Tag Archives: Family

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! →

Making Time

Thursday, December 29, 2011, @ 8:44 amFamily, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, travel, Writingchildren, Christmas, church, education, Family, Grayling, great days, making the days count, reading, seventh grade, weather, winter sports, writingClay

moon_margrethe — A sliver of a moon slides across the sky as a frozen Lake Margrethe sees the last part of day

@MakingDaysCount and MakingtheDaysCount dot org, on many occasions, I have written about time and using it wisely; and if you have been looking for an update and wondering where I have been, I’ve been here, or there, seemingly everywhere – but not on the internet and certainly not at MakingtheDaysCount dot org. It has been a long three weeks. During that time, I have started a couple of entries but they have died on the figurative vine and been left unfinished. Continue reading Making Time →

Pearl Harbor – 70 Years Later

Wednesday, December 7, 2011, @ 12:28 amcountry, Family, history, Life in General, Reading, teaching, Today in History, WritingDay of Infamy, education, Family, Guys Read, hard work, making the days count, patriotism, Pearl Harbor, politics, reading, seventh grade, teaching, writingClay

I wasn’t around seventy years ago, but my in-laws were, they were teenagers then and remember the day quite well; much like I and my generation will remember 9/11

Yesterday, I casually mentioned to my seventh graders that today was an important anniversary and they looked at me in odd way – sort of like Ivy when she is confused, tilting her head to one side and cocking her ears back, as if to say, “So, you say?” What it really means is that they have no clue what you are talking about and they don’t have a good answer, because by the way I am looking at them, they should know. Continue reading Pearl Harbor – 70 Years Later →

Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24, 2011, @ 9:44 amcountry, Family, jobs, Life in General, pets, Reading, teaching, Writingchildren, eating, Family, great days, hard work, making the days count, Paris, pets, reading, scouting, teaching, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving 2011, writingClay

I went back in time yesterday morning to last year, the year before, and all the way back to Thanksgivings past. I went way back. I have been blogging at Making the Days Count since late May 2010 and have a few readers who follow along, so I feel I can go back to last year’s post without much of a problem for readers feeling like, ‘hey, I have been here before!’ Continue reading Giving Thanks – Happy Thanksgiving →