My Little Man

We had a very loving Thanksgiving. All morning my children helped me to cook our turkey and side dishes. Both of them peeled potatoes and ran empty packages and such to the trash. My daughter helped me fold laundry and my son helped wash dishes. Best of all they were very well behaved when we put all the food away without eating a bite in order to visit a friend's home and eat there. We brought our share of the meal: sweet potatoes and a pumpkin roll. At dinner our friends asked who would like to say grace and my son raised his hand high and was very eager. Even better our hostess looked at my son, Anthony, and said all right make sure you say it really loud so everyone can hear. Anthony very proudly nodded his head and then said in a rather loud but mumbly voice the family prayer we recite at every meal. I think that every one was floored that he wanted to lead the prayer let alone rattled a prayer off so fast that our hostess couldn't even mention what she was thankful for. She got a word in edgewise after the 'amen' and quickly added "and thank you for everyone being together." I was so proud of my little man for raising his hand up and confidently sharing his prayer with the group. He really enjoys his faith formation classes every Sunday morning after Mass. He insists we pray all the prayers he is learning each night and brings his prayer book and bible to class to show off. He does the same thing at school though and brought a "Thanksgiving" storybook to school to share with his teacher. She even read it to the class.

Shanee has been ill. Her asthma really did a number on her yesterday so I have her on prescription medications again. She has to restrict her activity which she doesn't like. I keep her inside when asthma bothers her and only allow her to play quietly, watch tv, and read books. This is not easy for kids but especially for Shanee who loves to run, swing, ride bike, and play. She really takes to the challenge though and finds new books to read and catches up on tv time as I rarely let the kiddos watch television. She is doing very well in school and still has all B's and A's. I watch her homework and she is really doing well. Her teacher called me and my little girl is going to be singing a solo in the Christmas Concert Dec. 4th. Her character is Senorita Bonita the spanish teacher who has Santa Claus and the elves attending her school. I'm looking forward to the concert and am helping her learn her lines and solo. She will make her first communion this year and has been learning her catechism. Just two weeks ago she had to memorize the names of the books in the Torah and Gospels. She is also a champ at the ten commandments- heck I didn't even remember them all in order. Helping Shanee learn them was fun they set the commandments to a kid song. What else? Oh two of her fish died this week. I changed the water in the tank and they went into shock. Her two goldfish made it but the minnows couldn't handle it. So we'll have to buy her a couple more fish again soon.

So to wrap up we have a lot to be thankful for a great day and some many little blessings that are shared each and every day. God Bless!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I must say I am truly thankful for all the blessings in my life. I have my beautiful children, my loving husband, and rewarding career. God intercedes on my behalf at every turn.

So here I am ushering in another holiday season... and I can't believe how fortunate I am in my life. I continue to pray and thank God for my blessings. I'm speechless!

My kiddos are doing good in school and are happy- they need to be better at cleaning their rooms but overall are good natured well mannered children.

My hubbie continues to seek a job that is more satisfying and that day will come.

Me: I work hard and enjoy my career- my students are reading "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "The Tragedy of Macbeth" both awesome stories worthy of study and entertaining enough to keep even my most difficult to entertain students engaged.

Soon- we will have a Shakespeare Monologue Competition!!

Being a Teacher

Well here I am in the second year of teaching and I love it. My first year was fairly frustrating and discouraging. I had some high points and managed to stay optimistic enough to look forward to my next year. Now here I am in year two and in some ways I feel like I am just learning how to teach. What am I doing right that I wasn't doing last year? I didn't feel confident enough to require many exams last year. This year I develop an exam at the end of every unit. I am still working on how to present information and then how to reinforce and practice concepts. So my biggest struggle is designing activities and assignments that reteach or practice concepts. I am much stronger at delivering my lessons; I place emphasis on a daily objective so students are aware of what the point of the day is. I am carrying out units that extend over a semester in between required units- that makes me more productive. The students complain because they don’t like to multitask. Heck- most of them have never worked as hard as I am asking them to do. A typical day involves writing around 3 pages of notes, brainstorming, projects, or assignments. When we read I ask students to paraphrase everything and keep a record. Finally, I give minimal directions so that students are forced to use their imaginations and tap personal opinions and thoughts. The last thing I want is to read 150 papers/projects that are all copies of each other. I offer my students alternatives to the required assignment at nearly every turn. What I still need to work on is giving detailed directions to my classes that are most talkative. If they have one second of down time they loose focus and act helpless. When they have directions and steps that are clearly outlined they are productive and better focused. I have several classes that can handle and are comfortable with my preferred method of teaching and two groups that need tight concise directions. I will be starting new units by the end of next week- wow! Each group has survived two units so far and is on the way to a third. I really enjoy what I am teaching- American and British literature. I hated teaching via genre study it just didn’t make sense to me and I had trouble making meaning of it. Teaching with history as a framework along side the literature is right up my alley.

I am looking forward to work nearly every day and am constantly challenging myself to be creative and effective as a teacher. I am measuring how well my students are learning and am still developing as a professional. I have noticed that my colleagues are taking notice of my dedication and have started asking for my help and acknowledging me as an equal. I was evaluated by one of the administrators last week and was given compliments and praise both in my planning and execution of my lesson. I varied what activities we would have and made sure that the lesson was not only teacher led but student driven as well. It isn’t easy to make literature that is so far removed from my students relevant to them. I’m talking colonial Puritan literature, which preaches fire and brimstone and everlasting damnation. So I’ll have students look to modern newspapers to find echoes of puritan values and philosophies still present today. I’m still developing the activity so we’ll see how it goes over. But here I am- I love my job and every day I finally feel like I have the ability to improve and carry out my own visions.

After a year plus of pushing forward and not having a ton of confidence I am so grateful and happy to be where I am now. I'm not trying to toot my own horn just express my great relief and gratitude.

Tooth Fairy

I wish the tooth fairy would stop visiting our home. Yikes the teeth that have been lost!! It seems like the kids loose a tooth every month. (In truth more like every other month.) The kids are getting 'coin rich' from all those gaps in their smiling faces.
Anthony lost a tooth today. His tooth was hurting as he tried to eat dinner. So he asked me to pull it. A slow pull up and a bit of blood and he is ready for bed. (Never mind that it is 3 hours early.)

Laurie's Movie Interest

	My Flixster

Summer Time

I know it has been a long time. But I have holed up in my house long enough. What am I up to? Not much... I go for a walk with our dog everyday at 7pm. I attend local inservices on technology I can use in the classroom. I really wish UofA had required a course on technology in education. but I'm learning a lot and am going to have much more time in the computer lab next year. I've been reading and watching films. I worked on some scrapbook pages and I've been researching Master degree programs. So please use the 'comment' feature and tell me what you are doing this summer.

Sascha Leon

Another pet... Yes, we love animals and have a lot of love to offer. We did our research and found a trainer who rescues German Sheperd dogs from animal shelters on d-day. She trains them, provides vet and basic health records, and then adopts them out after meeting with you. She even trains you and your family with what the dog has learned.

We love our new dog, Sascha Leon, and she is perfect for us. She is a calm dog and is responding to training very well. The kids adore her and she is keeping me plenty of company. We looked at another dog but it became apparent that he was to attention needy and I'd never be able to get any work done with him around. As I'm typing, Sascha is laying down on the floor quite content.

Of course she wasn't like that last night- she was so excited with the new house and anxious about her new family that she kept pacing and exploring. Josh stayed up with her until 2:30 when he finally put her in the garage. See- he had given her a bone and she was eagerly chewing it down into splinters, sounding like a grinder and keeping him awake. It took her most of the morning but she is calmed down and looks happy now and her ears are perky.

I'll post a picture as soon as possible.

Love to all!

Cameron

Cameron- yup that is the name of our newest family member- a snake.

Anthony wanted a pet for his birthday present. He suggested a hamster and when I told him hamsters poop everywhere he offered up guinea pig. Same problem of course and as I heard my boy's eager voice all I could think about was allergies and the mess these critters leave. So I racked my brain and thought of a creature that would not be messy or bother anybodys allergies. Yes, yes me, I suggested a snake. I can promise you up until this time I can recall touching only three snakes in my life. I am not a snake fan.

So yesterday- after Josh and me discussed it, we went all in. Cameron is a Ball Python, and while we are calling him a boy we really don't know what sex the snake is. He is in a terriarium in my son's room and is enjoying his home very well. For that mattter I even held the snake for a long time and have handled him several times so Anthony or Shanee can hold him.

I thought I wanted a little gardner snake or corn snake but I learned they move very quickly. Just what I need, my little boy can't hold onto a mover. But the Ball Python is a docile slower moving snake.

At the store we discovered Cameron and as the other snake was not a nice snake we decided it better to buy the right tempermant pet now rather then try to purchase a good snake at the last minute.

So now our home is full of critters- four fish, three baby turtles, and a snake. Oh and the Easter Bunny brought two coupons for ducklings. They will stay in a box or the bathtub until we can release them outside. I'll let you know about them when the store gets a new shipment of baby ducks.

Love you all!

Prayers are answered in time

Well my prayers are answered- time heals everything. Don't know yet how this problem will resolve itself but I feel confident that we'll be fine. My heart is full and my nerves are calm. See I'm offering to fork over the dough to change the plane tickets and I imagine that Mike will eventually agree. Otherwise he'll be getting a letter that informs him the children will not fly with him and I will drive them at the end of June. So whether he makes it easy or complicated is up to him, but I will not be pushed around. He called this morning and left a message that he wanted to talk about the summer visitation so that is a good sign when the past two weeks have consisted of him hanging up on me and ignoring reasonable suggestions. I am avoiding calling him back because we call in the evening and not during the day. Otherwise he expects me to be home 24/7 and he really doesn't need to know what my schedule is. So we should have this wrapped up soon enough.

My Mom is visting us here this week and we'll be picking her up at the airport on Friday. I am anxious as we've not had an family here yet. So we are getting spring cleaning done in honor of her arrival. I would have put it off until May otherwise. I'm glad that I'm getting it knocked out now. The kids put on my stockpile of hand-me-down clothes and they are set for shorts and sandals. All we have to worry about is the rest.

Josh is still looking for work and is discouraged as the local police departments aren't hiring at the moment. One of the departments will start going through their applications in May and he probably has a job in another field come April 1. So we are crossing our fingers and are praying that it pans out.

God keeps watching out for us though as my after school class is finished this month and I can get paid for it in my next check so Josh being out of work won't hurt us too much.

I'm taking the summer off- I thought about teaching a summer class. I even sent in my application but decided I needed some down time. I have to get caught up on my reading for my courses and this leaves me free to take inservice oppurtunities this summer.

Hope this finds you well. God Bless you all!

The Tragedy of Othello

I took my senior students to see a Shakespeare play and while most of them behaved themselves, I am amazed by how similiar our youth are to Shakespeare's audience. The audience for the play was composed of seniors, honors 11th and 10th graders and still they talked through the entire play, hooted and whistled because the characters were attractive and laughed at inappropiate moments. I had to block out laughing as a character mourned the death of another character. If our youth is really this corse then I imagine that we are in for a world of hurt. It scares me that students can't figure out how to behave in this world and have zero self restraint. Fortanetly I will be and am an optimist if we don't try to change the situation then it falls back on our shoulders. As for the parents that are raising these kids well god help them. The method of letting kids make decisions and being sweet and positive discipline turns them into spoiled rotten self centered children who grow up to be spoiled rottten self centered adults. What an eye-opener!!

God Grant me Peace!

I keep praying to God for patience and courage but yet again my patience and courage are being tested. The kids father in AZ is taking actions that require hiring a lawyer again. He is taking the kids for 9 weeks when he is only allowed 5 weeks this summer. So I need a court order to force him to make the change as he has refused to change the plane ticckets. Or I can refuse to let the children board the plane.

Please pray for me as I battle this and move forward protecting my children from what is wrong and protecting myself from being taken advantage of and victimized by someone that I don't want in my life or want to allow to control my emotions or happiness. I know that I will have to communicate with him so he cna know his children but I do not have to let him abuse me or abuse my children's happiness.

When they came home last year they were not my children, they came back spoiled and talking back. They mistakenly thought they were adults and could demand things of me and their Dad (step). It took nearly a month to get our world back in order. I cannot allow them to be gone so long- they wouldn't have any opportunity to have summer fun with Mom.

Frankly, I just can't imagine my kids being happy about being away from their home for so long. Just pray...

God said to turn the other cheek but he also spoke up and said why do you strike me I have done nothing to you. It is this thought that keeps me going and gives me the power and belief that I can and should fight for my children's best interest and not allow someone to walk all over us.

Valentine Dance

When you scrimp and save for years in college it takes awhile to get used to the idea you don't have to cut every corner in your pocketbook. Josh and I went out on Friday, the church held a couples Valentines dinner and dance. We had a lovely dinner, met some very interesting people, and boggied down to some great oldie tunes.

My favorite part of the evening was the 'twist.' Everybody can do that dance and WOW did it wear me out. It felt great to get out and have a real date. We go out plenty but it sure felt great to have a night of fun.

Sunday we went to dinner with some friends of ours. We plan on goinng out again but without the kids next time.

It feels great to have a social life and good friends. Try doing without a social life for several years and see how wonderful you feel getting out of the house again.

I'm looking forward to the weather warming up and taking the kids out hiking and out for picnics. There is a good place to feed ducks nearby that we haven't visited yet. We've talked about fishing too- that might be around the corner.

What is your favorite weekend get away?

Saying 'hi' from Ohio.

Our friend, Mike, is visiting from Ohio and we had him over for dinner tonight. It was nice to cook for a friend and not just family for a change. Believe it or not, I made meatloaf, yup that is right, meatloaf. A dish my mother never served when I was growing up. I am a cooking show junkie and frequent the foodnetwork.com for recipes. I found a fantastic recipe for meatloaf and tried it a few weeks ago. Yum-Yum! Let me know if you want a copy of my version that I tweaked. My co-workers ask for my recipes after every potluck, I must be doing something right.

Josh and Mike headed out to play poker with some of the boys. So here I am watching movies and finally talking to MY friends and family- even if it is by internet.

Love you all and thinking of you.

"Deep in the sea are riches beyond compare.
But if you seek safety, it is on the shore."
Saadi

What a day!

What a day- I've been sweating bullets over my current situation with the courses I teach. I just haven't been enjoying my sophomores and while I find plenty to please me, I am unhappy with the immaturity of my students. My seniors, on the other hand, are a pure joy and I have discovered many students that I adore and can motivate on the way to college or life. I am my best when I am motivating students to move forward to adult life. Sophomores just don't see past high school or beyond individual needs. What amazes me is how much better my own beautiful children behave as compared to 10th grade students.

Well now that you know about the sweating bullets...

The relief- I am being recomended to teach Honors English III (Juniors). Even if I am not approved there are several sections of junior courses opening up that I could assume and drop my 10th grade students.

YEAH!!!! No more instructing students that are more immature then my five year old. Only instruction of students as immature as my seven year old (wink).

Read-In

I had a career building day. African American Read-In was today and I managed to get over 300 students together to celebrate this event. Imagine students reading at the same time as millions (not exaggerated) of other students across the United States and abroad.

I really enjoyed myself- reading Uncle Remus folktales and Hughes' "Freedom Train." I am amazed by how wisely and carefully my students choose their selections. They sure impressed me. Let's hope I can continue up the momentum and stay charged.

I've sat down and written some of the comments my students made on their required response worksheets. Read the comments you will be surprised at how well the students engaged and how what we want students to learn really does happen. Here are a few...

"Very good." "'It's better to be alone then in bad company' my favorite quote'" Richard

"The story of Angelo is talking about how her life was hard and she had to deal with so many hardships. Talks about how women should not have to meet certain criteria to still be phenomenal." "It was very good and amazing." "It was very well read & extremely good." Christopher

"I like the poem, it has true meaning and real life things." Markas

"It tells us that miracles happen everyday and no one notices." "I like the way she reads it's clear and emotional." "I like her choices." Justin

"She talks about how people think a person is black but that in reality black is good, like black clothes are sleek and nice and black can describe a mood." "This was a good poem because it was inspirational." Keisha

"A student is writing an English paper and wants the professor to see him for any student not just a black one." "This is good because writing should not see color, just skill." La Keisha