Category Archives: Celebrate

#sol15 March 21 Celebrate Friends

Celebrate, Slice of Life

Slice of LIfe  I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March.  You should do it too!  Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing! 

 

celebrate-image A double post! Celebration Slice time! Thanks Ruth Ayres for this wonderful link up! 

 

Did you know I walk like I’m dancing? My feet are the hardest to diagnose. They don’t make shoes for my kind of feet.

I ran down to the running clinic downtown this morning. My friends met me there, and we began with a mobility screening. Stepping over a bungee cord line without turning my ankle was my least favorite test. Although my friends’ laughter throughout that station was the best part. We had a core stability exercise station, where we happily knew most of the exercises, and were reminded that we really need to do them more often. The last station was a gait, shoe and foot evaluation. This was by far the most interesting. I guess I didn’t even know there was a “right” way to walk. We practiced, and now I’m sure I know just enough to be self conscious of my walk.

Walking lift your leg
place it down, without your weight
Next leg, on and on

Yesterday, when I reminded my friends of the clinic today, they weren’t sure they wanted to spend a Saturday morning driving to my town. It’s hard to be in the mood for something like this. Maybe they just decided to go so I wouldn’t be alone, but they were laughing when I joined them, already having fun. The coffee shop after was an hour to celebrate too.

Celebrate real friends
who join, encourage and laugh
who listen for real

Women who decide
Early Saturday morning
to drive and meet me

Grateful this morning
Lucky, amazing to find
True friendship seems rare,

 

#sol15 March 14 Celebration Slices

Celebrate, Family, Reflections on teaching, Slice of Life

Slice of LIfe  I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March.  You should do it too!  Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing! 

 

celebrate-image Celebration Slices! Thanks Ruth Ayres for this wonderful link up! 

 

1. “In 35 minutes, I’m going over to Granny’s.” H tells me. Then 5 minutes later. “What time is it? In 30 minutes I’m going over to Granny’s.” At 10:53, he was set. “At 10:56, I’m going.” He told me. Every Saturday, my mom takes one of my kids out for lunch and then spends some quality time with them. They each look forward to the time, and I’m so thankful for it too. Watching H race across the street, dutifully looking both ways was a joy to celebrate. What lucky kids I have… getting to spend time with their grandparents. 

2. E wanted to use his gift card for a lego at the store. While we stood in the lego aisle, L looked up at the giant sign that said “BOYS.” She grimaced and said quietly to me, “That is so sexist.”  I’m so proud that she noticed that, and that she spoke up about it. I hope she keeps noticing things and speaking up, louder and louder as she grows.

 3. Yesterday my team celebrated Global School Play Day. Yes, we were a month or so late… but what a celebration! The students were excited, as they carried favorite games into the classroom: Monopoly, Pictionary, cards, Battleship, Clue. Kids these days are stressed and anxious, and they don’t get the chance to play enough. I was happy to dedicate a day to play. Even if play wasn’t the work of children, and wasn’t ripe for opportunities to learn, I would still think it was worth our time. But, play does create learning opportunities, and time for kids to learn how to be in control. Win-Win! One of the TED Talks I watched, by Jill Vialet mentioned the philosopher, Bernard Suits’ explanation of play:  “Playing a game is the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles.”  She goes on to talk about the work of play: “They choose it, it’s a challenge. No longer should you think of play as the opposite of work or the purview of slackers. It is the fundamental sign of our inner drive and ambition.” The other TED Talk was on the decline of play. Sad to watch, but important.

game day

#sol15 March 1 March comes in like a lion. AGAIN!

Celebrate, Slice of Life
Slice of LIfe  I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March.  You should do it too!  Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing! 
Can I Celebrate too? It's the weekend, and really I've been looking forward to March Slice of Life Challenge for awhile. I'm so happy to be slicing again! A streak of writing is just what my brain needs! A streak of connection and reflection... I also need a running streak. . . Maybe April!  Thanks Ruth Ayres for this wonderful link up! 
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Slice of LIfe March comes in like a lion. AGAIN!

It’s March. March! I sit at my dining room table watching snow fall. I am trite and boring:  Last March seems like a decade ago, but also yesterday. Time flies. You can’t go back in time. The years are short but the days are long. Was it really a year ago that I did the slice challenge? March better leave like a lamb. I’m tired of snow. Was March always like this? It must be. I checked my own blog. I found this. So, Yes. 

I’m worried this month, that my second March Slice a day challenge will be tougher than last year. I’m worried I have nothing new to say, that I will accidentally rewrite things I’ve already written. I’m trying to rein in my expectations. Is this your first time with the March challenge? What do you expect?

I expect blank screens,
I expect to hit delete
try new formats
enjoy the poetry of words
I will google words I should know to make sure I'm 
spelling them right
using them right
and basically not sounding like an idiot.

I will sometimes bore myself: select all, delete. 
I will make typos, I will go back and edit --
From my phone
Which will be annoying.

I will think about slices all day, 
I will be closely reading 
my day and weeding
for appropriate 
meaningful 
tiny tales to tell. 

I will submit 
way too many slices at 11:57 pm, 
and just a few in the middle of the day. 
Hurray! (in advance for those successful days)
 
I will get excited to see comments, and I will reply. 

I will read other bloggers' slices and be inspired, 
and more often than I care to admit, I will be jealous of their articulation.

I will annoy you, I'm sure 
with my 
line 
breaks 
and, my commas
(and my dogmas)

I expect I will grow as a writer
I will be fired up about the connections
The new blogs
The routine

The slices all around.

Happy March, Slicers! 

 

 

 

Celebrating

Celebrate, Family

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I’m participating in Ruth Ayres Celebrate This Week. Check out the link up here.

Yesterday I wrote about my week in “failures.” Mostly because it felt like every day had a sigh-inducing moment (or 5). My friend told me that my posting “could be called week in being a super hero AKA mom….just lessons or merely experiences.”

I call this friend my Life Coach. She always has the best perspective. I’ve celebrated her before, and I’ll celebrate her again. A friend since preschool! Amazing. I’ll celebrate technology while I’m at it… Texting has been a great way for us to stay connected during our busy schedules.

My kids are in various stages of sick. So. . .  I’m celebrating my husband: Partner in Hospital O’Thought here. I’m celebrating ginger ale, and sleeping bags, and Netflix.

It’s over 30 degrees today! I’m pre-celebrating the run that I’m hoping to take soon…(Thank you husband and Netflix once again!)

It’s so nice to take a moment to celebrate. It’s especially important after a tough week, a tough night with sick kids, in the middle of a messy house, with a pile of work waiting. If you haven’t yet… please take a moment to celebrate. Thanks Ruth Ayres for this awesome link up!

Break the Ice

#bookaday, #nerdlution, Celebrate, Family, Reflections on teaching, Slice of Life, Uncategorized 
It's a NEW YEAR
Still the same School year
But a NEW YEAR!
Last time I blogged it was 
2014
If I don't hit "new post" and then "publish" now, another month might go by! 

I blog in my head sometimes, when I think I'll open my laptop after the kids go to bed. 

I have 
Celebrations of running (5 whole miles! Me!) 
Slices of fun and mess on Christmas Day 
My baby turning 5

I want to share
Reflections from my Winter Book-A-Day
A lesson comparing Letting Swift River Go to a piece on Global Warming Refugees 
and how just today I procrastinated grading late work by cleaning off my desk to make room for my new beach.
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I know I need to choose ONE WORD
and my #nerdlution promises 

But, for now I just decided to break the cold 2015 ice
I just decided to write.

Celebrating Small Stuff

Celebrate, Family

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I’m participating in Ruth Ayres Celebrate This Week. Check out the link up here.

Today I’m celebrating small stuff. These busy days with my messy house, and my candle burning at both ends, celebrating the small stuff is a good way to keep myself from sinking! When I can, I’ve been writing these small things in a note on my phone. I miss a lot, but love even having just a few there to remind me to celebrate.

    1. Recently we took a short detour and drove the kids to the spot where we got married. It was so beautiful, driving down the tree lined drive and reminiscing about our wedding day.
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    2. On that same drive, L sat in the back seat crocheting. She has a bag of crocheting now, and when I look over at her crocheting, it’s hard to describe the peaceful feeling. I’m celebrating her craft, her mindful time, her practice.
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    3. The note on my phone that says “the patient people as H experimented with the pumpkin scale.” I celebrate patience, and hope that I get more of it myself. The pumpkin scale line was long, and the man in charge was so kind. He joked around with my 7 year old, and didn’t mind H’s experiments with making the pumpkin weigh more or less by lifting it up, and pressing down on it. When people are kind to my children as they act like the curious young people that they are, I celebrate. When people don’t rush them, I celebrate. When people make them laugh and feel connected to this big crazy world, I celebrate.
    4. Game night. Sometimes the house is straightened up enough, and the vacuuming is done, and dinner is over, and pajamas are on. Sometimes kids take turns picking the game and everyone has a chance. Those times are worth celebrating.
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Celebrate! Participation Medals

Celebrate, Family

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I’m participating in Ruth Ayres Celebrate This Week. Check out the link up here!

Today I’m celebrating “Participation Medals.”

Sometimes I laugh at awards for all. Often I roll my eyes at certificates for participating in competitions. I nod when colleagues talk about how we are creating a generation of entitlement. I have read Mindset, and I understand that if we reward what kids think of as their innate abilities, they will give up on difficult situations. I know that kids know participation awards from the real deal.

I also know that my kids don’t get a lot of rewards like this. Their teachers don’t do it, my daughter’s piano teacher doesn’t do it. We are pretty chill here as far as sports… take after-school soccer just for fun, take karate twice a week to be physically active while practicing focus, hard work, self control, etc.  Like it or not, there’s not a lot of competition in this family.

Today my son went to his first karate tournament. My daughter didn’t want to compete, so it was just me and H. A Karate themed mother and son day. We had no idea what to expect, but we were excited.

photo 1Today, I’m celebrating H’s participation. A participation medal… I found myself being thankful for this medal. He didn’t place 1st or 2nd or 3rd in his forms, but he got a medal. I decided right then that he deserved this medal. Maybe it’s silly, to get a medal for “just showing up,” but I don’t think so. Not when you think about what “just showing up” means. What does Participating mean?

Participating. . . I can’t imagine being such a little guy, walking into a high school gymnasium with so many strangers.

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Participating… Today, I’m celebrating H’s wise words as we spoke about not expecting a trophy on your first (white belt) tournament. Next time, maybe. He said “Mommy, it’s like jumping off of a tall thing… like doing a dare devil trick. Once I do it once, I can do it another time with more knowing what’s happening.”

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Participating…. I’m celebrating this little boy of mine, who listened to directions from officials, was focused, and participated even though his big sister wasn’t there, even though he knew he had a long way to go before being the best.

I’m celebrating how he told me he was happy that at least he’d get a medal. “It’s nice that you know you are walking away with something at least.” he told me.

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I’d also like to celebrate…

Time with this kid
an entire afternoon including
unhealthy snacks and a 
candy taste test

Conversations with this kid
patiently waiting in bleachers
("It was so cool mommy, to actually seat in those seats to watch!") 

Pride - his own
and mine

And... well... I guess a little celebration for his 
First Place Trophy
for sparring... 
"I knew I'd win at sparring, mommy. I'm really good at sparring."

Celebrating Play

Celebrate, Reflections on teaching

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I’m participating in Ruth Ayres Celebrate This Week. Check out the link up here.

On our field trip this week, I sent my students off with vague directions to make nature art a la Andy Goldsworthy. I told them the boundary of where they could look for supplies, and where they could create their art. We brainstormed a few examples before sending them on their way: Fairy houses, designs, pictures…

I expected them to grab a few leaves, maybe some rocks and twigs. I expected them to have a little fun, maybe. I knew this was a new kind of creative activity and I just wanted them to explore the idea.

I didn’t expect them to play with the idea. I didn’t expect them drag huge fallen tree branches into the clearing.  Watching them figure out the physics of balancing these branches was something to celebrate. Watching them rise above my tiny field trip expectations was something to celebrate.

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I didn’t plan ahead of time for the amount of collaboration, introspection, and problem solving that was involved with this project. I didn’t even write objectives for this field trip activity. (Shhhh…) I did the station on the field trip because it sounded fun, and like a respite from the hike, the team building, the canoeing and the scavenger hunt

Today I’m reflecting on the activity and celebrating the play. I don’t forget that my 6th graders are kids, but sometimes we get too busy to play, and sometimes I let people and situations convince me that these kids don’t want to play. But, it’s not true. Not only do they want to play, they need to. If the play was just a break, they would still need it. If the play was just for fun, they would still need it. But it isn’t.  Play is their work, their research, their practice.

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“Play is the work of the child.”
– Maria Montessori
“Play is the highest form of research.”
– Albert Einstein
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”
– Mr. Rogers

#sol14 March: Celebrate Saturday Spring

Celebrate, Family, Slice of Life

Slice of LIfe

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March.  You should do it too! Check it out here. Thank you,  Two Writing Teachers! 

And. . .

celebrate-image

So glad to be participating in the Celebrate link up. Thank you, Ruth Ayres for this awesome Saturday tradition. 

Celebration Slice One: Today started my Spring Break. Sure, there’s still snow on the ground, and my “break” is more of a pause,  with just 2 days off. However, I woke up this morning determined to put some spring in my step, and celebration in my day. I get to spend 4 days with my beautiful children, and this morning those children started the day playing together happily… so…..

Celebration Slice Two:  I decided to make some oatmeal cookies for a breakfast treat. This was an exercise in patience for sure.  I usually base my cookies off of this recipe,  but for some reason I used this recipe today. With both recipes, I substitute half a banana per egg, and I add chocolate chips to the one that doesn’t have them. Such good cookies, and you can pretend they are a healthy breakfast: gluten free, vegan, oatmeal! (shhh…. we just don’t mention the chocolate chips.)

Because my kitchen is still (forever?) in a state of renovation, I can never find anything – so I mixed my cookies with one dough hook in my hand mixer.

It worked!
It worked!

I miss my stand mixer. The motor burned out (with actual smoke) years ago, when I tried to make galaxy playdough for H’s science birthday party. As for my hand mixer, it worked fine until one one of the beaters broke. (H and E were using it for an invention…) Now I can only find one dough hook. I guess it’s time to go find some replacement parts online! Just as I decided that my one dough hook would do the trick, and all was well,  realized my baking soda was depleted. (The kids did science experiments awhile ago, and I keep forgetting to buy more…) I dumped all the baking soda in the cookies and hoped for the best. As the cookies were baking, I thought to myself how this was definitely a slice of life…but time would tell if it could also be a celebration. The cookies were a little crumblier than usual… but they were still delicious and popular with the kids and grandparents who came for “Coffee Hour.”

I had to hide some because E kept sneaking back for more.
I had to hide some because E kept sneaking back for more.

Celebration Slice Three: The snow started melting and the temperature crept up towards 50 degrees! We played with our neighbors.  There’s nothing like fresh air to make you celebrate the day.  And when you are 4 or 7 or 10. . . I bet it feels even more like heaven. 

Jackets shed
Bikes ridden
Snow moved 
Snow melted
Waterways & dams created
Shirt shed
("No,H - Go put a shirt on" was said.)

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Celebrating Grandpa(s)

Celebrate, ,

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So glad to be participating in the Celebrate link up. Thank you, Ruth Ayres for this awesome Saturday tradition. 

Knowing I was planning for my memoir study with my 6th graders, my instructional coach shared some mentor text ideas she found on Choice Literacy. There were so many to choose from, and my librarian was able to find a big stack for me. On Friday, I read one of my (new-to-me) favorites to my class: Grandpa Green, by Lane Smith. 

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I  connected to this book. My grandpa, 97 years old and now starting to slow down, has been staying with my parents recently. Reading this book, I reflected on how lucky I am to be a mother myself with living grandparents. My children have been growing up with two great-grandparents (My grandma on the other side of my family will be turning 92 this year). I was trying to pinpoint memories of my grandfather, and the first thing I noticed was that to me, my grandparents have just always been a part of my life. My childhood memories are full of time with each of them. This is the first thing I’m celebrating today: How lucky I am to have these grandparents as solid parts of my whole life. I watch as my mom helps my grandpa, and I hope they are both finding time to celebrate his 97(!) years.

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My mom helping my grandpa to the car

My connection seemed specific when I first read the book, so I thought closely on the subject.  My grandpa who grew up on a farm continued through this past summer to work in his garden, like the grandpa in the book. He was born “…before computers or cell phones or television.”  Like Grandpa Green, my grandpa has started to forget things. However,  he was a scientist, not a war hero like  Grandpa Green, and he only has 2 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. He didn’t meet my Grandma at a cafe (I don’t think!)  and my mother pointed out that my grandpa got his chicken pox in his thirties, unlike Grandpa Green.  So perhaps the book was just as a memoir is supposed to be – a story that resonates, not in its specific facts, but in its universal truth.  Grandpas were “…born a really long time ago. . . ” and are now “pretty old…”

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Tonight, I plan on reading the book to my own children, and I wonder what their connections will be. They have a grandpa and a great-grandpa. I’m sure to my children, both of these men were  “…born a really long time ago. . . ” and are now “pretty old…”

Although I had this immediate connection, I wasn’t sure what my class would think. I shouldn’t have worried. This story sparked many memories for them. They have grandparents, and parents who have exciting and interesting pasts, and I heard all about them.

“My grandfather was in a war. I’m not sure which one, but he was in the Army.”

“My dad’s first kiss was in high school with my mom.”

“My grandpa likes to garden too.”

It was one of those times I like to celebrate in my classroom. I thought we’d read the book, do a quick write in our writer’s notebooks: something to add to our writing territories and look back on when we are ready to dive into writing our own memoirs. But, I was wrong. This book inspired much more. What they all needed was discussion and sharing and it took at least double my time estimate. The majority of the class wanted to share something. So, we celebrated GrandpaS. (And dads and uncles and memories) The last things I am celebrating: Kids leading the way during literacy, and amazing mentor texts.