31/365 Kindergarten Homework

I LOVE watching my son focus and do his writing journal homework. I need to figure out the lighting for these kinds of photos... the lighting in the kitchen isn't cutting it. I'm not happy with how grainy this photo is... but catching this moment is more important than finding the right lighting - for now.

30/365 Two Photos

So I started the day by finishing up a cake for my mom and her twin brother (Mike). It is chocolate with butter-cream frosting - which Uncle Mike requested. ReEnna and I then put on some M & M candy (for Mike and Mary :)!


Sadly... I didn't get to go to the party because I'm sick (don't want to get my baby niece sick or anyone else). While at the party my husband took a wonderful photo of our daughter and our niece! The two of them are inseparable during family get-togethers.

29/365 The MOON

The moon is totally beautiful tonight. I tried to get a good photo.... but I don't know all the tricks yet. Here is the best shot I could get! All advice is welcome for my next moon shot!

28/365 Use ALL your Resources!!

I love it when students are so engaged that will use the resources they have at hand. I now have this displayed on our class door collage.

27/365 Sick

This isn't an outstanding photo... but it documents my day. Fighting a sore throat, which has now traveled to my lungs. That cough that doubles you over is NO FUN! So I'm in bed, resting up so I can be with my learners tomorrow.

26/365 Summarizing

This week my class is completing our time with Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. As the photo shows, we are summarizing each chapter. Today I had them post their chapter summary on Edmodo.com. I'm so VERY excited about how engaged they were. They were also asked to read and comment on others. What a wonderful way to have peer conferencing via the digital world of Edmodo. :) We will be taking these summaries and creating a whole class digital summary to share with the world.

25/365 I can boil water!

I'm not sure WHY... but I just don't enjoy cooking. I can make simple meals and I LOVE my crockpot... but I just don't enjoy cooking. Sadly my husband doesn't cook much either.

I hope I don't pass this onto my own children. I try to make time to cook with them, and my daughter likes to watch cooking shows. Maybe, as they grow older, my children will take over the cooking. Wouldn't that be grand!!

24/365 What a GAME!!!

What a GREAT game!! I'm sad for Brett but excited for the Saints!

23/365 Assembly Required

22/365 Puzzled...

The digital natives in my classroom are excited about a puzzle!!

21/365 "Early" Morning

This morning I went to school "early". Now early for me isn't really EARLY. I left the house around 7AM... but I caught the late winter sunrise. What a beautiful sight to see.

20/365 Sharing our thinking...

My class has been immersed in Old Yeller these last two weeks. Today I began to share our thinking with our school - on our annotation board. The students were so very excited to see their thinking work posted!

19/365 Wordle.net

There are so many wonderful web 2.0 tools... at times it is overwhelming to me. Especially now that I am connected to so many innovative teachers via Twitter. One of the tools that I use is Wordle.net. This week (which started today due to MLK Jr. Day) our shared reading (I use the process presented in the book TEXT SAVVY by Sarah Daunis) piece is the last section of the “I Have a Dream” speech. A student of mine created this Wordle of his speech. I can’t wait to share it with the class and hear their thinking.

18/365 LONG Night...

Last night was one of those LONG parenting nights... when you wish you could take all the pain and suffering away. My little boy (6 years old) was busy fighting a stomach bug. Poor thing had stuff coming out both ends. :( So I decided to sleep in his room. When he woke up he asked me "Did you sleep there all night Mom?" I said "Yes." He then replied "Thanks Mom!" So all the soreness from sleeping on the floor was well worth it.

17/365 Go Brett!!

I know many people are just sick and tired of Brett Favre. All this retiring and then unretiring.... but I'm excited that he returned AGAIN and is making his way through the playoffs with the Vikings. Now I am a Packer fan... but my brother keeps me updated with the current Favre jersey. So I'll be wearing my jersey next week... cheering for the 40 year old QB!

16/365 Roller Skating

Today I took my son to a birthday party @ Skate City. He asked me to skate with him and what a joy it was to have my "little man" holding my hand while we skate. (see photo) It was really more of a death grip at times... but I LOVED it! I forgot how much I do love skating. It was something I did often as a child. I might need to work that into my "exercise" routine.

15/365 Water, Water, Water

I'm doing a water/juice fast this weekend... to flush my system. It has been almost 24 hours with only water. As I watch the sadness in Haiti... I'm thankful that I have water. A weekend fast is nothing compared to what so many people are going through in Haiti.

14/365 Time to Go Home...

During the winter months I usually miss my favorite time of day - dusk. I made it out just in time!

13/365 Technology

I'm so thankful for the technology I have. My lastest addition (December 09) was my iPod touch. I've found it so helpful, both at home and school! I just need an app that will wash dishes, vacuum and do laundry.

12/365 Annotation...

Annotating the text - YES writing in your book!!!

Definition of annotate: to add critical or explanatory notes to a text (Encarta Dictionary)
Synonyms: add footnotes to, interpret, explain, make notes on, comment on.

On Monday I gave each of my students their own copy of Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. They were all very excited!! I then told them that they were allowed to write in their book. This got them even more excited... and a visit from the annotation King (my husband) today continued the excitement. He brought in an eclectic collection of books (KISS, Calvin & Hobbs, HTML) to show his style of annotation. I’m looking forward to seeing my students grow as annotators and may those annotations help them grow as thinkers, readers, and learners!!

Tell me... do you write in your books??

11/365 Disorganized

It is Monday and these two boys have exploded on their table. I struggle with how best to support these (and other students) who struggle with organization. I know many creative and productive people who are very disorganized... yet on the other had there are others who are TOO organized and neat. How to help students, and myself, find that happy organized balance.... something to think about.

10/365 The Tree is Gone

Now the holiday season is officially over. We had taken the orniments off the tree almost two weeks ago... but we continued to enjoy the tree in the living room. It was finally time to let it go. I was surprised how green it looked as I lugged it outside.

9/365 Happy Little Shopper

A college friend and I took my daughter out shopping today. She found the perfect fuzzy sweatshirt at Kohl's and a "new" purse at the local Goodwill store. She is picky... but not TOO picky. :)

8/365 Friday Friday Friday

I know that the weekend is close at hand when the Friday Folders are being packed up. :)

7/365 - Snow

Usually the winters here in Denver aren't too bad. We get some nice snow and then it melts... more snow and more melting. But this winter the snow has stayed. I'm wondering what the rest of winter (and spring) will bring. I'm looking forward to some more melting - NOT snowing.

6/365 My boy... ready to learn!

Today was our first day back with students.

It is always wonderful to see them excited and ready to be back in the routine of school. My own son, kindergartener, was TOTALLY ready for the day. He wore his special clothes he got from Christmas and was ready to be a professional learner today.

I didn't get the chance to take this photo til after school... note the shirt isn't tucked in and his shoes and socks are off. He was busy doing his Wii fit for the day. Golfing!

5/365 Lunch in the "real" world!

As most teachers know... we don't have the opportunity to go out to lunch often. It is a special treat to be able to go out for lunch with my co-workers.

4/365 - Ready for our THINKING

I arrived back to work today... no students, just working, meeting, grading, and thinking to do. I always love to take some time to "sweep" the room and do a classroom blessing (taking that from Flylady's house blessing). On this board I took down our little paper Holiday tree and have left it empty. One thing I believe is the classroom is OUR classroom. So I now have a clear space to fill with OUR thinking.

3/365 - Grandpa Mark's Surboard Cake

So... day three and I have more than one photo to share! The kids and I made a surfboard cake for Grandpa Mark today for his birthday. We had such fun! We were the Duray Cake Boss Team!

2010 - The Year of the CROCKPOT! 2/365

I'm very excited to use my crock-pot this year. Along with my camera!

I don't think I'll be using is EVERY day... but so far I have. We had cranberry roast for dinner last night (1/1/10) and this morning we will be having pancakes (see photo) for breakfast.

Thanks to....A Year of Slow Cooking blog by Stephanie. You will find a link to her blog on the right side of this page.

Cook Crock-pot Cook!!

Day 1/365

I'm jumping in to the 365 photos for the new year of 2010. Here is my first photo... that I really took last year (last night).

One of the things I want to remember this year... the small things matter to kids. My own children, and newphew, had a ball yesterday redecorating the tree, making cookies and cakes and "dropping" the Duray New Years ball in our kitchen. :)