Continuing Education.....

I am back in the classroom again! I am not guiding instruction. I am in a desk LEARNING! It was part of my New Year's resolution....learn to use my camera (correctly). I took the step, enrolled, and paid the fees. When it costs money you know you will go.

Every Saturday morning I am off to master my camera. You have to be thick skinned to allow your not so great photo to be critiqued by a pro and a bunch of amateurs. Now I understand how my students feel. When your contributions are just skimmed over you know you have not created a masterpiece!

Personally I liked my photo of a group of colored barrels but it did not make a good impression on the pony tailed instructor. OK, who are we trying to please here????

Time out for a little independent practice...that is one of the steps of instruction as noted in every teachers manual. Review, state objectives, present new material, guided practice, independent practice, review. This man knows the process!

I wonder if this row of brick columns will move the eye left to right???? Is there enough contrast? Is it properly balanced? Is it the right shutter speed?

Thank heavens for digital cameras...shoot and erase, shoot and erase!!!

Yes, all of this work so that maybe one day I can captured the perfect image of this adorable face!

New Year's resolution #1 started!

New Year's resolution #2....you are officially on the back burner!

Going To The Bears.....

Sunday we took a trip to see the Bears.....the "Berenstain Bears" that is with the fam...minus Jimmy who was busy at work (maybe pre-planned on his part!)
It was Brooklynn's first musical performance. A little culture is good for the soul! You see the "Bears" are Brooklynn's favorite, but the bears were not quite as we expected. Instead of the Chuck E. Cheese type costumes, the characters were simply humans with brown noses. A bit confusing to those of us who were expecting a more cartoon like character. Brooklynn was entertained just the same, as was her Aunt Sara who was a big fan of "Gramps"!

After the show we stopped to view the Bears "up close and personal". Ummm, still not sure who those guys are but they kept us entertained for an hour!

A good afternoon and a cultural experience...who could ask for more!

For Women Only.......

Yes, this is a box (a plastic tub to be exact) of tools. This has become one of my favorite possessions. I actually got this gift at our Chinese gift exchange at Christmas. Most women would pray that someone would steal this from them so they could get that coveted furry blanket or a set of knives...but this was great and I was able to hang on to it for the duration of the game. So....these are my tools. I packed them in this tub and HID them. Go find your own tools!!!! That is what I have been doing for 40 years and I can never locate what I need. I am an independent person. I prefer to take care of things myself. That stems from the fact that for the first 18 years of our marriage I was at home minding the children and the house while Jimmy was the breadwinner. If I needed to fix something, I did it myself. I just never knew where to find anything to work with. Was it in the garage, a drawer, the back of the truck, at the lake, or in the storage building? By the time I found what I needed my enthusiasm for repair was gone!

Now I can hang a picture or tighten the door on the cabinet in an instant...I have a tool box. Just another reason to be happy about 2011! What a great year it is going to be!

72 Miles Away.....

On a pretty regular basis we take a trip to our second home. That sounds kind of Hollywood like when you actually say it...but it is really not as it seems. Our second home for the last 12 years has been in the thriving metropolis

"Gun Barrel City". As the sign says there is something for everybody here! We have been making quite a few extra trips lately as we try to do some much needed updating on our Cedar Creek residence. I am a visual person so all of the sights along the 72 mile stretch entertain me. The closer you get to the lake the more rustic things become.
Here on the main stretch is the "Yellow Rose Cafe". I have not had an opportunity to dine here but the sign says it is one of Cedar Creeks finest and surely they must have good reason to make that claim! And while you are thinking that this has to be some really podunk town to house such broken down treasures just let me throw out that some of Gun Barrel's residents include Jessica Simpson, Patrick Dempsey, and Roger Staubach...though I have not seen any of them in any of the more popular hangouts!

If Friday nights are slow you can always run down the street and do a little shuffling at the Square Dance Hall (or round dance if that is your preference). Need your yard mowed? There is a tractor available at all times!

No time to fix lunch...Oh please try the Sac-A-Burger!!! Seriously the best $1.00 burger anywhere! As I sent Sara in to pick up our order the lady asked her why I was out front taking pictures. "Oh my mom hops out of the car and takes pictures of everything" she replied. Sara is so used to the behavior it doesn't even bother her anymore!
Need furniture? This is a great place run by a group of Mennonites. They are wonderful people and have the most amazing little grocery store attached. The women are always there in their long dresses and little hats. It is a step back in time that I love to witness. It is a simple culture that is fading rapidly.
Next door to our residence is a run down barn with a great little kayak sitting on a trailer. It has not been used in years...but if our lake gets any drier we may have to borrow it! Please pray for rain!!!Slow weekend where you are? Come visit..as the sign says "There is something for everyone in Gun Barrel City"!

House Bound.....

What do you do when the day looks like this???
You enjoy it! You relish the fact that it is 25 degrees, snowing, and Sunday (so they are not canceling school). You can stay home, turn up the heat, and just stay in your pajamas! Snow is a rarity around here. I love it. It is peaceful and clean and makes you stay in and enjoy the fact that there is no where to go!

It is also time to drag out the crock pot and put on a pot of stew. This was Jimmy's day in the kitchen. He cooked while I did nothing at all. What a nice feeling! Well, I cleaned up the mess but I am all for that!

Then he threw on a pan of brownies for good measure. I am sure he burned up enough calories standing in the kitchen to allow for a brownie sundae after dinner...complete with microwaved Blue Bell ice cream. He says that Blue Bell recommends softening it in the microwave on their website...??? That is doubtful but who's to argue!

And last but not least you watch your grandchild catching snowflakes. This is the second snowfall she has witnessed in her short life. She is going to grow up thinking this is normal!!
A little snow on a Sunday afternoon makes for a great day!

Transportation......

The "Vagabond Family" was in town to house hunt this weekend.

This time Brooklynn's visit was all about transportation.

Being the last one to have a grandchild is a good thing. It means hand me downs from great friends. We were the lucky recipients of a great new car. When the days are too cold you can just park the car in front of the TV and watch the Bearenstain Bears after breakfast right in the comfort of home.

When the sun came out we put on our coats and took the auto outside for some fresh air.

Off to the front yard where all of the neighbors were all playing and guess what..they had cars too!!! They were kind enough to let Brooklynn try out all of their different toys. A little red coupe was just right for crawling into and out of..continually!!!

A Mickey Mouse train was the perfect trade off while the cars were being serviced. Oh, and then we could take a few minutes off and mow a little grass!

Thanks to great friends and great neighbors we had a fun play day out in the sun!! Perfect weekend!

Cleansing, Part 2......

Yes, it is garbage. And, NO it has not been two weeks since the trash men have come.....just three days. It is New Years Resolution Part 2...cleansing. It is a multi step recovery program! Part 1 was cleansing myself emotionally and mentally....getting rid of all of the garbage that was loading down my brain. Part 2 is cleansing really. Like cleaning and throwing away all of the clutter that has been collecting for years. I don't need it. I have only just begun..trash bags of useless stuff saved for no reason at all. I am purging. The Salvation Army truck came early and took a driveway full of stuff. I will never miss any of it. I am a pack rat (a very neat pack rat) but one just the same. I can put my hands on my son's SAT scores from 1996 in record time. He should be grateful...but it is time to unload. I feel better and I have only started. What a relief! Next up...giving my children all of that special stuff I have saved since they were born. I have every report card, every hand drawn note, every piece of memorabilia from the date of their birth. I am done. It is coming out of the attic, out of the closets and finding a new home...with them. I am just saving them time. They will probably just throw it all away. They just won't have to wait until I die to do it. Make some room children I am sending boxes your way!

A New Year's Toast.....

It was all legal! It was not alcoholic beverages inside the classroom. It was organic sparkling Apple Cider!And it surely was not an original idea. It was stolen straight from the script of "Freedom Writers"...one of my favorite movies. It is that go to movie I watch when I need motivation and I need to know that each day I spend in the classroom does make a difference.
Today we toasted the start of a new semester and making it through the first semester of high school. The transition from middle school is tough. The transition from Food and Nutrition teacher to AVID teacher is tough (I am old!)...but we made it together!

I love these kids. They are my children. I need to nurture and seeing success is as good as seeing it in the kids I gave birth to. We are a family of sorts.

I am excited and blessed. It is a new year and the beginning has been nothing but great. A little bit of apple cider can do a world of good!

Beginning Today.....

Happy New Year 2011!

It is a beautiful winter day. Lots of sunshine, cool temperatures, and a wonderful start to the new year.

Yes, my tree is still up! This is the first time in known memory that Christmas still lingers in my house. I am packing it up, bit by bit, but it is still here. And the best part is...I don't care! I started out this year the way I wanted. I am not stressed. There is not a feeling of panic because deconstructing the tree still looms on the horizon. The holiday was good but the new year will be great. My mind is fixed on what matters and I know that there is no need to rush.

Today I am going to watch football, look at plans for a new semester at school, drink tea and think about my new mindset for 2011. What a great day!

Though I posted this last year I love these thoughts. So here is a repeat for 2011...

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough "hellos" to get through the final "goodbye".

Bob Perks