A Letter to Mom-

It's been 19 years.  Why this one affected me the way it did, I have no idea.  Maybe because it's almost a big year-20.  I guess I'm anticipating.  So, instead of mourning and being sad, I thought about the things I'd want you to know.  The things that I've learned since you went Home.  Here we go--
1.  I've learned how to be a mom.  You are still the small voice in my ear reminding me of how you did it with us girls and how to parent with grace.  The girls are beautiful and wonderful, and you would be proud of them. Your influence is apparent.
2. How to be a teacher.  I've come a long way from where I started.  I've gained loads of experience and many lives that I've helped grow, while learning myself every single day.
3. How to stand up under pressure-sometimes I'm not so hot at this, but most of the time, especially during really hard situations, I can keep a calm head and have an idea or two to work with.
4.  I've become comfortable in my own skin.  That includes learning that if you spend all of your time worrying about what people will think about you, you'll miss the really good bits.  Sometimes you don't get a second chance, especially to make a memory.
5. Lastly, I've learned how to be a helpmate and live Lutheran.  This is still something I work on daily, but it's something I strive for.  To work as a team but follow my husband in his decisions, and to incorporate the gifts God gives us through his Mercy and Grace.  It is such a gift, and you showed me every day by living it in your vocation.

Mom, I miss you terribly and I am truly grateful that I had you and Daddy in my life. You were amazing role models and I love you both. Always.

--Michelle


(written 11/6/15 & 1/17/16)

God Made dogs

Very cute.

My Lollipot

As a teacher, you need incentives.  Treats.  In a special needs room, there are lots of dietary things to consider-gluten free, non-chewy, chewy, salty, etc.  One thing my class loves are dum-dums.  I hand them out as we check behavior charts, or when there is extra amazing work going on.  The Kindergarten teacher had a lollipop tree, and my friend and I loved it.  So we made one for ourselves! Here is how mine turned out:

I think it is precious! I can't wait for my class to see it.  They will love it.  I will have to teach them not to help themselves either.  The first thing we did was paint our pots.  We used acrylic paint and then mod podge to seal it after we decorated them.

I painted mine basic black, and I cut out some flowers and dots that match my curtains and such in my classroom.  I used the mod podge to adhere them to it.  (Mod Podge is the best stuff ever.  Just Sayin'.)

We then added some of those floral rocks that you can get at the dollar store to the inside to give it some weight at the bottom.  Then it was time for the ball.  That was a dilemma.  How do we attach it?  We decided to just use good ol' hot glue.  We set the ball in the pot and made a continuous stream of glue all the way around.  Worked well!

At last, it was time to add the lollipops.  My friend bought two huge bags of them (one for each of us), and we began to put them in.  We thought we'd start at the bottom since it was a straight line to follow.  We put them right next to each other as close as we could.

Man, it took a lot of dum-dums to get that thing filled!  It took almost the entire bag to fill one-over 300 lollipops!  There were less than twenty left.  It was crazy.  Crazy cool!  They turned out even better than we thought they would.  I love the lollipot.  I can't wait to use it.

Amos and Andy

I have a wonderful family.  Since I was little, I have been surrounded by people who love me just how I am.  My aunts and uncles are very special to me.  They have always been a phone call away if I needed them, and their love is always apparent.  When I was three or four, my uncles Mike and Ron, got together one Christmas and surprised me with a Cocker Spaniel puppy.  I don't know how they did it, but they kept him quiet all weekend without me knowing he was even there!  They named him Amos.

 

Oh my goodness I loved that dog! He was my best pal.  He loved being with me and playing. 

They told me eventually they were going to get another Cocker and name him Andy, like the TV show.  I thought that was a grand idea.  The years went by, and Amos and I got older.  He loved to play with my slinky and to knock down the Lincoln Log cabins my Dad and I would build.  He just wanted to be with us.  When my dad was transferred to Oklahoma, we had to say goodbye to Amos because where we were living wouldn't take pets. That was a sad day.  From then on I've always loved Cocker Spaniels and wanted more.  We had a few others while I was growing up, but none compared to Amos.

Fast forward a few years ( I will not say how many!) to now.  A few months ago I got the idea to rescue a Cocker.  My sweet Allen said get after it, and I did.  I contacted Okie Dokie Cocker Rescue here in Oklahoma, and they had a few available.  I filled out the application, was approved, and she brought two dogs for us to choose from.  We chose one named Butchie.  I wanted to name him something meaningful and fun.  Then I remembered my uncles.  They never did get Andy.  So I did.  Here is my Andy.

Andy is a puppy mill rescue.  He is five years old and sweet as can be.  He is skittish and has a messed up tongue.  You can kinda see it in the picture above.  My vet said it was probably from licking the cage so much.  My heart broke a little when I heard that. He follows me around everywhere and loves to cuddle.  Andy is precious when he runs with those big ears!  He is getting along with the pugs pretty well.  He'll curl up with Penny and he plays with Hagrid.  It's fun watching them together.  Now we are again a family and three dogs.

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.

Forty is the New Thirty

In September, I hit it.  I wanted to hit it with a bang and all my friends, but frankly, I was way too tired!  So on September 30, 2013, I quietly turned forty.  Well, I guess I really can't say it was quiet.

The actual day fell on a Monday, so as a family we celebrated the weekend before.  Since I didn't have the giddy-up to host a party, my family just did whatever I wanted to do.  We started on Friday night with Macaroni Grill, including Italian soda,

 and a trip to the Guitar Center where I picked out my present:

a ukulele!!  I have wanted one for a long time, and so we just picked it out!  It was under $100, so I felt pretty good about spending it.  I have enjoyed messing around with it.  For the rest of the weekend we ran errands and hung out.  I didn't get to do everything I wanted to, which was mostly relaxing, vegging out at home and doing a little crafting, but it was good.  No school work done that weekend for the exception of the required.

On my actual birthday, I was quite honored.  I work with some wonderful people!  They snuck in getting the kids to sign a card for me, which they did right under my nose, and treated me with cupcakes, a gift certificate, and a big 'ol Dr. Pepper.  They spoil me rotten!  Then, at lunch, the entire 3rd and 4th grades sang Happy Birthday.  What a treat!  I was so surprised.  My sisters sent me flowers, balloons, and wax chips for the scentsy pot to school too.  It was wonderful.

When I got home, the girls made me a cake and I cracked open a bottle of Cupcake wine that I picked out.

 We stayed home and enjoyed being together.  It was a great way to begin my 40s.

The Bride of Frankenstein

So it's been a while.  School and life has happened!  Life is full and busy.  One of the highlights of the past few months was Halloween.  When I asked the girls what they wanted to be, Anna wanted to wear her red cape that she loves, so she was red riding hood.  Lauren, on the other hand, had big ideas.  She wanted to be the bride of Frankenstein!  The first thing I asked her was if she even knew what the Bride of Frankenstein was about.  She had no idea...none of us did!  So, for fall break, we found it on Netflix.  Here is a pic of Elsa Lanchester as the Bride.

In it's time, this movie was a horror flick.  It was completely tame compared to what is out there now.  The girls and I were quite surprised.  Part of it was funny even.  After we watched it, we figured out her costume.  We got some simple white fabric from Hobby Lobby and I made a tube skirt for her to wear.  Easy!  Now, the hair.  That was the hard part. We searched You Tube for tutorials, and there were many.  This is how we did it.

First, I curled her hair in ringlets.  I sprayed the fire out of them, hoping it would hold.  As curly as Lauren's hair is, it doesn't hold a curl when we do curl it.

After that, we took a cut coke bottle and bobby pinned it to the crown of her head.  I made it good and secure.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I put a hair net around the bottle before I put it on her head.  That way we could bobby pin hair to the bottle, which is the next step.  Leave down two pieces of hair (one on each side) for the white pieces.

Once we got the hair good and secure, we hair sprayed her hair black.  That was messy and stinky!

It took the entire can of black to cover those blond curls!  We then colored the two pieces left over white, which you couldn't tell very well they were white.  We pinned them up with the rest, and voila! The Bride of Frankenstein!

 

And, to top it off, we were in Petsmart the other day and found--wait for it--a Frankenstein costume just for Hagrid!!

It was the cutest Halloween costume we've done, except for this: