Monday Mania ~So done with Last Week... So Ready for a New Week with a New Start

Last week was not our best.

Hubby was sick in bed and missed a whole week of work.

I was a victim of identify theft...so my debit card has been deactivated.

Temperatures went down and gas prices went up.

I received some bad news about my job.

My mom's funeral was two years ago on the 15th of February.

And, of course, we miss our girls and their guys!

I am looking forward to a new week.

I hope all is well with all of you.

Take care,

~Natalie

Happy Valentine's Day to all Family & Friends

image by Vintage Holiday Crafts

An extra special greeting goes to

Amy and Nick

Emily and Jake

Sending love and hugs to you

this Valentine's Day.

Take care,

~Natalie

Things in my House Thursday...The Little Things that Make Me Smile

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

And since it is on a Saturday, there will be many couples out and about.

There is also much excitement amongst the children.

Do you all remember making your Valentine Box to take to School?

Well, up on the top shelf of the closet in my sewing studio,

I have two Valentine boxes.

One was made by Amy and one was made by Emily...

but, I seriously don't remember who made which box.

Both started with a shoe box, covered with paper and fabric.

And both involve some sponge painting, spatter painting, 

hot gluing lace and beads.

Girls, do you remember which box is yours?

So after school today, I climbed up on my step stool to bring those boxes down.

And I also discovered this mystery box.

The girls' Valentine boxes were empty...

but the mystery box was full of delightful memories.

Like this little dolly that I created years ago.

It was like opening a time capsule...

A piece of artwork by Amy.

And a piece of artwork by Emily.

There was also this sweet little wooden heart hanging...

which I promptly placed on my peg shelf.

So... blog followers,

you remember all of my Christmas trees?

and you remember that we took them down three weeks ago??

Well, I cannot tell a lie.

I left this one up.

This is the one on my vanity in my bathroom.

I love that it serves as a night light when I get up in the night.

I had taken the Christmas decorations off and redeorated it with these bulbs

that I had purchased for school a few years ago.

And it just cheers me up in the early morning 

when I am doing my hair and make-up!

Also this photo frame featuring the girls

and my bobble head angel from Aunt Mary...

still one of my favorite gifts.

This post has been long, but if you are still following along...

This is the 35th Valentine's Day that Hubby and I will celebrate together.

I had made a Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza 

and a Red Velvet Heart Shaped Cake.

And hubby was not yet 21, 

so he found someone to purchase a bottle of champagne,

along with his purchase of roses and a beautiful card.

My wish for you is 

that you will spend the weekend 

with someone you love.

Family, Friends, or that Someone Special.

Take care,

~Natalie

What'cha Workin' On Wednesday...

Empowering All Students to Succeed in a Changing World.

(our school district's mission statement)

That's what I'm working on this Wednesday, 

and every other school day in the week.

Some days I feel like I am doing that...

...and some days, I'm not so sure.

This has been a discouraging month...

and, as if the weather in the Dakotas isn't bad enough.

(It is going to be 14 below tonight)

About a week ago, we met with curriculum leaders

to analyze the progress in our classrooms.

There is a new "buzz word" in education.

Teachers write SLOs.

We pretest our students' knowledge.

And at the end of the term we administer end of course exams to assess the students' growth.

Here's what my numbers indicated.

Only 33% of my students showed growth.

What? 

I am getting up at 4:30 in the morning,

planning and organizing lessons,

gathering teaching materials for the day,

and taking over 11,000 steps a day...

(according to my fitbit)

...and there are 2/3 of my students that don't care enough to try?!

Now, for the record,

the students that are pictured in this post are those that do try...

the ones keep me coming back to work every day.

But I'm not going to lie...

I walked back to my teacher planning center that day and felt like bawling.

How do we get these other students to care?

How does one develop a sense of intrinsic motivation in our children?

If I knew the answer to that question,

I would write a book and retire!

Today,

I received more discouraging school news.

It's a whole new subject...and I don't feel like talking about it yet.

For now, it's the student smiles that keep me going.

Take care,

~Natalie

Where the Week Went...and Remembering Mom on the Day she Went to her Heavenly Home.

Like nearly every one else, we were invited to 

watch the Super Bowl with good friends.

Awesome food...close game...

and entertaining half-time show.

Monday morning came way too fast, but it was much easier to get out of bed 

knowing we had a great plan for first block.

Remember Mr. Hansen? 

He teaches and coaches at our high school.

Every couple of years, his planning period coincides with my foods class.

We enjoy having him come in to demonstrate.

It's also so important for the students to hear about how he does the cooking in their family.

Gender stereotyping...dissolved.

While he has mastered many entrees that are far more complicated,

this day was all about Toad in the Hole.

click here for the directions

So simple...but a perfect snack, day or night.

And then the students went out to their labs to each make their own.

Sweet freshman girls used a heart shaped cookie cutter 

to make one for me!

It was a great start to a long week.

Many of you remember that my mom fell at her assisted living facility, 

two years ago on January 28th.

She had a fractured hip and required surgery.

She suffered a stroke the day after...and died a few days later.

When a parent passes away, we know that this is the natural progression,

but it's not easy. I will always be thinking about her this first week of February.

Remember this poem...

My mom had written her own obituary,

and it was tucked inside.

Here is the full post from two years ago.

Mom and Grammy,

We miss you.

Take care,

~Natalie