today

in the dining room

which is my crafting room

with a couch 

and a way cool lamp from the

salvation army

that came with a light bulb

that still worked,

i made this little collage 

of birds.

That's the grand and 

wonderful

thing about a

Prompt # 6 ~ Lists Lists Lists

 Latest purchase: thrift store lamp

. 

Originally uploaded by wendirichert

List No. 1: What I did today in chronological order
5:30 - Rise and shine. Well, just rise.
6:00 - Make sure the boys are risen and shining.
6:30 - Drive to school.
7:10 - Morning devotions at school
7:30 - The first graders are coming!!!!!!
8:15 - Gym. Time to breathe.

8:55 - Library. More breathing  time.

11:00 - Fantastic writing workshop minilesson on general vs. specific.
11:30 - Lunch ~ tomato soup and grilled cheese.

12:30 - Finish Horrible Harry and the Goob. Glad this is over. Not terribly interesting, although the kids love it. Tomorrow - Junie B. Jones!!!

2:00 - While the kids make their art project, I reorganized my Reading Workshop notebook.
2:20 - Dismissal
2:45 - Staff meeting
4:00 - Back in my room, gather up my stuff and the boys and come home.
5:30 - Cook supper.
6:30 - Talk to Mom
7:00 - Read Wind and the Willows with Camden
8:00 - Boys "should be" asleep.
8:51 - Now. I'm on the computer. Blogging. Making lists.

List No. 2 - My day in order of time spent on tasks
The school day - 10 hours
Staff meeting - 75 minutes

Reading with Camden and Benjy - 45 minutes
CSI - 60 minutes

Talking with Curt after school, between dinner and his karate class - 30 minutes.
The rest of the stuff I did today - tiny minutes squeezed in between everything else.

List No. 3 - My day in order of what was most important to me
1. Reading with Camden and Benjy. Camden and I are loving Wind and the Willows. We got through 3 chapters tonight. That crazy Toad!
2. Stolen hugs from Camden and Benjy during the day when they see me at at school. These happen in the hallways between lunch and recess, in the mornings before the opening, in the afternoons when on the way to after school care. Love these impromptu moments, these hugs and kisses.
3. Talking to Mom on the phone, catching up on her day out with Charlene and how Dad's doing. He has 9 more radiation treatments left.

4. Reading and Writing Workshops - I just feel so blessed that God has called me to teach children how to read and write and love doing both. This class absolutely begs to read and write. That love of literacy is just amazing. Who couldn't love that?!

Land of the Lost 1 and Prompt #5

Dear Blog,

Today's prompt is to write a letter. To anyone. So I'm writing to you. After all, I write to you more than anybody else. You're easy. And have you seen the cost of a postage stamp these days? You're easy and free.

I've spent a couple of odd minutes searching Youtube for ancient stuff. I've happened upon old movies of Puff the Magic Dragon, which my first graders LOVE. I've watched old School House Rock videos. Wow! Interjection! And I just found this gem. 

This used to scare the pants off of me. Every Saturday morning found me and Shell in front of the TV. This was before remote control, so we were pretty close to the set. She loved this show. I was hesitant. I watched it because I am the older sister and I had to be brave. Yikes! Interjection! Do you remember those sleestacks? Jeepers, they were a fright! 

Anyway, Blog, if you want me to look up something for you, like, say TaeKwondo forms or Scooby Doo episodes or video footage of Elvis, just lemme know. I'm your girl. Yeah!

Journal Prompt #4

The word is

maniacal.

It's a fun word to say.

It's not a fun thing to be.

Not that I would know.

It's just the way that it 

slips off the tongue

sort of at the back of the mouth.

Maniacal.

Say it.

Maniacal.

That's my word for the day.

the W project - Journal Prompt #3

W

in the big blue van

at Suds carwash

on route 66

during Benjy's snooze

beside itself

at its first outing

in its lifetime

Journal Prompt #2

Shimelle's journal prompt tonight was to take some words you hear often and interpret them. I've been hearing Emma's words since the spring of 1995, so I think I've got a bit of insight into what she's saying. Click on the image to read it. 

Journal Prompt #1

This boy likes to wear suit jackets and ties, but he usually just wears his pjs.

This boy is the loudest child on the planet, but he has the softest and sweetest singing voice I've ever heard.

This boy fusses when it's time to go to TaeKwondo, but he kicks and punches and yells with the best of them once he's there.

This boy reads everything, but he doesn't pick up his clothes in plain sight.

This boy wants to go to fancy restaurants, but he hasn't quite learned to chew with his mouth closed.

This boy runs and talks and GOES all day long, but after he says his prayers, he's still, quiet, and positively dreamy for 9 hours.

I'm so excited that Shimelle is starting a free journaling challenge tomorrow. I've missed the daily December prompts that I used to put together my Advent art journal. Most of the February prompts will make it to the blog, I'm sure. But I'm also hoping to do some more artsy pages for my scrapbook, too. Here's my response to today's pre-February prompt:

i love vanilla, vintage, and free.

i love yellow, itunes, and sleep.

i love Ws, daisies, and magazines.

but i can't stand a runny nose.

camden.

curt.

blue

belt.

red

belt.

two

steps

away.

one

step

away.

from

black

belt

excellence.

so

proud.

First Tae Kwondo class

Benjy gets his first High Five!

I hope you enjoyed those videos. We have LOTS more. But I didn't think it right to hog the blog with video footage of every move Benjy made in his first Tae Kwondo class tonight. Cute as he is. :)



Tiny Tiger Benjy had his first TaeKwondo class today. So proud, we are, of him.
He was the shortest tiger there. We rolled his pant legs up and his sleeves up and he still looked positively swallowed in his uniform. All in all, he did a great job. He broke a board. Twice. He bowed and said "ATA" at the right times. He threw some great knife-hand strikes. Now, he also faced the wrong direction a few times, but really, what's so wrong about that anyway? And he punched his brother who was holding a punching bag about 14 times instead of two, but, hey, can you blame a bro?

As of now, the whole darn family does martial arts. Curt outranks all of us. Then there's Camden. Then Benjy and I are equals at white belt status. Even black belts used to be white belts, though. So we're not hurtin'.

Have you seen this badge around?
Claudine Hellmuth posted it a few days ago for her friend who has a no-kill non-profit shelter in Tennessee. You can read all about it by checking out the badge posted here. I've sent my $10 donation over, and you can, too. It's as easy as pie. Just click on "donate" and you'll be walked SAFELY and SECURELY through Network for Good. And, the best part is, the top four charity badges with the most unique donations through America's Giving Challenge will get $50,000 for their cause. America's Giving Challenge runs until January 31st.

Here's what Claudine, my favorite artist in the whole entire world, had to say: 

Let's help Bernie win this! She has saved 500 animals from death all by herself just last year alone, imagine what she can do with a grant!

About A Place to Bark:
"A Place to Bark" is a private no kill rescue run solely by Bernie Berlin. All animals come from high kill shelters in the south and are on death row. Combining health care, rehabilitation, and working with animal welfare organizations A Place to Bark provides a true no kill vision. Registered 501c3 non-profit. Visit A Place to Bark's web site.

It gets better!
All donations made to A Place to Bark's Six Degrees Badge, will be matched by the "Zoline Foundation" up to $25,000.00!!! All donations up to June 1st will be counted for the matching donation from the Zoline Foundation. It's a win-win!

OK, what are you waiting for? Go and save a dog!

Do it for Ellie. :)

As of today, the whole family is enrolled in Tae Kwondo.

Wish I had a pic of all of us in our uniforms. 

I don't even have a picture of ME in my new white beltness.

But we are all in as of today.

Benjy signed up for Tiny Tigers today.

Cute thing has a size triple-zero uniform. 

I can't believe my once-timid non-talker who now will not shut up for one solitary minute will be screaming and kicking and punching and yelling his way into a future black belt. 

Oh, he's into it. Even before he tried on the uniform, he was psyched. He stepped up and kicked at me. Oh, I say he's a natural. 

Go Benjy, Go.

15 ~ January

15 ~ January
Originally uploaded by wendirichert

Inspired by the need to use my monthly kits from Jenny Bowlin's Studio on a more consistent basis, I've come up with a little project to work on this year. Each month, on the 15th, I'll snap a few pictures of what's going on around me. These were the few I took last week. It was a stay-home sick day for the boys and me. We filled our day with Star Wars Episode II - twice, making new tie-up shades with my old tie-back curtains, building elaborate train tracks around the living room, taking a warm bubble bath for no other reason than to play Star Wars in the tub, and practicing our quick draws. Who said sick days are no fun?

After reading Mom's blog, I'm finally ready to post this: 

My dad has cancer. Yes, it sucks. 

Throat cancer. 

Right next to the vocal chords.

the big 

C.

He started his chemo and radiation therapies about 3 weeks ago. The chemo wears him out, and he does have a couple of rough days afterward. But the radiation, so far, seems to be just a few minutes of his weekday afternoons. His energy is waning, but his spirits seem to be up. 

Funny how God works. 

I've always loved my mom and dad. Adored them. I often just praise God that he gave me THEM for parents. Especially when I think of the alternatives out there today. 

But the big C has forced me to reconsider how I show them I love them. So I'm making it a new priority to call more, mail more, pray MORE.

Here's a picture of Dad taken the day after he learned of his cancer. 

He loves his dog, Hokie. 

And I think he does indeed find hope in the small treats of life. His puppy. His family who loves him more than ourselves. His garage. :) (You should see this place. A garage with central air, a few rugs, a couple of recliners, a TV/DVD/VCR set-up, the old kitchen fridge. And who knows what else.....) 

I pray that Dad continues to relish the small treats he's dealt during his therapy time. He's about half-way through it, so he may indeed have a loooong way to go with more downsides than ups. But God will provide him the strength he needs to endure the recovery; the eyes to find the small treats and grasp them, hold onto them and relish them; and the faith to believe that he will get better. Yes, Dad, I do believe that with all my heart. You're gonna be just fine.

how cool is this???
how 'bout this one?



If you wanna make a name for yourself :)
then you should go here.

It's Friday. A short week at school. I pulled my back out at tae kwondo on Wednesday, so I'm especially glad for a few days of rest this weekend. However, I really MISS karate, so I may try to go in the morning, depending on my back. If I can't bow, I won't go. That's my litmus test. You have to bow in and out at karate, so if I can't do that much, then I have no business doing the in between stuff. 

Should be a quiet weekend around here. With Christmas decorations put away and my van smelling fresh and clean (thank you, Curt!), I'm ready for some regular weekend house cleaning and hanging out with the boys. Curt and I will watch the Bourne Ultimatum tomorrow night. Santa brought it for him in his stocking. Good old Santa! 

I leave you with this:

This is the absolute best reason for snow. Dad's snow cream.
I made this in photoshop elements for my Christmas art journal. Man, I'm gonna miss this journal once it ends on Jan. 6, Epiphany. Guess I'll have to get back into my regular scrapbooking in a big way. :)

Happy New Year!
Here's #1 in what I hope will be 366 days of photos for this year. (Hey, it's a leap year, ya know?) I love this pic because my favorite candle in the entire world is here - a Candleberry Candle Co. candle bought in Virginia during the Thanksgiving holiday. This scent is praline dreams. And it's really dreamy. Plus, the shot of my Mary Engelbreit Home Companion magazine really energizes me. I want this year to be about creating. Creating art. Creating inspiration for my family and my students. Creating spiritual connectedness for me with God. Creating. Creativity. For ME. For my family. 
This brings me to my word for the year.
Energy.
That's it.
Energy.
Spiritual.
Physical.
Mental.
Energy.

I'll need plenty of it to keep up the artiness I've had going on for the past week or so. I have risen each morning completely energized with a sense or art. Art with a lower-case a, mind you. I just can't wait to sit down and create. I visit Claudine's blog every single day for inspiration. And then I do my art journal entry from Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class. Then I just surf for inspiration. And I create. That energy is just amazing. I pray that I can sustain it during the school year when I have to rise before the sun and begin a day with first graders and papers and books and noise.

Energy.

Yes.

I think it's a fine word for 2008.

We actually went out for New Year's Eve last night. Yes, really.
We went to the Kuhns where we met up with the Pouliches and the Urams. What fun. We mostly hung around Staci's kitchen where the food was, eating her chicken salad and countless other dishes. We tried dancing with the dancing machine thing that hooks up to the TV, but apparently we're too old to figure that out. And we watched the kids - 7 of them - run around the house with empty water guns and Star Wars light sabers and Barbie dolls and happy screams. It was a good ending to 2007.

Oh my goodness, I'm in love!
I just made this
on this site. Wowie wow wow.

I can't wait to make more of these next year. :)

My boys are nuts for Star Wars. 

They will play with their trunk full of Star Wars guys for hours at a time. 

They fly the Millenium Falcon and Imperial Shuttle and the Y Wing Fighter all over the house.

They grab their light sabers in an assortment of colors and do battle in the basement. Benjy always asks Camden who the bad guy is. It's usually Benjy.

Most recently, the dynamic duo decided to put on a show for Curt and me. We sat in the living room for more than an hour watching them reenact all six Star Wars movies. Here's the intro they gave us. Curt has the rest on his computer. He's doctoring it up and making it fancy and fun so we can burn it to a DVD for the boys. They'll get a big hoot out of their Star Wars show. I know we sure did. :)

Oh, since it's nearly the end of the year, I've been thinking about 2008:

As much as I HATE new year's resolutions, here's what I'm hoping to accomplish in the coming year:

* Start Tae Kwondo and don't quit. (I could be either a green belt or a camo belt by year's end, depending on how many testings the studio has.)
* Learn to cook a few good-for-you meals that my kids will actually eat. Our new cookbook by Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica Seinfeld, will definitely help here. 
* Simplify! So many areas here: our family spending, our home, the TOYS, our schedules, our wants. Cindy's Porch will be my inspiration here. Check it out if you have similar goals. 

Not quite the new year.....

But I'm trying to start early on a resolution to keep up the old blog at least with a note or two throughout each week.



This is the piece
Claudine Helmuth made for me for my Christmas present from Curt. I am totally in awe of her work. Absolutely completely head-over-heels in love with her talent. She took emailed pix of my family and some generic ideas of the beach, Hatteras Island and Star Wars and turned them into this. Isn't this the most awesome piece of art you've ever seen? I've hung it over my desk in the office so I can admire it each day as I do emails and surfing and dreaming and my scrapping. What inspiration and a constant reminder of my happy little family and a wonderful trip we had at the beach one summer.

Another fave this Christmas......



Mom got me this fabulous purse from her pastor's wife who makes these awesome things! She's amazing. She's more amazing than Vera!!!!!!!!!!!! I went to her studio and picked out every last piece of fabric for this bag. And even the elephant zipper pull! Then I got to tell her what pockets I wanted, how big, how tall, how many. So many details that go into a handbag that I have never even thought of before. Wow, this woman rocks. And she's just the sweetest person to top it all off. If you need a purse, let me know. I can hook you up!


And to end this post, I leave you with this: my favorite Christmas decoration of all. The vintage tinsel tree. Truly old. Truly silver. Truly sharp if you're not careful when putting it away. And that's exactly what I did today. I put away all the Christmas decorations. Truly, I hate doing that. I spend so much time looking forward to decorating and enjoying the twinkle and sparkle of the tree lights and all the other lights I manage to plug in during December. And then when Christmas Day has ended, I'm over it. Ready for it to go back into the 6 giant green Rubbermaid containers that hold them all. I do miss the sparkle of Christmas.

Dec. 15

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Dec. 14

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Dec. 13

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Dec. 12

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Dec. 11

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Dec. 10 back of page

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Dec. 10 front of page

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Dec. 9

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Dec. 8

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Dec. 7

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Dec. 6

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Dec. 5

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Dec. 4

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Dec. 4 front page

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Dec. 3 back

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Dec. 3 front page

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Day 2

Day 2's prompt in Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas is all about the weather: what kind of weather do I have in December? My journaling is all about my annual wish for snow. I start wishing in early December and carry on till, oh, around April. I wish for blizzards, feet of snow, snow days home from school. I get really angry when the weather forecast calls for a nice total of wintry precip and nothing falls from the sky. I spend so much time wishing for snow that I rarely notice what's happening outside when it's NOT snowing. On the other hand, I do pay attention to nearly everything else. So I'm not that hopeless. :) hohoho 

As promised, the ornaments we made yesterday. All were a large glass ball that we filled with whatever caught our fancy. Benjy put about 10 tiny candy canes in his. The mostly empty one is him. :) Camden put some cute tiny foil-wrapped "packages" and a few buttons in his. Curt packed his full of curling ribbon. And I put a handful of Christmas-colored buttons in mine.  Nothing anybody else would buy, but definitely keepers for us. 

And, here's day 2 in my Advent calendar. I just love this thing. Wish I could make more for my friends, but I have no idea where to get the goods anymore. 

Dec. 1

It's official: 

25 

days 

till 

Christmas.

That means it's time for me to start Shimelle's online class to  Journal Your Christmas - my 2nd year doing it. The coolest thing: Because I took Shimelle's online class last year, the rest of her JYC classes are FREE for me!!! How cool is that?
Day 1's prompt was to write a manifesto of my intentions with this project. Here's mine.

Dec. 1 also begins our annual countdown to Christmas. I'm so excited to use the advent calendar we bought last year. (I'll post a picture of it tomorrow.) I've stuffed activities behind the doors so that this year we can DO stuff together instead of BUY stuff. :) Cheap, huh?! And probably more memorable for all of us, too.

So, on Day 1, we made ornaments for the Christmas tree. All four of us. And we had fun. :) Pictures to come; I promise.





This Advent Calendar telling the Christmas story from the book of Luke is my favorite homemade decoration. I made it when we lived in Ohio after spying some ladies making it in my favorite scrapbook store. They were booked full, so I couldn't stay, but the instructor was so kind to direct me to the supplies needed to put this together. I think I probably had more fun making it at home anyway, where I could be in my pjs, surrounded by my Christmas lights and tunes, and near the chatter of the boys. I just love to hold this, feel the Modge-Podged pages, and turn the days over to read the next little bit of the miracle of Christmas.