Sunday, September 1, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .





*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition. 
A time to slow down, 
to reflect, to be grateful. 
A list of gratitudes.  
* 
 
 
~ Seeing a former "struggling" student happy and successful.
 
~ My dad coming to my son's football game.
 
~ A long weekend. A great way to ease into the new school year.
 
~ Dinner out, no cooking.
 
~ A fun first week of school.  We are already connecting as a classroom community.
 
~ Reading to my children while they were eating breakfast.
 
~ A new administrator who is current and believes teaching is like creating jazz.
 
~ A new set up in my classroom with rugs and tables. It is inviting, calm, and created to build communication and collaboration.
 
~ Both of my children VERY happy with their first days of school, feeling as if it sis "going to be a great year."



Friday, August 23, 2013

{this moment}

A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama
 
A single photo (or two) – no words – capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

 
 
 
 
 

 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

I am joining bloggers for Wordless Wednesday.  I will share a photo that I have taken that inspires me to think, question, feel or smile.  I hope it does the same for you.
 

...because pictures are worth a thousand words

 
 
 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Car Crisis #2




 
Sitting off the side of highway 9 on a patch of itchy burnt grass, my son says smiling, "This is exciting mom; breaking down, no brakes." He was not sitting in the driver's seat when the car just completely turned off.  No power steering or brakes. Thankfully I was able to slow down enough in the breakdown lane to pull into an abandoned parking lot and pull the emergency brake.  Ah, breathe, in out in out. We were safe. 
 
Now, think.  
We need a tow truck. 
Damn, I don't have AAA. 
Luckily I do have a dependable friend who I can trust and fall back onto when such a crisis arises. 
 
Sitting beside our car a dragonfly landed on my arm..."good luck" my kids yell. Really? How is the situation we are in at the moment lucky, I wonder, and realize we are very fortunate.  First, we had just gotten off interstate 495 onto a small highway.  We were in a parking lot, not the side of the road, we broke down in the town we live in, only 5 minutes from home, and Reggie has Triple AAA.
 
Waiting for the service truck to arrive another lucky creature landed on me, a lady bug. Reggie then arrived, assuring us the tow truck was coming shortly and then took my kids to pick up some lunch so we could have a road side picnic.  As always, I was prepared with a book emergency. I took out my book and read a few chapters to de-stress.  Yes, we were lucky today!
 
I'm not so sure how lucky I will feel when I am without a car, but living in the moment I felt very fortunate and thankful.   
 

Join slicers at Two Writing Teachers
every Tuesday for the Slice of Life Challenge ...


Sunday, August 18, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .

*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition. 
A time to slow down, 
to reflect, to be grateful. 
A list of gratitudes.  
* 
 
This week I am grateful for:
 
*Reading side by side on the couch with my son.
 
*A clear blue sky.
 
*Meeting with my co-teacher to plan and discuss our classroom.
 
*Watching the cousins play and laugh together.
 
* Having patience with my daughter.
 
* Back to school shopping (a new wardrobe for myself).
 
* Two days being kid free...thanks to my brother-in-law who brought the kids camping.
 
* Healthy hair...cut and colored.
 
* Watching my son play in his first football game.
 
* Riding and splashing on Bumper Boats.
 
* Did I say reading? :)
 
 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

I'm Stuck

Join slicers at Two Writing Teachers
every Tuesday for the Slice of Life Challenge ...


 
 
I'm stuck like a kitten in a tree, glue to paper and a 5th grade student who can't think of a thing to write about.  I go through phases when words just come and I can put pencil to paper, other times I just don't feel inspired.  I don't feel I have anything worthy to write. I am stuck.
 
Right now life is like groundhog day, basically the same routine over and over.  Don't get me wrong there are times I crave routine.  I know what to expect and can carry on with my day with no unexpected surprises thrown at me to make life complicated. 
 
For the last two weeks of summer my days start with bringing the kids to camp.  This gives me a block of time to meet with my co-teacher and plan for the new school year.  I have a chance to do some school shopping and then run errands.  When the clan is done with camp it's lunch, cello practice and hanging out until it's time to prepare an early dinner.  Then it's out the door to football practice.  
 
No complaints, but just not a lot of variety or life lessons to share at the moment.   See you next week, hopefully with a slice worth writing about.
 

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .

*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition. 
A time to slow down, 
to reflect, to be grateful. 
A list of gratitudes.  

I am grateful for: 
 
~ My friends who I share conversations and laughter.
 
~ The smell of freshly cut grass.

~ Walking around the neighborhood.

~ The smile on my son's face as he clears the football field and says, "That was far the best night."

~ The sound of pouring rain through the open windows.

~My 10yo asking me to cuddle at bedtime.

~ My 6yo falling asleep on me, and listening to her sweet snoring.
 
~ A clean house!
 
~ Louie Schwartzberg for creating this video to remind us that every day is precious. We have to take the time to notice.
 
 
 

Friday, August 9, 2013

{this moment}

 A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama
 
A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.
A simple, special, extraordinary moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...
 



 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Gotcha

Six years ago
I travelled
to your birth place
a country of
beauty and warmth.

Today we celebrate
your Gotcha Day
the day you were put
into my outstretched arms
waiting to hold you,
hug you,
love you!

Your deep brown eyes
search me
Your small hands
wander my face and
pull my hair
your smile
shines and
melts my heart.

Today
you became
part of
our family...
waiting patiently for you
to be complete us.
You fill the void
with your
intelligence,
your humor
and your laughter.

I am lucky
thankful
and blessed
for
you are my girl!

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .

*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition. 
A time to slow down, 
to reflect, to be grateful. 
A list of gratitudes.  

I am grateful for: 

 
~ Books.  Reading relaxes me, entertains me.  I connect with characters and am never "bored".
 
~ Me time. 
 
~A quiet house.
 
~ Watching my children get along and play so well together.
 
~ Sitting on the town common.  Beautiful green grass, and flowers.  They did a great job designing a welcoming and relaxing place for people to meet and eat. A wonderful place for town activities.
 
~ Our new Sport Brella. It protects us from the rain and wind while watching my son practice football.
 
~ Meeting for coffee with a friend and colleague.  It's always nice to catch up.
 
~Homemade Blueberry Bread made with freshly picked blueberries.  Delicious!
 
~ Locally grown corn on the cob.  Fresh and sweet.  YUM! 
 

 

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

I am joining bloggers for Wordless Wednesday.  I will share a photo that I have taken that inspires me to think, question, feel or smile.  I hope it does the same for you.
 

...because pictures are worth a thousand words


 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

A Football Family



Join slicers at Two Writing Teachers
every Tuesday for the Slice of Life Challenge ...




Your summer changes when your kid decides to join the football team. Summers schedules are dictated by the practice season which starts the first week of August, Monday-Thursday from 6:00-8:00. That means vacation plans are set for July and any August activities or spontaneous adventures are often cut short to be back for practice. Mornings are lazy because your player in training is exhausted and sore and wants to sleep the morning away.  

With that being said, the camaraderie among parents and teammates are encouraging to any first time football family. Parents watch, cheer, and socialize on the sidelines as all teams practice on the same fields and at the same time. Walking towards the fields, anticipating a night of sweating, groaning and cheering there is such a sense of community and belonging among the crowd. Watching the players, I am proud and impressed with their hard work, dedication, and character building gained though the team sport.

The season has just begun. I am learning along with my son, the schedule, the equipment, the players, the coaches, the positions, and I am loving every minute of it!  We are looking forward to a fun and rewarding season. GO RANGERS! 



Sunday, July 28, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .

*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition. 

A time to slow down, 

to reflect, to be grateful. 
A list of gratitudes. 
 

I am grateful for: 

* Enjoying the evening with my 6yo on the front porch sipping a Budlight Lime, and munching on cheese and crackers.  "Just the girls."

*Watching a beautiful sunset (see Tuesday's SOLC) while driving back from the Cape.  A great ending to our vacation.

*Finding a new place to eat breakfast, Earthly Delights.  A family owned, all organic breakfast and lunch eatery serving from an old house.  We ate on the front porch. A true "delight". 

*Trustworthy and genuinely kind people...Earthly Delights is an all cash establishment.  Of course I did not have cash.  They invited us to eat and return with payment later.

*My sister who generously allows us to swim in her pool whenever we want, and to stay in her home down on the Cape.

*Watching my 6yo daughter and 84yo father learn/relearn to read together.

*My daughter always asking questions to try to understand our world around us.

*Hiking Mt. Wachusett, and being in the great outdoors with nature. 

*Sleeping with the windows open and feeling the cool air.

*Listening to my son practice and improve on the cello.  Music to my ears.

*Sharing gratitudes as a family.

 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

I am joining bloggers for Wordless Wednesday.  I will share a photo that I have taken that inspires me to think, question, feel or smile.  I hope it does the same for you.
 

...because pictures are worth a thousand words





 

Sunset


Join slicers at Two Writing Teachers
every Tuesday for the Slice of Life Challenge ...


 
Tonight I saw the most beautiful night sky as I was traveling home from a micro-vacation. I was fortunate the roads were clear so I could watch the changing sky without battling traffic.  My words do not capture the beauty or give justice to the sight of a beautiful sunset...


Dusk approaches and
a dome of gray clouds
cover the Earth.
My eye descend toward he horizon
my imagination takes over as I see
White sandbars stretch across the sky
rays of color glimmer
wispy clouds become
pink and blue cotton candy.
and soft yellow feathers of a bird,
Upon the mounds of vanilla ice cream
An orange falling below the horizon
splashing its juice of delicious color as it says
farewell.
Black clouds and blue sky 
bid us goodnight.
A sweet
sensational
sunset 
from our star 
The Sun




Sunday, July 21, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .
*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition. 

A time to slow down, 
to reflect, to be grateful. 
A list of gratitudes. 

I am grateful for: 

~ AC to keep cool during the New England heat wave.


~ another heat wave savior is a pool to keep us refreshed and stave off the humidity.

~ a thunderstorm relieving us from the oppressive humidity.

~ feeling the summer breeze and listening to the cicadas while watching my daughter swaying on the porch swing trying to awake in the early morning.

~ taking a mid-day nap to relieve fatigue after a night of insomnia.

~ my parents who celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary.

~ watching smiles spread across my childrens' faces as they ran into the ocean waves.

~ talking "shop" and planning for the new school year with my colleague.

~ for deciding to partake in this weekly exercise of reflecting and sharing why I am grateful.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Foto Friday ~ Barn

In learning how to maximize my understanding and correct usage of operating my Nikon D3200 to the best of my ability, I have decided to take it S-L-O-W. Each week I will focus on one or two camera features (depending on the complexity). I will read information and practice using the feature(s) in my picture taking.

 
I love old barns. When driving, if I notice the farm buildings I try to stop and snap a few pictures if I happen to have my camera with me.  The barn I focused on this week is on my sister's property. I especially love the weather vane. I had so much fun one afternoon walking around the barn and taking pictures from varying angles, distances and mode settings on my camera.  .



 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 


 

 







 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Wordless Wednesday

I am joining bloggers for Wordless Wednesday.  I will share a photo that I have taken that inspires me to think, question, feel or smile.  I hope it does the same for you.



...because pictures are worth a thousand words




 
 
 
 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A Teacher's Schedule

Join slicers at Two Writing Teachers
every Tuesday for the Slice of Life Challenge ...




A teacher's schedule is a dream in my eyes. 

I love the scheduled days throughout the year.  Working five days towards goals and curriculum expectations. The weekends off are a perfect break for regrouping and family time. The unscheduled time of summer allows for setting our own daily plans. We may choose for a leisurely morning, time with family or professional development in our pjs. I love the opportunity to be spontaneous, to make last minute plans to meet friends or go to the beach for the day.  It also provides time for independent learning, time for professional development of choice and planning for a new year with a new set of students.

The most difficult adjustment within our schedule is working so closely with colleagues throughout the school year to not seeing them on a regular basis or at all during the summer months. We spend so much time together planning curriculum,  to grade level meetings, team meetings to eating lunch together that a break from each other is probably a healthy thing, but, I miss my colleagues.

Tonight I had the pleasure to meet two of my very close colleagues and friends. It was great to see that already the summer sun has given them a healthy glow and a rejuvenation that all teachers need and crave. Laughing and sharing stories over dinner and a cocktail reminded me how lucky I am to have great friends and colleagues and how fortunate I am to love my job, and have the best schedule ever! 


Sunday, July 14, 2013

Gratitude Sunday

Sundays I will be joining Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots for. . .


 
*
Sunday's heartfelt tradition.
A time to slow down,
to reflect, to be grateful.
A list of gratitudes. 
 
 
I am grateful for: 

~ My kind and generous neighbors.  They are there to watch my children and lend me their car when I am in a bind.

~ My car that is still reliable to drive, so I do not have to make a new purchase.

~ My dentist, who is gentle and kind and has helped me overcome my fear of dentists.  She clearly explains while she is performing dental procedures, comforting me and putting me at ease.  She called to check how I was feeling, if I had questions, and gave me her cell phone number if I needed her over the weekend.

~ Time chatting with colleagues who share a passion for teaching. They motivate, energize, and challenge me to think, learn and improve as a teacher and person.

~ Beginning a "couch to 5K" exercise routine.  I have missed the physical and mental outlet it provides for me. I love to sweat!

~ My bed and pillow.  After spending a few nights in a hotel, I miss the comforts and smells of my own bedding. Home sweet home!


Friday, July 12, 2013

Foto Friday - Getting Back on Track

In learning how to maximize my understanding and correct usage of operating my Nikon D3200 to the best of my ability, I have decided to take it S-L-O-W. Each week I will focus on one or two camera features (depending on the complexity). I will read information and practice using the feature(s) in my picture taking.



If you don't make time it won't happen. 

I love the unscheduled time of summer.  However, unscheduled time means not all things get done or even started.  Since school has been out of session and summer vacation has begun I have not been working on my Passion Project.  I still take my camera where I go and take snapshots, BUT I am not researching, reading, and learning about my camera and then applying those skills to my picture taking. 

Honestly, I don't know if I am willing to put that time aside right now, but if I commit to starting up my Foto Friday blog (which I am) I have a feeling I will begin to make small improvements.  Truly that is my goal anyway, to learn and improve.  Today I am sharing some photos that I took of my parents flower garden.  I played around with distance and lighting.

 
 










 
 
Until next week . . . Smile :) Sonria :)
 


Wednesday, July 10, 2013

I am trying something new here at Exploring My Passions.  I am joining bloggers for Wordless Wednesday.  I will share a photo that I have taken that inspires me to think, question, feel or smile.  I hope it does the same for you.



...because pictures are worth a thousand words





Tuesday, July 9, 2013

My Neighbors Rock!


Tuesday Slice of Life Challenge ...
I am excited explore my newest passion, writing,
with slicers from Two Writing Teachers.



This week our family took a mini-vacation to visit Mystic, CT.  We had three fabulously fun filled days. Our first day we spent exploring the sands and waters at Ocean Park Beach. The following two days we ventured to the Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport. 

Getting there was not so simple. I drive a 2004 Subaru Outback. It's getting up there in years and mileage, so before taking the drive I made sure I had the oil changed and checked. At 8:30AM Sunday morning, the car was packed, the kids and neighbor piled in, a quick stop for an ice coffee and we were on our way.  A mile down the road I glanced at my dashboard and an orange light illuminated. I looked again and read Check Engine. Crap! How could this be happening? I wondered. I drove along hoping it would turn off. Knowing better than to ignore the signal I spotted an oil change service, pulled in and asked for help. As I explained my situation smoke started seeping thought the sides of the front hood, NOT a good sign. After inspecting under the hood and below the engine, the gentleman's face appeared at my window, not bearing good news. Our vacation would end before it even started. There was an oil leak in the engine. The car could be driven to a garage, but the leak needed to taken care of immediately or the engine would be shot. 

Surprisingly, we all took this news in stride, I mean what else could we do? During the quick ride back home, we brainstormed what we could do to create a "vacation at home". As we pulled into the driveway my neighbor was exiting his house to pick up his wife and newly born daughter from the hospital. Ethan, who was with us, jumped out and yelled across the lawn, "Daddy I missed you so much, I blew up the engine!" Smiling, his dad asked what happened. After explaining, without hesitation, he quickly offered his car. I declined, feeling uneasy accepting his offer. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He jumped in the car, drove it over to my driveway and showed me how to manage the controls. Within 10 minutes we were packed and once again on our way to Mystic. We were only 1 hour behind schedule (thanks to the boys who figured out this important piece of information). I was so humbled and thankful for having such kind, helpful neighbors. I know I would do the same for them, but I find it hard to be on the receiving end. The fact that our vacation actually did happen, made us all enjoy it all that much more, and we were sure to live in the moment throughout the whole trip! (a conversation started by a 7 & 10 yr. old, and an other post) Thank you, neighbors, for lending us your car and for making our trip possible!

Now, it's trying to figure out what to do with the car. Fix it or ditch it?