My "Party of Five"

Saturday, February 26, 2011

My work-trip to the Big Apple :)

I had the opportunity to attend the 4-day February Mini-Institute at the Teacher's College at Columbia University in NY. The focus of the institute was on Common Core Standards, Content, and workshop teaching. I was gone from home for 5 days. We stayed at a hotel called "On the Ave" in Manhattan. Throughout the week I rode on subways, in taxis and walked around the city. I got to hear some of the renowned authors that I read- Doug Reeves, Harvey Daniel, Anna Gratz, Amanda Hartman, Kathleen Tolan, and Lucy Calkins. I absolutely outgrew myself and came back a different teacher. I am heavy with all of the thinking and learning I grew there. In the evenings we did some sight-seeing. Here I am in Central Park (as you can see, it was cold and snowy there).

Standing next to me is Terri Mathews (Instructional Coach like me), Trevor Ewing (principal at McClelland Elementary), and Judy Stegeman (principal at Stout Field Elementary).

We took a ride on the Staten Island Ferry to gaze at the Statue of Liberty.

We walked through Times Square.

Although we didn't go in, I had to take a photo of "Smith's Bar". :)

On our way to our show, we ate at the Shake Shack.

The Theater District

Thanks to my boss, Anne Olson (middle), we got to enjoy a broadway show- "Memphis". Can't even describe how spectacular it was!

Our navigators (Trevor's wife, Sarah, and Anne)

Radio City Music Hall

Rockafellar Center

A week of my life well-spent! My thinking is forever changed. Thank you to my phenomenal husband for holding down the fort and taking the reins while I was gone, and also to my mom and Terry's mom for all of their help with the kids. I am blessed to have been able to go! Now I must figure out what to do with all of my new knowledge. :)

Girl Scout Father-Daughter dance

Saturday, February 5, 2011

ICE & SNOW STORM!!!

We have had a CRAZY week with TONS of ice, and now snow! My school district only went to school on Monday last week, and Olivia's school went Monday and then had a 2-hr delay on Friday. So, basically we are going stir crazy in the house. We finally got out a little on Thursday. Granny (Ruthann), Luc, and I took the girls to Chuck-E-Cheese to play and then out to lunch.

And then we met my mom, dad, and Ray later on at BW3's for dinner.

On Friday after I dropped off both of the big girls at their schools, I took Tessa to Cookie Cutters for her first "official" haircut. She was as happy as can be playing on the big slide they have inside.

At first, she wasn't too sure about getting a haircut...she kept saying "Mommy, Mommy" and reaching for me.

But she warmed up to the idea about a minute in, and ended up doing REALLY well.

On her little "first haircut certificate", she smiled a big "cheese" for her picture. I had to take a picture of the back of her head when they were done.....just look at those curls!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Another wintery weekend...

This cold, snowy weather is just not my cup of tea! We've been doing our best to push through these long winter days. Tess, here, is really enjoying her lunch!

Last night Liv & Nora got to do some swimming at the Plainfield Aquatic Center in honor of our friend Cameron's 7th birthday!

Here's Nora, swimming next to the birthday boy himself!

I'm not even sure how many times Olivia went down the water slide.

And this morning we went to church, but by 3:30 I was going stir-crazy in the house. So, just to get out for a little while, I had the kids pick a favorite movie to play in the van, I popped and bagged up popcorn, and made cups of KoolAid fizzy drinks, and we drove around Avon & Plainfield to some of the work sites that Terry and his parent's have going. Then we ended up at Bellacino's in Plainfield where the kids enjoyed some pepperoni pizza, and daddy & mommy shared a lovely 18-inch Italian sandwich (Yum!) while I contributed some more Diet Coke to my addiction. :)

It was nice to get out! Poor Tessa stood at our back door today repeatedly saying the words "play" and "outside". :( The Smith's are ready for some spring weather.