Project 52, 13/52

Everyday Moment

Just hanging out, as usual.  I have plenty of regular seating at my house, but this one prefers the banister, the kitchen counter, the table, the top of the piano, the back of the couch, the floor...

03.26.13

Family Science Fun night at school- plotting the best path from open water into harbor.  At another point in the evening, she designed a catapult that sent a cotton ball flying 13 feet.  Fun indeed.

03.25.13

Whatever the snowbanks seem to tell us, Easter is around the corner.

Project 52, 12/52

Reflect

Big weekend around here- Addie took ice skating lessons this winter, and yesterday and today was the spring show, "Paradise on Ice."   She was excited to skate, yes, but she was beyond thrilled to wear this outfit and get her hair and makeup done by the college figure skating club.  

The show itself was a pretty amazing production with spot lights, an emcee, a concession stand (as Addie was quick to point out,) and lots of awesome, pretty great, and still learning but aren't they cute ice skating routines.  Even now, hours later, she's walking around humming all the songs.

03.24.13

Addie and her daddy celebrating a triumphant skate show, or maybe just happy about the nachos from the concession stand.

03.23.13

Paradise on Ice

03.22.13

These girls can skate!  Spring ice show dress rehearsal.

03.21.13

One of the highlights of my week at work- reading the kids' journals.

03.20.13

 A cat trap on a Snow Day.

03.19.13

Early dismissal manicures.  With pink polkadots.

03.18.13

A dolphin leaping at sunset, the most recent addition to the Wall of Art.

Project 52, 11/52

Details

Every 3 weeks or so, I play the piano at church.  Yesterday I got together with this week's worship team to practice for this morning.  The piano and the guitar sounded great, as did the cello- mostly.  But every once in a while, we'd hear a note that was kind of off.  

We ignored it as long as we could, because that was easier and quicker than stopping to solve the problem.  However, what we were creating was not pretty, and after a while we had to take a break and address the situation.  One little string needed to be tuned a little bit one way or the other.  That little detail was derailing our sound, but once fixed, we were back to awesomeness.

"Don't sweat the small stuff" is one of my favorite expressions.  Sometimes, however, details matter.

For more "details,"  check in with Theresa.

03.17.13

Making joyful noise.

03.16.13

Kids in Addie's class take turns bringing Leapy home for the weekend and documenting their activities.  I think he likes Chinese.

03.15.13

Last 5 minutes of the day, chairs already stacked, spontaneous Irish dancing lessons courtesy of youtube.

03.14.13

Future science project creators, checking out the fair.

03.13.13

We have a new shopper in the family.

03.12.13

Scholastic bonus points + teacher catalog = Love

03.11.52

It seemed so much like Spring in Grand Rapids, but it's definitely still winter up here, complete with a harrowing trip across the U.P. for us and a snow day for the kids.

Project 52, 10/52

Fragile

This is a super fancy art installation at our super fancy hotel at the reading conference I went to with some teacher friends this weekend.  

It seems kind of fragile.

   

I love going to conferences because at this point in the year, the love I have for my job has become a little fragile.  The joy is harder to hang on to.  My patience wears thin sooner than it did last fall.  My smile feels a little bit stuck on sometimes.  My first graders are as cute as ever, so it's not their fault at all. I just need a little re-charge.

Then, I go to a conference and share, collaborate, and learn.  I talk to grown-ups.  We discuss, we vent, we brainstorm, we laugh, we even cry.  It's great.  And now I'm all excited about my job again- I have so much more to teach my kids and only a couple more months to get it all done!

To see some more "fragile," check in with Theresa here.

03.10.13

The Corner Bar in Rockford with Mollie, Jen, Alissa, and Kristen.  Headed back north, taking lots of great reading ideas with us.

03.09.13

The 57th annual Michigan Reading Association Conference.  Lots of teachers, lots of books, lots of good ideas, lots of fun. 

03.08.13

"Welcome to Grand Rapids and the JW Mariott!"

03.07.13

Last minute early morning run to the store- sugar for breakfast, sledding for gym class.  Perfect 2nd grade day.

03.06.13

Kickin' it old school style at Awana Sparks.  Kids love it.

03.05.13

 School-wide Drop Everything and Read!  Yay for March Reading Month! 

03.04.13

Girl Scout cookies delivery day.  You can't have just one (box.)

03.03.13

It's OK because cross country skiing was a good workout.

Project 52, 9/52

Moody

The largest, the highest, and the deepest of all the Great Lakes. The most beautiful, if you ask me. Usually too cold to swim in, even in August (unless you're from here.)

This is the lovely southern shore of Lake Superior on a sunny Saturday in March- rugged, picturesque, and extremely temperamental. Moody, if you will. Last July, this beach was an azure sheet of glass.  Last November, the waves pounded.  Think waves of up to 30 feet.  Think "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."   Today, the waves were just 2 to 4 feet. But I wouldn't want to be out there!

To see "Moody" according to Theresa, check here.  Then follow the links to see more moodiness.

03.02.13

Getting mushed in Copper Harbor by Tom Bauer and his B team out of Tapiola.  Pretty fun.

03.01.13

The start of the Copper Dog 150 in Calumet.  It was pretty cold.

02.28.13

March:  One school, one book- This is what 600+ copies of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane looks like.

02.27.13

Awana pizza party/beach party/wear your Minnie ears for no real reason party.

02.26.13

Another math workshop, another yummy lunch- way better than my usual Hot Pocket.