First Day of 2009-2010

Since everyone else was doing it, I had to post our first day pictures as well! It was kinda dark---it was about 6:55 when I took these.

Here's B going to 5th grade. We found the BEST backpack (originally $50, for $20!!) in the colors she likes. We got a big lunchbox this year so she can put her nifty new cereal bowl in there. It keeps the milk cold in a special freezer compartment. Yes, cereal with milk for lunch!! Not that keeping things cold will be a problem---lunch is at 10:45. Geeze! Last year she was at the other extreme: 12:50. Here's J with his orange and black outfit he pulled together. The laces were not original to the shoes, but a good touch. He's going to 8th grade. He will be taking these classes:
Computer (BCIS)
P.E.
Spanish 3 for Native Speakers
U.S. History
Biology
Algebra
English
Band
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He did not take a backpack today, and will get his computer about a month from today. (Someone's birthday!) J is riding a bus home many days.

I got a Sonic drink today that didn't have sonic ice in it!

To be or not to be

J and I started watching Hamlet on the Ovation channel Thursday night, and I was excited to see it was back on this evening. I had to miss the last 30 minutes! So now I'm finishing it up.

It has been 17 years or so since I've studied Shakespeare, but I still love it. I don't understand all of it, but I like it! I took two semesters of Shakespeare---one at Texas A&M and one at UNT---and I still have my BIG Complete Works of Shakespeare (somewhere). It's best watched, not read.

I'm glad J was interested in watching Shakespeare with me. He's an actor, so maybe he'll get to perform it one day. At Christmastime, he will try to get in a school production of "A Christmas Carol." He is not getting to take drama this year after all---he has to take a technology class instead because of the program he's in. Jamie wants to see "Twelfth Night" tomorrow, so we're setting the VCR.

This version I'm watching now was made in 2000, and is set in NYCity. Ethan Hawke is Hamlet. I'm enjoying it!

Here are a couple of pictures from the last few weeks.

When I top this hill, and start down this long stretch, I know I'm almost there. (Do you know where?)

I did a beginning of year activity in my classroom using this book. Each child brough a rock, as did I, and we will keep them here as long as we're in the class.

This is me on the first day of school. One of my students took it for me.

Here are all the new shoes! and legs, and knees, and khaki shorts.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, August 22nd

Today's theme is ripples. I'm waxing philosophical!

I couldn't think of any shots I have of ripples on the water. I should have looked or some this week and got a shot, but have been busy---my school has already begun. We're well on our way into the 2009-2010 year!

As I woke this morning, I thought about the ripples our decisions make, or the ripples the circumstances make in our lives and again in the lives of those around us.

This is my paternal grandmother and her brother. They lived in Tennessee and grew up during the depression. Their circumstances---including a father's illness with tuberculosis---led to certain attitudes and personality traits I can see in me.

This is Larry's family. I can't think about the ripples unless I think about the "looks" of people, our genetic heritage. Larry's grandmother is the third woman from the right, and seated are her parents. There is a certain body build in all the men on Larry's side that are descended from Larry's Dad. Another ripple was that Larry's grandmother was the one who taught him to read at an early age.

Both Larry and I come from stock that's not so tall! While our J has passed me by and already has feet bigger than his daddy, I still think he won't get over 6 feet tall. This shorter genetic heritage ripples on by . . .

Here is my short family. I'm the one in the white skirt in the front. And I am only 5'2". Even our men are only about 5'7" or so.

And another choice that's rippled down for the benefit of me and my kin---that my grandparents on my Mom's side even got together. None of his other 3 siblings ever married. I'm glad he made the leap to do it!

Life is full of these ripples, both good and bad. I hope my own actions are rippling into my children's lives in a positive way.

Check out more ripples at TNChick's website. Next week's theme is Surprise!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, August 15th

This week's theme is artificial. Check out more photo hunters on TNChick's website.

Last Saturday morning, this is where I was. It looks like a resort, and I guess for some it is a vacation spot. But this is my Granbury, my hometown. I went back for my 20th high school reunion. The reason this picture is artificial is that this is on the lake, and it used to just be the marina. It was the turnaround spot for "the drag." But now, they've made a nice beach there, with pretty sand and the Tiki Hut (for snacks). It's right next to the Hilton. Granbury with a Hilton? A nice beach, on Lake Granbury, artificially trucked in.

J reminded me of his artificially altered photos. He has made a picture of himself look like the Joker. Kinda creepy! He altered this photo to give me artificial colors (kinda like Kool-Aid colors?).

Next week's theme is ripples. I'll try to keep up, but I've already started back to teaching school, so I'm busy with all that beginning of the year stuff. Have yourself a great week!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, August 1st

This week's word of the week is Entertainment. For better or worse, my son has always been an entertainer. I'm highlighting some good entertaining he's done in the recent past.

This is his latest role in a BVTroupe production: Peanuts' Schroeder. This is the end of "his" song, Beethoven.
This is J in a skit where he's a sportscaster. It was "extreme," man.

This one is from last summer's BVT production of Annie. J played Rooster, Ms. Hannigan's shady brother. Here he si reading a note that says, "The jig is up." He was very good at playing the mischievous part, and I still think his rendition of "easy Street with Ms. Hannigan and his girlfriend was top notch. Great entertainment!

This week's theme was SO easy for me to come up with. J has been entertaining us his whole life, but his time spent on stage (which he loves) is entertainment others seem to enjoy as well. I need to remind him every once in a while that he's not supposed to be an entertainer at school in the classroom!!

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Go by TNChick's site to see more entertaining posts. Next week's theme is low.