A Visit from Kyle!

Friday, Kyle and his family arrived for a three day weekend and to celebrate a bit of Christmas with us. Curt, Vanessa, and my mom have all been here to join in the festivities.

 I bought a pre-lit Christmas tree at Menards a week ago, and Friday night Curt and Vanessa put it up for us in a matter of minutes.

 Curt takes a photo of Braden and Addie while his mama takes one of him!

 Ashley opens my gift while Addie looks on.

Today Braden and Addie climbed into Boompa's lap to play on the iPads.

He didn't last very long...

 And then I did something I hadn't done in a long, long time. Since December 1, 2012 at least. Notice anything interesting about this picture?

 I'm on the floor! For the first time since I had my knee replacement surgeries.

It felt wonderful. Corinne celebrates with me.

Speaking of Corinne, she seems to be just like the rest of her family.

 A pickle lover!

Speaking of Classics...

Speaking of classics and their use in my classroom (see previous post), I had another "make the teacher smile" moment last Friday when EJ presented her classic, The Hobbit. (An extra presentation she did not have to do, but one that she wanted to do and asked permission for way back in October!)

EJ wrote TWELVE pages, and had some interesting sections including one she entitled "My Mind in Motion" - parts of the book that had really made her think or make connections. She had lots to say about her book, and it was a wonderful paper and presentation. My class thoroughly enjoyed what she had to say.

During the post-paper question and answer session, JM put his hand up (not the same JM in the previous post) and said, "You know, I think The Hobbit is 'your book' much the same way that H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds is 'my book'. I think you've found your niche in books."

As EJ enthusiastically agreed with him, I sat back in my chair and glowed in the knowledge that two of my students had such a strong passion for good literature, enough so that they felt possessive, about their books and even felt ownership of them.

And to think I almost had to get rid of my classics program.

Tom Sawyer Proves Its Worth

Last August, as part of the state's new push to get kids reading better, I was given a shipment of several boxes of books for my class, most of which were DRIVEL . (The irony!)  First I cried, and then I got mad at being told I would have to read those instead of the children's classics my kids love and do so much with.

Fortunately, I have a wise principal who was fully aware of what my students did with those classics. When I came to her with my frustrations about the new books, I used Tom Sawyer as an example of what we were reading, and how those other books couldn't come close in vocabulary, plot, character development, etc. to it and the other classics I used. She told me to go ahead and continue on with them and whisked those other boxes of books away the very next day.

Today, JM came up to me with a huge smile on his face and Tom Sawyer in his hands. "Mrs. I!" he cried. "I am at the place where Tom is attending his own funeral. This book is so funny - I can't wait to read the rest of this chapter." And he went back to his desk and buried his nose in that book.

JM arrived a year ago as a 4th grader who had no love of reading. In fact, he assessed at a 3rd grade reading level that August - alarmingly low for a student in my classroom! He got started reading classics, became hooked, and now he's reading some of the best of the best.

I highly doubt he would be reading high level books such as Tom Sawyer and others had he had to endure those other books that were originally intended for our class. Thank goodness for my principal's wisdom!

Dogs in Heaven

In the book The One Hundred and One Dalmatians, an elderly gentleman mistakes Pongo and Missus for the ghosts of his long-gone dogs. He talks about what a comfort it is to know that our dogs, too, go on to eternal life. It's my favorite part of the whole book, and I go through a lot of tissues when I read that chapter.

So, when I saw this picture and poem on Facebook, the sniffles started, and soon I was in tears.

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.

I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.

I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,

"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,

You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.

I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore.

I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.

I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care.

I want to re-assure you, that I'm not lying there.

I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.

I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said " it's me."

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.

I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.

It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.

To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."

You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...

In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.

The day is over... I smile and watch you yawning

and say "good-night, God bless, I'll see you in the morning."

And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,

I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.

I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.

Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.... 

by Carla Buscemi- Mora

Duffy and Zeus, I look forward to being with you again. Take good care of my dad!

Freezing Rain and Sleet

Clicking noises against the side of the house in the winter are NEVER good sounds. And this afternoon there was a lot of clicking. So, I checked outside to see what the weather was doing.

 The bird feeder outside the kitchen window was sporting icicles.

 The skylight in Craig's office was speckled with frozen sleet.

 Looking out the window of my office, you can barely see Bindu's home next door through the ice that is accumulating on the window.

 As the cold front came through, high winds tossed my patio chair over. It has icicles forming from the freezing rain, too.

The kitchen window's view is obscured by the ice that is building up on it this afternoon.

I wonder if we might have a two hour delay for school tomorrow.

Sunday Dinner in January

I love Sunday dinners. Our moms come, and every other week Curt and Vanessa join us. Then, on the second Sunday of the month, James and Sherree come, too. Craig and I cook a special meal together, and recently I have taken to using my good china to set the table.

 This is our January table setting - the snowflake tablecloth I made a few years ago and my china.

I love my new winter centerpiece. My secret Santa at Hershey gave it to me; it's an oil warmer.

Tonight our mothers didn't come - mine because I am ill and she has to stay away from any kind of exposure, and Craig's because of the sleet, freezing rain, and ice we've had today. Can't say I blame either of them!

Tucked Away

I sometimes take alternate routes to places I need to go, especially if it's through the countryside. I like to discover hidden places or surprises (such as the elk farm that I found out near Mulberry when going to visit my dad) and it's fun to see what pops into view.

Yesterday I went 140 West as I drove to the barn. I've driven it before, the first time being surprised to discover this old and stately beauty:

 As West Lafayette grows to the north, it is creeping closer and closer to this brick home from Tippecanoe County's earliest history.

My mother told me it used to be an inn and possibly a mail stop. I can easily envision carriages pulling up to it, women in long skirts or beautiful gowns climbing out and being escorted by men dressed in frockcoats and cravats. (Okay, so maybe I have read a few too many British historical novels.)

Currently I am reading Alexandre Dumas' masterpiece, The Three Musketeers. When I read about the out of the way places they meet as they work to thwart Lord Richelieu's machinations, I picture this place in my imagination.

If only this beautiful old building could divulge its secrets. En garde!