Inspirations from the early pioneers It can be exhausting. Moving, major life changes, losses, even new opportunities can really deplete the reserves we have, putting our core beliefs and sense of well being to the test. Key questions arise: Can we do it? Is everything about stuff or about our quality of life? Are we using our skills for the best opportunities or just staying busy? I recently traveled with fifty fourth graders to our state capitol and watched as they toured historic areas and packed a wagon, dipped candles, baked bread, and discussed pioneers surviving the elements on…
News And Class Awards!
Time for some fun updates before we launch into summer. And I mean launch! I’m working with the technical experts to assemble the last pieces for the new website. I’ll be sure to post about the transition as we get closer to launch. Awards announcement for my favorite classroom! I’ve been helping to teach a unit about the elements of fiction and got to work with wonderful tweens on their first stories. It’s been so rewarding and I love their enthusiasm and creativity! I especially loved seeing their progression to finish. Their teacher, Mrs. Root, is amazing too for taking…
Bubbles of Childhood Joy
I walked to school to get my boys at the end of a busy day, and in front of me a young girl skipped down the sidewalk. Then she returned close to her Daddy’s side, never going too far ahead. First she squeezed her Daddy’s hand, then she looked at him, tall above, and decided she couldn’t give up holding his hand. Yet, I could see her dancing a bit, and perhaps she wanted to skip once more. Dad wasn’t into skipping so she just took smaller steps, bouncing up and down while beaming a large smile up to her…
Three Steps To Create An Elegant Bridge To Summer
With wisps of scented trees, bees at work in the gardens, and projects due at school, I realized it was time to really think through what we want out of this summer. When one boy left behind kids’ shoe sizes for good, and the other sprouted whiskers, I suddenly felt the slippery slope of time racing forward a bit too fast. Can you relate? So how do you put on the brakes, without hampering your family’s progress or running up a hefty tab for summer camps? Here are three key steps to create a more satisfying and meaningful summer plan….
Let the waters recede, the gratitude grow, and the worthwhile rule
Fifth post of 10 Stress Knock-Outs For this final post in the series, I arranged to discuss perspective, and how growing more gratitude and having less guilt in your life can help to greatly reduce stress. I grew up living on a lagoon near the San Francisco Bay that would flood easily in years when El Nino really gave a fantastic show, or the pump attached to the bay went out. Instead of letting the tears flow, I’d watch as my mom would study the muddy colored waters and say, “It’s time.” Time to roll up carpets, evacuate furniture to…
How is your Valentine’s Day Grace?
I have this wise, old character in my story I can’t wait for you to meet. He knows just what to say and do in sticky circumstances, and always has wisdom when I need it. I find myself wishing he was here in our world this week. The big “love” holiday is upon us, yet I’m a bit shattered. Not because of unkindness of others or some life event, but I’m walking through the death of a dear friend who faced her cancer battle like a strong warrior-princess. And a friend’s home burned down. And more deaths or lives are…
A Magic Stress-Reduction Potion For Your Lifestyle
Part One of the New Year Stress Knock-Out Series You know those annoying commercials for an instant solution – they keep you company on TV late at night when sleep has whisked away and you’re trying to settle. I was thinking, what if there was a $39.99 solution to personal stress? Wouldn’t you send in two easy payments and get the widget for sale? I would! Here are three strategies to make yourself stronger and really work like a magic potion to soothe your stresses. Each comes with a risk and reward. Don’t neglect them without counting the cost. Find…
10 Stress Knock-outs For The New Year
This week, while sitting in the tire store for my car, I felt the stress mounting. Sick friends in need, many commitments to juggle, my back speaking a bad note, so many things needing attention all at once. I realized I couldn’t help anyone else until I created a game-plan to handle it better myself. There may be a few surprises here that could help you, too. We’re going to take four weeks to put them into play, but here’s the highlights, with sections for yourself, for others, for fun, and for perspective. For you: 1.Find a corner of light…
Stolen Candy, Second Chances
Thoughts for today’s teens, and anyone needing fresh perspective. The first day of acrylic painting instructions in high school, someone ate my main project. No joking. We showed up with large canvasses, wide as I could stretch my arms. A 3×5 index card. And piles of very colorful salt-water taffy in wax-paper wrappers. Then the assignment: don’t eat the sweets, blow them up huge on the canvass! First, we glued them to the cards and made notes of the lighting so we could work on it for a few weeks. Then we carefully watched proportion and sketched the lines, shadows,…
Press Through The Net
Part Five in the New Beginnings Series Crisis hits! Just when you’re making progress on your dream project, the one you’ve secretly carried in your heart for years, something nasty happens. Maybe it’s a car crash, a great loss, illness, or an accident. Or it’s just an overwhelming amount of good things all calling out as a higher priority like sports and family commitments. Phew! It’s almost enough to make you quit all together. I’m afraid it’s also a sign you’re doing something great and need to consider putting your plans on temporary hold for a while if necessary. This…
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