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Wednesday Hodgepodge

Posted on November 30, 2010 by auburnchick
Ok…so it’s Tuesday.

And this is Wednesday Hodgepodge.

I’m tired.  It’s the first full week of school in the last two weeks, and I’m tuckered out…eager for Christmas vacation to arrive.

And so I’m posting my Hodgepodge four hours early.

Call me a rebel.

Ok…so the way it works is that you copy the questions on your own blog…answer them…and then link up here.

On to the questions!
1. What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the last year?

Although you might guess that I’m going to say starting my teaching career, I’m actually going to answer differently.

Probably the most interesting thing I did this year was test knit for Cookie A.  I blogged about it here.  I really enjoyed being in-the-know before one of her books came out.  I loved reading Cookie’s responses to our questions and watching as she adjusted her patterns to accommodate the issues we had…issues that other knitters would probably have.  And even neater was receiving a copy of the book (discounted price) with her autograph!  This was WAY COOL!

2. What is your most meaningful family heirloom?

I am not that sentimental; however, I have the engagement ring that my dad gave my mom 41 years ago.  Although they were divorced, she held on to the ring.  She gave it to me after he died, if memory serves me correctly.

3. What food festival would you most like to attend? If you’re not sure click here to see a list of possibilities.

Honestly, I’m not into festivals.  Yeah.  I’m not much fun, I guess.

4. Snow…do you love it or is it considered a four letter word where you live?

I haven’t seen snow since I moved away from Colorado when I was nine years old.  I’d love to see it again, but I would never want to live in an area that got it regularly during the winter.
5. Can you ski? Do you ski? Are you any good?

I do not ski.  I don’t live in a state that gets snow, and though I live by the beach, I’ve never water-skied.  I seriously doubt that I could even stay up on a pair of skis…that’s how uncoordinated I am.
6. What quality in your spouse or best friend are you most thankful for?

I have a best friend who lives several states away.  We met through a knitting web site, and we started talking on the phone a year after we had been chatting online.  Her son had gotten burned on about 70% of his body, and he was in the hospital for several months.  We talked on the phone almost every day during that time, and we continue to chat several times a week (her son is back home and doing quite well, by the way).  What I love about my friend is that, though we are different in a lot of ways, she always listens to me.  It doesn’t matter if she agrees with me or not.  She doesn’t judge me, and she doesn’t yell at me.  She puts up with me every time my face hangs up on her (thanks to a touch-screen phone).  I just love her to pieces.

7. Describe the coziest spot in your home.

Hmmm…the coziest spot in my home.  This is a tough question.  I think what I love the most is my bed…in the morning when I’ve just woken up.  My dog, Molly, sleeps in my room, and she usually jumps on the bed and snuggles with me for a few minutes.  There is no place I’d rather be some days!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Ok…let’s see…my random thought…

Why do people celebrate Christmas if they aren’t celebrating the birth of Christ?  These are probably the same people who don’t have any problem when the word “Christmas” is written without the “Christ” at the beginning.

Besides…if people are celebrating just to get presents, then why not pick some other day?

I mean…people who aren’t Jewish don’t just up and decide to celebrate Hanukkah, right?  And what about Kwanza?

I just don’t get it.

Filed under: This-n-That | 6 Comments »

Week 16 of Teaching

Posted on November 28, 2010 by auburnchick

Yeah, yeah.  I know.  I’m getting ready to begin week 17, but with Thanksgiving came lots of other blog-worthy happenings.

Besides that, Week 16 was only two and a half days long, so there wasn’t much that happened.

On Monday, the school had an Eid fun day.  We had just gotten back from a week off, and the school’s administrators wanted the students to have a last bit of fun.  As a result, the last two periods of the day were canceled.

Personally, all of these fun days drive me nuts.  It has been very difficult to get into a routine.  Every time I get going on lesson plans, they get interrupted.  Then, the next time we meet, I have to review before presenting new material.

Ugh.

At least I got to meet with my 11th and 12th graders.  Of course, I gave them pop quizzes on Chapters 13-18 of The Scarlet Letter.  I gave them a time limit, though, and then we discussed two chapters.

I know I’ve said it before, but I have really enjoyed teaching this book.  The students have participated in discussions, so it’s been great all the way around.

My 6th graders (my only other class that day) worked on similes and metaphors.  They were a little antsy because of the fun activities that would soon be occurring, so keeping them focused was a little challenging.

Tuesday dawned, and I was ready to dive into some work; however, this was the day in which four of my five classes were taking vocabulary tests.

Yeah.  I’m nice like that.

The Scarlet Letter is ripe with SAT words.  I literally could have tested my students on 600 words or more.  Instead, I culled down the enormous list to 35 words per six-chapter section.  After students finished their exams, we resumed our discussions of the chapters.

For my 6th graders, I opted on showing them a few YouTube figurative language videos to reinforce the figurative language lessons we’ve been having…

I’ve gotta tell you that my students really enjoyed the break from the usual class format.  I think this is is one of those keys in teaching…keeping things interesting…keeping the kids guessing a bit and not used to the same-old same-old.  Sure, they thrive on routine, but they also need to be exposed to different mediums.

My 9th graders came in after lunch, and they took a vocabulary test.  It took them most of the class period because I had assigned them the task of creating stories using fifteen of the twenty words I had called out.  This is the true test when acquiring new vocabulary…using words properly in context.

Here’s what my room looks like when I give tests…with the desks all turned this way and that (and an open door to let in the fresh air)…

My 10th graders, the last class of the day, were supposed to have a test, but one student had completely forgotten to study for it (she’s so sweet too), and to make things worse, I had somehow neglected to insert one page of the words in her vocabulary packet.  Because that was my fault, I delayed the test for a day.

Doing so was another lesson in teaching…going with the flow…adapting quickly.  This isn’t something I’ve been very good at in the past.  I am a planner.  I need to have all of my ducks in a row before I can function.  But in teaching, you can’t always operate this way.  Things come up…things you cannot anticipate.  You have to weigh what is more important…a student’s success or your iron will to push on.  Sometimes you choose the former.

Although we had just had a week off, and the week should have been easy, I could not wait for Wednesday.  Just knowing that it was going to be a short week put me on edge…eager to get done with things so I could be home with my Chicky, who had arrived back in town on Monday.

On Wednesday, my first two classes finished up (well, not my 11th graders, who are talkers) Chapters 13-18.  We’ll be discussing the final six chapters of the book next week.

I introduced a new literary device…hyperboles…to my 6th graders.  They LOVED this.  We use hyperboles all the time when we speak, so they quickly understood them.  We had a fun time discussing them and completing worksheets.

My 9th graders took it a little easier.  I made them read newspaper articles and answer the journalistic questions (who, what, where, when, why, and how).

Then, it was time for my sophomores, who got to take the test they had gotten a free pass on the day before.

And just like that, my week was over.

I will say that the week ended with a bit of frustration.  While most of my students are very driven and respectful, I am having trouble reaching a couple of kids.

Why, pray tell, do some students have trouble respecting authority?  It is an issue that makes me want to bang my head against a wall.  It’s not that I think I’m not commanding it in my room.  I believe I do this, in a confident and non-combative way.

However, it is the outright refusal of some to recognize their places within the established order that makes me want to growl in displeasure.

I know this is something that all teachers deal with, but it is still part of my learning curve and part of what I’m dealing with as a first-year teacher.

Regardless, Week 17 is about to commence.  I’m on a countdown to Christmas vacation.  But, between now and then, I still have a lot of work to do.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Posted on November 27, 2010 by auburnchick

Boy, have I enjoyed having Chicky home from college.  Before she came home, though, the Mr. and Rooster helped me decorate the house…

The next three pictures are close-ups of my Santas Around the World collection…

I made the next decoration…back in my cross stitching days…

My dad gave me the frog in the next picture.  It ribbits Christmas songs (and that’s Rooster’s baby picture next to it…wasn’t he a cute baby???)…

The kids painted the trees in the next picture…

And more decorations…

We acquired the elf at a Chinese gift exchange years ago. It was the best gift I've ever walked away with after participating in one of those games...

Even the kids’ bathroom got attention…

I wanted to make sure we got the tree put up before before Chicky went back to school, so that’s what I focused all of my energies on today.  Unlike last year, when Rooster and I threw the lights on the tree in a similar fashion to  how Jackson Pollock created many of his masterpieces, I actually took my time and meticulously wrapped each branch…

Then, it was time to add the ornaments!  I am always curious about other people’s ornaments.  I believe they reveal a lot about families.  For instance, when I was growing up, my mom insisted that our tree have red lights and almost all red ornaments.

It sounds weird, but it was actually pretty.

The thing is, though, that there were never any homemade ornaments…nothing new added each year.

It led to a somewhat detached feeling.

The AuburnChick tree is a lot different.  Many of the ornaments have been given to us, but we also have ornaments that the kids made…

One Christmas, when the kids were toddlers, we made our own dough, used cookie cutters to shape them, painted the, glazed them, and then wrapped them up as gifts.

We have purchased ornaments for the kids every year.  The ornaments usually reflect whatever is going on or whatever the kids happen to be interested in…

Chicky's first-ever ornament

Rooster played baseball for a few years

Of course, soccer has been a very big part of both of the kids’ lives…

Chicky, in typical girl fashion, went through an American Girl Doll phase…

Rooster has always loved football…

We have a smorgasborg of Auburn ornaments, one of which is below…

And a combination of other miscellaneous trinkets…

The next ornament is an mp3 player that really does play music…

Over the years, I have made quite a few ornaments…some from kits and others from odds and ends…

We even have an ornament that the Mr. made wayyyyy back when bell bottoms were in style…

My favorite ornament, however, is the next one.  I always put it in the front so that every time I look at the tree, I will remember what Christmas is REALLY about…the gift of God’s Son to deliver mankind from the punishment of their sins…

Here’s what the tree looks like all decorated…

I pray that as you see the pretty decorations and the bright lights, that you will remember what the season is all about.

God loved us so much that He gave us the most important gift we will ever be offered…His own Son.  It is hard to imagine that kind of love.

THIS is the magic of Christmas…not some bearded, red-suited old man.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Since Always

Posted on November 26, 2010 by auburnchick

My online name is AuburnChick.

In the past, it’s been assumed, by some, that I gave myself this nickname because I have auburn hair.

I do not.

My long-time bloggy friends might remember that I grew up in Alabama.  When I moved there, I quickly discovered the following truth:

You become an Auburn or Alabama fan either by birth or by a split-second decision.

Because I was not a native Alabamian, I fell into the second category.

You see, it matters not in which way you enter the Iron Bowl family.

What matters is that your choice affects the generation after you…namely your own progeny.

Observe the following Facebook conversation, which transpired immediately after the Auburn/Alabama game, between my Chicky and one of her friends:

Chicky’s Status: It’s great to be an Auburn tiger!!

Friend: haha since when?

Chicky: Since always

Nuff said.

Except for one more thing…

WAR EAGLE!!! 

28-27

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Thanksgiving 2010

Posted on November 25, 2010 by auburnchick

Thanksgiving at Chez Auburnchick involves a formally-set dining room table (the adult table)…

Complete with various decorations…

Yes, these are the salt and pepper shakers from the Publix commercials

The kids have their own table – only because there isn’t enough room at the bigger table…

Of course, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be as special of a day without the food…

The menu consisted of:

Smoked turkey (thanks to Sonny’s BBQ)
Dressing and gravy (thanks, Coupon Queen!)
Field peas (courtesy of Coupon Queen)
Bread (thanks, Super Sis!)

And the other items that I made…

Whipped potatoes – the best I’ve ever made (chicken broth since the Mr. and I are lactose-intolerant, two sticks of butter, salt, pepper, and celery salt)
Deviled eggs
Green bean casserole (thanks, Coupon Queen, for supplying the ingredients!)
Corn
Cranberry sauce
Tea, lemonade, and Caffeine-Free Coke (I didn’t have any…I still haven’t had any soda since September)

Dessert was the chocolate chip bundt cake that I’ve blogged about before.  I forgot to add the package of vanilla pudding, but everyone said it tasted just fine anyway.

We ate until we couldn’t fit any more into our bellies, and then Super Sis helped me clean up.

Six hours of work…a house full of happy people.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

Two Peas in a Pod

Posted on November 24, 2010 by auburnchick

This is Molly…

 

This is me…

 

I was the one who saw Molly at the animal shelter, and it was because of my instant love for her that she came home with me.

It didn’t take long before I realized that we are two peas in a pod.

Molly marches to the beat of her own drummer.

So do I.

Molly possesses a “leader of the pack” mentality, as do I.

Molly is leery of strangers.

I am shy in front of new people.  In fact, my least favorite part of church services is when we have to shake hands with people around us.

Molly barks for whatever reason she chooses.

So do I.  In fact, I’ve been known to start barking the moment I enter the house.

Molly retreats to her hiding place under the bed when a crowd arrives at the house.

I actively seek out solitude to help me deal with family gatherings.

It’s no wonder that Molly sensed my stress tonight and emerged from her corner to comfort me in the midst of my self-imposed time out.

In that moment, I felt a very strong connection with my four-legged fur baby.

Truly, we are two peas in a pod.

Filed under: Pets | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Posted on November 23, 2010 by auburnchick

1. If you had known what they knew then, would you have boarded the Mayflower?

I am a huge fan of history, so this is an intriguing question.  I think that the people who boarded the Mayflower displayed incredible fortitude and courage.  They were outnumbered on the ship…the not-so-silent minority…who managed to force nearly the entire ship to conform to its rules for the duration of the journey across the ocean.

In essence, they set the tone for what would happen during the next hundred-plus years when the people in this country…the minority…would force a powerhouse nation (i.e. England) to release its hold on the citizens.

So, although the initial journey and ensuing years were difficult for those early travelers, I think that I would say yes, I probably would still have gone.

2. How far have you traveled on a boat and how do you feel about boats in general?

Last Thanksgiving, the entire AuburnChick crew took a cruise to the south Caribbean.



I like ships, in general, but only if I don’t have to deal with the queasiness that inevitably seems to accompany travel on the seas.

3. What traditions have you kept, acquired through marriage, and/or tossed?

Probably the biggest tradition that has developed in the AuburnChick home is that this is where Thanksgiving dinner is held.  This began when we lived in south Florida.  I could not bear the thought of traveling twice in one month to north Florida (it is a very long drive), so I offered to have everyone down.  We’ve had Thanksgiving at the house almost every year since then.

Another Thanksgiving tradition is that the family goes to the movie theater either on Thanksgiving or the day before.  In the past, I’ve always let everyone go without me, but I think I’m going to go this year.

4. What time is dinner and how many will be round your table? And what is the one side dish you cannot do without on Thanksgiving day?

Dinner is really lunch, with a call time of 11 or 11:30.  There will be ten of us, as usual.  We’ve got my sister/the Mr.’s brother (who are married to each other…and yes, we’re from Alabama, where this is legal), their children, Coupon Queen, Grand Pooba, and my own crew.  The one side dish we cannot do without is Coupon Queen’s dressing (not stuffing, mind you).

5. Have you ever used a fire extinguisher? Do tell….

I’ve never used one, but the Mr. has had to use two, I believe, to put out small cooking fires on the stove.  Scary stuff!

6. Tell about a situation that caused you dreadful trepidation and feet dragging, only to realize later it was a true blessing.

The situation I dragged my feet on was going back to college.  Once I got going, I was all set.  The blessing is that I am finally doing what I love…teaching!

7. Baked, sweet, mashed, hash browned or french fried…which one’s your favorite?

This is a toss-up.  I do love me some mashed potatoes, but I’ll take them baked as well.  Whoever invented sweet potatoes needs to go to another country.  Nasty stuff!

8. My random thought this week…

What would lead someone to leave a banana peel in the middle of the parking lot?

I snapped this picture on Sunday when I went to the book store after church.

I tried to imagine myself sitting in my car, eating a banana, and then throwing the peel out of the window.

Seriously?

Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking.

Filed under: This-n-That | 4 Comments »

A Cookie Delivery

Posted on November 22, 2010 by auburnchick

The mailman nearly got tackled today when he brought me this…

Who was the package from?

Here’s a hint…

I gingerly opened the package.

Oh, who am I kidding?

I tore into it like a ravenous wolf, where I found this inside…

Uh huh…can you see what’s peeking through the wrapping?

In case you’re wondering, that’s more wrapping that is protecting the much-awaited and much-longed-for package.

Here it is in all of its glory…

Yep.  It’s Cookie A’s newest book…the one that I had the honor of test knitting for!!!!

Now, I was already walking on cloud nine, but when I opened the cover, I found this…

She even spelled my name right!!!

And her message…well, it is simply perfect!  My love for socks and sock knitting is always growing, even though I don’t have any time to do any of it right now (although I am wearing my precious knit socks now that the weather has turned cold).

One other neat thing (besides the patterns in the book) is that Cookie has an entire spread giving credit to the test knitters (that’s me, in case I haven’t mentioned it).  So, my name is now in one of HER books!

This ranks up there with one of the neatest things I’ve been able to do in my life (after giving birth to my precious babies, of course).

Although I’ve only had time to casually thumb through the book, I can tell that when I do, I am going to have a very difficult time settling on a pattern to make.  Every single one of them is simply divine…a work of art in itself.

I cannot wait for the summer to get here.  I am going to be doing some serious Cookie sock knitting.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Mrs. AuburnChick is the Prettiest Sub

Posted on November 21, 2010 by auburnchick

You have read that I subbed at Rooster’s high school last week.

I was fortunate to spend three ENTIRE days there!  It was like going back home.  I worked my behind off proofing English 1102 research papers (rough drafts).  I wanted the help those kids as much as I could since their final drafts are due tomorrow.  They LOVED getting their marked-up copies back.

Second period finished watching a movie, but 4th period was a real treat.

First of all, when I walked in after taking my lunch break, I saw the following on the board…

See the note under my name?

I love those kids…I really do.

The students in fourth period were fairly serious.  They split this class period, taking AP European History with Honors English.

They will be writing cause/effect essays next week, so it was my job to go over the basics.

Thursday, I was not prepared, so I winged it; however, I took the grammar book home that night and studied, as I would for my own classes.

I walked into class on Friday a lot happier with myself.

I actually felt like I helped the students get ready for Monday’s in-class assignment:  writing their rough drafts.

I was a little sad when I left school that day.

I knew that this would be the only chance I had to work with those kids this year.  The rest of my school year follows the public school’s schedule.

However, I walked out with my head held high.  I had come to a new self-awareness.

In the almost-four months that I’ve been teaching, I possess a self-confidence that was lacking last school year.

As I had proofed the 1102 rough drafts, I had made a list of the common mistakes the students had been making, and we went over them at the beginning of class on Friday.

The students listened attentively.  I presented the information with a tone in my voice that exuded confidence and genuine care for the students’ success.

As I stood in front of the Honors class later in the day and went over various points, I saw several heads nodding in understanding.

It was in those moments that I really FELT like a teacher…one who can transfer the teaching skills I am learning to different classrooms.

I realized what a gift God had given my by NOT giving me a job at that school.  If I had started off by facing 75 students every day, I am not sure that I would have been able to handle the pressure.

Although I am teaching five different grade levels…a HUGE undertaking for any teacher but incredibly more so for a first-year teacher…I feel like I am slowly being indoctrinated into the how-to’s of teaching.

Because I have fewer students, I am able to give them more individual attention…a goal I have for myself should I ever teach larger classes.

Because I AM teaching five grade levels, I think that my level of self-confidence is much higher than the average first-year teacher’s.

It can often be difficult to accept the path that God has us on.  It is so nice when you get a glimpse of a reason why He does what He does…why He says no sometimes.

I’m not sure if I’m the best sub, and I’m pretty sure that I’m not the prettiest.

What I am sure of is that being a high school teacher is what I was CREATED to do.  I have a deep love for the students who cross my path.  I am tough, but behind this strict exterior is a woman who has found her calling.

I am so grateful that God gave me those three days.  It was a wonderful week.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Happy 3rd Blogiversary to Me!

Posted on November 20, 2010 by auburnchick

Three years ago today, I created my blog.

You can read my first post here.

Why did I start blogging?

Well, it was all because of a new web site called Ravelry.

If you are not a knitter or crocheter, you will have no idea what I’m talking about.

Ravelry is a site that was created so that yarnaholics could stay in contact with one another, search for patterns, and, in general, feed the passion for all things yarn.

On November 20, 2007, my official Ravelry “invite” arrived in my email.  See, back in those days, the web site was backlogged with requests, and you had to wait a couple of weeks to be set up in the system.

I had flown, with the family, to San Diego to watch Chicky play in a soccer tournament.  Although I had massive amounts of college work, I allowed myself small breaks.

Hence my decision to finally check out the Ravelry site I’d heard so much about.

In the process of customizing my profile, I saw a blank space for a blog.

“What’s this?” I asked myself.

I decided to investigate further.

One thing led to another, and you know me and technology.  We go together like chocolate and my mouth.

I spontaneously decided to create a blog.

I quickly did some research and decided to use WordPress.

For a long time, I had nursed a desire to write.  I had tried writing in a journal, but it just wasn’t my forte.  There was something about handwriting my words that just did not please me.

I think the problem is that my fingers could not keep up with the words in my head.

If you’ve ever met me in person, you know that I speak rapid-fire, much like my mom.

My brain works that way as well (unless it’s trying to compute figures).

Typing my thoughts sounded like something right up my alley.

I always had a lot to say.  My poor sister…I often felt bad for her…having to listen as I droned on and on about whatever it was that was currently on my mind.

Blogging provided a much-needed outlet for all of the stuff I had swirling in my head.

My blog has become a diary of sorts.

Sure, it’s open for all to read, but in some weird way, I feel a lot more comfortable confiding my thoughts in this medium.

As I write, I am forced to put into words the very emotions that, at times, threaten to overwhelm me.

Again, if you know me in person, you understand exactly what I mean.

There’s a lot going on inside of me, and I can’t hide it.  I’m not “emo” (as teenagers like to call it).  I am passionate.  I feel things very deeply.

The problem is that when I try to express myself verbally, my words often get jumbled together and wind up sounding incoherent.  I can only imagine what people must think as they walk away after a conversation with me…

“Lord have mercy on that poor girl.”

And so I have blogged…

And blogged…

And blogged.

My blog doesn’t tell me to be quiet.  My blog doesn’t wave its hand in a “hurry-up” type of motion.  My blog as never told me, “Just the facts, ma’am.”

My blog has never rolled its eyes or talked about me behind my back.  It’s always been here, waiting for me to come back and lay bare more of my heart and mind.

If you don’t blog, you probably think I’ve jumped off of the deep end.

My response is that I did that a long time ago.  heehee

I think that sometimes my students don’t understand why I require them to blog.  I don’t really expect them to this early in the game.

But they will…probably sooner than they expect.  I have a sneaky suspicion that a few of them will be echoing my sentiments on their own blogiversaries.

You know…I am ever mindful that God’s hand is in everything…even this very public forum in which I almost-daily share my joys, my hopes, my fears, and my struggles.

He has used this blog to bring me in contact with some very neat people.  Together, we share each others’ triumphs and tragedies.

And so, on this day, I wish my blog a happy blogiversary.  It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come in such a short time.  I look forward to discovering more about myself with each new blogiversary.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

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