The 40s

So now that I've had over a year of being forty, I have come to some conclusions.

First, I don't feel any different than I did when I was 39, or 35 for that matter.  I get a little stiff easier, that's it.  Being 40 is pretty good.  I'm just about comfortable in my skin.  The most I've ever been.

Second, life is short.  There are things that I've said I've wanted to try, and I just hadn't got around to it.  Saying you want to do it and doing it are two very different things.  Well, I've knocked out two of them.  Last year for my fortieth, I bought my dear ukulele.  I can play a few chords and pick a few notes, as long as I have the TAB for it.  Very fun, but I wish I could play it more.  That's a goal for the year.  And, I've always wanted to try archery.  Not to hunt, just to shoot at the target.  This year my sweet Husband bought me a recurve bow.  It has been fun!  I didn't have a clue how to shoot, so I've done some reading and some practicing, after I got a target.  I found that a bracer (arm guard) is a must--I had a two-inch bruise on my arm where the bowstring popped it. Ouch!! There is something graceful yet strong about pulling up a bow and launching an arrow at a high velocity.  It's very fun.  Here is my best shot today:

Third, I have a greater love for my life at home.  For a long time I loved being at home, and I loved being at school.  I just loved where I was all the time.  It's the truth!  The past few years, I still love being at school and what I do and who I work with.  I love being at home so much more.  The time with my family is so very precious, and I cherish it more everyday.

Family is the most important.

Just Because...it's true.

Pug Time!!

I haven't put any pics of Hagrid and Penny lately.  Here is the cuteness!!

Penny on watch.

Hagrid on Mount Scott

 Penny on her birthday.

Hagrid thought about playing the ukulele.

Cuteness is Coming to the Classroom

During the summer I catch up on all those little things in the class to make it cute and homey.  A few years ago I found some floral fabric I absolutely loved at Hobby Lobby.  Originally I bought it for my kitchen curtains, but I really didn't like it in there, so I didn't make them.  I just held onto it until I thought of a good place to use it.  The opportunity came--my classroom!  The past few years I've used the Poppin' Patterns calendar set, borders, the whole shebang.

I love it, and so I added my fabric for different things, like my Ribbon board and countdown board (I remade it as the year went on). I also made curtains from ones I had for another classroom.  They happen to match wonderfully!

This year I am putting my whole morning meeting on the SMART board.  I am so excited!  So all of the things on the chalkboard will be digital, mostly.  I am keeping the fabric things I've made because they are too cute.  I made a 100 day count too.

The 1 is somewhere in my classroom--I'll find it when I get back to school.  I love how it turned it out.  So, now I think I am going to try to make borders out of the fabric for the bulletin boards, a little lamp shade, and maybe a calendar.  We'll see about that.  When I figure out the borders I'll show you how!

Meatloaf

Since I am staying home this summer, I actually have time to cook.  I've been pulling out favorites that I haven't made in a while, and I'm finding new ones.  It's been fun to take the time in the kitchen.  I hope that I can make this carry over into the school year.  Anyway, I decided to pull out my mom's meatloaf recipe.  As some of you know, my mom was an excellent cook.  She made it quite often because my dad loved it.  I think I got tired of it when I was a kid, because I wasn't too fond of it.  Now, oh man! I know why Dad loved it so.  (He's in Heaven right now saying, "No kidding, Shell!" haha)

The reason I'm posting it is because my youngest is a very picky eater.  If she had her way she would eat ramen noodles, corn dogs, mac & cheese, cheeseburgers and apples the rest of her life.  When I made this, I also made mashed potatoes and corn to go with it.  Usually she devours the taters first, then picks at everything else.  NOT this time!  She exclaimed after supper that she ate the meatloaf first then the taters.  She said she loved it, even more than the potatoes.  Success!!

I was talking to my sister the other day and her oldest is the same.  She begged for Fridays to be meatloaf days.  I think my mom would be very pleased that her granddaughters love her cooking.  It's one of the ways we keep them real and alive for our girls.

Here's the recipe:

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

3/4 c. uncooked oats
1/4 c. chopped onion (I usually use a sprinkle of onion flakes)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. ketchup
1 egg, beaten (I just throw it in)

Combine all ingredients thoroughly with fingers--press firmly into ungreased loaf pan.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 min.

Enjoy!

The Dinosaur Museum

The Sam Noble Museum of Natural History is one of our favorite museums.  We have been going there for many years.  It is just astonishing when you turn the corner and see this ginormous apatasaurus standing there. The one that I love is the pentaseratops.  It sits by itself in a little corner.  It is the biggest skull found intact in the world.

He is amazing!  I could just sit there and look at him.  We have been going there so long that we have pictures of the girls growing up:

We'll add some more memories at the dinosaur museum soon.  We haven't gone with the Posse in a while!!

My Lofty Summer Goals

Hey There!
We are into the second full week (for me) of summer, and I'm finally ready to get this show on the road.  I am determined to not waste my summer!  Here are some of the things I want to do this summer:

• Ukulele Practice.  I received my little jem for my birthday in September.  I've picked it up a few times and had some good practice, but not as much as I would have liked.  Most of the year I would see it sitting there, and I would just sigh and wish I had a little time to visit.  So now I will!  I'm learning chords and how to read Tab.  I use this ukulele tuner to make sure I'm in tune, and am slowly learning songs from  the website Ukulele Tabs.  Loving my little thing!
  
• Craftiness.  There are so many things I have put off until the summer!  Suncatchers, brush holders, candle making, sewing.  Lots of things.  
• School projects.  All those things I didn't have time to do during the year--organizing folders, finding new activities, making worksheets, etc.  Keeping myself in check so I don't do too much.
• And last, but most certainly not least, PLAY WITH MY GIRLS!!  They have been patient all year, so we are trying to get in as much time together as possible.  Lots of laughter and fun ahead!

Not too many goals.  I think it's gonna be a great summer!

Summer is Here!

We finally made it.  Summer.  I thought it would never get here! Now two months of sleeping in, having fun, and doing projects. Relaxation.  Freedom.  Recharge.  The girls and I are excited!

I can't say, though, that we do not have some goals for the summer.  I, of course, have my summer list for school, but it is half the size it was last summer.  I am trying my best to not overwhelm myself like I did last year. This year I promised myself and the girls that we would have fun this summer.  It has been a long year, full of lots of hard work and not enough family time.  It made me cherish it so much more when we did have time together. So we are going to have loads of it!

The girls have lessons this summer-Anna continues guitar and Lauren begins dance again after a two year hiatus. She is very excited! I am going to continue on my ukelele journey. I look forward to it. Besides that, we will consume episodes of Doctor Who, make stuff, laugh a lot, find new things to do in our great State, and basically be slackers. I welcome it.

Photo made using the Vinylize Me app. 

Silly Season...Teacher Style

Allen always laughs at me when I call ESY and OAAP time Silly Season.  Secretly I think he's proud that I used the NASCAR term the right way.  Well, it is Silly Season!! Everyone is trying to get everything done for testing, and get summer school paperwork done in time, and get things wrapped up for the year.  All in about ten weeks or so.  I can't believe that the school year is almost over.  I think we have 54 days left.  This is exciting and scary and overwhelming all at the same time.  Exciting because summer is a'comin', scary and overwhelming because I have a ton of things to do in those 54 days. This is what is scary--

ESY, otherwise known as extended school year, or summer school, is the easiest one of the bunch.  I am actually getting that knocked out pretty quick.  Each student that goes needs a meeting to go over if it's imperative or not.

Last of the IEPs and Re-evals are next on the oh-my list.  I've done quite a bit of them this year already, but I have a few left, and those re-evals keep popping up! I think I've done three or four already this year.  These happen annually or every three years.  Normal stuff, but they take time.

OAAPs are the biggie.  This is the Oklahoma Alternative Assessment Program, or portfolio testing. Woohoo!! (not really).  I don't mind spending the time working with my students, in fact, I look forward to it.  They tend to either impress me beyond measure, or I realize I need to change my approach for things.  Last year's OAAPs were impressive.  I was so excited when we got the scores back because they did so well.  I am very proud of my boys.  This year, though, I am afraid of what I will find when I do the last bit of them.  I have been teaching them these skills all year long, but when put in a specific situation with a camera on them, things can go a little bit astray. We'll see how they do.  I've got five of them to do this year.

Other than that, we are on the downward slope.  Hold on tight!

So there is my Silly Season!  Bring it on!! (and don't forget the Dr. Pepper--I'll need it.)  

Versus

There was a TV show on Fox called the Finder.  It was about this man who lived in the Florida Keys who could find anything you asked him to, even though sometimes it brought more than you bargained for.  The girls and I loved the show!  It starred Geoff Stults and the late Michael Clark Duncan.  It was cancelled shortly before Duncan passed.  We were sad to see only one season of this show.  It was quirky and fun.

One of the things they did in their down time was have discussions using a chalkboard.  The topics were presented in the vs. style-honor vs. duty, bravery vs. courage, Mozart vs. Bach, etc.  They had some lively discussions over these topics!

While the show was on, we began our own vs. board on the fridge.  We've done lots of topics, ranging from very simple to silly.  We haven't done any in-depth topics because we are still children!  And, we tend to just write our initials on the board by the one we vote on.  Here are some of our topics:

• waffles vs. pancakes
• tulips vs. roses
• cookies vs. brownies
• summer vs. winter
• soda vs. soda stream
• netflix vs. apple tv

It has been lots of fun and has started some great conversations.  I can't wait until the girls are a little bit older to do some harder ones.  This is what is up right now.

I personally like both, but I think I like Elsa a little bit better.  Even though she was the one who accidentally hurt her sister, she was also the one who saved her.  She also overcame her fears and learned to control her power.

What would be on your versus board?

The Crazy Train

Lots of people see the new year as a clean slate, a fresh start.  Time to make changes to how we approach everything.  I am no exception.  I'm not going to be like so many people that vow to exercise and diet. I am trying to do these things already.  This year I'm gonna stop the crazy train.

This school year has eaten my lunch--quite literally.  It has been very difficult for me on many levels.  Lots of responsibility, paperwork, and events I will not get into have made it probably the hardest year I've ever had.  I also feel like all the other places I've been and the classes I've taught has been getting me ready for this.  I feel very blessed to have a family who is supportive and patient and an amazing faculty that sticks with it everyday, with me.  This is the Crazy Train.

I am going to try my best to decrease the "crazy" in my life.  Some of it I have no control of whatsoever.  The other part of it, I most certainly can help it.  It will take some time to get things streamlined, but I know that I if I can get the paperwork easier, the Crazy Train will start slowing down into the station.  That is my resolution.