Ignore this thread!

[Ellie]

Tomorrow will be the first day since, um, Thursday that I will get up in the morning and be all by my onesie until Mr. Ellie gets home. :party:

 

I don't need nearly as much alone time as I did when my Hashi's was not under control, but I still appreciate the alone time. :D

[ikslo]

103/68 - Booyah!

 

DH's bp was not so good. I told him not to change his meds. But he listened to his doctor instead of me.

[ikslo]

I don't do Lent. Y'all probably knew that.

[ikslo]

I am again disappointed with football.

 

I liked halftime and the Helen Mirren commercial, though. #GiveADamn

[Ellie]

I will be on the lookout for opportunities to refer to someone as a "pillock."

[Slache]

I don't do Lent. Y'all probably knew that.

You could. I won't tell. It's supposed to take 21 days to form a habit but that doesn't work for me. Lent is my yearly reminder to do something better. There have been times I haven't done it, but I at least get reminded every year.

[Another Lynn]

Good Monday Morning friends!!!  Welcome to the 2nd week of February.  Much colder temps this week.  Bummer. 

 

Congrats to Peyton Manning, if he stops by.  :D

[ikslo]

You could. I won't tell. It's supposed to take 21 days to form a habit but that doesn't work for me. Lent is my yearly reminder to do something better. There have been times I haven't done it, but I at least get reminded every year.

I am going to start running again once the weather warms. I just can't do winter. Which means giving up sleep, I suppose. But I prefer not to hijack religious events for my own purpose. I do respect those that believe.

[Another Lynn]

Hey Ikslo, I was wondering how running was going for you.  I only ran once last week.  This week, temperatures are not looking very friendly.  I'm beginning to reach the same conclusion - wait a month.  We'll see.....

[Openhearted]

Good Morning!

 

It is snowing here. It was supposed to rain then change to snow around noon. Dd16 got on the bus about 20 minutes ago.

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!!!

[Susan in TN]

Monday, Monday (ba daaaaaa, ba da-da daa)

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bxS9N-npE2Q

[Junie]

Monday, Monday (ba daaaaaa, ba da-da daa)

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bxS9N-npE2Q

 

:) Love the harmonies.

[Junie]

Good morning.  I may post on Jean's Tackle Monday thread.  I feel like I have a ton of stuff to do.

[ikslo]

Hey Ikslo, I was wondering how running was going for you.  I only ran once last week.  This week, temperatures are not looking very friendly.  I'm beginning to reach the same conclusion - wait a month.  We'll see.....

 

Yep, waiting.  I really should do some sit-ups or something in the meantime, but I'm not that motivated.  All I can say is mid-life spread is for reals, yo.  :willy_nilly:

[Junie]

I was planning to start using my walking video this year.  But I haven't touched it once.  I blame the headache.  If this migraine is going to stick around this long, it had better be useful for something.  Migraine = scapegoat.  :)

[Slache]

Yep, waiting. I really should do some sit-ups or something in the meantime, but I'm not that motivated. All I can say is mid-life spread is for reals, yo. :willy_nilly:

What about yoga?

[Critterfixer]

 

I hate "hot water" and tea bags. Blech. Just make a pot of a nice black tea and call it good. Yeah, I know that many tea drinkers are spayshell snowflakes and need to have 32 choices of tea bags, but honestly...coffee drinkers get...coffee. Why shouldn't tea drinkers? Besides which "hot water" makes really crummy tea, and tea bags are just a mess...soggy things lying around on saucers after having been dunked not even in boiling water but in "hot" water, such that if there had once been a possibility that they would make an actual good-tasting tea, the "hot water" made it impossible.

 

Which is why my special snowflake self brewed my own tea yesterday and toted a thermos around instead of using the "hot water." You got to do what you got to do! :laugh:

I'm not doing school today, but I do have some phone calls to make later and plenty of housekeeping to do. I'm also working on some school planning.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Critterfixer

[Junie]

Which is why my special snowflake self brewed my own tea yesterday and toted a thermos around instead of using the "hot water." You got to do what you got to do! :laugh:

I'm not doing school today, but I do have some phone calls to make later and plenty of housekeeping to do. I'm also working on some school planning.

 

Thanks for the reminder about phone calls.  Hopping back over to the Tackle thread.  brb...

[KrissiK]

I love coffee! But it has to be sweet and white! You all knew that! I am giving up peppermint mocha

creamer. Not for Lent, though it coincides with Lent. I'm giving Trim Healthy Mama a try, starting today. Got shed these 30 pounds somehow.

 

Yeah for Payton. Not a thrilling game.... too many turnovers. But, I enjoyed the half-time show.

 

Got an order for curriculum in last night. CBD had free shipping and I was bored.

 

And that I all I got! Have a wonderful Monday, Ladies!

[Ellie]

Which is why my special snowflake self brewed my own tea yesterday and toted a thermos around instead of using the "hot water." You got to do what you got to do! :laugh:

 

That's what I do, too. :thumbup1:

 

That isn't the same, of course, as events that serve "hot" water and tea bags and call it "tea." :D

[prairiewindmomma]

Monday... :scared:

[JoJosMom]

:seeya:

 

Brace yourselves:  Last night I asked DH to PLEASE keep an eye on the short person's progress while I am out of town.  Little mousie can get a wee bit distracted when the Big Mean Rat is away.  Which is normally no big deal-it makes for a fun day for her.  BUT we're going to miss 2 school days this week and there are things that MUST BE DONE.

 

Here's the shocker:  DH said, "Well, be sure to leave me a list of what she needs to get done and I'll make sure she does it."

 

:svengo:   (Principal Daddy [puts the "pal" in principal] tends to be very hands-off.)

 

 

 

 

Now that I think of it, we did get a Cabela's catalog recently.  Wonder what went on sale.  Ruh-roh.

[Southern Ivy]

Ok, I just need a place to vent - ignore if you'd like. :D



This year has really been rough. After 4 years as classroom neighbors, my "teaching best friend" moved back to her hometown about 2 hours away. My grade level team was disbanded and we were all switched up. So, I'm feel like I'm starting from scratch this year and it's incredibly lonely.
I'm on a team with some women who are much younger than I (early 20s), so not a lot in common and it's glaringly obvious. I know that work is work and you shouldn't be trying to find a social outlet there; but it's hard after previously having someone that you were so bonded with, to suddenly going to what feels like a friendship-barren land. 
I honestly feel like I'm in jr. high again by getting left out of everything (girls' nights, the Super Bowl party last night, plus several other things) and then whispering about it so that I don't find out. REALLY? You had it posted all over Facebook, you dingdongs. *eye roll*  
Even more annoying, the person who hosted the party cornered me the other day and said "I think we should have a political discussion sometime. We're good friends, so I think we could discuss our different opinions without getting upset at each other." Laughable, because if we were "good friends", she'd know that I avoid politics like the plague even with my "good friends". So, obviously, if I can't be invited to a party, I am NOT discussing anything remotely controversial with you. :D 

I just have to keep telling myself "You're not in junior high. You're not in junior high. You're not in junior high." I know that it shouldn't bother me - especially at 35. But, it does dredge up hurtful memories from junior high and high school. 


If I didn't have just one more year before staying home, I'd try to find another job or position. As it is, I'm going to stick it out; but it's going to be lonely. :( 


:rant:

Edited February 8, 2016 by Southern Ivy

[Southern Ivy]

What type of handwriting curriculum/program/sheets do you do when your kids are PreK-K? 
So many different types and I can't decide! 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am going to start running again once the weather warms. I just can't do winter. Which means giving up sleep, I suppose. But I prefer not to hijack religious events for my own purpose. I do respect those that believe.

 

Yeah.  This is why I appreciate things like Sparkpeople for things like habit forming.  While it is primarily a weightloss promoting site, it is about healthy habits in general as well. 

 

 

 

* My Sparkpeople plug  for the year. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Mary-- Two quick thoughts:

1. We moved this past year, and I've been caught up some in the same dynamic. I found myself doing things (buying an "in" handbag, etc.) to fit in with the new crowd and I finally recognized the craziness for what it was. I'm sorry you're missing your bestie! 

2. PK handwriting--we did a lot of large gross motor activities and fine motor activities to really build up those muscles.  Playdoh, stringing beads, pinching things with clothespins--all of those have therapeutic benefit.  We worked on scissor skills using the Kumon books.  For the actual handwriting--we used the maze activities inside of the Get Ready for the Code Books, the pencil activities inside of Developing the Early Learner, and the wood pieces and chalk board activities in Explode the Code Handwriting Without Tears.  FWIW, of my 5 kids, 2 have been dysgraphic. I think there's a strong genetic component there; my dad can only write in capital letters to this day and my FIL has a cursive hand that's forced.   In working with the 4+ OTs that we've gone through over the last decade--all of them agreed that playing games (playdoh, etc.) is WAY more appropriate for the PK-K crowd. When teaching handwriting, doing the chalkboard work extensively to build up that motor memory is key. Go to the workbooks only when the stroke sequence, etc. is in place.  We mix up the chalkboard work with drawing in a pencil in sand, fingerprinting in pudding or shaving cream, and a lot of other sensory work.

 

ETA: fixed my mistake above now that the caffeine has kicked in.

Edited February 8, 2016 by kbeal

[ikslo]

What about yoga?

 

:willy_nilly:  :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly:  

[Susan in TN]

What type of handwriting curriculum/program/sheets do you do when your kids are PreK-K?

So many different types and I can't decide!

My youngest really loved the Kumon workbooks. I got her a big assortment and she devoured them. I really didn't do anything for pre-K with my others except let them work/scribble in their siblings' finished workbooks.

 

For K and up we use Zaner-Bloser, though for my youngest 2 I have just made copies of their "self instruction in handwriting" book.

[Junie]

Mary, I get it.  The one year I taught high school, I was at a good-sized Christian school -- a few hundred students.

 

I was one of only two single teachers.  Everyone else was married and most of them had kids.

 

The only other single teacher was a male elementary school teacher who was quite a bit older than me.

 

One day, one of my high school classes decided to greet me with a sing-songy "Good Morning, Mrs. Other-Single-Teacher's-Last Name".  I then told them that Other Single Teacher was older than my mother.  They were properly disgusted and never mentioned it again.  :)

 

So, I do understand about not having someone in your school that you can relate to.  BTDT, but no advice.  :grouphug:

[Southern Ivy]

Mary-- Two quick thoughts:

1. We moved this past year, and I've been caught up some in the same dynamic. I found myself doing things (buying an "in" handbag, etc.) to fit in with the new crowd and I finally recognized the craziness for what it was. I'm sorry you're missing your bestie! 

2. PK handwriting--we did a lot of large gross motor activities and fine motor activities to really build up those muscles.  Playdoh, stringing beads, pinching things with clothespins--all of those have therapeutic benefit.  We worked on scissor skills using the Kumon books.  For the actual handwriting--we used the maze activities inside of the Get Ready for the Code Books, the pencil activities inside of Developing the Early Learner, and the wood pieces and chalk board activities in Explode the Code.  FWIW, of my 5 kids, 2 have been dysgraphic. I think there's a strong genetic component there; my dad can only write in capital letters to this day and my FIL has a cursive hand that's forced.   In working with the 4+ OTs that we've gone through over the last decade--all of them agreed that playing games (playdoh, etc.) is WAY more appropriate for the PK-K crowd. When teaching handwriting, doing the chalkboard work extensively to build up that motor memory is key. Go to the workbooks only when the stroke sequence, etc. is in place.  We mix up the chalkboard work with drawing in a pencil in sand, fingerprinting in pudding or shaving cream, and a lot of other sensory work.

We do a lot of play-doh and we like using the squirrel tweezer in Sneaky Snacky Squirrel. We will start doing our Get Ready and Developing Early Learner books tonight, too. So, yay! I'm doing something right! :D 

She does NOT like messy hands so no pudding/shaving cream, but she would probably like writing in sand. 

[lots of little ducklings]

Where's Quackers?

 

Where's Ellie?

 

Where has our family gone?

 

 

 

 

Did Matt hide them?  :toetap05:

 

 

Hi!   :seeya: Duck is alive.  I miss you all, the super-sized kinda miss.    

 

We had snow Friday, and have snow again today, so it's been shoveling, and shoveling, and shoveling, and then buying new shovels to replace the broken ones; plus a big luncheon+concert after church on Sunday, plus me finally putting away most of my Christmas stuff, and tackling a hundred other critical projects along the way.  And I just realized tomorrow is V-Day party at CC.  Eek! If anyone is out and can grab me some chocolate valentine hearts, that would be so great.   Meanwhile, I unearthed my desk this morning, which was both good and necessary.  What is not good is that my darling creative geniuses took that opportunity to build forts.  (Serenity now, serenity now...)   :svengo:

 

Sooo....I'm slowly ketching-up.  

 

((((Slashaboo))))) on the loss of Aunt Clair.  And ((((everyone not feeling well, like Jean and Dawn))).  And (((every with the February blahs))).

 

 And  :party: Renai!

 

 

Also, I made slow-cooker apple streusel oatmeal last night before bed, so we all woke up to a hot breakfast.  I'd forgotten how much I like that recipe.  And out of the blue Dd6 stopped and looked at me as she headed up to bed last night and said, "Hey, you know what? You look just like a real mommy, Mommy, and I like that about you."  

 

 

 

 

#themamaisreal  :thumbup1:

[Southern Ivy]

My youngest really loved the Kumon workbooks. I got her a big assortment and she devoured them. I really didn't do anything for pre-K with my others except let them work/scribble in their siblings' finished workbooks.

 

For K and up we use Zaner-Bloser, though for my youngest 2 I have just made copies of their "self instruction in handwriting" book.

I'll have to find the Kumon books when we're done with Developing the Early Learner. Did you just use the Kumon My First Book of Upper/Lower Case? 

[ikslo]

 

Also, I made slow-cooker apple streusel oatmeal last night before bed, so we all woke up to a hot breakfast.  I'd forgotten how much I like that recipe.  

 

So rude to post that and then NOT provide the recipe.  Humph! :closedeyes:

 

Quackers, that sounds delicious.  Care to pass on the recipe? :drool5:

[lots of little ducklings]

Aaaaaand..... I'm all ketched-up now.  And outta likes.  Serves me right for being away so long.  

 

 

Now time to conquer Monday!  

[lots of little ducklings]

So rude to post that and then NOT provide the recipe.  Humph! :closedeyes:

 

Quackers, that sounds delicious.  Care to pass on the recipe? :drool5:

 

 

Oh!  Yes.... hang on a sec....

[lots of little ducklings]

Slow Cooker Apple Streusel Oatmeal (from Weelicious cookbook)

 

1 C steel cut oats (steel cut is important)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 C granny smith apples, diced (I peel them, too, though the recipe doesn't say to)

1/2 C chopped walnuts

1/2 C raisins

2.5 C milk

2 C water

granola, for sprinkling on top (I like trader joes Granny's Apple Granola)

 

Dump all ingredients but granola into the crock pot and stir to combine.  Cook on Low for 5-8 hours (depending on your slow-cooker), then switch to warm until ready to serve. Serve with granola sprinkled on top.  My kids also like a little maple syrup drizzled on top, but I don't... the apples and raisins give it just the right sweetness for me.  

 

 

 

ETA:  I was in a hurry and didn't even see your strikeout until now.   :smilielol5:    

Edited February 8, 2016 by Lotsoflittleducklings

[ikslo]

Slow Cooker Apple Streusel Oatmeal (from Weelicious cookbook)

 

1 C steel cut oats (steel cut is important)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 C granny smith apples, diced (I peel them, too, though the recipe doesn't say to)

1/2 C chopped walnuts

1/2 C raisins

2.5 C milk

2 C water

granola, for sprinkling on top (I like trader joes Granny's Apple Granola)

 

Dump all ingredients but granola into the crock pot and stir to combine.  Cook on Low for 5-8 hours (depending on your slow-cooker), then switch to warm until ready to serve. Serve with granola sprinkled on top.  My kids also like a little maple syrup drizzled on top, but I don't... the apples and raisins give it just the right sweetness for me.  

 

 

 

ETA:  I was in a hurry and didn't even see your strikeout until now.   :smilielol5:    

 

Oooohhh, this looks do-able, sans walnuts of course.  Thanks! 

[Ellie]

What type of handwriting curriculum/program/sheets do you do when your kids are PreK-K? 

So many different types and I can't decide! 

 

None.

 

With little kidlets, you want them to learn to write circles beginning at 2 on the clock, down to 6, up to 9, around to 12, back to 2. They can do that with their pointy fingers in the air, or in finger paint, or Cool Whip. :-) They need to learn to write vertical lines from top to bottom, and horizontal lines in the direction that we read and write (IOW, left to right). Yes, you can use all those big words.

 

They also need to learn to hold their writing implements correctly, and to not hook their hands over the top of their paper (not even the lefties).

 

Children have been learning to write for hundreds of years without programs or worksheets. :-)

[Southern Ivy]

Very true, Ellie. :D 

[Slache]

What type of handwriting curriculum/program/sheets do you do when your kids are PreK-K? 

So many different types and I can't decide! 

I wanted to do cursive first but he wanted to write like in books and we agreed on italics. He doesn't make mistakes typical for his age like writing letters backwards and b/d confusion and I believe that's because he writes in italics. We are using Handwriting Lessons Through Literature because it backs up our phonogram practice, but we did Getty & Dubay first and he absolutely loved it.

 

:willy_nilly:  :willy_nilly: :willy_nilly:  

You're doing it wrong.

[ikslo]

 

With little kidlets, you want them to learn to write circles beginning at 2 on the clock, down to 6, up to 9, around to 12, back to 2.

 

Just curious - Why?

 

I never draw circles starting at the 2 o'clock position or in that direction.  I can't believe I graduated college!

[ikslo]

You're doing it wrong.

 

If by wrong you mean never even tried, then yes.  :lol:

[ikslo]

Hi, AMJ!!  :seeya:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2016 by ikslo

[Slache]

If by wrong you mean never even tried, then yes.  :lol:

Yoga is a great partner to running. I recommend it.

[Slache]

None.

 

With little kidlets, you want them to learn to write circles beginning at 2 on the clock, down to 6, up to 9, around to 12, back to 2. They can do that with their pointy fingers in the air, or in finger paint, or Cool Whip. :-) They need to learn to write vertical lines from top to bottom, and horizontal lines in the direction that we read and write (IOW, left to right). Yes, you can use all those big words.

 

They also need to learn to hold their writing implements correctly, and to not hook their hands over the top of their paper (not even the lefties).

 

Children have been learning to write for hundreds of years without programs or worksheets. :-)

Ellie! Get the Booya!

[Ellie]

I have decided that booya will happen or not. I have a pretty good track record the last month of missing it by one post. such is life. :hat:

[Ellie]

BOOYA!!!!!

 

Happy Monday morning to me!

Edited February 8, 2016 by Ellie

[Slache]

Mary, since you're made of money you should get this and this for a salt tray.

[Southern Ivy]

I am again disappointed with football.

 

I liked halftime and the Helen Mirren commercial, though. #GiveADamn

 

I didn't even like the halftime. My daughter loved the "Tinkerbells" that came out with Coldplay. 

I thought the best performance was Lady Gaga and the National Anthem. I kind of wish they had just let her do the halftime show, too. 

 

I don't do Lent. Y'all probably knew that.

I don't either. 

 

Good Morning!

 

It is snowing here. It was supposed to rain then change to snow around noon. Dd16 got on the bus about 20 minutes ago.

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!!!

It's been sporadically snowing here, too. The students are acting like we're getting a blizzard. As it is, it's blowing around like a blizzard and melting as soon as it hits the ground. So, no accumulation. 

[Susan in TN]

Very true, Ellie. :D

Those are the kind of pre-K Kumon books I got for dd - mostly fun pencil work like mazes along with some fun cutting and coloring books. I can't remember if she did any that taught actual letters. Oh, but I remember she did the Get Ready for the Code books.