Snow Day!

Whew!

What a relief! Today the State Dept. of Ed. was at our school to inspect us for our re-accredidation. While this visit (used to be every five years; now going to every three years) is always a big deal, this year is even more so because we're using a new process with new standards/expectations. While we've tried to remind ourselves that this year is our baseline year (we must show improvement in three years), who doesn't want to show themselves in their best light? We had three different observers in our classroom today, and it seemed to go fine. I don't know when we'll get our report, but at least our part is done.

NOW I get it!

Quote of the Week

"Act as if what you do makes a difference.
It does."
~William James

Happy birthday, Grumps!

We hope you're having fun on YOUR day! Wish we could celebrate with you, but we'll have to do it from afar. I can't blame you for enjoying the tropics this time of year- it is in the 40s and gloomy here. Check him out on the beach at www.travelingbellgs.blogspot.com! Still lookin' good after all these years!

WE LOVE YOU!

Thinking Day

The girls traveled around the world at Thinking Day, a Girl Scout event to celebrate Girl Scouts/Girl Guides the world over. Each county in our region had a booth that represented a different country. It was fun to "travel" from place to place, sampling foreign snacks and collecting swaps from each booth.

Happy Valentine's Day

With love & hugs from our family to yours!

"Come to the Office Now, Please!"

This is the announcement I hear at the end of the day as the bell is ringing to dismiss the kids. On my way up the hill to the other office, I met Miss A. She didn't have Miss M in tow as usual, so I began to worry a bit and directed her to my room to wait (and not worry about little sis).

There was M in the office with Ms. Connie, with some tissue in her mouth, blotting the gaping hole where her front tooth used to be! Yep, this is the pesky tooth that she broke when she was just 21 months old and has needed work off-and-on since then. At least it had already become loose. Apparently she was bouncing on the bus seat to get an extra-big bounce as the bus went over the speed bump by my school, and she came down mouth first on the seat back in front of her! By the time I arrived, the mess was cleaned up, her shaking had pretty much stopped, and she was showing signs of breaking into a grin.

Can you believe the principal thinks the tooth fairy should be extra good to her since she lost it on the bus, couldn't find it at first (where it had rolled on the floor to the seat behind her), and bled profusely? She had just better hope the tooth fairy comes at all, because her track record with big sis is a bit sketchy.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my sister's birthday! Happy birthday to her!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope that she got coffee delivered to her in bed this morning, especially since Alex spent the night with Nana.

No ages will be divulged, because she is five years younger than me. ;) Well, actually right now she's only 4 years younger than me, but that won't last for very long. Have a very happy birthday today!

Singing Surprise

This morning at church, not only was Miss A acolyting, but the Choristers were scheduled to sing. Imagine my surprise when Miss M made her solo debut on the first verse of "Go Tell It on the Mountain!" It was so sweet! I had no idea it was coming, either. Sean sang the second verse solo, A soloed on the third, then the three sang the final verse (and all the refrains) together.

This solo was extra special because that is M's all-time favorite Christmas carol. We even used that on our Christmas card several years ago with a manger scene Ansley drew (which I just found & scanned). The girls were 6 & 3 then. We are so blessed.

Inspiration

AKA You Can't Send a Duck to Eagle School

Check it out:
http://www.simpletruths.com/a.aspx?mo=ycsd&t=2&af=132

Scrapbooking

"You see, the term scrapbooking does not just refer to the assembly of pages. Scrapbooking actually describes an ongoing, multi-dimensional spectrum of activities that begins with an awareness of your life, followed by a desire to photograph and record your day-to-day experiences, ultimately resulting in scrapbook albums that are overflowing with perspective-laden layouts, each of which contributes in some small way to the story of your life and heritage".

-from Stacy Julian's new book, Photo Freedom

What do you scrapbook? What kind(s) of album(s) do you have? Please share by posting a comment!

I have large albums for each daughter (more or less chronological), a wedding album (including dating, engagement, and the reception), and a travel album, plus a 6"x6" album of the girls in the growth chair and a 6"x6" of formal professional photographs. I've given away bunches of mini albums, and I have a mini 3"x3" Sisters album of my girls, and one of my favorites is my coaster album of 2006 in review.