Hello and happy Wednesday! This week is just moving right along!
Well, the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, so I’m recapping how we spent the 4th.
The 4th of July used to mean the kids matching in red, white and blue, sparklers and red, white and blue waffles for breakfast. Now, apparently the 4th of July means an early alarm to watch family run a 10K. haha!
Anyway, we had a great day, and I think it was even better since the 4th was on a Friday.
Trav, Hayden and our nephew were up at 5:30, and I got up around 6:00. The Bluegrass 10K started at 7:30.
The guys were ready to run! Trav didn’t run as he wanted to bike it to support our nephew who was hoping to win and beat the course record. My other nephew was running the one mile, so Trav got him situated as well after the 10K.
Anyway, here they are outside of an Irish bar on the 4th of July ready to run 6.2 miles!
I went to my spot to cheer them on, and Jacob did win! He didn’t get the course record, but he wasn’t too far off. He earned a little money all before 8:30 am!
Hayden ran with my brother-in-law for the first three miles, and then finished up on his own. He runs faster every year, and seems to have a good time!
After the one mile run and awards, we went to brunch. If French toast or huevos rancheros are on the menu, I have a tough time deciding which one to have! I went with the eggs, and it was delish.
That afternoon, my sister-in-law invited me over to her mom’s pool. Our club pool is so crowded on the 4th that I typically steer clear! So, this nice and quiet pool was a great way to spend a couple of hours. We floated around, and even the kids weren’t there!
I took a nap when I got home, and then Trav grilled hot dogs. We kept it simple with fruit and waffle fries. It was a good meal for the 4th.
Then, we headed to our regular spot for fireworks. They go off right at 10:00, so we found a spot around 9:30. Trav’s brother, his son and wife joined us too.
It’s always an awesome display, and then we’re home a little after 10:30.
Meanwhile, Hadley was at camp having a great time. She loves camp, but this year I think she did get a bit homesick. Overall, I know she made great memories, and I appreciate her friends who are there for her when she needs them.
She did say that she missed the fireworks in our typical location…they are hard to beat!
Saturday evening, Trav and I went to the pool, and they still had the cute balloon backdrop up. Our pool does go all out with fun activities and decorations for the club members.
It was a nice holiday with just enough festive fun.
TGIF! After today, we only have one more Monday, one more Tuesday, two more Wednesdays, one more Thursday, and one more Friday…but who is counting?! haha
I saw a meme that said, “Am I finishing this school year or is it finishing me?”…and I think I’ve never related to a meme more!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
With such a hectic weekend, I didn’t really recap the volleyball tournament in Gatlinburg or Mother’s Day last weekend, so let’s start there.
Last weekend was Hadley’s last volleyball tournament for club season. I’m glad they were able to go somewhere fun for their last tournament and a place that they’ve been to before so we knew the lay of the land. We arrived around 8:00 on Friday night and got settled in. Hadley found friends and hung out…and I found friends too and enjoyed a glass of wine. It was almost 11:00 before we went to bed and then had to be up at 6:00 both mornings since their team played in the early brackets on Saturday and Sunday.
With the early mornings, I guess the trade off is that we had most of Saturday afternoon and all of Saturday evening to do whatever we wanted. After the three Saturday games, the girls hit up the water park, and I was lazy in the hotel room! We ordered pizza for dinner and while the girls ate pizza and played cards, I hung out with a couple of the moms.
Sunday, they had two games in the silver bracket. They played well overall, but were bummed to lose their last game on Sunday to finish up the season. That being said, it was a great season and a fun weekend!
We got home around 4:30, and when I pulled down the street, I saw hanging ferns which are my traditional Mother’s Day gift, and new planters for the front porch. I got a bit of a nap before taking a shower. Then, the kids gave me flowers and a card, and Trav made a steak dinner!
The flowers are from this flower bar that we have in town…meaning it’s a bar where you can get a beverage but also pick out flowers?! I’ve never been, but the flowers Hayden and Trav picked out are so pretty.
We finished the night watching American Idol, and I was absolutely ready for bed.
I missed the tradition of church, pic with the kids and brunch for Mother’s Day, but this one was still good overall! I felt the love 🙂
I’ve made a commitment to get back to moving this week. On Monday, I went to the gym and did the elliptical for 30 minutes. Tuesday, I did a 20 minute workout at home and took Homer for a walk. Wednesday, I went for a 30 minute walk and then swung back by the house to pick up Homer for a lap around the block. He wasn’t his usual hyper self, and I was going to go further, but when he saw our street, he turned to go down it. I told Trav that later and that’s when Trav told me he’d already taken him for a walk that afternoon. Obviously, two walks isn’t too much exercise, but he must have been tired!
I have a couple of favorite outfits this week…
Y’all, I’ve shared these linen pants before (I have two pairs!), but then I saw a shorter version (by a different brand), and wanted to give them a try for spring/summer. I love them too! I did size up one based on the original ones I ordered and returned. I paired them with this button down that I love as well. Also, I purchased a new pair of my favorite sandals. I looked back and I bought my other pair that I wear all of the time in 2021. It’s crazy how the straps/buckle are still in great shape, but I’d worn them to the ground. When I put my new pair on, it was like my feet got a hug! Apparently, I really needed a new pair.
Another favorite outfit from the week includes my new favorite pants (jeans?) from Target. I’ve seen these “high-rise sailor wide leg ankle jeans” (try saying that five times fast!) everywhere, and last weekend when I was scrolling my phone, I noticed that they were $16.80! So, I ordered them and the blue and the beige color. I did size up one since they are high rise, and they fit perfectly. The price seems to be back to the original $28, but maybe they’ll go on sale again…and if not, they are definitely worth $28!
I wore them with another favorite Amazon blouse and my tried and true Amazon cardigan.
Look at this fun mail that I received! One of my mom’s friends who reads the blog (hi, Sheila!) sent me this search AND colorGolden Girls book. Can you even?! This is such a thoughtful gift!
Bathroom update…we had the tub resealed, and it looks brand spanking new! We’d debated pulling the tub out and getting a new one, but our neighbor who has been helping us suggested getting our tub resealed. That saves on labor and cost, and it’s the original iron tub…so most likely whatever we replaced it with wouldn’t be the same quality.
She’s beautiful!
This weekend, I think we’ll get the shower head and tub fixtures installed, and that should pretty much wrap up this project! I truly love walking by the bathroom and seeing her in all her glory! I will share a before/after post soon.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Haha! This one is so true!
Weekly Recap:
The end of the school year schedule is really catching up with me, so I only have two other posts this week, but they were fun to write:
How was your weekend? Ours was busy, but also Easter filled, and I’m recapping that today!
On Friday, I shared a look back at Easter in the past…
and…thankfully, they kids still oblige with our egg dyeing tradition.
Saturday night, cousins joined in on the fun.
My mom was in town, and she had the genius idea to tape off parts of the eggs before dyeing them. We had one egg that looked like a watermelon and another one Hadley put a cross on it. Anyway, it was a good thirty minutes of fun.
Sunday morning, I hid the eggs around the house. The kids still think this tradition is somewhat fun, so I’ll take it!
I still love putting together their Easter baskets. In their baskets, I put lots of candy. I also gave them both a Raising Canes gift card, and I put Chomps beef sticks in Hayden’s basket and an Alani in Hadley’s basket. Next to their baskets, I put a couple of other items like a golf shirt and golf balls for Hayden and a tennis skirt and hair towels for Hadley. They appreciated it all!
Then, we headed to church. It was a beautiful service as always.
(We were a little early, and I took this pic before everyone piled in…we were elbow to elbow by the start of service!)
Afterwards, I took that kids’ pic…
Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms were out last week, but not this week. I guess that’s what happens with a later Easter. I still love the pics of the kids…looking so grown up!
…and we got a family photo which I always appreciate.
We went back to the house to change, and we headed to my brother’s house for Easter lunch. I made thisGraham Cracker Pudding dessert that I haven’t made in quite some time. I got the recipe from Trav’s mom, and it’s one of my faves.
My sister-in-law had the table set so nicely…
…with a bunnies, flowers, and personalized place settings…
Lunch was so good, and then we took a couple more family pics with my mom and the grand kids.
The little kids did a front yard egg hung, Trav and Hayden left after a bit to do yard work, and Hadley and I hung out at my brother’s house for most of the afternoon.
Usually, we travel to E-town to see Trav’s extended family, but this year worked for us to stay home. My mom was in town, and I appreciated my brother and sister-in-law inviting us over! It was a lovely Easter Sunday.
Wow! Where did this week go?…I really feel like April is flying by.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Well, this week’s favorites are pretty short and sweet…
Stromboli is my first favorite! When Andrea shared this meal idea, I thought it would be a great option for last Saturday’s dinner! I’ve never purchased this dough before, but I let two loaves defrost, and then I followed her instructions and made two cheese and pepperoni strombolis.
They were a hit for dinner and then we had leftovers for lunch on Sunday. I will definitely be making these again and will try some different ingredients too.
After a little break, the kids are back to running. They had a meet on Tuesday night. Both of them are also running this weekend, so on Tuesday, they only ran one relay each. Hayden’s 4×800 team came in 1st and Hadley’s 4×200 team came in 4th. Great relays for both of them. Hadley’s calf is bothering her a bit, so hopefully that doesn’t turn into something more.
Really, we haven’t been up to much else, so today, I’m also taking a look back on Easter through the years…
Because having high schoolers makes me nostalgic…here’s a little…
…Easter edition:
The cherry blossoms at our church are always so pretty, and we’ve gotten Easter pics there for the last few years:
2024:
2023:
2022:
2021:
2020:
Of course, Easter 2020 looked a bit different for all of us. We were home, but we still dressed up for Easter brunch and a front yard egg hunt!
2019:
2018:
Easter egg hunt fun at Trav’s aunt’s house:
2017:
Well, we took the front porch pic and then Hayden told us he wasn’t feeling well. He ended up having a fever, so I stayed home with him while Trav and Hadley traveled to E-town for Easter with his family.
2016:
2015:
The first Easter in our current house…
2014:
I loved this dress that Hadley wore…and I love those little cheeks.
2013:
Too cool for school! The Easter Bunny left sun glasses and water bottles that year…haha
2012:
Really struggling to smile in 2012…haha!
2011:
Oh! They were on the move this year…into everything, and clearly not willing to both look at the camera at the same time!
Well, I wasn’t really thinking about blogging until yesterday, so I don’t have any pics from Friday or Saturday. That being said, we didn’t do much besides watch basketball, run errands, do things around the house, and I did make it to the gym!
Here were my highlights from Sunday:
The Rookie! I love this show, and I didn’t realize it had returned until a couple of weeks ago. Now, I’m getting caught up on episodes. Hayden watched one with me on Friday night, and I watched another one yesterday morning. It’s just a fun…and sometimes thrilling, show to watch.
Church! It seems like between crazy winter weather the first six weeks of 2025 and then volleyball tournaments a couple of weekends a month, we haven’t been to church as much as we like to go. We went last week and were able to go again yesterday, and it feels like we’re back in that routine which I love.
The weather was crazy yesterday…we went from torrential rains to the sun to very chilly winds to more rain and then overcast skies. The sun was shining when we left church which was such a nice way to end the service.
Leftovers! I took Hadley to a friend’s house Saturday night, and then picked up Chinese take out on the way home. We had enough for leftovers on Sunday after church which was an easy and delicious way for us to grab lunch before…
…running some errands. Not that errands and chores are fun, but I appreciated feeling productive on Saturday and Sunday. Everybody has clean sheets on their beds, I purged the last closet that I needed to, and I was able to make a few returns. Then, Hadley convinced me to pop into Bath and Body Works. I resisted the urge as I don’t need any new candles, but how cute is this bunny one?! I will say that another highlight was using a couple of coupons, including 25% off my total order to make it feel like we didn’t do too much damage!
One of my returns was to Old Navy to return two pairs of pants I’d ordered. Well, I wasn’t sure of the sizing, so I ordered four pairs of these pants (in two different sizes) because they were on sale for $14. I ordered the navy and the black of this “kick flare” style, and I love them. They are leggings material, but I will most certainly be dressing them up and down. I did end up with my true size, and I don’t regret this purchase one bit!
…And, I might be pushing it, but it will be sandals weather as much as possible because I was able to go get a pedicure after school on Friday! That was a great way to kick off the weekend.
I was up early on Sunday morning to get my corned beef in the slow cooker. I borrow my sister-in-law’s as well, so we can make two!
We had a delicious St. Patrick’s Day dinner last night with my brother’s family, and it hit the spot!
I outdid myself 😉
We ended Sunday with full bellies, ready to start the week!
I hope you’ve had a great week. Ours was good with the beautiful weather, and we seemed to have some downtime in the evenings which was appreciated!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week…
Starting with this meme that made me laugh…and it definitely relatable!
It’s very rare that I actually go into Target as I often do Target pick-up. Last Saturday, Hadley and I ran some errands, and she needed a few things. The dollar spot immediately stopped me in my tracks. I saw these neutral ric rac place mats and thought they’d be just what I needed under our jute place mats. I was a bit behind, and just put away my winter dishes, and got back out my everyday dishes. These cute floral ones are almost twenty years old! They were on our wedding registry at Pier One. Man, I miss Pier One!
I was “influenced” and ordered this All in Motion “airy” fabric zip up jacket. For all the clothes I have, I do lack in light weight jackets. When I got it, it was on sale for $25, but I also think it’s worth the $35 price tag.
The fabric is so soft, and I like that it cinches at the waist.
Well, I’ve also been “influenced” by Hadley. She occasionally drinks an Alani, and that’s had me taking a few sips. I think she’s tried most of the flavors, but now it’s my turn. I took one to school this week, and the “orange kiss” flavor is good.
The kids’ track photos came in, and they are so good! I really appreciate the smiles!
I’d joked with the track coach that if they got a decent pic together, they’d be off the hook for Mother’s Day! They did get a couple of pics together, and this one is my fave.
My girl…right before her summer job interview on Wednesday. Not sure that I’ll look back and remember that this photo was right before that moment, but I’m sharing it anyway.
I’ve been loving my new candles from Antique Candle Co. My order arrived a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve been burning Almond Vanilla, and it’s so good.
I ordered two candles and got one free. These will last me the next couple of months. I’ve burned a bit of the lavender vanilla, and it’s so great for spring. Sweet lemon will be great for spring and summer.
I saw this pic on Instagram and X….twin fillies! Rare and precious! (FYI -these aren’t at Trav’s farm.)
Favorite Mom Meme:
Both my kids have had two rounds of braces, and let’s just say if there’s ever a third round, that’s on them!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
2015 was such a cute year!
Onion ring entertainment at dinner…
…and sweet little drawings…and booster seats!
St. Patrick’s Day:
Well, this weekend, I’ll make my traditional corned beef, cabbage, and Irish soda bread! We can’t wait.
Here are the recipes if you need an easy and delicious meal to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Well, it’s the last week of month which means it’s time for all the end of the month link ups.
I’m linking up with Holly and Patty for Monthly Musings.
This month’s topic is how we show love.
1. What’s your love language?
My love language is definitely acts of service. I appreciate it so much when Travis does things for me…anything from making the bed if I don’t have time to running an errand for me or even doing bigger things like planning vacations.
I truly do appreciate it when he helps out in those ways and takes things off my plate. Just yesterday, he came home during lunch to help start dinner in the slow cooker.
2. Favorite love songs?
I like music, but I’m the worst with song titles. I still love the classic Someone Like You as it was our first dance at our wedding. I mostly listen to country music and love Chris Stapleton’s Joy of My Life.
3. Flowers, chocolate or something else?
I love (and appreciate!) flowers and a card….which is what I got for my birthday (along with a nice dinner out and cake, of course!)
4. Favorite romantic movie/rom com?
Oh…there are too many to count. My faves are While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Sweet Home Alabama.
In the past year, I’ve watched all of these with Hadley to show her some of my favorite movies. Just a couple of weekends ago, we watched Sweet Home Alabama. I’d forgotten how much I love that movie.
5. Favorite childhood Valentine’s Day memory?
Oh…I fondly remember class parties for Valetine’s Day, making our Valentine’s Day boxes and giving and receiving Valetines.
The kids had quite a few fun class parties, and I was glad to help out a time or two.
6. How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Our Valentine’s Day is typically pretty low-key. We give each other cards, and then I pick up a few things for the kids.
When the kids were younger, we always made a point to get a sitter to watch them and then we’d go out to eat the weekend before or after Valentine’s Day.
We still try to go out to dinner, but obviously we don’t need a sitter now.
7. Any love or romance traditions?
I truly love the tradition of receiving a card…and Trav writing bubble letters for my name is icing on the cake. haha
8. When do you feel most loved?
I’m sure I feel loved every day, but especially on my birthday and Mother’s Day. Facebook messages, texts, phone calls, and cards are always nice on my birthday. Mother’s Day means a lot to me too, and it’s nice that the kids take some time to show me some love. I really appreciate it.
9. Big night out or chill at home?
At this stage in life, if chilling at home is an option, that’s probably my choice. That being said, I like an early dinner or happy hour and then hanging out at home watching a game or movie.
10. Do you wear red/pink on Valentine’s Day?
I’m not big on either of those colors, but I love a seasonal/holiday sweatshirt. This one from Target was a fun find this Valentine’s Day season.
Well, after a somewhat consistent couple of weeks, this week was an odd one. We had no school Monday for Presidents’ Day, went to school on Tuesday, and then we had NTI days due to snow and cold temps Wednesday and Thursday. As I type this, my district said they’d make the call for today this morning. Besides the wacky school week, Hayden has had the flu! He’s doing better now, but he was pretty sick.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last Friday was Valentine’s Day.
The kids had practice after school, but when they got home, I had a couple of gifts for them. They both got a few odds and ends, but I bought Hayden a quarter zip from Good Good Golf, and Hadley’s main gift was one of these wristlets from Lululemon. They are all the rage with teen girls right now.
I got Trav a card and chocolates, and he gave me a card and some chocolate covered strawberries.
I had to go to Kroger for my prescription, so while I was there I got the kids some candy, their favorite drinks, and a couple of smaller items like Chapstick. I picked up some cupcakes for dessert.
Anyway, it was a low-key evening, but fun to celebrate a bit.
We really didn’t have much going on last weekend which was perfect timing because I was getting over a sinus infection.
A couple of months ago, we were out with friends at a new pizza place in town. We spotted the private room they had and asked about it. We looked ahead at the UK basketball schedule, and booked the room for last Saturday. The fire was going, there were a few TV’s, serve yourself soft drinks, and we had our own waitress. So, we ordered apps, pizza, and drinks throughout the night. For the room, you had to spend $500. We spent a bit more than that, but we divided it among eight families. So, it was just a fun way to get together and watch a basketball game.
On Monday, since we were off of school, and everyone was still healthy, the kids and I ran some errands and then stopped for lunch at Shake Shack. We were only out and about for a couple of hours, but it was nice doing something with them on a day off. As you know, we’ve had a ton of snow days, but we’re usually at home or Hadley will go to a friend’s house to do her school work. Anyway, it was just a nice afternoon.
I know it’s crazy the amount of snow days and NTI days we’ve had, but our winters aren’t usually this active. While I’m ready for spring, the snowfalls have been pretty and you never know what the next year might bring. We’ve had winters with only a couple inches of snow in the past.
Not a favorite but the NTI days saved me from using sick days to take care of Hayden. Also, the pediatrician’s office feels so odd at this age. Seeing the little kids compared to my teenage boy is bittersweet. We’ve gone to the same pediatrician the kids’ whole lives, and when he walked in to see Hayden, he said, “Well, who is this guy?” haha…I don’t think Hayden’s been there since last spring, so I’m sure he’s grown a bit.
Wednesday night Travis and Hadley went to the UK basketball game and had some great seats. I was receiving lots of texts and messages with people spotting them behind UK’s bench. haha
Last weekend, Hadley and I watched Sweet Home Alabama. That’s one of my favorite movies that I hadn’t seen in years, and it was on Hulu. Hadley really liked it.
Speaking of Reese Witherspoon, I also watched her new movie with Will Farrell, You’re Cordially Invited. One of my favorite comedians, Leanne Morgan is also in it. It’s a quirky and funny movie…but I’m glad it was included in my Prime membership, and I didn’t have to pay extra to watch it.
Favorite Meals:
I kept our dinners pretty simple including sheet pan nachos…
…and a new recipe I tried: Bubble Up Pizza Bake…I didn’t get a picture of it as I assembled it and Hadley baked it…but we all loved it. Per Hadley’s request, I actually might make it again next week and add sausage to the pepperoni.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Man, this is so true, but I also know that in less than two years, they can take themselves wherever they need to go!
How was your week? Ours was odd with a snow day on Tuesday. That meant that Wednesday felt like a Monday again! And, I’m still battling my cold which I think is now officially a sinus infection. I’m hoping this is the end of the sickness at my house!
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week.
On Saturday, Hayden had his second indoor mile race of the season, and he ran a PR of 4:47.
While Hayden was running, Hadley was playing in a sand volleyball tournament with her friends.
Last Thursday, I (finally) put out a few Valentine’s Day decorations. My Valentine’s Day decor doesn’t really change from year to year, but this little heart vase and flowers were a cute addition to my kitchen island tray. The Hershey Kisses don’t last very long!
On Sunday, Hadley and about ten friends had a Galentine’s Day party. One of her friends hosted and was sweet to ask her to come.
They had lots of fun hanging out, having a few snacks and making their own floral bouquets.
Sunday evening, we went to my brother’s house for the Super Bowl. Obviously, the outcome wasn’t a favorite, but we’re lucky to say it’s a tradition to watch the Chiefs in the Super Bowl these past few years.
Win or lose, getting a cookie cake is a favorite tradition too.
All smiles…before the game! haha
My mom gave me this belated birthday card. My favorite ladies!
…and a belated birthday gift. She has this butter dish from Crate and Barrel. I thought it was neat and pretty, so she gave me one too!
Valentine’s Day Card:
The Valentine’s Day card for family continues. This is a fun tradition through the years.
Favorite Mom Meme:
This…#accurate
Favorite Teacher Memes:
As a teacher, I thought these next two graphics are very relatable for me.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I will always share these pics of my little Valentines…
How is your week going? We’ve had one day of school, a snow day, and then I’m not feeling well. I feel like I have a cold, but I’m hoping it’s nothing more.
I’m linking up with Joyce for her weekly Hodgepodge post.
This week’s questions are Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day themed which is fun.
1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What’s your favorite game day snack for whatever sport is happening?
Well, we were cheering for our Chiefs, so of course we watched the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that means we were disappointed in the outcome. While I wasn’t expecting the Chiefs to win…it was just one of those seasons where they scraped by, I didn’t think it would be such a blow out. It felt like everyone wanted us to lose, so I hate that that was the outcome.
We went to my brother’s house, per tradition. Our Super Bowl menu is always pizza, wings, and cookie cake. The cookie cake was still delish, even with the loss.
We really have been spoiled being able to watch so many Super Bowls with the Chiefs playing, win or lose. Hopefully, they’ll be back some time soon.
2. What’s your “superpower”?
I think multi-tasking is my superpower. Not sure you can be a teacher and a mom without being a good multi-tasker.
3. Will you do anything special on Valentine’s Day? If so, do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday? Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love.
Trav and I will typically go out to dinner at some point. I always try to do some type of Valentine’s Day themed family dinner at home on the 14th if our schedules allow. Through the years, I’ve made heart shaped pizza, let everyone choose their favorite dinner item and had a hodgepodge dinner, and we’ve also had heart shaped nuggets and some sides.
Chicken nuggets are on the menu for Thursday or Friday this week.
I think it’s a fun holiday to celebrate, but also not one that should carry too much weight. Travis and I only exchange cards, and I buy the kids a thing or two for Valentine’s Day. I’ve tried to make it special for them through the years.
I also like putting out a few Valentine’s Day touches. I don’t put out a lot, but I only just decorated last weekend. The decorations mainly stay the same from year to year.
Hadley and friends had a Galentine’s Day party last weekend. They made bouquets….and this heart shaped pic of their creations is cute!
My Bible plan for this month has been this one…all about love.
4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so, what’s one of your favorites? If you’re not a movie go-er, then what about a book you love that features a great love story? How about a favorite love song?
I love a rom-com movie. You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, and While You Were Sleeping are always my “go to” rom-com movies.
I don’t read as many love/chick lit books as I used to. I read The Match last month and thought it was cute.
5. Let’s get creative…write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E.
My answer to #5 is both fun and also give me a moment to stand on my soap box. From an education standpoint, AI is a problem. AI can also be used for good. At the start of this school year, it was the first time we, as teachers, had professional development on how to use AI. Honestly, it is pretty amazing. I can make a twenty question multiple choice quiz over Romeo and Juliet in about thirty seconds.
Of course, it’s also a curse while trying to get students to write. Just like with plagiarism, I can typically “catch” students who’ve used AI. I’m not perfect as I’m sure some kids have gotten away with it, but for me, I always ask students to cite our textbook with page numbers, so that helps.
So, in our Google waffle, we have “Gemini.” Starting Tuesday, our students will have “Gemini” in their Google waffle too. So, I guess we’re telling the kids it’s ok to use these resources. Of course, just like for teachers, students could benefit from these AI resources…but call me old school…I think they should have to learn to write a paper, provide text evidence, support a claim, cite the text, and write a concluding paragraph.
Hopping off my soap box to share my AI Gemini generated acrostic LOVE poem.
Luminous and bright, a guiding star,
Outpouring of warmth, near and far,
Valuable and precious, a treasure to hold,
Eternal and boundless, a story untold.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I hadn’t really thought about it, but the current unit for my students is Crazy, Stupid Love with Romeo and Juliet as the main text. The essential question for this unit is “What is true love?” Perfect for February.
It’s been a minute since I’ve had to struggle through Shakespeare with some freshman, but it’s been fun to do so far. Obviously, Shakespeare isn’t everyone’s “cup of tea,” but we have lots of resources.
For Act 1, I read the “bridge text” with my general English 1 students. This is a shorted version with summaries of each scene before a bit of the Shakespeare text. The textbook provides this resource online, so I just print a class set of the act.
Another English teacher shared the PDFs of the graphic novel for Act 2, so we’re reading that this week.
My Advanced students are reading the No Fear version which has the original text on the left and then a modern English version on the right. As we read the No Fear text, we listen from the online textbook. I think this is a great way to tackle the text as we can hear the various characters’ voices…and we can listen on 1.25x speed! It’s worked out nicely so far.
Lastly, another colleague shared the link to the Orlando Bloom on Broadway Romeo and Juliet play. Again, if I had the students watch the play from beginning to end, I wouldn’t be able to hold their attention. So, I’ve used it sporadically. On Monday, we read Act 2 scenes 1 and 2, and then watched the play…Act 2, scene 2 which is the famous balcony scene…”O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” and…”Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”
It’s always interesting to see what students think of Romeo and his impulsiveness with love…Juliet too! I always here, “Ms. White! He just thought he loved Rosaline,” and “Ugh! They’re only 14!” haha!
Hayden and Hadley are reading the play in their Adv. English 1 class too. It’s fun to see the play through their eyes too.
showmeandsweettea.com 