Quote of the Day

Nathan's 10-year-old cousin, Nina, entered the yard at our new home, after visiting us at our rental, and pronounced with relief, "Now, this is a real house!"

SOLD!

My recent absence from the blog is due to the fact that Nathan and I have just bought our first home! This exciting purchase has been immediately followed by a lot of hard work. The house we have purchased is quite a fixer-upper (as you will see if you continue reading my blog) and so we have our work cut out for us! We will be out of our rental by Sunday and will be staying with family for the next three months while we work on the new house. I have a feeling I am about to learn a lot about home renovation! More pictures to come.

"Where'd Nathan go?" -McKayla
(Look closely to find Nathan hiding in both of the above picures.)

Birthday Bash

May 12

The birthday girls with the birthday boy- we all three have birthdays on May 12!

Michelle got the same card- one from us and the other from Gordon & Joey!

Seth trying out his new scooter!

Mommy and baby

The best birthday present ever!

The Living End by Lisa Samson

Devastated by her husband, Joey’s, unexpected stroke (and subsequent death) while lunching at Golden Corral, Pearly Laurel sinks into a severe depression. Immersed in her sadness, she decides to complete Joey’s to-do list of unfinished plans for his life. And, when completed, makes plans to finish her own life. In her quest to complete her husband’s list, Pearly (among other things) goes whale watching in Alaska, walks the Appalachian Trail, and takes guitar lessons, all while reflecting on her husband’s strong faith in God and her own refusal to acknowledge his strong faith and attend church with him. As she contemplates her life with Joey, Pearly discovers the key to fulfillment in her own life is building relationships we have with many people (not just the one person we allow our world to revolve around) and through these relationships, Pearly begins to find her own faith in God growing stronger. She discovers not just one reason to continue living, but a whole roomful of people to live for and a God who gives her life meaning.

This book was chosen for my book club by a dear friend who truly loved the novel. It had a terrific rating on goodreads so I dove in, fully expecting to be immersed by Pearly’s story, but I wasn’t. While I can appreciate it’s message, the book felt fragmented and removed, and more than a little preachy. I had a hard time identifying with Pearly, even sympathizing with her terrible loss. I didn’t understand her path to healing and was disappointed that Pearly was not a more sympathetic character. Many people may love this book, but it was not a favorite of mine.

Quote of the Day

After completing the lesson this morning for the children in Children's Worship, I took the kids outside to the playground. Two of the little girls in the group had spent 5-10 minutes playing on a particular two-person swing when two boys began to get a little impatient, wanting their own turn on the swing. I told the girls they could swing for two more minutes and then they needed to let the boys have a turn. I gave them a one minute warning. Then, the time came for the girls to relinquish the swing to the waiting boys. One girl hopped off cheerfully and headed to a different area of the playground. The other girl just sat there, unmoving.

"Sara*, it's time to let the boys swing," I reminded her.

Silence.

Sara didn't move.

"We have to share the swing with everybody. You girls had a very long turn and now it's the boy's turn."

Nothing.

I sighed.

"All right, Sara. Let's go." I reached for her hand.

She jerked it away and did a belly flop onto the ground, shrieking.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!"

I tried to talk to her, while moving her away from the swing so the boys could take possession.

"It's so nice of you to share the swing, Sara."

"NO! NO!"

Suddenly, Sara planted her feet on the ground, pointed her finger to the sky, and hollered....

"MY GOD SAYS NO!"

(*Name has been changed to protect the cute, yet not necessarily innocent!)

Picture Book of the Day

If you haven't read this ADORABLE picture book, you must! If Animals Kissed Good Night by Ann Whitford Paul is one of the cutest books I've seen. It has everything you could want in a children's book- precious pictures, fun word choices in rhythmic verse (see below) and a sweet message. I have already purchased a copy for myself in the hopes of having some snugly goodnight cuddles with my own little one someday. In the meantime, Nathan has been made to suffer through my sing-songy reading of the book and the must-have accompanying couch cuddle.

Walrus calf and her papa
would make whiskery swishes,
rubbing each other
in scritch-scratchy kisses.

Mama Elephant's trunk would kiss and then sway
and shower her calf with a wet, washing spray.

If animals kissed like we kiss good night,
the sky would turn dull, the moon a chalk white-
and Sloth and her cub?

Still... kissing good night.

(Originally posted Monday, September 29. 2008)

Picture Book of the Day

In the book What Does Peace Feel Like, V. Radunsky asks children from around the world about peace. Their answers are shared in this wonderful book- one of my favorites to use in the classroom for descriptive writing. Check it out!

What does peace smell like?

Like a bouquet of flowers in a happy family's living room... like fresh and new furniture... like wind that comes in your nose when you are sleeping... like fresh air that makes you want to go out and sleep in the sun... like pizza with onions and sausage that just came out of the oven.

What does peace look like?

Like a cat and dog curled up together in a basket... like new babies just born yesterday... like a cloud high in the sky that just happens to be there giving happiness to everybody, white and fluffy PEACE!... like your mom that kisses you and hugs you... like something beautiful that goes away but will come back.

SRES Girls

Caleb Matthew

(When the new babies make their grand entrance, I sometimes forget to take pictures of the big people!)

Welcome to the World...

...Levi Oliver Stutzman!!!

Picture Book of the Day

Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles tells a touching story of a young Navajo girl whose grandmother has informed her family that "when the new rug is taken from the loom" she will will pass away. With a valiant determination, Annie does whatever she can think of- misbehaving in school, pulling out the strands of the yarn, etc.- to prevent her family from completing the rug. With quiet beauty, Miska Miles beautifully illustrates Annie's sadness in this picture book for older readers. It's lovely.
"Sometimes it seemed to Annie that her grandmother was her age- a girl who has seen no more than nine or ten harvestings.

If a mouse skittered and jerked across the hard dirt floor of their hogan, Annie and her grandmother laughed together.

And when they prepared the fried bread for the evening meal, if it burned a bit black at the edges, they laughed and said it was good.

There were other times when her grandmother sat small and still, and Annie knew that she was very old. Then Annie would cover the thin knees of the Old One with a warm blanket.

It was at such a time that her grandmother said, 'It is time you learn to weave my granddaughter.' "

Picture Book of the Day

This book, The Big Box by Toni and Slade Morrison just might be my all time favorite children's book! I have yet to find another that matches it in catchy rhythm and rhyme, beautiful illustrations (by Giselle Potter!), and thought-provoking message. In my humble opinion, it's a literary masterpiece! If you read only one children's book this year, this should be the one!

"Patty and Mickey and Liza Sue
Live in a big brown box.
It has carpets and curtains and beanbag chairs.
And the door has three big locks.

Oh, it's pretty inside and the windows are wide
With shutters to keep out the day.
They have swings and slides and custom-made beds
And the doors open only one way.

Their parents visit on Wednesday nights
And you should see the stuff they get.
Pizza and Legos and Bubble Yum
And a four-color TV set.
On Christmas day
They got a picture of the sky
And a butterfly under glass
An aquarium thing with plastic fish
Made so it would last.

Oh, the seagulls scream
And rabbits hop
And beavers chew trees when they need 'em.
But Patty and Mickey and Liza Sue-
Those kids can't handle their freedom."

Picture Book of the Day

Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae is an adorable story about Gerald the Giraffe who just can't dance. All the other jungle animals make fun of Gerald. With the help of a tiny cricket, Gerald learns that he can, in fact, dance when he doesn't try to do it to somebody else's music. He just needs to find the music that he loves. This is a great story for teaching kids about acceptance.

Gerald swallowed bravely
as he walked toward the floor.
But the lions saw him coming,
and they soon began to roar.
....
"Excuse me!" coughed a cricket
who'd seen Gerald earlier on,
"But sometimes when you're different
you just need a different song."

Picture Book of the Day

In honor of Children's Book Week, I am featuring a children's book each day that I believe is a must-read for all children and adults! Today's book is Alphabeasts by Wallace Edwards. This is a beautiful rhyming alphabet book with illustrations that will grab your attention. They are lovely! If you get a chance, check it out!

"A is for Alligator,

awake from a dream.

B is for Bat,

slurping ice cream.

C is for Cat,

who reflects on itself.

D is for Duck,

guarding toys on a shelf."

May 11-17 is Children's Book Week--the oldest national literacy event in the United States.

Teacher Appreciation Week

“Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions.” -Anonymous

Teacher Appreciation Week

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison." -Victor Hugo

Coincidence or a Sign?

Yesterday I received the cutest birthday card in the mail from my dear friend, Tammy. She makes the best homemade cards, and tucked cutely inside a pocket in this one was a package of lettuce seeds.

This morning I arrived at school and tucked inside my mailbox with a note saying 'Thanks for helping our students grow" was a package of lettuce seeds.

Maybe God's trying to tell me I need to grow some lettuce?

Teacher Appreciation Week

Whose Child Is This?

"Whose child is this?" I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play.
"Mine," said the parent with a tender smile
"Mine to keep a little while.
To bathe his hands and comb his hair,
To tell him what he is to wear,
To prepare him that he may always be good,
And each day do the things he should".

"Whose child is this?" I asked again,
As the door opened and someone came in.
"Mine," said the teacher with the same tender smile.
"Mine, to keep just for a little while.
To teach him how to be gentle and kind,
To train and direct his dear little mind,
To help him live by every rule,
And get the best he can from school".

"Whose child is this?" I asked once more,
Just as the little one entered the door.
"Ours," said the parent and the teacher as they smiled.
And each took the hand of the little child.
"Ours to love and train together.
Ours this blessed task forever."

Author Unknown

Mother Daughter Tea 2009: Back to the Fifties

Mother Daughter Tea 2008

Mother Daughter Tea 2007

Teacher Appreciation Week

”Often, when I am reading a good book, I stop and thank my teacher.” -Anonymous

Teacher Appreciation Week

Wonderful Teacher

With a special gift for learning
And with a heart that deeply cares,
You add a lot of love
To everything you share,
And even though
You mean a lot,
You'll never know how much,
For you helped
To change the world
Through every life you touched.
You sparked the creativity
In the students whom you taught,
And helped them strive for goals
That could not be bought,
You are such a special teacher
That no words can truly tell
However much you're valued
For the work you do so well.

--Author Unknown

Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos

This book is a love story. Cornelia Brown is the manager of a Philadelphia coffee shop when she begins dating Martin Grace, a Cary Grant look-alike. However, their fairy tale romance doesn't quite unfold the way one would expect.

When 11-year-old Clare is dropped off on the side of the road by her demented mother, she begins a desperate search for her absent father.

Circumstances lead Clare to Cornelia's coffee shop and the love story begins.

Marisa de los Santos tells this enchanting story of a lonely 30-something woman and a scared 11-year-old girl with romantic beauty. Weaved with references to popular culture (classic movies, songs, etc.), the book is reminiscent of a wonderful romantic comedy. Beautifully timed and eloquently delivered, I was captivated by Clare and Cornelia, and completely unsure of what would happen to them. While many may dub this book as typical 'chick lit' for it's romantic references, de los Santos is a writer with talent that far surpasses those in the general chick lit genre. Opening this book felt like sitting down to have coffee with a good friend. The writing flowed so conversationally, I felt almost as though I were listening to the story rather than reading it.

Normally, I have so many books in my to-read pile, that I am always anxious to begin the next one as soon as I have finished the last. When I finished Love Walked In, I was tempted to turn right back to page one and start it all over again. I loved it.

Teacher Appreciation Week

"If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 25 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all (simultaneously!) with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job.” -Donald Quinn

Honey Baked Chicken

On Saturday night Lauren came over for dinner and a movie. I made a recipe that was a favorite in my home growing up. My mom made Honey Baked Chicken all the time and we loved it! It had been so long since I made it that I forgot just how easy it is to prepare! Lauren and Nathan both liked it so I thought I would share.

Honey Baked Chicken

serves 6

Remove skin and fat from 12 chicken pieces. Place chicken pieces in baking dish in a single layer. Measure 2/3 cup of honey into 1 cup measuring cup. Add:

1 tbsp refrigerated mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. curry powder

Mix well and pour over chicken pieces.

Cover with foil and and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil and turn each piece over and bake another 15 minutes uncovered.

Serve over steamed rice.

Teacher Appreciation Week

If I Could Teach You, Teacher

If I could teach you, teacher,
I’d teach you how much more
you have accomplished
than you think you have.
I’d show you the seeds
you planted years ago
that are now coming into bloom.
I’d reveal to you the young minds
that have expanded under your care,
the hearts that are serving others
because they had you as a role model.
If I could teach you, teacher,
I’d show you the positive effect
you have had on me and my life.
Your homework is
to know your value to the world,
to acknowledge it, to believe it.
Thank you, teacher.

By Joanna Fuchs

May Brunch Bunch

Quote of the Day

Struck by the fact that I was heading out the door to brunch bunch this morning and Nate Abrahams wasn't coming to hang out with him during our girl time this month, Nathan became grouchy.

"I don't like this day!" he pouted.... and then resumed his game of Solitaire.

What Part of Spring Are You?

You Are Blooming Flowers

You are an optimistic person by nature. In even the darkest times, you are hopeful about the future. You feel truly blessed in life and can sometimes be overwhelmed with emotions. You have an artist's eye. You are always looking for beauty in the mundane. You have a good sense of aesthetics, especially when it comes to shapes and color.

What Part of Spring Are You?