>Good morning, and good news

Posted on by
5

>I resist checking my school email during breaks, especially summer. Both my left and right brain need a mental break from the stress of the school year. I check in once a week at first, and then less often as I begin to relax and let go of the year’s baggage.

I checked in this morning and found this piece of correspondence.

“The reviews of your articles are back. The decision is that we should publish these in the fall issue of the WSRA Journal. Congratulations! Thank you for thinking of the WSRA Journal for your work.”

I think this calls for a toast. Coffee, of course, in my Wisconsin State Reading Association mug.


Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>Love Thursday and a new coffee mug

Posted on by
3

> Mmmm…coffee. And camping, too.

My camping teacher friends gave me a little goodbye gift last week. They got together and managed to buy a small backpack-style bag filled with camp goodies. It had a camp pencil, a pen and notepad with the camp name across the top, a keyring, and (you guessed it) a coffee mug. The mug, however, isn’t an official camp mug. I kept hassling the camp director (nicely, really, just teasing her) that she needed to have mugs in the camp store. I even suggested a few simple designs for her. Since they didn’t carry mugs (yet), my friends procured a dining hall mug left over from a long-ago fundraiser. I’m sure I drank from this one or its twin several times over the three-day trip. Now I’ll sip from this and remember my camp co-workers and how much I loved getting up in the crisp, cool, woodsy mornings and having my coffee outside the main lodge. Oh, and I’ll smile at how hard my friends worked to get this perfect little souvenir.

(Oh, D., camp leader, I hope you don’t have a shortage of mugs now. I’ll make it up to you if you do. Really. Just say the word.)

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>I am, i said

Posted on by
5

>According to the new family everyday site, I am most like TV Mom Carol Brady. Huh? Moi? Some quizzes are better than others. I’m still waiting for my Alice to show up and cook for us.

According to this one, I am a Pundit Blogger. Pundit? Oh, Mr. Word Person (aka Husband), is that accurate? I’ll let you decide. If I answered the questions correctly and honestly, I guess i could take this as a compliment. I don’t know about “truly appreciated by many” because my readership is loyal, but limited. Insightful? Maybe. I like to think some of my posts might show insight of a sort.

You Are a Pundit Blogger!

Your blog is smart, insightful, and always a quality read.
Truly appreciated by many, surpassed by only a few

Curious? Try it yourself!

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>Mom’s playing in the dirt! And she likes it!

Posted on by
4

>Assignment: Why do you enjoy weeding? Explain. Support your thesis with details or pictures.

I enjoy weeding because I can see progress. My garden is divided into small sections, set apart by my stepping “stones” made from old deck and fence pieces. I set a goal of weeding one section at a time. When that’s done, I can quit weeding or choose to finish another section. This is a managable goal; I feel productive when I can see the results in one part of the plot. It spares me the frustration of not “finishing” the whole thing, which is of course an impossible goal. Today I chose one triangular section of the garden and weeded out the many mini maples that flew in from the lot behind ours. If I ever abandon this small plot of ground behind my garage, I predict the mini maples will take over, leaving room for a blanket of clover underneath. But for now, look out maples! I have garden gloves and I know how to use them. Bwahahahaha!

Below, left: Mini Maple Farm Below, right: Mini Maple Farm battling with Zucchini squash

Who will win this dramatic battle of wills? Stay tuned for more, on Mom’s Playing in the Dirt.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>Summertime, and the livin’ is, well, easier

Posted on by
4

>Today is the official start of my summer because it’s the first Monday that I didn’t have to get up at 5:30, get Amigo on his bus, and head to my own classroom to work at my desk and get ready for the day. We had commitments today, mainly to get Amigo started in his virtual summer school class, but it was still easier and lighter than a typical school day for both of us. We got up an hour later than usual, had breakfast as usual, and then headed off to his “First Day of Class” orientation meeting with the teacher. He won’t see the teacher in person until his final exam. All of the work will be done at home and submitted online.
Now that we’re home, I’m looking at my to-do list. I’ve divided this into two main categories: long term to-do and short-term to-do. Long-term includes items like “Prepare for Rummage Sale in July” and “Work on landscaping in front of house.” Short-term is more like “Fill out and send in Lion’s Camp paperwork” and “Call Red Cross to schedule CPR class” and “Pick up new curriculum manuals at school office.” Of course, there are a lot more items on each list.
But the first thing on my to-do list for today is already on the “ta-da!” list: Amigo’s virtual school orientation.
Now I plan to add a little mental health break to the list. Cappuccino, watch a little CNN, maybe pick up a new book to read. That is, a book to read for pleasure.
Ah, summertime, and the livin’ is easy.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>#300 and an Appropriate Meme

Posted on by
Reply

>Memes, or suggested questions, permeate the blogosphere. I got “tagged” by Believer in Balance, and I thought Post #300 would be the perfect place to complete it.

When did you start blogging?
I started almost a year ago, in June 2006. Just a few months earlier, I had mentioned to someone that I make time to read, but I don’t make time to write. Now, with a blog that wants refreshing regularly, I make time to think like a writer and post my thoughts.

What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
It started as an attempt at self-therapy. To that end, it’s been successful. Posting my experiences, hearing from others, and reading blogs from people in similar situations, contribute to a general feeling that hey, I’m not alone after all! The act of thinking something through and rephrasing and summarizing it for a concise, clear blog post can help me clarify it in my mind as well.

What makes your blog unique?
Unique? Well, where else can you read about a Cheesehead mom who teaches, gardens, composts, reads, and occasionally writes poetry, among other adventures? Come back often enough, and you’ll find something you enjoy.

What’s your best quality?
It’s a cross between creativity and patience. My friends might add intelligence, but I think by itself intelligence is overrated. It needs to be applied and injected into life. Jeopardy would be fun.

What is your worst quality?
I give in too easily. I don’t like conflict, so I become a mediator and peacemaker. That, while it sounds like a positive, causes stress which in turn affects my health and well-being.

I really can’t think of enough bloggers who haven’t already been tagged for this one, so I’ll leave it wide open. Just leave the link in the comments so we can find you if you decide to do it!! Consider it part of my “tri-centennial” celebration. Let the fireworks begin!

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>time — supermom’s Kryptonite

Posted on by
2

>It was said jokingly, at least the first time. Husband looked at me, trying to balance three or four hours of errands and chores and quality time within about 60 minutes on the clock, and announced, “Supermom just met her Kryptonite: time.”
It’s true. I buy extra underwear for the entire family just in case the laundry doesn’t get done. While not rigid, we do have a routine to make sure homework gets done and rabbits get fed, not to mention the people in the house. If I blogged an entire day during the workweek, some would be amazed, and some parent-type bloggers would say, “Me, too!” because their days are as chock full as mine.
A typical timeline starts at 5:30 with my alarm. To make a long story short, because who has the time to read every detail, I usually fall into bed between nine and ten at night, earlier if the day has been difficult and tiring. The hours in between play host to everything from watching for Amigo’s school bus to figuring out a simple supper that doesn’t take much energy to cook or clean up. Oh, yes, I teach full time, too. I spend a very intense day with those pre-adolescents we call 6th graders. They can be delightful, but they can also be a drain on my energy. Whether I’m planning, teaching, refereeing, scoring papers, recording scores in my gradebook, or cleaning my desk, it’s a busy and high-energy day at school.
Where does the time go? I’m not sure. I just know it usually goes too fast. After all, time is money and money is time and, well, I can’t spare much of either.
But as long as everyone has drawers in their drawers, life is good.

Now if only I could teach the pet rabbits to do the laundry….

This blog blast topic suggested by Light Iris: the best of Google for moms and the Parent Bloggers Network

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>Love Thursday, Teacher style

Posted on by
Reply

>I woke up Tuesday morning feeling tired, looking forward to the end of the week and sleeping in. What a concept! As I staggered through the routine of feeding bunnies, showering, and getting breakfast ready for Amigo, I realized that I had a lot to accomplish before I could get to the end of the week, the end of the school year, the end of my tenure at this particular elementary school. Robert Frost’s words started to echo ominously through my head: “…miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep.”

My friends at work wouldn’t let me panic. They offered a Babe Ruth bar, a Snoopy doll, and a giant Hershey’s Kiss, all in addition to more packing boxes and strapping tape and a plan for Thursday that leaves me time to finish packing and preparing for the move.

This left me with time to spare on Wednesday. I posted a new cartoon in the staff lounge. I snuck into the classroom next door and changed the “Good morning” on her white board to “G’Day, mate.” I finished emptying my desk and found a classic picture of our building engineer wearing an elf hat and holding a big bag of something (chocolate covered raisings = deer droppings, if you must know). I borrowed (no, I won’t return it) coffee from the office when we ran out in the lounge, and recycled pile upon pile of old papers.

Today, Thursday, is moving day. I will allow (trust me, they’ll love it) my students with ADHD and my highly kinesthetic learners to carry boxes galore to my minivan. When it’s full, we’ll pack the rest in Mrs. Sip’s minivan. Then they’ll hang out and have an end-of-year movie, pizza for lunch, and an overwhelmingly relaxing day. I hope the relaxing summer-is-here feeling extends to me, their teacher, as well.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

>Here’s to the ladies who lunch!

Posted on by
2

>I grew up in a district that was an anomaly; we had no hot lunch program. We packed a lunch or went home to eat.
My students eat lunch at school, and very few go home. Since my sixth graders are the oldest students in the elementary building, they have the privilege of ‘working’ lunch as well. They beg to do this! I like to think it’s altruistic on their parts, but I think a large part of the attraction is the thirty minutes of class that they miss when their crew is on duty.
It’s definitely a point toward their social status to be able to “work lunch”. When the crew needs subs, the kids often take care of it themselves. They’ll notice, “Hey, Mrs. Teacher, Mike’s absent. Can I work for him?” I have very little to do with the whole picture other than picking the next group off my list of volunteers. These eager kids are learning about work ethic and self-motivation outside of the classroom. It’s real learning, and all around lunch.

And here’s to the parents who are looking for good child-friendly web sites, too. Schoolmenu.com and Familyeveryday.com are two that may satisfy your taste for safety while fulfilling your kids’ appetite for fun. Games, nutrition and fitness suggestions, and fun cartoon art are just a few of the links. There’s an email newsletter and a contest or two, and several other information and enjoyable links. I took the quiz to see which TV Mom I most resemble. Carol Brady? Me? Where’s my Alice?
Check out School Menu and its parental counterpart Family Everyday, two sites that work together with School Food Services Directors to provide and promote healthy eating and physical fitness for kids and their parents. Enjoy!

Share and Enjoy !

Shares