Sunday, June 28, 2009

Dino-MIGHT

I've parked myself in front of the computer screen to swim through over 2000+ blog posts in my read feed this morning, and though there were quite a few subscriptions that I immediately "marked as read" without really reading through them, I feel as if I'm back on the blog-happy-path I've been away from since the end of the school year. Crafts, teacher insights, recipes, and sparkle galore, there are a few spots in BlogLand that I'll be roaming through and visiting today...

but

my

**most**

favorite

will

be

A Fanciful Twist's Mad Tea Party, 2009.

*****

Often, children give us clues as to what their heart's desire might be. Yesterday morning, the preschooler (and his dinosaurs) wanted P-A-N-C-A-K-E-S, and perhaps, remembering Mommy's need for visual clues, made sure I'd experience no confusion as to what he/they were all patiently, yes, patiently, waiting for when I walked into the kitchen:



He set up his little chairs, made sure each dinosaur had a comfortable spot for supervising pancake production, and then plopped himself down with his dino buddies and blankies, waiting for my morning coffee to kick in.

*****

Do you and your child love dinosaurs? Check out:

The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Everything Dinosaur

~ Try making dino soap!

~ or consider a snuggly dino-sweater from Moose Threads...

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Teenagehood

Later "Wacko Jacko" scenes and accusations aside, this was a moment, a movement that helped shape my teenage experience and my belief that we could all help one another, and have a positive impact in our global society:

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Something You Never Thought You'd See on This Blog...

...Sax and Violence.





Don't ask me why, I just *love* the Ma-na-ma-nah guy!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Attempting Patience, Enjoying a Birthday

I've been a student for the past two weeks, blissfully enjoying SMARTBoard training in preparation for new classroom equipment that is being installed sometime this summer. Learning how to use the SMARTBoard, how to add audio, make videos, assessments, and all sorts of interactive activities for my students has my head in a happy whirl- but I will admit that my toes are tapping impatiently, w-a-i-t-i-n-g for the classroom installation to take place so I can get started with the integration of this new piece of technology.

Tappity-tap-tap.

Life outside of the classroom has continued on though:



Our pre-schooler celebrated a birthday (and discovered a newfound interest in all things DINOSAUR):



His birthday dinner took place at the T-Rex Cafe...



Where this guy meets you at the door, growling AND moving...



Take a look at the ceiling:



See the octopus? We were seated underneath him (that's Dear Daughter in the right hand corner, UPSTAIRS looking down at our table)...



The pre-schooler found dinosaur books, a TREASURE:





Roar!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

...is This Thing On?

….aaaaaaannnnnddddddd, *we’re back.*

It’s been a while dear readers, such a stretch that I’m actually wondering how long it will take to get back into my blogging rhythm. Perhaps I’ll just fall into a new one.

I’ve been so busy that I’ve found my normal conversations and shared thoughts passed over for abbreviated acknowledgements and blips on Facebook as I try to manage the necessary choreography of chores, a summer class, family time, and forced episodes of recuperation from whatever summer allergies, viruses, or heat indexes inflict themselves upon me and my family. Add to the list an addiction to an online game (Farm Town) that is finally starting to abate, and it’s difficult to deny that I’ve been distracted from Kindergarten’s 3 R’s.

Family issues, while perhaps not resolved, *addressed* and no longer on the backburner: check. Successful completion of my first year at my newest district: check. Space carved out for my creative endeavors at home: check. Training for my soon-to-be-installed SMARTBoard: check-in-progress.

As satisfying as it is to attach a checkmark next to an item on any of my to-do lists (yes, plural), I still experience that nagging feeling that I’m not quite getting everything accomplished or finished that I *could*be… that I *want* to be.

Professionally, I want to focus my energy on reflecting upon my first ever year teaching at a non-Title-I school. The blips and notes I’ve scribbled down for myself have accumulated over the year, and with summer “vacation” upon me, I’d like to truly decompress, take a few steps back and figure out the lay of the land. I’ll have to make the conscious effort to set aside time for the summary after my technology class is over, which will be difficult because I’ve been bitten by the SMARTBoard Bug something BAD. National Certification has also sparked my interest- apparently it’s never the little projects that intrigue me.

Personally, it’s time to get our family in focus as we prepare for Dear Husband’s next deployment. He’ll be gone a year, and though we’ve proven that this particular difficulty can be endured and survived, prior experience doesn’t make the separation, anxiety, or workload any easier this time around. High-school-Graduate will head to college while Dear Daughter will have volleyball and her sophomore classes to keep her busy. The pre-schooler will continue with speech therapy, playtime, and all of the adventures that four year olds seem to get themselves into. I am grateful that I’ll be teaching again, and that my crafting endeavors will keep my idle hands busy each evening. Crocheting, making bitty banners, perhaps picking up cross-stitch again…I’m pleased to have options. I’ve already started to build up our stash of flat-rate mailing boxes for care packages too. Yes, there’s another checkmark.

But enough about me, how have *you* been?

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Halloween...in JUNE...

Blame Shannon- I've been Halloween~inspired in JUNE:



I'll try to get better photos tomorrow- with all of this witchy good fun, I keep missing the light!

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

...and now, for *My* Portrait(s)

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to have someone "do your portrait," follow my advice: ask your students to take on the task.

Go ahead. You heard me.

Ask them.

(If they're kindergarten-aged, you *might* have to remind one or two of them that you're not bald...unless you ARE bald, in which case your portrait will be ~just fine~...)



This young lady decided to capture our joint affinity for pink in her rendering... (I would be the taller of the two ladies, the one with brown eyes, not blue.)



This artist (a boy) said his favorite dress of mine was a new one, black with white polka dots...



Here I am on one of the days I wore my hair "up" with dangle-y- earrings in February.



...and here I am in front of the marker board on St. Patrick's Day. How can you tell it's St. Patrick's Day? By my green nail polish, of course!

I think my Stars captured "me" perfectly!