11 Birthdays

I loved this book!

I started reading it last Thursday, when my students were doing some Super Bowl of Reading reading.  I pulled out my book so that they could see me reading also (I don't usually read when they are - I have too many other things to do!).  I really, totally meant to be a good teacher that day - but alas, it didn't happen.  Once I got a few pages into this book, I was totally hooked.  The kids and I ended up reading for about an hour - all the way from recess until lunch.  Oh well.  I'll be a good teacher another day.  (The kids, by the way, didn't mind - they've been making good progress on their reading goals at home, without a lot of reading time at school, and think that I'm "awesome" because I "let" them read all that time.  Hmmm...)

Amanda and Leo are best friends who share the same birthday, and who have combined birthday parties, up until their 11th, because of an overhead conversation on their 10th birthday.  Because of an enchantment placed on their great grandparents, both Amanda and Leo end up having their 11th birthday over and over until they get it right and the enchantment's requirements have been met.  It reminded me a lot of one of my and my family's favorite movies - Groundhog Day - and that's a good thing.  It was cleverly written and a quick read - because you get sucked in.  I found myself wondering what I'd do differently (or not) if I got stuck on a day and couldn't progress to the next day, and which day I'd want to live over, hopefully to improve the outcomes and attitudes of the events taking place on that day.  I'm still undecided - I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Loved it!  You will too!

Things I'd do if I had a week (or two) off from life...

1.  Sleep in.  I love sleeping.  I definitely don't get enough of it during a regular work week.  So, given a week off from life, I'd sleep in - just enough, not too much.  I hate the groggy feeling of sleeping too much - but sleeping until 7 or 8 o'clock would do me wonders.

2.  Organize.  I'm not organized by nature, I really have to work for what organization I have in my life as it is.  I have great organizational plans for my stuff, which would hopefully clear up some time in my regular life to do other things.  When I do get the organizational bug, I've just got to go until I'm finished.  And that, my friends, may take me a week, or more...

3.  Scrapbook.  After my organizing, I know that I'll be able to find all my paper, stickers, and other embellishments that I bought to use for certain events or layouts, and so I'd be able to get right down to the work of scrapbooking.  One of my best times scrapbooking was when I was a freshman in college, and it was my spring break.  I'd been to Europe the previous summer, and had pictures burning holes in their envelopes.  Early on Monday morning, I asked my dad to take me around to several scrapbook stores (remember Mac's?  I miss that place!), and got card stock, page protectors, stickers, and gel pens.  I spent the entire week scrapping all my pictures from that great European adventure.  It was one of my first ventures scrapbooking something on my own (my mom, sister and I usually scrapped together), and it was great!  Looking at that book now, it has very little in terms of style, layout, color scheme, and a lot of other things... but - it is done, and I love looking at it, and remembering the good time I had in Europe and scrapping that album.

4.  Read.  I've set a goal to read all the Utah Beehive book award nominees by the time they choose the winners in April.  I've done pretty good so far, but I'm not sure that I can keep up the pace.  (Thankfully, many of the books are picture books - woo!)  Plus, my students at school are involved in the 5h Grade Super Bowl of Reading, and have set goals to read 500 pages or more by the date of the actual football Super Bowl, so they have given me many recommendations.  One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning after I have slept in, is to lay in bed and read.  Sounds lovely.

5.  Craft.  Crochet, needlepoint, card making, slapping some paint on wood blocks and adding a little modge podge and paper.  Whatever.  I have so many projects to do.  I wouldn't need to leave my house for months, and I'd still have plenty to do.



Well, one of these days I'll get around to these great events.  Maybe.  More likely, I'll get to a few things at a time during the course of my regular life.  But, just in case a week frees up, you know where I'll be.

Sample 7: Custom (Cup) Cakes

My goal for promoting good will toward all at work this year is to remember everyone's birthday by baking them something special - and then share it with our team.

Karen - Pink Lemonade Cupcakes.  They were okay.  I think I need different lemon flavoring next time.  But definitely edible.  Not much to look at though, so no pic.

Ryan - RIP Cupcakes.  Ryan turned the big 3-0 this year and needed cupcakes to match.  We honored him by wearing black.  Can't wait to see what (if, more like it) is planned for me next year when I celebrate the 8th anniversary of my 22nd birthday.

Jami - Mini Cheesecakes.  One of Mom's great school recipes.  Yum.

2010 Top Ten

In no particular order... and with a few bonuses as well...

1.  Going to Harry Potter 7 part 1 @ 12:00 midnight (well, 12:20... 11:59 was sold out!)... then teaching and being a functional person the next day!  But the movie, and the crowd, was great!

Me and Harry and our tickets... we got them a few weeks early.

2.  Library of Congress teacher institute - I had such a great time and learned so much about teaching with primary source documents.  

Library of Congress

The card catalog back in the stacks

3.  Getting to spend nearly two weeks in Washington DC was amazing!  I loved so many things - Lincoln's Cottage, Monticello, Mount Vernon, monuments, museums, shopping, and eating.  I can't wait to go back!

Lincoln's Cottage

Monticello

4.  Having season football tickets to the U of U!  It was a great season, minus a few games...  Holly went with me to 5 games, and Mom came with me to the only one we lost at home (oh, the luck!).  Besides enjoying great games, I also love hot dogs and nachos, and watching people climb all the way up the stairs to their nosebleed seats!

Two Utes after a victory!

5.  Going to the Las Vegas Bowl - Utah vs. Boise State
It's a good thing there are other exciting things to do in Vegas, because the game really died out after the first quarter!  The pep rally on Freemont Street was fun, the tailgating party was fun, and being in Vegas was fun.  The game - well, 3 out of 4 isn't bad odds for Vegas!

Two Utes ready for football action!

6.  Getting a new car!  I loved, loved my old car.  We had some good times together.  But it was time to part ways.  It was getting too many miles on it, and I need to make sure that I have something that's going to get me reliably over the point of the mountain each day.  I love the features of my Escape, the Sync system especially.  It almost makes it exciting to go to work every day!

new car

7.  Midvale Days - and winning at Bingo!

Me and my Bingo winnings!  Go 8-C!

8.  Michael Buble concert - Dad got us tickets for Christmas.  It was so fun!  Love that man!

Ahhhhh!  Michael!

9.  Eclipse @ 12:00 midnight... and getting to watch Twilight and New Moon in the theater before Eclipse started.  I love those midnight crowds!  They are so rowdy - so fun!

Team Charlie!

10.  Taking pics with my Canon Rebel and my nifty-fifty lens.  I got my new lens before going to DC, and I'm glad I did!  It's fantastic!  After I got used to how close and far I could be away from the subject and still get a good picture, it worked wonders.  Low light, lots of light, close up - love it!

Temple Square

11.  Going to lots and lots and lots of parades!

Holly on the Midvale float

12.  Las Vegas - 3 times!  Spring break... fall break... winter break...  Yeah, we're not casino rats or anything...  We don't gamble much, but we certainly do see a lot, take a lot of pictures, and eat a lot!

Dolphins at the Seigfried and Roy (not Jensen) Gardens at the Mirage

Love the Bellagio Atrium!

The fountain show at the Bellagio is a must-see - every time we're there!

Frankie Moreno - looks exactly the same as when Joee and I saw him 5 years ago in Primm...
Just goes to show how much alcohol is a preservative!

Beehive Book Awards 2011

Every year, the Children's Literature Association of Utah nominates children's books for the Beehive Book Awards. According to their website, the CLAU's purposes are: to encourage the reading, study and writing of children's literature; to provide a forum for all points of view and levels of experience in children's books; and to gather and share information about children's literature.

The winners of the book award are chosen by the kids of Utah, who vote on their favorite books via their school or local library.

Every year since I've been teaching, I've read a few books off the list. This year, my goal is to read them all before the winners are announced, some time in April 2011. You'll be able to see my progress on the page linked at the top.

I've been inspired by some book blogs I've started following, and enjoy reading their reviews and learning about new books. I also admire their dedication to reading, and the enjoyment they get both from reading and blogging about it.

Join me in reading them all, or just a few!

No!

No!

 No sun--no moon!  

No morn--no noon!  

No dawn--no dusk--no proper time of day--  

No sky--no earthly view--  

No distance looking blue--  

No road--no street--no "t'other side this way"--  

No end to any Row--  

No indications where the Crescents go--  

No top to any steeple--  

No recognitions of familiar people--  

No courtesies for showing 'em--  

No knowing 'em!  

No traveling at all--no locomotion--  

No inkling of the way--no notion--  

"No go" by land or ocean--  

No mail--no post--  

No news from any foreign coast--  

No Park, no Ring, no afternoon gentility--  

No company--no nobility--  

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,  

No comfortable feel in any member--  

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,  

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds--  

November!

- Thomas Hood

Thanks, Mrs. Yates. I have this poem on my mind during every November since about the 8th grade. I can't remember my line... though in my head I can hear the expression, and lack thereof, of my classmates as we read it every day for roll-call. No knowing 'em!

4

4 Things In My Handbag/Backpack/Briefcase:

geology teaching notebook

emergency Diet Coke money

USB drive from the LoC

Post-it notes

4 Favorite Things In My Bedroom:

lamp from Ikea

bookcases from Ikea

new pillow

jewelry rack

4 Things On My Desk:

papers I need to grade

papers I need to file

papers I need to trash

photos

4 Things I've Always Wanted To Do (but haven't yet):

go on an African safari

buy a house

visit all 50 states

be caught up on all my scrapbooking

4 Things I Enjoy Very Much At The Moment:

being crafty

sleeping

reading The Help

listening to HP 7!

4 Songs I Can't Get Out of My Head:

Whip My Hair

Bad Romance

America Rocks

Hey, Soul Sister

4 Things You Don't Know About Me:

I have a terrible habit of staying up way too late...

pickles - ick!

Pretzel M&Ms are my recently new-found favorite treat!

I have a way-overdue book that needs to go back to the library

4 Bloggers I'm Tagging:

I think I probably only have 4 readers, so... tag - you're it!