One Little Word 2010

As I began to make my choice of one little word to live by for 2010, a few things came to mind. *The love of my children burns in my sould. *My desire to help my students achieve their full potential is my reason for going to work each day. *Searching for my dreams and realizing not all of them have been achieved. One word comes to mind in order to ensure all these things occur. PASSION

P A S S I O N-INTENSELY STIRRING EMTION COMPELLING ENERGETIC ACTION TO THAT WHICH YOU ARE DEVOTED.

December Daily D21-25

Dec 25 pg. 2 discussed the blizzard and how we canceled our big family Christmas, but we spent the day together just the 3 of us.
Dec. 25 Recorded my thoughts about the meaning of Christmas
Dec. 24 pg. 2 Pictures of Gifts. The girls and celebrate on Christmas Eve
Dec. 24 journaling about the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 2009 along with the stowaway I found (neighborhood cat)
Dec. 24-Pg. 1
Day 23: Decorating sugar cookies; the pictures pull out (stole idea from Ali Edwards)
Day 22: Dec Family B-Day
Day 21: documenting my new antique table, chairs and china hutch. They were my grandmother's, but don't have the picture yet.

December Daily D. 15-20

Documented in my actual album
Day 20: The Blah-Hum "sick" Bug
Day 19: Emma's para getting engaged and showing me how many people in the world see my beautiful daughter for herself-sweet girl.
Day 18: Last day of school before Holiday break; lights at Rhema
Day 17: Nothing to document so I put pics from Rhema
Day 16: Papa and Gracie relaxing
Day 15: Nothing happened so I put Rhema light pictures.

DAY 14

Presents glistening under the tree,
air crisp, tingling my fingers,
winter arrives with chilling splendor,
It must be Christmas.

Giggles as we eat "ho, ho, ho" cake,
more, more yell the girls,
sprinkles on the floor,
It must be Christmas.

Giving of ourselves
our time,
realizing others lives are not like mine,
It must be Christmas.

Day 13

Tonight I went Christmas shopping for the girls and picked up some shoes for Gracie. When I got them home and tried them on her. She ran all through the house, "I have SHOES!! SHOES!! SHOES!!" I love that girl!

Dec. Daily D12

One Little Word...the year 2009 was a year of transition. My major goal for the year was "create." I found myself in 2008 with feelings of not desiring to create things for my family and myself anymore which left me with new feelings: sadness and missing out on that side of my life. So last year I really focused on creating. Creating a collaborative teaching atmosphere in my classroom, creating a new home for my children, creating scrapbooks again for my family. I am happy to say all were accomplished.

Classroom: This year literacy workshop started without a hitch. It seemed my writers had very few hiccups getting started and we have written 3 published pieces this year. I am so proud of my readers and writers. They work hard each day to grow.

Home: Home is where my kids are. Home is a safe quiet place. New furniture, new paint amazingly have made it feel like it's mine again. Love all the colors of my personality coming out through the rooms.

Scrapbooking: One thing to say: Over 50 layouts completed!!

Now to think about what my new word will be for 2010. I am leaning toward simplify, passion, advocate. My life is changing in my heart. I am really trying to think about what I want to "be" when I grow up. I am not the same person, teacher that I was when I started my job. I absolutely love teaching, but each day a little piece of me keeps asking what else is out there and it is leaning toward advocacy. I don't know what the future holds, but only time will tell.

December Daily-D11

Astonished. Loved. Tears of thankfulness. My kids get a Christmas this year from me. Thank you so my sweet family who unconditionally love us and provided me with my Christmas surprise.

Dec. 10

My Gracie Goose! Love this face. Cheese!

Dec. Daily-D9

In our writer's workshop in the classroom we are working on writing essays and not sticking to the usual topic sentence, detail, detail, detail and concluding sentence. Instead writing from the heart about a topic the writer is passionate about. Today I asked my writers to think of topics they are passionate about. Once again these sweet kids surprised me. Their thoughts? Global warming, treating animals fairly, equal rights, standing up for yourself, recycling, love of a family, and children in foster care just to name a few. I was astounded. I was prepared for video games, why play station is better than a ds, and your basic sport games, but instead they were well thought, intriguing topics. They are going to grow these topics into sensational personal essays. The best gift of all for me this holiday season--the fifty-eight writers I have the privilege to write with everyday.

December Daily-D8

Dear Santa,

I've been good this year. I am a big girl! I potty trained in a record number of days -14. I recognize all the letters and sounds of the alphabet. I also know my numbers 1-20. I have begun to write my own stories about popcorn, Gracie, Jacob, the park, popcorn, popcorn and popcorn. Most of the time I don't hit my sister; she has to make me mad first. Most of the time I stay where I'm supposed too except when my teacher gets busy and I decide to "slip" out and visit the school administrative assistant. Most of the time I would say I'm good....so could I please have a wiggle racer?

Love,

Emma

Dear Santa,

Okay....I admit it...I ate the cookies. They were delicious. Also, I don't really know if I deserve coal in my stocking, but you have to admit that when I'm a good girl...I'm a good girl. However, there have been some not so great moments this year. If I promise that next year I will have LESS of those could I please have the new Tink movie?

Love,

Gracie

Dear Santa,

Hope I'm on the good list this year. What I would like for Christmas is a good night's sleep...can that be arranged?

Love,

Lynnelle

December Daily-D7

In the last few months I've realized that it is really truly the little things in life that set us free. Tonight as I came home from a FABULOUS day with my 5th graders I knew I was headed toward an evening of not so much fun. Gracie tends to be a little overtired and blames Emma and I for it. Instead I was greeted by a well rested Gracie and we had pizza night (love mazzio's 6.99 Monday special), watched parts of Narnia, and then played in Gracie's chest of drawers. We walked through her "wardrobe" into a magical land. It was fun, exciting, and memorable. At the end of the evening, as I tucked and tucked and tucked Gracie in I realized tonight was a moment I would cherish. Holidays can get wrapped up in the must do's, but really it's about slowing down and looking at life through a different lens.

December Daily-D6

Paper by Shabby Princess. If you would like to make your own word collage go to www.wordle.net.

December Daily-Dec. 5

Papers and embellishment by Shabby Princess

December Daily-D4

Nighttime. Prayers. Reading books while laying under the warm covers snuggled up with Miss Emma is about as blissful as a perfect night can be. "Five little monkeys jumping on the bed" echoes in my brain. Emma's sweet giggles as I once again read that Momma Monkey had to call that doctor to help. As she turns the pages of her book, I continue to read. When I finish, she closes the books and asks to say her goodnight prayers. "God Bless, Nana, Papa, Gracie, Uncle Brandon, Mommy and Daddy. A-men." I grab her life size Elmo doll and "baby." Tuck them all in. "Mommy, Tiss pwease," she says. I lean in kiss her goodnight and go to turn out the light. "Sweet dreams, Mommy." "You too, baby girl."

These are the moments I cherish. These moments won't last forever, how I wish they would.

Dec. Daily Day 3

Papers and snowflake button from Shabby Princess Holiday Sampler. Third paper embellishment and light paper from Jessica Sprauge. Font: Lynnelle (my handwriting turned into a font)

Journaling:
Today I could feel the cool air finally descending on Oklahoma. Even so my girls wanted to play outside. While taco soup was simmering I had an opportunity to watch my kiddos play outside. Sliding down the slide, "Ta da!" Gracie says. Emma coming in shutting the door. Gracie opening it and Emma yelling, "BOO! I GOTCHA!" Today I am thankful. There are days that are so stressful that I forget about the todays. The todays that no one is hurt, no one is pulling hair, just playing like sisters. Today.

December Daily D2

Scrapbooking Papers by Jessica Sprague.

This post was inspired as we came home from school. They immediately wanted the tree on! Ahh....memories.

December Daily Challenge-d1

Time to start my December Daily. I am so excited to be documenting my holidays! This layout and papers are from Jessica Sprauge's Holiday In Hand online class last week. I edited pieces of it to fit my need. The pictures are of my tree and my girls' stockings. As we started to decorate the tree I began to tell my kids my favorite Christmas memory and Day 1 was created.