P is for...

Portfolio!











I bet you thought I was going to say pain in the butt!
Well that would be a metaphor for my portfolio.
This has been a work in progress ever since I started back to school.
But in my case, P is also for procrastinator.

This is one-third of how they determine if I am awarded my masters degree.
This is 9 different projects, 9 papers that show how each of the projects meet anywhere
from 2-4 different professional standards and 9 different papers telling how the projects match my educational philosophy, how I learned from them, and how I'll use the knowledge I've learned.

Needless to say, this has been a learning experience in itself.
I am making myself this promise...

I WILL NEVER LET THIS GET SO FAR BEHIND!

I WILL DO THE STANDARDS AND REFLECTIONS AS SOON AS THE CLASS IS OVER!

For everyone who hounded me, provided me with chocolate and caffine, and kept me going,

I owe you all a huge...

THANK YOU!

Now we'll all need patience. I don't get this back for several months.

Two different graders go through it to determine if I am on target or if I need to go back and redo.

This is a crazy week!

I can't believe that we are beyond half way through January. Where does the time go?
The quarter ended at school last Friday. Grades are due by tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Yippee mine are done! Now I have a hair appointment, Doug' therapy, Doug's volleyball practice and quite a few other things happening this week.

Hmmmmmmmmm, nothing too big, just turning the big 39. Yikes where did that time go???
Yes I think I look 39, I feel 39 and I don't want to! I guess there are only two things to do about it...live with it or change it!

I've got one more week to finish the portfolio. I've got to get cracking on it. I would like to have it done so I can enjoy next weekend without fretting over that dang thing.

Doug is making big progress with his shoulder at rehab. He returns to the doctor on February 6, so we are hoping for a release. He needs to start playing volleyball again.

We are anxiously awaiting Brian's report card and hoping that we see some improvement from the 1st quarter, but we are expecing more of difference in the 3rd quarter. The pills are making some difference, now he just needs to decide himself about making better decisions.

Ok, this has been a hectic day and my eyes are exhausted. I can barely see this screen. Thank goodness for that typing class in highschool. Touch typing is so much easier than the hunt and peck method!

Ciao!

I've been tagged...

Thanks to Susanna, I've been tagged. I guess I could say I don't want to play, but what the heck! Are there tagbacks???

Four Jobs you've had in your life:
Teacher
Grocery Store Checker { Most while being a mom, so add that to my list}
Banker
Fast food worker

Four Movies you could watch over and over
Under the Tuscan Sun
American President
Breakfast Club
Top Gun

Four places you have lived
Bolingbrook, Illinois
Downers Grove, Illinois
Battle Creek Michigan
Columbus, Ohio

Four tv shows you love to watch
Nascar Racing
West Wing
hmmmmmmm I don't watch much tv

Four places you have been on vacation
Miraval Spa, near Tuscon AZ
Denver, CO
Walt Disney World
Tybee Island, GA

Four websites I visit daily:
Tipster board
Various digital sbing sites (just recently)
2 Peas digital message board
Susanna's blog

Four of my favorite foods
chocolate
soups
garlic cheese bread
chocolate

Four places I'd rather be right now
work (Don and Brian have the stomach flu and I'm home)
Miraval
done with my portfolio
someplace warm, tropical and relaxing

Four bloggers I am tagging
Nancy
Angelina
Adrienne
hmmmm I would say Margert, Suzie or Marybeth but they don't update their blogs too often!

Back to the Grindstone

Tomorrow it is back to school. My vacation is officially over and I'm sad to be going back to school. One positive thing is...the school year is almost half over and June gets that much closer each day!

A wonderful poem

This is a wonderful poem written by Brian.
You'll see a considerable difference in him if you know him well enough.

B Brainy

R Really goofy

I Intelligent

A Amazing

N Not Dumb

I love, Love, LOVE this poem.

There is no greater proof that his medicine is working!

Principals' gifts...failed to post before

These are the little quote books I made for the principals at my school. I figured they would not receive anything like them. I do have to say they were quite impressed Thank goodness!

Reviving an old craft

I've really gotten into wearing knit scarves. I wear them a lot and once a student asked me, "why do you wear a scarf inside?" I replied, "I think they are cool, they keep my neck warm and it makes me a bit unique!"

I've been wanting to learn how to knit, but then I hear it's difficult. I don't have any extra time to learn something new right now, maybe when I'm really old. So I decided that I would revive an old craft I learned in about 7th grade. I've started to crochet again.

I have to say, I bought this cool little book about scarves and shawls. I can't wait to start on this really cool scarf!

So after a bit of a self-taught refresher course and learning a new stitch I've started on my first scarf. I'm a bit excited and can't wait until I get it done and can wear it and show it off. Since I'm just a tad bit excited and have done this much in less than 24 hours I thought it deserves a sneak preview tonight!

Happy New Year!

I hope that 2006 is a healthy and prosperous new year for one and all. I have decided not to make any resolutions because I'm horrible at keeping them. I guess I would like to become healthier and wealthier and just always be happy. I would like to make sure I'm at church each week and that I can be a better mom. I could also be a better house keeper, cook, wife and ....

You get the picture I think I could improve in all aspects of life but without happiness then is any changing worth it?

I've thought about making sure I read a book a month, working more on my scrapbooking, trying to keep up on some laundry, making sure my photos are backed up monthly, learning to use my D-Rebel a bit more than just on auto and trying to do things not at the last minute.

See I have thought about resolutions...I guess I don't think of them as resolutions any more I think I call it reflections. As I think back, a professor I had during student teaching said, "Laura you need to not think as reflecting as being hard, you just need to write down how you feel and where you think you would like to change things. It gets easier the more you do it." Well J. L. Hervey, here it is...my own personal, technologically advanced reflections...I call it my blog.

As 2006 begins, I reflect upon the past year and I am thankful for so many different things. I am happy I have a wonderful husband and two great sons. My friends are wonderful and so supportive even when they are dealing with issues so much larger than my own. I have had the chance to declare that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I am being given the opportunity to teach and touch the lives of young children for whom need me just as much, if not more than I need them, and make new friends and learn about so many different aspects of life and religion.

Thanks for a great 2005 and here's to a terrific 2006!