Tag Archives: Family

Spring Break – 2012

Sunday, March 25, 2012, @ 7:52 amadventure, Family, jobs, pets, teaching, Weatherchildren, eating, Family, fishing, Grayling, great days, making the days count, pets, teaching, water sports, weatherClay

I‘ll be brief, I promise. It is Spring Break. I have big plans and small ones, too.

The plan was to leave immediately after school Friday, but I nixed it on Thursday because I was exhausted and did not want to drive 360 miles Friday trying to stay awake nor settle back seat disputes. So, we settled on leaving Saturday morning and even then I was sleepy the last hour or two. The drive was pleasant and it was amazing to drive through budding trees and the emerging green grass. We even stopped at our friend’s house for a brief visit. I visited with the parents and the kids had fun with each other. It was a nice visit and broke the drive into two parts – But, we made it and we’re here at the cottage. Continue reading Spring Break – 2012 →

weekends, sigh

Saturday, March 10, 2012, @ 10:32 amFamily, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, reading, restaurants, scouting, seventh grade, shopping, teaching, weather, writingClay

nightsky — inage courtesy of NASA - click to learn more!

Weekends disappear in the blink of an eye; actually, the entire past week disappeared in the blink of an eye. I can hardly believe the week is done. It was an easy week due to state testing, but it is done except for makeups for students who missed a day or two. I look back at the week with a bit of pride – I accomplished quite a bit and am current with just about everything at school; however, my office space downstairs is a fire hazard and I have other tasks to accomplish this weekend. Continue reading weekends, sigh →

March Saturday Morning

Saturday, March 3, 2012, @ 10:33 amadventure, Family, history, Reading, teaching, travel, Writingbrothers, children, education, Family, great days, history, making the days count, Paris, reading, seventh grade, teaching, word parts, writingClay

bros_cambronne_park — the picture that distracted me this morning!

It is another three-day weekend for the kids and they need it. Yesterday was a teacher institute day (teacher learning) across the county and all schools were out. I sat through a class on vocabulary acquisition our district rolled out at the beginning of the year. It is a pretty successful program focusing on Greek and Latin roots. I like it because it is concrete. There is a right answer and a right way. As much as the kids needed a day out of school because state testing begins next week, I needed a day in the classroom. I got a lot of the learning yesterday and am looking forward to applying it, but most of all it was it was good to get confirmation that what we are doing is helping kids learn. Continue reading March Saturday Morning →

Spring Day

Friday, March 2, 2012, @ 6:37 amFamily, Hobbies and Fun, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, history, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, spring storms, teaching, writingClay

Spring has sprung, at least for a brief moment earlier this week. Wednesday morning, I walked out of the house and it was 50 degrees; it was the same morning the storms rolled across southern Illinois. Right now, we are back in the mid-30s and cloudy; it looks much the same as most of January and February did. Nevertheless, it is spring. Continue reading Spring Day →

Stamps, stamps, and more stamps

Tuesday, February 28, 2012, @ 9:35 amadventure, Family, history, Hobbies and Fun, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Teaching and Learning, travel, Writingchildren, education, Family, great days, history, making the days count, patriotism, politics, reading, seventh grade, stamp collecting, teaching, writingClay

lovestamp_1973 — Love postage – circa 1973

For those of you who know me and maybe those of you who don’t – I like stamps. My last post included a mention of stamps and I have mentioned stamps and letter writing several times. But, I love stamps, postage stamps, commemorative postage stamps to be precise. Continue reading Stamps, stamps, and more stamps →

Super Bowl Sunday

Sunday, February 5, 2012, @ 4:12 pmCooking, country, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, sports, teaching, travel, Writingchildren, education, Family, football, making the days count, Paris, patriotism, politics, reading, restaurants, scouting, World War I, writingClay

: Go Pats!

I remember my first super bowl – or the first I remember watching. It was Super Bowl 4 – the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Baltimore Colts. I didn’t know much about football then, but being from Houston I was rooting for the Colts. The team I rooted for didn’t make it and never would. The Houston Oilers aren’t around anymore. Continue reading Super Bowl Sunday →

What a difference a year makes

Wednesday, February 1, 2012, @ 11:21 pmFamily, jobs, Reading, teaching, Weathereducation, Family, football, high school football, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, seventh grade, weather, winter 2012, writingClay

snow_corridor — a year ago I had to rescue Ivy – today the deck is bare! Might as well be spring!

A year ago, I was climbing into bed dreaming of sleeping late, really late – past seven, eight, maybe even nine in the morning – which is unheard of for a middle school teacher. Except, we had been pummeled by 20+ inches of snow beginning Tuesday night and school had been cancelled for not one, but two days! Fast-forward to this year and we have had hardly any snow, yesterday it was in the upper 50s, and except for a few patches in shady areas, there is no snow on the ground. Continue reading What a difference a year makes →

Winter Break is over

Sunday, January 8, 2012, @ 6:26 amCooking, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchurch, eagle scout, eating, education, Family, Grayling, great days, Guys Read, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, scouting, seventh grade, teaching, weatherClay

moon0105 — Thursday night's moonrise and the sunset highlights the trees

Winter Break is over. I suppose that is a good thing. I need to get back to work and have a bit more structure in the day, but I have certainly enjoyed the time to rest, relax, and restore. I have enjoyed cooking, reading, and spending time with family. I have my regrets – I didn’t accomplish as much grading as I wanted, I didn’t clean up my desk and organize my personal office like I planned and sadly, I have been restoring my waist line and not vice-versa. Continue reading Winter Break is over →

Let it snow – part 2

Monday, January 2, 2012, @ 8:01 amadventure, Cooking, Family, pets, Reading, teaching, Weather, Writingchildren, eating, education, Family, Grayling, great days, hard work, making the days count, pets, reading, teaching, weather, writingClay

ivy_stairs — Ivy looks down from upstairs

It is still snowing and I hope it doesn’t stop, or at least doesn’t stop until I want it to. I was up late, too late, last night and when I woke up this morning, I peered out the front window and was relieved to see a blanket of fresh snow covering the front yard and extending out into the lake Evidence Ivy’s and my walk had been erased.

Olivia is sleeping and I hope she sleeps for a bit longer; she was up late, though not as late as I was. This morning, Ivy barked and wanted out and I was afraid she was getting up, but she went back to bed. Ivy went outside did her business and came back inside and snuggled up on the blanket by my feet and went back to sleep, too. Continue reading Let it snow – part 2 →

Let it snow!

Sunday, January 1, 2012, @ 10:31 pmCooking, Family, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, travel, Weather, Writingchildren, Family, Grayling, making the days count, reading, sports, teaching, weatherClay

It is New Year’s Day and I’m still in Michigan and I’m loving’ it. It has been a peaceful break. The kids have enjoyed the slopes – despite the lack of snow. And I’ve enjoyed watching them, taking pictures, and being close enough to go home and cook dinner and have it ready for them when they’re finished skiing and ‘boarding. And yes, I’ve been able to play with MtDC.org or Making the days Count dot org.

Yesterday, the weather service pronounced a Winter Storm Watch, which changed into a Winter Storm Warning, and today turned into reality. Continue reading Let it snow! →