~LOVE and SPECIAL WISHES~

We all want to fall in love. Why? Because that experience makes us feel completely alive. Where every sense is heightened, every emotion is magnified, our everyday reality is shattered and we are flying into the heavens. It may only last a moment, and hour, an afternoon. But that doesn't diminish its value. Because we are left with memories that we treasure for the rest of our lives."
~author unknown~

"Distance between two hearts is not an obstacle...rather a beautiful reminder of just how strong true love can be." ~author unknown~

My wonderful para Erin, otherwise known as "MISS J", is getting married in October. My students absolutely adore her and so we wrote some messages for her about love. I had a small celebration for her wedding in our classroom because many of my students will not be in a classroom with Miss J next year. The kids had little mini wedding cakes and they were able to dress their favorite paraprofessional up as a bride using toilet paper. The dandelions they had picked earlier in the day, at recess, worked well as a bouquet for her to throw during the wedding celebration. 

The writing topic was: Love is when...  The kids did a great job and really put their thoughts and emotions into each and every note. Here are just a few of their meaningful love sentences:
(I am going to use their "inventive" spelling, but I will give you some help for some unclear words. )

Love is when someone kisis you and gives you badnads (band-aids) when you have a bo bo (boo boo).


Love is when sambady loves you and has enybody ever cist (kissed) you? I bet you have cist sambady but thats nasty!


Love is when someone helps me with homework and when my parents take me on vacashen!


Love is when sum won gives you food. 


Love is when mom or dad tucks you in bed.


Love is when people take you to the Mall of Amarcka and ants and unkls take you camping.


Love is when you get a hug and 100ed kisses. Your husben (husband) buys you erings. 


Love is when sumbuttee (somebody) is cutlee (cuddly) and when summbuttee is mareed (married).


This is one whole writing and it is one of my favorites. The words it contains are so precious:


Love is when you get your ring and when you get mareyde (married). It's so joyfull and loving. It is like you are waking (walking) throw (through) a waterfall of marshmellows (marshmallows). It's a shiny dimende (diamond) on the ring. It is so butifull (beautiful) when you see it.

That has to be just how everyone wants to feel, when they are in love... 

For the Love of Shoes...

SHOES~SHOES~SHOES!

What do you do with old running shoes? NO one would ever want to wear these "puppies" with all of the miles they have seen! I found this idea for putting old shoes to good use in one of my running magazines. My grandma loved marigolds and so I thought of her today as I filled my shoes with her favorite annuals.

Many beautiful moments and miles have occurred while I have been wearing my running shoes. Running has provided me the needed time to think, reflect, and to make some very important decisions during my lifetime. It has been my stress-reliever on many rough days. After Scott passed away I used the time during many running miles to reflect and to work on forgiveness. I do not listen to music on my runs, instead I find myself focusing on the world around me and appreciating all I see and can hear. Today on the trail I smelled the beautiful lilacs and flowering crab trees. It is fun to see and hear everyone out and about enjoying the sunshine and keeping healthy. My advice to anyone who needs time for thinking and reflecting~Find something you love to do and see the beauty, joy, and relaxation in everything that surrounds your interest.

               
 These are my new beautiful "loves" for this spring.
                                     

Asics makes the best marathon training shoes (at least in my opinion) and my "favs" for the moment happen to be Asics Gel Kayano 17. I think they are just so amazingly gorgeous...Don't you agree?

Mwah!

Is it May already?

 

Golden Apple Award Goes to Rosa Parks Elementary Teacher

Thought of the week: May 1st

I can't believe how fast this school year has flown by...I just love my students this year (ok, and every year) and May usually means that it is not long until they become second graders. It is such a bittersweet moment for all of us, they are growing up and moving on to their new classroom and to new adventures in learning.

I was presented the Golden Apple Award in January of this school year. It was such a special moment when the news crew came into my classroom, not only for me, but for my kiddos! The students were thrilled and they did their best to be ON the news during the taping. Just imagine 27 first graders competing for video camera time. :) I can't believe this is our last full month of the school year!

Posted: Jan 20, 2011 2:32 PM CST Updated: Jan 25, 2011 9:19 AM CST

When this week's Golden Apple Award winner steps into her first grade classroom, she sees more than a group of students. She sees each child as someone unique...News 12s Lisa Cownie introduces us to Karen Hosier...

Karen Hosier has been teaching for 15 years. Each year keeps getting better she says because each day is different...Karen Hosier says, " I think this is the best job in the world. I just feel so blessed that parents trust me with their children to teach them the things they need to be successful in life."She is so successful because she recognizes each student has their own definition of success. Hosier says, "You see how everyone is unique and can achieve in so many different ways."Learning, whether from a book or just through social interaction, is evident in this Rosa Parks Elementary classroom, but Ms. Hosier says it goes both ways. Hosier says, "I think I learn so much from them and they teach me so many things.

Congratulations Karen Hosier, this week's Golden Apple Award winner.

Thanks KEYC-Mankato and to the wonderful parents who nominated me...I am truly blessed!

That last day of school is so very difficult. I remember when I started as a first year teacher, I cried so hard on that last day of school. A staff member in California told me, "Don't worry, after a few years you will not cry anyone on that last day." There has not been a year when I have not cried on that last day of school with my wonderful students. I think if I ever get to that point  then I really need to retire...

Summer is just around the corner, you would not know it considering the weather. It was 35 degrees outside, yippee, this morning when I went to coffee with the girls. I hope it warms up soon so everyone can stop complaining about our terrible weather. I figure I cannot ever complain since I have chosen to live in a state with sunny weather occurring typically only for three months out of twelve.

This summer will be filled with a trip very soon to Chi-town for some wonderful work and to spend some quality time with my Dahl~that will be just a "little" fun! I predict that Chi-town will be full of  RITAs and a trip to Burritoville! I also hope to spend a lot of time in Madison with my sista, perhaps in her new place! I am thrilled to have an opportunity to tour the UW Campus with my campus BIG WIG. I am thinking of checking out some of the WI programs...hmm...Other highlights of the summer include many birthdays~mumma kitty, daddy-0, and first for Matthew~, a trip to Grey Eagle to play with many friends, and some work for the Minnesota Department of Education. The MNDE work will be exciting and a wonderful way to help our state, students, and teachers. Go MCAS, right? :)

I wonder what other mischief I will manage to fit into summer of 2011? So far I am thinking...

1) I have two new and very fashionable gardening hats for implementation.
2) My relationship status could improve greatly...:)
3) I may finally finish my Reading Teacher article and submit it for publication.
4) There are plenty of books on my reading list that are for the moment, unread...
5) I need to be on "Yarn Hoarders" if I don't do a lot of knitting this summer.
6) My chair at The Fillin Station is waiting for me. Ah, it is so comfy...


Educational and doggie funnies...

LOVE~LOVE~LOVE

Congrats to the royal wedding couple!
It is great to see the world excited about love and happiness!


My own funny in honor of the big event...