The mantle is a hodge-podge of deocrations and the front porch is glowing orange. Can't wait for our annual pizza party, trick-or-treating and lots of hot apple cider. Hope you have a fun Halloween too!
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G3: October
This month...
- We were super proud of Mac as we heard lots of good news at his IEP meeting.
- We survived the busiest month of cheerleading.
- Sean played basketball with retired Harlem Globetrotters.
- Two out of the three of us got haircuts.
- I found out I have four classes to teach next spring.
- And Sean ran 110.98 miles.
Well Wishes...
The last of the leftovers from this watercolor project...I made this card with them too.
Well Wishes...a homemade card shared every Wednesday.
Apple cider...
It was our fourth year of driving about one hundred and sixty miles roundtrip to walk through an apple ochard, eat warm cider donuts and buy a couple gallons of apple cider. The drive is usually three times as long as the time we are there, but it is always worth it.
Randomness...
1. Sean got to play with Harlem Globtrotter Legends Team this weekend for a charity game in his school district. I have not laughed that hard in a long time.
2. There was not a lot of laughing on Thursday when our ten-year-old fridge abruptly decided that it was done working. This one lives here now...hopefully for at least ten years.
3. This is the week I get completely caught up with life...it's getting a little ridiculous around here.
4. Then I will read all of these...Thanksgiving magazines are my absolute favorite.
Cook//Make//Wish: 09
I think painted letter magnets are super cute.
I am borderline obsessed with the idea of having a roll of paper mounted on the wall.
And don't we need to eat maple bacon beer burgers while watching college football? I think so.
Cook//Make//Wish posts include three recent favorites discovered via Pinterest.
Well Wishes...
Well Wishes...a homemade card shared every Wednesday.
He's 17...
I mentioned that we went out to Redlands for homecoming this past weekend. At the luncheon I think I answered "Mac is 17" about seventeen times while mouths dropped open since he was tiny baby while we were all there. Not anymore...
Can you see Mac in the photo of the administration building steps back in 1996? I took those photos when he was about three months old and just a few pounds (he was only 2 pounds when he was born). Thankfully he humored me for an updated photo this past weekend.
And check out that cutting-edge scrapbook page...I even included the "R" in the mountains.
I have the very best job...
I was at school from 8:45 until 4:45 today and now I am sitting at my desk as my industrial sized printer prints short-answer tests for two different classes next week. My class planner is out in front of me as I get the tiniest bit ahead for the next couple of weeks. I graded a stack of journals for one class today and have 59 more waiting in a digital drop-box for another class.
Today I discussed disabilities and People First Language with my family course. We brainstormed every romantic comedy we could think of in Sociology of Women as I wrote all of the titles on the board. We watched this video, the class got into groups to discuss what they have learned from watching these movies over and over. Next each group will work together to write about new characters and a plot for their own romantic comedy that takes into account what we have covered so far in class this semester. My intro course in the late afternoon discussed everything they loved that teachers have done in their classes and everything they hate, then we discussed two of Paulo Freire's teaching methods.
I have been continually amazed by my student's willingness to go along with an unconventional teaching style. It's been months now, of days just like today, and I still feel so darn lucky. I walked down the stairs from my last class thinking that I really have the very best job. And I am not exagerating when I tell you I have had that exact thought at some point every single day.
Well Wishes...
Well Wishes...a homemade card shared every Wednesday.
Randomness...
1. Sean has done the grocery shoppping ever since we figured out the bill goes up at least 25% if I go (don't ask about this weekend's Costco trip I went on). For the last several weeks he has included a bouquet from Trader Joe's on his list. It's the best $5 we spend.
2. Tonight's cheer booster meeting was a borderline disaster, as they all have been...awesome.
3. The homecoming preparations continue, next up is hosting a craft night at our house tomorrow to make these headbands, in school colors, for the girls to wear.
4. While discussing childhood milestones with my Sociology of the Family class I told them about the day I lost my first tooth. It was my 6th birthday and I was visiting my grandparents in Chicago. Since my mom was not with me she sent a clown to surprise me with balloons, which was the best surprise ever. Then I told them that the next birthday my mom was not with me was my freshmen year of college. Where she sent a clown with balloons to my dorm, which definitely was a surprise. The story was a bit of a tangent from a discussion of losing our first teeth, but it sure had the class laughing.
Busy...
This week will be pretty darn packed with activity. Normally I would say "busy"..."we will be so busy this week". I would think we barely have time for it all. And, technically, we probably would not.
This summer, though, I came to the realization that the concept of "busy" is at risk for being misused. It was while we were setting up the first big fundraiser of the year for the cheer team. Since I am the only returning booster board member, I ended up in charge by default. Almost every step of the way I continually heard that parents could not help or did not respond to various requests because they were busy. I am not, in anyway, insinuating that they were not being honest. I actually completely believe that they were busy. Quite honestly, aren't we all really busy? Unfortunately it's pretty much built into our culture that we will always have too much to do.
Based on that interaction, I realized that I had likely been a frequent "busy" user too. I decided I'd start to try to avoid "busy" as a reason not to do something to the best of my ability. I wanted to make a conscientious effort when I am asked about how I am not to answer, "busy". I read about the perception of time and realized it was up to me to decide that I have enough.
I'll spare you what all is on the list, but despite the fact that I still feel a little completely overwhelmed looking at the next several days, I am not "busy" this week.
Wrapped...
Yesterday I mentioned trying to make anything and everything cuter...and cords are one of them.
If they can't be hidden completely at least a little fabric or yarn can help.
The pursuit of cute...
A piece of fabric around a jar...some patterned paper stuck to the notepad by the phone. I will forever, and ever, be trying to make everything just a tiny bit cuter.
Well Wishes...
Well Wishes...a homemade card shared every Wednesday.
Randomness...
A super cute little planter my mom gave me earlier this year.
1. I got a flu shot on Friday and the injection site has been super sore and hot ever since. I've joked that my upper arm apparently caught the flu...it's all achy and has a fever.
2. The Timehop app has been one of my favorites lately. Love being reminded of our last drive up to Oak Glen or that it's been a year since I snapped a tooth right out of my mouth.
3. Today we watched Miss Representation in my soc of women class and The Dream is Now in my intro class. I promise we don't watch videos too often in my classes, but these are really good ones.
4. I am craving gallons of hot chocolate right now.
5. After trying way, way too many products without much success, I think I have found a formula for my baby fine curly hair. A dime-sized amount of gel and shaping lotion mixed together. I don't want to sound dramatic or anything, but this combination is kind of life changing.
6. This weekend is mini cheer camp, the cheer team's biggest fundraiser of the year. Next week is Homecoming and the team is in charge of decorating the football stadium. Oh and we are hosting the team dinner before the game for all 39 cheerleaders. So, if you don't hear from me...
Pumpkin Jars
We all know by now that I love saving and decorating jars...I've strung buttons on wire around them, filled them with flowers and have used them as candle holders.
When I was super lucky to get to participate in Eighteen25's Spooktacular last month, I thought of jars yet again. This time I tried to make them into into "carved" pumpkins.
You can see more of the project here...and here's a Spooktacular project I got to make a couple years ago too.
Brown Sugar and Vanilla Applesauce
We make homemade apple sauce almost every weekend in the fall and then pack it in our school lunches throughout the week. After experimenting with different combinations I think we have finally settled on a favorite.
Brown Sugar and Vanilla Applesauce
- 3 pounds of apples (we often use Gala apples)
- 1/2 cup of apple cider (but you could use apple juice, orange juice or even water just a little liquid on the bottom of the pot)
- 1/2 cup of loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
Wash the apples, core, and slice them. There is no need to peel them though. Place all the apple slices in a big stock pot with the apple cider. Cook apples until fork tender. Drain the apples and grind them either in a food processor or foley food mill. Add brown sugar and vanilla paste. Grab a spoon and enjoy a little while it's still warm.
Well Wishes...
These were leftover from a project I made here.
Well Wishes...a homemade card shared every Wednesday.
