Book Club 2014: Update 3

1. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
2. Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
3. The Dead in their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
4. Hidden by Kendra Elliott
5. The Seventh Month by Lisa Gardner
6. The Yard by Alex Grecian
7. Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson
8. The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde
9. The Man with a Load of Mischief by Martha Grimes
10. The Old Fox Deceiv'd by Martha Grimes
11. The Cold, Cold Gound by Adrian McKinty
12. England my England; Anglophilia Exposed
13. The Black Country by Alex Grecian
14. Still Life by Louise Penny
15. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
16. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
17. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
18. The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
19. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
20. The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
21. Dinosaurs Before Dark: Magic Treehouse #1 by Mary Pope Osboune
22. The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline  by Nancy Springer
23. The Devil's Workshop by Alex Grecian
24. The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
25. Judy Moody (#1) by Megan McDonald
26. The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood

Currently Reading
The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes
Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen

Tomato Pie

Miche’s Tomato Pie

Ingredients:

Pie Crust (homemade or store bought)

4 tomatoes

1 onion

1 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 C. grated Mozzarella cheese

1 C. mayonnaise

Salt

Pepper

Basil

Parmesan cheese

Slice 4 tomatoes and spread out in colander to drain. I use paper towels in between the layers.

Bake pie crust until golden brown (~10 mins.)

Sautee an onion until caramelized; place in baked pie crust. Lay tomato slices on top of onions along with sliced basil, seasoning with salt and pepper for each layer.

Combine cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and mayonnaise—season with salt and pepper. Spoon/ spread mixture over tomato layers. Dust top with some grated parmesan cheese before baking.

Bake at 350 for 35-45 mins. Allow to rest at least 20 mins before serving. Can also be served at room temp. 

40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge: The Beginning

I came across this blog/ idea/ GENIUS on a friend's facebook post-- and I am SO glad I did! The whole blog is great-- but this Lent-type purge is exactly what I needed to help make my clutter removal more manageable. THANK YOU White House Black Shutters!

Hubby and I started on Sunday-- and we started small. It was actually Hubs idea (I never would have thought of it)~ the medicine cabinet! Goodbye all out of date meds and first aid stuff!

Bag 1: Medicine Cabinet

Bag 2: Freezer & Fridge  (Yuck! Yuck! Nasty! Gross!)

Seriously, there were things dated 2008, 2009, 2010.... #hangsheadinshame

Book Club 2014: Update 2

1. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
2. Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
3. The Dead in their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
4. Hidden by Kendra Elliott
5. The Seventh Month by Lisa Gardner
6. The Yard by Alex Grecian
7. Little Shop of Homicide by Denise Swanson

Currently I am reading:
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin-- this came highly recommended by a good friend... I also need to finish A Streetcat Named Bob by James Bowen-- I started that back in Nov while on jury duty... When Did I Get Like This?: The Screamer, the Worrier, the Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be by Amy Wilson... My audiobook of the moment is The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde-- the last at the moment in the Thursday Next series, which I have enjoyed a lot... 

Want to read:
The Black Country by Alex Grecian-- next in the series after The Yard... this should be especially interesting as the Black Country (West Midlands) is where Hubby is from.

I Recommend...

...the movie Austenland.

Seriously-- it's funny-- hilarious in parts... well acted... sweet... and put Jane Austen & her world with modern day.

I LOVED this movie. 

WATCH IT!!

Must Remember...

"Promise me you'll always remember... You're braver than you believe, stronger then you seem, and smarter than you think."
- Christopher Robin to Pooh

Inspiration

(Thanks Pinterest!)

Book Club 2014: Update 1

Off to a pretty good start this year!

1. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde
2. Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
3. The Dead in their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
4. Hidden by Kendra Elliott

Currently I am reading:
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin-- this came highly recommended by a good friend... I also need to finish A Streetcat Named Bob by James Bowen-- I started that back in Nov while on jury duty...

Want to read:
When Did I Get Like This?: The Screamer, the Worrier, the Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be by Amy Wilson

London Transports by Maeve Binchy (although I have never been a huge fan of her books-- this one sounds good)

The Secret Place by Tana French (Whenever it is released! LOVE her books!)

Selfishness...

Book Club 2014: Final Update

Did not quite reach my reading goal this year... but life with a 3 yr old doesn't allow a lot of "extra" time... I definitely read some good ones this year! I've enjoyed the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde, and look forward to the next book in the Her Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen. I'm also hoping Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman was the first in a series-- really enjoyed it as well. And, as always, you can NEVER go wrong with David Sedaris! Highly I recommend!

1. Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
4. Speaking From Among the Bones (Flavia DeLeuce #5) by Alan Bradley

5. Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner

6. Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

7. Bake Sale Murder by Leslie Meier

8. Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris

9. The Paris Wife by Paula McClain

10. Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia Macneal

11. Chasing Darkness by Danielle Girard

12. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

13. The Amersham Rubies by Rhys Bowen

14. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

15. Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen

16. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (for school)

17. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

18. Homicidal by Paul Alexander

19. The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde

20. Whodunnit? Murder in Mystery Manor by Anthony E. Zuiker

21. Whodunnit? Murder on Mystery Island by Anthony E. Zuiker

22. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

23. Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding

24. First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde

Never a Dull Day...

Luckily it was a false alarm...

Holy Beans!

I am a slacker.

A Day to Celebrate Heroes

It seems every year it gets harder to teach about September 11th. The students I have now were not even born in 2001. They seemed so removed, and just not able to fully grasp WHY this was such a monumental event-- even after watching videos & seeing photos. 

The way the world works now is all they have ever known. They don't remember when traveling was easier... When we were more trusting as a country, and even as individuals... They don't remember when two immense buildings protruded from the NY skyline as a symbol of power & wealth. 

This year with my 4th graders I tried to focus on the positives that came from this tragic event. It's always kind of sad that it takes an incident of this overwhelming grief to pull the US (or most countries, for that matter) together. In elementary school we teach patience & cooperation, yet the adults that lead our country can't abide these instructions. But at the end of that tragic Tuesday in 2001, we WERE unified. Everyone wanted to help. Everyone cooperated. 

Today we discussed what it is to be a hero. Who are heroes? How can we as elementary school students be a hero everyday? Each student wrote a sentence detailing how they can be heroes daily. These are written on notecards, illustrated, and we are displaying them in the shape of the former Twin Towers-- in a sense we are rebuilding them in a display. 

Watching the videos and trying to describe these events always leaves me speechless. How do you simplify such horror into words- let alone words that an adolescent can understand? In 2001 I was working at DIYnetwork and teaching HS colorguard. I have the utmost respect for those that were in the place I am now: teaching elementary students. 

As the 12th anniversary arrives tomorrow, I encourage us all to go back to that feeling of cooperation, compassion, and unity that it took a horrific act of terrorism to instill in us. 

May we never forget. 

Busy Summer Weekend

Miss Priss' best friend's birthday party

Swimming & helping Miss Jill feed her chickens

Rainy day artwork

Babysitting

Book Club 2013 Update

I'm a little behind with my reading & audiobooks of the year-- but summer break is always my time to catch up! Let's see how we're doing so far!

1. Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
4. Speaking From Among the Bones (Flavia DeLeuce #5) by Alan Bradley

5. Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner

6. Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman

7. Bake Sale Murder by Leslie Meier

8. Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris

9. The Paris Wife by Paula McClain

10. Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia Macneal

And I am very close to being finished with Chasing Darkness by Danielle Girard. Now to decide what to read next! Suggestions? 

Teacher Appreciation

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day. I celebrated with a student encounter that probably would have led to his suspension at any other school. Add this to the RAGING headache I've had for 2 days and needless to say I was close to tears.

Then at the end of the day kids started bringing me cards and letters. Apparently something they worked on in guidance class. It was just what I needed to remind me why I do what I do every day...

Thanks kids!

I Want this Poster

Boston Massacre

History has proven Boston to be an influential and strong city. History will repeat, I know.

Sending positive vibes to all involved.

Prophecy

I'm working on my favorite unit in 5th grade social studies right now-- the Civil Rights Movement. Today my students are listening to 3 speeches by MLK... Including this snippet from my favorite of his speeches-- so I felt like sharing:
---
And they were telling me --. Now, it doesn't matter, now. It really doesn't matter what happens now. I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us. The pilot said over the public address system, "We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong with on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we've had the plane protected and guarded all night."

And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.

And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!



And so I'm happy, tonight.

I'm not worried about anything.

I'm not fearing any man!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!

Sticks & Stones

Never underestimate the power of a few words...

...especially when they are posted on Facebook.