I thought I would take this opportunity to share pictures of the gifts that were exchanged at Chez AuburnChick.
I sent a card and a pair of earrings to Chicky…
Rooster got a Valentine’s card (don’t you just love it?) and an iTunes gift card…
The Mr. brought me flowers…
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Valentine's Day | 4 Comments »
Gotta love Wednesdays and Joyce’s Hodgepodge! What better way to get to know a group of people than with random, ice-breaker questions?!
1. What is your favorite chocolate treat?
I did not even have to think hard to come up with my favorite chocolate treat. It is the Caramel Chocolixer – a chocolate/caramel drink that you can get from any Godiva store…
And yes, I realize that I have posted this picture at least three times on my blog now, but I cannot help it. This drink is TO DIE FOR! The bottom of the cup is lined with caramel. The drink consists of some chocolately mixture with broken pieces of a Godiva chocolate bar blended in. Then, there is whipped cream on the top with caramel and chocolate drizzle.
It was the first thing that united Chicky and me after years of participating in epic mother-daughter wars.
It has the potential to bring world peace.
It is, quite simply, heaven on earth.
2. What, more than anything else, makes you feel loved?
Let me tell you a story that best illustrates my answer to this question.
Last year on my birthday, I turned 40. We don’t usually make a huge deal out of birthdays around here, but that day was different. I did not have to work, so I went yarn shopping. I treated myself to lunch and simply had a wonderful day. However, what made it more special was the next weekend when Rooster stayed at the house and watched movies with me. He told me that he had been invited to two different people’s houses. When I asked him why he did not go, he told me that in two years he would not be home for my birthdays any more…with him going to college. So, he wanted to stay with me.
THAT was when I felt most loved.
Parenting is a tiring, thankless endeavor.
When you pour your heart and soul into something as momentous as parenting, you rarely get validation for your efforts, and you can sometimes feel discouraged or like you’re the worst mom in the world.
Hearing Rooster say that made my tear up inside. Deep down below that teenage boy “stuff” lies the heart of a gentle soul. He made me feel very loved that day.
3. Cherries or blueberries?
I love cherries! I have never liked blueberries and really do not like blue-flavored things. Give me a bag of real cherries from the produce department, and I am a happy girl!
4. What is the one trait you most want the leader of your country to possess?
I would like the leader of my country to possess morals that he or she actually believes in and lives up to. I want my leader to be a Christian genuinely striving to live out a professional life that models his or her beliefs in the Savior who died for mankind’s sins. If a leader actually lives according to this moral code, then the decisions that person makes will fall into line with those morals.
I really don’t ask for much, eh?
5. Are you a saver or a spender?
Ok. Here’s the thing. I do not make enough money to save right now. I am working on that, but it is going to be a while before I get caught up on all of the lost income from the last couple of years when I was unemployed. So, for now I am a spender…spending everything I make on bills. One day, I plan on being a saver.
6. If you gave a party for all of your friends, would they already know each other?
Hmmm…this is an interesting question. Let’s see. Half of my friends are internet friends. Many of those friends are knitters who originally met on KnittingHelp.com, so yes, they would, in a sense, know each other. However, if I combined them with my two IRL (in real life) friends, then the answer would have to be no, they would not all know each other.
7. Are you interested in antiques?
This question has lots of potential for funny answers, Joyce! I’ll go the serious route and say that I like antiques, but I am not going to go out of my way to shop for them or purchase them. I’m not much into “stuff” unless we’re talking about yarn or shoes, and I prefer those to be of the “new” variety.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Well, I had a rant all planned out.
And then I forgot what I was going to say.
Oh wait. I just remembered it!
Lucky you.
LOL
I am ashamed to say that I have been watching The Bachelor. The whole Brad’s Second Chance thing intrigued me because I had watched his first round on the show. Yes, I know this show is slightly smutty. And no, I absolutely do not agree with the premise of the show. Dating should only be done by people who are looking for mates. That is my opinion, and I will stand firm in it.
However, as I was saying, my brain needs dummy time, and this is the perfect show for that. And so, I watch.
I was SHOCKED with Monday night’s episode and the whole Sports Illustrated photo shoot.
Did anybody see that?
Sure, it was shocking when two of the girls removed their tops and posed with strategically-placed sea shells or other coverings, but what made my mouth drop even more was the casual way in which the lady in charge asked, “So, how do you feel about taking off your top?”
She said it twice, folks.
Like she does this on a regular basis.
If I had been the person she was asking the question to, I would have told her where she could shove that top.
I’m just saying.
I absolutely cannot stand the Swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated. It is nothing but a glorified girly mag. We receive the magazine at home (it’s a free subscription…very, very long story), but I always get rid of this issue as soon as it comes in. There is no way I want my sweet Rooster looking through it.
Going back to the Bachelor thing. I was very disappointed when those girls did remove their tops. They did this with Brad looking on!! Seriously. There they are already “dating” a guy who is “dating” multiple women. So, they’re just going to show him all of their “goods” just to make an impression?
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Ok. I’ll get off of my soapbox now.
I hope you guys decide to play along. Go post your own answers and link back on Joyce’s blog. Then, go visit others and see how they answered the questions!
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Wednesday Hodgepodge | 15 Comments »
So, I’ve gotten down to the teens, eh? It’s really hard to believe that I am a little more than halfway done with my first term of my certification classes.
Week 5 of Term 1 was deliciously pleasant.
Why?
Well, you see, two of my classes did not have any artifacts (assignments) due! I only had to take quizzes in those classes. In my Teaching Profession class, I still had regular work, so I did it…
While watching a local high school soccer game…
Regional Finals…
My friend, Barb’s, son is on the team, and she’s been so wonderful to me that I wanted to support her…
I only managed to read two pages during the game. The upside was that I only had 38 left to read when I got home.
Silver linings, people! That’s what keeps me going!
The most significant thing about last week was that I used my “free” time to get ahead on assignments for the next couple of weeks.
One, in particular, was a BEAST of a project.
I had to take all sixteen learning outcomes I had developed in Week Two and create a formative assessment/instructional strategies day-by-day plan.
Oh yeah.
Not easy.
It was so bad that the instructor had warned us to send all of our family away for a day or two — for however long would take us to complete it.
Rooster took the advice to heart and left Dodge to sleep over at a friend’s house.
Although he is a quiet child, the house was almost dead-still without his Xbox mania going on in the other room.
I had already decided that I would complete the BEAST over the weekend, even though it wasn’t due until the following Friday (this coming up Friday, by the way).
On Saturday, I set up shop…
I planted myself on the couch and, with few exceptions, stayed there until that evening.
All total, I spent about nine hours working on the BEAST.
It was a relief to finish and upload the project to my online class site.
Of course, I am awaiting feedback from the instructor, so chances are good that I will have to tweak the chart. However, I learned a very important lesson last week.
Make a game plan and stick with it.
I could have easily taken part of the week off…given myself time to relax.
I didn’t.
Good students don’t do that sort of thing.
They have vision and wisdom to recognize gifts of time as opportunities to work ahead. You never know when something unexpected might happen.
Besides that, Week 8 is the week when there will be no assignments due, with the exception of making electronic portfolios (CDs) for all of the classes and getting them turned in.
THAT is the week I will relax…maybe knit.
But, until then, I have more work to do.
I have another BEAST of a project due next week.
I think I’ll take the lessons I just learned to heart and get busy.
Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: certification classes, EPI classes, teaching | 4 Comments »
Valentine’s Day brings with it thoughts of chocolate, flowers, and hearts.
Oh yeah. There’s also the little thing called L-O-V-E.
I wonder how many people stop to consider what love really means.
Is it the person who gets you chocolate when you’re really stressed over a college paper? Been there and done that.
Is it the person who sends you flowers after you finish taking your last exam of your college career? Been there and done that too.
Sure, it is those things, but love is so much more.
True love was first exemplified through the sacrificial gift of Jesus on the cross.
Here was a man who did absolutely nothing wrong in his entire life. He could have died and been ushered into the presence of God (heck, He is God).
But still…Jesus knew that WE would never be able to stand before the throne of God without a payment being exacted for sins committed during our lives on earth.
Jesus demonstrated true love when He accepted the cup placed before Him and allowed himself to be tortured and executed for crimes He never committed.
True love does that…
John 15:13 (New International Version, ©2010)
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
On this day of Valentine mushy-gooshy stuff, take a moment and ponder what true love really means.
Give thanks to THE merciful God who showed us love in the most incredibly self-sacrificing way possible.
Filed under: Christian | Tagged: Christianity, Valentine's Day | 4 Comments »
If someone had told me what a roller coaster ride Week 25 was, I might have stayed home and pulled my head over the covers!
It all started with the duck incident (you might remember reading about that).
Because I had gotten a sub the previous Friday, I had some catching up to do.
I had the unpleasant task of returning vocabulary tests to four of my classes. One of my classes had done quite poorly, and the projects they were turning in were not good at all.
However, I had a plan.
Because I had graded their exams over the weekend, I knew I had to take drastic action. Talking to Chicky last Sunday had led me to adapt an instructional strategy that one of her professors is using to my own class.
But first, I faced my juniors and seniors. I handed them instructions and rubrics for a new project – a 1,500 word short story – a modern day version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I set the due date for the following Monday.
Later, my 9th graders filed in. Poor kids. They looked defeated when I gave them their test back. They grumbled when I told them that I wanted them to create stories with the week’s vocabulary words, leaving the words as fill-in-the-blank for other students to fill in later.
Then, I had to give them their projects back. Many of the projects had only been completed halfway, and the ones that were finished were not up-to-par.
I am learning a lot in my certification classes. One of the things that has struck me the most is that if students do not master a lesson, then you do not move on until they do. I’ve never had a teacher do that for me, so this concept is rather new.
Tuesday went a lot like Monday. I simply must start writing parts of this post daily because I am getting where I cannot remember much! The brain is simply running out of room, folks.
I do remember doing poetry with my 6th graders, but that is the theme for this nine weeks, so saying that is kind of lame. 😀
Wednesday was fun. My 9th graders came into class with their stories, and everyone exclaimed how much the exercise had helped them learn the meanings of the words. I figured I’d hold my breath until they took their tests the next day, but their enthusiasm was catchy.
Thursdays are always test days. I prefer to test on Thursdays so I can get stuff graded and handed back before weekends.
When I got home that afternoon and sat down to grade, I held my breath. Grading my 9th grade tests usually results in disappointment, frustration, and angst.
Oh. My. Goodness.
My jaw dropped, and I exclaimed in delight as I graded one test after the other.
With few exceptions, the grades were good.
Very good.
Thirty points better than the average good.
I was shocked and eager to share the news with my students.
I called one student’s mom. It was one of those rare times when a phone call home meant something good instead of something bad. She was pleased to receive the information.
I was so tickled that I baked a batch of brownies for my students. I wanted to surprise them.
On the way to school on Friday, look at what I saw…
Yeah. I managed to stay a good distance away. The entire duck family crossed the road, unharmed. I hoped it would be a good day.
It was.
In most ways.
When my 9th graders came in on Friday, I handed them their tests first.
They smiled and proudly showed off their grades to each other.
Something amazing happened in that 40 minutes (Fridays are short days).
Those kids sat up straighter in their chairs.
They looked me in the eye.
They smiled.
Even when I had to give them their projects back to revise a third time, they continued to smile.
I think that maybe, just maybe, they are beginning to see that I am on their side.
One of my week’s certification reading had been about motivating students.
My personal schooling is resulting in fruitful action.
Oh, but before you think that I am all that, I must share a FAIL (lingo for a not-so-good teaching moment).
Remember that 1,500 short story I assigned my 11th and 12th graders?
Well, rough drafts were due on Friday so we could do peer reviewing.
I had been mulling over a timing issue with this project, but I had kept quiet because I had been riding the fence on it.
When my seniors came in, they asked if I would extend the due date by a week. I said “no” at first, but then the more we talked, the more I agreed that a new due date would work better for everyone.
I wound up deciding to give them two more weeks and to count this assignment as their final exam for this term. It encompasses everything we’ve been studying this term, so it is an appropriate assessment.
They were relieved.
But then I had to break the news to my 11th graders.
These kids are like me…overachievers.
As I began to talk to them, I sucked in my breath. This was going to be difficult.
Oh you guys…you have no idea how hard it was to see some of my students’ faces fall when I told them they wouldn’t have to turn in their stories for two more weeks.
One of my students had stayed up all night. I’m talking until 5:30 in the morning – just to get the rough draft done.
I told her she had every right to be angry. She politely avoided that rhetorical statement.
I cannot imagine how angry those parents must have been when their students went home that day.
Ugh.
I apologized at least thirty or forty times.
Clearly, I had not thought through this assignment very carefully. This was also one of the rare times when I was not decisive.
Ugh.
Double Ugh.
Either way, the new deadline stands. Hopefully they will forgive me before the end of the school year.
And so I had a WIN and a FAIL this week. Oh, I’m sure that I had more than just one of each, but those are the main ones I remember.
I am glad to put Week 25 to bed and am looking forward to Week 26, which I spent Sunday prepping for…
Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: teaching | Leave a comment »
I have a huge assignment due next week for one of my classes, so I decided to use today to get a jump on it.
I worked ALL day while the dogs kept me company.
Apparently my exertion wore them out…
I am glad SOMEONE was getting some rest…
Filed under: Pets | Tagged: Pets | 2 Comments »
Oh.
My.
Word.
I was checking out my blog stats this morning, and I saw the following number: 1000
Folks…that means that this is post #1001…
I am shocked beyond belief.
How in the world have I found enough to say in 1001 different ways?
I mean…I always knew I had the propensity for talking a lot. That is, after all, one reason why I decided to become a blogger.
But still.
Can you imagine how many words I’ve actually typed/deleted/retyped?
It is quite astounding.
I am almost at a loss for words.
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: blogging | 4 Comments »
Monday night, I attended a band booster meeting. Then, I had to pick up Rooster from his college class.
Meanwhile, Pele was busy…
I found this after I got home, and let me tell you…I was not happy. Mondays are long enough as it is, but to find my brand new devotion book chewed up really frustrated me.
I turned the book on its spine and saw evidence of Pele attempting to read it. The corners of the pages were chewed on…
I guess Martin Luther’s writings were too much for Pele to resist.
It appears as if my fur baby has found religion.
Filed under: Pets | Tagged: dogs, Pets | 6 Comments »
It looks like Joyce decided to go with the “love” theme this week. Honestly, aside from thinking about sending something to Chicky for Valentine’s Day, I haven’t given the day much thought.
Anyhoo, play along. Go answer these questions on your own blog and then link back up on Joyce’s!
1. What is more important – doing what you love or loving what you do?
Hello? Aren’t these the same things? If you love what you do, then you’ll keep on doing it! Both bring joy!
2. Do you like bleu cheese?
NO WAY!! I really, really do not like it. I do not like the sharp taste that comes back to bite you after you thought you’d eaten it. Blech.
3. What is the most difficult emotion for you to handle?
Wow! This is a difficult question! I think that for me, the most difficult emotion to handle is disappointment in myself. I am such a perfectionist that when I do not live up to my expectations, I berate myself. It’s not easy being me.
4. Fresh flowers or a box of chocolate?
Now that I am eating a vegan diet, I’ll have to go with the flowers. Besides that, I just really love fresh, Spring flowers.
5. What’s a song you love that has the word “love” in its title? It doesn’t have to be a “love” song.
Joyce…you’re killing me here! The choices! Oy!
Try googling “love” and “song titles.” Yeah.
Here are two that I found that I love…
Love Song for a Savior – Jars of Clay
Love Shack – B52’s
6. Are you the person you wanted to be when you grew up?
In many ways, yes. I am teaching – my dream job! I have two amazing children…one of whom is thriving in college and the other who will be on his way in a scant year and a half.
In some ways, though, I’m not. I have a lot of personal growing to do. I suspect this will be a life-long process.
7. Any special Valentine’s plans?
Nope. I am not a romantic kind of gal. Heck – I don’t even know what day of the week Valentine’s Day falls on! I’ll probably be curled up with my trusty laptop and my teaching certification books.
8. Insert your random thought here.
If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll remember that I have been eating the diet prescribed in the Daniel Fast. I have been on this “vegan” diet for over six weeks. Last week, I went into the health food store that I have frequented for seven years now, and the guy who has worked there the entire time told me I looked like I’d lost weight. I have noticed, but I don’t own a scale, nor do I bother to get on the one at Publix. So, the guy told me that I’ve probably lost around 15 pounds. My jaw dropped. I am a petite 5’1″, and I did not think I was overweight before. But, I had noticed some chunkiness building up around my thighs and belly. Those are gone now.
In the process, I’ve become quite a cook. I eat a lot of soups, and I could never cook them before! I suspect I can attribute this to the recipes in the Daniel Fast book.
I feel good physically and mentally, requiring a lot less sleep than I did two months ago. I have long been a student of healthy eating, but I have not always practiced it. I am a complete believer now!
I am not trying to sell you a book. I guess it’s just been a such a huge eye-opener that I can’t help but share it. We need to remember that our bodies are God’s temples. He gave them to us, and we need to take care of them. I am in awe and so grateful for the fact that we are “wonderfully and fearfully made.”
So, that’s my random question, and that’s my Hodgepodge for this week! Thanks for stopping by!
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Wednesday Hodgepodge | 14 Comments »
Mondays suck.
Pure and simple.
Who wants to go back to work after two glorious days off?
Unless you’re a teacher who loves her job.
Oh, who am I kidding? Mondays still suck.
However, there are worse things than having to go back to work each Monday.
It’s far worse to go back to work on a Monday when you’ve run over a duck en-route.
Actually, make that two ducks.
Today started off like any ordinary Monday.
After sleeping a scant three hours (thank you Excedrin Migraine right before bed), I actually woke up refreshed (thank you vegan diet).
Although it was raining, I did not mind. I live in Florida where the weather is crazy.
I dropped Rooster off at school and made my way to my own school. My car was loaded with class books, quizzes, and an assortment of other “teacher” things.
I carefully navigated the roads, turning off of the four-lane road onto the smaller, two-lane street.
I wasn’t going fast, mind you. I recently learned a lesson in that department (we won’t go into that today…or ever).
Because of the rain and clouds, it was dark enough outside to warrant the use of headlights.
After making my turn, I sped up, as drivers customarily do.
And then I saw them.
Three large, adult ducks.
The friendly kind that roam around apartments and lakes.
Three adult ducks were standing in the middle of the road.
One had situated itself squarely on the center lines dividing the lanes.
The other two were in the center of my lane.
Traffic going in the other direction was backed up.
My car was going a whopping 15 mph.
I could not slow down in time, given the slick asphalt.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
I felt the car hit those poor ducks.
It bumped, bumped, bumped as my car drove over them.
Sigh.
My stomach felt sick.
I heard a car honk and looked in my rear view mirror to see if anyone had stopped to help the ducks.
I could see that nobody had.
It was raining hard.
What I saw next made me cry.
One of the ducks had not died on impact and was trying to walk around. All I could see was one of his wings flapping around.
Did I tell you that I cried?
I did.
I felt incredibly sad, even though I knew that there was nothing I could have done. To try to avert hitting them would have meant that I would have either plowed into the cars in the turning lane beside me or driven straight into the ditch that lined the other side of the road.
Life, in that moment, sucked worse than the fact that it was a Monday and I was returning to work after two glorious days off.
Sigh.
Despite that, I had to go on with life.
First and second periods went well. I had spent most of Sunday prepping my lesson plans.
Fourth period got a little rocky.
One of my students cried.
Although he is very sensitive and cries frequently, it’s still difficult to watch.
Then, I found out I had cafeteria duty.
I loathe cafeteria duty.
And then my 9th graders came in.
This was going to be ugly.
They had done poorly on last week’s vocabulary test, and they had projects to turn in that I could already see weren’t completed properly.
They back-talked and questioned my knowledge about teaching.
Sigh.
Finally it was time to go home.
I was relieved.
Although as a Christian, I do not believe in omens, I’ve gotta tell you that I think that hitting a duck (or two) on your way to work on a Monday is not a good sign of things to come.
If this ever happens to you, do yourself a huge favor and drive yourself right back home.
Crawl back into your jammies and jump into bed.
Pull the covers over your head and stay there until Tuesday.
That’s when the ducks go back into hiding.
Trust me on this.
I would never lie to you.
**Disclaimer: This does not apply to Oregon Ducks who put their own lives at risk when encountering Auburn Tigers**
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: Monday | 6 Comments »
AuburnChick's Adventures 