Hanging with the Hawkeye #SOLC17

Join the Slice of Life Challenge
Write every day in March.
Try your best - I missed a day - it's OK.
Two Writing Teachers

On Friday night, we hopped in the car and headed to Iowa City, home of my oldest, Lindsey.  She's in her junior year as a Communications Studies/Political Science major at the U of Iowa.

It was really great to spend time with this kid.  We ate well, and we shopped.  We discussed the full gamut:  politics, her campus involvement, her classes, her possibilities for a summer internship, and her plans for the alternate spring break trip she's facilitating.

When we tried to get a word in edgewise or talk about other things, she pointedly changed the subject, "Let's get back to discussing me!"

Now some would think she was rude, but she wasn't. I get this kid.  I may be wrong, but it was her way of saying,

I am feeling a bit stressed, please let me vent and strategize.

I haven't seen you in person for awhile, and I need to get you all caught up.

I need you to validate (in a small way) all the things I am involved with as well as all my plans.

We did leave after lunch on Saturday because it is midterm week.  Lindsey had lots of papers due on Monday, and we didn't want to be in her way of completing anything.

There's nothing like seeing your kid at college, especially after their first two years are behind them.  My daughter has become an individual (see, Lindsey - I got the message!) who is capable, empowered, involved and insistent on making her mark on the world.  We parents get to ask questions and hear the details, but she makes all the decisions.  

Sloth Love #SOLC17

Join the Slice of Life Challenge
Write every day in March
Doesn't that sound like fun?
Two Writing Teachers

Hubby Jeff started working in San Diego last week.  It's been a little bit of transtion to a quiet house for me because he was working locally since December.

Last night he returned with a bag.  Inside the bag was some fur and something rectangular.

"When I landed in San Diego on Sunday, he was sitting in the window of the store," explained Jeff.

"I had to bring him home."

Such sloth cuteness!  I've got some jealous friends at school who are big sloth fans!

And the book!?  Hooray for nonfiction!  I can't wait to spend some quality time reading about sloths with my new fuzzy friend.

Thanks, darling husband!

Grocery shopping #SOLC17

Join the Slice of Life Challenge
Write every day in March
You know you want to try!
Two Writing Teachers

(Button art by Sandra Boynton)

Yup, I'm a foodie.
I love to eat, but
I really don't like to cook.
I leave that super power to my husband, Jeff
We call him Cheffrey (get it!?)

Unfortunately Jeff travels each week to his consulting job,
so I'm left to be
creative?      brave?    desperate.

Frozen pasta + frozen cooked chicken + pesto in a jar = tonight's dinner  YES!

Allison eating out with friends?
I'm on my own for dinner?

Scrambled eggs + English muffin + fruit ... for the WIN!

Tonight I must hunt, forage and collect food at the grocery store.
I'm overwhelmed by the choices.
Even though I can more easily walk through the bakery
(my sweet tooth is tuned to dark chocolate)
and I can choose healthy veggies, fish and chicken,
it's still a challenge.

I'm all set to go.
Wrote my list, gathered my reusable bags,
laced up my gym shoes.

Off I go to the grocery store
a place that should be fun, but to me
it's just a place
where I overthink
the daily BIG QUESTION

What's for dinner?

Here We Go (YEAR 6 ?!?!) #SOLC17

Join the Slice of Life Challenge!
Write every day in March!
YOU CAN DO IT!
Two Writing Teachers

Holy moly, guacamole!

I just zipped to the SOLC data form and had to count on my fingers
 (HEY - it's a strategy)
to figure out this is year six for me.

Huh.  I didn't realize how time has FLOWN by!

Because I have not been a weekly slicer for a while
(you did see the name of my blog, right?  The subheading should be Life of a Super Procrastinator)
theres LOTS of topics to write about!

Here's a sneak peek for March, friends:

• The Sherwood Lane Little Free Library is O P E N  (*throws confetti*)
• I will have Spring Break all to myself
• I {heart} chocolate, books, and coffee
• Grad school (halfway through 2nd masters)
• college-aged daughters
• stress, ramblings, silliness
• making vacation plans (San Diego in May)
• anything my brain churns up

So welcome to the chaos, the stress and the F U N of slicing!!

So glad you're here, and I made it in time to write!

Love #SOL17

Read more Slice of Life stories at
Two Writing Teachers

Love is...

• taking a late night call from your oldest to catch up on her day and provide support
• not getting mad at your youngest for swiping your conditioner from the shower
• sending your husband off with best wishes for a healthy heart checkup
• coming to teach in the morning when you reallllyyyy need another hour of sleep
• teaching your developing readers and writers how to write a kindness note
• watching them think and encourage and decorate and help each other write notes
• helping students deliver notes to pleasantly surprised staff members
• getting messages of love from your family over social media
• spending dinner with your daughter and laughing over messed up quesadillas
• browsing at the bookstore, choosing just the right books for the upcoming baby shower
• warming some milk, chocolate and cinnamon for a delicious hot cocoa
• writing a slice showing gratitude for a really sweet day

One Little Word? Not yet. #SOL17

Read more Slice of Life stories at
Two Writing Teachers

2017 started yesterday, right?  Yeesh - I'm 38 days late to that party!  Whooosh - this new year is already flying by.  Lots of excuses and reasons I haven't written on the blog or read a lot of books:

• grad school AGAIN (ESL endorsement 84% complete)
• new principal ('nuff said)
• second year at new school
• too much paperwork I keep putting off
• lots of political tweets and news and events to follow
• everything else has bumped writing out of the way

This year I'm trying something new (because I'm refining and trying strategies every day) of stopping and thinking before I jump in to:  answer for someone else, raise my hand to volunteer or help a child or adult do something that they are capable of doing themselves.

So that leaves me with the question... what IS my One Little Word for 2017??

Is it...

• stop
• pause
• mindful
• reflect
• choose

Calling all readers ... do you have some advice?  I tend to talk about being intentional with my fellow teachers, but I'm too impulsive for that one.

Thanks for listening.  It was good to write and get this out of my head.  

Nearly Calm #SOL16

Write a story, read a story
Join us each Tuesday at
Two Writing Teachers

This weekend I was a soggy, weepy mess.

There wasn't a reason in particular, but I guess you could say it's been pretty stressful since August.

Lindsey (oldest daughter) went back to U of Iowa for her junior year.  She has lots of committments (RA, UISG senator, student!)

I have a new principal.  She's an instructional leader with clear expectations.

Interventions started weeks of assessment, meetings and data collection, 

Allison (youngest daughter) started freshman year at ILStU and has collected new friends and has lots of opportunities for growth (read:  oversleeps!)

Jeff started building my Little Free Library in between weekly trips to the east coast.  He's been away more than home, so the LFL is only half built.

I started a new grad class and twice! my book order was canceled.  My assignments are late.

WHEW.

Then tonight I took a walk.  My phone hasn't pinged with any "Mom help!" messages. 

The sky was a beautiful pink.  Data meetings are finished, I can focus on teaching.

I worked on the door of my LFLibrary.  I breathed.  I had a piece of chocolate (and another).

I realized that I don't need to stress. 

I just need to stretch 
and do my best.
and eat more chocolate
and breathe.