A Positive Experience

I have learned a few things over the last month. The past month has been such a positive experience for me in many ways. This is my first time participating in the Slice of Life Challenge and I enjoyed every minute!

Here is what I have learned:

Take time to do something you enjoy…I started doing yoga (not just this month, but started in January). It has been so relaxing and calming. Yoga is such a great stress reliever! I also began running through an app called “Couch 2 5 K” at the first of this month. Another great way to help me not only physically, but emotionally too. Take time for yourself! It may not be yoga or running, but something you enjoy whether it is 30 minutes or an hour. It is well worth it!

Take time to observe…Being aware of your surroundings makes you notice things you might not notice otherwise. Blogging daily has helped me to stop and take the time to enjoy the world around me.  My observations (after taking the time to notice) sparked many of my ideas for my posts.

Take time to write…I write at school with my kindergarten writers daily, but never really took the time to write outside of school. Over the last month, I did not always have my writer’s notebook so I used post-it notes, the note app on my iPhone, or just jotted down my thoughts on a piece of paper. I lived more like a writer this month and it has made me a more confident writer! Thank you Two Writing Teachers (and Lynne for encouraging to do the SOL challenge)!

Take the time to breathe…Life gets so busy. Things get hectic. Always remember to BREATHE! Slow down and take a deep breath. It all works out in the end!

Hungry Pug

A poem about Ginger when I get home from work.

Tail wagging,

Pug spinning,

Dog jumping,

Paws pawing at my legs,

Mouth watering,

Excitement building,

It’s dinner time!

 

An Incredible Bond

Ever have that instant connection with someone? You both say “Me too!” Turns out you have so much in common and then a friendship blooms.

I always dreamed of having a sister. I have had “best friends” growing up, but never had a true bond with anyone. Even through college and my adult years (so far) I had friends, but not that one true best friend. I always wondered what it was like to have someone who you could count on no matter what. Someone to talk to about what good, bad, silly, crazy thing that happened or just something you need to get off your chest. Someone to support you always. Someone to be around not only in good times, but in bad times too. Someone who was like a sister to me.

In April 2014, I found the sister I always wanted…Cindy. Somehow I knew I could trust her. I poured my heart out to her on a particularly rough day. I shared my hardships. My story. Her reaction really touched my heart. I was taken back a bit. No one had shown me such empathy. She actually listened to me and truly was heartbroken and sad for all I had been through. She was so caring, loving, supportive, and genuine from the start. We became friends instantly.

Our friendship quickly turned into sisters at heart and became FAMILY.

Cindy came into my life at a very rough time, a time when I felt most had deserted me. Cindy amazed me daily with all her love, support, selflessness, genuineness, and loyalty. She still does.

Cindy is the sister I always wanted and she is the very best sister I could have ever imagined. She has shown me true friendship. I’m thankful for her each day. I’m very grateful she was brought into my life. I will treasure Cindy and our bond forever! She is a true angel!

A Surprise Purchase

Matt and I were in Kohl’s looking for new dress shirts for Matt and I was looking for some new shirts as well. As we left the Men’s department to go to the Women’s department, there staring at me from the display in the middle of the aisle I saw them.

DRAGONFLY PAJAMA PANTS!!!

Dragonflies have a very special meaning to me. I have collected many dragonfly items (jewelry, home accents for outdoors and indoors, clothing) throughout the years. I looked for my size immediately without a thought of whether or not to buy them. It was like they called my name!

I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I unexpectedly got dragonfly pajama pants! Still a win for me!!!

This is the Dragonfly story if you do not know it:

This story has helped me with my cousin’s death. Whenever I see a dragonfly I know he is with me . 

Easter Memories

My childhood memories of Easter in the form of an acrostic poem:

 

Ham dinner waiting

At Nana’s

Praising and praying at church

Pretty dresses

Yellow daffodils

Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and Peeps

Allergies in full bloom

Sweets all day and

Through the week

Easter Egg hunts

Ready to dye eggs

A Family Tradition

I finished making peanut eggs yesterday. I always remember making them with my Nana and my mom. We always made peanut butter eggs together around Easter. Then, my mom and I continued for a few years. Now I continue to make them on my own. I always will cherish the memory of making peanut butter eggs together, the three of us.

Peanut Butter Eggs

Milk chocolate covering

With a creamy peanut butter filling

Made with lots of love

Memories flooding

Deliciously satisfying

Remembering Brian

I will always remember my cousin, Brian. He lived in Delaware with my aunt and uncle. He was tragically taken from us in August 2005. I will never forget the early morning phone call. He will always hold a special place in my heart and will never be forgotten. I think about him each day.

I will always remember all our trips to Ocean City, Maryland. You always had your boogie board under your arm.

I will always remember when we would catch frogs under the deck and around your house.

I will always remember going out to the chicken houses. My favorite was when the chickens were just born. I would hold the yellow fuzz balls in my hand. PEEP! PEEP!

I will always remember driving the go-karts around outside your house and then of course I drove it right through the bushes into the front porch. Pop-Pop had to rescue me and the go-kart.

I will always remember playing baseball outside in Nana and Pop-Pop’s backyard.

I will always remember celebrating Christmas together in Nana and Pop-Pop’s basement.

I will always remember going to watch you play in one of your baseball games. Cheering you on from the bleachers.

I will always remember how we continued to stay in touch when I went off to college thanks to AOL instant messenger.

I will always remember you sending me the pictures of your latest girlfriends or potential girlfriends.

I will always remember all of our fun times together. I will cherish our memories forever! I love you, Brian!

Chocolate

After I read I Love Chocolate! by Davide Cali, my Kindergarten writers, Lynne, and I busily wrote in our writer’s notebooks. I wrote a poem about chocolate.

I love chocolate!

Chocolate filled with caramel

Chocolate filled with coconut cream

Chocolate peanut butter eggs

Hershey’s Chocolate

White chocolate

Chocolate fudge

Chocolate fudge brownies

Chocolate covered strawberries

Chocolate chips

Chocolate mints

Chocolate chip pancakes

Chocolate milk

Hot fudge drenched on vanilla ice cream

I love chocolate!

Spring

We made flowers today to think about spring. Yesterday, in our writer’s notebooks we thought about our senses in the spring. The students used their writer’s notebook to help them create their flowers today. Kindergarten writers are blooming!

Here is what spring is to me:

Spring is…

Making peanut butter eggs.

Hearing birds singing.

Grass becoming green again.

Seeing beautiful butterflies flutter from flower to flower.

Opening windows to let in the fresh air.

Bunnies hopping in the yard.

Robins finding their next meal.

Warmer weather.

 

Here are some examples of the flowers:

From left to right: Spring is the season that Easter is here. It is the season that bees make honey. It is flowers bloom. Lots of people sneeze when they smell pollen. The mud is as squishy as goo.

Rainbows. Jump in puddles. Smell flowers. I go to the playground. I have an Easter Egg hunt. Easter dress. Birds sing. 

Left to right: Easter Sunday. St. Patrick’s Day. There is rain. Easter Bunny. April Fool’s Day.

Left to right: Flowers. Go to the park. You hear birds singing. Green grass. Easter Bunny. Baseball.

Small Moment in AC

We went for a long weekend with close friends (family) to Atlantic City, NJ. One night we went to an arcade. I smiled ear to ear when tickets came pouring out the machine. Bells dinging and lights blinking. It was so much fun feeling like a kid again! After playing games we handed in our tickets for prizes. I picked prizes for my treasure chest (always thinking of my classroom). As we were leaving, Cayden threw the eyeball he got as one of his prizes on the ground. SPLAT!!! The eyeball went all over Mike (his dad). His whole front was soaked in eyeball goo. I never laughed so hard!!! I couldn’t stop laughing. I’m not even sure why I thought it was so funny, but I thought it was hilarious! Everyone then was laughing at me since I couldn’t stop laughing. I still smile and chuckle every time I think about it. There is nothing like a good laugh with great friends who are family!!! This will be a moment we will never forget!