life – Page 3 – Peaceful Reader

Where has the month gone?

Oh, yes, my blog…

Sometime during August I completely forgot for days that a blog is something I do, or did. I love writing and getting responses and some weeks are busier than others but August-truly you slipped away from me.

My attention has been at school. My school began with teacher work week days creeping up on me like a bad cold. One minute your happily waking up late, making breakfast for everyone, and then sitting down and resting for like two hours with a book in your lap and then BANG-time to go back to work.

My attention has also been on getting Groovy Girl prepared for 5th grade. Mostly that’s me sulking for a few days on the fact that she is even old enough (how could it be!) to be in 5th grade. Where did that time go? She is sassy and smart and totally prepared for school days. She has a new backpack from Target with a matching lunch box. She has folders matched to notebooks in 5 different hues. She has new colored pencils, markers, a big box of Kleenex and a medium sized scissors for her 5th grade fingers. She has everything but a best friend ready for school. I don’t know why she has such trauma with friends she just does. Mostly many of the other girls are already bossy tweenagers while she is insecure and small-ish. She wants to play make-believe while other girls prance discussing training bra sizes or whatever and the others play kick ball. One or the other no in-between. She doesn’t like kickball. Yikes. It’s been a rough couple of years for her in the friend arena but that’s another story.

My attention has been on Teenage Boy who is going to grow out of his blog name soon. He started at a local community college on Monday. His high school began the process to close (big tears-me, not him) while he was a junior last year and he made the smart decision to graduate with the last seniors by taking two on-line courses. He finished on the last day possible to graduate and began his first week at HCC with four classes. Wow. That’s just about all the mother can say. Wow.

My attention has been on working out more as I’ve added ten pounds to my smallish frame. The summer of turning 50gave me an unusually shaped waistline and I’m not happy about it. My kids still say I’m the
“skinniest mom they know” but I can feel this lump like a perpetual baby bulge. I am trying to walk more and bring full time yoga back into my life. For now I’m wearing multi-colored muu-muu’s to school.

In other news:

My car was rifled through while I was volunteering at the Democratic office for two hours. The important objects taken were a very nice water bottle, my black sunglasses, a bag of quarters (about $18), and our Garmin GPS!! The strangest thing they took was a pair of Bob’s striped size 3 of Groovy Girl’s that we had ordered and then needed to return because she discovered a small tear in the canvas. “They” got a brand new slightly ripped pair of shoes-tags still on them! I hate the idea of someone going through my stuff and I’m not happy with myself about forgetting to lock it but they are just objects Lesson learned.

I finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn in like 3 days! Review will be forthcoming but know that it was GREAT. My women’s book group read James Joyce’s Portrait of an Artist as a young man. I couldn’t get through it and don’t know if I will ever go back. Joyce’s stream of consciousnesses was not enjoyable. It was my first free download to my Kindle Fire so there’s that to celebrate!

Most of all I’ve been paying attention to my blessings. This blog is one of them and I will bring myself back to it now. It was nice taking a short breather but I could tell I missed it the last two days.

What’s grabbed your attention this month?

Weekend Cooking; Road Trip to peace.

Yesterday I had melted Brie, fresh bread and apple slices.

There was chaos getting to that peaceful spot though.

Groovy Girl began the day sad causing waves of tears and snappy answers from her. It took us a bit to convince her she could take charge of her own mood. She did and we went off to skating a bit late but still there. After her skating lesson, Husband and I had a planned road trip with friends and I was excited to go. A few days earlier husband found out about a peace walk and wanted to participate. Of course, the timing of the event squeezed it right in between skating and our intended road trip, which makes handsome husband think “oh, great we can make it!” Ugh. Love peace, Hate rushing.

I often walk laps around the arena while Groovy skates and I needed a shower and I had less than 30 minutes to get ready for the walk and the road trip. Could I have planned more the night before? Yes. Did I? No. In my rush I spent 3-4 precious minutes trying to get new milk from Hansen’s into the refrigerator cramming it between various water bottles. I should have taken water bottles out but instead somehow managed to spill the small pitcher of margaritas I’d made the night before. I cried as the mason jar spilled it’s contents all over the kitchen rug. Now I had to stop and wipe it all up. What a waste. It wasn’t the loss of the drink (well a little bit) but I dislike rushing and the affects of rushing. I did make it up to take my shower and even though I was sad about spilled “milk” I knew it wasn’t the cause but I still managed to have another mini-meltdown as I was driving back down the highway previously traveled for skating.

Meltdown’s are rarely about what started it and I knew I was nervous about leaving my children for the day and for my husband cramming something more into our day. I sobbed to my handsome and understanding husband-he said “Ill listen as we go…” He did listen yet my feelings still hadn’t resolved as we arrived at the gathering spot. While praying for a peace I realized these things:

1. My children are old enough to be on their own together but it was my first time leaving them for the day without my mom or someone else to consult. They would have to take care of chores, and lunch and dinner on their own. They survived.

2. My husband and I have walked, prayed, rallied for peace from Arkansas, D.C. and Iowa. Of course he would want to walk this walk. The walks purpose is to highlight a Dr. King park we hope to have built in our church neighborhood.

Even though my tears and my brain fought it; the walk healed me and reminded me of what I know to be true. My life is good and we need more peace in our communities both locally and worldly. I left my grumpy bugs behind.

Our road trip with friends to the Amana Colonies was fantastic. We went to Fireside Winery for a tasting, shopped, (I bought pecan maple syrup at the General Store) and root beer here and enjoyed the company of our friends and the fantastic autumnal weather. At both winery and Millstream we were able to sit on the patio with just sweaters. We had a delicious family-style dinner at The Ronneburg Restaurant, which included sides of sauerkraut, German potato salad, beets, coleslaw and dark rye bread. My grandmother would have loved it! The meal was good but the Brie on the patio was my favorite part of the day. Sunshine, a light white wine and laughter made me forgot all about my meltdown.

The margarita recipe:

12 oz can frozen limeade
12 ounces of tequila
12 ounces of water
8 ounces of triple sec (2/3 can)
1 can domestic beer
Ice and Limes as desired

Use the frozen limeade can to measure ingredients. Mix well in a gallon pitcher. If you would like to blend them; don’t add the water and blend. Either way serve in a small glass, with limes and salt. Perfect.

Fall is not margarita weather here but our school published a new cookbook (our second one) and my school friend, Stephanie, had this brag-worthy mix. We toasted together on Friday night while we watched the Cardinals win the World Series. Yeah!!!

This crazy long post is linked to Weekend Cooking hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

Weekend Update; fun library picks and the Oscars!!

Groovy Girl and I stopped at one of the two public libraries we are fortunate enough to have in our adjoining small towns. She plunked herself down with a stack of interesting picture books while I ventured out to look around. I am always on the search for chapter books to capture her attention. She is a struggling reader and as of yet hasn’t really finished a chapter book on her own. One reading teacher told me I’m enabling her by always reading to her but I did this with our other children-the oldest one was already an accomplished reader by the time we met but she still loved listening to stories. Teenage Boy didn’t take off on reading until his 3rd and 4th grade years so I’m not worried but none-the-less ever the good librarian I seek a perfect reading fit that will send her to a quiet corner to read and marvel.

We picked Orphan Train Children; Lucy’s Wish by Joan Lowery Nixon, which I thought would appeal to her American Girl love of history and Amber Brown is Not a Crayon by Paula Danzinger, which is a 3rd grade character like herself and filled with fun.

I brought home only two treasures from the new section: In the Garden with Dr. Carver by Susan Grigsby; a picture book, and She Looks Just Like You; A Memoir of (Nonbiological Lesbian) Motherhood. Groovy Girl actually picked this last one out as we perused the new adult nonfiction. I’m not a fan of nonfiction and maybe I was looking for cookbooks but G.G. pulled this one out and liked the mother/daughter on the front cover. She was thrilled that I decided to check it out!

Tonight we go off to an Oscar party at a friend’s house. We usually sit home and watch them with our score pads. My husband is a bit obsessed with watching all the nominees. Luckily we can get half of them from Netflix. I hope that Winter’s Bone, The King’s Speech, The Kid’s Are All Right, and Black Swan do well. I liked Inception, 127 Hours and The Social Network also-so many good ones this year.

I can’t decide if The Illustionist, How to Train Your Dragon or Toy Story 3 should win for best animated movie-I loved all three! I don’t understand why Julianne Moore wasn’t nominated at all-I thought she should have been in best supporting actress category. In will all be over within the next couple of hours and I know it is not the Most Important Thing right now but it serves a purpose, just like going to the movies or reading a book for that matter-to escape, for just a little bit.

Happy Sunday.
and I’m off to the Oscars…

How can I go to bed when my to-do list isn't finished?

~~1. Call Barb~~

2. Call brother ~~(text)~~

3. ~~relook at library budget line items~~

4. ~~Practicum student arrives today~~

5.Check out new magazines

6. blog
7.read

This is a question I ask myself nearly everyday. I hardly ever get my entire list done and then everything I didn’t get done today gets automatically added to the beginning (or sometimes end) of tomorrow’s list. I feel this constant surge of never quite measuring up. I have to have just one or two things on my list that are TOP PRIORITY-those I get done (on a good day) and the rest-ho hum. But then what happens when late in the day you realize that one of your low priority items really should have been a TOP.

Like today when it dawned on me that my Scholastic Book Fair begins next week and I have yet to get up any of the posters or ready the flyers for students to carry home. Am I crazy? How do I let these things slip through the cracks? I knew the book fair was during conferences and I knew conferences were coming up but next week?? How is February ending so soon? I did find a cool list making tool online while freaking about my own to-do list. Check it out here: http://tadalist.com/?ref=public

Want to view my to-do list for today (notice book fair publicity isn’t even on the list!!”:

http://peacefulreader.tadalist.com/lists/1862425/public

I did get two baskets of laundry folded (not on the list), I did call Barb for her birthday and talked until my phone died (should have had “charge phone” on the list), and I did spend quality time with Groovy Girl while she did 3 homework projects. Also I poked my nose into one of my new magazines (Eating Well) while she was doing her homework. I found about 10 recipes I wanted to make and several articles worthy of blog posts but I now go to bed without calling Julie and no yoga. I did text my brother but that doesn’t really count. All I can hope for is a better finish tomorrow. My plan is to focus and spend 5 minutes in the morning right when I get to school (or maybe at home as I eat my breakfast) and prioritize my list with my date book next to me. I’ll add that item to my list!

Are you a list maker?

Make your dreams a reality-Pamela Samuels Young Guest Post

From the desk of Pamela Samuels Young:

Today is a new day, which means you have a fresh opportunity to pursue your passion.

Have you been thinking about changing careers? Perhaps you’d like to go back to school or start your own consulting firm. Maybe being a stay-at-home mom is your dream job. Unfortunately, every time you think about taking the first step, the fear of leaving the virtual security of your current job floods your head with dozens of sound reasons why you should stay put.

Whether your dream is to write a novel, become an interior decorator or start your own catering business, you can make it happen. Here are five tips that will help you begin your journey.

1. Find Time To Plan Your Career Move

With the demands of work, family, church and community activities, you may think you don’t have a spare moment to even think about, much less pursue, your dream career. You’re wrong.
If someone had told me I could’ve published four novels in four years while still practicing law, I would’ve said, “No way.” The key is having a passion and a plan.

It won’t be easy, but you can find free time where you least expect it. The next time you’re taking a neighborhood jog or walking on the treadmill, use the time to think about possible locations for the day spa you’ve dreamed of opening or mull over the plot for that book you’ve wanted to write. Instead of listening to your favorite CD during your morning and evening commute, use the time to work on the business plan for your jewelry-making business. A Dictaphone can be a pretty handy tool in that situation. Your lunch break and the two to three hours you spend in the beauty shop can also be put to good use. With your family’s support, you might even find an evening or two to run off to your local library or a nearby Starbucks for some business-planning time. Even if it’s only an hour a week, use it.

2. Don’t Reinvent The Wheel

You may not realize it, but you have a multitude of resources all around you — family, friends, colleagues, church members, sorority sisters, and even strangers. Don’t be afraid to request an informational interview. If you want to run a bed ‘n breakfast, call up the owners of a similar establishment in another community, invite them to lunch and tap their brain. People love to talk about themselves and many will be flattered that you want to ask them for advice. The Internet is also a valuable resource. You can enter a few key words on Google and thousands of helpful articles will appear right before your eyes. Just remember: research, research, research!

3. Join Professional Organizations

It’s a good idea to surround yourself with others who share your interests and passion. There are hundreds of professional groups whose sole function is to help their members develop their creative talents and realize their business goals. As a writer, I belong to Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America. I rarely make many of the meetings, but when I do, I always learn something or make some contact that helps me along in my writing career. No matter what your passion is, there’s bound to be a networking group you can join.

Organizations like Minority and Women Business Owners, Women Entrepreneurs, Inc., and BizyMoms.com, just to name a few, provide information, support and networking opportunities. Find the organizations that can be most helpful to you and join them.

4. Understand That It Won’t Happen Overnight

Unfortunately, entrepreneurial ventures don’t come with the guarantee of a regular paycheck. I assumed that after releasing my first novel in 2006, Oprah would call and the rest would be history. That has yet to happen. Somehow, I’m still balancing both my legal practice and my passion: writing legal thrillers. It can sometimes be quite stressful, but each time I have a new book that hits the stores, I’m re-energized and more committed than ever about reaching my goal of becoming a full-time writer.

There will no doubt be disappointments when things don’t happen in accordance with your time schedule. But if you remain faithful and focused on your goal, it will happen.

5. Ignore The Naysayers

We all know people who believe you should find a good job, work as hard as you can for 30 years, then retire at 65 and enjoy life. For them, the thought of leaving a secure, well-paying position for the uncertainties of entrepreneurial life is unthinkable. That kind of limited thinking won’t help you realize your dream.

When I proudly tell people I hope to one day give up practicing law to become a full-time novelist, they smile and look as if they want to pat me on top of my head and say, “That’s nice. Now run along back to your briefs.”

You have to decide what you want to do and go for it. And don’t be surprised if you turn out to be your biggest obstacle. When that happens, just look your self-doubt squarely in the face and command it to go away. The same degree of preparation and persistence that helped you land your current position will also help you smoothly transition into your dream career.

So don’t just dream about pursuing your passion, make it happen!

I need to follow this sage advice and get some of my bucket list crossed off!
Thank you Ms. Young for contributing this piece for my readers and thank you for getting up so early in the morning to write!
Pamela Samuels Young’s website

Two days in…

and this is what I’ve accomplished:

1. Watched my Netflix movie, The Holiday, which has been sitting around my DVD player for about 2 weeks. The movie was okay but the highlight was Jude Law-he is seriously handsome albeit a bit of a cad. Now I can send it back. Our turnaround on Netflix movies is slow!

2. Took my son for a short summer haircut. He will be fishing and camping from late June through July and needed one good cut to get him through. He’ll still come back with his long curly locks framing his face.

3. Got up early to do the mom thing with my daughter. Generally, she is still sleeping when I leave for my school and her and dad struggle through breakfast, hair brushing, etc. on their own. I feel extra special when I get to help. This morning my husband and I biked her to school. She still fits on the tandem bike so it takes only about 4 minutes to get to her school by bike! (it’s mostly downhill) Today is her last day of school so I’m also going to have lunch with her for the last time as a second grader. (tears dripping just a little)

4. I’ve done tons of loads of laundry and after daughter left for school I putzed in her room, putting laundry away, making her bed, picking up a few toys-doing all the gentle things I imagine most stay-at-home moms do (but I’m sure they don’t really as I know they have full agendas as well).

5. Here’s the grossiest thing I did so far on my quest for a cleaner house-I cleaned out the bottom drawer of our freezer, which has had a fozen blueberry melty stuff all over it for quite a while-I don’t want to get into specifics but it has been a year ago that the big storm knocked out our electrictity for 3 days and I’m just saying maybe…) I know it makes me shudder to think I did not take the 10 minutes to get it up months ago but it wasn’t hurting anyone:)

6. My plan is also to write every day, not necessarily blogging but actually writing. I did that yesterday and plan to do it today also.

7. I have two books to finish and three posts to write and I’m participating this weekend in Mawbooks Bloggiesta festival to do some clean-up blog stuff! I’m thrilled to participate in this event for the very first time.

8. I made brownies for son’s soccer banquet this evening. The recipe is from my King Arthur cookbook.

Hurrah to summer for giving me the time to catch-up on my own life!!!
Now if I could manage to get up just a little earlier so I could start my early morning yoga routine again I would be completely happy!

and you…how’s your day shaping up?

Oh the places you'll go

We celebrated the great rhyming man ~~today~~ yesterday in great style. About a week ago I talked my sweet husband into performing his skit, “The Sneetches” with three high school students and 12 fifth grade students at my school. He, reluctantly (only because he has much that he juggles at his own job), agreed to take it on. Monday night I brought him home a dryer box and he cut it and painted it to make the “wondrous contraption” for adding and removing stars. If I haven’t mentioned it before I love having a dramatic husband, who can act, direct and make his own scenery. I bought 12 yellow t-shirts from a near by big box craft store-hey, they were 1/2 price-and we were in the skit-making business! They performed the skit four times and my husband did a dramatic reading of Yertle the Turtle, which is his all-time favorite because it is about government crushing the little guy. Students talked about the skit all the rest of the day so I guess it was a hit. I’ve already mentioned to my husband he might want to pencil us in for next year and tonight at dinner I hinted he might want to add to his Seuss repertoire!!

Dr. Seuss has been a favorite of mine for years. I have lovely memories of reading early readers such as One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish to my two little brothers. My son (the 14 yo) always wanted to read Seuss during that first grade period when we expected him to read to us…little did we know at the time he picked Seuss because he had them memorized!! He’s still talented like that because today he was one of the teenagers working with the younger ones. He played Sylvestre McMonkey McBean, the huckster.

I’m so glad, glad, glad for 1. having a family I can count on, 2. crossing this celebration off my list for the week, 3. and because it went really well for all involved!

Now I can move on to planning my next major school event-The Yoga Project!! Next week a certified yoga teacher will come to our school and work with 12 students to make a yoga DVD for classroom use. I have been working on this project for what seems like months (and its not exactly something you can throw together in a week-see top paragraph). I have a little anxiety-hopefully it will go well!!

I miss Dr. Seuss-not that I ever met him-but I would love to see what he would be producing today. Perhaps a look at pollution (did that –McGilligott’s Pool), environment (hhmmm, did that, The Lorax), war (did that too-The Butter Battle Book),diversity (oh, did that too, Horton Hears a Who)-Wow, okay still I’m sure he would find new ways to entertain, persuade and inform!

I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating in your own way and if you are new to Dr. Seuss I recommend almost all-there’s a wocket in my pocket-we don’t know what went wrong there-way too wonky for us!!
Click here and here for two great Seuss sites-I am now an expert at getting the gifts into the chimneys and the second site I used with 4th and 5th grade students-they had to read the whole article about Dr. Seuss and answer questions-it was good, fun and best of all, really made them think and process information! Some of them garrrrrumfed about it but they got it done (it was only 4 questions-jeez!)
Leave a comment and let me know what you did for Dr. Seuss’ birthday or what your favorite Seuss book/character is.

Happy Reading-

Kreativ Blogger Award

My very first…blogger award…I am so excited!! Thank you so much to Natalie at This Purple Crayon, which is a beautifully unique blog so I’m happy she thought of me! Thank you Natalie!

Here’s how the award works:

•Thank the person who gave this to you.

•Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

•Link the person who nominated you.

•Name seven things about yourself that no one would really know.

•Nominate seven “Kreativ Bloggers.”

•Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.

•Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them.

I have to try to find seven different traits of mine not listed on my list of 21, over on my left sidebar so here goes:

I stick my foot in my mouth often; (example) I went to a visitation tonight and told the family “Thank You” instead of “I am so sorry for your loss.” I’m not insensitive just tongue-twisted.
I am easy to live with-(the opposite of a high maintenance woman) or so my husband says.
I am a vegetarian who eats locally-raised meat (odd, yes) so if I’m eating at a restaurant I will only order veggie options but in my own home I might have bacon from a local farmer’s market. My switch to part-time meat-eater came after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Mineral plus I had several blood tests done, showing that I have a serious anemia issue. Does this make me high-maintenance?-luckily, my family doesn’t think so!!
As a young child I had open heart surgery on my mitral valve twice…thus the wide gap between my two naturally-born children.
Both of these sweet children were premature (3 lbs, 4 ozs, and 4 lbs, 4 ozs) yet fully developed and healthy!
I am an eternal optimist, generally happy and try to see the good in all.
I was a bartender and worked for years in the restaurant business before I went to graduate school to get my degree in Library Science. People are generally surprised by this. Oh, and I have a tattoo of Winnie-the-Pooh!

Okay, that wasn’t so hard.

Here are my 7 favorite bloggers where I try to read everyday!

Tina at Books are my thing
Janssen at Everyday Reading
Jenners at Find Your Next Book Here
Lisa at Books, Lists, Life
Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea
Jana at Milk and Cookies; Comfort Reading
Julie P. at Booking Mama

Please check out these marvelous blogs! Happy Reading!

Thank you again to Natalie of This Purple Crayon for thinking of me!!

Now I have to stop blogging so I can watch a movie and eat popcorn with my night owl husband.

Peace.

Black Friday

I missed writing a post yesterday even though I challenged myself to do it every day in November but…yesterday was Thanksgiving and I was busy with family events all day. We are at my mother’s home in the woods and she not only does not have wireless but her one computer is in the basement away from all social flurry. If I had escaped to the basement to blog it would have meant abandoning the family.
I did
1. Help my mother cook.
2. Play with my children and 2 cute nephews.
3. Drink wine.
4. Take a lovely walk with sibling, husband, sister-in-law, various children and bouncy dog.
5. Eat pumpkin pie smothered in homemade whip cream.
6. Read and knit a little.
7. Dishes.
8. Smile a lot!!

What I did not do today…shop!
Today I
1. Took an early morning walk.
2. Watched an excessive amount of Wii played by children and men.
3. Cooked some more.
4. Did more dishes.
5. Counted my blessings.
6. Drank a little more wine.
7. Really relaxed.
8. Did some Wii bowling with Everyone before brother took the wii game away!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all and happy no shopping day!!
p.s. as an older sister I adore watching my youngest brother parent-it brings great joy to my life to see what an incredibly good and relaxed parent he is to his two active sons. Does anybody else experience this joy with their siblings?
Be Peaceful~
Michelle

Thursday Thoughts

Okay, maybe nobody else is counting but I promised to blog every day through November and I’m trying so hard to stick to it. I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society the other night; two days after my church book club met to discuss it…I loved the book and our meeting! I did have trouble with the letter-style of the book at first but then the characters grabbed me. I would like to live in Guernsey-seemed so comforting in its pastoral environment.

I’m exhausted with lots on my plate and here is why:

my mini-list:

1. Tonight I made 50 chocolate-covered pretzel sticks; festooned with Christmas theme sprinkles for our church bazaar, which takes place on Saturday. Mine do not look like the photo but they do look pretty great-photo to follow soon.

2. I am organizing a team of volunteers to move our library from old to our new building right after Thanksgiving. Lots of volunteers and not enough boxes so far.

3. Tuesday night we had our school literacy night-it was great and Maribeth Boelts was lovely!
4. Tomorrow my principal “observes” me for teaching licensure renewal.
5. My mother is calling me more than twice a day to make arrangements for upcoming holiday break, from which I need a break from already!! Love you Mom!

6. And last but really most important my teenager is sick with an unknown non-H1N1 virus-we think he has water poisoning from drinking stale water out of a bottle left too long in his basement gaming room. Uhh, and this has caused him to miss two days of school and probably tomorrow. This occurred one day after he had top shelf braces applied. Really, how fun can this be for him??

7. I love this kind of post from others because it gives me a glimpse into someone else’s life yet when I do it I feel like I’m whining.

And you out there-how is your week??

Be Peaceful-

Michelle