Literacy Learning Zone

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. I'm still trying to figure it out.   {Tick. Tock.} I know there is no magic schedule or formula. But, how do you do it all?  Balance everything in life?   {Tick. Tock.} I'm just trying to be the best mom and wife and teacher ... Time for home and school. Time for reading. Time for writing. Time to just be in the moment. Time for you.  And you.  And you. {Tick. Tock.} Time for just me. Time for reading the Bible. Time for exercise. Time for blog reading. Time for Twitter, Pinterest, You-Name-It. {Tick. Tock.} Time for planning. Time for PD growing. Time for fun. Time for slowing do...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. First it was moaning.  Then the chills.  A trip to the bathroom.  More moaning with a little whining. "Ask Daddy if he's a big baby," I told the girls. "What?!? Daddy is a baby?" P. repeated with a laugh. "Ask him when he comes down," I replied. Yep.  My hubby is sick. You would have thought the world stopped turning.  Or, at least, that is what he wanted us to believe.  Instead, I did what I thought was right. "Stay.  Away." I told him.  "We love you, but don't come near us." "Daddy, Mommy said you were a big baby," M. emphatically told Daddy, which as you know...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. We were away for five days over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Enjoying time with my parents.  Warmer temperatures.  Lots of rest and relaxation away from all the busyness of life at home. But that meant for a crazy busy Sunday afternoon after we returned home. Unpack the car.  Sort.  Unpack the bags.  Put away.  Start laundry.   Repeat until complete. And then I remembered that Monday was December first.  The day our elf was due to arrive. Add that to the to do list. A quick trip to the grocery store with the girls for what I planned on "only the essentials".  We ended up w...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. Over a month ago, I received this personal invitational tweet: Yes, a little challenge.  I'm not one for a blogging challenge.  I apologize to anyone who has offered up a challenge in the past and I miserably failed by doing nothing. This was one little challenge that I wanted to do ... it just took the right time to complete it.  This little challenge was to share 100 that I am grateful for   and right now  felt like the right time to share my list.  Thank you, Terje, for your little challenge. Here it goes ... 100 things I am thankful for.   Right now .  In this moment. ...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. We did it. We took our girls and we went. I never intended to do this.  It was not predetermined or planned. It just kinda-sorta-happened.  All on a whim. Yep.  We saw Santa.  And his reindeer.   Before Thanksgiving. I know, I can't believe it either!  I am one to celebrate the holiday that is coming and not any earlier.  I love Thanksgiving, so we celebrate being thankful.  And this last weekend, we rushed by it all and saw Santa. The good news?  It was free.  I snapped a few cute photographs.  Now we can avoid the busy mall and the overpriced photo with a cry...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. I can't quite put my finger on what is different this school year. I'm busy with home and with school.  Always something new happening.  Always trying to keep up.  Always not quite meeting my own expectations.   Giving and giving and giving of myself and my time and my energy. Then tonight I read Dana's slice about the tightrope -- the pulls of being a mom and being a teacher and all we can keep doing is put one foot in front of the other. Our lives are so full and there is so much to be thankful for every single day.  And yet, it's hard.  I struggle.  I want the best for everyone, for ev...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. It was the  most magnificent fall weekend. Sunshine. Blue skies. Seventy (!) degrees. Orange.  Red.  Yellow. Lots and lOts and loTs of leaves. Raking and piling and raking and piling. Ready for one-two-three jumping!   Singing loudly  "Let it  f        a    l                 l ..." It was the most magnificent fall weekend. #PerfectFallDay and a new easy PhotoGrid app !

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. It happened like that.  Not slowly.  Not gradually.  It just happened.  I was completely blindsided. The blinking bright lights caught their eyes first.  They were immediately mesmerized. As we were getting situated into the double cart, one of my four and a half year olds asked, "Momma, can we go over that way?" Reindeer and snowmen.  Trees and icicles.  Flashing lights and decorations.  Yep, Christmas.  We were surrounded by Christmas.   In October.  Just like that.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas .... during the Christmas season! And along with all the dec...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. Another week goes by ... I have plenty of excuses for not writing. Or even wanting to write. I'm tired and it's late -- I just don't feel it. I've been testing and scoring  and grouping. I had two late nights connecting with families at goal setting conferences. I took one daughter back to the doctor with yet another ear infection. It's raining and yucky and not creating that right writing mood. I just don't feel it. It's late and I'm tired. There are plenty more excuses for not writing. Or even wanting to write. Another week goes by ......

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 Ral...

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 sente...

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 yo...