Tonight I came home feeling extra energetic, maybe it was "the "Frappy Hour" at Starbucks, I can't be sure, but I was eager to dig into something. Since it was 6 o'clock I decided cooking was a great choice. Now, you should know I am a self-proclaimed TERRIBLE cook, for reasons that will soon become obvious.
I bounded in the door and found my husband in the midst of tonights meal preparations. This should have been a sign, but no I had "Frappy Hour" power.
I can cook I will cook.
I mean I have a master degree, I can teach 1st graders to infer, write with craft and share their learning with the world, certainly cooking is no match to skills such as these.
I can cook I will cook!
First, I'll make a cake. Nothing crazy, its a box mix, its more like assembling food- not cooking. Cake in the oven- I am feeling like Betty Crocker! Next, I decide to make lasagna. If I throw this together tonight tomorrow will be a breeze and my poor hubby (Thank goodness he's a great cook) could have a night off. Yep, I will make lasagna!
I can cook I will cook!
I mean the cake was a breeze, how much trouble can the lasagna be? It's merely an assembling of basic ingredients at best.
Ok, lasagna…boil noodles, guess what? ALL the noodles broke, even the 3 extra "just in case" noodles.
Cook and season sausage- success.
OK, noodles are done, lay out the noodle pieces to dry.
I've still got this, I have "Frappy Hour" power!
I can cook I will cook!
OK, now where's that lasagna pan? Oh, the clear glass one? The one the cake is baking in? Yep, that's the one. Oh, well what other pans do I have, this round one will be fine. OK, layer lasagna, pop it in the oven and remove the cake.
Bless the "Frappy Hour" power!
I can cook I AM COOKING!
Beep, beep, beep, cake is done! Set aside to cool, slide lasagna in, all is well thanks to "Frappy Hour" power!
Beep, beep, beep lasagna is done! Feeling accomplished and ahead of the game I pull the lasagna out of the oven…
WHAT???
The cheese is so over cooked it looks like a perfectly browned pie crust!
Luckily, I could peel this off!
I can cook I will cook!
Now, lets get this cake frosted…turn the cake out onto the cake plate…careful ... loosen the edges…center on the plate and DUMP!
Yep, dump cake is what it was! The sides came out easily, but only the sides came out!
About now it should be obvious why I am a self-proclaimed terrible cook!
Now don't feel you need to tell me about all the great cooks who make these same mistakes in the kitchen and use these mistakes to create new and delicious recipes. I have a husband who likes to cook and is a great cook. I am quite comfortable in my status as a terrible cook and it's great comedy to watch me try sometimes. But my best dish will remain- Reservations!
Thanks for reading, writing this post helped me to hold my self-control in the dawn of kitchen mishaps and the the let down of the "Frappy Hour" power.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Slice of Life Day 29~ Final Day of Spring Break
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life March challenge. I am joining other bloggers and writing every day in March. Please visit their site to read other slices and please remember to let the blogger know you read their post, share the love in the comments!
The final day of spring break….
The plan~
Stay up late
Sleep in
Check
Lost touch friends
Do Lunch
Check
Go to the movie
Missed Opportunity
Listen to Serial
Check
Visit Friend
New baby
Check
Reorganize
Classroom
Closet at home
Check and Oh, well
Lunch with mom and girls
Nails with mom and girls
Check, check
Reconnect
Distant family
Joyfully, Check!
Ready to return to school
Check!
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Slice of Life Day 28 & Celebrate~ this week! Classroom Spring Cleaning and Rearrangements
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life March challenge. I am joining other bloggers and writing every day in March. Please visit their site to read other slices and please remember to let the blogger know you read their post, share the love in the comments!
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Ruth Ayers of Discover. Play. Build. invites us to share weekly celebrations, big or small, on her blog. This week I am jumping in, celebrating my opportunity to work alongside a preservice teacher and practice my OLW~ Listen! Thanks Ruth for hosting!
I want to celebrate Mary Kay's thoughtfulness in rearranging our rooms and the arrangement and the promise it holds. We went into school on Friday to tidy up and make a few adjustments. I let Mary Kay make all the decisions. I listened as she explained her thoughts for wanting to move something and then helped make the move.
- Rotated the carpet to improve student comfort in looking at the large screen while seated not he floor.
- Moved island (which houses paper, dry erase tools and other writing supplies) to allow more open feel when entering the room and student accessibility in gathering tools.
- Cleaned out tanks from previously living organisms (Yes, our mealworms actually died, of natural causes, I was sure you couldn't kill mealworms…)
- Added larger table to improve use of document camera in displaying work and books.
- Moved treasure chest of books (houses class favorites) to a safer location to prevent lid from falling shut.
- Added poetry books to tables and physical science books to display shelf to activate prior learning and front load upcoming studies.
- Switched out markers for colored pens to improve legibility of writing. (Markers are still available, but not on tables.)
Mary Kay experienced first hand how one little change turns into a few more little changes and a few more decisions. Mary Kay was thoughtful about traffic patterns, seating, work space for small groups and individuals and student preferences and keeping the balance with her needs as the lead teacher. I am eager to see how the kids respond Monday!
Friday, March 27, 2015
Silce Of Life Day 27~Even Mickey Mouse Can't Hold Down These Writers!
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life March challenge. I am joining other bloggers and writing every day in March. Please visit their site to read other slices and please remember to let the blogger know you read their post, share the love in the comments!
Today's post is a testament to power of the Slice of Life Writing Challenge. #SOL15 Takes On Mickey!
This week is spring break in our district and I worried about writers dropping out. As we shared our SOL lunch last Tuesday I asked the writers what their writing plans were over spring. A few scoffed, "It's spring break!" Zyg piped up, "Yeah, that's going to make it even more of a writing challenge! I can blog on my mom's phone, because we are going to at Disney?" Then, Avery spoke up and posed the Avery Challenge~ "I am going to write everyday on my vacation, because if I don't I will miss it!" The writers united and the Avery challenge was on!
This week I have been moderating, approving and linking post much like another week with 5-7 kids consistently writing. Yesterday, I realized these 5-7 kids were on spring break, most in Disney and STILL they post everyday! This deserves special recognition, so I tweeted out our link and look what happened!
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| Zyg got a comment from Mr. Webb and Room Three in New Zealand! |
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Slice of Life day 26~ Room Reorganization
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life March challenge. I am joining other bloggers and writing every day in March. Please visit their site to read other slices and please remember to let the blogger know you read their post, share the love in the comments!
I am planning to meet Mary Kay (our student teacher) at school to do some reorganizing and cleaning! There is something about being in the classroom when the staff and kids are out. Ideas seem to percolate as I tinker and clean. I want Mary Kay to have this experience before her time with us is over. There is just something about walking into a fresh classroom!
Here's the plan…so far~
- Meet at 930 with coffee
- Replace old dried up markers, stubby broken crayons, and chewed up eraser less pencils with BRAND NEW markers, crayons and pencils!
- Wipe down tables and counters.
- Put out POETRY books!
- Put away snow and winter books.
- Reorganize book baskets.
- Retape charts and labels.
- Add a new table to the room and arrange furniture to make the best use of the new table.
- Add an indoor fountain.
- Set the room up for Monday.
I want Mary Kay experience the beauty of walking into a fresh room, but most importantly I want Mary Kay to see the details of a room arrangement. Teachers need to consider so many things when setting up a room, its something I want Mary Kay to experience in her time with our class.
You can read more about my thoughts on room set up and design below.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Slice of Life Day 25- Well Done Mom, Well Done!
Time and time again I am finding the best news comes when you least expect it…
Today as I was cleaning my house the phone rang, I paused my work and picked up the phone…"Hello."
My mom was on the other end and sounded extraordinaly chirpy!
I asked, "How are you today?' in this same joyful voice she replied "I am FANTASTIC!" I paused, I knew whatever was to follow warranted my time and attention, this joyfulness told me this news would be BIG! I waited… then it came, the news we have prayed for for 14 years…"Dr. Y (oncologist) set me free! No more visits no more meds and he wished me a LOOOOOOOng and happy life!"
My mom was diagnosed 14 years ago with breast cancer, we all paused caught our breath and moved forward into what was next. My mom handled this with a bravery I am not sure I am capable of (and pray I don't have to find out). As her hair began to fall out from treatment we shaved her head. We knew what was coming, lets beat cancer by staying ahead of it, WE will decide when the hair is goes not the treatment! When mom was sick from chemo she accepted it and she planned for the times in-between treatments, when she could count on feeling well. When the radiologist marked her skin for treatment, mom bragged about her first tattoos and even showed them off to a select few!
Through all the challenges of accepting the diagnosis, enduring treatment and facing the what if's mom has been a true inspiration. Today we celebrate her endurance and acceptance to beat cancer!
Well done Mom, well done!
Prayers and well wishes to all who find themselves facing these same challenges. Each case is unique and each case deserves our respect and admiration.
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life March challenge. I am joining other bloggers and writing every day in March. Please visit their site to read other slices and please remember to let the blogger know you read their post, sure the love in the comments!
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Slice of Life Day 24 Memories of a Life Time
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| Family Photos with names, a gift from Aunt Rosie to Katyana |
This was a weekend I will always remember.
My dad, mom and two daughter piled into the car and headed to West Virginia. (Sadly, my husband couldn't join this trip.) We had not seen my dad's family in 40 years! My daughters had never met the Cunninghams in West Viriginia.
We have my lovely cousin Katyana to thank for this reunion. It was her dedication and drive that brought this BIG happy family back into one house, on the same day at the same time, all sharing the same air.
As my daughters and I shared the stories of our trip with my husband I asked them what they will remember most about this trip~
Olivia~ papaw's determination
Lexi~ the mountains and meeting my family
Me~ the stories
As I sat and listened to the stories I tried to imagine all these grown adults as grubbing little kids running around this small coal mining town from breakfast till dark. I wondered how it felt growing up in the mountains and being one of seven children. Then my thoughts went to Grandma, how could she managed all seven children and the daily chores? So many stories were shared each unique and heart felt. Although, I am still wondering about a few tales from good old Uncle Larry, they may have been given new life and drama as the years have passed… I'm just wondering!
We celebrated our reunion, we celebrated Katyana finding her place in this big family and reconnecting us all and we celebrated grandma's indoor bathroom! (On our last trip we bathed in a tub in the kitchen and visited the privy out back for the bathroom. I still remember Aunt Sandy grabbing the stick and the flashlight to take me to potty!)
This trip meant more to me than I can express tonight, I don't know why, but the words are coming hard tonight. The memories are still flying through my mind, settling into my heart and etching themselves into my memory. I hope as all these thoughts settle more I will find the words to truly express my thoughts and thank all those who made these memories possible.
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