circle prints

I found some heavy duty tubes in different sizes last summer at The Scrap Box in Ann Arbor. I'm not sure what we'll use them for but this was a start . . .

You never know . . .

You never know what the littles are going to love. What they will come back to over and over again. What will hold their attention in a room full of activity. I usually have a pretty good idea - but I'm still occasionally surprised. Today we tried an activity I found at http://maryannfkohl.typepad.com. It involves taping bubble wrap to the table and laying a large sheet of butcher paper over it and then coloring with unwrapped crayons. As you color, the bubbles pop and a neat pattern appears. The littles liked this activity and it did hold their attention for quite some time. Then, one of the littles started pulling the bubble wrap out from under the paper in order to pop the bubbles by hand. Everyone loved this idea! Silly teacher. We just want to pop the bubbles. That's the real fun!

If You Take An 11 Year Old to the FLea Market . . .

she is going to ask to borrow your camera. And if she borrows your camera . . . you are going to be enchanted when you look through the photos and realize that she saw things that you had walked right by. And, once again, you will be aware of how much you can learn if you just adjust your focus. Thanks, Mollie. Love you!

fairy world

fairy world in a re-purposed dresser drawer

key west

Every now and then we like to take a road trip. Last weekend we headed to Key West. Key West in July is colorful, hot, and just a little bit crazy.

A Homemade Life

Over the years I've kept journals or diaries from time to time. I like how it feels to write things down. I think that's why I was attracted to blogging in the first place. And why do I read blogs? I think it's the same reason that whenever I take a walk in the evening I can't resist peeking into open windows of the houses I pass. I like to see how other people live. I find it both comforting and fascinating to get a glimpse into someone else's life. With blogging, I also get to look into the classrooms of other teachers. Following these blogs, I am inspired and energized. They make me want to up my game.

I don't just read blogs about teaching, though. I am often lured to blogs by artists, parents, people interested in design, people that love food, people that love books, and photographers. From time to time, I also stumble across a book written by a blogger. For some reason I am cheered by this. Moving from the internet to something you can hold in your hand - something tangible - something you can keep. It's pretty cool.

Right now I am reading A Homemade Life: stories and recipes from my kitchen table by Molly Wizenberg who writes orangette.blogspot.com. I've always loved her blog and her book does not disappoint. It's a biography and a cookbook. Her stories are funny and insightful and every single one of the recipes in the book makes me want to run into the kitchen and whip something up. Or ask my husband, who is actually the better cook, to do it for me.

clarity

I am quitting my job. The storm that has been brewing inside my head and making me uneasy has quieted now and I woke up this morning and realized what I need to do. I've been wanting to start my own little school for quite a while now. The teaching position I took last November was just supposed to be a temporary thing. Just finishing out the year in a class that had already seen two teachers leave. But, even though I took small baby steps towards opening my own school, I didn't really put enough time or energy into it. I just realized that if I don't do this now (finally), I probably won't ever do it. And the first step is to quit my job. Even though it's hard knowing that I might not be teaching in the fall. I love that line in the Mary Oliver poem : What will you do with your one wild and precious life? I think it's going to be my mantra for a while.