It Only Takes....

..... 4 hours for all my children to be gone before I start feeling lonely. The house is so quiet and feels as though the life is gone from it. 

Jingle Zeus!

Jingle Zeus! Jingle Zeus!

Jingle down the street!

Delivering treats to fan club members,

Those girls and boys are sweet!

Jingle Zeus! Jingle Zeus!

Draped in Mom's sleigh bells!

Shakes his neck to get them off,

The sound is really swell!

Dashing through the cold,

To give the kids their stuff,

Don't you lift your leg,

It'll put 'em in a huff!

Ring the doorbell quick,

And give each face a lick,

Then off we go through frosty snow

Yes, that'll do the trick!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Jingle Zeus! Jingle Zeus!

Jingle down the street!

Delivering treats to fan club members,

Those girls and boys are sweet!

Jingle Zeus! Jingle Zeus!

Draped in Mom's sleigh bells!

Shakes his neck to get them off,

The sound is really swell!

Kyle: The Graduate!

Congratulations to Kyle who finished his Bachelors degree this semester! Since he is in the Bachelors/Masters program at BYU, he will only walk once and receive both diplomas at that time. But he is now a graduate AND a grad student.

Your mama's proud of you!!

A Russian Visitor

Today Natasha Bogdanova (6'4" senior on the Purdue women's basketball team) came for a visit! She spoke to my students about Russia, taught them how to say a few simple phrases, and let them experience meeting a Russian (we are studying Russia right now.) With Cole serving his mission in Russia, I was just as interested in what she had to say as the kids were. 

She even brought us some gifts (see picture) and some team publicity materials which she autographed for us. Although she's studying business, Italian, and international business, I could see her being a teacher - she had a wonderful way with the children. They were enthralled for an hour and a half. And, they didn't pepper her with questions about basketball - they were genuinely interested in her as a Russian, not a basketball player.

Dilemma

How do you tell the parent who is a Math professor at Purdue that she's made an error and calculated her daughter's field trip money wrong and still owes you money??

If I Hadn't Seen It....

.... with my own eyes, I don't think I would have believed it.

Yesterday, the Pet Keepers were feeding Pigita and the hermit crabs. They have permission to get in my fridge and pull out the fruit or veggie I have in there for the animals' dinner around 3:20 each day. (This is when Pigita whistles like crazy, trying to hurry the week's Pet Keepers along.)

I have several students who are waaaaaay up there academically, but when it comes to common sense and being able to do things for themselves, they flounder. One of these kids is currently a Pet Keeper.

I looked over to check on how the Pet Keepers were coming along, and could not believe what I was seeing. Not finding a bag of veggies, this boy has OPENED my leftover dinner (saved for lunch the next day), dumped out the knife and fork, and is YANKING on the steak, trying to pull pieces off!! 

"I didn't see anything else to feed them," he said when asked why he was handling my food. 

I am blown away by the fact that a child in 4th or 5th grade could not tell the difference between a fruit/veggie and meat, or that he would think a guinea pig would eat steak. Even the clues of a knife and fork did not register that this was my dinner and not for the animals.

Classroom Jeopardy!

After a tough fight (and being behind the entire game) Team Jeopards won Classroom Jeopardy! during our inaugural playing of the game yesterday. They bet it all on the Final Jeopardy game question: How well do you know Mrs. Isenbarger? The clue was, "Mrs. I can play this musical instrument with her feet. Chopsticks never had it so good!" Of course, the answer was, "player piano."

Channel 18 and the Journal and Courier covered us. It was a super day, and I am exhausted still, but we had a blast. Enjoy the photos!

What Zeus is All About

Take a close look at this picture. Some of my students were trick-or-treating at our house and  lined up for a picture. See Zeus? That little girl patting him has a rare chromosomal disease (there are only 17 known cases in the world). She followed him around as best she could, awkwardly patting him, grabbing him a bit too hard once, trying to be next to him....

Zeus never got impatient, never barked or snapped, and allowed her to love him (which is what she was trying to do; she just has little control over her muscles.) He even came over on his own initiative for the picture, and sat by her!

This picture reminds me of what I like best about Zeus - his patience and love of people. He made that girl's night. 

I Won, I Won, I Won!!

I NEVER win ANYTHING. Ever. Nope, nada, not me.  Curt is the family winning guy - he wins just about anything he enters! But I don't.

So, when Vickie Peal (Director of Gifted Ed) emailed all the teachers asking them to enter WLFI's contest to win a Classroom Jeopardy! game, I didn't enter. I knew I wouldn't win, so why waste the time?

It took being home for a sick day and sorting through old email for me to enter. I came across Vickie's email, decided that maybe I ought to check it out since she had asked me to enter, and went to the web site to see what entering entailed. Name, school, and contact info by email? I could do that. And I did.

The next day I got an email from Sony's rep telling me I had won the game! And that they were coming out to set it up and play it with my kids! And that Channel 18 would be on hand to film it! The emails and phone calls started rolling in as people from Sony and WLFI worked to make arrangements, gathered info, etc.

My students practically turned cartwheels when I told them the news! (No longer a cartwheel girl, I settled for a few jumps in place.) Of course, at this point, I really didn't know what I had won. The principal and other teachers were congratulating me, emails from other GT teachers were coming in (Vickie Pearl sent the word out that a TSC teacher had won) and I thought maybe I'd better check it out.

I went to www.classroomjeapardy.com and found that it is an interactive game/educational tool that hooks up to a TV and has games I can customize to what I am teaching. It costs about $550! Not bad for entering on a whim!

November 10 is the BIG DAY when we receive the game and are filmed for Channel 18. Can't wait!

Wild America!!

When our kids were young, we used to spend part of Sunday afternoons watching Marty Stouffer's Wild America. (Our kids still talk about it.) Well, today I had my own Wild America experience.

I was driving out to visit my dad in Mulberry, and was going through some wilder areas of Tippecanoe County along the three forks of the Wildcat River. I'd just crossed a bridge over the north fork when I noticed a large bird on the ground in the harvested soybean field next to me.

A bald eagle!! About 30 feet from the road!

I stopped and just watched it for a while. It hopped a couple of times, then flew about 30 feet and landed again. Finally, it swept up into the sky and circled overhead before disappearing over the woods. What a breathtaking sight! I felt both humbled and privileged to have had such a close encounter.

But, wait! There's more! (As they say on TV...)

As I drove off, stepping out into the field from the surrounding woods was a stag. He had lovely antlers and seemed pretty confident as he came into view. I see a lot of deer, but not often are they stags with antlers.

And yet another wildlife encounter in the last 36 hours...

Yesterday, despite it being Fall Break, I was at Hershey around 8 AM to get some planning done. As I arrived at the deserted school, I noticed a large flock of birds circling over the woods to the south of the school. As I looked closer, I realized they were turkey vultures - I counted 33+! They circled over the woods, then drifted over Hershey, still circling. Finally they moved to the field west of the school where they continued to lazily fly in circles. I have been told there is actually a turkey vulture sanctuary near Hershey, and I have seen as many as 8 of the birds together, but never have I seen so many at once. I have to admit, it felt a little creepy; certainly appropriate for the Halloween season, that's for sure!

Regional Soccer Champs!

Go, Urbana High School Tigers! Not only are they Twin City Champs and Big Twelve Champs, they are now The Regional Champs as well (and undefeated, whoo hoo!) Seven of the members of the team are former students of mine. Craig and I made a quick run over there yesterday to have lunch with dear friends, Pat and VerLynn Atchley, and then go to the game with them.We shut out Centennial 1-0! 

Fam I Am

With a nod to Dr. Seuss and his book, Green Eggs and Ham, I share my thoughts about my recent camping experience. And to my FAMily, no more poking fun about your mom's refusal to camp!

I am Fam.

Fam I am.

Do you camp?

I do not camp, Fam I Am.

Would you camp with lotsa kids?

I would not camp with lotsa kids.

Would you sleep in a heated cabin?

I would not sleep in a heated cabin. 

I do not camp, Fam I Am.

How do you know you do not camp?

Try it, try it; you will see!

That Fam I Am, that Fam I Am!

I DO NOT camp, Fam I am,

Now let me be!

Would you camp in cold weather?

I would not, could not in cold weather.

Not in a cabin!

Not with kids,

I do not camp, Fam, let me be!

::sigh::

 Fam, if you will let me be,

I will try it; you will see.

I do not camp, Fam I Am.

I do not camp.

::pause::

SAAAAAAAY!

I do like to camp, Fam!

And I would camp in cold weather!

And I would camp in a cabin.

It is so fun, so fun, you see!

And I will go with kiddos,

Yesiree!!

Thank you, Fam!

It is so fun, so fun, you see!

::

Off to the Hinterlands (and Grumbling)

I DO NOT CAMP.

My family learned that a long time ago. When Craig was Bishop and in the Stake Presidency, he nixed any callings for me related to Young Women and Girls Camp.

I DO NOT CAMP.

Well...

Wish me luck; Tuesday through Wednesday I will be at Camp Tecumseh with 120 4th graders and 12 5th graders. As you might imagine, I can hardly wait to spend 48 hours camping in the hinterlands of White County with all those kids. 

I don't even have a sleeping bag, nor am I going to buy one for this event.

Kyle asked me when the last time was that I went camping, and I replied it was when he was 6. May I point out that he is now a strapping 27 year old with a family of his own??

On the bright side, a friend from Church is going as a chaperone. I used teacher perogative and assigned myself to her cabin. And, since I teach multiage and alternate curriculum every year, I only need to go on this trip every other year, not annually. I can hardly contain my excitement.

Wednesday evening cannot come fast enough.

Year of the Turtle

This seems to have been my year of the turtle. This summer I saw Turtlezilla - the biggest turtle I've ever seen on our creek (see earlier blog entry). I also rescued a large snapping turtle in late summer who was up in the neighbor's yard. 

Then there's today....

Around 10 this morning, Angie, the day custodian at Hershey, came into my room. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, "but I found this and knew you of all the teachers would want to see it." And she held up a small wiggling something. "I found it out on the parking lot and thought I'd let you and your class see it."

A tiny baby snapping turtle!! Its shell was about the size of a half dollar, and it had sand built up on part of the shell. The color was a dark grey, almost black. It had a tail that was as long as its neck/head/shell! The baby crawled up my hand, onto my shirt, and all over the place.

I let the kiddos look at it, and then had my para, Mrs. Anderson, and Madeline (a turtle afficianado; she's written essays in class about turtles) take it outside and turn it loose near the woods.

It seemed awfully small for this late in the season, but then, I don't know a whole lot about turtles. Have to google it and find out when they hatch and see how big snappers are at birth. My guess is that this was a very young turtle. Sure hope it survives!

Only in Indiana!

Friday Night Frenzy in Indiana! Everyone, including the sportscasters on TV, are hyped up over the high school football games on Fridays. Craig has settled (resettled?) back into being a Hoosier, and he gets into the frenzy every Friday. I am pretty much the only person in Indiana who isn't excited and would rather watch soccer.

Nevertheless, when Craig suggested we drive out to Americus and have dinner at Roberts (a typical Indiana village restaurant: good food and quaint decor in an out of the way spot that all the locals know) and then go up to Monticello (home of Indiana Beach) to watch his alma mater, West Side, play Twin Lakes, I was agreeable. It was a lovely evening, and the drive along the river up to the lakes sounded like fun. Plus, I have two Roberts sisters in my classroom.

Dinner was good, the drive fun, and the game okay. West Side won for the first time at Twin Lakes in 9-10 years or so (Craig was VERY happy.) But what about the "Only in Indiana" title, you ask? Get this....

After we arrived, paid our admission and walked to the bleachers, I noticed a white fence set up behind one of the goalposts. Horsewoman that I am, I recognized it right away - a portable stock pen. And sure enough, during the half time show, a farmer appeared ON THE FIELD with an enormous brown and white cow! The announcer clued us in: time to play Cow Plop Bingo!

Yep, you read that right, Cow Plop Bingo. The cow, Elsie, goes into the stock pen which has been marked as a bingo grid with white paint. She stays in there during the second half of the game. The farmer keeps checking to see if she's "plopped", and when she does, he takes note of the Bingo square the manure is on and relays it to the announcer.

The announcer then breaks into the game to gleefully announce that someone has won Cow Plop Bingo! Last night's winner was a heating repair service company, and they magnanimously donated their $500 win to the Twin Lakes Junior Achievement program (another "only in Indiana" program; I do Junior Achievement in my classroom.)

But wait, there's more! Since the stock pen is right behind the goal posts, guess what happens? Any time a ball is kicked through the goal posts, PLOP!! Right into poor Elsie's pen. And possibly in the you know what.  (West Side "gave her the ball" twice last night, and she was pretty startled each time. )

Then, of course, someone has to retrieve the ball. Think about it. Would YOU want to use a ball that rolled in some cow plop?? Didn't seem to phase anyone - they wiped the ball off and resumed play.

Only in Indiana!!

Octopus Day!

Today was THE day - the day the kids have waited for since they were 2nd and 3rd graders and found out we would study octopuses when they were 4th and 5th graders. Judging by their faces, the wait was worth it.

We began the morning with a quick (or so I thought) intro to Gyotaku and the animals. I asked them to write some notes about what they noticed about their animal. They wrote and wrote and wrote... 

Then we estimated and measured our octopi, and just STUDIED them. I expected this to take them 20 minutes - we went almost an hour! Time to head to Art where the Art teacher was going to show us how to do Gyotaku - octopus printing. She planned a period and a half to finish the project, but these kids were so organized and worked so well together, they were able to make several prints each in under an hour.

Then it was back to class, outside for recess, a "delay" for Math and lunch, and a visit from our kindergarten reading buddies. Their eyes were so big as they looked at our specimens! My kids loved showing them our projects and letting them touch the octopuses.

Finally, it was dissection time. I went over the process, handed out anatomy sheets, we covered the desks with newspaper, and were off. Goodness, those kids found everything from the beak to the lens of the eye to the three hearts. One female had eggs inside her; we felt badly about that. 

Dissection took over an hour, and we stopped only because the day was over. We had to clean up quickly and get ready to catch buses. All in all, an awesome day (even if I do reek of fish!!)

Piled Atop My Desk

I was sitting at my desk this afternoon during a rare lull - the kids were all reading silently, and I could sit down for a moment. As I surveyed my desk, I realized that it had an odder than usual assortment on and around it:

1) One exoskeleton from  our hermit crab who shed it this morning, displayed in a pie plate for all to see.

2) A way-cool assassin bug brought in by a student, clinging to the mesh lid of its jar (and looking like it wanted to assassinate someone, probably me)...

3) The wing of a cicada, carefully placed next to the hermit crab exoskeleton by a girl who'd found it at recess.

4) Two octopus, hidden under my desk and thawing for tomorrow's gyotaku (print making) and dissection.

Oh, and a bouquet of wild flowers, picked fresh, from Taylor. (She brings me one every day after lunch.) Betcha there's a cool bug or two in those flowers....

Illini Legends!

Oh, wow, I am in heaven! Right now on the Big Ten Network, they're showing the Night of Legends basketball game. Last Saturday night after the football game they held a for-fun game at the Assembly Hall with all the big name former Illini Players. 

Lou Henson is coaching one team and Jimmy Collins is coaching the other. The Flying Illini who went to the Final Four are back as is the 2005 Final Four team. Deron Williams, Luther Head, and Dee Brown have still got it, and Roger Powell, my all-time favorite Illini guy, is playing, too.  Kendall Gill, Sergio McClain, Nick Anderson, Steve Bardo... it's incredible who is back and playing. The players are having a great time, laughing, teasing, etc. Many are a bit out of shape, but it's all in fun and they're certainly having it.

At half time they're going to raise a bunch of jerseys to the rafters. The Assembly Hall is packed and rocking; I wish I were there!

I've taped the game for anyone who wants to watch it over Thanksgiving.

Braden's Big Day!

Happy Birthday, Braden! Hard to believe you are one year old. I hope you enjoy your party and cake!

Love, Grammy

Happy Birthday, Curt

We celebrated Curt's birthday Friday evening by driving out to West Point for catfish and rib eye. Then tonight he is coming here for homemade pizza and apple crisp. Happy birthday, Curt! I love you!

Pigita "Reads"

Jessica and Sarah, this post is for you. Check out "the guinea pig formerly known as Honey" helping my students read. She's a great tutor, and enjoys nibbling on the occasional shoelace or page of a book as she listens to them read. This is an afternoon ritual for half an hour - they spread the towel out then take her out of her cage and gather 'round, books in hand. She wanders from child to child, checking out what they're reading and enjoying being petted.

They feed her every afternoon at 3:20, and she's learned that she can expect food at that time. If someone cracks open the fridge, she starts whistling loudly. One day she even piped up in the morning while I was teaching! We could see no reason for it; she simply let loose a loud stream of "Wheetwheetwheets!!" We had a good laugh over that.

She has been a terrific classroom pet, and my students love her to pieces.

Early Morning Wildlife

I stepped out just as the skies were lightening this morning. Zeus came with me to do his business; I just wanted to see what the day looked like. Boy, did I time it right. 

First, I heard a coyote call. I stepped away from Zeus (who was panting loudly at my side because he was JUST SURE I was going to get him his breakfast then and there...) to see if I could hear the coyote again. No such luck, but...

I heard a Great Horned Owl hooting!! I've never heard that in the two years we've been here! What a treat! It must've been in the woods across the field.  It sounded like this:

http://www.owlpages.com/sounds/Bubo-virginianus-4.mp3

As I was searching for sound clips to post, Zeus trotted into the kitchen. At the sound of the first hoot, he stopped dead, raised his head and looked around, then went over to the windows and looked out. I played a second clip, and again got the same reaction. He went from window to window, then would look at me with a puzzled look. Three clips later, he was still trying to figure out what was outside.

I wonder why he reacted so strongly? I play sound clips fairly often and have never gotten that reaction.

Facebook & Former Students

I am not much of a Facebooker - I have an account because my kids do, and it is the best way for me to keep up with all they have going on in their lives. But I rarely check my account. Tonight I did, and I am so glad...

There was an email from a former student, a girl who is a senior in high school this year. Years ago, at the end of 5th grade, she told me she hoped I would always remember her. (How could I forget Jazzy? One of the sweetest girls you'd ever meet.) She moved to Naperville after 5th grade, and I haven't seen her for 6 years, although I do hear from her occasionally.

To my surprise, I saw I had a message from her on my Facebook account. She wrote:

Mrs. I, I just wanted to let you know that I decided to go to school next year to major in elementary education. You and Mrs. Green inspired me to do so, as well as my mom. =] Jasmine

Jazzy will be an awesome teacher! She's got her head on straight and works hard to achieve her goals. Her students will be lucky to have her. Go, Jazzy!!

Earnestness

The word "earnest" describes one of my student's behavior today. And that's a good thing, a beginning point. Let me explain.

This child ... where do I begin? Multiple issues. Highly gifted, grade skipped so very young in comparison to his classmates, immature, probably ADHD, attracted to dark things.... the list goes on and on. (Bonus points for a highly supportive Mom who is very concerned about him.)

It's only the third week of school and already he is seriously behind and failing all but one subject. He's disorganized, off task, rushes through assignments, forgets to hand them in or even to do them.  ::sigh::

Today, again, he was late with two assignments. The same two that were late yesterday and I had him stay in at lunch to work on. The same two that I reminded him about at the end of the day, and that he assured me were in the backpack to go home. The same assignments I emailed his mother about and asked her to monitor last night.

Nope, not complete. One went home, the other did not. Neither were done. Top that with the boy mouthing off about bombing schools and refusing to stop when I asked him and I reached the end of my patience. 

Time for a tough talk with him, and then an email home about his behavior. Oh, and he received failing grades for both assignments - I simply am not willing to go another day on them. The line in the sand needed to be drawn, and I drew it. Very firmly.

And then.... I saw a change. I noticed he was trying really hard to stay on task. That he was trying to follow directions. He came up to me several times for odd reasons, and began pointing out the things he was accomplishing. It occurred to me that perhaps he was just as frustrated with himself as I was, and I certainly gave him high marks for trying to do better.

So I didn't comment when I had to remind him (twice) to clear his desk. Or the third time when I sent over a "buddy" to "give you a hand" (i.e. speed him up). And I complimented him when he handed in his Social Studies assignment and crowed, "For once, I am in the middle of the kids completing an assignment. Did you notice? I am not the last!" 

There was a real, very touching earnestness about him as he tried, and tried so hard to do what is tough for him: staying on task, completing work, putting things away... He really, truly wanted to do the right thing. 

I can work with that. It's a beginning point, and a positive one. I don't have to get him to the point where he wants to do the right thing - he's already there.

Tomorrow's task? Beginning to build on that desire.

War!!

What an incredible sight - a huge praying mantis taking possession of the hummingbird feeder. Thursday evening as we sat down to dinner, I noticed the insect on top of the shepherd's crook. I grabbed my camera and cautiously approached - it was about 6-7" long; they can fly, and I didn't want to have it fly at me!

 The hummers were furious and kept buzzing the mantis, feinting and darting in at it. The mantis just calmly held its ground, barely even moving despite their quick attacks. I did a quick search on the laptop and discovered that praying mantises will eat hummingbirds, tree frogs, and other small birds and animals. Was this why the birds were so agitated that he was on their feeder? They felt threatened?

The bug and birds argued for over an hour while we watched, and finally the birds left. The mantis was there until after dark. It was an incredible glimpse into nature for us.

Unforgettable Teaching Moment

I had a teaching moment this morning that will be frozen in my memory as one of the most poignant moments of my teaching career.  

We are reading "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes. A boy tries to steal a purse in order to buy himself some blue suede shoes. We were having a discussion on what we value (after listening to Elvis Presley's song of the same name several times and dancing around the classroom...)

I was pleased that the kids were taking the discussion seriously and were offering reasonable comments about what they value. And then it was C's turn. He said,

"I value my family and the shirt in my closet that belonged to my Dad because it still smells like his cologne."

Oh, my. What do you say? (C's father died two weeks before school in a motorcycle accident.)

His classmates, to their credit, did not make fun of his comment. Like me, they did not seem to know what to say, and sat in silence. Also to their credit is the fact that CJ felt he could risk making such a revealing comment.

Wow, wow, wow. 

They Love to Read!!

Students in my class love to read. Every last one of them. Just this week:

A 5th grader was so engrossed in her book while riding the bus home that she forgot to get off with the other kids at her stop! The bus driver had to come back and drop her off.

A 4th grader was seen at a campfire after dark. Instead of making s'mores, this student had fashioned a headlamp with a flashlight so she could read a book despite the fact that it was dark!

Ya gotta love it!

The Joke's on Me!

Today as I went to sit in my rocking chair and begin taking attendance, I noticed a box on my chair. Several kids were giggling and looking at me to see if I'd noticed. And, of course, they were all too happy to squeal on who put it there - a 5th grade girl who has been very shy and never, EVER takes risks (such as playing a joke on her teacher.)

The kids clamored for me to open it, so I carefully opened the box. On top was a note. It read, "Are you tired of us?" and underneath were lots and lots of paper cranes!! Everyone, including me, broke into laughter and we laughed and laughed for quite a while.

For those who are scratching their heads, last year we made a goal of folding 1000 paper cranes. Well, my class reached that goal and would not quit. We strung and hung them all - pteradactyls, bitty birds, normal sized... The classroom was inundated.

It became a joke among us - don't make any more cranes! But they would fold their napkins, wrappers from gum or candy bars, bits of foil, wrapping paper, ANY piece of paper they could find. And I would mock scold them for doing it, and hang up yet another strand. It went on until the last day of school.

It was a great joke to play on me when you consider the crane experience we all shared. But I truly hope I don't see ANY MORE this year!!

First Day of School!

School "daze" is right - I'm exhausted. But what a terrific day it was. I now have the original 2/3 Gifted class at Hershey again, only this time they are 4/5 graders. Three boys have chosen to return to a regular classroom in the ensuing two years, and two girls and a boy have been added, so the number of students is the same but the faces are just a teensy bit different.

I know these kids so very well, and the relationship is not the usual one of teacher/student (they know me just as well as I know them!) It's more comfortable than usual, probably because of the familiarity. 

Tomorrow I am going to bring in the hermit crabs JC and Trinity helped me choose during Grammy Camp. The kids guessed what the new class pets were, and I gave them a few hints (small and sort of hard, and vegetarian.) 20/24 guessed turtles! We also guessed on the "fuzzy vegetarian" pet coming in on Thursday. 20/24 think it's a rabbit. Pigita (formerly known as Honey) will be a real surprise!

I am looking forward to tomorrow. :)

PAIN FREE!!

For the first time since I can remember, my knees DON'T HURT. Wow. I keep waiting for a twinge, or flexing them to see if that might make them ache....

Nope! Nothing, nada. What a relief!! I  feel like running around outside and jumping over bushes and rocks and stuff!

Long story short, when I hurt my back this summer, I expressed my frustration to my doctor that every exercise I did caused something to hurt. (Walking? Shin splints and a Morton's Neuroma. Cycling? Tennis elbow in both elbows, and numb hands from aggravated carpal tunnel. Swimming? Drowning.)

He recommended I see a physical therapist named Dusti, and said she could help me feel better and design an exercise program that would work with "all you have going on."

He was right.

Dusti spent time observing, measuring and assessing me for almost an hour the first day. She says my pelvis, hips, knees, and ankles are out of alignment, including my artificial hip which has been shoved up too high up in its socket because that leg is shorter than the other. Dusti brought that down and has been correcting the angles of my hips to re-align everything else. I do odd exercises at home (like draping myself over pillows or shoving rolled up towels under my hip for a couple of minutes) that serve to get my pelvis back in place.

Dusti even had me bring my bicycle in twice, and, with the help of a hand/arm specialist (to make sure those joints were in the right position as I rode), adjusted the seat and handlebars to appropriate angles. I thought my bike was comfortable before - now it is easy to ride!

So, three weeks later of itty bitty exercises that produce BIG results, a couple of iontic treatments on the knees and back, and... MY KNEES NO LONGER HURT. 

The tailbone is another story. It is over to the side and twisted. Dusti has been working on getting it back where it belongs; currently it is taped in place (don't ask how; she was right when she said I would feel like I had a giant wedgie.) 

Dusti also found the indentation (a small but deep depression) on my back when she was taping me into wedgie mode - she said she had to be very careful taping around that as it was not normal. I honestly thought everyone had a dimple there and asked what it was. To my surprise, she explained that it was an area where the spine did not close properly, and many who have it are born with spina bifida! Apparently I got lucky as mine closed. (Although, if it might help me get some extra birthday presents in a few weeks, I could go blame my mom about it... )

Anyhoo, for those still reading, I am positively EXULTANT that my knees don't hurt, and so grateful for Dusti's help and that Dr. Morris sent me to her. I look forward to having other joints getting feeling better, and being able to do more physical activity.

Good-bye, Curt!!

Now the house is REALLY quiet. Curt moved into an apartment yesterday, after having lived with us for nearly a year since returning from his mission to Brazil. Craig and I are pretty bummed. We know that this is how life is supposed to work, and we're grateful that Curt, like all our kids, is competent and able to support himself. But still...

We had a large family because we like kids. We do not like being alone in an empty house.

Good thing school starts next week so I will have some children in my life, even if they aren't my own.

Godspeed, Curt!! 

::Sigh:: They're Gone

The house is empty. Lisa, Kyle, Ashley, and Braden have gone back to Utah. Sarah, JC, and Trinity are home in Iowa. Curt is out with the missionaries teaching a lesson, Jessica is moving in Iowa tonight and Cole, of course, is in Russia.

Lisa asked me if I was going to enjoy having my house back. I am looking forward to fewer hikes to the trash barrel and running the dishwasher every other day instead of 2-3 times daily. But I will miss:

~ the pile of shoes in the front hall (which drove me nuts when everyone lived at home. Now I look at the shoes and think, "They're home!!")

~ toys scattered all over the house

~ every room having at least 2 people in it (with the exception of the bathrooms...)

~ laughter, chattering, and whooping it up

~ watching musicals with Lisa and Voyager episodes with Kyle and Ashley

~ assorted snacks and food set out for the fam to enjoy (Ashley's fudge and Lisa's carmel corn are to die for!!)

~ being able to see everyone when we want to instead of waiting for blogs and phone calls

~ walking up the stairs and seeing Lisa reading on the couch in the overlook

~ watching Kyle take care of Braden (he's such a good daddy)

~ getting to know Ashley better

~ missing the energy JC and Trinity bring with them (and having American Girl doll clothes hanging from tiny hangers on the fireplace mantle)

~ talking with Sarah and hearing her wise perspective and insights

~ seeing Sarah's mother/wife skills (she is fabulous)

~ watching Curt whiz around on Trinity's Barbie scooter while accompanying JC around the lake

~ seeing the interaction between great-grandparents and grandchildren/great-grandchildren

~ family prayer voiced by children and hearing them remember those who lost everything in the Iowa floods as well as "Uncle Cole on his mission"

~ having Kyle accompany me on my daily bike rides (and seeing him pop wheelies on his dad's mountain bike)

~ seeing cousins interact and get to know each other

~ reflecting on the time when it was just Craig and me as members of the Church in our family, and seeing the third generation beginning

~ hugs and kisses from little ones and big ones

~ playing games around the dining room table late into the night

~ watching Zeus' patience with pats and hugs and a few accidentally stepped-on paws, and the forgiving licks he offers

~ being asked, "Will you bake us more cookies, Grammy?" by JC and Trinity

::sigh:: Craig and I are feeling very lonely tonight.

Zeus uses Lisa as a pillow as they nap. Meanwhile, Braden ponders the best way to get Aunt Lisa's attention.

Lisa and Curt show their courage as they ride the Pharoah's Fury at the county fair. (Craig took the picture; I couldn't look!)

Belated Happy Birthday to Kyle! He celebrates by doing the Robot while his birthday card plays 'Mr. Roboto.'

Kyle joins me for a 10 mile bike ride. (Zeus would like to go, too!)

Down By the Lazy River

Ahhhhhhhhh! It's summer! Kyle, Braden, and Ashley enjoy the Lazy River feature at Columbian Park.

Look closely and you will see Grammy doing her famous bicycle kick - her secret to passing slow-going floaters.

More Family Fun!

Celebrating Apple Jack's 85th birthday! (Does he look happy or what??)

Kyle, Ashley, and Braden look at Braden's new Quiet Book with help from cousin JC.

Lisa and Trinity bunny-ear an unsuspecting JC.

JC & Trin Pictures!!

Uncle Curt helping Trinity climb Prophet's Rock. (Yes, they're on a trail; nevertheless, I had a hard time watching.)

We couldn't get to the pool this day, so Boompa got creative with two hoses and pitchers! (Our grass was well-watered after this...)

WILBUR??? Nope, these pigs aren't terrific or radiant; they're just SOME PIGS at Prophetstown.

Beau investigates the carrot bag Trinity is holding.

Prayer Request

This lady, Gayle, is a friend of mine as well as the parent of one of my students, Gavin. (He's the guy in the back. Love that grin!!) I met her when I had her son as a 3rd grader, and she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer.

During the past two years, she has been fighting and had lots of ups and downs. Recently she got another down - the cancer has spread to her bones and she is beginning yet another radiation/chemo treatment. Throughout it all, she has stayed involved in her kids' lives and even served as room mother for me last year! 

Gavin is one of my "3 year" kiddos - those that had me for either 3/4/5 grades or 2/4/5 grades. He's a neat kid with a quick wit, enthusiasm for life, and lots of energy. It has been very difficult for him as his mother has been ill; in fact, Gayle just emailed me and told me he is struggling with her most recent diagnosis.

Please, pray for Gayle and her family, the Roswarskis. Those who feel to do so, putting their names on the temple roll close to you would be much appreciated.

I can't say enough good things about this lady and her family....

Turtlezilla!!

Wow. No wading in the creek, and if you choose to ignore that advice, wear steel toed boots.

Yesterday I saw what looked like a dark-colored garbage can lid on the hill by the creek. As I slowed the car to get a better look, the garbage can lid moved!

I hit the brakes, and hollered, "Kids! Hop out of the car! There's an ENORMOUS turtle on the bank!"

As I came around the back of the car, the turtle raised its head to look at me, did a 180 and RAN into the creek. I would never have imagined a turtle could move so fast! It sank underwater, leaving only ripples and two disappointed kids who never even got a glimpse.

I have seen big turtles before, in zoos and on the Mississippi. But I have never seen one that large (I compared it to a nearby manhole cover in the grass by the creek; its shell was that big!) elsewhere, and I certainly never expected to see a turtle that size in a small creek! 

I sure hope to see "Turtlezilla" again! (Er, from a safe distance.)

Life with Kids...

... is never dull! It's amazing how much more energy I seem to have, how I don't put off cooking or other things with JC and Trinity here. Even though we are go, go, going constantly, I feel vibrant and alive. (Okay, Charlotte, write "vibrant" in that web...)

Today we went to Hobby Lobby and chose paint for our treasure boxes. (Last week, I bought two wooden boxes for the kids to decorate and paint. They can store their treasures in them - hence the name.)

I put old tee shirts on the kids (and me) and we went out into the yard to paint. We used spray paint for the exteriors, and got that all finished. We haven't decorated them yet and may not. JC has his full already and is sleeping with his. (That's when you know a Grammy-craft is a hit!) JC chose fishing stickers (fishing??) and Trin selected a Disney princess (no surprise.) I also have a clear finishing spray I'd like to put on them.

So, drying in the sun in the back yard today were (cue the music): 3 stepping stones, two treasure boxes, and a Grammy in a paint-splattered tee.

This afternoon Boompa took them down to Linden to see the railroad museum and get ice cream at the Lindy Freeze. Sadly, they were rerouted 20 minutes out of their way due to a fatal accident on 231. And, when they arrived, the museum was closed. But the Lindy Freeze was open and I hear it was delicious! 

Boompa suggested Dog & Suds for dinner. JC had a "long foot" hotdog and Trin a corndog. The impact of the Iowa flooding showed yet again when JC commented that Dog & Suds was like their Iowa City Sonic, then added, "But it's underwater." I can't help but wonder how much of the flood these two munchkins will remember. My guess is, quite a bit.

We wrapped up the day with showers, watching a little bit of the old Sherman and Peabody (from Bullwinkle), and then another chapter from "Charlotte's Web." (Wilbur's in the crate and headed to the fair with Charlotte and Templeton hidden and along for the ride!)

Another Busy Day!

Today's activities:

~ going to visit Apple Jack  at Davis Manor. (Happy 59th anniversary, Apple Jack and Great Grandma Thanks for setting such a good example of marriage for us!)

~ going to McDonalds for lunch with Great Grandma (thanks, Great Grandma!)

~ visiting Great Aunt Leslie's farm and feeding the horses carrots (thanks, Aunt Les; sorry, Boompa, that we took every carrot in the house!)

~ showing Great Grandma the hermit crabs (she's brave; she held one!)

~ riding with Grammy on scooters/bikes around the neighborhood (thanks, JC! I sweated off 10 lbs. in that 90 degree heat!!)

~ heading over to the Farmer's Market with Boompa (thanks, Boompa, for brushing your teeth after tasting that new variety of onion!)

~ playing with hoses in the backyard (thanks, JC and Trin for hosing down all the patio furniture! Next time, try not to hose Zeus, okay??)

~ grilling hamburgers on the grill and having ice cream for dessert (thanks, kids, for not complaining about having burgers twice in one day!)

~ calling Uncle Kyle and singing the regular version of "Happy Birthday" and then the "You look like a monkey" one (you're a good sport, Uncle Kyle. Happy Birthday!)

~ falling into bed without complaint (would it be irreverent and disrespectful to say, thank you Lord??!!)

Happy Birthday, Kyle!!

They don't come any better than you, guy! Thoughtful (calls every Sunday), hard working, loving, selfless...  Enjoy your special day!

Happy Birthday!

Love, Mom

Aquatic Life...

.... with aquatic animals and us in the pool! Yep, we have two new pets, Sally and Joe, the hermit crabs. They're for my classroom this fall, but I let JC and Trinity choose them and help me set up their environment. Sally is quite active and curious while Joe is staying inside his shell as tight as he can. 

Remembering Kyle's hermit crabs from 3rd grade, I made sure there is a lid on the aquarium and nothing tall enough for them to climb and escape.

We went to Tropicanoe Cove with Uncle Curt. We did the lazy river, the slides (well, I didn't slide...) and played in the water. I used sunscreen but I think I have some burning. It was 94 when we went, but we went late enough in the day that the afternoon crowd had left.

On the way home we picked up pizza from Pizza King and had a late supper. JC and Trin are emailing Mom and Dad, and then heading up to bed.

Stepping Stones

This morning's project - stepping stones! We hauled out the ornamental bits and pieces, mixed up the concrete and poured it into the molds, and then went into the back yard as the kids wanted to do footprints. (We had to work to get JC's foot to fit into the mold! It barely fit!)

But the effort was worth it - we got two wonderfully clear footprints and set to work adding marbles, stones, and glass along with the kids' names, ages, and the year. Not that you'd know it - by the time JC and Trin finished embellishing, you could hardly see their footprints! JC had even put a mosaic chip into each toe. :)

Then I mixed up some more concrete to make one for my yard. Tired of crafting, JC went out to play, so Trin and I did this one. Her  idea? "Let's put our names and ages on it, Grammy!!"

Oh great. Like I want to put THAT on there.... But hey - the law of "little kid embellishment" worked in my favor! When you come see the stone in my garden, I dare you to find my age among all the beads, marbles, mosaic chips, etc.!!

Off to the pool... more later!

Rock Climbing, The Battlefield, and a Movie!

Sheesh, we all need naps!! (Actually, Trin, JC, and I did fall asleep for about a half hour this afternoon in between activities.)

We began this morning at Prophet's Rock - a huge limestone rock (bigger than our home) where Tecumseh and The Prophet gathered the Native Americans before the Battle of Tippecanoe. We climbed the rock and hiked the trails around it for a little ways. The kids' assessment? "Awesome!!" 

Then we headed over to the site of the Battle of Tippecanoe. JC and Trinity were genuinely interested in reading all the monuments, and they took many pictures, including a couple of JC pointing to the name "James" on the main monument.

We went into the museum and toured it, Trin snapping photos of EVERY display. We even watched the movie and listened to a recounting of the battle. Of course, we hit the gift shop (No, JC, you may NOT buy that musket) and bought a raccoon hat, a fan, rock candy, and a surprise for Mom and Dad.

After lunch and our little nap, Boompa and Uncle Curt went with us to see the movie "Kung Fu Panda." Want the theater to yourself? Go to the 2:40 show when everyone else is at the pool!

Of course, we had to take Uncle Curt to see Prophet's Rock (heads up, Kyle, Lisa, and Ashley - guess what you'll be seeing when you come next week!) and he was amazed at it. He took the kids to the top of the rock (okay, I freaked, but they really were on a trail) and then down one we had not hiked this morning.

As we pulled away from Prophet's Rock, again the word "awesome" was bandied about, along with a request to come back tomorrow. We'll see!

Hamburger Helper for dinner (that should be called Grammy Helper today!), showers, reading, and the  we'll hit the hay! I can't wait for tomorrow!!

Happy Birthday, Cole

Elder Cole, missionary to Russia, turns 20 today. Happy Birthday, Cole!! I love and miss you, but am so proud of you for what you are doing.

JC, Ferdinand, and Spanish!

Last night JC wanted to read aloud the book "Ferdinand the Bull." The book takes place in Spain, and we talked a little bit about how Boompa had served a mission in Spain.

JC read quite well, sounding out the few words he did not know.

When he came to the word "lonesome", he read it correctly, but asked what it meant. We explained it meant "lonely" or "alone". JC then reread the word as "lonely." Boompa explained that the word was "lonesome." Again JC read  the sentence saying "lonely." And again we repeated the word was "lonesome."

Hmmm," JC said, "must be some Spanish thing."

When he came to the word again in a later sentence, he read it as "lonely". When we reminded him that it was "lonesome" he responded again that it was a Spanish word. We could not get him to read it correctly again (even though we knew he could because he had when he first came across the word.)

Interesting that he thought he was reading Spanish and was "translating" the word into English!

They"re Here!!

JC and Trinity have arrived, complete with clothes, sunscreen, assorted toys and books to last a week! A big thanks to Uncle Curt for going to Chicago to get them. (Curt, help yourself to those chocolate chip cookies I baked this afternoon. You know where they're hidden.)

You can tell Trinity is from Iowa. Tonight she volunteered to say the blessing on the food at supper. She asked for those who'd lost their homes in the floods to find someone to live with.  What a sweetie pie.

Dinner was hotdogs and grilled cheese. JC came into the kitchen and volunteered to help. He buttered all the bread for the grilled cheese. He and Uncle Curt also took scooters (Curt rode Trinity's) and zipped around the park and lake tonight before dinner. (Yes, Sarah and Todd, they wore helmets!)

Currently the kids are on the overlook - JC is playing with Uncles Kyle/Curt/Cole's legos and Trinity is playing with Mom's and Aunt Jessie/Lisa's Barbies. Hmmmm... somehow Uncle Curt has become the trash man in their games. They both keep calling, "Trash! We have trash!!" and he comes and empties it. Whatta guy - lots of patience. Have some more cookies, Uncle Curt.

I was SO EXCITED to see Sarah had tucked "Charlotte's Web" into their suitcase and that I am supposed to read it aloud to them Whoo hoo!! I can't wait! And, Trinity brought some Breyer horses with her! We played with those for a while (like mine did when I was little, these were doing flips off the diving board into the pool.)

The place is hopping!! But that is a Good Thing.

   ~o

   '\<'

 (*)/(*) I'd rather be biking!

Newspaper Interview

Got a call this afternoon from Meranda Watling, the education writer for the Journal and Courier. She asked if she could interview me about the proposed policy on limiting field trips that TSC is considering.

Gulp. I didn't even know they were - I have not yet read the proposal, but I am not surprised to hear they are thinking of cutting the number of trips we take due to the skyrocketing costs of gas. (Last year our district buses drove 1.5 million miles.)

It's always dicey to be interviewed. You risk angering administration and/or your fellow teachers with your remarks. You want to sound intelligent, too! I'm not real good at off-the-cuff remarks, but I gave it a go.  I tried hard to be honest, but I didn't want the admin to think field trips weren't important aspects of learning. On the other hand, I don't mind cutting back a bit - TSC is very blessed financially when compared to Urbana 116.

Throughout the interview, I felt like I was walking a very fine line. Add to that the fact that sometimes when your interview is printed, things aren't quite what you said.... Well, we'll see what happens!!

More Feathers!

I was cycling again this morning, and as I whizzed past the site of yesterday's feather find, sure enough, I spotted another long feather, this time in the grass. As I bent to picked it up, I noticed several more in the grass. Not as many as yesterday, but still, I ended up with about 8 new feathers.

I am even more sure that a heron is roosting over the spot and preening itself. Can't wait to see what I find tomorrow!

Surprise While Cycling!

This morning I was riding my bicycle (got in 8 miles, whoo hoo!) around several of the lakes in the area. As I pedaled past the lake at Amberleigh Village, I saw a large feather in the bike path. Naturally, I stopped for a better look. :)

It was quite long and the end was very soft and like a tendril, not stiff at all.  I have no doubt that it was from a Great Blue Heron - I know of one that roosts high in a tree around the bend of that path. 

There were other feathers on the ground, but none so long. They were gray, white, and a few were tinged with orange. Some were speckled and fan shaped. I picked up some and tucked them into my bike pouch.

At first I thought maybe a bird had been killed. But I found no body parts, blood smears, or anything, just feathers. My guess is the bird was preening while roosting or possibly something did try to catch it and it lost some feathers as it escaped.

Gettin' Started

Okay,  I am entering the blog world! That'll save ya'll the trouble of reading my posts about the flora and fauna of Indiana on martinbargers. And, I'll be able to publish my OWN embarrassing family photos, just like my kids sometimes do of me!! :D

Welcome!!

      ~o

   _'<,_

  (*)/ (*)