yourself and then some GREAT lesson plans individually designed for each child are other necessary ingredients.

Our daughter Chloe reminded me of something very important yesterday on our way home from an early dismissal. Think SNOW, SNOW, SNOW. Think mid-calf deep fluffy white stuff. Lovely, delightful, gorgeous, and messy. Alrighty, back to the actual story. Chloe asked me how I'm liking the title 1 position (she's 9). Before I could respond she pressed further; isn't it better to see lots of different kids every day the way you do, rather than a regular classroom teacher who sees the same kids? ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. This child is rather articulate. Maybe I should give a bit of background here.

I attended IWU from 1992-1994

Married (eloped) 95

re-enrolled around 96 or 97 (it's been too long)

first kid june '98

stayed at home

some babysitting

second kid '00

still at home

2004-2006 substitute teaching LOVED IT!

Fall 2006 re-enrolled at IWU, teacher education program

April 2009 graduated with a bachelor's degree in elem. edu.

Aug. 09 to present title 1 aide

ok, now that you have my abbreviated resume, you can understand that the elem. edu. degree was a long time coming. Many sleepless nights. Very very good days of student teaching. Some really AWFUL days of student teaching.

All that to say, now that I have the degree, shouldn't I be just chomping at the bit to get my own classroom? Shouldn't I be beating down doors of superintendents all over the county? Well, some days, that is exactly what I feel like doing. Granted I just really want to stay in our school district. Really very much so.

I love my job. Not just like it a little bit. I really love it! I have the opportunity to help so many students every day. I love the small group setting, and when I get to work with a child one-on-one, well that is just about the best thing ever. I love finding specific ways to help individual students. So why do I get so antsy over finding a classroom position? Part of my issue is that I put forth a lot of time and effort to earn my degree. Time away from my family, stress, money. Lots of driving, lots of fancy clothes purchased for ST. Did I really do all that just to have a 7hr/day job? But this isn't just a job. It is a daily opportunity to meet the educational needs of multiple children every day.

Patience. Trust. Faith. I need to stop freaking out and just do my job. I need to trust God that he opened the door for the title 1 position, and when He is ready, and when I have shown that I am ready, He will open the door for me to have my own classroom. That could be 1 year, it could be 5. While I wait, I will not just be 'waiting'. I will be doing my very best to help every student with whom I work.

let's just be honest here

2009-12-29T10:40:00.000-08:00

what have i really been up to?

blog lurking

blog commenting

a bit of envy

a bit of inspiration

some self-disclosure on a perfect stranger's blog (oops)

there's just something misleading about the intimacy of a blog, don't you think?

we see photos (mostly spectacular) taken of lovely people in exquisite surroundings eating and crafting wondrous quilts, skirts, aprons...

i like to do a bit of crafting myself, but my darn sewing machine nearly put out my eye a few weeks ago, and even my ever-frugal husband commented about the loudness of the motor/engine of that thing

i have:

1. about 6 sewing projects in various stages of completion

2. no fewer than 5 cookie/candy recipes dancing in my head like some deranged faerie

3. a son who wants me to play beatle's rockband with him

4. a car with a loose seal on the windshield

5. a netflix to watch

6. a Bible collecting dust on the bookshelf

7. speaking of bookshelf--i need about 2 more-floor to ceiling size, if possible--and black is a good color for our decor

SO...

why the heck am i wasting away my day lurking in blogland??

GOODBYE

the very best dog

2009-12-28T10:07:00.001-08:00

this dear fellow belongs to my brother josh and his wife kristi (sp.?)

dusty is the very best dog you could ever hope to meet

look at his smile

look at his floppy ears

he gives love

he is trustworthy

he is gentle

he is kind

he is a better person than many of us most days

thanks to dusty's mommy for sending me this photo

now she could just send me the dog. seriously. really.

we didn't have...

2009-12-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

we didn't have stockings this year

our 'christmas mittens' made from felt--the size of stockings finally had to retire-too much lint and gunk on those critters. note to self: don't make large decorations from un-washable felt if you intend to have a dusty house and a hairy cat

we didn't have perfectly coordinated gift wrap

we didn't have our 'merry christmas' banner made from paper source polka-dot paper

we didn't have red/white baker's twine to adorn our packages (i put it away too well)

but here's what we DID HAVE

kindness

generosity

gratitude

home-made hot cocoa (some with a splash of pepperminty goodness)

all four of us (+cat) safe and healthy

gainful employment

central heating

gas in our cars (both kinds) tee hee

gifts under the tree

relaxed time together

the awareness of and thankfulness for Christ--his birth, death, and resurrection--you can't fully appreciate Christmas without embracing Easter

i'd do it 100 times

2009-12-05T07:20:00.001-08:00

the other day one of our 4th grade teachers reminded me it had been a year since my "oral portfolio/e-folio defense" the "exit interview" as it were to get out of the education program @ iwu...and when i say get out of, i mean successfully complete the requirements so that they will allow you to take the praxis 2 and apply for an indiana state teaching license. anyhoo, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, or maybe just a bit snarky towards the whole experience, and without thinking, i said something to the effect of being glad that was over, and would not do it again, but would go to beauty school instead. yikes. bad attitude.

as i continued down our school hallway i replayed the scenario in my mind (this is a moment by moment activity for me; anyday, all day)

can you spell conviction? shame? remorse?

i turned my tushy around and bolted for that teacher's room! and blurted:

what i really meant to say was that i am so committed to helping young children learn that i would endure the teacher education program 100 times over if it meant that i could make a difference in the education and well-being of a child.

whew.

that is what i really meant to say.

i. would. do. it. 100. times. yes. ma'am.

100

kids can RUN!

2009-12-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

just a teeny update on the click clack moo...

for fun and craziness, i asked the students to run about the room as they imagine the farmer ran --hands in air, hopping mad--or as M. put it--"like he popped his cork"

see, you just have to put yourself IN THE STORY...

and your students/children will build their comprehension...and love for learning...

(i have the stamp of approval on my MOO sounds. one of my students keeps cattle and says that i do a great MOO, very realistic)

kids say MOOOO

2009-11-19T14:45:00.000-08:00

A really good book is like crab legs. Both are pretty neat looking on the outside, and the inside? Well, the longer you linger the better it gets. Maybe that's not the best metaphor, but give me a break-- I have a splitting headache and i've been nice all day. all day. nice. yes. me.

Anyway, I just want to share about my 3rd grade students. We've been studying various aspects of critical thinking in regards to literacy. I've pulled out Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type. I've modeled how to use a character organizer, a 2 character comparison, Retell using sentence strips, and on and on...great ideas can be downloaded/printed from the Florida Center For Reading Research.

fcrr.org

OK, THE GRAPHIC ORGANIZER I WANTED TO SHOW HERE WON'T LOAD TO MY BLOG--THE ONE THAT WILL LOAD IS A BIT LAME COMPARED TO THE ONES FROM Florida Center for Reading Research...

Alrighty! Well, we've read click, clack, moo about 1,000 times, and each time i use the best cow's moo sound i can muster. one student who raises milk cows was very impressed with my hidden talent. sometimes the students will join in with the moo, and then yesterday was the best; I had to gather pencils or some other such supply not already at my fingertips, and i offered to let one of the students read aloud to the rest of the (small) group. they formed an arrangement of : one girl reading, two boys mooing.

the joy of read-alouds! the thrill of students actively engaged in learning! hooray for moo! hooray for us all. i just sat back down in my chair and let the group run with their excitement. these moments are priceless. i am SO thankful i didn't demand to have the book when i sat down--so glad i didn't interrupt. sooooo happy they were enjoying their reading, working cooperatively, and learning all at the same time.

feelin' greedy or showin' gratitude?

2009-11-10T14:38:00.001-08:00

As we draw nearer to the Thanksgiving holiday, I am committed to being intentional in showing my gratitude for the everyday blessings that I am often tempted to overlook. We have vehicles that get us back and forth to work. We have a roof over our heads, and some of us (jacob) have a room decorated in an aesthetically pleasing way. COLTS.

We have food to eat, and even have the option of eating some of our meals out. We have friends to share our lives with. We have a great church family and a super pastor/pastoral family who genuinely care about us and our daily lives. THANK YOU, AL AND GINNY :)

I have a steady source of income for the first time in over 3 years. I have a valid and current teaching license. I work with 6 different groups of children everyday, and am thrilled to see their academic progress.

I have a husband who works 2 jobs to support our family. He is very low-maintenance and keeps our family stable. Thank you, daniel:)

I have a great neighbor who taught me how to read literature and think critically about books and film. Thank you, Amy.

Tomorrow: more on my thankful list--which will include our children, our kitty, my departed grandmother, and my new teacher friends at school.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

2009-11-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to visit Alcatraz? I think it would be thrilling. Please don't assume that thrilling always means "in a good way". I imagine that Alcatraz would be exciting and ominous at the same time.

My 6th graders are reading "Al Capone Does My Shirts", which isn't so much about Al or the shirts, but is more about a young boy's struggles as he helps to care for his "eternally" 10 year old sister. I won't give away any more than that, so that nothing is spoiled. There are a few good resources that can accompany and direct your literature circle discussions. Currently we are following the guide provided to us by "Plugged-In to Reading".

While browsing for some additional information to share with my group, I discovered that there is a 2nd book (maybe there will be a trilogy)...book 2 is called "Al Capone Shines My Shoes". If any of you have already read this, pop me a comment and give me your thoughts.

reading emma (again)

2009-11-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

good evening, friends. in an effort to plan ahead (yes, you read that correctly) i am reading Jane Austen's Emma. Again. a book club may be in my future. if you have never read any of jane austen's work, please run, don't walk to your public library and get started on emma!

i would love to hear from you about any novel you love to revisit. any input or suggestions are welcome for those of you who have belonged to or led a reading group/book club.

coffee cuff giveaway

2009-10-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

giveaway--pop over to a lovely blog

littlebirdcreations.blogspot.com

howdy strangers

camera is still junk-o

but i've been stalking blogs and found a nifty giveaway

pop over and check it out

still waiting for new camera and some leather knee-high boots

hint hint

How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

How Much Fabric? Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

camera failure

2009-10-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

blog posts aren't too much fun to read without photos. i'll be back when i have a photo or 3 to share.

until then, check out my growing list of blogs where i like to lurk/stalk.

ritz vs. oreo

2009-09-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

5th grade. compare/contrast. venn diagram. food. there we go. now i have your attention. :0

here's a simple yet effective to teach compare and contrast for nearly any grade level.

1. gather in baggies: one ritz cracker and one oreo cookie for each student

2. dry erase boards and markers

3. students will draw the Venn diagram on their boards

4. label--ritz, oreo

5. ask students to take a minute to examine their tools (cracker and cookie)

6. in a small group/workstation you can open up for comments as they occur

7. guide the discussion/comments as necessary

8. what is the same, what is different about these two items?

9. use descriptive words as much as possible

10. transfer learning/pr0cess to another topic--maybe a novel the class is reading, maybe two characters, the possibilities are unlimited

my mom has a pig on her head

2009-09-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

well we had some fun learnin' today in kindergarten. we talked about, read about, drew, and sang about the letter P. each student (groups of 2 or 3) drew a pizza then put "P" toppings on the slices. some of the choices included pretzels, pepperoni, peaches, peppers, pie, pigs...

while we drew/colored/discussed/practiced the beginning sound /P/, i remembered the great Laurie Berkner song, "my mom has a pig on her head"....and she keeps it there all day. i was laughing at my brilliance, and then realized i was singin' a solo, and then horrified, noticed that the classroom teacher was lookin' at me out of the corner of her eye. maybe i should teach her the song.

overall, we had a great time singing ridiculous objects onto our heads, and eventually the students gave into the silliness, and one fell on the floor laughing. and i am glad. pleased as pumpkin punch. please laugh in kindergarten, and have a little fun with your learning.

here are the lyrics as i best recall:

my mom has a PIG on her head (3x)

and she keeps it there all day

you can insert any object specific to your category--/P/ words, fruits, veggies, etc.

the photo is laurie berkner, not me--just to be clear

autumnal apron giveaway

2009-09-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

rabbit trails. my mind follows them every day. all day. and sometimes into the night. blog lurking is right up my alley (or garden path).

over here at pumpkinpiecrafts.blogspot.com this lovely lady has taken her time to sew up an adorable apron and is hosting a giveaway. so hop on over to her blog, follow the directions, and enter your smart self in her drawing.

maybe i should do a giveaway. maybe i could make an apron. ( i do know how to sew)

and paint, and scrap, and and and....

raspberry thankfulness

2009-09-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

our neighbors were out of town over the weekend so they gave us their "share" of produce from a co-op garden/farm to which they belong.

in addition to great tomatoes (salsa!) we received some banana peppers and an adorable mini-eggplant. he's just hanging around for decoration now because i don't have the heart to stab him.

additionally, chloe and i had the opportunity to pick raspberries from the heavy-laden bushes. the hour or so we spent together was one of those times you can't plan for, but once you realize the greatness of the moments, you are immediately grateful. i was reminded once again what a good little worker our chloe girl is. she's not afraid to get dirty, and she didn't complain even once about the prickly bushes.

so thanks again to the neighbors for the food, but thanks more for the time and place to spend a good hour with my daughter.

maniac.magee

2009-09-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

at the other end of the rainbow...

6th grade book club

maniac magee

6 6th graders

40 minutes at the end of the day

and we get the school library all to ourselves

if we could just get an espresso bar, it would be perfect

read-aloud, critical thinking, group discussion

this is super

i love the give and take of a literature circle

i love recommending other books

i love helping students learn (or reaffirm) critical thinking skills

and at some point we will feast on Mars Bars- newly disguised as the Almond Snickers

and shortly after that we will sample some Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets

because you've got to bring the story to life

it must be relatable

and it should include food

and a lesson plan, state standards,and objectives

today some of our fantastic words were:

repertoire

blarney

and suddenly all i can think of is

Rosa's New Pet/Puppy

she has pink curtains and a green couch

and is apparently an only child because there is an awfully small swingset in her yard with only one swing, and the illustrations show an immaculate home where the fresh flowers stay upright in their vases

good night

sleep tight

i'll be back when i untangle my brain

kin.dee.gar.den

2009-09-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

we like

we like sand castles

we work together

we can play

we can read

we like books

now i know my abc's, tell me what you think of me!

from 9:00-9:45 every day i work with small groups of small people with large personalities

i am loooooving these windows of opportunity. every morning get excited about trekking down the long hallway to the land of kindergarten. i looove laying out the magnetic letters and helping the students sound out and spell WE. you would think it could get old, but it doesn't. the lightbulb moment (you know what i mean) is priceless. it warms my heart. i care (and so does their teacher) whether or not they learn their letters. i want to put forth my very best effort to help each of them in any way i can to give them the necessary tools to be lifelong learners. it is about reading and writing, and it is about so. much. more.

alphabet tic/tac/toe

2009-09-16T15:27:00.001-07:00

the post below is a link to a wonderful blog. just wanted to share this with all you faithful reader/readers. certainly don't want to take credit for this myself.

tic-tac-toe, owen in a row

2009-09-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

tic-tac-toe, owen in a row

no thanks, i've been here before

2009-08-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

today i was helping kindergarten students make their way through the lunch line. they needed a napkin, fork, and straw in addition to their milk... all before they receive their tray. to help move along the line i began rolling straw/napkin/fork in bundles, then handed one to each student. some children wanted to help me roll their bundle, and others stood to watch. i was feeling pleased with myself and my sudden stroke of brilliance, but was caught by surprise when one young man stopped in front of me and the fork bundles and stated: "no thanks, i've been here before"

today was day 3 of school

apron girl

2009-08-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

chloe would like to have all of these...

maybe we need to do some sewing...

LiPS!

2009-08-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

For 3 days this week I have the opportunity to participate in LiPS. I will post tomorrow night or Friday on the highlights from the sessions. 8-4 x 3 days of sitting. My brain is happily activated, but my back and rear end are disgruntled. grrrr

an apron party

2009-08-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

saturday our family spent a few hours in Indy to celebrate danny's birthday as well as my new job. one of our final stops was a foray into anthropologie. well, that was a stop for chloe and me. danny and jacob stopped at a bench outside the store.

many of the blogs i read include references to anthropologie, and i have visited the website numerous times. saturday it was time to see for myself what all the hub-bub was about.

i must say that i was not disappointed. and chloe, well she went nuts! the owl dishtowels! the alphabet mugs! the scarves...more and more and more scarves!

and then, as we made the final turn before exiting the store...the APRONS! (you can see just a few of them in the post just below this) Chloe was so enamored with the aprons. Cherries, owls, cupcakes, smocking, bows, florals, stripes! it was a visual feast.

chloe made an urgent request for an APRON B-DAY PARTY. what is an apron party? do we all sew an apron? (maybe) do we all come to the party wearing an apron? an apron shaped cake? or just a cake made while wearing an apron...

i am going to give this some more thought.

any comments or suggestions are welcome. please.

anthropologie inspiration

2009-08-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

starbucks and sea turtles

2009-07-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

Starbucks has a slogan on some of their packaging/gift bags that states: "You and Starbucks, it's bigger than coffee" Well, right now they are living up to their claim... As some of you know, I love to keep gift bags to re-use or up-cycle. Here's how the Sea Turtles connect to Starbucks...

lots of starbucks bags around the house
tutoring friends
ft. wayne zoo trip
bring home SEA TURTLE discovery box from zoo
watch videos, view slides, read non-fiction books about sea turtles (part of tutoring)
response activity: up-cycle starbucks bags into stitched mini-books
cut bags into pages, pull out sewing machine to stitch books--kids love this!
ask students to re-tell what they now know about sea turtles
type out their comments, print them, cut and paste into books
of course when you do a project/activity with students, you need to do one yourself
my pages from the starbucks bag happend to have a map of central and south america printed right on it!
how fitting...Costa Rica is the location where mother Sea-Turtles dig their nests and lay their (100 +) eggs...
so, starbucks helped me out with my sea turtle project...
what can we learn from this? if you keep your eyes open, you can make useful connections--for your students and yourself. We can easily do a sociological study on Costa Rica...
learning about where coffee comes from, dig into their cuisine, customs, education, etc.

checklist for my sanity

2009-07-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

what we've done this summer

or just some random words, i'm afraid :)

ft. wayne zoo... animal projects, photographs, books (not finished), sea turtle discovery box, sea turtle response books (completed)

shop for fabric, pattern, notions to make pajama pants

jake and chloe both have nice sleep pants, I have a pile of fabric waiting to be cut

i started an apron, but to be fair, i had to draw the pattern before cutting

here's what i am still reading: murder at the vicarage by agatha christie, AND.... sophie's world...am i EVER going to finish this ?

AHA! books on cd are wonderful! the kids are listening along on Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies Detective Agency (Tea For the Traditionally Built)...these are also now on HBO, and have great visual appeal

Speaking of visual appeal I must confess to watching Mamma Mia! while in San Antonio...HBO kept running it, and I am such a sucker for the set design---those colors! the fabrics! fantastic costume design as well...now about the story line; i could take it or leave it. And honestly, I will never again look at Pierce Brosnan the same. Remington Steele should not sing. Ever.

Before I ramble on through the night and write something more humiliating and revealing than I already have.... I will say goodnight and sign out.

leaf girl

2009-07-25T17:20:00.000-07:00

I was lurking over at the artful parent blog artfulparent.wordpress.com and saw that she posted photos of some nifty flower people. It reminded me of "leaf girl" that I had created a few years back as a class assignment in college. We were directed to create an interactive bulletin board as a response to a book or collection of books. Our group chose Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. My part of the project was to create a leaf person...so I strolled outside on our beautiful college campus and picked up nuts, seeds, berries, twigs, etc., whatever bits of nature I thought I could staple/glue/force to stay up on a vertical wall.

Sorry the photo is not perfect. I took the shot with my camera phone on a whim, and now I am glad I captured it that morning. There were a few mishaps with our bulletin board by the time our professor graded it.

Anyway, interactive bulletin boards are a great way to lure and excite children to/about reading! The idea is to capture their curiosity about the book and have a response activity ready to go right there at the bulletin board. This can be something to be done before or after they read the book. The possibilities are endless.

spontaneous creativity

2009-07-15T07:06:00.000-07:00

craftin' in the 'hood

2009-07-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

self-directed creativity

2009-07-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of learning all the time, I really wanted to keep my mind and my children's minds active this summer. We are all 3 voracious readers, so I was not really worried about keeping the books cracked open. (my husband, dear man, reads out of necessity) the rest of us read like tomorrow is our dying day.
My last post was about teaching the kids to read a sewing pattern, and as it turned out, pajama pants only require one pattern piece, cut twice--once right side up, once, well you know, the other way.
We have not yet completed the pants but I will not give in to despair. A couple of days ago our kids played with their neighborhood friends, and embarked upon an impromptu art project.
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING, PEOPLE....THERE IT WAS! right on our back sidewalk--3 girls, 2 boys. ages 11 down to 6. kids with varying interests such as knitting, star-wars, lego, american girl...nagging, yelping, and all those other endearing qualities. But somehow in the midst of their usual roller coaster ride that is the life of girls... The kids came up with their own project idea, gathered materials and tools, and just busted out the door and CREATED!
So now I am reflecting on what stars had to align, which elements had to to be in place--
you know, so i can guarantee this will happen again. The biggest component to this thrilling and beautiful display of creativity and cooperation was this: I said YES. I did not get involved or play 20 questions. I didn't ask why, what, and if it would be sticky or whatever... I just said yes and trusted that they would not injure themselves or destroy the property with a spray bottle, markers, paper, and scissors.
Sure, our 2 families have craft supplies at the ready, we moms are both knitters-the other mom more than me...she and i both have the desire that we (kids/parents) are ALWAYS LEARNING...we are lifelong learners, we are aware of teachable moments,etc., and the best way to lead is by example.
Sometimes learning and creativity happen, and the adults just have to get out of the way and let it happen.

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW-NEED PERMISSION FROM OTHER MOM TO PUBLISH PICS OF HER KIDS

sewing is not for the faint of heart

2009-07-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the munchkins and i ventured over to the local (not really) fabric chain store and picked up some fun fabrics for pyjama pants. Oh, and we needed a unisex pattern...and let me just say, while i looooove touching all the fabrics (yes, every single one) twice, that after about 47 minutes my head begins to spin, and i have the overwhelming urge to bolt for the door, kids in tow or not!

I ended up with so many ideas spinning in my head, that now i am almost too tired and overwhelmed to start the crazy pants/sewing projects. Does that happen to you?

The kids really want these to take to camp next week, so we had better get on the stick, make hay, stop lolly-gagging, whatever.

The older child has already expressed apprehension about cutting out the pattern pieces, because apparently he inherited the need to know how to do absolutely everthing before anyone actually teaches you how to do it.... (from his mother)

So now i am going to read through this easy (really?) pattern and try to get an idea of what we signed up for before the kids come back inside ready to sew.

recycle your starbucks

2009-06-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

yum yum yum

coffee is good. hot, steaming coffee with just the right amount of foam and sweetness, black coffee, iced coffee, frappuccino...i will slurp down any of them just about any time of day.

and while many people rue the day a starbucks popped up on a street corner near them, i want to sing the praises of the 'big-bucks' coffee chain.

1. the first time i picked up a bill bryson book was on the sharing bookshelf at the marion starbucks, and i have been reading and re-reading his works ever since. if you have never read bill bryson, his books usually chronicle his travels in europe in a humorous way. he also has a great one called "a walk in the woods" this recounts his trials and joys of hiking the appalachian trail...if you can't travel, then read about it-it's much cheaper, and less dangerous

2. i loooove to make something out of nothing, or to use the current terminologies, upcycling/repurposing. i have cut, pasted, and stitched countless cup sleeves and cups into gift-card holders and bookmarks.

3. starbucks will give you their used grounds to toss into your composter, which i have been told is great for your garden/flower bed.

4. order black fresh brewed coffee and you can take the leftovers and make these:

a. coffee ice cubes for a future iced coffee or frappuccino

b. espresso/coffee brownies--just replace the water called for (on the brownie mix) with

chilled coffee.

if any of you are so inclined, i would be happy to pass along a tutorial, or at least some photos of my upcycled creations using starbucks paper goods. just fling me an email, or leave a comment.

assessment

2009-06-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to, or follow this blog, but have fallen behind on recent posts. Maybe some of you want to check it out...

http://methodsofassessment.blogspot.com/2009/06/evaluation-through-triangulation.html

totally unrelated information:

starbucks will give you used grounds for your compost heap/garden

just ask

paper flower happiness

2009-06-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

good morning to you my dear 3 readers :)

The paper flowers have taken on a life of their own. At the bridal shower Saturday the flowers seemed to be the hit of the morning. Then late Saturday evening I received a call to fill-in as Sunday School teacher for our 3rd-5th grade girls...

I focused the lesson on kindness and friendship; we had a brainstorming session, sharing, praises and prayers, etc., and the girls could hardly keep their eyes off my stash of scrapbook paper!

We made our own Friendship/Kindness flowers, and to tie it to the lesson we wrote a scripture verse on the back of each flower.

I wonder where these flowers will appear next?

paper flowers pdf

2009-06-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

http://ellesstudio.blogspot.com/2009/06/birthday-pixy-stix-project-free.html

this will give you a pdf template to make LOVELY layered flowers--use paper, fabric...be creative...
i'd love to see what you make!

i will post a photo of my flowers as soon as i get new aa's for my camera

creativity

2009-06-27T10:50:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, creativity is great. Creativity with decorative papers is even better! Just returned home from a bridal shower (i helped plan, throw, whatever)...we had a good turnout, good food, and nifty decorations, i must say :)

over at oneprettything.com i found a link to some paper flower templates/patterns...

there is something so satisfying about creating something with your own hands that you will share with someone else. when i craft/create/make for others, i find myself thinking of the special person and hoping they will like what i am making, and know that i put thought into it for them.

hey, if you're looking for 2 easy, crowd-pleasing recipes consider these:

1. coffee punch

brew strong coffee

chill overnight

in a punchbowl combine:

cold coffee (strong)

1/2 gal. vanilla ice cream

1 container cool whip

1/2 -3/4 bottle hershey's syrup

that's it

i am really not a cool-whip person (prefer hand-made whipped cream)

nor am i really crazy about the questionable ingredients in hershey's syrup, but--

all in a punchbowl this is a sweetly satisfying, caffeinated, dessert-like treat that people will cheer about all during your party :)

2. spinach feta egg bake

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

14 eggs

10 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced

two handfuls fresh spinach, chopped

splash of milk or cream

preheat oven to 350

bake 30 minutes (approx.)

i'll post some photos of the paper flowers sooon

it's time to do the kitchen-clean up dance and clear the dining room table of the paper-craft aftermath...

are there state standards for that?

animal project

2009-06-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

no, these are not the animals...though by the end of the day--we smelled worse than the monkeys in the trees! i will post more photos from our trip, and share more ideas from our projects shortly :)

Yesterday was our magnificent trek to the fort wayne children's zoo! yippee!
I planned this as a mid-project refresher for my kids and the 3-4 kids I tutor each week.
Here is a listing of the major points of our projects...

pick an animal you would like to learn about
use the library's electronic card catalog to search and locate books related to your animal
find books on shelves (hello mr. dewey)
peruse books, weed out those deemed unnecessary
USE THIS PROCESS
identify title, author, illustrator
locate and examine table of contents, index, glossary, etc.
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS (discuss and write)
what does my animal eat in the wild? in captivity?
where is my animal's natural habitat?
so on and so forth...
interesting facts
something i thought i knew, but was wrong/right...
ULTIMATELY
i planned our zoo trip to have a purpose, and will plan all future field trips with a purpose for the students (and myself)
We took photos of our animals at the zoo, and will paste them in our scrapbooks along with some creative writing and creative illustrating...maybe add in a poem or two

i will also list the indiana standards that this project is addressing!

smart vs. pleasant

2009-06-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

As I make more moves to apply for teaching positions, I am considering the idea that being pleasant, or kind is so much more important than being smart. Yes, I want to have ideas and great ideas at that. I want to show that I am a competent teacher, but at the same time I want to show kindness. Kindness to my peers, my students, parents, volunteers...
Recently Danny and I watched segments of the movie Harvey, starring Jimmy Stewart. The line that resonated with us the most is this (paraphrase) in this world you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant...i recommend pleasant.
You can be right, or you can be friendly, and sometimes both, but how many friends can a person make while being "right" to the point of meanness? And being the "winner" all the time ends up making you quite lonely.
So my challenge to myself, and to my 2 readers :) ...remember to be pleasant. Your life, and the lives of those you encounter will be much nicer.

animals of all sorts

2009-06-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

hello. i have not been lost, only busy.
right now i am working out lesson plans/activities for 6 children. each child has chosen an animal to research: rabbit, gecko, river otter, snake, red fox, and gorilla. we are in the beginning stages of this project, and are just reading about the animals from books. our next step is to explore the fort wayne children's zoo! woo hoo!
i am hungry to learn more as well, so i have chosen the elephant. african, indian, not sure. and there may not even be an elephant in fort wayne, but oh well.
later i will blog on the importance of modeling for your students--they need to see that you take a project seriously enough to do it yourself...

done done done, but not really

2009-04-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

finished

but not really

look for a real post later today,

it's my 10 yr. old's turn on the internet,

and i must keep my word

comments and critique are welcome

2009-04-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

good evening readers. i now officially have 2 followers, though one is my husband, and i think his is a pity follow... :(

anywho, i have just returned home from a resume writing session at our university's center for life-calling and leadership.

here's where i need feedback; does the resume REALLY need to be kept at 1 (one) page?

how much should i elaborate on volunteer work?

what about my community work? I served on our local public library's board of directors until i returned to college 2 years ago.

I've also been volunteering at our elem. school with the high ability classes...

anyway, these are all things i've thought of since returning home, and now am unsure about the resume altogether

crock-pot applesauce

2009-04-14T05:05:00.000-07:00

Earlier this fall, during my student teaching experience, we ventured to Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, Indiana for a field trip. One of the highlights of the day was getting hands-on experience using a manual cider press/mill. The students each got a turn pressing their own apple, then we all sampled a sip of fresh cider. Delicious.
To capitalize on their learning, and to make connections to prior knowledge, we made crock pot applesauce a few days later (in the classroom). Students watched while I wedged apples and dropped them in the pot. We shared discussion throughout the day as the fragrance of cooking apples wafted through our classroom. Later we constructed an order of events recipe poster to reinforce the concept of first, next, etc. Finally, everyone had the opportunity to taste the applesauce. All but two students loved it! A few of the students came back for a second helping.
The field trip gave us the perfect springboard for multiple learning activities such as journaling, cooking, and descriptive writing using the 5 senses.

student success and encouragement

2009-04-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

This semester I have been tutoring some students at our elem. school. As I reflect back on each day's progress, I begin to wonder how much encouragement children receive at home. Considering the time and effort the teachers, aides, and volunteers invest in students on a daily basis, and the praise and encouragement we (should) give them, I wonder if this extra effort is rewarded at home...Which led me to an idea:
As I keep anecdotal records from each tutoring session, make a copy for the teacher (save one for me), I should have notes of encouragement ready to send home to the students whom I tutor...Is it safe to assume that students who receive extra help at school are working extra hard? Are they receiving any more praise at home for this work? It is my responsibility to give them that extra boost so that they will be inspired to keep working, and proud of their progress.
I would love some dialogue/feedback on this post! :)

Favorite Picture Books...#1

2009-04-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is the first of my top 5 picture books, and how I have used them in the classroom to facilitate learning through making connections, life lessons, illustration samples...and just good reading!

Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth

I will post (tonight or tomorrow) how I have used this book in the classroom to facilitate discussion with my students. The first time I read this book, I bawled my head off!

still trying to get the hang of this bloggging gig

2009-04-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of uploading some artifacts from my student teaching experience...
learning as I go, so this may be a bumpy ride for a few days...

2009-04-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Tallies and Graphs

We Love Cookies!

Students placed a sticky note in the column of their favorite type of cookie. After tallying the results, each student shaded in a bar graph to indicate the favorite cookies of their class. We discussed that bar graphs are a quick, efficient, and easy way to compare amounts and numbers. We can immediately see which cookie is the favorite without actually counting one by one. By identifying the column with the most names in it, you can determine the favorite cookie.

lifelong learning

2009-03-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

I am committed to being a lifelong learner. Frequently I am reminded that this does not disclude technique of listening, conversing, and the give and take of group dialogue. My husband teaches our Sunday School class right here in our living room. He has embarked upon a series that includes FORGIVE FREELY, something about giving, and here's the tanker:

LISTEN INTENTLY

during the lesson, we (students) were tossing out our definitions of listening, how to be an active listener, blah, blah, blah...

it was not until later that danny and i discussed my frustration that he seemed to be leaving us flopping in the wind, and at one point during class i called out: 'just give us the answer you're looking for so we can move on!'

so, there it is

i am still learning the delicate art of conversation, which, apparently includes listening to the ideas of others.

what i've read recently

2009-02-05T06:49:00.000-08:00

short list of what i've read recently

creative snacking

2009-02-05T05:50:00.000-08:00

In this bitterly cold season, I have been driven to create and bake warm, comforting treats. Here is a simple re-creation of cinnamon rolls from a can. Yes, sometimes it's ok to bake from a pre-made treat.

I used these lovely 'take out' containers from crate & barrel as my inspiration. Inspiration from a dish, isn't that common?

You will need:
2 baking dishes, mugs, etc.
1 can cinnamon roll dough ( i used pillsbury's cinnabon flavor)
bake somewhat according to package directions...except
layer half of dough in each of dishes
preheat oven to 350
place a pan of water on lowest rack in oven to create steam
bake your yummy goodies to perfection
great with a glass of milk
you will need a fork/spoon
and a nap

More about Tinikling

2009-02-03T06:51:00.001-08:00

more about Tinikling:

The dance represents a rice bird as it steps, with its long legs, from one rice paddy to another.

(info. taken from dynamic physical education by pangrazi and dauer 11th ed.)

you can certainly choose your own music which helps the students keep time/rhythm as they move, songs with 4/4 count will work best.

i learned something in p.e. yesterday

2009-02-03T06:22:00.000-08:00

i am taking my final class before april 25 graduation!
it is a physical education/health, wellness course for elementary teachers. the accepted practice for p.e. these days seems to be an effort to disguise fitness,exercise, etc. by making it fun and interesting to students-i.e., no boring push-ups, sit-ups, but buddy high-five pushups, and other things of that nature.
have you ever tried to toss a bean bag (mini) and catch it behind your back? tricky. it requires thought, concentration, and at the same time increases muscle flexibility.
so, here's what i learned: you can create your own tools for the rhythmic activity of Tinikling, which originated in the Philippine Islands. I had seen my son's music teacher using this in (music) class, using traditional poles/sticks. Well! now you can make your own set, that are stretchy and non breakable. Additionally, all students are active participants in this version.
here's how it works:
you will need 24 feet of 1 in. wide elastic
needle/thread or sewing maching
cut elastic in half
fold up 12 inches on each end of elastic strip, stitch
repeat for other piece of elastic
NOW
you need at least 3 participants for this, 4 is great, and after that you just need more sets of elastic strips
2 children face each other about 6 feet apart
each child puts an elastic loop around ankle( 1 from each of the strips)
practice the rhythmic hop (2 hops feet togther, 2 hops feet apart)
1 or 2 children may be the dancers hopping in and out of the elastic bands