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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Just Playing Around

I haven't posted in a while, and there's not really any big reason for that.  We've been busy, but not terribly so.  The boys have been really absorbed in Legos:
And Lydia has been playing with my old gymnastics mat.  It has many uses, including a mat for roll balls (summersaults) and a way to drag all her stuff down the hall:

Lastly, I've been doing some sewing, and I recently made my favorite sundress ever:

Unfortunately, it's a little small for me, but just looking at it makes me smile.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Rooster and Rome

Our Rooster "Green Taily", or "Smarty", depending on the boys' mood

I figured that it's been a while since I've shown you a picture of the rooster, so here he is.  He has some really pretty feathers.  We still don't know what kind of chicken he is.
Our hens are laying way better than expected.  The Ameruacanas are said to lay 3+ eggs a week, and the rest were all supposed to lay 5+ eggs a week.  Well, we get 7 to 9 eggs a day from 9 hens, so they are really taking this laying job seriously.  Yesterday I collected 9, today 8.  That's pretty typical over the last week.  As you can imagine, we have lots of eggs, so it was good to hear that Nathaniel's friend/coworker wants to buy a dozen a week.

Also, I think all of you know that my wonderful husband traded his airline points to get us tickets to Rome for our 10th anniversary this year.  As it's getting closer, I've been getting more and more excited.  I've been trying to learn Italian and brushing up on my Latin.  (Yes, I'm that nerd.)  Anyway, I now can say things like Vorrei un po'di formaggio per favore.  (I'd like a little cheese please.)  Many years ago, Mamaw and Papaw got me a learn Italian set (because I've always wanted to learn a lot of languages) but now I've actually got some motivation and am currently on lesson 22.  I can't say a whole lot, but I am learning, so that's nice.  As for the Latin, I'm actually remembering more than I thought I would, and I'd like to be able to read the monuments myself, so I'm brushing up on that, too.  Maybe someday I'll actually be fluent in a couple of languages.  That would be so cool.
As I study the Italian, Spanish filters through my head.  I remember that when I first studied Spanish, I filtered it through the Latin I knew, so this is not new, just kind of odd.  Now I often think in Spanish while I'm reviewing Latin, too, since my Spanish is better than my Latin now.  I've found myself trying to talk in Italian and ending up in Spanish.  Oh, well, it may work out in the end.  My Columbian friend Gloria assures me that Italian is pretty much "like Spanish with a bad accent".  (Her words)  Of course, she doesn't actually speak Italian, either.  I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever heard any "real" person speak Italian, just some bits on the Godfather movies or other tv (and now my learn Italian tapes).

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Homemade Cream of Celery Soup

Missy, this is for you.  :)

I've been making cream of mushroom for a while, but I never tried cream of celery.  I played around today, and came up with a recipe for a good cream of celery.  It's lighter and uses little salt.  It makes about 3 cups.
You need:
1 bunch of celery, diced (even the leafy bits)
4T olive oil, divided
1 1/2 c chicken stock (or veggie stock, if you wanna go vegetarian)
about 3/4 c milk (I used whole milk)
1/2 tsp celery salt
generous sprinkle of pepper (1/2 tsp?)
1/4 c white whole wheat flour

In a skillet, saute celery in 2 T oil for a few minutes.  It will still be fairly crisp, but somewhat cooked.  Add rest of oil and flour and spices, making a roux.  Add chicken stock and scrape bits off the bottom of the pan.  Add milk.  Turn off heat.  Use an immersible blender to puree.  (Mine still has some small pieces of celery; it's not totally pureed.)  That's it!  Here's a picture, but keep in mind that cream of celery has never looked too appetizing:
I used mine in some chicken tetrazini.  Yum.  I don't know if it will freeze well or not.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Kitchen Cabinets

Finally, I painted all of the kitchen cabinets.  This is the before picture:
 (And aren't you surprised that I remembered to take a "before" picture!)
I painted all of the cabinets, and Nathaniel spray painted the hinges and drawer pulls.  We bought new knobs, and Nathaniel has been busy hanging cabinets.  In fact, he's still hanging them right now, with Elijah's help.  But I wanted to show you how nice the ones that are hung look:

I think it's a pretty impressive makeover for very little money.  It took longer than I'd wanted, but there has been a lot going on, and this was definately worth the wait!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Random Thoughts on Twelfth Night, Bean Sprouts, and Egg Production

I had every intention of making a yummy chocolate trifle for Twelfth Night and having a little celebration with my family.  No, we've never actually celebrated Twelfth Night before, but you all should know what a history buff I am, and traditionally, the Christmas season was capped with a big last hurrah party on Twelfth Night, or January 5.  (Epiphany is Jan 6, and traditionally the day the wise men's arrival was commemorated.  And techinically, Jan 6 is twelfth day, but that's another discussion.)  Anyway, I had thoughts of having a little dessert party here, but alas, it just didn't happen.  I still plan to make the chocolate trifle sometime, though.  Maybe for Valentine's Day or something.  Aunt Bess always made a trifle for Christmas and special gatherings.  Hers was made with pound cake (or angel food cake, but I remember the pound cake being used more often), vanilla pudding, and cherry pie filling.  It is absolutely fabulous, but since we're pretty big choco-holics around here, I started making a chocolate one that's been a huge hit with everyone except Malachi.  (Well, he eats the chocolate pudding and chocolate cake, but not the cherry pie filling.)

Another thing I've been doing, besides dreaming of chocolate desserts, is sprouting beans:
My friend Karen gave me a jar and seeds for growing bean sprouts.  Nathaniel and I actually love bean sprouts on sandwiches and in salads, so I did the first package, and it's already been eaten.  They grew really well, and I was thrilled at how easy it was, especially since bean sprouts are very nutritious, and I'm always trying to get more green things into Nathaniel's diet.  We have a second bag of seeds that says they are sprouts for stir-fry, so I plan to grow in the next week or two and add them to a stir fry.  Then the kids might accidentally eat some, too!

Lydia has been a big helper in the kitchen lately.  Here she is cutting up mushrooms:

She actually cut up the entire container for me.  Usually she tires of helping earlier, but lately she's really been sticking with me more.

Lastly, our chickens have been producing like crazy.  Here's the number of eggs this week:
Tuesday -6
Wednesday -9
Thursday -5
Friday - 7
Saturday - 9
Sunday - 8 so far
Obviously, all 9 of our hens are laying quite productively.  They come running whenever any of us goes outside now, even Nathaniel.  (Apparently, they've forgiven/forgotten his role in Zebra 4's demise.)  They are also mostly staying in the yard.  We did have one time they "escaped" to the side of our yard, but the boys quickly rounded them up.  The rooster has been accepted by the hens, but he is still quite timid around us, which is not a bad thing.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Eggs and Friends

The kids enjoyed playing at our friends' house.  How many kids can fit on a bean bag?  Apparently, 7 can!
 The chickens are really laying now.  Yesterday, we got 6 eggs.  Today, we got 8!  We had scrambled eggs for dinner last night, and Lydia and I baked pumpkin muffins and banana bread today, but there is no shortage of eggs in our fridge.  Two of the eggs I cracked for scrambled eggs yesterday had double yolks (one was a brown egg, the other green).  I also hardboiled some for snacks and salad topping.

The chickens don't seem bothered by the cold.  It was only 18 degrees this morning when I went to let them out, but they were all outside in their tiny yard already, and eagerly came running to the door for me to let them into the main yard.


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Sunday, May 5, 2013

Chapter 15: Sobal, Jackie

Chapter 15
Lt. Jacqueline Sobal, USMC

Day:  E-Day+3
Time:  1730 EST/ 1810 GMT
Location:  Bishop International Airport, Flint Michigan

Lt. Jaqueline Sobal was one of the last of the survivors to get a tray of food.  As far as she knew, only Major Thompson had yet to take a portion of the Christmas Dinner feast that had been scavenged from the small food court in the airport terminal.  The two of them had gone through every document they could find on her tablet computer, on their small shelf of manuals, or on what defense networks they could log into.  She had hoped that the Major would have had clearance for something unique, some hidden orders for the end of the world or the like.  If he did, he was not sharing with her or the rest of the crew.

She took another bite of the burger Lefty had made for her.  It felt weird to let an enlisted cook for her.   It ran counter to all of the Marine traditions, but every effort to relieve Lefty of the cooking duties had been met with a smile and an insistence that he needed a chance to relax and grill.  While she had waited, he had regaled her with the stories of his mother's homemade Tamales and how bittersweet every Christmas was since she had passed.  His sister, apparently, had never learned the art, and thus the tradition had died with their mother.  Jackie still would like to take a turn at the grill, but if this was Lefty's idea of down time, she would grant it.  She and Gunny had eaten in silence, sharing one of the tables near the windows overlooking the tarmac.  Any survivors of the first clouds must have taken refuge in a shelter nearby, a shelter that had not proven sufficient.

She was thankful, though, for the lack of bodies.  More specifically she was thankful she had not had to clean them up herself yet.  It had been bad enough to see the skeletal remains of ground crews the last three times they had set down.  It had fallen to the loadies and the crew chief to get the fuel trucks in position, and thus to them to also dispose of the bodies of those claimed by the cloud.  Jackie was becoming too good at hiding in her instruments at those times.

In fact this meal was really the first time she had been out of the aircraft for more than a few moments since it all began.  Her muscles ached from trying to sleep on the flight deck, and from the lack of movement.  She took another bite of the burger and washed it down with some bottled water.  Somehow the power had remained on, and that meant refrigeration had as well.  This discovery had shifted all of their timetables as they tried to do a proper inventory and establish how best to recover the maximum amount of non perishables, as well ensure that the food that would not travel was consumed while they were still grounded.

Jackie looked up to see Gunny watching a group of survivors sitting together on several couches and chairs.  They held each other's hands as they prayed.  She watched quietly as well until they released hands from each other, several making the Sign of the Cross.  Gunny did the same and then returned to her meal.

There was a gold star under Jackie's flight suit.  She had worn it since her Bat Mitzvah, which had also been the last time she had set foot inside a temple.  Her family was Jewish, really, only in ethnicity and even then she felt awkward using the title.  She knew in her heart there was a God, and she tried to honor the holy days.  It had just never been an important part of her life or practice.  Her parents had held her Chanukah presents until Christmas, and Passover was recognized with a reminder from her Mother that one of these years they would honor the holiday with a proper meal.  This was usually said just before sliding a store bought ham into the oven.

And there had always been an awkward feeling when the subject of keeping kosher had come up with more devout friends from school.

She finished the rest of the food, continuing to enjoy the silence between she and Gunny.  Jackie wanted to ask about the incident back in Wisconsin, when Gunny had been forced to shoot at the survivors rushing the aircraft.  Her curiosity was starting to nag at her, but she respected their crew chief too much to ask.  If it was something that Gunny wanted to talk about, there was little doubt that she would.

The silence between them made it clear that there was little to say.

She downed the rest of the water and started another mental checklist.  There was still internet connectivity which meant major computer systems had to still be online.  She started to tally those she would attempt to make contact with when she got back to the plane.  Maybe she could still make contact with someone through a web service that was not commonly used.  Most of the major networks had gone offline, the top micro-blogging site showing nothing but the image of the Fail Whale when the main page was accessed.  Of course most social media was gone, but she might have success with some of the smaller specialty sites.  She started to list off their names in her head.  There was one for civil war reenactors that her dad was a member of.  Her old high school alumni group had a website with internal messaging.  There was an association of Jewish Pilots she had joined years ago.  Could she even remember the password for it?

"Excuse me, Sarge?"

The voice cut into her thoughts and made her jump slightly even though the speaker was not addressing her.  An older man approached their table from behind Jackie.  Gunny shook her head, the traces of a smile starting to form at the corners of her mouth.

"Gunny," she corrected, her voice free of the usual annoyance that Jackie had seen when others had made the same mistake.

"Oh, yeah, dammit," the older man said, scratching the back of his head, one of the only places he still had hair.  It was long and white, contrasting the shining baldness of his brow.  "Old habits, you know.  I still remember the first time I called my sargent 'Sir'.  I never thought I'd get my hearing back the way he yelled at me.  Said it was bad enough I didn't know an NCO from a CO, just saying it in earshot of Charlie would get someone sniped, and then I'd have to write the letter to his widow and eight kids.  Swear, God as my witness, that man had a different number of kids each time he dressed someone down.  Hell, I think his number of wives changed a few times, too."  He laughed at his own joke and leaned a hand on the table.  His eye finally caught Jackie and he stood up again, quickly.  “Sorry, Lieutenant  didn’t see you there.”  He was not quite standing at attention but the respect for her rank was clearly present.  Jackie liked him already.

“What’s up, Bull?” Gunny asked.

“Well, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Bull started.  Jackie smiled a little. She could see how he might have had the nickname, once upon a time, with his wide shoulders and strong jaw.  “Some of the guys from the 717 wanted to talk to you,” he paused and looked at Jackie.  “Or you, Ma’am.  They’ve got a proposal, and now that I’ve got both of you, I think this is an officer level issue.”  He hastened to add.  “No offence, Sar-Gunny.”

“None taken,” Gunny answered raising her hands.  “I need to get back to the manifests.”  She acknowledged Jackie with a solid nod.  “Ma’am.”

Jackie stood as well.  Before she could say anything, Gunny had snagged the plastic tray she had been using and headed towards one of the trash bins to deposit the disposables as though someone would come by later to empty them.  It seemed so illogical to pretend that things were normal, but that routine of clearing a table had to provide a much needed moment to escape into.

"Right," she said to Bull.  "Let's hear this idea."

He lead Jackie through the terminal and out onto the tarmac.  A group of men stood about the nose of the 717 talking, their coats closed and their bodies hunched over a little in the cool December air.  The sun was going to set soon and it was going to get a lot colder.  One of the men was wrapped in a black wool coat marked with the insignia of the 717's airline.  His pilot cap sat high on his head, casually.  Another was dressed in a long overcoat.  His short trimmed grey hair and clean shaved face gave the impression of a man of means.  The third had a wool blanket draped over his shoulders, adding a layer of warmth to what little his windbreaker provided.  He had to have been traveling from a warmer area, Jackie concluded.

"That's Morgan," Bull said, pointing at the pilot. "He's the copilot.  With him is Bob Hastings, and Dave Somethingorother.  Bob was up in business class and has been pretty vocal about what we should be doing and when.  I was pretty sure he was going to get left at our last stop.  Dave's a decent guy, near as I can tell, so that he's on board with this is a good sign."

"And what is he on board with?"

"Not a clue, Lieutenant.  They just asked me to get," he paused, "Gunny for them to talk to.  I'm guessing it's because she and I were swapping war stories a bit ago."

"Thanks for the intel," Jackie said.

They approached the group and Bull made the introductions, stating her name and rank clearly as he did.  Jackie did not spare a thought for the fact that it was unnecessary; "Sobal" was printed clearly on the front of her flight suit.  She shook each man's hand in turn, and then stepped back to listen.

"Where's that one you were talking to earlier?  The one you were friendly with?"  Bob seemed already annoyed.

"Any plan you've got is going to have to go through command," Bull explained.  "Seemed to make more sense to let you make the pitch right at the top."

Jackie did not say anything but remained still, her attention on the assemblage.

"Well, it goes like this," Dave started. "We've all been working pretty hard to scrounge up what we can, right?"  He did not wait for her to nod before continuing.  "Only most of what we've got has been going into your plane, and not ours.  Most of the people are over here, and all of our food is over there."  At this he paused and looked at her as though she should understand the obvious implication.  Jackie did not find it so obvious.

"Which means," Bob began, "that if you should decide to leave suddenly, we'll be without most of the food we've been working to gather and the majority of the mouths to feed."

Jackie blinked.  "We have no plans to just leave you here."

"Of course you don't," Bob answered.  "Not now at least.  But who's to say plans can't change?  What if a meteor lands nearby and there isn't time to be sure we're all going to get above it in time?"  He leaned towards her.  "Let me say this:  I didn't make my first million by trusting everyone who told me they had a plan.  I made my own plans just in case their plans had to be 'modified'."

Offended.  That was the word that leapt most prominently to Jackie's mind.  That and several other words best left unsaid in polite company.  She smiled, reminding herself that losing her cool was not going to add anything to the situation already marred by distrust.

"So what exactly are you proposing?"  She offered up nothing of her own, deciding it best to not give them any ideas they had not already hatched on their own.

The copilot spoke.  "What Mr. Hastings proposes is that one of your crew come over to our plane and a few of our numbers go over to yours."

They wanted a hostage as insurance?

"I'm not sure how that would work," she answered honestly.  "None of us are certified to fly turbojets, and so much of our own flight deck is specialized just for Herc's, I'm pretty sure you'd feel just as lost."

"We don't mean as active crew members," Bob explained, laying to rest any doubts Jackie had as to the purpose of their proposal.

Jackie looked at the copilot, Morgan.  "What's your AC think about this?"

Morgan hesitated a few moments before speaking, turning his gaze up towards the nose of the aircraft.  "He's not a hundred percent supportive."  He took his hat off and scratched his head.  "I'm not either, Ma'am, but things are different.  It's not that I don't trust you, but if you take off, without us, we're going to be in a serious world of hurt."  He did not acknowledge Bob's glare.  "Things are just...different,” he repeated, “Ma'am, and I've-- we've got souls counting on us to make the right call for them."  His words were slow, sad.  Jackie could sense the weight of responsibility he felt as he spoke.  She could empathize, though she had wished that Morgan had talked to her, or to the Major, privately.  Bob and Dave had done little to help.

"I think I understand what you want, and I'll take your proposal to the Major."  She nodded politely and offered her hand out, first to Morgan.  "I'll make sure he hears it as fairly as I can."

They shook hands.  Morgan held on to her longer than she had expected, his eyes on hers.  This had not been easy for him, she could tell.  She shook with the others, quickly, including Bull.  "Thanks," she said to him.

"Anytime you need something, Lieutenant," Bull said as she turned to head back to the Herc.

She tried to sort out what to say to the Major when she reached it, each step reminding her that the last place she wanted to be was back in the flight deck.  What she really craved was a long hot shower, the kind where she could just let the water run until her fingers and toes completely pruned, the kind where she could escape completely into the steam.  She needed the shower where she could rest her cheek against the cool tiles and just let a separate pair of hands scrub her back, her shoulders, her chest, and escape into the sensations and contrasts of water and skin.  She could almost feel the hands on her hips as they moved under the cascades of water.

The Major was standing in the doorway of the Herc, waving at her.  "Regal's at the coordinates."

She hastened her step.  As she climbed up into the flight deck, Regal's voice filled the speakers.

"It looks like a hospital complex, Sir," he said over the radio.  "We've got two APC's parked nearby, but I don't see any markings on them.  Local police, maybe?"

"Any survivors?" Thompson asked into the handset.

"Not that I can see," Regal started.  Jackie could hear him talking to someone off the radio, the words muted.  "Wait," he said again.  "We think we.... yah, I've got about a half dozen people in hazmat suits coming out of the main building.  And another dozen or so people behind them.  They're being moved into one of the APC's."

"Any markings on those?  CDC?"

"No, sir," Regal answered.  "I can't tell but something looks wrong.  Maybe they're infected with something?  Wait.... one of the suited guys has some kind of weapon sir.  It's nothing I recognize, maybe one of those experimental fusion rifles.  What the..."  His voice trailed off as a dull roar filled the speakers.

"What do you have?"  The Major was starting to sound anxious.

"Incoming aircraft.  Looks like a vectored thrust, maybe VTOL.  Markings indicate, USAF, CAF and MAF."

"Repeat that again."

"United States, Canadian and Mexican flags, sir."

Jackie looked at the Major who returned the glance.  The transmission that had sent them to those coordinates had claimed to be jointly issued by all three nations.

"Keep talking, Lieutenant."

There was another sound, a roar almost, over the radio.  Regal was shouting now, profanity filling the com.  "The other APC just lifted up.  Appears to be some kind jet powered hovercraft only it's climbing at an incredible rate.  It's launched missiles.  Everyone down!"

The sounds of an explosion filled the flight deck followed by nothing but the roar of the unknown aircraft.  Jackie thought it did sound a lot like a jet engine but something was wrong about it.

Thompson waited before speaking into the com mic.  "What's going on, Regal?"

His voice returned.  "It's still hovering over the site.  The inbound craft is totally gone, sir.  Dammit, Paul, can you see anything?"  They could hear someone shout but not make out the words.  "One of the civilians is trying to leave the group.  The CDC is trying to stop her.  She's broken loose, and she's starting towards us.  Larry, cut left and see if you can get a better angle on what's going on.  Shelly, stick with- What?"  He was cut off suddenly.  "The civilian is down.  She's been shot, I think."  Regal swore again, eliciting a wince from the Major.  "Larry, Paul, move and get into position to approach.  Shelly, that tree line, we'll cover them."

Sounds of gunfire followed his orders immediately.  Jackie reached out to turn down the gain on the speakers.  She looked up to see Gunny standing in the hatchway, her face grim.  The steady report of the rifles continued, interrupted by Regal shouting to his companion that he was reloading.  This was matched with what had to be her own bursts of gunfire.

There was a blast of noise followed by a scream.  "I don't know what that is, but it's taking out entire trees," Regal shouted.  "Shelly look ou-"

The radio went dead, filling the flight deck with sudden and deafening silence.

An easy way to show your support for Bastion: The Last Hope is to vote for the story on the WebFiction Guide website or other webfiction resources.

If you enjoy Bastion: The Last Hope, perhaps consider Mind the Thornsa reader-directed web novel telling the story of Regan Fairchild: Accountant, Bachelorette and Vampire.

Mr. Osterman's first novel FantastiCon can be found on in both print and eBook editions.  It is also available on Smashwords.

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

It's Not Fair! - Kids Should be Kids

I am a firm believer that children should be children. They should be allowed to take their time growing up and enjoy the younger years of carefree, joyful living. Playing in the mud, making up silly songs, climbing trees, exploring nature, catching bugs in jars, popsicle stains on t-shirts and faces, hunting for hermit crabs at the beach, and waking up every morning to a new day full of exciting adventures. That is what I remember from my childhood. If the sun was shining, I was outside morning till night. If it was raining, we watched movies, made forts in our bedroom, and played board games. That's not to say we didn't have worries and fears, sadness and anger. But they were small and insignificant compared to life in the grown up world. We were kids. Kids should be sheltered from grown up problems.

With mentally ill children, it's a whole other world. A childhood of doctors appointments, being poked with needles, taking medication that sometimes makes your belly hurt, assorted therapies, having unpleasant and sometimes scary emotions that you don't understand, getting in trouble much more than other kids, feeling bad about yourself, feeling out of control, night terrors, being frustrated almost constantly, and knowing there is something different about you but not understanding why.

And that's my question.

It's not fair!

Childhood should contain memories of care-free inhibition, adventures, and treasured friendships. When Taz looks back on his childhood, I don't want him to think of blood draws, psychiatrist offices, and rages. That's why I feel compelled to over-compensate by creating as many fun memories as I can. Going to museums, swimming, vacations, Disney World, car shows, going to the movies, gymnastics class, etc. I plan on spending all summer at the beach, teaching him how to swim, building sand castles, and hunting for crabs. Now that he's older, and I don't have an infant anymore, we can take long nature walks and collect bugs and leaves to identify. We can spend hours at the park climbing the jungle gym and making friends.

But most of these ideas that occur in my head work out so much more pleasantly than the real life event. In my head, a beach trip is filled with laughter and learning. Nature walks are peaceful and educational. Playing at the park is adventurous and fun.

But in real life, at the beach, I will try to build a sand castle, Taz will freak out about sand being in his shoes. I will jump in the waves, Taz will cling to me in fear. I will hunt for hermit crabs, Taz will complain the water is too cold. Getting two kids changed into dry clothes for the ride home will make me irritable and tired, especially as Taz fights me because he's hot and tired and irritated too. I'll lose my patience and yell. Chica will get scared and start to cry. We will all be frustrated and hot by the time we get to the car. And I will silently swear never to do this again.

We may go for a nature walk and I'll put Chica in the stroller. Taz is highly energetic so I will assume he can walk the whole way. Half way through he will want to go in the stroller, leaving Chica, just learning to walk, to slow down our pace. The nature walk will last much longer than intended and Taz will complain that he's hungry and thirsty. After he drinks the only juice box I brought for him, he will scream and cry that he's so thirsty and wants something to drink right NOW. I will pick up Chica and carry her while pushing the stroller where Taz is crying, all the way back home. I will silently swear never to do this again.

We may go to the park down the street and I will be ready and eager to make new friendships. I encourage the kids to run and play and be free. But Taz doesn't like the way one boy looked at him and so he's out to get him. Every time he gets a chance he will spit at this boy and call him "stupid". He gets so obsessed with this one child he has decided, for whatever reason I can not discern, that he is his worst enemy. I tell him several times to leave the boy alone but he does not stop. He can not stop. It's a compulsion driving him, like an engine, to hate this child. He will tell me over and over "I hate that boy". I will start getting looks from the other boy's mother. I try to get Taz interested in something else. He may play for a few minutes but is always back to the boy. Then he tries to kick him. And so we leave, while all the moms and dads give us dirty looks. I will silently swear never to do this again.

After this, I will learn that going far from home is never worth it.

It's not fair. Not for Taz. Not for me. Not for Chica.

But it's not all bad.

I may swear never to go out with the kids again, but I go anyway. Because I'm bound and determined to create those childhood memories for Taz and Chica. Even if it ends in disaster. Even if it turns into a nightmare. I will keep trying.

But it's not fair that it has to be so hard.

Next post will be about the good parts of being Taz's mom. It is hard, we all know, but sometimes you have to appreciate the good instead of dwelling on the bad.

What about you? Do you have "delusions of grandeur" and fantasies in your head about what raising children should be like? Are there times you just want to have a normal family outing and it turns into a nightmare? Have you learned to make the most of the fun times you do have?

  1. HAHAHA--I thought it would be easy--rainbows and fun in the sun etc. Instead, like you, I spend half my time running them to doctor appts or spending that time there dealing with the doctor. And I went into this parenthood thing knowing that this would happen. What was I thinking??? But, when I go and check on the kids before I go to bed, and get the "I love you mom" and the smiles; when my daughter reaches out to hold my hand so she can make it through the palate expander placement, when I get the big toothy grin from the boys---its so worth every single minute of why and this just isn't fair to any of us.

  2. J, I really feel for you. My son was only really difficult as a young child when he was medicated and we did not keep him on meds for long (maybe 4 months total) so we were able to do everything other people do with their kids with him. These days it has become more challenging and we really do gear trips etc. around him. I'm curious as to what the doc says about the fixating and the thinking the other child is out to get him?
    Hugs to you. Meg

  3. I can really relate, we went on a short walk around the neighborhood last night, and it all went bad. Sometimes I'm glad my mind works like it did in childbirth, I tend to forget the bad stuff, and look forward to doing it again, other times I'm not so lucky.

  4. hahaha i have been totally feeling isolated recently . . . freinds say I should take the boys to the smithsonian, just under a 2 hour drive . . . but when I go to any event in town, the boys usually last only an hour, MAYBE 90 minutes, before they want to go home. Driving almost 4 hours for a 1 hour field trip and packing 2 meals (food allergies). You gotta be kidding me. I'll just stay home :-(

    Oh, and the beach - we used to get a house right on the beach, and my kids liked to go out to the beach for 20-30 minutes, MAYBE an hour, and then go back inside to watch cable tv or play w toys

    The problem is that I get so overwhelmed - my memories of childhood are there,but not joyful, becuase i was always busy coping w too much stimulation myself


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These objects are mirrors of my life. They represent a limited perception wherein my memory and inclination can overlap.  They are a lesson taught to me over 30 years through experimentation, dogged-stubbornness and purposeful growth.

Artwork, at its most ambitious, is social conscience, commentary and religion rolled into a complex four-sided document, to be read and reinterpreted over a span of many pages, and over many days of rethinking and researching. To make art is to problem- solve by giving oneself a huge problem. It is like jumping off a cliff but gradually knowing one has the skills to land softly and surely. The jumping becomes for me an important part of the puzzle… artists are also good puzzle solvers!

I believe that working with one’s hands, and brain is very satisfying. In a large sense the act of mark making is the only certain truth about what is real and tangible. And even that truth, tropes into something more ambiguous at times and becomes fantasy and mythology, referencing like a poem.

I have been trying to find my language for representation and abstraction inhabiting the same “Landscape”. I believe that they are two sides of the same visual coin with a hair sliver of distinction separating them. This is the world I inhabit while actively engaged in making a painting. I let the experience play itself out on the canvas.


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Monday, October 13, 2014

Lovecraft in Sleepy Hollow?

A couple weeks ago on the show SLEEPY HOLLOW (S02, E02) Ichabod and Abbie hatch a desperate plan to rescue Katrina from the Headless Horseman that involves a Frankenstein-type monster created by Benjamin Franklin called a KINDRED. The spell that needed to be recited included a famous quote from H. P. Lovecraft. I wonder how many viewers picked it up?

That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die.


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Thursday, April 3, 2008

Whole Foods I hadn't been in ages! When I just had one child, and lived in the city near the store, it was easy and I shopped there often. But now, with five kids eating me out of house and home, it's whatever's closest or cheapest or sells in bulk...Winn Dixie, WalMart (if I'm doing other shopping there), or Sam's Club.

Today, I went back to Whole Foods. They built a nice big beautiful store in the burbs and dh and I are getting serious about our health/weight.

But I'm so intimidated by the place!!!!! I was mesmerized by all the bulk nuts, seeds, grains, beans, etc. There's stuff there that I've never heard of! LOL!


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Monday, September 10, 2012

Multiply Is Shutting Down, So I'm Moving My HQ/ The Doors-"The End"

More and more I see that my friends and contacts are off to greener pastures. The spell-check and other components of the Multiply experience are now gone.

I can take a hint. I'm seen this movie, so to speak, over on Y360 where I found myself posting phantom blogs to fewer and fewer folks. We who are still here are on the SS Lusitania after the first torpedos detonate, directing the last choppers on the roof of the American Embassy in Saigon in 1975, scrounging for bullets on the parapets of the Alamo,

So, while I plan to check Multiply now and then, I'm bound for Blogster and Blogger. I will post copies of any original content here as long as somebody I know will look at it.

I enjoyed my nearly five years of posting, but the handwriting is on the wall here. I figure we could either lose this place or I'll be the sheriff of a ghost town. This is... the end.

I'll see some of you on the other sites, and will look in on others by invite. But this is the last post for me that will appear only on Multiply.

  1. my page is working perfectly...i use my spell check Im staying until the last minute :)

  2. That's great, Lucky Bean. I really hope this place will stay up until December, but I'm guessing that may not happen.

    Besides, I better start getting used to using the other sites for my main platform.

    I want to say goodbye now to all in case this place goes down early.

  3. Well here we have the end of an era Doug. I hope we will maintain contact in the great beyond, we have been batting ideas around for years now, so hopefully it will continue into the future. Multiply is dead....long live the blogosphere we are entering uncharted waters Doug, good luck to you my friend!

  4. Not a lot of point posting on a defunct site as I see it, I completely agree with you Doug. I am only here moving posts, deleting stuff, and commenting on the few posts that come through my inbox. We need to be out of here by 27th of October in any case. I am pleased that you will still be a contact on Blogspot and Blogster. Well chosen song. Always like this one.

    Am now pondering if I should post a final video like you and Aaran. What will I choose? hmmm

  5. ~*Smiles*~... I miss Yahoo360... and her it was finally a place I could feel at home again when I had the rug yanked once again... now at which isn't as good as here in my opinion, but all the complaining won't make them fix the mistake they are about to make... without bloggers, who'll go to a shop, what draws in a crowd... and even if they try as Yahoo360 did and give a dumbed down version,,, it'll still die off

  6. Please don't shut down just yet. Things I want to say to you, & everyone. I want to 'make the rounds' now, but too tired to put together the words.A scream-out with Sears over a month's incompetence, an interview with a new 'provider'...very cute, sense of humour, it's going to work as I can do & less & less. NEVER give up on anything....

    NOT goodbye.

  7. Thanks AA. Yes I look forward to continuing to bat ideas about with you. You made had a lot of hits on your new site so I think it can be said you've already landed on your feet.

  8. Me too, Iri Ani. I will be eagerly following your essays, poems and news from the other (and possibly nicer) side of this world. :-)

    I'm sure you'll come up with some appropriate send-off. The "flying kiwi" video was my personal favorite? :-)

    Glad to know we are fellow Doors fans by the way.

  9. That is what keeps rolling through my mind, Beverly---without bloggers, what will Multiply look like and how will it run? Yahoo 360 had some good people on it, that's for sure. Hopefully these new sites have enough support from Google and other companies that they won't turn into Intenet flea markets anytime soon.

    Thanks for your link. I'm sure we'll keep in touch.

  10. No, I won't shut down my site or stop looking at the Multiply inbox, Lucija. But I am going to be posting on Blogster and Blogger now and just working on saving some of what I put up here. I want to also get used to posting on the other sites mainly; I need all the experience I can get. :-)

    I'll be around to check up and answer inguiries and personal messages and all until they pull the plug. I certainly want to hear about your situation with Sears and all since i worked for that company for a long time. I'm sorry you are having trouble there.

  11. I feel the same Doug, I have put up a few blogs of the convention but will not be putting up any more. I still havent taken all my stuff off of here yet...dont know what I want to do with it all. See you on blogster my friend....hugs.

  12. Yes, I noticed you were one of the few still keeping Multiply going in my contacts list, Marty. Blogster seems ot be the new frontier...I'll also be on Blogger, too, but not Twitter.


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Networks, Performance, Presentations, & Innovation

The guru is dead, long live the network - Inside Knowledge
There are networks out there that are extremely influential, that do not have a single thought leader behind them.

Performance support tool - Allison Rossett & Lisa Schafer
A free web based performance support tool to help you determine if performance support is right for your project. We present statements about your audience, purpose and context. From Rossett & Schafer's new book, "Job Aids and Performance Support: Moving From Knowledge in the Classroom to Knowledge Everywhere."

Flip charts as visual enhancers - Presentation Zen
I really like the idea of "getting off the grid," stepping away from the computer and "going analog" in the preparation stage of the presentation process. Large sheets of paper and marking pens - as "old school" as they may seem - can be wonderful, simple tools for presenting your ideas or recording the ideas of others.

Quote of the week "Innovation takes place, when many normal people get access to the required tools and resources." From Neurocode

Performance, Memory, Knowledge, & Web 2.0 - 4/22/2007

First Focus on Performance and Then Enable That - The Pursuing Performance Blog
I was at the forerunner of Motorola University, the Motorola Training & Education Center where I learned to better appreciate Education alongside Training. We had to Educate, not train, leaders about "future things" that were coming down the pike AT them. (NOTE: reposted to correct link)

Cognitive Load, Working Memory, and Effective Teaching - Eide Neurolearning Blog
For the classroom, what may seem to be redundant information in a presentation, may be necessary for students with different information processing preferences.

7 Little Known Ways To Drastically Improve Your Learning - ririan project
Unfortunately most people have pretty ineffective strategies for learning. Here are a couple tips for how to maximize the amount you learn so you can use more of it later.

Curiosity and the Mind - Eide Neurolearning Blog
When students were tested later, they did remember best the questions that they had indicated they were most curious about

Public Knowledge of Current Affairs Little Changed by News and Information Revolutions - The Pew Research Center Since the late 1980s, the emergence of 24-hour cable news as a dominant news source and the explosive growth of the internet have led to major changes in the American public's news habits. But a new nationwide survey finds that the coaxial and digital revolutions and attendant changes in news audience behaviors have had little impact on how much Americans know about national and international affairs.

Participation on Web 2.0 sites remains weak - Reuters
Web 2.0, a catchphrase for the latest generation of Web sites where users contribute their own text, pictures and video content, is far less participatory than commonly assumed, a study showed on Tuesday.

Implicit knowledge in complex system control - myowelt
With longer experience of system control, subjects tend to show better problem solving abiliities without showing an increase in verbalizable knowledge.

Presentations, Adapters, Performance, PowerPoint - 4/18/2007

The first-ever User Generated Presentation - Social Media Group
The idea behind it was to bring the principles of social media to the traditional presentation format - rather that having me (or anyone else) arbitrarily decide what information the audience required on the topic of social media, I let them pull what they wanted.

Interview with Thomas Friedman - Flattening World Challenges Imagination - Yale Global
Explainers - when the world gets this complex, whether you're a manager, a teacher, a professor or a real estate agent who can do modeling, there's going to be huge, huge demand for people who can explain. Great adapters -- people who are simply good at adapting to whatever new. Also has video and full transcript.

First Focus on Performance and Then Enable That - The Pursuing Performance Blog
I was at the forerunner of Motorola University, the Motorola Training & Education Center where I learned to better appreciate Education alongside Training. We had to Educate, not train, leaders about "future things" that were coming down the pike AT them.

PowerPoint: sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying - Presentation Zen
PowerPoint is a great tool for displaying visuals that enhance, illustrate, and generally magnify your narrative. It's been used effectively for years by millions of professionals from such disciplines as academia, engineering, medicine, business, education, government (mostly ineffectively in this case), design, technology, and comedy.

More Women Online - eMarketer
There will be an estimated 97.2 million female Internet users ages 3 and older in 2007, or 51.7% of the total online population. In 2011, 109.7 million US females will go online, amounting to 51.9% of the total online population.

Learning, Testing, Context, Transparency - 4/13/2007

Learning math on the streets - On the Brain
Learning is always to a significant extent context-based. We all know that "being good at school" does not automatically translate to high adaptive intelligence for any other real environment!

Tests + Stress = Problems For Students - Brain Connection
The byproduct of years of testing has caused students to believe that good grades are more important than understanding - that high scores rather than the cultivation of the mind is the purpose of schooling. Also, see This is Your Brain on Poverty and Nowadays, Even the Illiterates Read and Write.

Maximizing Your Return on People - Harvard Business Review (Laurie Bassi)
An evidence-based approach to HR is a methodology for determining which HR policies and programs will have the greatest impact on subsequent business results by using quantitative methods to identify the casual relationships between the management of people and business results.

The Future Of Learning Is Informal And Mobile - Robin Good
When you do something you have to stop and reflect, you have to learn something: wikis are about putting those reflections together in the collective action. That's important for building new knowledge, new ideas and understand what to do next. You are not saying things in a classroom out of context, you are not sitting in a formal course within an organization but you are actually there, where you need to be. You need to apply the context to the context itself. I think that's what mobile learning does: it enables us to utilize the context in a better way.

Operation Channel 9 - Wired
Channel 9 makes Microsoft look downright visionary through the use of transparency. No large company - with the possible exception of Sun Microsystems - is as far along in understanding how the Internet changes the way employees connect with suppliers, customers, shareholders, and peers.

Learning, Presentations, & Context - 4/12/2007

The Importance of Learning Slowly - Gary Woodill
Like neural networks, the brain is based on vector algebra, rather than numerical computations. Vectors have strength and direction, and many vectors, representing multiple inputs, unite to form a result. The result in the brain is strengthening or weakening of a set of neural connections, a relatively slow process.

Designing the Perfect Presentation - Business Week
In the accompanying slide show, seven keys I learned from Duarte that can be applied to any presentation.

Pearls Before Breakfast - Washington Post
Most of you have more than likey read this, if not, it is well worth the read: A test is performed of whether, in an incongruous context, ordinary people would recognize genius. The experiment consists of having a world famous violinist perform incognito in the Washington D.C.'s Metro during rush hour. Will people stop, listen, and observe because they recognize something great is happening, or will they ignore him because he is totally out of context with the surrounding environment? Note - be sure to view the comments too.

Context developers get it right - Tom Haskins
Afer reading the above link on context, you might want to see how it applies to learning design.

Diversity Training: Where It's Been, Where It's Going - CLO
Traditional diversity training has focused on sexual harassment, racial disparity or some other concept specific to a particular demographic, but Hannum said, in the future, diversity training will move toward more general concepts as the workforce becomes more demographically heterogeneous and faces more religious, racial, cultural, regional, even professional differences.

Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Findings from the First Student Cohort - IES
Test scores were not significantly higher in classrooms using the reading and mathematics software products than those in control classrooms.

Collecting Knowledge and Learning - 4/09/2007

A Methodology for Complex Problems
The great challenge we have in any open, self-managed process is that the more informed you are about a subject, the more likely you are to have already formed conclusions about approaches and even answers to the problems it presents. This is human nature -- we form opinions quickly and change them slowly and reluctantly, as Lakoff's theory of frames and worldviews has demonstrated.

Research points the finger at PowerPoint - Sydney Morning Herald University of NSW research shows the human brain processes and retains more information if it is digested in either its verbal or written form, but not both at the same time.

The internet at work - distraction or destruction? - New Scientist
A new analysis suggests that much of what might be called "wasting time on the internet" is not such a bad thing. And that it should even be accepted as a normal part of working.

Jim Walton Has Us All Going on Raising Adult IQ! - Brain Based Business
You can increase your IQ score daily at work - regardless of your age or developmental level at the time. That's because IQ. . . or mental capability. . . is not fixed as we once thought it was.

Collecting Knowledge and Learning - 4/04/2007

Management Tools 2007: An Executive's Guide - Bain & Company
Executives must be more knowledgeable than ever as they sort through the options and select the right management tools for their companies. The selection process itself can be as complicated as the business issues they need to solve. They must choose the tools that will best help them make business decisions that lead to enhanced processes, products and services - and result in superior performance and profits. PDF file. Via mopsos.

More and less: Designing for high-stakes decisions - Putting people first
There are two types of decision-makers - maximizers and satisficers - and how one of the two types are generally happier. He also illustrates how human beings are not wired to make rational decisions. Full article.

New Tricks and Old Dogs - CNBC
Roger Schank's discusses innovation and "We Don't Know What We Need," thus we need to observe them, rather than just ask them. Look at the word and ask yourself, "What is odd here? What needs fixing." (video)

Bite the Bullet: Improving Your Presentation Strategies - CIO
Implementing a few sound strategies can make your presentation process more predictable and painless, keep the audience's attention and help ensure approval for project goals.

Knowledge Management (KM) and Social Computing - are they the same? - Dissident
KM has spawned an entire industry - from academic dissertations on human cognition (how the brain thinks), to software vendors offering hierarchical and work flow-driven architectures as a panacea for everyone's knowledge and information needs. If things weren't complicated enough, we now have a relatively new term to confuse all but the army of consultants who thrive on giving complicated labels to simple behaviours - 'Social Computing'.

The Luxury Touch - strategy+business
Superb service is the indispensable ingredient of successful high-end brands. Follow four principles to deliver customer satisfaction year after year.


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LHC – The biggest machine in the world

DI Dr. Thomas Bergauer, Head of the Semiconductor detector development Group, Institute of High Energy Physics, Austrian Academy of Sciences

happyAbstract:The Institute of High Energy Physics (HEPHY) is Austria’s largest center for experimental and theoretical particle physics. The lecture will give a brief introduction about the particle physics background introducing: What particles are all about? How to speed up these particles? What happens when the particles collide? What has all this to do with the Big Bang?. Furthermore, the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment, which attempts to provide answers to these questions, will be presented. The presentation includes also the explanation of several technical hurdles such as enormously high volumes of data that these experiments faces. The lecture concludes with some examples, which show that many techniques and methods that were originally developed for a basic research, are now an indispensable part of everyday life.

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CPL baseball

SwampDogs Win 8th Straight in Petersburg

Petersburg, VA – The Fayetteville SwampDogs won their eighth consecutive game on Wednesday night, defeating the Petersburg Generals 6-0 behind another strong outing from Layne Somsen (South Dakota State). Somsen improved his record to 5-0 on the season, joining fellow All-Star and teammate Dan Smith (Monmouth) to earn an undefeated […]

Grayson Atwood Homer Steams CPL’s Top Team

Wilmington, NC – A Grayson Atwood home run in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Wilmington Sharks (8-4, 23-15) to a 3-2 victory over the Edenton Steamers (10-5, 28-13) at Buck Hardee Field on Tuesday night. The North Carolina Tar Heel entered the game as a pinch hitter […]

All-Stars Carry SwampDogs to 7th Straight Win

Fayetteville, NC – The Fayetteville SwampDogs won their seventh consecutive game on Tuesday night, defeating the Petersburg Generals 13-5 to improve to 9-2 in the second half. All-Star lefty Dan Smith improved to 5-0 on the season, working seven strong innings and picking up four strikeouts. He once again lasted […]

2012 SwampDogs Bowl for Charity

Fayetteville, NC – The Fayetteville SwampDogs’ Bowl for Charity event was a resounding success on Sunday, as players and fans shared the alleys at B B Lanes for an afternoon of excitement and fun. The Dogs teamed up with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage for the event, as all proceeds went […]

Trio of Homers Powers Wilmington Sharks to Fourth Straight Win

Wilmington, NC – After the first two hits by Wilmington Sharks (6-3, 22-14) batters both left the park on Saturday night, the home team could have called it a night. Instead, they stuck around to knock another one to add to what would end as a 5-2 victory over the […]

Max McDonald Lights Out In Wilson

Wilson, NC – The Fayetteville SwampDogs won their sixth game of the season’s second half on Saturday night, posting a 3-0 victory over the Wilson Tobs at Fleming Stadium. Max McDonald was outstanding on the hill once again for Fayetteville. McDonald tossed a complete-game shutout, improving to 2-0 on the […]

Bark at the Park Extended for Next Two Saturday Games

Wilmington, NC – After the Animal Emergency Trauma Hospital of Wilmington Bark in the Park on July 7, the Wilmington Sharks have decided to invite fans to bring their dogs to Buck Hardee Field again on July 14 and 21. In an effort to help our canine friends, the Sharks […]

SwampDogs Stage Late-Inning Comeback

Fayetteville, NC – The Fayetteville SwampDogs (23-12, 5-2) improved to 13-5 at home this year with a 5-3 victory over the Wilson Tobs (13-24, 4-5) on Wednesday night. Fayetteville’s bullpen combined for three shutout innings to seal the win. The Tobs took a 1-0 lead in the second, but the […]

Wilmington Sharks Summer Baseball Camp Starts Thursday

Wilmington, NC – The Wilmington Sharks summer baseball camp started today, July 12. Children between the ages of 5 and 13 will join Sharks coaches Ryan McCleney and Jimmy Roesinger plus selected players to work on baseball skills. Each session, on July 12, 19 and 26, will last from 9:00 […]

Striking Out Cancer with the SwampDogs 2012 Pink Jersey Auction Underway

Place a Bid FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Fayetteville SwampDogs and the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundations Friends of the Cancer Center are teaming up once again for the 6th Annual StriKing Out Cancer Night, offering fans the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind pink SwampDogs jersey’s that will be auctioned off.  […]


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New Year's Giveaway!

Hi Everyone! I'm excited to be part of this New Year's Blog Giveaway that is hosted by Tailor-made Teaching! As you can see below, there are a bunch of great products up for grabs!

 FIVE New Year's Giveaway Packs means FIVE WINNERS! The winners will be chosen at MIDNIGHT on January 1 to start the new year off on the right foot. Happy entering and…
 "May the odds be ever in your favor"
{Shout-out to my Hunger Games Friends}

{Featured Kinder Teachers}
Mrs. Price’s Kindergators-  I  will  incorporate  more  real  life  experiences  for  my  kids  so  all  can  be  successful. {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

Keepin’ It Krazy with Mrs. Berns- My teaching New Year's resolution is to get my kids excited about writing and dive more into our new writing curriculum. This is one subject area that I'm always seeing a need for improvement for me and for my kinders{Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

Kinder Sisters- To do more art with our kiddos! We need more time for the fun stuff! How can we make it all fit? There is just not enough time in the day! In all seriousness, we always want to better our resources, ideas, etc. We hope we are always getting better at what we do! {$10 to spend in TPT store & a head wrap}
Enchanted Kinder Garden- I plan to be more planned. Does that make sense? Planning ahead and having everything written down makes my life so much easier. I have started making visual plans for the week and they have seriously saved my life! That will be my "teaching" resolution to the year. I know I will be able to STICK to it. I have to speak that into existence. =) Have a wonderful New Year everyone{Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
Adventures in Kindergarten- My teaching New Year's resolution is to blog more often, take more photos of my little ones in action and to {somehow} get iPads for my classroom! {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

A Kindergarten Life for MeMy "teaching" New Year's resolution is to CLEAN my small group table each day before I leave!!! Sometimes, I have so much going on during the day that this table becomes a dumping ground! Bad, Bad habit!!! I really want to make this resolution last! HA! :) {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

{Featured Firsties Teachers}
Laugh Love LearnMy teaching New Year's resolution is to find simple ways to help my first graders monitor their progress and set goals. {Winter First Grade Math Activities and Centers}

Searching for Teacher BalanceMy "teaching" resolution is take time for me, through yoga.  Like all of you, I work ridiculously hard and forget to make time for me.  For the sake of myself and my students, I plan to practice yoga more. {Squiggle Book-Creative Writing Journal}
Adventures in First with Mrs. KeyI would love to dig deeper into our new Common Core Reading Series. There is so much, and I have a hard time getting through each day without running out of time. {Winter Unit}
Learning is for SuperstarsTo use QR codes in my instruction - they scare me right now{Benjamin Franklin Mini Unit & Christopher Columbus Reader}

A Sunny Day in First GradeMy teaching resolution is to have more fun!  With so much testing and data collecting, it can be easy to get bogged down with what needs to be done.  We sometimes forget that our kids are KIDS!  We need to slow down and have fun with them! :) {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
Follow A Sunny Day in First Grade on TPT

Mrs. Peterson Loves to Teach- My New Year's resolution is to be able to do a pull up within the year.  I am a Crossfit Lover and this is the one thing I have been working on for a while.  This is the year for me :)) {Winn'er Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
Follow Mrs. Peterson Loves to Teach on TPT
An Apple a Day in First Grade- To blog more and create more products{Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
Once Upon a Classroom: The Tale of Two Teachers- My "teaching" New Year's resolution is to give more detailed and specific feedback. This is so valuable to my students' learning and sometimes I catch myself slipping! {Synonyms and Antonyms}

The Busy Busy Hive- I am going to try my hardest to figure out how to work the Smartboard that is now in my classroom.  No one in the school wanted it and I just couldn't let it be put away or sold. I figure if I can learn how to use  it my first graders will have a ball with it during centers{Wizard of Oz Time! (Writing & Labeling Packet) and Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

Taming My Flock of Firsties- I would like to try to keep up with the classroom blog so that my parents have a glimpse into their day. :) {Winner's Choice of 2 items from TPT store}

Learning is Something to Treasure- My teaching New Year's resolution is to continue to make learning hands on and fun for my students. I want to make the most of every minute every day! {Plenty of Penguins: A Non-fiction Unit on 10 Different Species of Penguins}

One Fab TeacherMy teacher's New Year's resolution is to not call in one day for the rest of the school year. My first two years of teaching I didn't call in one day. :) {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

My Mommy Reads- Just like every year, my resolution is to be more organized! :) {Penguin Place Value, CCSS NBT, First Grade!}
Follow My Mommy Reads on Facebook
Missing Tooth Grins- My "teaching" New Year's resolution is to be more organized and to keep learning fun and enjoyable for my firsties{Build a Snowman Literacy Activities}
Tales of a First Grade Teacher-My Teaching New Year's resolution is to take 1 day at a time. It's easy to get overwhelmed with projects, assessments, Common Core, grading etc.... I am going to work to balance my teaching day, so I can be less stressed at home. {February Fundamentals}
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 {Featured 2nd Grade Teachers}
Bright Concepts 4 TeachersI want to be more "present" each day with my students. We all get so busy juggling all the different hats that we wear as teachers. Sometimes we forget to appreciate and take in all the little things that happen with our students each day and celebrate them. This new year, I want to do a better job at being in the moment with my students.  {New Year's Resolution Craftivity and Class Book}

Sparkling in SecondMy teaching New Year's resolution is to start the Daily 5 in my classroom in order to reach more of my students in different areas of struggle{Skip Counting Centers}
Covered in Glitter and GlueTo enjoy the students! It often feels there are so many things put on us as teachers, stresses coming from every direction, that I sometimes forget to stop and enjoy the moment and the little ones that I spend my day with{Winner's Choice of 2 items from TPT store}

Today, in Second GradeI would like to incorporate more technology into my lessons. The students love it and although I use it often, I know there is so much more to do with technology and teaching. {Winter Activities Mega Bundle Pack}

Primarily Speaking- I don't typically make resolutions, personally or professionally, but I certainly believe in, and live by, the idea of continual improvement.  I am always looking for ways in which I can do things better, to make things more efficient, and so forth.  This not only keeps my teaching fresh from year to year, but it keeps me excited about my job day after day. {Winter-riffic Addition Centers (Common Core Aligned)}

The Balancing Act I Call Life- My teaching resolution is to choose 1 evening a week to put down the laptop! I LOVE creating and making and organizing and blogging about anything and everything for my classroom, but I need to make time for me (and hubby), too! {*Snow* Many Synonyms and Antonyms}

My Second Sense{Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

Tori’s Teacher TipsDon't let Common Core bog me down{Winner's Choice of $10 in TPT store}
Hippo Hooray for Second Grade- I usually work on my lesson plans for the week on Sunday night. My goal is to get started on them on Thursdays for the following week, so that I can have a stress-free weekend :{Main Idea Mania}

The Teacher’s Chair- I have a bunch of little artists this year, so to really tap into their learning style, I would love to bring my curriculum to life with as many hands-on artistic projects as possible! {Problem Solving with Bar Modeling: 'Problem Solving Magic & Happily Ever After'}

Second Grade SuperkidsMy "teaching" New Year's resolution is to find more ways to support positive staff, student, and community involvement and pride in our school! {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

Meet Miss Parker- As a new teacher, my New Year's resolution is to continue to learn from all of you! I have been so lucky to venture into the online world of teaching at an early point in my career. Between the blogs, pinterest, IG, and tpt, I have already learned so much! I hope to continue to stay active with all of you, despite the craziness of my search for a full-time job! (cross your fingers for me!) <3 {Differentiated Reading Comprehension Passages- Common Core}
Super Sparkly in Second- My New Year's resolution is to organize my teaching materials by placing them in folders by theme/holiday. Although I'm digitally organized, I'm not organized in the physical world. {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
The Applicious Teacher- Get more organized and stay a head of the game! Feel like I've been WAY behind on my prep work this year. {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
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{Featured 3rd Grade Teachers}
Inspired Owl’s CornerMy teaching New Year's resolution is to keep learning as much as possible about Common Core State Standards, because we will be fully implementing CC next school year. I'm so excited for this change in education! {Winner's Choice of 2 items from TPT store}

School Days with SmithI am going to make it my goal to grade papers in a more timely manner! I want my students to receive more accurate and prompt feedback, and I also want to maximize my time at home with my baby{2 and 3 Digit Addition and Subtraction Math Games}

The Craft of TeachingMy teaching New Year's Resolution is to remember that, no matter how stressful teaching gets, laughter and smiles in the classroom are a MUST{$15 Starbucks gift card & Quadrilaterals: 2D Shape Sort}

A Classroom Full of SmilesMy "teaching" New Year's resolution is to file my extra copies into the correct folder in my file cabinet. I usually just leave them laying around until the pile is so big that it takes an hour to file everything away. I need to be more prompt at putting things where they need to go. {Snowman at Christmas Activity Pack and Craftivity-ELA Common Core Aligned}

Teaching With HopeI will take the time to have a conversation with each every student every morning! Even if it is just a short snippet about their night I will take the time to listen! {Multiplication Centers and Activity Pack & Bully Prevention Pack}

A Tall Drink of Water- My"teaching" resolution is to find more ways to incorporate arts into my math lessons! {Multiplication Fast Facts}

Third Grade Tidbits- Worry more about my students than the "other stuff." {Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}

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{Featured Upper Grade Teachers}

The Unique ClassroomSince I continually self-reflect, I am always looking to improve my teaching approach to guided reading. I am fortunate to work with lots of talented and dedicated teachers, and I strive to be as successful and effective as they are{Fiction and NonFiction Text Elements Response Pages Bundle}
Learning to Be Awesome- To keep a balance between my class, and all the other responsibilities I take on in my school so that my kids don't miss out on anything. {$10 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers}
Follow Learning to Be Awesome on Bloglovin'

Magic Mistakes & Mayhem- To implement Flipped Classroom principles into the day to day teaching and learning. {Winner's Choice of 2 items from TPT store}

Where the Wild Things Learn- To make learning fun, hands-on, and interactive for my students{Winner's Choice of 1 item from TPT store}
Everyone deServes to Learn- My resolution is to get better at planning youtube videos and interactive whiteboard games ahead of time! I usually scramble to find them in the morning or RIGHT before class, so I'd like to be more on top of that{How to Eat an Oreo (Writing Unit)}
Beach Lovin' Teach- My teaching New Year's resolution is to start planning on how I will incorporate technology into my classroom. I am so thrilled that my class will be receiving a set of laptops after the New Year. I want to make sure I am ready for them by being planned with engaging lessons and technology tips! {Figurative Language Posters in Chevron}
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Thursday, May 7, 2009

A Gummy Week

Miss Em has been a bit unlike herself this week. That is to say she has been a bit out of sorts off and on and for good reason - she has 3, possibly 4, molars coming in! My normally very happy-go-lucky, go with the flow, smiley baby girl has sadly been seen like this a few times this week:

Tuesday morning I knew something was amiss when I dropped her off in the nursery at Mom's Group and her face immediately crumbled and she began to cry while reaching back for me. Those are some of the hardest moments to walk away from my babies and yet I know that the fastest exit is really the best, rather than a long, drawn out, trying to console - while still trying to leave type of exit. My small group was in childcare this week and the nursery director asked me to be a buddy for a down syndrome girl in the 3/4 yr. old class. I ran to the ladies room for a moment and peeked back in Em's room before heading to the 3/4 yr. old class and Miss Em appeared to be doing much better, busy playing on the floor with some friends. After about an hour hanging out with my new little friend, I ran to the ladies room again and heard a familiar sounding cry. When I popped my head in Miss Em's class I could see she was distraught again so I quickly ran back to the 3/4 class and told the nursery director I was needed back with my daughter. I spent the rest of the morning in Em's class and she was a SUPER happy girl. Pulling herself up to standing holding on the ballet bar and seeing herself in the mirror was a particular highlight of her morning, I really wish I would have had my camera to capture the pride and joy that came from her accomplishment and reflection in the mirror. Was I seeing a glimpse of the future holding onto that ballet bar?

I didn't need to nurse or hold her, she had fun crawling and pulling up all over the room, but it was like as long as she could see me then she was happy. If I tried to stand up or even appeared to possibly be leaving then her face would start to crumble and we'd have a few moments of her "silent cry" until she realized I was still there. Then it was but a few seconds until she came back around to this face and all was right with the world once again:

With her new 4th bottom tooth and the 3 molars coming in, that puts her teeth count up to 11 and maybe 12 if that 4th molar pokes through soon. In celebration of all of these new pearly whites (and aching gums), I decided it was time to give Miss Em her first large slice of apple and she took to it with much delight (and many more slices):

1 comment:

  1. Teething - uck! It hurts me too :( I hope she gets them in fast :)


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Cute 40th Birthday Cake with Forty Butterflies

I admit to a minor unhealthy obsession with butterflies, they pop up at many parties. For someone that dreams of having a graceful display of bronze and cream, this cake will fill that desire!

Source: Cake Photo

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Monday, March 22, 2010

I wouldn't lie to you...this is my first rodeo

As I try to make this blog a little more pro looking and a bit more involved.. I spend hours upon hours looking for the right layout.. something simple, yet will still catch you're eye and intrigue you to read more. I came across what all you bloggers probably already know about.. i adore it and will be using it more often; its so simple to use but has a great layout.. this makes blogging even more enticing!

Missoni and Pucci have the best prints! I love this little dress, Chanel Straw bag and im finally joining the gladiator sandal trend for summer!

Missoni, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Belle by Sigerson Morrison
Shortsleeve Tops by Missoni
Boots by Belle by Sigerson Morrison

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Header Image by Colorpiano Illustration


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Friday, May 1, 2009

DIY: Save Your Money - Make Him Wear That Old Sports Jersey

Would you agree with me when I say that most men are pretty passionate about sports? And when it comes to their favorite sports team, they’re even more passionate?

Would it be safe for me to assume that if you have one of these kinds of men living in your house, you have (or he has) purchased any number of ridiculously expensive sports team jerseys?

What do you do when a beloved team member turns traitorous and has the nerve to leave the team, and it's his jersey that is living in your man's closet?

After the initial blow up - then the subsequent pouting and tantrum - does that man have the nerve NOT to wear that $200 plus jersey because he refuses to wear the traitor’s name on his back?

Not in my house!

Basketball season is winding down to a close, and the basketball jersey HBL hasn’t worn, because of player defect, has seen zero action. I'll give him all the credit, though: one afternoon, he came to me, asking for the unthinkable - to rip the player’s name off his beloved jersey so he could wear it.

Whaaat?” was my initial reaction. I couldn’t imagine taking a seam ripper to something we paid good money on! What if I messed it up? What if it was ruined? All that money down, the tubes! I asked him why he couldn’t just wear it as it was, but he responded with, “I don’t wanna look stupid!”

So, out came the seam ripper

And off came the lettering

I don’t have a “Before” picture because we can't show this player's name ('we' don’t like him anymore). I also don’t have an “After” picture, because when I finished it (and let me toot my own horn here, I ripped the seams off that sucker like nobody's business!), it was snatched out of my hands too quickly: my husband had it on his back and was out the door in thirty seconds flat.

All in all, I'm just glad that thing is getting some use again.

Happy Friday!

Insanity Kim said...

I am actually married to a non-traditional, not-so-into-sports man; he likes some basketball and usually has a favorite team, but he would never think to commit a day to watching games, or getting hyped up over a season, or ever wearing any sort of jersey, even if it had his own name on it! Except for poker. Or chess. Maybe European soccer. Again, non-traditional...

So while I can't relate, I must say in your hubby's sports world, you ROCK!! :)

ModernMom said...

Oh good for you. I have no domestic abiities so we would have had to put that sucker on Ebay!

Helene said...

Wow, you are an awesome wife!! I wouldn't even know what to do if my husband asked me to remove the name of a player from one of his jersies!!

Deb said...

Well, looks like you guys solved that one. Great work with that seam ripper :) I'm trying to thin out the jersey section at our house. He's only one guy, how can he ever wear all of those???

Tami said...

LOL, did we marry the same man? Mine does the same thing! My middle son has too! he was a HUGE Vick fan, until his fateful dog fighting ring came crashing down. He didn't just ask me to rip the name off, he threw the posters and the jerseys away!
I didn't much care that I wasted good money on them. I didn't care if he burned them. The stores should have allowed the fans to take the jerseys back and make Mr. Vick pay the fans for them. The jerk!
Now, because of that, my hubby and son refuse to buy any jerseys. I had 3 Vick jerseys. NONE now. They're sitting in the dump with the trash, like they belong. LOL.
Hateful isn't it?
I'm just passionate over Pit Bulls, they have such a bad rap, if you met Bella, you'd change your mind.

I look at my beautiful dog, and wonder how people could do that. More so a professional who made MILLIONS, and had MILLIONS. And the money we readily handed over for the jerks jersey. I'll burn it twice! if I could.
jerk, jerk, jerk!

Asianmommy said...

Great job! You just saved yourself $200.

...The Obnoxious SAHM.... said...

pick up your award

Banteringblonde said...

This cracks me up - my hubby used to get mad at me because when the boys would ask for sports jerseys I'd go to TJ maxx and buy them cheap and outdated... at the time they had no clue. not so anymore!

ahappyhippy mom said...

Jennifer you rock girl! I have a few of those jerseys here with the not so good player plastered on them. Hubby doesn't wear the jerseys anymore so I have claimed the out casts and use them for night shirts.

Journey on! by Kelleye said...

Jennifer that is amazing! I can't believe you thought to do that! How smart! And good girl for making sure he didn't waste that jersy!

Stacy (the Random Cool Chick) said...

My hubby is like Insanity Kim's hubby - not a sports fanatic at all... :)

Great job with the seam ripper! I guess that could be considered recycling, no? ;)

Kris said...

What a smart cookie you are.

Anissa said...

My husband love LSU football.

Great job with his shirt!

shunee said...

LOL your pretty good.May man would darn ask me to do that, As much as he Holler about money,he would give me the chance.LOL

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Fall Fashion: Military & Sequins

Recently I have become a fan of mixing and matching prints, styles and textures and right now I am very into one in particular: Military and Sequins! I know it might sound weird and hard to imagine and at first I was a little reluctant of the match but it has really grown on me and I am loving it! Here are some examples of how to use the two together:

(Spangle Cap Sleeve Top $27.80, Moto Cargo Pants $24.80, Sasha Sequin Jacket $150.37, Military Pocket Tube Dress with Belt $68)

***Update: If you find the gorgeous sequin jacket at the top a little expensive, I found this great alternative!

  1. Jacket is perfect! (but too expensive for me I think =P)

  2. I think this is a great idea cos it's such a nice mix of girly and er, not so girly :)

    The jacket is beautiful but a little out of my prce range unfortunately!

  3. Girls! I found a similar jacket for $59.. Go to http://www.venus.com/viewproduct.aspx?BRANCH=7~66~&ProductDisplayID=11362&sc=XWEBGPS10&cm_mmc=ProductSearch-_-Google-_-Click-_-XWEBGPS10

    =) XOXO,

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info @ bvstyleportal . com

If you are a cosmetic or fashion company who is interested in having us review your products or use them in a tutorial, Please contact me at:

j.vega @ buonavibra . com
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Forum » Vreau si eu un bebelyno » Bebelyno in proiect » Molded Chocolate Handbag Recipe Golden Goose Sneakers Sale (Golden Goose Sneakers Sale)
Molded Chocolate Handbag Recipe Golden Goose Sneakers Sale
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Molded Chocolate Handbag Recipe Golden Goose Sneakers Sale
To make the sides of the handbag, use a ladle to fill one of the side mold
pieces with bittersweet chocolate. When it is full, empty the excess chocolate
back into the bowl. The inside of the mold should be evenly coated with
chocolate. Wipe the lip of the plastic mold clean and place upside down on a
wire rack over a sheet pan. Repeat using the other side of the mold. Once the
chocolate starts to harden, about 5 minutes, scrape the lip of the mold clean
again with a paring knife. When the chocolate sets, it shrinks or retracts from
the sides of the mold, and a clean edge will keep it from sticking and cracking
as it shrinks. You can place the mold in the refrigerator for several minutes to
help the chocolate to harden.
If the chocolate is properly tempered, it will easily release from the mold.
To unmold, rest your thumbs on the outside, place your first two fingers on the
inside of the bag and gently begin to lift the chocolate from the mold. Do not
press or pull too hard or you will break the chocolate. You will need to apply
this lifting pressure to all sides to loosen the chocolate from the mold. Repeat
for all of the mold pieces. To make the body, use an offset spatula to spread a
layer of chocolate onto the square textured plastic pieces of the handbag mold
set. Be careful not to make it too thin or it will break when you bend it. Allow
the chocolate to set slightly. Place each of the molded side pieces at one end
of the square and carefully wrap the rest of the square up the side pieces. When
the chocolate has set, carefully peel away the plastic sheet. It should release
from the chocolate quite easily. When you are ready to close the handbag, repeat
the same procedure using the other flat textured piece. Be careful that you do
not make this piece until after you have filled the bag with the desired
contents. The handle is made using the same technique. To make the label, place
a transfer sheet in front of you. Mix a little bit of red food coloring into the
melted cocoa butter. Using a small pastry brush, apply a light layer of color to
the transfer sheet and allow it to set briefly. Using an offset spatula, spread
approximately a 1/4inch thick layer of white chocolate over the color onto the
transfer sheet, completely covering the design. Allow the chocolate to set.
When the chocolate has set, carefully peel away the back of the transfer
sheet. It should release from the chocolate quite easily. Using a hot, sharp
chef's knife, cut out a label. To do this, heat the knife under very hot water
and wipe it dry. Hold the knife blade against the side of the chocolate where
you want to make the cut. Do not press on the knife or the chocolate will break.
Allow the heat of the knife to "cut" through the chocolate by melting it. Repeat
to make as many labels as required. Set aside until ready to use. Carefully fill
the handbag with the desired filling. Attach the piece that closes the bag (as
described above). Use tempered chocolate to "glue" the handle and label to the
How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can
Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its Golden Goose Sneakers gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules
of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways
to temper.
One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces
and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until
most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The
temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly
warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted.
White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less
because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in
the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the
lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the
bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A
glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small
pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted
chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is
usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for
this, or a whisk.
The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the
melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The
chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is
approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This
tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining nontempered chocolate and
mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the
temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the
cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work,
requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of
chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has
been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a
few minutes.
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Posted on May 10, 2013

Confidence in B.C.'s economy key issue in provincial election

Development and construction in British Columbia is one of the cornerstones of our economy and relies on many criteria to get the job done. No project gets started, let alone completed, without assembling land, drawing up plans, coordinating financing, and hiring teams of hard-working employees to carry it to fruition. Our industry creates jobs. Creates opportunities. And I believe we are the foundation to our future success.

But something more fundamental is required before any development can happen. There needs to be confidence that tomorrow will be as good as — or better — than today. Confidence in our economy is why companies open up new offices. It is why families invest in new homes. It is why businesses hire new employees and decide to invest in our province.

British Columbia has built on this confidence for the past decade. For the Beedie Group, it has meant we could employ more people than at any other time in our almost 60-year history. It means we have been able to help more companies get the industrial and office space they need to grow and employ British Columbians. And it has meant that our company has been able to give back to the community.

Confidence has made all of this possible — and it is the reason why we are worried about the outcome of the provincial election next week. Over the past months we've seen a consistently negative attitude from the NDP when it comes to growing and developing our province.

As a large employer in British Columbia I worry about our future. The world is facing unprecedented challenges. We have been successful in keeping our economy growing. But the writing is on the wall … the world is challenged. Our message is: do not stop projects, keep British Columbians employed, and do not stop investing in our resources. Saying NO to any of these initiatives is saying NO to positive opportunities for British Columbians

Premier Clark knows that the private sector needs confidence that tomorrow will be better before they can invest in the kind of projects that create jobs, tax revenues, and strong communities. And she’s the only leader vying for your vote who has a vision to keep building the confidence this province needs to build prosperity for everyone.

I want all of British Columbian’s to succeed. I do not want us to be the NO province. I want us to be the YES province. Don’t let us become another negative global statistic. Let’s show the world who and what we believe in. Jobs. Opportunities. And a future for our children.

Ryan Beedie is president of Beedie Development Group, British Columbia’s largest private industrial landlord and developer, established in 1954.