Well, It's Christmas All Over Again!!!!

                                                        

                                          

 

This is why we travel nearly two hours every Christmas Day to my MIL's home... where else can you get this kind of family closeness?

That's one of my younger great-nephews in the final few seconds... such a talker. His grand-dad is holding him, my BIL.

I know that some family members visit this journal. I don't have digital videos of my side of the family, for we are scattered all over the US... however, for the past 32 years, the family Gilmore has been just over a hundred miles away ... I'm completely and utterly immersed in their traditions and lives. I've missed a couple of Christmases with them due to seasonal illnesses, but when I am well, I wouldn't want to miss this time with them.

Not everyone was able to be here on Christmas Day... and we missed them. Especially our newest family member, Allie Harper and her parents. I hope we'll get to see the others soon.

I'll be posting the second family video soon. It carries amore serious message that reaches beyond our own little family.  

 Maybe I'll post it for New Year's Day.

Yeah, that's what I'll do!

<grin>

Thanks for visiting!!

 

Tags: Christmas Family Video

Win an original Painting!

                      Operation Turtleblog!

There is a contest going on and you may be interested... read on to find out more details.... but hurry, it closes on December 31st. You could win a painting if you enter in time.

                

 

But first...

Who is your favorite turtle?     

What, you don't have a favorite turtle? I don't know why... there are so many turtles and tortoises around in our world, both living, virtual, and animated.

My students in elementary school have no doubt who their favorite turtles are...yes, that's plural. In particular, one class of third graders. These brilliant little kids are fortunate this year because their classroom teacher (not me) has chosen Italy as the country they will integrate into their studies.

Hmmmm, I thought as I pondered Italy, and all its years of history and culture. Yes, there are the frescoes, but there are no walls in our school that need frescoing. No ceilings to paint... thank goodness, I don't like climbing scaffolds. No marble to carve into anatomical wonders.

So... then... what could I do with a class of 3rd graders?... who would I teach them about? ...what kind of art medium and subjects might we pursue this year? These were the questions that guided me back in August.

The answers came easily enough: the Renaissance, the fashion industry, sculptures, glassblowing, frescoes, portrait painting, etc ...

And remember those turtles? You know, Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael... yes, that's how the students remember the Italian names... as turtles. The teenaged ninja mutant variety.

This year, however, they are learning those names belong to some very famous Italian artists. As we study the Famous Four, we'll be looking at their art, and making our own art... with a focus on portraits, sculpture, and fashion.

But speaking of turtles... the reason for this entry, you see...

                                 

My favorite turtle isn't Italian at all. He is American, actually, and quite agile and speedy on his leathery little legs. At 27 years old, he earns a living as an artist, and lives with his housemate, Kira, also an artist. 

                                        

                                      This little guy is quite the charmer!

Here is a link to Koopa's and Kira's website. I first posted this video back in September in response to a Scalzi assignment. 

                                      

But the reason I am posting it again is to bring attention to the fantastic contest that his friend Kira is hosting. It's called "operation turtleblog." You can enter to win a painting by Koopa by going to the website and following the instructions. Simply put, you write an entry, leave a link to Koopa's website, and you can enter. 

                              

But if you just want to visit Koopa's website and see all the details of his exciting work, click on this link to turtlekiss.com.

His painting of the week is called Alcatraz, and it's 18"X24".

                                     

Now considerthat Koopa is moving the paint around the canvas... not Kira.            

... which is covered in a pattern of color (selected by Kira, I'm supposing) with (turtle-safe) pigment, and little Koopa crawls across it... only, you must think like a turtle... this isn't just paint he's playing in... it's mud... glorious, squishy, wet, slippery mud.... oh the joy!!!!

Here's a detail of the above painting:

                                         

If you can't get enough of this talented turtle, I'm happy to tell you that Koopa even has his own website at MySpace!!!

I would love to have a painting by Koopa hanging on my wall... most especially because I could take it to school to show the kids that real turtles do indeed paint. So, Donatello, Michaelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo... make room for this new(relatively speaking) kid... er... um... turtle...  on the block!!! Koopa!

Kira and Koopa are fast friends,as you will see when you visit their website. The dedication Kira has for her art, and her devotion to her turtle pal are a testimony toher passion for life.

                                                       

Among other roles she plays, Kira is a an advocate for the welfare of turtles, helping to raise money and awareness for turtle rescue. Yes, turtle rescue.

Have you entered her contest? I have! I want one of Koopa's paintings. If you want a chance to win a Koopa original, go to the website at turtlekiss.com right now and learn about the entry details. Now!!!

Operation Turtleblog deadline is December 31st.

                                  Hurry!

                       

Tags: Koopa, Kira, turtle artist, win a painting contest, operation turtleblog, blogplugs

Epiphanies, forgiveness, and Walking with God again

I had a wonderful Christmas Day spent with my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, their kids, and their kids' kids, my mother-in-law, and my son and his girlfriend... oh yeah, my husband was there too!

Marti wrote about something that happened in her life. She called it an epiphany. In the helpful fashion of one of my friends here in J-land, (you know who I mean) I'm including the following web dictionary definition:

epiph·a·ny

3 a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery b : a revealing scene or moment

I had such an epiphany myself over the holidays. In fact, as a result, I made a movie from the family Christmas photos and video I had taken on Christmas day. If and when the family gives me permission to post it, I will.

Until then, I have some errands to run and a book to read, a house to clean, and dogs to groom, but I will be back to post a new entry soon.

The following entry is partially republished from the original back in 2005.... back before people started reading my journal. But it is still as relevant today, for me and for many others, as it was then.

 

Walking with God

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15

 I love to save Christmas cards that depict the birth of Jesus. Each year, I allow myself time to look at the cards from Christmas’ past, remembering the senders, re-reading their handwritten messages, but often just looking at their signatures below the printed text.

In 2002, I sent out an unusual Christmas card.

I say unusual because instead of the usual manger scene, this one portrayed an older baby Jesus just learning to walk. On the front, a beautiful reproduced painting by Morgan Weistling showed a loving Joseph holding steady the gripping fingers of his toddler, Jesus, learning to walk among the wood chips and tools of the carpenter’s trade.

On the inside it read “… the infant Jesus learned to walk among us so that we might learn to walk with God.”

(Click on the link for the picture: Morgan Weistling’s Walking with God )

Such a powerful reminder of our great and awesome God! He came into our lives as a baby, nursing and crying, needing to be held and comforted, fed and nurtured.

He had to learn how to walk. Surely he fell a few times when he first began to walk, scraping his little-boy knees, and probably banged his teen-aged thumb a few times while learning the work of his earthly father. He learned how to talk, how to read Hebrew Scripture, and how to make tables, doors, and chairs.

He grew into manhood, into his Godhood, and gave his life for ours, yes, even two thousand years later, we are still forgiven.

Let us remember that we are like toddlers in a world that is strewn with blades, mallets, nails, and slivers of wood.

And let us not forget that the hands of our Father guide us through right paths and hold us steady every step of the way.

 

Click on the link for Kissing the Face of God

 

 

Prayer: Father, we give thanks for the indescribable gift of your Son, once a helpless babe, now the source of our strength and our salvation. Amen.

Longings Re-visited

(This is a re-posting of an entry I made in December of 2005. I post it here today as a reminder that we have been and still are passing through the season of Advent.

Tomorrow is the last Sunday of Advent.

A time of waiting, hoping, even longing for the Messiah.)

 

Longings

 

“All my longings lie open before you, O Lord;

my sighing is not hidden from you.”

Psalm 38:9

 

Twelve years ago, my heart was heavy and I didn’t know why. I tried to name the heaviness that had hold of me, to explain the sadness so that I might get a grip on myself, but I couldn’t explain it. It nearly paralyzed me emotionally.

Over a period of several weeks, I was able to grasp at least some part of the thing that had immobilized me: I wanted something, but I didn’t know what it was. Then I realized I felt alienated from everything that had been familiar to me, and suddenly nothing I had or knew was enough to fill the need in my heart. Weeks passed, numbness set in, and before long I didn’t even care that I had no feeling about anything in life, nothing interested me. The spark, the joy, the aliveness had left me, and I could not explain the empty shell that walked around day after day with my name.

I turned to prayer. I didn’t know what I was asking for, I didn’t have the words. Sometimes I just laid in bed at night with no words in my mind, which I came to recognize as a good thing. You see, with no words in my mind, with no thoughts cluttering up my head, no songs, no noise, I was getting empty inside. I didn’t know I was doing that, but every night I becameemptier and emptier, and one night I was so empty inside that there was room for me to let God in. And when I let Him in, He filled the emptiness with His love. He actually rescued me, pulling me from the depths of the sea into which I’d been thrown.

That’s how I felt when I woke up the next day. Rescued. Saved. Alive.

He knows what we need. I suppose if you know what you need, it’s good to ask for it. But God is so big He already knows, even before you do, what you need most. Sometimes He waits for you to recognize what you need and ask for it, and other times He just waits for you.

When He waits for me, all I have to do is show up. On my knees. With an empty heart for Him to fill.

He waits for each of us.

 

Prayer: Father, we thank you for the new life you give to us every day. You know the longings of our hearts. We wait to be filled with your all embracing love so that we can embrace those who live in darkness. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

 

Click here to view Morgan Weistling's Our Refuge and Our Strength

Tags: Longings, Advent, Morgan Weistling, Rescued

Christmas preparations and grooming dogs

I am enjoying my time off this year...more than I did the previous two years. This is because I am not sick this year. I had the flu shot in time, I am not stressed and worn down as I usually am this time of year. Because of this, I can bake and clean and plan for visits with friends and family. With relish!

It's been sort of a neighborhood tradition to bake something tasty for our neighbors in the days prior to Christmas day. I don't know the exact year we started this event, nor do I remember how it began. It might have begun as a cookie swap one year amongst a few neighbors who wanted to participate, but over the years, without any further planning, it has evolved into a giving of baked goods or something pretty for the house. Usually the gifts are packed in bags, baskets, or tins. Sometimes it's something to eat, and sometimes it's something to make the house smell nicer. A special book, a card, a decoration for the tree. Always it is a surprise and a delight to see what my neighbors have made for us. It's been my greatest pleasure, of all the Christmas traditions, both religious and secular, to make gifts for my neighbors and friends as well.

Last year I had to opt out due to a disgusting little virus that took me out for nearly the entire holiday week.

But this year, I am whole and healthy (grateful for that, I am) and my kitchen is jumping with ingredients in bowls, measuring spoons and cups, while Christmas music plays spiritedly in the living room. I am most happy when I can putter in the kitchen undisturbed like this. Husband is at work today... I have the place to myself! 

For my neighborhood gifts, I'm making Mug Ems... tasty little mixes that fill the mug. I assemble the ingredients, pour them into the little bags, decorate the mug, tie on the directions for mixing and baking, and voila! The recipient has to add an egg, or some milk, or some water, or vanilla (depending upon the recipe), then bakes it in the oven proof mug. It's a warm and delicious treat straight out of the oven or microwave.

In this picture I have assembled the mugs and bags... the mugs have to be larger, holding at least 1 1/2 cups. I found the little tie bags at Michaels, but zip lock baggies will do.

 

I do remember mentioning to a few of you through comments in your journals these past two weeks that I was not putting a tree up this year. However, I found a solution to the dilemma... I wanted a tree, but didn't want to put it up or take it down afterward. Too many parts. Too large. Didn't want to buy another one. But I did have this little tree, so I wrapped a candy garland around it and there... As you can see... I have a tree... Enough for you and me!

                                                

The pineapple upside down cake, one of my favorite cakes to bake for special occasions, is for tonight's dessert at my son's and his girlfriend's townhouse. Her parents are in town for a brief visit before Christmas day, and they invited us to come to dinner and spend time with them all. Since husband is working until late today, I will go alone. I like her parents and look forward to seeing them again, talking with them, catching up on the year with them. The cake is my contribution to tonight's meal... as they had told me I didn't have to bring anything. I know, but I like to bring something. I think it's the American way... or the Southern way.

After all the baking, my attention turned to my dogs. Both are begging for a bath and some grooming. You can see the look in his eyes, can't you?

                                                      

Max wants me to comb his matted coat with that blade device on the right, which cuts through most matts quite effectively, then he wants me to trim his claw nails... followed by a bath.

Well (ahem), that wasn't really an accurate description of Max's feelings at the moment. He does not like the grooming, particularly the combing out of matted hair. He doesn't mind the bath as much as the de-matting. 

Dogs with continuously growing hair, like mini-schnauzers, need grooming quite frequently or they will look like sheep or a shaggy dog very quickly.

If this is new to you, don't worry. I'll share some tips with you here in my journal, ideas and tools that worked for us. 

                            

It's not necessary to spend a fortune getting your dog groomed, and you don't have to take it to the groomers to get a decent job done. My husband and I taught ourselves. We were trying to save on the expenses.

First, we looked at the pictures of well groomed schnauzers. We read books about our breed of dog, talked to our vet. Then we bought some good grooming sheers, not the kind you use on people, but industrial quality like pet groomers buy. I talked with one groomer, asked her questions. She didn't mind sharing some of what she knew. I did pay her to trim my dog the first time, and she let me watch.

Generally, I trim them outside on a warmish day. But if I have to do it indoors, like when it's as cold as it has been this week, I just cover my floor with a sheet and get to work.

We learned how to groom them by experience. Since we don't show our dogs, it's not necessary to do a show dog quality hair trim. And because both dogs are allowed to run around outside, we have learned to trim the hair from around their legs and feet. It helps reduce the number of leaves, twigs, and seeds that get carried into our house each time they run out and in again.

A nail trimming tool is useful. Buy some good ones. Go for quality. If you are uncertain about trimming nails, do ask your pet's vet to show you how. It's easier if your dog's nails are white. The quick is easier seen. But our dogs have black toenails, so for us it's a good guess how much to cut off since we last trimmed them. It does take two of us to do the nails: one to hold the unwilling pet, and the other to trim the nails. It goes rather quickly once you get the hang of it.

Scissors to cut the hair away from their eyes and around their noses is a must for dogs with growing hair. I love seeing my puppy's adoring eyes. Finally, one needs a good comb for general combing.  For a pet-owner, these are the basic tools for grooming one's dog (and a brush).

Not pictured are the tweezers for pulling the hair from inside their ears (doesn't hurt if done correctly), and the toothbrush.

Do you groom your dog? If you have a specific implement or tool that helps make the job easier, let me know.

Tags: Christmas gift ideas, grooming mini-schnauzers

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Cave Man Art Gallery is Here!!

All the fifth grade students have finished their cave man art!  

                           

Tonight I present to you the first public viewing of our Cave Man Art Gallery!

                                   

Actually, there are so many pieces (about ninety) that I couldn't hang them all up in one place or on one wall for fear of breaking the fire safety code, which requires that only 20 percent of any area can be covered with paper and cloth. That's not much space when you are trying to show off art work.

I divided the gallery up into three parts. One part is outside my classroom. It looks like this:

                             

Another section of the gallery is inside a walkway between our gym and the main building:

                            

And the last pieces were hung in the main entry hall just outside of the school offices:

                            

Last night I pieced all the video clips I had made of the display, and made a movie. Of course I had to add music, and what better music was suited than what I had heard on the Lion King album, called "Under the Stars."

I have not made a movie on my school computer because I haven't even been able to download the movies from my camera to the Mac. It's possible they have downloaded to a place on my computer, but I haven't found them yet. At any rate, I will continue to search for them, or to download them again. This proves I am not as computer savvy as I had thought.

I want to make a movie to show the kids at school... and their teachers. I think they would be pleased with how well their works melded with the music.

I'm not going to explain it all with words.

So, without further ado, here is my latest video, called Cave Man Art Gallery. I hope you enjoy it (music gets a bit muffled as it gets louder... didn't know how to fix that).

Fix yourself a cup of tea and relax. It's a little over three minutes long. Thank you for visiting! bea

 

                                              

Tags: Cave Man Art Gallery, elementary school art, blogplugs

Comfort Food

 

"Weekend Assignment #193: Share one of your favorite comfort foods. Because it's just about the time of year for them, isn't it? Getting chillier and with the cold comes the desire for warm food that makes you happy. Hello! Comfort food.

Extra credit: Well, a picture of your favorite comfort food would be nice, and might also make me hungry."

                            

Lucky me, the Weekend Assignment was extended one more day, so I do get to make an entry. It's about comfort food.

I have lots of comfort foods, different foods for different seasons. It's cold now, so something that goes with a cup of hot tea is a comfort food for me. I'm drinking my hot cup of tea as I type. One spoon of sugar and some milk, thank you.

I love the Pumpkin Roll one of my teacher friends bakes every year. She and her son bake them to raise money for their youth group ministry, so I bought several to give as gifts this year. They freeze well. They're filled generously with cream cheese filling.

Of course, I had to thaw one out for the week after Thanksgiving, as we had Pumpkin pie and that delicious Bavarian Cream filled cake with whipped cream topping for dessert on Thanksgiving (my son's birthday as well).

Anything with cream cheese filling is a comfort food for me.

                                     

Oh, look, I have two slices set out for us... won't you stop in for a cup of tea and a slice of homemade pumpkin roll? Come and set a spell with me... <grin>.

 

Tags: comfort food, pumpkin roll, weekend assignment, blogplug

aoljpictureUpload, aoljpictureUpload_2

Congratulations Mr. C!

"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.

We ask ourselves,

who am I to be brilliant,

gorgeous,

handsome,

talented, and

fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.

 It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

I learned of this quote, for the first time, last week, when a teacher/colleague showed it to me. Her fifth grade students had memorized it, and now they wanted to present it, as a gift, to our Assistant Principal who was recently selected as our school district's Assistant Principal of the Year.

I knew he would love to hear these children speak those words, and I had to know more about the words that reminded me of my own purpose and mission. When I read the quote above, I realized that I had somehow strayed, at least spiritually, from my original intent so many years ago when I first began teaching.

Many, many years ago, when I was a young adult, I found myself contemplating my own inner demons (which I'm thinking everyone has, but most would prefer not to contemplate on them), and began to wonder why I did not push myself to do more or be more than I was at the time. I concluded that I was afraid of success, afraid that I would succeed.

A strange concept, I counter-thought. Why would anyone be afraid of success? Over the weeks that followed, those many years ago, I pondered and mulled over that idea, that I was afraid to do more because I was afraid I'd be good at it, and I'd be successful. But why would I be afraid of success?

Was I afraid that I'd have to deal with people who wanted me to do more and be more? They would expect more from me? Was I afraid that I would have to change how I acted? how I lived? how I responded to other people? Was I afraid that I would be given more responsibility? more work? more trust? Was I afraid that others would want to know what I think, how I think, and would want to hear me speak those thoughts? (I don't like public speaking... gives me the shivers.) Or, worst of all, was I afraid that no one would really care if I succeeded or not?

Yes, I was afraid to be more because others would expect more from me. But that was a very long time ago, and was probably a normal transition in growing up. I don't know if others have/had these very same thoughts as their minds and maturity develop, but chances are if I'm thinking this, others are thinking them (or have thought them), too.

It troubled me back then to think I'd be afraid to do more or be more, but a few years later, the pendulum of my spiritual life swung to the other extreme, and I remember seeking to do more and be more than I could possibly do/be on my own. I relished the aliveness, the awareness that I was, indeed, becoming more than I had thought myself capable of in those earlier, younger days.

It was only after being a mother for a few years that I realized I was doing something great and wonderful with my life... more challenging (physically, mentally, emotionally), more demanding of my time and energy, and more satisfying,... than any other thing I had attempted prior to that. The only things I had attempted before motherhood was leaving home to go to college (I graduated), a relationship (I got married), and a job (being fired from one job led to the discovering of another). When one is in their twenties, there is little else of importance.

I didn't recognize the light in my life, though. I noticed other people had light in their lives... they seemed to know where they were going, who they were, who they belonged to, what work they were supposed to be doing... they just knew, and it gave them great confidence as they went about their daily lives. The light shined on them and in them.

But where was my light?

That question troubled me for a few years. I sought answers. Was I blind or was I living in the dark? I didn't know if others around me were blind, or just living in the dark with me. It was hard to know because I just did not see.

One day or one year, seeing came to me... like waking up. I became aware gradually. It's like when you look at one of those pictures that don't make sense... you have to stare at it for several seconds before your mind suddenly makes sense of it. A colorful 3-D image appears before your eyes.

It makes you laugh or smile when it happens because just seconds before, you saw nothing recognizable. Your eyes take a few moments to focus on the colors and lines, sending these messages to your brain, ... your brain sorts it all out and helps your eyes understand what they is seeing. Then the image appears. And you say "There it is... I see it!"

That's what is like when you first recognize light. It seems out of focus, strange, confusing in the beginning. But when you look at it long enough, you recognize it. It makes you laugh and smile because you realize it was with you in that cave of darkness all along, though you didn't comprehend. You do now. The Light.

Once I understood Light, and saw it clearly, I noticed that I could see where I was going. I could walk without hesitation, and avoid bumping into the walls or tripping over objects and people laying on the ground. Better yet, I could help people off the ground, and guide them around the cave until they recognized the Light, too.

"Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you."

I think Ms. Williamson is speaking to people who aren't recognizing the light shining in their own lives, the light within their own hearts and souls... they are afraid to reach higher, for whatever reason. Her words encourage us. If we say that we are children of God, why aren't we acting like children of God? I think it's because we are afraid that God will demand much of us, and that we will have to change.

You bet you will have to change. Even caterpillars experience a dramatic change before emerging from their cocoons or chrysalises. Yeah, transformation is a given, but if it weren't so you could not become who you were meant to be.

"We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us."

and not just a chosen few, but ALL of us!!!

Congratulations to our Assistant Principal... I think I mentioned it in an earlier entry... but it's worth saying again... "We love you Mr. C!"

Our school surprised him yesterday afternoon with an assembly in his honor. Each grade level sang, recited, or danced for him. Hugs were given left and right. I know the school board will honor him with a special dinner or public recognition, but like Mr. C always said, it means more when your own people honor you in your own workplace.

The quote by Ms. Williamson is one of Mr. C's favorite... hehas many that he shares with us spontaneously throughout the school week. He's always looking for words that inspire, encourage, motivate... for teachers, students, and parents. No one is left untouched when Mr. C is around.

I had the pleasure and honor of teaching with him a few years ago... Mr. C in the classroom is a sight to behold... students under his tutelage never feel inadequate, unloved, or left out... he administrates the same way. He has a light that precedes him everywhere... and when that light touches you, you shine.

I know the source of his light.

 

 

Marianne Williamson, co-leader of the United States Department of Peace movement (quote often wrongly attributed to Nelson Mandela).

Tags: Marianne Williamson, fear, transformation, light, blogplugs

Tags:

Wishing for snow this year!

There's not a hint of snow around here....

 

but it's cold enough...

 

and I think if I travelled far enough north

 

I could find some snow

 

and if I did

 

this is

 

what

 

I would

 

do...

             

Barbara  (Bhbner) started it... splatted me with a virtual wet snowball...

 

This is a J'Land snowball fight!

 

Want to play?

 

Just snag it and post a link in your entry.

 

I wish it were real snow!

 

Tags: J-land snowball fight

Thanksgiving, a Birthday, and sisters

It's Saturday... where did the holiday go?

Gone already, so fast. Monday and Tuesday was school. After school on Tuesday, I tutored til 5:00, thinking all the time how great it was that I would have Wednesday off to clean my house. Which it was and I did. Truly, I never clean so thoroughly and deeply as I do when I'm expecting a visit from my family.

So my house was put into order for the duration of the Christmas holidays as well. Yeay! That's a right on! for Russ's journal (Inner and Outer Demons) I forgot to mention when I submitted my "Right on!" to him by email today.

My sister from Georgia, and her husband, arrived Thursday, just in time for dinner. She would have gotten here earlier, but I convinced her not to arrive before noon because I had things to do before she got here (did I say I washed windows while the turkey was roasting?) And while the potatoes were boiling, I swept the floors, and while the cake was baking the day before, I was putting all my unironed clothes in the closet so they would be out of sight. Well, almost thorough...<grin>

Dinner was the feast it was supposed to be ... my son baked the pumpkin pie as soon as the turkey came out of the oven, and while I heated up the glazed sweet potatoes (made from scratch of course), my husband carved up the turkey.

As we ate, I couldn't help thinking that my sister and I have not done this together... ever... because of long distance (in the past she has lived in California and in Connecticut). It had never been a possible or practical trip for either of us to make over the years. Every year I've been spending Thanksgiving Day with my in-laws, and it has always been something we looked forward to in the past. His family became my family long ago, and the traditions we kept with them for 27 years have made me feel like I belonged with them, and they to me. 

Over the summer, my sister and I were talking, trying to make plans to visit each other this year. I invited her to my home for Thanksgiving... she was able to work it into her work schedule (and so was her husband) and got the time off. I'm so glad they came ... not only for Thanksgiving meal, but for some sister time. Little things like watching a movie on tv together, or talking at the dinner table, looking at old photos, even walking around the block or in the yard felt significant. It was good to see her, how healthy she looked, the weight she has lost. Her smile is so bright these days. Her eyes laugh when she laughs now. I remember when they didn't.

She asked if we could go shopping on Friday at the Christmas 365 store she saw from the highway, and so we did... it was my first time there as well. That's where I saw the knitted blue winter vests, and bought two of them, one for her and one for me. Aren't we a pair? She and Mike looked great this year, both having lost a great deal of weight. Now it's my turn!

                       

The other good news is that it was my son's twenty-ninth birthday on Thanksgiving Day. A couple of days before, I had written Marie (Marie's Muses) an email asking her if she had a recipe for Bavarian Cream filling and a whipped cream icing. I was trying to make the kind of cake that WalMart sells in their bakery. It's the best bavarian cream filled cake I've ever had, but this year, rather than buying the cake, I wanted to bake my own.

Marie responded graciously quick. I had all the ingredients except the heavy cream, which I purchased on my way home from school on Tuesday. I whipped up both the filling and the icing on Wednesday while the 2 layers baked. Then, right after dinner, I spread the filling and icing on the cake. I will never buy another cake at the bakery... it was too easy to make my own with this particular recipe.

                                                                     Thank You, Marie!

                                                           

            HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SON!

                                         

I've been reading about how thankful everyone is for their family and friends. More than anything, I am thankful for mine. I wouldn't be here sharing these stories without them.

I don't want to invade their privacy any further, so I'm going to end this entry now.

BTW, a big thank you to Shauneenie for sending me the little animated graphic of my name which I added to my sidebar today. If you didn't know, she is about to move from her lifetime home in South Africa to a new home in Southeast England. It is exciting, yet scary to pack up one's belongings and family like that, to leave one's friends,one's school behind, answering a distant call that will carry them all into an unknown (for them). It is the beginning of a new adventure, right Caroline?

If you have time, drop in and leave her an encouraging word.

 

 

 

Is your dog a lefty or a righty?

I was asked by our media specialist (let's be real, she's our Librarian!) last week if I'd be interested in participating in her daughter's science project, I believe it was. She said it was to determine if dogs were left or right pawed.

I said I'd be glad to, and she emailed me the instructions, asking me to email her the results.

I didn't realize how long it would take to complete the experiment. Once I got the hang of it, and the dogs figured out what their roles were, everything went smoothly.

I'm going to include the experiment directions so you can perform the same experiment as well, then complete the poll at the end... isn't this fun?

1st experiment: Show your dog the treat. Then place it under a piece of furniture, out of reach of your dog's mouth. Watch as doggie tries to retrieve the treat... record which paw the dog used most when attempting to reach it. Repeat twice more, allowing 5-10 minutes between trials.

2nd experiment: Show the treat to dog, then place it under a soup can, plastic cup, bowl, etc. Watch as the dog tries to move the bowl/can/whatever to get to the treat... record the results of which paw the dog uses first to reach treat. Repeat twice more, waiting 5-10 minutes between trials.

3rd experiment: Show dog the treat, then place it inside a paper towel tube. Lay the tube on its side on the floor. Watch to see which paw the dog uses to free the treat. Repeat twice more, allowing 5-10 minutes between trials.

My observations: I recruited Max and Misty. Max was most grateful for the opportunity to get extra treats in his daily routine. He couldn't wait to do it again. And again.

Misty, however, could care less... treats don't have the same powerful hold over her that they do on Max. I couldn't see very well through the camera and didn't notice that she was adept at retrieving the treat with her mouth. Once I put the camera down, and was able to fully focus on her, I was able to get reasonable responses from her.

I recorded a few of the attempts using my Canon PowerShot. Max at first was confused about me hiding a treat... so I began by placing it on the floor, with my foot over it... that way I could move my foot away for him to see and smell it, then cover it up quickly once he saw that he had to be persistent... he's used to me just giving him a treat... no games involved.

Okay, here's my video of my attempt to find out if my dogs are lefties or righties.

                                              

Off camera, Misty proved to be a lefty.

Now, go find out if your dog is a lefty or righty... then come back and do the poll for me... better yet, film your dog during the experiment, upload it to youTube or aol uncut videos, then come back to leave a link to that entry... and by the time you look up at the clock, it will probably be close to Christmas!

It took me altogether two days to complete the entire experiment, what with having a life to live, you know?

                                        

Getting ready for T'day

                                                             

Yep, it's fall... and temperatures are in the 50's this week here in my part of NC.

Thanksgiving is here this week... my son's 29th birthday,... and not only will he be visiting me, but so will my sister and her husband. The best part is that I get to cook Thanksgiving dinner for them, and I'm looking forward to the day.

Which means I am off to the grocery store to buy a few necessary items... I'm trying to decide between a whole turkey or just the turkey breast. I don't care to deal with left overs... even turkey sandwiches. 

        

                                           I love the yard in the fall.

A more substantial entry will follow. Have a good Sunday afternoon!

To the Veteran: Thank you for your service

                                                                           

 

 

                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tag from Emma's Home

Tags: Veteran's Day, Emma's Home

Weekend Assignment #190: alleviating boredom

Weekend Assignment #190: Share some of your favorite boredom-alleviating tactics from when you were a kid. (from By The Way)

I suppose I was seldom bored because I had six siblings, all younger than I. There's no way to get bored when you're eleven years old, have four brothers and two sisters, and the youngest is a baby. There was always someone younger to watch when we went outside, always someone tagging along to the playground, or the community pool, or just hanging around outside. I didn't mind it when I was younger.

For two years, I was between eight years old and ten, we lived in "the projects" in Manchester, New Hampshire. That was the most lively place we ever lived.

Kids were everywhere, a playground across the street, an open field behind the neighborhood for discovering little wildlife critters, and a long, steep hill beyond that field that became our winter olympics playground. Friends and neighbors were with us all the time. I'm sure the adults were keeping an eye on us from a distance. I don't remember anyone ever getting hurt when an adult wasn't nearby to deal with it.

There was a dumpster nearby that attracted our curiosities, although our parents forbid us to go near it, as well as a pile of sand left behind by the builders... we built cities in that sandpile... I often built tunnels, hills, and roads. Stickball, kickball, and jumprope were daily regular activities. We seldom played in the apartment when we lived there... it was too small for our family of six kids with one on the way, but I loved living there.

Mom always took good care of us while dad worked, but at some point she had to supplement the income through childcare, and began taking in kids... these were the days prior to opening an on-base nursery when we lived near Templehof in Berlin, Germany. I was fourteen by then.

When I was a teen, just before I was old enough to learn how to drive, I do remember many days of longing for another time, for the time I would be old enough to do what I wanted to do. I felt like I was living in chaos. It was more a perception than a reality. I turned to reading, writing stories and drawing. I had friends who shared my interests, and we'd write stories together, often working on the same story. And we'd listen to music.

We were not financially well off, so we were limited to what we could do on our own, with our own imaginations. There was no mall to hang out at, and movies were too far away to walk to. Things I could do to entertain myself had to be found right around the house. I was a very introspective child growing up. Still am. Probably another reason why I didn't get bored very often.

Tactics to relieve boredom?  I remember when my son was a boy, and I heard him utter those words one summer, or during other vacation days. I tried to alleviate it by planning activities during the days he'd be home. Since we lived about ten miles from the closest city, my favorite tactic was to invite a friend or two of his over to spend the night/day, or even a weekend... one kid gets bored easily enough, but two or three can play together.

We live about a quarter mile from a river... I'd take them fishing. We'd walk through the woods, down to the river, carrying a fold-out chair for me, and fishing gear for the kids. When they got tired of fishing, I'd let them play in a shallow stream with their toys while I sat back and read a book in the shade of the trees.

If they got tired of playing video games (I'm talking about Sega in the early days, when they were more popular than Nintendo), I'd give them a specific time that they could wrestle/fight/play in the living room with all the cushions from the furniture placed on the floor for them to fall on and bounce off. They loved running down the hall, launching themselves into the air onto those cushions.

If you have bored kids in the winter, like when there's a snow day... and if you are a stay at home parent, invite a couple of their friends over to spend the day. Make sure you have hot chocolate and crackers on hand, and lots of mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats. Keep in mind that the living room and dining room will be a mess for the duration, so let that concern go. It doesn't matter. What matters at the time is that the kids are enjoying a day of freedom in the snow, and you don't have to worry about the house because it's pointless. Houses can be cleaned after everyone goes home, or when spring arrives.

Let them play outside until they get cold, then they can come in (drop off all the wet things in a place where they can air dry), drink hot chocolate, play indoor games or watch a video, then they'll go back out and play some more. The intent is to let them play while you make movies of them playing with your camera. And if other adults are hanging around watching them slide down a hill, you can hang out and chat with them, or go in and read a book (or make cookies). The part about taking pictures of them playing is important because it's a real treat to look at them 20 years later. They grow up so fast.

You can probably tell that these are some things I did when I was a stay-at-home mom... over 12-20 years ago. I call them the good ol' days because I really did enjoy them. I enjoyed having the kids come over to spend the day or the weekend... I enjoyed listening to them talk as they watched tv, or as they played with the toys. I video taped the kids playing, talking, skating, at baseball, bowling, scouts, eating dinner, making things out of clay, .... you get the picture.

There was never a dull moment. I don't remember much boredom.

When my son got older, and said he was bored, I had a favorite response:

"It's okay to have nothing to do... sometimes there is nothing to do. You don't have to fill every minute with doing things. Sometimes you just need to do nothing for awhile."

If that didn't work I'd say "If you are bored, I can put you to work.." (cleaning the bathroom was a favorite, yardwork another). That usually worked.

He seldom mentioned the b-word, actually. I think he's a lot like me in that respect.

There are times I will do nothing because I want to do nothing... I think of it as incubating, or cocooning... the mind and body needs some down time while the inner transformations take place.

We know and understand this asan adult, but kids have a hard time with that one. I think it is important for them to allow themselves some down time of doing nothing, balanced with an otherwise active life to include playing outside, and reading every day (at least 20 minutes!)

How did you alleviate boredom when you were a kid?

Tags: boredom, how to alleviate kids' boredom

Classroom Technology

Listen to the music playing in this video. Watch the video.

Look beyond the fact that it eerily sounds and looks like a lengthy commercial for cell phones and iPods. The underlying message is powerful. I had mixed reactions to it.

                                          

The video was shown today at an after school workshop I was required to attend. Two things struck me about the video:

1) the dramatic music... who wrote it? who is playing that piano? I loved the music!

2) the theme that weaves itself throughout... increasing technology in the classroom because it is what interests the kids. This is the age of technology... it is changing faster than we can keep up with it.

After finding the video on the internet, I started searching to find out who the musician is.... her name is Carly Comando. I don't know much more than that about her except she does have a website on MySpace. 

I didn't have much time to keep searching on that topic, but I moved on to find out how other teachers are getting their technology. After all, it isn't cheap like paper and pencils.

Besides, I want more technology in my classroom. I want a laptop, but I don't want to buy one. I will only be using it for school, so I think the school should buy one for me. But if that isn't possible (which it isn't) then I am going to find a grant that can provide one for me.

I foundInterwrite Learning. I wanted to write more, but it is late and I am on my way to bed. I wish I had found about Interwrite sooner. You see, they are having a technology in the classroom makeover. The finalists are listed and linked at the Interwrite website... I watched the five elementary level videos (made by the kids and their teachers, parodies... musicals... very entertaining), and they are all very good.

Unfortunately, the voting deadline is Saturday, so if you are interested in helping some schools out, click on the link here and watch those adorable videos. Then cast your vote. You will be helping three teachers get the technology they need in their classroom.

Warning: it will be difficult to choose a winner... I found them all smartly done, and charmingingly presented.

Here are the elementary school finalists.

Here are the middle school finalists.

Here are the high school finalists.

Remember, you've got until Saturday to cast your vote.

Ah, go on... help them out with a vote! Then come back and find out who won. I'm voting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Interwrite Technology Makeover Contest, Technology in the classroom

Pastel Pumpkins, Cave Art, and Black Widows

                                                       

I love the Daylight Savings time change in the Fall... not only did I get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday, but look at what I saw driving into the parking lot yesterday morning.

                    

I did not digitally enhance the color. It was about 6:50 a.m. as the early morning sunshine kissed the oak tree behind the playground. Orange leaves burned brilliant red. I lingered before walking into the building.

I learned this week several things.

One, first graders can learnto draw in soft pastel, and be pretty good with the medium. Consider the pumpkin pastel drawings below:

                                     

Yes, I did say they were first graders. The hardest part was not teaching them how to apply the pastel, nor how to blend with their finger, nor how to keep their hands off of the paper while they drew. As you can see, they did all of these things very well. They didn't have a problem with not blowing the dust off their paper once I explained to them why we shouldn't blow the dust off, nor wipe it off with their hands like we wipe off pencil erasures. No, they listened and followed all these instructions.

Rather, the difficulty lie in stopping when I said it was time to stop. Truly nothing pleases me more than to see them so involved in their drawing, in moving that color around on their paper, seeing the delight in their eyes as they stared at their pumpkin pictures. But with only minutes to spare before the next class is ready to file in, they need to stop when I say stop! All those chalky papers to pick up and put away, pastels to collect and put away, and more than 17 pairs of hands to clean up before they all line up at the door. For soft pastels, nothing is quicker nor more effective than wet Hand Wipes!

I also learned that 5th graders can draw pretty good with nothing more than a stick and some black tempera paint. The Cave Art drawings are coming along nicely. Yesterday the kids went "hunting"... that's what we called it, but what they really did was select from a pile of cards laying face down. On the cards were pictures of actual cave drawings. They were to copy the animal they 'hunted'. Later they will make up a story explaining how they (the cavemen) came to hunt their prey, and why they painted it on the cave wall. Cave Man Art Gallery coming soon!

                                     

I learned that Black Widow Spiders often have more than one red mark on the abdomen. In fact, many Black Widows aren't even black... they aren't black until they reach maturity. When they are young, they are white, they can be mottled grey and brown, they can have red spots across the top of their shiny round body.

                                                

The one I saw over the weekend was in my friend's yard. She found it while harvesting her little peanut garden (she's always trying something new. That gal has two green thumbs!) Fortunately it did not bite her. She knows of my interest in bugs, so she saved it for me in a jar. When I visited her Sunday (I was looking for a pumpkin leaf so I could draw a realistic pumpkin leaf for the pumpkin artists), her daughter showed me the shiny black spider.... the biggest I've ever seen. I took a picture of it through the glass. There were two red marks, one on the underbelly, and one near the spinneret.

I enlarged and color enhanced it to make the red spot near the spinneret more visible .                                     

                                                                              

Finally, I learned how peanuts grow, but I'll have to save that story for another day. It's late and I'm off to bed.

It's been a very good day.

Tags: blogplug, black widow spiders, harvesting peanuts, soft pastel drawing, cave man art gallery