Simple Sunday – Trick or Treating Husband Style

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Shoes

Trick or Treating Loot

This is the loot Cody came home with after a long night of trick or treating with his brother and Husband.  Do you see three things that are not like the others?

I had spend the entire day in bed feeling like crap (sore throat, weak, general all over blah (ok, I did get up only once to use the bathroom and track down a ginger ale)).

Apparently after handing out candy at our house (the boys dressed in costume and husband projecting scary ghost images on the outside of our house along with spooky music and our firepot blazing), they went for what Husband thought would be a quick spin around the block to collect some candy.

They were gone for hours.

They hit some houses.  Got some candy.  The typical T or T routine.  Then they stumbled into a mini party with kids playing and adults hanging out eating and drinking.  They stayed for a time.  Then they moved on to another part of the neighborhood.  They found another party.  More kids playing – sword fights – and more adult libations – Four Peaks Beer.  They stayed and played.

And so it was that while I slept the day and night away, Husband and the boys partied into the night.  They made friends and connections in our neighborhood and had some treats as well.

Oh, and here is the answer key for those of you who need it.

Modified Loot Picture

For those of you who celebrated Halloween, I hope you had safe and fun tricks, tasty treats and had the chance to make some great new memories.

Now it is back to bed for me.

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Memories with a Side of Spice Cake

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Shoes

Tuesday would have been my dad’s 81st birthday.  It has been three and a half years since he died.  Cody was in Kindergarten and Carter was a preschooler.  Their memories of him, I’m afraid, are mostly built upon photographs and the spoken remembrances of others.

I am not sure quite why, but this year I decided to make my dad’s favorite cake.  The cake my mom made for him every year.  It is a simple spice cake with homemade penuche, or brown sugar, frosting.

I mentioned the fact that I was going to make a cake for Grandpa’s birthday on our way home from school Monday night.  Carter asked me if he thought I would be sad, throwing a party for someone I loved but was dead and therefore could not come to the party.  Apparently, one can not make a cake unless there is a party at which it is to be eaten.  I told him it was not a party, but more of a time to remember and to enjoy a tasty treat that was one of Grandpa’s favorites.

Spice Cake Collage

I was just dishing up the last slice and Carter was eager to dig in, his fork halfway to his mouth, when Cody spoke up.  He thought it would be nice to take a moment to go around the table, clock-wise (ah, my detail oriented child!), and to share a memory of Grandpa.

And so we did.  And then we ate cake.  It was not a party; it was better than a party.  It was a nice way to honor the memory of my father and to grow and strengthen Cody and Carter’s memories of their Grandpa.

Posted in Food Glorious Food | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Simple Sunday – Lost in the Corn Maze

Posted on October 25, 2015 by Shoes

Today we went a pumpkin patching.  There were bouncy houses, tall tube slides, hay rides, a petting zoo, and a corn maze.  It was a good time although I have to admit that the corn maze gave me a bit of a fright.

No, I was not worried about getting lost in the corn, or really even loosing Cody and/or Carter in the twists and turns.  It was the fact that I had forgotten to ask before we were deep within the maze, forgot to ask if either of the boys had to use the bathroom.  It ended up being a non issue, but the thought did stay at the forefront of my mind until we were safely out of the field.

Corn Maze

Here is a picture of the view from the inside, looking up.

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The Neatly Folded Napkins

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Shoes

Everyday as I pack my boys their school lunches, I make sure I include a napkin.  I don’t know why, but I carefully fold each napkin before placing it on top of their lunch container and zipping their lunch bag closed (from here on out if you are a stickler for facts, simply replace in the words half sheet of paper towel for napkin.  The word napkin just sounds better so I am going with it.)

Everyday as I unpack my boys’ school lunches I find on the bottom of their lunch bag, the neatly folded napkin.  It may be slightly dampened from resting next to the ice packs but other than that it appears to be in the same condition as when we parted ways earlier that morning.

I know my kids.  They are not winning any awards for neat eating.  In fact, more often than not, I comment to Husband that wild animals must sit across the table from us during meals based upon the crumbs and spillage that remains after their clear their spots.

And yet I continue to supply my boys with that napkin.

Today, for the first time, there was evidence that the napkin was used!  I internally rejoiced as I put the ice packs back in the freeze and threw away the used napkin.

Yup, some days it truly is about the little things.

Posted in Little Feet | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Simple Sunday – Practice Thanksgiving, Year Fifteen

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Shoes

It started simply enough.  Fifteen years ago Husband was just Boyfriend and Cody and Carter were not even solid thoughts.  It was October 2001 and the thought that I had no idea how to make a full on Thanksgiving dinner had lodged itself in my head and would not let go.  My parents were coming down from Washington to Arizona to visit us and so I suggested that we host a dinner, a Thanksgiving dinner as a practice.  And that was how Practice Thanksgiving was born – more or less.

Last weekend we hosted the 15th annual Practice Thanksgiving.  Here are some of the highlights.

Sock Monkey folds the napkins

A week before the festivities, the linens were washed and carefully folder under the critical eye of Sock Monkey.  I think he approved although I can never truly tell.

Cody and stuffing Carter table Collage

Cody has always enjoyed helping make the stuffing.  This year he did it almost completely by himself.  Carter, meanwhile busied himself with setting the table and creating name plates from strips of green construction paper.  He created the seating arrangement.  And, yes, the plates are upside down – two kittens – need I say more?

Food and Table Collage

The turkey, deviled eggs, and my first attempt at pecan pie.  I love the small decorative corn cobs and was surprised the kittens did not like them as much as I did.

The Pets help out too Collage

Princess Leia looking crafty.  She only managed to pull the tablecloth catawampus a time or two resulting in minimal damage.  In the living room, standing on the couch arm is Sasha, looking out the window in anticipation for the moment all the guests will arrive.

The After Party Collage

At the end of the night, after the guests left, there was an “after-party”.  We blasted INXS Kick album and busted out the disco ball.

It was a great night filled with family, friends, and great food.

Posted in Food Glorious Food, Simple Sunday | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Carterisms: Morning Dew and Can Lights

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Shoes

Ok.  I am admitting it right up front.  This post is really for me, a post to document the cute stuff that comes out of my kiddos mouths.  Carter had a couple lately that I felt compelled to write down.  They are random and I love them.

Carterism #1:  On the last day of my mom’s visit Carter, my mom, and I took the dogs for a morning walk around our neighborhood park.  We took the desert path leading into the park and then continued our walk on the sidewalk that surrounds the field and duck ponds.  The grass was wet from the sprinklers and some of the water had trickled over onto the sidewalk.  I commented to my mom about the wet sidewalk and to be careful as they get slippery.  We continue.  Conversation turned to how beautiful it was – the sunrise, the mountain, the duck ponds.

Not to be outdone or left out, Carter pipes up, “And the morning dew on the grass is so pretty momma!”  I explained to him that in Phoenix at this time of year, there is no morning dew as there is not enough moisture in the air.  Undeterred, he exclaims “Well then the sprinkler dew looks lovely on the grass this morning!”  Perhaps it is the artificial component of the water, but in my mind sprinkler dew simply does not compare in beauty to au natural morning dew.  But what do I know?

Carterism #2:  Husband and I are very indecisive people.  For the past three months, we have been searching for a light to hang over our dining room table.  We want something different, something that is a focal point, art-like but not too crazy.  We have visited several lighting stores and perused lighting options on line.  With all the discussion of household lighting, the boys have picked up a few terms here and there.  Surrounding our kitchen, we have several can lights and one day Carter suggested that we put in a row of can lights over our table.  I was impressed that he remembered the term.

The next day, Carter made reference to our box light and I had no idea what he was talking about.  Running with the idea that can lights are round like cans, Carter surmised that the small square shaped light above our kitchen sink would be called a box light.  I rather like it.

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The Things That Grow in the Desert

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Shoes

As I mentioned, last week I was off work for fall break.  My mom came into town a few days before our family made-up holiday of Practice Thanksgiving.  Since the boys were still in school, and it was too early to start prepping for the feast, we took a day for ourselves.  We went to the Desert Botanical Gardens, among other places.

Botanical Gardens 1

We are members at the garden and it is the place where Husband and I got married over thirteen years ago (wow, has it been that long!).

Botanical Garden 2

I have gone there more times that I can count and each time I see something that leaves me in awe at the reliance and beauty of the plants that grow here.  The plants that thrive here.

Botanical Garden 3

It was a quiet morning in the garden as it was a weekday and we did not have the boys in tow.  The boys do not do quiet well.  We stood for many minutes watching a cactus wren build a next of grass and twigs in the prickly embrace of a tall cholla cactus.  We saw a pair of hummingbirds, dancing in ever tightening circles, fly up, over, around, and finally through the branches of a green trunked palo verde tree.  We sat in simple, low slung fabric chairs in an overlooked corner of the gardens and talked – of nothing and everything.

Botanical Garden 5

The desert is a complicated beautiful – a mixture of persistence, heartache, and loneliness.  I do not think I will ever tire of looking at it and being a part of it.

Posted in The Great Outdoors | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Fall Break and Flamingos

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Shoes

It is fall break.

Let me restate that.  It is my fall break.

I teach in a different school district than the one Cody and Carter go to.  All of our holidays and breaks throughout the school year just happen to be aligned which is nice for family time.

Except for this one week.

This one glorious week where they are in school and I am not.

I have a long “to do” list so I am keeping busy.  We are hosting our fifteenth annual Practice Thanksgiving this Saturday and my mom is flying in from out of state for it (she arrives tomorrow).

I have been good.  I completed all my lesson plans for the week that we get back from break including gathering and printing materials and writing my weekly newsletter.  I did all that on Monday.

Today I went shopping.  We are going into our second holiday season since moving from Washington and all our awesome holiday festiveness is still boxed up residing in some dark, dank spider infested storage unit.  Actually it is probably not dank, considering it is Phoenix, but you get the idea.

I cannot go another holiday season without some random holiday themed “stuff” to scatter around my house and then complain about having to dust it and vacuum around it.  I just can’t.  The marketing experts are too strong and I am too weak (and I really like seasonal decorating).

So today I went shopping.  And I bought things.  Halloween things and fall things.  It was awesome.

And then I went to Trader Joe’s.  And I did not have two loud blonde boys tagging behind me arguing about whose turn it was to push the little shopper-in-training cart because there was only one and they had to take turns even though they are both way too old to even care about such things.  It was nice.  I splurged and bought some dark chocolate covered cherries.  I told myself they would be perfect for Practice Thanksgiving but in my heart, I know that I will have eaten them all well before Saturday arrives.  Perhaps even before tomorrow arrives.  I dream big.

Oh, and I bought this.

Oh yeah!

It was 50% off, so I ask you, how could I not buy it.

Felipe the Flamingo is currently standing on the bathroom counter.   In our hall bathroom.  Waiting for Husband’s coffee to run through him.  Husband will be most surprised.

Hehehe.  So far I am greatly enjoying my fall break.

Suprise!

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Simple Sunday – The Domino Effect of Humor

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Shoes

Carter’s creation with dominos during our last visit with his farfar, (farfar is Swedish for father’s father.)  Husband’s dad has Alzheimer’s and the visits are not very much fun for the boys (or us, if truth be told).  The boys bring books or play with the dominos that are at the home).

Toy

carter: Look, momma!  Do you get it?  It says toy and I made it with toys.  He proceeds to laugh hysterically at his joke.  I can’t help but to smile, as I know exactly from where he gets his awesome sense of humor.

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Old School

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Shoes

An old box of dot matrix printer paper found collecting dust in a classroom closet.

This paper, its glory days having come and gone, became a simple box of scrap paper in my classroom last year.  We use it to solve math problems.  We use it to create thinking maps, a special type of graphic organize – comparing and contrasting, defining, determining cause and effect, plotting out sequences of story lines.

We also use it during Free Choice Friday at the coloring table.   (Free Choice Friday consists of about 20 minutes of free play complete with centers of blocks – snapping, plain wooden, and colorful patter blocks – puzzles, mazes, and a science center basket, among other various and assorted activities.)

The paper is great!  I love the paper and I am already mourning its inevitable end, but the kids immensely enjoy the holey ribbons adorning the two sides of the paper.  The strips comes off in long flowing ribbons and it makes for great creative paper making arts and crafts.

One of my students made me a dot matrix paper bracelet which I proudly wore after work on my trip to the grocery store.  As I pushed my cart up and down the aisles, I wondered if I was the only person in Phoenix, AZ to be so fashionable.

The boy who made it for me struggles with fine motor skills, and yet he had carefully colored this skinny, holey strip of paper.  He presented it to me with pride in his voice.  I love it – (Seahawk colors, great choice kiddo!)

Dot Matrix Bracelet

It currently resides on my dresser next to the rest of my jewelry.  Perhaps dot matrix printer paper jewelry will become a thing.  Perhaps not.  Either way I am happy to have it and will proudly wear it.

Posted in Being a Teacher | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments