Thanksgiving

Now I feel a little guilty...not over how much turkey I've eaten, because I didn't have any...but that my last post was almost a week ago! I have been having a lovely Thanksgiving at my brother's home in Deephaven. We have had great food, wonderful wine and great company. Our four children have played well. Watching the three little ones chasing each other around outside in makeshift Star Wars costumes was a big highlight!!
We also took a trip into the city to see the Minneapolis Children's Theatre presentation of The lion, the witch and the wardrobe, which was stunning. I love children's theatre!!
ahhh, there is something wonderful about relaxing with close relatives and sharing lots of mashed potatoes!!

Story Time

This week I came across two fabulous books that are my new story time favorites!! I read The Night Pirates by Deborah Allwright to Kindergarten classes this week and it just has great language in it. I love the idea of the little girl pirates!!! And that they borrowed Tom's house to steal treasure. I love that the big pirate guys ran away. This is a flolicking, non-scary read for all pirate fans. The second book is Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk. This book could be used for all ages to teach genre as well as writing skills. Library Mouse lives in a busy public library and he reads at night. At some point, he decides he should write a book and he writes a biography of life as a mouse. I used this to introduce fiction/non-fiction to 1st and 2nd graders.

The Magician

Yeah! I just finished The Magician by Michael Scott, the sequel to The Alchemyst. It was wonderful and I am ready for the third one to come out!!! It really left me hanging and wanting more. I was so worried that Josh was going over to the "Dark side" ahhh but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. It is a thrilling read though.

I love what I do...

Ya know, celebrities are always saying "I can't believe they pay me so much to do what I love..."

For me, it is more like I can't believe they pay me so little to do what I love!! As a public school teacher/librarian we really don't make enough. I plan on the weekends for my classes during the week. I plan all summer for the upcoming year. The rewards are plentiful though. Some of the time I get to sit in a big comfy chair that used to be my Grandmother's and read to young children. I just started Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (love her) with three third-grade classes. I just finished a Kevin Henkes unit with 1st and 2nd grade and an Eric Carle unit with my kindergarten classes. Reading, what a great way to get through the day! Lilly would say "Wow".

Five books

I am juggling so many different books right now especially when I get tied up (so easily) in this online world of blogging and commenting!! I am reading The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen for a 5th grade blogging book club I am working with at school and reading The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan with another 5th grade book club-both great books and very, very different. I am, also reading The Magician by Michael Scott, a follow-up to his book The Alchemyst. My son and I have read this series together and we love this sequel as much as the first one. I am trying to read The World is flat by Thomas Friedman because I'm interested in his new book and thought I should look at this one first and Little Heathens byMildred Armstrong Kadish, an Iowa farm story.
Wow...I should shut off the computer.

Things I love...

Okay, it is not environmentally-friendly but I love taking a bath...a bubbly bath w/ patchouli bubble bath! i know all the statistics about how taking a shower uses less water but there is very little comfort in water drizzling over you. Something about a hot bath soothes all that is wrong in the world and tonight after a very hectic day I had to have one. It is amazing and I usually am able to read a few chapters this way until I'm all shriveled like a prune.

Meg Cabot

This is a great little video of author Meg Cabot talking about the writing process while talking about her new book character, Allie Finkle. Can't wait to show it to a 5th grade student at school who is reading this book!!

Wordles

how come i can't get the actual wordle to post? Having the same issue with video...  

It is a new day!

At 10:05 this evening Barack Obama has just been declared the next president of the United States of America...I am so proud of my country right now as well as all the people who have worked so hard to make this happen. Only the second time I have had the pleasure of voting for the winning candidate.

Barack Obama

Oh, my the world is so exciting right now!!!  I cannot believe how anxious and thrilled I am!  Everyone's hard work for Obama hopefully is coming true right now.  I cannot imagine how thrilled I will be to wake up in the morning to a new day in America.