Little Library Rebuild #SOLC19

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Our little library at school was delivered two years ago.  "When they asked me if we wanted one," my principal explained, "I said yes!"

The little library was simply built with a plexiglass door.  It seemed pretty solid and was painted a greenish-gray.  We decided to place it near the edge of the blacktop, near the buddy bench.

Over the past two years, I've tried to encourage its use, placing books inside after school as the car-riders waited in line.  I set up tables and bookshelves filled with books near it during our end-of-year celebration. 

"Visit the little library ANY time!" I shouted.  "Keep any book you find inside!"

Sometimes the library gets cleaned out of books and then the students start filling the inside with rocks.  Other days I find grown-up books that are clearly past their life, pages ripped out and covers torn.

This winter, the maintenance crew asked if we could relocate the little library to a new spot, away from where they plow all the snow into a gigantic pile at the edge of the blacktop.  I took the opportunity to have them load the little library into my SUV so I could take it home for some TLC.

Yesterday I tried using a scraper and sander from my husband's tool collection to scrape off some delaminated pieces of plywood.  Unfortunately my hands and shoulders are just not strong enough.

Today my husband took matters into his hands.  He spent the day giving the little library a fresh start.  He cut new wood for the roof and side, he shingled the roof with redwood pieces, and he trimmed the edge of the roof.  The library looks amazing.  I plan to paint it cobalt blue with gold trim to match our school colors.

I truly appreciate all the work my husband put into this little library.  He has so much woodworking skill and knowledge.  What a gift to the students of my school!

Spinning brain #SOLC19

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It's Saturday.  Time for the Spinning Brain Extravaganza!  On Saturdays, I linger in bed for awhile.  Then I make breakfast and brew coffee while my husband is at his weekly workout.  Laundry is washed, dishes are cleaned and I finally get around to taking a shower.

Then I become frazzled.

Faced with a day of no plans (usually), I have no idea what to do first.

Should we run errands?  Go shopping?  Figure out our taxes?
I need to order books.  Let's not forget the wedding gift.  Did you get the washer to work?

If my husband turns on a home improvement show, the spinning gets worse.

Did you see that cool front porch on Property Brothers?  Maybe we can build that one day.  Did you get the name of the guy who painted the neighbor's house?  Should we replace the windows first?

It doesn't help that we've done lots of construction on our home over the years.  I miss the drywall dust and fresh paint smells.

Saturdays are Spinning Brain days.

Sherwood Lane Little Free Library #SOLC17

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In February, the weather improved to 60 degrees one day.  I nudged nagged pleaded with my husband, "Can't we put up the little library todayyyyyyy?"

He obliged.  He's proud of his work (he built it!!!) and the adorable embellishments painted by my cousin Sara and her husband, Dennis.  It's truly a work of art.

As Jeff was pounding in the post to support the Little Free Library (LFL), neighbor Mike walked on over.  He's a mailman, and he has the gift of gab.  After he stopped by, neighbor Dean dropped by.  He promised to tell his grandkids to bring books.  Later, neighbor Jeff rang the bell.  "Tell me about the little house in the yard!"

I decided to go with a "soft open" instead of a grand opening.  I simply put books in the LFL.  I posted a picture on my personal Facebook page, I tweeted and I sent texts to my closest friends.

Today the lake effect snow melted from the sidewalks and the temperature reached 48 degrees.  I saw neighbor Dean on my quick walk (it was chilly!).
"Your little library has had quite a few customers!"

"That's great!" I replied.  I hadn't seen anyone use it yet, but books have come and gone.

As I rounded the block, my house came into view, and two adults (grandparents?) and an upper-elementary boy were checking out the library.  ("CUSTOMERS!" I squealed silently.)

I didn't know what to do, so I smiled and kept walking. The boy looked at a couple of books, but didn't take one.  

Here's to warmer weather, more LFL customers and maybe some bravery (on my part) to talk with them!

 

Sloth Love #SOLC17

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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

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(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?

Love #SOL17

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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

Little Free Library Dreams #SOL16

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I did it.

I ordered my charter sign for my Little Free Library.  

The one I plan to place in my yard.  

The one I will fill with books for grown ups and little ones and curious neighbors.

I staged a little sign for social media (I wasn't brave enough to leave it in the yard, even just for a while).  

Jeff (my fabulous hubby) promises to build me the library.  He has a workshop full of tools and a keen eye for design.  He claimed that once I got the charter sign, he would build the library around it.  Now he travels every week for work.  I have to be patient.  Being patient is not easy for me.

Meanwhile, I'm working on how I will promote the library (once it's installed) and welcome my neighbors (some I really don't know!) to be involved in taking and giving books.

Some ideas...

• ribbon cutting
• set up an info table next to my LFLibrary during our city's Labor Day festival (lots of people park on my street)
• write up a blurb for our city newsletter
• create a flyer for my neighbors' doors
• sit in my daughter's room and stare out the window at the library, wondering if I'm okay with complete strangers stopping in front of my house 
• talking about said strangers with the neighbors on each side of me (communication is key)

I really have to be patient, and thinking of lots of ideas gets me excited and nervous at the same time.  I'm glad to have the Little Free Library newsletters and website to help me out.

I also appreciate your suggestions!

Learner Supports #SOL16 25/31

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My husband, Jeff, comes from a long line of teachers:  both of his grandmothers, his great-grandfather, his mother, and his sister.

Jeff works as a management consultant.  His forte is food and beverage distribution.  While working with a client, he realized that the warehouse managers were having trouble visualizing product movement.

As a consultant, Jeff is there to help the client improve their business operations and bottom line.  He is there to make his clients successful.  To make them successful, sometimes it takes some specialized tools.

Imagine my surprise when the coffee table was covered with a mini warehouse one evening.

"Did you get my nephews a new toy?"  I asked.

"Nope.  The warehouse guys needed to see and touch the warehouse.  They don't get it," replied Jeff.

He had ordered a forklift, a worker, pallets, boxes and a telehandler in miniature.

"This is way too CUTE!" I exclaimed.  "You a such a teacher!  It's manipulatives for your kinesthetic learners!

"It's important for them to figure out how to scan a pallet full of mixed products.  They need to see it.  It's not cute, it's a tool!" was his answer, with a smile.  (He is one goofy guy!)

Jeff spent a few hours that week creating slip sheets from paper, cutting a variety of boxes from wood and painting them different colors.  This was all to help his client visualize and better solve their issues.

Today we visited his office and I had to snap a picture and tell the story of his miniature warehouse.  I'm glad my husband is willing to get (cute!) tools and help his clients be successful.

Slow Saturdays #SOL16 19/31

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Saturdays start when I wake up and decide to venture into the kitchen for breakfast.  I make a coffee and froth the milk so it's fluffy and scramble some eggs.

I open the blinds and read Friday & Saturday's newspapers as I listen to the birds chirping.

As I sip my coffee slowly, I take note of all the fun things to do in the paper, wondering what I should put on the calendar.  (We should get tickets for Aladdin the musical!  I must tell Allison about the Family Pet Expo!)

Laundry is started, sports scores are noted, and Twitter is checked.  Today I ran some errands and cleaned out my car.

Jeff likes to get lunch out on Saturday, and then we'll take a drive somewhere.  Today's adventure took us to the outlet mall (purses!!!) and then a side trip into Geneva.

Snack time!  I enjoyed a decadent mocha and a few bites of apple pie at the All Chocolate Kitchen.  We won't need dinner until much, much later tonight.

Now that the girls are grown and managing their own calendars, I relish my slow Saturdays!

The Real Adult is Home #SOL16 7/31

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My husband usually travels each week for work.  This week he will be at home.  My 17 year old daughter is beyond stressed.

When Dad is home, Alli is highly encouraged to get into the shower before 9:00 p.m.  Then she is strongly encouraged to get out of bed in the morning the minute her alarm goes off.

Yes, executive function tasks are strengths for my husband, but they are not a strength for my daughter.  He has a linear sense of time, her sense is circular, wavy and spiral!

She is looking forward to leaving home and attending college this fall (go, Redbirds!) where she can be on her own schedule (hope she realizes freshmen are more likely to get 8am classes) and make her own decisions about food, sleep, showers and level of mess in her room.

Will the next few months be rocky for all of us as we try not to tell her when to wake up, go to sleep, and highly encourage her to get to school on time?

Absolutely.

Will she be successful this fall? 

Absolutely.  

Reason number 1,578,903 SOLC #5

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School ended at 3:50 p.m.

4:00 meeting with principal

4:20 chat with math resource teacher (she grounds me so well)

5:00 run back to the room to create 1/2 day sub plans

5:15 text from hubby that he's landed at the airport

oh

I'm not finished.  

Typical.

I ask via text if we can grab food then come back to school.

I have to finish.

He agrees.

Surprising, but typical.

My reply text, 

"Reason 1,578,903 

I love you"

Stop and celebrate

We are in the second week of winter break.  Ahhhh.  I figured out it's Tuesday and I could actually get a Slice of Life post blogged for the first time in months.  Hooray!

Today I think I'll focus on the positive.  In the past I've been a glass-half-full person, but this fall I'm especially prone to the negative.  Yes, my whole world was shifted when I was moved from reading resource to a classroom.  I really wanted to be positive and think it would be easy.  It isn't.  I have high expectations for myself and I need to cut myself some slack.  I'm always telling my students and children that I have never met anyone who is perfect.  I need to listen to myself.

So... today I give myself permission to celebrate all that has been fun and exciting around here!

Cookie Baking Fest

My girls and five friends helped bake and decorate many varieties of cookies.  My husband played holiday and Broadway songs on the piano.  Everyone was laughing and making messes until midnight.  What fun!

Most Energetic and Sweetest Class

I have 19 sweet, kind and energetic students this year.  We are learning along together, every day.  One of my sprites, G, told me before break, "I told my dad that all you want for Christmas is for the kids to listen."  Yup, G, you get it!

A is one of our more reserved and gentle boys.  His favorite Friday tag line is, "I wish we didn't have weekends.  Then we could stay at school."  Maybe we are becoming the school family I hoped for!

Rest, Relaxation and Family Time Highlights

• Not one alarm clock has been set during winter break
• Only one school-related nightmare
• Family game night with my best friend from grade school and her family
• Enjoying holiday lights in our neighborhood and the arboretum
• Time to blog, pin on pinterest, and read like crazy!

Wishing you a wonderful 2015!  May we all find the positive in all situations.

Comic relief SOLC #13

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My husband, Jeff, returns every Thursday night from his out-of-state consulting gig.  He's usually very tired and crabby.  This week was longer than usual for him, and I think the lack of sleep has made him a bit punchy.  Today he's been making jokes, faces and he's been full of stories.

Jeff is known around the office as "comic relief."  No matter what company he is working for, he is always known as the guy who can break the tension.  At this client, he's found himself in search of other people to joke and lighten the mood with him.  So far, he's been in luck.  There are a few guys that can roll with the jokes (never off-color or personal), and there's been many who are the topic of some funny stories. 

"Buzzword Bingo" is a great game they play at meetings.  He and few other people will draw Bingo boards and fill them with the current "lingo" around the office.  It's usually a pretty quiet game (not many know to play) until someone on the conference call yells "BINGO!" and forgets the phone isn't on mute.

Jeff loves a good psychological experiment. In August, he and another Jeff, by coincidence, wore their green dress shirts on a Tuesday.  "It must be Green Shirt Tuesday!" exclaimed the other Jeff.

My husband took the idea and ran with it.  He told everyone on the project (115 people) that Tuesdays are green shirt day.  People looked at him like he was crazy.  It's March.  He ran the numbers this week and 30% comply.  Jeff believes that the leaders and/or the most secure people in the group are the ones wearing the green shirts on Tuesdays.  Everyone knows it's an unofficial big deal.  Some vehemently refuse.  Some went searching for green dress shirts in their size.  Others wear their green shirts on days other than Tuesday.  Very interesting!

It's never dull at the office or at home when Jeff's around!

10 things to know about me SOLC #10

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10 things you should know about me

1.  I'm a procrastinator, but sometimes I surprise myself and do things on time or even early (it's rare)

2.  I never met a carbohydrate I didn't like.  Really.

3.  I really should be eating better, but it's hard.  I cannot cook.  I repeat, I cannot cook.

4.  I love to walk, ride my bike, and take yoga class.  I just don't exercise every day (I'll do it soon, see #1)

5.  I'm the outside person at our house - I take the garbage out, deal with the cars, pull the weeds.  My husband is the inside person. He can cook (see #3) up a storm!

6.  I love chocolate.  The darker the chocolate, the better!  Just leave the nuts out (you are what you eat!)

7.  I've played violin since 4th grade.  I joined a community orchestra when I turned 40, and it's a challenge (in a good way!)

8.  My birthday is September 8.  I'm a Virgo who is not organized.  I like to take care of everyone else.

9.  I hate to shop for clothes because I'm not good at creating outfits.  My favorite outfit is jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and thick socks.  My kids have threatened to put me on What Not to Wear.

10.  I have the best husband in the world (see #5), the most awesome daughters (watch this space for slices) fabulous co-workers (some even slice - Michelle and Lynn), and very fantastic friends.

Thanks for stopping by!

Progress

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Progress

We are all making progress in my house this June.  We have many different goals and dreams, but everyone is taking small and large steps.  

My youngest daughter (nearly 15) conquered her cluttered, tchochke-filled room and closet with just a little help.  She felt better about sending her stuffed animal collection to the basement or my classroom ("Mom, the kids need to have a Read With the Bears Day in your room!").

Her room is nearly ready for a fresh coat of paint, now that we've removed some furniture (*See my progress below) and cleared her space.

My oldest daughter (gulp, a senior) has been applying for a part-time job and deciding which colleges she needs to visit this summer before diving into the application progress.  I've tried my best to give her space and not nag her about the job apps (I'm failing miserably!).  She's asking lots of friends about where she should apply and has successfully answered hundreds of personality and work style questions on these 45-minute applications.

My husband is now at the 5-week mark after heart surgery.  He wasn't cleared to drive yet (UGH!) but he has helped me fix up a few items around the house with a screw gun and circular saw.  This week he plans to spend some time in his office and maybe work a touch on the basement.  He's determined to get into cardiac rehab ASAP so he can start working out.  

I took the bookshelf from my youngest's room and plan to house my home library collection in the basement.  I bought clear shoeboxes and started sorting a few shelves of books.  The basement floor is a total disaster, as I only work on this project when we have crummy weather.  I'm so glad that I've started to sort what I have - I didn't realize how many books need to be in my classroom library.  Once I can get back into school, I'll purge and organize there, too.  This project is long overdue, and I'm excited to finally be making progress.

A Little Stir Crazy

I started my summer vacation a few weeks early when my husband had surgery.  I think we both know we've become a bit stir crazy.  Today's episode proves it.

The UPS and FedEx trucks make frequent stops at our house.  We (especially hubby) enjoy shopping online, especially for hard to find items.  Today I was expecting a box of clothing, but a tall, skinny box was left on our porch.

"Oh! It's my garden weasel!" my husband exclaimed.

The following soliloquy ran through my head and out of my mouth:

A garden weasel?  The garden tool on TV?  You have got to be kidding me.  You really ordered a garden weasel? Why do we need that? We don't even have a garden! Did you order that contraption when you couldn't sleep at 2:00 a.m?  I seriously think you need to change your meds.  Are you out of your mind?  Why do you "need" the most random items? Why did you order a garden weasel?

He opened the box and inside was the famous TV tool.  He just looked at me with his mouth open, shocked that I couldn't understand why he ordered it.

I stomped  away and pouted on the reading chair.  A million ideas ran through my head:  I should call the doctor.  I need to hide his credit card.  The man has lost his mind!

A few minutes later, I found him in the bedroom.  I apologized for my verbal attack on his shopping habits.

"I bought the garden weasel so I could fix the patch of grass that got charred from the fire pit.  I figured it was the best tool for the job, and we didn't have one" stated my husband, matter-of-factly.  "Is that okay with you?"

Oh.

I guess it's time to go read a book or organize my home library.

Thankful for nurses

Yesterday, my husband had heart surgery to repair a genetic defect.  The surgery was successful, and I'm thankful for all the awesome people who decided to make their career nursing.

Kind and Caring
The pre-op nurses were calming and funny.  They soothed our anxious nerves as they prepped my husband for his procedure.  They shared stories about their pets (the female cat named Jeffrey) and their families.  All of them had great bedside manner, even at such an early hour.  

Informed and Efficient
The communication nurses balanced their pagers, phones and notebooks.  They gave precise information -in minute increments - about the status of the surgery.  They scurried between waiting areas to find families and delivered messages in a clear language.

Essential and Confident
The nurses in the ICU were able to welcome us into a maze of intimidating machines, scared to see our loved one in such a vulnerable condition.  They gave clear status updates as we stared with large eyes and my knees buckled.  They assured us that we could leave, eat and rest, and they would keep a vigilant watch.

Tireless and Patient
The recovery nurses have the hardest job.  They get to work through the pain, nausea and meals.  They support and walk with my husband when he doesn't really want to.  They deal with family visitors who are in the way in a room that barely fits the patient and his equipment.  They will see the most improvement, but they will work the hardest.

I am so very thankful for the incredible nurses who have helped us navigate this very intense experience.  May they get the thanks they deserve on a regular basis.