Forest Animal

My daughter came home with a sheet about the third grade musical "The Old Gingerbread House". She is in the chorus as a forest animal. Parents were asked to provide costumes for their child. Some ideas/choices were: birds, squirrels, bears, deer, skunks, rabbits, raccoons, mice, turtles, fox or bugs. The teacher suggested to start out with sweats and build a costume from there. Brown sweats and antlers could be a deer. I suggested the deer or rabbit because I know we own both antlers and rabbit ears. My daughter decided that she wanted to be a turtle. I told her that was fine, but that I was not buying her a shell. She had to use her turtle backpack from last year, her Raphael shell from last Halloween or her Donatello shell from this year's Halloween costume. Thanks to Walmart and her backpack from last year, this is what we came up with.

Every Other Day NaBloPoMo

I seem to have the every other day NaBloPoMo covered this year. For some reason or another I am not finding the time to post everyday, but every even day seems to get a post!

Today has been a day of reflection. We are gathered together as a family to celebrate a birthday. As we celebrate, I mourn our sister in law who passed away three months ago. As I sit in her house and write this post, I think about how much I miss her in my life. I know that we all grieve in our own way, but it is difficult to observe those who are ready to move on and those who are just as sad today as the day that she died. We all grieve in our own way and in our own time. I understand that it is a process for us all, and she will always live on in our hearts.

Will miss you always!

Do you consider yourself a "professional" blogger? Why or why not? What does that mean to you?

No, I definitely do not consider myself a professional blogger. I can't even keep up with NaBloPoMo this year. I already missed posting yesterday! Only five days in and it slipped my mind. Actually, I was doing other computer work and it made me sleepy so I just went to bed after I was done. Although I have missed blogging and writing just for the heck of it, the fact that I have not blogged since last November is a telling story about my life as a professional blogger. I would have lost all my followers and income from my blog by now if I were a profesional blogger. I write for the pleasure of writing. Mostly, I write to document my life, tell a story about what is happening or what is bothering me. One day, I may go back and read it and remember those stories and memories. It may be part of an autobiography I may write someday or just something to leave behind for future generations as my legacy to them.

I consider a professional blogger to be someone who is witty and has a lot to say. They have studied the nuances of blogging and know how best to keep their audiences entertained or informed. Some may make money off of their blogs, and whether that was their intent when they started, I do not know. I would have liked to think that my writing was inspired enough to keep others interested and informed, but I know that I lack the consistency to be a professional blogger. I would say that my blogging is a hobby that I dibble dabble in every once in a while, just like all of the other hobbies I have.

Election Day

Due to safety concerns for students and the inability to keep the school building secure during voting, both my school district and my children's school districts have elected to use Election Day as a professional development day for teachers. I believe it is a very good idea for the community to be able to use the school building to exercise their right to vote, and keeps the safety of the students in mind. I chose to vote early this morning because I tend to forget to go in the evening. The biggest office we had to vote for was the governor. This year, the current governor basically went uncontested. I like to vote because it is a privledge and the responsibility of being a citizen.

From November to November

As I logged on to write for NaBloPoMo on the first, I realized that I have not posted sice NaBloPoMo last year. In that time I have experimented with different apps, planners and journals. Some part of me wants to wants to leave more of myself than the typed word. I want my words to be memorialized in my own handwriting. Another part of me does not want to be reliant on technology when I am writing. Technology is fast and convenient, but sometimes lacks the personal touch. I know there are artsy apps, but you also have to be creative and have the time to explore and experiment.

Journals don't really work for me. Seeing all that blank space on a page is paralyzing. I do like journaling in my planner. I gave an 8 1/2 by 11 planner. It gives me enough space to write down my daily needs as well as short excerpts of our lives. I have found that my favorite planner is one where the days are vertical on the page. The only issues I have right now is finding space on my desk for my planner consistently as well as remembering to get out my planner at the end of the day to document that day's events.

So, as I return to my blog this month, I cannot promise that you will hear from me next month or even tomorrow, but I know that I enjoy documenting and writing about my life. December is challenging for me to continue blogging daily because of the busyness of the season. Hopefully, I will find the time next month as I do everyday every November!

Post Halloween Tradition

Usually on the day after Trick or Treat or Halloween, we take our pumpkins out back and shoot them with our bows. The oldest is usually the only one who gets to participate in this activity, but this year, the youngest could participate as well. She was finally old enough to take beginning archery this fall. I took it with her and could have shot pumpkins also, but chose just to be the camera person for this event. The youngest is left eye dominant so a new bow had to be bought and prepped for her. We had to keep shooting until she hit a pumpkins. She did not want to give up. She finally got one shot in and then the other just as it got dark.

 

I am thankful that her school got the Archery in the Schools grant, and she is able to participate in archery at school. I really wished that they could have gotten it while my son was there! Better late than never though!

November First

With the beginning of November upon us, I look back fondly on the happy times of Halloween and the enjoyment the children felt for the occasion. I also look back gratefully and think thankfully a quarter of Kindergarten testing is done! The stressfulness of the last month of testing makes me realize how inappropriate all this testing is as well as a waste of resources, time, and money that could be better spend educating rather than testing our children. In addition, the results of these tests will in no way change my teaching or in no way provide me with the information needed to appropriate lessons for all my students. One-fourth of the school year has been lost due to information that someone feels that they need to fill in some chart or to collect to prove or disprove their point. I would have rather spent that time training my student to work cooperatively and making sure classroom routines are in place so that I can teach to their individual needs. Instead, I had to teach them computer skills that they needed to take their tests and try to test students individually while 27 other students were demanding my attention.

I look forward to spending time with family and friends this month as well as starting the preparations for the Christmas season. Although there is a great deal to do for Christmas, I look forward to this busyness because it will bring people joy and happiness. Testing, especially of young children, just brings stress to all involved with no real purpose.