fall leaves

roasting and getting ready for dinner!
It’s Thanksgiving morning and the turkey is in the oven. There are yams cooking on the stove and it’s pretty quiet. Ivy’s been out a couple of times and she had a treat to start her day. I mixed chicken broth, warm chicken broth, with her dog food this morning and she enjoyed it. Actually, she’s in the doghouse with B, because Ivy woke us up just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. She had slept at the top of the stairs just outside our room and let out a yelp and short bark to let me know it was time to go out. I felt the warm spot on the carpet when I went downstairs to let her out and start the day. Unfortunately, B’s sleep was collateral damage and she followed me downstairs.
It’s my job to cook the turkey and it’s in the oven. The smells are just now wafting through the house and before long; the aroma of Thanksgiving Continue reading…
Tags: children, eating, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writing

a great way to start the day…
It’s great when I can sleep until the sun rises, usually I am on my way to school, and dropping W off on the way as the sun peaks over the horizon and new day begins. I would have missed it, but I set my alarm to get up early this morning, but I let it snooze and slept in. I needed it. I really needed to get a good night’s rest.
It was a treat to see the pinky-orange sky reveal a lightly frosted landscape this morning. It’ll burn off and I’ll get out, rake up the last few pockets of leaves, cover the lawn furniture, Continue reading…
Tags: children, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, great days, making the days count, reading, teaching, weather, writing
STRESS CITY. It is that time of the year, November and the push at school, home, and everywhere else. This past week was full: parent conferences at school – two full days, parent conferences for O, the election, and the kid’s activities – sports and scouts. I am grateful for B who handled scouts this week; otherwise, I might have burst. And, this week ends with my birthday. Yep, I am officially one year older today – Happy Birthday to me. Continue reading…
Tags: children, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall leaves, Family, great days, hard work, history, making the days count, patriotism, reading, sixth grade, teaching, writing
The sign says it all, ‘The quiet room.’ My kids tried to avoid it at all costs; I guess I would have, too, at their age. But, I’d sure like to go there for the next couple of days. Continue reading…
Tags: children, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great days, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, softball, sports, teaching, weather, writing
This tree always turns before the others, it is tucked around back and if you don’t look for it – you miss it.
I didn’t!
I do miss writing and I have. Much to write about, but now, this is what I have time to post.
It is day 29 and it’s gonna be a great day, I know it! Making the Days Count, one day at a time.

Tags: fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great days

pancakes to start the day, what better way?
It was wonderful to stay up to 10PM with the kids and put them to bed knowing that it was really 9PM or would be in a few hours. Daylight Savings Time is the bomb! At least for a day. I looked at today’s details the sun rose at 6:30 AM and will set at 4:41 PM, even this early in the morning that is 10 hours and 11 minutes, how can that be? Regardless, that is the daylight we have, so we must make it count, worthwhile. Continue reading…
Tags: Bethany Hamilton, children, eating, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, pets, reading, Soul Surfer, teaching, weather
Yesterday was a glorious Fall day. It had been windy and wet in the middle of the week, but Thursday night the skies cleared and the temperatures dropped leaving a hint of frost everywhere. I know there is more of that to come, a lot more of it. I was up late Thursday night writing my narrative and getting ready for school even though I was out of school Friday, I still had to prepare via the web and the Blackboard – an electronic Blackboard – of sorts. Beth is out of town visiting her parents in Ohio and the kids needed me at home before school started and after when they came home. Continue reading…
Tags: children, Coleen McGregor, Dulles Jr. High Class of 1976, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, seventh grade, weather, writing
It is Sunday morning and somehow, Saturday passed me by. Saturday morning, I got up late, about quarter to eight. The rest of the house slept and it was quiet, peaceful, it was wonderful. Everyone needed rest, I included, but I was awake, so I got up. Friday night we had been out at a – you guessed it – high school football game Friday night and had been the last off the field as William and Olivia helped the grounds crew pick up the yard markers, end zone cones, and put them away for another week and perhaps the season. The Tigers had made the state playoffs but have had a difficult season dropping three games this year. They won Friday night, but next week play the number one seed in the bracket – in their stadium, so it will be interesting.
This morning, the phone rang and woke Beth and me up. She went back to sleep, or tried to and I came downstairs, let Ivy out and made coffee. We let the kids sleep; Continue reading…
Tags: children, education, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, Family, hard work, high school football, politics, reading, seventh grade, teaching, writing

a leaf from the maple, picked this morning
Monday night I came home to be with Olivia. Monday night has been harried for me this year because I have to get out of school and home before Olivia makes it home from school. William has a standing appointment and that leaves Olivia unsupervised, unless I am there. Until this past Monday, Monday also included softball practice and an opportunity to get outside. But, on Saturday Olivia’s softball season ended with an 8-1 win and the Fall League championship, way to go. Continue reading…
Tags: children, fall in the Midwest, fall leaves, great days, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writing