Sweetness

This came home today in Corbin’s folder from school:

Thanks Corbin!  Daddy and I feel lucky to have you too.

Seeing this cute picture and reading those sweet words was a very nice surprise at the end of long day!

Easter

Easter weekend began with coloring eggs with Grandma and Grandpa W. 

Corbin not only decorated eggs, but he also set up fun “game centers” for us to play at and held a church service for us. It was actually super fun!

Sunday we went to church with Grandma and Grandpa M. And then came home to something that made Corbin laugh so much…what could it be?

The pooping chicken:

I’m sure it’s intended that you see the chicken as laying M&M “eggs”, but when you are a 5-year-old potty humor is very funny. So of course the chicken had to be pooping. 

Then off to hunt for some Easter eggs around the house. That Easter Bunny was pretty tricky.

And instead of candy the Easter Bunny put money in the eggs…coins and bills. You are welcome to hide eggs at my house anytime, Bunny!

Then one last stop to Papa Lee and Grandma’s house where the cousins were waiting.

And they were off to hunt more eggs.

Sweet Clara actually took time to be excited about finding each egg while the boys were just on a mad dash to collect as many eggs as possible. 

Oh, and in case we wanted to see an aerial view of the hunt, no problem, we had a drone filming us.  Doesn’t everyone do that for their Easter egg hunts?

It was a busy but fun filled weekend to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ and spend time with all of our family.

Reading

It probably comes as no big surprise that I like to read.  I really like to read and this spring break I had an opportunity to dig into some books.

I was going to do a mix between adult and children’s literature, but I decided that I was going to really give myself a break and just read adult books.

These all came from my mom’s collection.  She is an avid reader as well, but she likes to buy the books.  I don’t like to buy books because I only read them once.  I rarely read an adult book over…kids books I will read multiple times.

So, here are the books I read:

This is a wonderful compilation of 7 biographies of successful strong women.  I like to read about history, but sometimes a long book about one topic can get a bit tedious.  With this book you get a nice overview of the women being examined and just enough meat to satisfy the historical appetite without overdoing it.

I enjoyed the selection of women: Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Maria Skobtsova, Corrie ten Boom, Mother Teresa, and Rosa Parks.  Some were unfamiliar to me and I enjoyed getting to know them.  While the familiar women, although I knew their story, I still gleaned much more about their personality, inner thoughts, struggles, and life outside of the moments/works they may best be known for.

 

Before I Go is based around 27 year old Daisy.  She had previously battled breast cancer a few years ago only to discover she has it again.  This time it is much more aggressive and the outlook is grim.  Daisy is married and is worried about her husband and how he might cope without her.  The book centers around the idea of how do you spend the time you have left? How do you help yourself and those you love in difficult times?

I thought it was an interesting twist to the usual love story.  It’s a nice read and although the subject matter is on death and dying the book did not seemed weighed down by the heavy subject matter.

This book is one reason why I love when mom just hands me a pile of books because she always has books I would never read or pick up on my own.  Us is one of those examples.

The book is about a middle aged couple who has been married 30 years and has a teenage son about to go off to college.  Their life seems to be going just fine in the husband’s viewpoint, but out of nowhere (he thinks) his wife asks for a divorce. 

They have a month long vacation planned with their son to tour Europe, so they agree to do that together as a family and than talk some more.  The wife is in no hurry, she still loves him, she just doesn’t want to be married to him anymore.

The book seamlessly moves between the past and the present.  The reader is taken into the memories of the husband as he is recalling the past to figure out his future and understand what’s happening in the present.

Us is funny, quirky, interesting, and has a great ending.  I really found myself enjoying the book as I got into it.  The overall theme about finding yourself and not getting lost in the roles and daily routines of life will be meaningful to many ages and stages of life.

The School of Essential Ingredients is a sweet read.  Lillian owns a restaurant and offers a year long cooking class that meets one time a month.   We watch as this group of cooking students go through a year of these cooking lessons and see how they interact and relate to each other and in their personal lives.

Each section examines one cooking student.  So throughout this whole book you are constantly switching viewpoints and never revisiting their viewpoint again.  You will only see and know about those characters through the eyes of another cooking student.

This is an interesting character driven story that does go a little overboard with food descriptions, but that is the premise of the book. 

Vanessa and her Sister is a historical fiction book about Virginia Woolf’s sister Vanessa.  As I started reading this book I was so-so about it.  I continued reading because I wanted to give it more than 10 pages.  (Although I have been known to stop books after only a few pages.  I do not believe one should suffer through a book they do not enjoy reading…unless it’s for school.  But reading for pleasure should be just that, pleasure!)

I continued reading and for some unknown reason I kept reading.  I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it, but I was drawn into the writing and the story.  I could not stop reading it even though I feel like I wanted to…does that even make sense?  So I would love for someone else to read this book and let me know your thoughts.

For me, it was neither love nor hate, but a compulsion to finish the book.  It definitely has an interesting set of characters  and happenings in the book.  I know that was a well articulated and compelling book review for you

Reading over spring break was great, but now break is over and it’s time to get back to real life where I have to go to bed at a decent hour and set an alarm.  No more reading until 12:00 and waking up at 8:00…oh well.

It has begun

Spring break officially started last Friday! Corbin and I have already gotten down to the business of sleeping, reading, playing, and hanging out.

Friday we went to my school in the morning for a “work morning.” But then we came home and did Snap Circuit Jr. and created a marble run that is super tall (with the help of Daddy).

Saturday morning: pancakes as usual, except this time Corbin made the batter and poured them all himself. What?!?! How did he get old enough to do this?

Monday, Corbin got to hang with Grandma and Grandpa Miller to watch some basketball while I had lunch with a friend!

And earlier today Corbin had a friend over:

Ugh, please note the cushions in the background of that picture. They have been sitting out in my dinning room since Saturday. We brought them up out of storage and cleaned them up so they could be put outside on our patio furniture. However, since that time it’s either been rainy, or we haven’t been home to do it, or we have had hurricane-like winds.

I know I’m just going to have to bite the bullet and put them out even if it’s not ideal weather. They sit out in all types of weather once they are out. It’s just that they are so clean right now, and I know once I put them out they’ll blow off with the wind and get dirty. Or be pummeled by the rain and get dirty. Or get the occasional bird poop on them…I know, gross. But if that happens I can assure you that cushion gets cleaned and put back out.

I’m just saying I need one whole nice day so that I can enjoy my fresh clean cushions

Ok, so that’s the start of our break. I’m off to read and relax some more. I love spring break!!

The Library Blog

As an elementary school librarian I often get asked by those outside of the profession what do I do with the kids.

So, I’ve started a new blog: http://teacherlibrarianlearner.weebly.com/

I post about once or twice a week highlighting something I’ve done in the library that week with my students.

My goal, as teacher librarian, is to support classroom learning, align with the big ideas of each grade, support students in finding information, and then most importantly helping them know what to do with the information once they have found it.  I want my students to be savvy consumers of information.

So go check out what’s happening in my library!

Parade and Suess

In our latest round of kindergarten homework we had to create a sign that would represent a word for an all school vocabulary parade.

We (and by that I mean Chris and I found a few ideas and had Corbin pick) decided on “pedestrian”.

I bought all the supplies, Chris put it all together, and Corbin looked cute walking up and down the red carpet vocabulary run away. 

He got all the glory we got all the work…that about sums up kindergarten for us so far

Dr. Suess’ birthday is on March 2nd.  Corbin’s class has been doing different activities all this week to celebrate.

Here’s a book with answers by Corbin.

Ahh, yes, Old Japan, one of the many destinations I’ve heard him talk about wanting to visit --- never!?!?  But good to know if Chris and I ever plan a family vacation across the world.

I see that he first thought, “no, I can’t wiggle my nose.” But then I’m sure he sat there tried it and decided “oh wait, I can totally wiggle my nose.”  Thus he changed his answer.  That’s my inference into the inner workings of Corbin’s mind…you’re welcome.

Please note that he can not do a cartwheel.  This tidbit of information will be important later.

I think what Corbin means by “I can play a musical instrument” is that he’s blown on an old trumpet and noise came out.  I don’t want him to oversell his musical instrument playing abilities

Umm, well, I’m not sure what to do with all the boxes being checked.  Is that a sign of good confidence, indecisiveness, or a compelling desire to just check empty boxes.

Please note, he is not so good at cartwheels, remember that from above.  Apparently, there are girls at recess who are in gymnastics and can do cartwheels.  I had no idea he was being so weighed down by his inability to do a cartwheel.

 

This by far is my favorite page.  Why would you want to be someone else when you are already Corbin!