Literacy Learning Zone

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. After the school bells rings, I quickly get organized and I'm off to start my other full time job of being a mom.  I can honestly say there are not too many nights that I get out or do what I want to do.  However, last night I took the evening off. I didn't even hesitate when I received the invitation.  I checked the calendar and then signed up.  Put the date in our shared family calendar with the note:   Jon pick up girls! Even after a long day of teaching, I was ready to go and learn and laugh with a teacher of writing legend.  I attended a local Illinois Reading Council conference featuring Ralph Fletcher . Ralph shared hi

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. "Are you still writing in your ten year journal?" Chris asked innocently. Quiet pause. I shook my head. "Oh, I didn't mean anything by it.  I was just curious ..."  She replied trying to cover my silence. "No, no.  It's fine.  Last year, I made it until like August and then life got busy and I just stopped.   I started again at the new year and I made it to like June." That night I dug through the stack of books on my nightstand.  I found my 10 year journal  that I started in 2012 at the very bottom.  I was curious as to when life got too busy for writing a brief three or four sentences a day.

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. 9:44 pm I know my mom and dad are waiting to read this. You see, we touch base quite often.  (But probably not as often as my mom hopes.)  Email, phone calls, texts, and yes, slices. Tick tock.  Tick tock.  As this Tuesday moves ahead, they are probably wondering why I haven't written yet. 9:46 pm I am, Mom and Dad.  I'm here.  I'm finally writing.  Life is just extra busy this time of year.  When school begins again, so does every other activity, sport, and extracurricular. There was a trip this weekend to the apple orchard.  Two words:  Honey. Crisp. Yum.  But did you also know that a trip to the apple orchard cost ju

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. Seeds of writing possibilities await as I cannot settle on a story to share. Attending the Garth Brook s opening night concert in Chicago The September storm that whipped through the northwest suburbs Trees ripped, branches rested on power lines, leaves scattered Twenty hours of pow e r loss and the gain of imagination play A lantern lit peanut butter and honey sandwich dinner A cold and cough means up in the middle of the night Holding, caring, loving with all the pati e nce required Rushing and late, trying to get out the door in a hurry Yelling and then feeling the guilt because she doesn't

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. I snuck downstairs to change out the laundry.  The girls were upstairs playing dress up.  Tiaras, capes, dresses, and fancy plastic shoes.  I was enjoying a minute of quiet time, thinking to myself, worrying about the week to come, when M. quietly walked into the laundry room dressed to attend a princess ball. "Mom.  Can I share something with you?" She asked. I smiled to her as these were not the usual words from a four year old, but it was sweetness to my ears. "Of course, M.," I responded and continued to fold the warm clothes. "I don't want to die forever," she told me. I wondered to myself