Literacy Learning Zone

Walks I've always enjoyed my extra daily walks ever since adopting our Harley dog two years ago. Quiet, alone time to think and pray walks. Or listen to a podcast, a book, or music kind-of-walks. But THEN it was always a chore to check off the to-do list. Quick. Let's go. C'mon. I've got to get back and ... {fill in the blank with any number of chores.} But TODAY the three-times-a-day walks happen as a family. Our walks together provide us with opportunities to talk, notice, wonder, surprise, question, wait-and-watch in awe, share memories, make memories, and take more pictures. Each walk brings something new -- A group of little yellow birds A family of ducks with five newly hatched ducklings All the trees sprouting buds and flowers and little green leaves A big white bird diving into the pond for a fishy snack A bunch of spring flowers blossoming The sun and clouds or bright clear blue sky, depending on the day Walks get us outside, away from the ...

__________________________________________________ The March Slice of Life Story Challenge hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers . Join us for a month of writing! __________________________________________________ Last December, my friend Jen invited me to check out a new Orange Theory Fitness that was opening in the area. I told her I'd think about it. The next day, I received a flyer in the mail about this new Orange Theory studio. Now I really started to think about it. This is my year. My one little word: BELIEVE. I need to believe in myself that I can lose weight and grow stronger. But in order to do this, I need to do something different. Orange Theory it is. I signed up, but had to wait a month before it opened. Which then turned into two months and then three months. A little frustrating, but timing worked o...

Slice of Life is  hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life.  _____________________________________________________ My twin six year old daughters know about "one little words." Last year, I was on a mission to live out happy. Happy this and happy that and just the word happy was plastered wherever I could possibly remind myself of my one little word.  Even the wallpaper on my phone. (Notice my one little word from 2016 to the right. -->) Last week when the girls returned to school, I was happy to hear that as I was contemplating my one little word for the year, they were also thinking about a goal fo...

Slice of Life is  hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life.  _____________________________________________________ We moved into our new home six weeks ago.  It still feels like we are on vacation.  The extra space and bathrooms and newness of it all.  Our main living space is free of boxes and everything has a place. Of course, the "Honey Project To Do List" will grow as we settle in.  But for now, we enjoy it, not worrying about the flowery wall paper or hanging brass chandelier.   As our "forever home," we'll have time to make changes and update. For now, we enjoy the newness of the neighborhood.  We moved a couple blo...

Slice of Life is hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life.  _____________________________________________________ I happily  welcomed December   and all the holiday joys. In less than seven days busy with life and events  visiting many crowded places ... School Tired eyes Ice hockey Sore throat School holiday shop Itchy red rash  Crafts at the Bethlehem Market Stomach ache A visit to the doctor Yep, strep throat for one.   Waiting on the second. Welcome, again December  and all your germs. (But don't plan on sticking around.)

The March Slice of Life Story Challenge hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers Join us for a month of writing! Only the second day of spring and it was chillier than we wished. Yet we enjoyed the sunshine and the cool breeze all before a blast of winter reappears in another day. Another trail-a-bike ride through the forest preserve much farther than we've gone before. We pushed and pedaled together up, up, up and down hills around the many ponds. It was a workout with the extra weight of the girls even though I wanted to complain I pushed forward and enjoyed hearing every muscle scream  over the eleven mile trek. And the girls were biking rock stars pedaling more than ever almost " running out of energy " wanting to just turn around but. kept. on. going. because of the promi...

Slice of Life  hosted  at the Two Writing Teachers Join in and share a slice of your life. Sick. The girls in our house were all sick. Three weeks sharing it. I'm tired of being sick. I'm done feeling achy. I'm over all the coughing. I'm finished feeling the fever. I'm tired of laying around. I'm done doing nothing. I'm over being no fun. I'm finished being Sick. The doctor says take this for acute bronchitis. You should feel better soon. What?  What's that? What's that you say? You say it's almost summer break? Yeah, well, then why am I still sick today? I look forward to the day when I can say, "I'm feeling good and ...

March Slice of Life Story Challenge hosted  at the  Two Writing Teachers Join us for a month of writing! Wednesday night is date night.  A night out of the house with my husband without the girls.  We usually go out to dinner.  Then after an hour or so of eating and talking, we try to figure out what else we could possibly do before heading home.  (Even though that is usually my first choice.)   It's funny that we actually have a hard time trying to decide what to do.  We have ended up at the library or the bookstore.  (I love those date nights!)  Or, we will stop by a store to shop without little ones begging us to leave as soon as we walk through the doors.  Most date nights, we are so tired, we end up heading home and relaxing on the couch together.  (Of course, after we k...

Slice of Life Stories hosted by the  Two Writing Teachers just a day ever have that feeling when you just want a break -- from everything? a mental health sort-of-a-day. i'm tired, just oh-so-tired. between home and school between little ones and bigger ones oh, and cleaning and groceries and laundry and -- and -- and -- but to think of a day to wake up with no to-dos and no place to go nothing but me-time. to breath and smile -- and miss everything about my crazy, busy life.