I love writing to authors

I've written to authors of books I've enjoyed a couple of times. Each time I think, "nahhhh, they'll never write back." But each time they have. Today I wrote to Ellen Klages. Ellen is the author of the book I just finished.



So I've been trying to find a book with a strong girl main character. This does, it actually has two, but this is about things I know my kids have no background knowledge about; WWII and the building of the atomic bombs. I am hesitant to do it as a read aloud and I emailed the author explaining to her the make up of my class and the issues to get her feedback on doing it as a read aloud.

She was kind and gave me her feedback and that of what she's heard from others. I'm just not sure about the read aloud. I just don't know if I can expel that type of energy in conversations each and every day about the short amount of time we get to read.

I just want to say try writing to an author of a book you read lately, especially if you loved it. Tell them why, ask them questions about the book. Really, I had my students write to an author. They all asked about the questions the author left them hanging with. She not only answered all their questions, she sent her own photos of the town that inspired the book.

I'd really love to write to Kate DiCamillo. I LOVE her books!

Hello...is anyone here?

I know I'm not one of those ultra exclusive, gotta visit kind of blogs but hey a girl needs a bit of love.

If you stop by, please leave a comment. I'd really love to know who stops by.

I'm trying to determine if I should put a sign up for an update thing on the sidebar, or if it will be a complete waste of time.

Do you watch your favorite movie over and over?

I don't think I've ever blogged about favorite movies. I do have a list of my all time favorite movies. But I find that although I own most of my favorites on DVD, I usually find them somewhere on cable and watch them there. There are some movies I fixate on and will watch over and over and over. Most of my favorite movies are older movies. Some are from high school. Isn't that really when you really start getting into movies and start marking milestones? Oh I was a junior when that song was popular, or I saw that 3 times with friends my sophomore year. Don and I so that a lot. Well what has really inspired this blog post is one of my favorite movies...Remember the Titans.



The first time we saw this movie it was in the theater with both boys. I was so moved and emotionally upset by the movie that I had to stay in the dark theater through all the credits and still walking to the car, the boys kept saying, "What's wrong mom, why are you crying?" I still cry every time I watch this movie. Every time!

Don and the boys are used to it by now, but others I'm sure are wondering if this movie makes you cry every time, why do you consider it one of your favorites? Well it's an awesome, true story of how an African-American coach is put into one of the first segregated high schools in Alexandria, Virginia. The football team is given a new head coach, and becomes integrated. The white football team is forced to deal with new players, new coaches, and has to face race issues head on. I love it when the characters Gerry Burtier and Julius Campbell go head to head trying to learn about one another, in a not so positive fashion. Julius stands up to Gerry, the team captain, and tells him he's out for himself because the captain is the leader and he isn't leading. By the end of football camp away at college these two are begining to bond and a true friendship is starting to form. Gerry wants Julius to come meet his mom and stay for dinner. Julius is met in Gerry's neighborhood by the police. Julius thinks he'll be in trouble for being black in a white neighborhood, but in the end, the officer tells him he played a heck of a good game last night.

You know it is a true friendship when after coming together and winning the game, Gerry's girlfriend says why are you down here with "them" meaning the black guys and he chooses his "black" friends over his girlfriend.

This team comes together to pull out the state championship after facing the adversity of race and a tragic accident that paralyzes Gerry.

I absolutely love how the community supports this team after they begin to see if these boys can see one another as just people and not just by the color of their skin. I love how even the "dumb jock" raises himself up with the help of others to be successful. I love the relationship between Gerry and Julius. I love when Julius hugs Gerry's mother and she finally comes around. Even though I know this movie like the back of my hand, I cry like a big wus. If you know me well enough, I am just a big bag of emotions and this movie gets me every time.

Today I said to Don and Doug, "You know, this is the kind of movie that all people should be made to watch." If people can see how this team makes it through the difficulties and the adversity dealt to them, then the most of the world could too. It makes me hopeful that at some point the world can be a much better place. I almost see it starting to happen with Barack Obama and the potential of the first African-American president in U.S. history.

If you've never watched Remember the Titans find it on cable, borrow it from the library, put it in your Netflix cue, or rent it from the video store. It's the kind of movie that will make you laugh, smile, cry, and think. Take my advice on this one. You might find it's one of your favorites too.

Heck, I didn't even mention Denzel Washington is in it. I usually like his movies.

The Beach Boys with John Stamos

Tonight we, Don and I, met my dad and his girlfriend at Ravinia to see the Beach Boys. We had lawn seats so we couldn't see the stage without moving forward towards the pavilion but we could hear perfectally. The lawn seats were sold out but the pavilion wasn't. As the Beach Boys start, they sing a song or two then they start talking. You know when some concerts are soooooo loud you can barely make out what they are saying, well even being outside of the pavilion it wasn't like that at all here. While they talk, they start discussing something, then all of a sudden they start talking about John Stamos Well low and behold, who walks out and then ends up playing with the Beach Boys most of the night.

I figure he's either got the summer off and has nothing to do or ER is filming in Chicago and he came out to play a gig with them. Wouldn't ya just know it that I was in a big hurry to try to get out of the house and I forgot my camera. My zoom could have had a couple nice shots; oh well.

Now I've got the hicups for the second time tonight and I'm really pretty tired. I no longer can keep those late hours any longer. Old age is setting in I guess.

Jammies Day

Ever have those, a day where you stay completely in your jammies? That's today for me. I know if I decide to go to the softball game to watch, I'll have to get dressed that's for sure. I've been trying to get some things done I've been avoiding, like laundry. I know I've got to wash some rugs still and want to throw the shower curtain but that means shower first!

It's hot and humid outside. I have no real desire to go out. I should really bring the dogs in. I know they enjoy it outside but they're black and absorb the heat faster than other dogs.

Doug went to the theater and tried to pick up hours. The kitchen manager wanted him back desperately, but the facility manager who was originally the thorn in his side said they are rediculously overstaffed. I told him he's going to have to get mighty creative to make money the last few weeks of vacation.

Other than that, Don's gone and that car he was driving broke down a second time. Seems to be a huge suggestion that someone wasn't supposed to go on this trip.
I'm also thinking about taking the spiritual gifts class again. It is a 2 part class that starts on Sunday. I think Brian will be away next week also.

Enjoying summer and the decisions I can make to either do something or not do something. How about you, what do you have planned this weekend?

Another new scrapbook page

Credits Here

I've done another scrapbook page today. I had it almost finished then things came up that I had to leave and go deal with. Today started calm, relaxing, the kind of day I thought I'd have all day then around 2 things got crazy. By the time I'd gotten home, it was after 5:30 and I said to Doug, "Is it really 5:30?"

Fixed dinner, took Doug to finally register to vote, and got home just before a horrible line of storms. Doug left with my car...whaaaa...then the hail started. Thankfully pea sized and stopped really fast.

Brian called into work and had to go work. Glad he's someplace safe during this storm too. He gets off at 9:00ish.

Ok, I think that's all for now. I will shut down the computer, although I think the storm is just about passed, and sit and knit for a while.

Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!

Cross another thing off my summer To Do List

I can officially cross something else off my Summer to do list. I make a list of things I want to try to accomplish every summer. This entry has been on the last 3 To-Do Lists, and has not been crossed off. Actually the two big things that have been carry-overs have been crossed off.

The first I finally got crossed off was to have a garage sale. Here's the proof!



The second big thing off my list was to make jelly. I've grown up with homemade strawberry jelly. It is really the only jelly I will eat. If I run out over the winter, I'll force myself to eat store bought strawberry jelly but really hate it. My kids love this jelly too. It makes the BEST peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!


Credits here

So now that two of the biggies are done, I'll have to start wittling down the list by trying to get done the little things. I'm waiting for a rainy day to backup all my photos onto DVD's. I've got a lot of scrapbooking projects on the list to get finished too. I think I need to give my girlfriend a little jingle to see if she's home and wants to get together and scrapbook so I can finish a Christmas journal she tells me I have to finish first before moving on to any other projects. Hear that Marybeth, I'm ready to tackle the Christmas journal!

New blog header

Here is my new header. It is one of my favorite memories from Copenhagen. I couldn't believe how many bikes there were in the city. You didn't smell exhaust, see smog or feel like you were breathing in polluted air. Everyone rode bicycles. People had child seats and baskets. You'd see men biking to work in suits. Women would be in longer dresses, pants suits, or short mini-skirts with tights. Age wasn't an issue either. Young and old, everyone biked. I loved that they were the old fashioned looking bikes too. Rarely did you see the 15-speed mountain bikes. It would first appear that they didn't lock their bikes either, but after looking further, they have a unique locking device that would be back where a rear brake would grasp the tire, except it was a lock that went through the back tire.

One other observation I made in Copenhagen, most people I saw were in great shape and looked very healthy. I should take note of their exercise advice, ride a bike!

What a coincidence that the G-8 summit signed an agreement to lower greenhouse gas emmissions by 50% and I'm blogging about bicycles. What is so unfortunate is that the agreement won't be enforced until 2050, 42 years away. I guess that more people should visit Copenhagen to see how great it is not to have to deal with exhaust, smog, and car emmissions to understand why we should not wait another 42 years.

Happy 4th of July

I'm glad to be home on the 4th of July. I think it would just feel a bit odd to be away from home on America's Independence day.

Not that we have any spectactular plans or anything. Right now, Doug's at work. Brian works from noon until close, which is 6 pm I think. Don is going to a car show with his hearse. I guess I can either go and sit at the car show ::::yawn:::
or I can stay home and do laundry. Super choices don't you think? Laundry is important because I'm just about out of summer clothes and definately underwear. This is what I dread, I hate being home alone on a perfect day. I love being up alone in the morning while it's quiet while everyone else sleeps, but I hate being home alone with nothing to do.

It is beautiful here today. Super blue skies, a little breeze, and temps that are in the 70's. I think this is PERFECT summer weather. Not too cool to sit outside and read and get some sun to try to keep up what little bit of tan I have started, and not too hot to cook yourself until you're a pool of sweat.

So I guess I'll end this post before it starts to have that "feel sorry for me that I don't have anything to do on the 4th of July" kinda feel. I hope you have a fantastic Independence Day. Lots of fun, food, friends, and fireworks!

Ok...I'm home, tired, and now have lots 'o laundry

Monday night, around 10:00 pm the luggage was finally delivered. I have to say it was 100% in tact. Nothing lost, nothing damaged. It was just a good feeling to finally know you had all your stuff back. The kids & Don got their little souviners yesterday. We tried this candy my friend Susanna gave me as a little Welcome to Finland gift. I can't remember the name but it is a salty licorice. Well it must be an acquired taste or something you must eat from a very young age but we all got that look on our faces. You know that look...the one where you are shocked at the taste and you really don't like it. Well it was that one!

My in-laws made it into town yesterday and we got them to the airport for their flight on time. Unfortunately, their flight was delayed several hours after a storm passed through the area. They are safe in Las Vegas now.

Today I am getting a hair cut. I tried at the last minute before I left but she was booked. Today, I'll be a bit lighter on top. I'm sure it's going to be short and sassy. I'm to the point where I can't really stand taking the time to worry about my hair.

Trying to decide what to do on the 4th. We don't have any major plans. We've talked about where to watch fireworks that is about all.

I've downloaded all my photos but haven't done any editing on them.
But I'll include a few in this post for you to see where I went on my fantastic trip.

Technically I'm still not home

that is according to Don. He said that since my luggage is still not here...3:17 pm on Tuesday and I arrived home Sunday at 6:15 pm that I'm not fully home.

So does this mean that I'm still on vacation??? I think not. Let me tell you why.
I've been on the phone with India, ummmm, I mean United Airlines at least 6 times because they can't get their act together and get me my freaking luggage. I never once had to call India, I mean United on vacation. Also, I didn't have to take any child to the ER on vacation. I was the child on vacation and my mother didn't even have to take me to the ER on vacation. Heck I didn't even hardly think about children on vacation! Then today a quick request from my mom "show me how to work the weed wacker" somehow turned into cutting/mowing/raking thistles and ground cover out of a huge garden plot. Loads of work and a sunburn too.

So I think it is plain to see that I am most certainly NOT still on vacation. Although I am not technically at school I feel that I'm not on vacation anymore either.

So if you are United reading this.... DELIEVER MY STINKING LUGGAGE THAT HAS BEEN IN CHICAGO SINCE LAST NIGHT AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT. EITHER THAT OR GET ME THE STINKING NUMBER TO THE LOST LUGGAGE CLAIMS DESK AT O'HARE AND I'LL PICK IT UP MYSELF!

Rant over...maybe

4:40 a.m. and I'm wide awake

I am really tired, yawning a bit, but I have to jolt myself back into "real" time. Chicago time, central time that is. I've been through so many time changes in the past 12 days that I don't really know one from the other right now. It does feel a lot like Copenhagen time, which is 7 hours ahead of central time, so it feels like 11:40 a.m. to my body.

I got home last night and I swear the flight from Heathrow was the longest 7 hours, which turned into more like 8 to 8.5 hours. They lost one of my bags. Of course it was the one with all the souvineers in it and Doug kept saying "what did you get me?"
The boys are at the age where it is so hard to buy souvineers for. A tee-shirt is always good, but when the price gets converted to US dollars, paying $50ish for a tee-shirt is rediculous.

Well I'm cutting this post short. I seem really hungry or thirsty and I'm going to try to head back to bed to get back to the regular time things.

I'll update on the trip in the near future. Until then, please cross your fingers that my bag arrives today!

Hello from Copenhagen

A quick hello from Copenhagen. It is 12:45 pm here and barely 5:45 am on the 19th in the US. We, my mom and I are nearly ready to head to the cruise ship. We got in on time and were exhausted. We did visit the trendy shopping spot Strøget. Unfortunately all the stores were closed. Things I have noticed close early here. I'm most impressed by all the bicycles and that it is pretty clean here. All the taxi's I've seen are Mercedes. Shocking to me, nothing like that in the least bit in Chicago. The airport was so Ikeaesque. Now there's a new word for you. The keyboard on this computer is also a bit different. Where the apostrophe is, is the ø.

I think I should end this as we are probably looking for a short jaunt (maybe) then grab our luggage out of holding, grab a taxi and head for the cruise.

BTW - the new fashion accessory is summer scarves! I'm on the lookout.

Bon Voyage

In less than 24 hours I'll be leaving for my trip to anywhere in the world. You may remember that 3 years ago my mom gave me a wonderful Christmas present. She gave my sister and I a trip to anywhere in the world. They could be together or seperate. Well They are seperate, my sister went to Banff, Canada. I'm going on a Northern European/Russian cruise.


Not only will I get to see 7 magnificent cities, I'll get to meet my good friend Susanna. We've been online friends for quite a while now. We met at 2Peas and connected with a bunch of other ladies whose goal was to have pages published in scrapbook magazines. I've met a bunch of great people this way who I feel have all become best friends to me.

So I'm 99% sure that I won't be updating the blog until I get back. Then, I'll have a ton of pictures and stories to tell.

Until then...bon voyage!

the Garage Sale!

We decided to take a garage sale working break most of the day yesterday and it felt good. Today on the other hand was garage sale mania. I had a meeting at work for 4 hours and decided to take the train versus driving. The price of gas man! So anyway I woke up not feeling so hot but Don was up and outside getting things started for the garage sale. We decided to have it for 3 days and start on Thursday. Garage salers know...good sales start on Thursday.

We didn't advertise in the local paper. We didn't even get the listing up on the local Craig's List. We just used some good old fashioned neon poster board and about 6 stakes. We've always had great luck with my trusty signs.

Well Don practically ran the garage sale himself today. Brian was around and Brian's girlfriend Liz helped a lot. She even brought homemade cookies! At one point Don said people were parked 7 houses down the street and on both sides. The old guy who lives next door was out watching almost all day. Don said Al was sitting there in amazement because he'd never seen that many people at a garage sale.

Well as I promised I said I'd post a couple pictures.
Good news is...we've cleared tables. We started with 13 tables and Don says there are some empty now. They'll be full again tomorrow because there was some stuff that was never priced and put out. Better news...I've got spending money for my vacation next week ;)

It's only the first week of vacation...

and I'm lost on the day and date already. I've had to sit and think ok, it's Tuesday. I have plans on Thursday. It's not Wednesday. I guess I've been so busy getting up and going to class the past 3 summers that I really haven't had this problem.

Ok so we're working on this garage sale. Can I tell you, if you're close you NEED to come by and buy something. As of now we have 13...YES 13 tables of stuff. Saturday we started with stuff that was cluttering the main part of the garage and I did a whole table of adult clothing. Sunday Don started digging through deeper recesses of the garage. Yesterday the garage was totally cleaned out. Today we opened up the shed. We had 3 large rubbermaid bins full of older kids clothes and 2 storage boxes of little kids clothes. Can you believe I found 3-6 month old clothes in the bottom of a box??? My kids are 18 and 16 years old! We also dug through about 5 large rubbermaid bins and a toy chest full of toys. You know the toys they don't make anymore and you hate to part with? Well we kept the Thomas the Tank Engine stuff, the Darda track, the Lincoln Logs and army men, the Tinker Toys, Potato heads, Lite Brite, the train track with the mountain and the fisher price pirates with ship and cannons and stuff. Heaven help me that I'd better have grandsons to pass this stuff on to.

Doug cleaned out the sports bin and got rid of probably 15-20 soccer/basketball/volleyball/footballs. You know my kids are athletic and he kept every baseball bat, and adult glove. He also kept a few of each of those balls listed above too. I didn't get rid of the roller blades or wrist guards (see previous post) or my tennis racquets.

My list over things to do before I leave on the 17th is ever growning. I have errands I keep putting off. I skipped Doug's softball game. I did stop to read for about 45 minutes before starting the shed detail and that felt good. Today was absolutely beautiful and I've been wanting to sit outside and read in the shady backyard where just bits of sun splash over you when the breeze blows. Last year that didn't happen because of the cicadas. So today I stopped and took a bit of time for me.

Well I need to get ready and hang up some laundry. I guess I can manage one load a day. Literally I've been outside of the house for 80% of my day. Feels good with the weather being so nice and I know I'm getting one major job accomplished. It really does feel pretty good to purge.

So if I get my errands done tomorrow, I think I might go through some of my scrapbook paper and the games in Brian's closet. I knew when I moved into my smaller house that I needed to clean out and purge. My friend Ursula Page is really great at getting rid of stuff and purging.

So I'll try to update tomorrow with a picture or two of all the stuff I've got out on tables for sale.

Garage Sale anyone??

That's been one of the first things to accomplish on my Summer To Do list.
I create a list at the beginning of each summer of things I want to accomplish. Sometimes I carry things over from the previous summer's list and there are times that I do things that aren't on the list so I add them to the bottom to see how much I did or didn't actually accomplish over the summer vacation.

This is my To Do List as it stands right now.

2008 To Do List

1. go on vacation
2. make jelly
3. read books
4. scrapbook
5. finish Christmas journal
6. back up all photos onto dvd
7. finish altered puzzle pieces
8. work on Oprah book
9. finish knitting sweater
10. file and organize paper work
11. have garage sale
12. put stuff on ebay
13. alter and create photo cubes with cubes
14. finish altering 2 more H’s
15. find a shelf and put it up over couch for H display
16. clean out the top of Brian’s closet
17. learn to roller blade
18. make “believe” book
19. exercise more
20. remove wallpaper and paint kitchen
21. move old stove out and new stove in
22. make mom’s scarf
23. find knitting pattern for boys’ hats
24. visit farmer’s market more often
25. use chalk/pastels to color floral drawing
26. update the new phone book

Ther are some fun things, some things that are mandatory and somethings I keep moving on from year to year. I think learn to roller blade has been a carry over for 3 years and make jelly for 2. Oh the Oprah book has been on there for a while as well. Some can be done in combination like read more/vacation/knit mom's scarf. I plan on taking my books and knitting on my vacation. The flight to England will give me good uninterupted time as will the sea days on the cruise.

I doubt the wallpaper/paint job will get done because Don's unemployed and that's just extra money we don't have right now. Hopefully the guys can surprise me by moving out the old stove while I'm on vacation.

I should just get some dvds and back up one per day. I have started my scrapbook more yesterday I did a page. Boy I'm out of the loop on this because it took me hours to finish this simple page.



Credits here

Other than that, nothing big and exciting happening since I started summer vacation on Friday. Just looking forward to getting out, doing things, and spending time with friends.

1 freaking hour!!! I'm so EXCITED!!!

Everything is packed. 99% of all my stuff is moved into my new room! We have ONE hour until SUMMER VACATION!!

Yesterday Don came and helped me move stuff and finish packing up. He took the train in and we rode home together. Actually he was not only industrious with helping me, he walked to the train and walked to the school. Those were both about 30 minute walks too.

Today Don got roped into coming on the zoo field trip with me and my class. It was stormy last night and got really hot and humid today. We both have some sunburn too. The kids seemed to enjoy it.

I actually today something that has never happened to me. We lost a kid. Well actually I think he lost us. We were lined up, all accounted for and we literally walked out of the underground dolphin viewing center and around a corner to go eat lunch. I must be a really BAD teacher but the kids and I didn't notice that the boy was missing for almost 10 minutes. We back tracked, found another teacher and she told me that a third teacher had my kid. We rode the bus with his class so I knew eventually we'd catch up. We never did find the other teacher but did find him at the bus line. I really didn't worry after I knew he was safe and ok.

What is funny is what some of the kids told Don as to what should be this boy's punishment. One girl who is so nice, honest, and a cutie tells Don that this boy should get yelled at 8 times and have a detention after school today. Wouldn't that be a nice for me to sit through on the next to last day.

I'm so glad that school is going to be over. I'm overly excited!!! Can I just tell you that I'm EXCITED!!!! This is my first summer in 3 years that I DON'T have classes to stress over.

Life calls for ice cream!

That's right, ice cream. Tonight I'm splitting a container of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with Don. Although today was stressful enough I easily could have eaten a whole pint myself. Do you do that, binge on some sort of food when your life is stressed and crazy busy? I'm horrible about it. I also do it when I'm bored and God knows that does happen. For someone who's overly busy, I do get bored.

I have 4 more days until the class has to be 100% packed and until the end of school.
Today was the roller skating party and I hope we never go back. Kids wouldn't listen, didn't understand things, were dropping food all over the floor and not cleaning it up. I swear this particular field trip gets harder each year. I do have to say I think it wore them out because I actually called Don on my cell phone, on the bus on the way back, and he said you're on the bus, with kids?

After we got back we chilled with a bit of a read aloud. One of my end of the year stories is You're a Brave Man Julius Zimmerman A great book because it starts with the boy starting his own summer vacation, goes to intense summer language school, starts a baby sitting job and have many other situations arise. Definately not my all time favorite read aloud but I'll save that for another day.

There were other situations come up today with my own child, but that is too long and too drawn out to put into this blog. Let's just say, if the field trip wasn't enough to drive me to the ice cream, my child did!

I have some scrapbook pages I need to work on but I have to make it through the week. Tomorrow is the ice cream sundae party I used as an incentive for the kids to really learn their multiplication tables. Believe me, I owe at least 40 scoops of ice cream. Lots of sauce, candy, sprinkles and about 18 cherries. Had to buy 2 of the big gallons of ice cream.

Ok, the ice cream is gone and I feel my pillow calling my name. Have a good week!

Long overdue

Wow I didn't realize it had been so long since I updated my blog. I can't say it's been because I've been relaxing or staying off the computer. I can say that it's been because May is always an extremely busy month at my house.

Since my last update:

Don and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary.


Brian turned 16.




Don and I went to St. James Farm the dairy and horse farm from the McCormicks who were the orignal owners of International Harvester.







and Don and I went to the zoo.

We are also trying to get ready for a big garage sale. I have 9 more days of school.
I'm trying to pack my entire classroom because we are getting air conditioning (YIPEE), I'm changing classrooms, I've been working on putting together a movie for a co-worker's retirement party this Friday, trying to keep up on grades, and trying to get some movement in each day aka exercise.

If I'm not back until June, you'll know why!