Little Brothers

Looking at this picture, I have to chuckle.

My "baby" brother is now a grown man.

He towers a good several inches above me and looks like a linebacker!

However, if you look in the eyes of this little guy, you will see the person my brother is today.

Kind, thoughtful and a big teddy bear.

Have you ever met someone who has no idea that they could flatten their enemies if they chose to do so or someone who can lighten up the mood of a room just by their entrance?

My little brother is one of those people.

(I would even have said this if he hadn't been forgiving about the recent slick road induced dent in his car door! )

Unassuming people are so much fun to be around.

They are just themselves no matter who they encounter.

Today and always, I hope you meet at least one down to earth person daily to balance out the ones who simply take themselves too seriously.

If all else fails, make sure you are one!

Have a wonderful day!

Grumpy...

I've made it to Friday and I must admit I'm tired and a tad grumpy.

This morning I touched my alarm at five and crawled back under my fuzzy blanket until my next alarm at 5:26 when I sadly accepted the fact that morning was a reality I was going to have to face.

I crawled out of my bed and flipped on my computer. I quickly checked my email and turned on my itunes. Enlivened, or at least awakened, by the peppy music that flooded through my room, I began to prepare for the day ahead.

Later with my three kiddos up, lunches packed and a cup of coffee consumed, I said goodbye to the babysitter and the children I call my own.

Heading out, I hopped into my father's car and caught a ride to work with him. Along the way, we talked life over and I was struck again with how very glad I am to be his daughter.

What about you?

Who is in your life who you not only respect but whom you honestly enjoy discussing your "issues" with?

Being a chatty lady, I must confess that I can talk for hours with my closest friends.

Though my week has been eventful and I am really tired, tonight I am looking forward to playing rummy with one of my best girlfriends and unwinding after I tuck my kids into bed.

There is nothing quite like a good conversation to help put life in perspective. And if pizza and a beverage are included in the line up, even better.

Oh... and for those of you who are wondering about the picture showing a box of chocolate muffins at the top of this post... I made breakfast for dinner tonight and along with the fruit and milk I offered my children, my eldest made yummy healthy muffins with me. (Hey, humor me, there was an egg in that mix!) With two daughters and a little son with a sweet tooth, they certainly weren't complaining about my cure for the grumpies.

I wish for you a happy evening, unwind and relax, you are a blessing to those who know and love you! Take care of yourself and those you love. Have fun!

Safe in His Love

One of my all time favorite books is an endearing simple story called, Tommy's Camping Adventure. A little Golden Book, no longer in print, it is a story of adventure, the beauty of the outdoors and the love of family.

Today, I am so glad to have been raised in a family like little Tommy's where I was loved, valued and cared for so gently.

My life has had many trials, not the kind starving children face or refugees from war torn countries, but sincere trials none the less.

I suspect that many of you understand what I mean. That you have had your own scary moments in life.

I pray that like me, when you are faced with the unknown or simply with situations that overwhelm you, that you are able to know that you are loved.

(If you ever get a chance, find a copy of Tommy's adventure and read it. The beauty of nature, the love of family... these things are not an accident.)

The breathtaking views from a mountain and the warm feeling of lovingly being tucked into a cozy sleeping bag are, in my mind are a glimpse of our Creator.

May you see the good when you are afraid.

May someone kind hold your hand, feed you cookies and tuck you in.

May you be the kind one when it is your turn to comfort.

May you have peace.

Happy Memories

Sifting through an old box tonight, I happened upon several really enjoyable photos that took me back to my youth. One in particular seemed to invite me to share its story.

In my mind's eye I can still remember the excitement I felt when I noticed the baby squirrel sitting under my parents' car.

It was small and furry and happily munching on maple helicopters.

Immediately, I knew I just had to pet it and I quickly formed a plan.

Running into the house I got into my mother's good cashews and hurried outside with a big handful.

The tiny baby was too new to be afraid of people and I capitalized on this fact.

I edged myself under the car and offered the yummies to the infant creature. In a matter of moments I had it eating out of my hand. I even touched its soft fur with reverence. It was a magical moment.

A moment that was interrupted by its mother rushing down the tree and chattering at us both.

I'm not sure what that mother said, but I never saw the bitty one again.

Still, for just a brief moment the little one and I were friends. It is an absolutely delightful memory, one that makes me sigh contentedly.

Maybe you should find some childhood photos and dig your way through them. If you are like me, you will be blessed with what you remember.

Eating Carrots when you've got the munchies

I don't know about you, but I've been trying to eat healthier this past year. I've been exercising and I'm actually pretty proud of the results I've seen.

But, I have to say that I've had the terrible munchies lately.

It seems to be worse when it is cold.

I'd like to pretend that it is my body's way of keeping me warm in this nippy season.

I'm betting though, that my body is just craving junk.

I try to be "good". I munch my carrots without even dip most days. I love salad, vegetables and fresh fruit.

However, carrots are just not cutting it today!

It's a good thing I'm a preacher's daughter or I might be tempted to sell my soul for a Snickers' bar!

Luckily for me, my youngest daughter's birthday is today. She has requested pizza for dinner!

Darn... Pizza AND cake... it will be such a hardship to have some.

I guess when I'm walking my treadmill tonight I'd better not whine. Clearly I'll need it!

Surely the tomato sauce and cheese are good for me....

Isn't there some study about the emotional benefits of indulging in small desires from time to time?...

O.K., I'll admit to making that last part up. But, it should be true.

God Bless, take care, keep warm...

I hope you find something yummy too, then I'm not the only "naughty" one!

The Joy of Animal Crackers

On a cold snowy day in a small Ohio classroom, sixteen Kindergarten students and their teacher passed an enjoyable and productive afternoon.

I am happy to report that I am that Kindergarten teacher and the happy children were my own dear charges.

Our inspiration and cause for joy? Strangely enough.... iced animal crackers. Let me tell you all about it.

We began our afternoon by playing "Popcorn" math to practice adding zero to numbers. My students "popped" up and called out the answer to the given flashcard and hustled to a spot on the floor designated the "popcorn box". They were careful to not step on friends and we even timed the exercise. The first time it took us two minutes, the second only one.

Coming up with clever ideas to make learning fun sometimes is a real challenge. At the same time, it is immensely satisfying when I had find a way to make a normal but somewhat "boring" activity exciting to my kiddos.

After the flashcards, we continued math by counting by one's, two's, five's and ten's. Then we switched subjects and since we are studying our senses this week, we had a "Smelling test".

All my students got into a line and had to come up with their eyes closed to smell what I had hidden in my hand. Then they had to follow the line back around like a train until everyone had a turn to sniff. At that point we discussed what we thought the smell was and everyone who wanted some could have a taste when they filed past a second time.

The highlight of the test was sharing itty bitty pieces of Hershey's chocolate and iced animal cookies. Everyone received one cookie. I am not lying, you would have thought I had given them a million dollars. When the experience was over they asked for more. I assured them that when they came to me for small group work they would have an opportunity to earn another cookie or two.

I actually had kids begging to be "first" to come do their math and reading work.

All in all the kids had probably a total of four or five silly animal crackers in the course of the afternoon and they were in absolute ecstasy over them.

I'm not one to use food as rewards very often, but I may stash a bag of these amazing cookies somewhere for the next time the kids are having a tough day.

It is really too bad that our problems as adults can not be so easily corrected.

Imagine the world we could live in if a bag of animal crackers could, at least momentarily, stop all fighting and promote a feeling of peace and well being.

Although I just may be a tad biased, I think Robert Fulghum may have been right when he said wrote a lovely poem called, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." Check out his words of humorous wisdom at http://www.peace.ca/kindergarten.htm.

...shared video from a teenager

My eldest watched a video this afternoon with me that showed all of our American Presidents' faces slowing changing one to another. It was really neat and a little spooky. We both agreed that we wouldn't recognize a great many of the presidents from our past. We knew the founding fathers and the modern presidents, but the ones in the middle were a little fuzzy in our minds.

In response to watching a video with me, my daughter excitedly wanted to share one of her own that she had seen at school. If you click on the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q , you too can watch this YouTube video.

As who believes "Blackberries" are better off as fruit and who thinks laptops small enough to fit in a manila envelope are actually frightening, the video was a little unsettling.

However, I like to learn new things and discuss ideas with my family and friends. I'm betting you'll have a few opinions you'd like to share after you watch the video as well.

Hope you enjoy it!

Bus Driver?

Now, while I assure you this isn't the bus I'll be driving,

(it's actually the bus that took my son to school on his first day so many years ago),

I will be driving a bus this week!

Due to some staffing changes in our after school program, I am going to make one of the bus runs in our very small Enchanted Care school bus.

I've made the trip as a passenger several times now and I must confess I'm actually looking forward to ending my day by picking up one very sweet child.

Yes, I did say ONE small human!

What a far cry from the crowded chaos that real bus drivers contend with everyday.

Despite the fact that I have only one passenger, I feel like an awesome trust has been given to me.

As a parent,

my children are the sunlight in my day,

the laughter in my soul,

the sticky goo that holds my world together.

I know what the little one in my care means to her loved ones.

I will be very careful.

I must admit though, that I will enjoy heading outdoors and having a few quiet moments at the end of my school day.

Besides, how can a teacher be sad that she gets to learn something new?

Footprints in the Sand

It seems like sometimes we pass on good advice and forget to take it ourselves.

I've been known to warn fellow gardeners not to plant too many unusual things at once, so as to prevent seedling confusion, only to plant ten or eleven exotic experiments myself and become terribly bemused when the wind blows my seed around before it sprouts.

I've even instructed my children that too many cookies will make them sick and then eaten too many sweets myself. (Though at 35 my definition of "too many" is quite a bit different than it was many years ago!)

I'd almost bet that I am not the only one who sometimes needs to take their own advice.

More than a year ago, I assured a dear friend that God was indeed still in charge of the world. I pointed to a favorite childhood poem called "Footprints in the Sand" and told my struggling confidant not to give up.

Today, the same friend gave my advice back to me.

I quickly did a web search and found the familiar poem.

I share it with you here today in the hopes that it reminds you, as it did me, that our Creator loves us and regardless of the storms in our lives, he will never leave us.

May the ones you love be there when you need them,

sharing good advice,

even if it is your own advice,

returned when it is most needed.

Shiny half monkeys

From singing crazy songs in the supermarket to calm a cranky baby to giving the last cookie in the house to your teenage daughter who had a bad day; parents give so very much to the ones we have been entrusted with.

With all my heart I love my children, though sometimes they do make me tired. There is not a moment when I am not glad to have become a mother. Not a second that I am not glad they are mine.

This weekend I saw something that, to me, completely captures what it means to be a parent.

As I drove with a friend, their wrist turned slightly upward as they maneuvered through the snow. Just at that moment I looked over and noticed something shiny and small on their watch band. I literally grinned, I knew what it was, but I had to ask.

There, on a very nice watch, was half of a holographic monkey sticker! A very dear little daughter gifted her parent with the sticker when it was bright, shiny and in possession of all its limbs and instructed her parent that the monkey really needed to go on the watch.

So, onto the watch the monkey went, traveling everyday losing his color a little bit at a time.

Sunday, as it sat perched on the band of my friend's watch, the sticker was an echo of its old monkey self. But, the love that caused it to be given and the love that caused it to remain are as strong as ever.

Selfless love, what a gift we are given as parents. What an opportunity to be loved for simply being ourselves. What a blessing to be able to love our children in the same way.

So, be it half a monkey or a lopsided pot on your co-worker's desk, the next time you see the offering of a child, stop and consider the love behind the gift.

May your life be full of that kind of joy.

May someone love you like a child does.

May you have your own version of a shiny half monkey.

Report Cards

They can strike fear into the hearts of children...

Can make parents proud or worried....

But until now...

I didn't really understand...

I believed what I was told...

I just didn't "Know" it...

Report cards are scary to teachers too!

Oh my goodness!

I've just finished the grades on my first real report cards. Now I have several hours worth of comments to write.

It's a good thing I just colored my gray, because after this past week , I'd probably look twice my age.

I must confess that when the grades are done I may be tempted to do a crazy dance or at the very least call and tell everyone I know.

Veteran teachers... go ahead and chuckle.... I know rookies are probably very funny.... Kudos to all of you who have survived this for years!

Signing out for now,
Kindergarten girl

Back to School

Today, like so many people, I woke up and wondered if anyone would notice if I just crawled back into bed. Although my school has been open for most of Winter Break and I have been working, we have been having "fun" days. When I opened my eyes this morning, I knew my kiddos were going to take some convincing to believe it was time to work again.

So it was with slight trepidation that I entered the car to head to work. With my coffee in one hand and my radio tuned to easy listening music, I prepared mentally for the day ahead.

Clearing my mind of all issues, I let myself sing along to the radio and find a happy place.

I knew I'd need it.

The morning was interesting.

A few students needed reminded of our rules... a few others that they were five and not two. But, honestly their behavior was not any different than I had been expecting and had planned for.

Every center activity I had was completely new and every single one was something they would want to do. A few extraordinary messes were made and several students had to be reminded of the clean now or clean at recess policy. But the morning, though definitely "hands on" was not a problem and without any blood shed we made it to lunch.

After lunch we acted out math problems, listened to a story pretending we were turtles and did an experiment about what rolls and what doesn't. We even made a phonics sorting game and tried it out with our friends.

I chuckle when I think of how the messes got picked up, the rule breakers changed their minds and how much work we actually completed. I only raised my voice once and all in all, I had a very nice day.

I don't know about you, but I missed seeing some of my coworkers who had been gone over break as well as some of my mischievous little ones who had been at home for two weeks.

I am happy to be back, but I admit I am a little wistful when I think back over the holidays. Without the work of teaching daily, I took it easy. I planned January lessons at my leisure and treated myself to some serious "me" time. It was wonderful.

As you recuperate tonight and ponder tomorrow, take care of yourself.

At the end of my day, I long for conversation with friends and a little down time.

I found a tall cup of coffee with flavored cream and Splenda on the way home and I stole some time to "talk" to you.

Later, I'll call a girlfriend or two and maybe my favorite aunt. I find that I'm much happier if I can share my day with those I care about.

What about you? What will make your evening complete? Whatever it is, be it a soft chair, a slice of pizza or even a half hour curled up with a good book.... please consider it.

Whatever you choose, wherever you are, I hope this message finds you well.

God Bless,
Kindergarten girl

Differentiated Homework

I sit here typing with a smile on my face and a very impatient pup.

I'm smiling because I have just finished packing up my homework folders for the week.

My dog is disturbed because my bed has been covered all day with homework materials, center activities, take home books, card stock clocks and even little baggies of math manipulatives.

Homework takes a long time to assemble as I have different phonics, flash cards and take home books for different students. This means I also have different parent letters, question sets and book descriptions. It is so satisfying to find the perfect alphabet cards to reach the ones working on letter recognition as well as to work with the parents of a very advanced student to find books to challenge and entertain their little one.

I find that I'm always thinking happily about how to reach my students. How to find activities that challenge them and help them love learning. This means that teacher stores and the "One Spot" at Target are my downfall. How can I walk past the coveted packs of gel pens and not pick up a few for my little ones? How can I see snowman tattoos and Kindergartner's are #1 pencils and not buy eighteen?

I feel an awesome responsibility towards these little ones in my care. Teaching is the most difficult job I have ever had and the one that feels the most natural to me as well.

Everyday I blessed with the opportunity to grow as a professional. To learn better ways to teach, to find excellent activities and add to my growing "bag of tricks" that lead to an orderly classroom.

I love teaching. It is such a blessing to be able to lead small people in such an important way. I am humbled by their love and their desire to learn.

May you be equal to whatever it is you need to do. May you find happiness in the tasks set before you, in the people you serve and in the daily blessings that come your way.

Wishing you only happy things!

A Brand New Year

Today is the beginning of 365 new days.

What does it matter?

How is today tangibly different from yesterday?

Humanity has always been interested in recording and explaining the passage of time.

From the notches on some American Indian walking sticks to clay tablets inscribed with deeply religious ideas of the creation and destruction of life, looking back through history, we can see countless calendars and methods of recording the passage of time.

Something in our very nature must call for such a cycle.

A new start every so often.

A way of remembering what has come before.

Of ordering the events of our lives in a meaningful fashion.

In American culture, we often make New Year's Resolutions, promises that seek to make changes in our lives.

Changes for the better.

I think this is a wonderful tradition.

There have been many years when I have laughed at this concept and felt satisfied enough to exclaim that, I didn't need a new year to make changes.

This year, I acknowledge that there are areas in my life that I would like to be different.

I am making a list.

A list with happy dreams of camping in a State or National Park along with serious plans of taking actions that make my life what it needs to be for myself, and my children. And... oh yes, like millions of other perpetually hopeful people, somewhere in there will be a little note to myself about crunches and a flat tummy!

So, I will embrace the New Year and step forward to greet it with dreams and resolve in my heart.

It will be a good year!

I hope you will say the same.

May God bless you as your days follow one after another. May you be equal to the trouble you will face and open to the joys that are possibilities for you!

Happy 2009!