When Paul met Nancy #SOLC19

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The story goes something like this…

Nancy lived on Brook Road, and Paul lived on School Lane in the same neighborhood.  They attended different schools.  In his early teen years, Paul thought he was pretty amazing on a bike.  Nancy liked spending time outside.  As Paul rode by Nancy's house on his bike, he tried to do a wheelie.  Nancy was impressed until he landed in the ditch.

I don’t know when Nancy and Paul decided to start dating during high school.  He was a “greaser” who was totally into cars.  She worked retail and had a fantastic bouffant hairdo.  Two proms were attended and Nancy wore a green dress to both.  Nancy and Paul decided to get married.  My brother and I rounded out the family a couple years later.

Nancy and Paul are celebrating 50 years of marriage today. They married fairly young at just 20 years old, but that wasn’t out of the ordinary for the time.  Nancy was a homemaker who altered clothes for a few clients.  Paul worked in production control for manufacturing firms for his entire career.  They figured out how to stretch dad’s earnings to buy new houses and new cars.  They taught my younger brother and I the importance of giving 100% at your job but still keeping family first.

Nancy and Paul spend time traveling in their RV.  They are determined to see all of the national parks.  They spend four to six weeks on the road per trip.  So far there have been no calamities or big quarrels on the road.  They are happy travel companions who have figured out how to navigate the high roads and valleys of marriage.  I’m excited to see where their travels will lead them together.

The Couch is on the way out #SOLC18

It's been the hangout at our house for years.  I have lots some a little guilt about sending this iconic piece of furniture out of the basement and on to greener pastures.

It's the family room couch.

I wrote about the couch back in 2015.  The teenagers heard me talk about replacing the couch, and they really wanted me to reconsider.

This year we are updating our family room upstairs, so we will be moving that furniture downstairs to the family room and moving the couch out of the house.

There are plans for the couch to live at a new home.  It's fulfilled it's purpose here at our house.  I gave fair warning to the young adults who have spent many an hour sleeping, gossiping, lounging and laughing on this couch.  They are wistful, but they understand that the removal of the couch gets us closer to media chairs.

This month we will be soaking up the emotional and physical comfort of the couch.
Next month we will be sinking into the living room furniture here in the basement.
It's softer, more manageably sized and still comfortable.

Thank you, Couch, for giving my family a place to relax.

Year SEVEN of slicing? Can't be! #SOLC18

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Slice of Life Challenge!

After getting my yearly nudge from Michelle at Literacy Learning Zone, I clicked on the Two Writing Teachers site and registered to slice in this year's challenge.

When I came to the question regarding how many years I had been slicing... I had to click back on my blog and then count on my fingers. :)

2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Holy guacamole!  It really is year seven.  You know what that means?  Everyone, even those of us who slice by the seat-of-our-pants, can do this challenge!

Now I have to take a minute to compare the chaos of 2012 to the current chaos of 2018.

Had some fun in Google Draw!

It was fun to go back and look over my first set of March slices. I also realized there's a bunch of slices just ready for writing because they didn't fit on my Venn diagram! :)

Best wishes to all slicers!  Don't overthink, write from your heart, visit LOTS of other blogs.
Let's have a blast!

Push and pull #SOL

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when we write!
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I've had some interesting conversations with fellow parents of teenagers, especially those in their senior year of high school.  We've decided that we may be the WORST parents in the WORLD, but then again, maybe it's just the stress as we consider that our children are graduating.  In a few months.  Oh. No....

We've talked about the stress the kids are under:
sports,
academic,
social,
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE,
peer pressure,
HURRY & CHOOSE WHAT YOU WILL DO FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
social media,
fashion,
DID YOU CHOOSE YET?

Wow.

I don't envy any of these kids.

Some of the kids are "push" kids... these kids just need a little push to get their motors started and rolling down the right path.  Other kids (like some of this year's seniors) are "pull" kids.  The kids who we have pullllllled through homework and social skills and making good choices and helping them develop their lacking executive functioning skills.

Ugh.  I'm tired.

It's time, fellow parents of HS seniors.  Let us release the ropes of parenting (or in my case, cut the enabling cord) and let our kids FALL.  We've done it before.  Remember when they were learning to toddle around the house?  We let them!  We were there to pick them up, kiss the scrapes and help them move on.  We can do it again.  Really.

Well, we can at least try.

We can be there for each other when the stress gets to be too much.  We may even laugh about this school year one day, MANY years from now.

It's time to let them figure it out and find out what they are made of.

They can do it.  So can we.

Tales from the classroom

Yesterday was the 59th day of school with my first first grade classroom.  We have been working so very hard to become a community of learners, thinkers, writers, scientists and classmates.

It hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been impossible.

The students come every day with smiles.  They bounce into the room with rosy cheeks (it's been freezing!), bright eyes and pure excitement.  They can't wait to see what we will do today.

I try to keep the morning moving.  We are working on an integrated unit comparing the past to the present.  We are talking about pictures, writing our ideas, and learning from historians.

Sharing our ideas is noisy.  There are those that don't wait their turn.  There are arguments and tattling.  They demand personal attention.  Some are shy.  Some are bold.

We talk it out.  We unfold our arms.  We sigh.  We cry.  We dance it out.  We snack.
We read aloud.  We share our thinking.  We calm ourselves.

Then we tackle reading, writing, word work... independently.  Students treasure this time to work on their own.  Notebooks are filled, books are devoured.  Not everyone understands that it's independent work time, but we are getting there.

LUNCHTIME arrives... woo hoo!

After lunch students line up to share their complaints.  Left out at recess.  Scraped knees, frozen hands.  Scowls and tears.  We take long drinks and run hands under water.  We come to the carpet and talk about goals.

More work, more reading, more learning.  Kids whine and groan when the timer rings and it's time to change centers.  They are building their stamina.  They are hitting a groove.

BUT THEN IT'S SPECIALS TIME  (excitement ensues:  stop pick that up I can't wait for gym I have library I have to change my shoes let's go let's go)

When they leave, I sit.  I eat a piece of chocolate.  I breathe deeply. I regroup.

WE ARE BACK!  It's math!!!  Calendar, number of days in school, number of the day.  "Can we PLEASE play mystery number again!?"  Let's talk decomposing numbers, number bonds, turn around facts.  Lots of math games, individual help, I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT!  Counting, learning.

WHAT?  It's time to go home?

Groans.  Clean up, find folders, pick up gloves, herd kids to the bus, chairs go up, tie shoes, find lunchboxes.

BYE!  SEE YOU TOMORROW!!

Yesterday was the 59th day of school with my first first grade classroom.
What a roller coaster of awesome.

It's All About Allison

Beginning in May and continuing into June, we teased our younger daughter, Allison, that it was Lindsey Month.  Lindsey is our oldest daughter who recently graduated high school and tore her ACL.

Allison has happily taken on the role of "lovely assistant."  She took pictures at prom, she fetches items for her sister, and she has done her best to be part of the support team.

Lindsey and Allison

But this week is all about Allison!

Last weekend Allison danced in her studio's recital.  Her ballet number was lovely.  Three days of performing with her friends was fun and exciting for her.  I was a little emotional during the finale as my daughter was in the back row among the other high schoolers.  Wasn't it just yesterday that she was a tiny tot in the front?

Recital

Proud Momma

Today Allison finishes her summer school course.  It will be awesome tomorrow morning when we don't need to set the 6:15 a.m. alarm!  Hooray for sleeping in!

On Thursday, Allison will turn 16 years old.  Oh boy.  I can't believe it!  We've helped her learn to drive over the past year.  Next week she will take her driving test.  This fall she will be a junior in high school.

I. Will. Not. Get. Emotional.

Ah, yes I will.  My baby girl is growing up.  She's crazy fun, silly and full of joy.  Sure, the dark clouds float in every now and then.  She's highly distractible.  The girl takes 50 minute showers!  Arrrgggghh!

But that's what makes her Allison.

 

Allison

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Two Writing Teachers

Tomorrow the baby of our family turns 15.  Wow. I don't know where the time has gone!

Allison is enjoying a busy summer full of classes, poms camp, hanging out with friends, dance, volunteering at swim lessons, and --most importantly -- driver's education!  Ask her when she is able to test for her permit, and I'm pretty sure she can tell you, down to the number of hours! As my second child in the driver's seat, I'm pretty calm about the process.  I even traded in my old SUV for a new crossover with better mileage and smaller frame.  It's new, but I'm not worried about dents or crashes.  As Allison reminds me all the time, she is an excellent lawn-tractor-driver at my parents' house.

I had the pleasure of watching Allison on stage last weekend as she performed in her 11th recital.  She's been taking dance classes since she was nearly 5 years old.  Back in the early days, she was extremely shy and didn't dance if it was observation day during class.  During the first performance of her first recital, she stood stock still on the stage, as her classmates "danced" next to her.  As I stood backstage in the wings, pushed right up to the curtain by the studio director, my heart ached for Allison.  I wondered what kind of mother puts her shy, wary preschooler on a stage in front of hundreds of strangers.  I was convinced she would be scarred for life.

Then something amazing happened.  Allison made eye contact with Nicole, a sweet girl in her class.  Nicole smiled and Allison smiled back.  They began to dance together.  I was astounded!  After the recital, two different moms came up to us to share that they had been rooting for Allison to begin dancing, and when she started dancing with her class, both moms had begun to cry.

Fast forward to last weekend.  My nearly 15 year old daughter confidently performed ballet, hip hop and contemporary numbers. She took care of her own hair, makeup and costumes.  She helped her friends prepare for their numbers.  My shy, wary dancer is now a teen with drive and ambition.  On Sunday night, after all the performances were finished, Allison shared that the stage and the dance studio are her "homes away from home."

Happy birthday, Alli!  You make us proud (and make us laugh) every day!

My 100th Post!!! SOLC #8

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Two Writing Teachers

WOW!  I couldn't believe the number when I saw it... my 100th post on this blog!  I never thought I could write 1, 5 or 10 posts (let alone the SOL Challenge of 2012) but here I am - slicing and writing and sharing my opinions.

Today, on my sunny half birthday, I present a gratitude list!  Here's to another 100+ slices!

I'm thankful for

• friends who inspire me to be myself
• students who remind me to teach thoughtfully and to the best of my abilities
• social media sites to keep me connected to a huge, knowledgeable professional development network
• books, libraries, bookstores and book-loving people to talk with about my reading
• funny ideas that make me laugh and wise quotations that make me think
• my health (let's pretend I'm not exhausted from a long week!)
• chocolate (!)
• blue skies and sunshine - no matter what the season
• my blog readers and fellow slicers
• Friday ('nuff said)

I'm most thankful for my family.  They are patient, understanding, kind and my favorite people on the planet.

Woo hoo! It's my 100th post!