Not My Usual After School Haunts #SOL17 Day 7

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

Today, "after school" found me of outside my typical routine. It wasn't a Ballet or Scouts day. We bypassed Target, Costco, and the Library. And home was far in the future for me.

After picking my 12 year old up from Middle School, we drove to JDF. The text with him earlier in the day was classic:

ME: You are going to JDF this afternoon after school.
HIM: What is JDF?
ME: Juvenile deterntion
Him: WHAT?!?!?!?

I truly LOLed! I then reminded him of the Boy Scout merit badge he's been working on and the fact that he'd been trying to set this visit up! Oh yeah...gotta love a forgetful 12 year old brain!!

So, we drove to JDF and his dad met us there and took him in for his visit. I had the pleasure of sitting in the parking lot for 45 minutes! When we left, he reported that it was very interesting, he learned a lot, got his questions answered, and NO, he would rather I NOT get a teaching job there!!

After picking up the other kids, grabbing a quick dinner, and dropping them off at home with Daddy, we set off to our local City Council Meeting. Yep...another merit badge...another part of our community to explore. So, that's where I've been for the past 90 minutes. It was riveting!! Well, not really, but it wasn't too terrible...and I know it could have been way worse!

So now we are approaching "past bedtime" and I have just gotten home. Need to blog. Laundry. Showers. Finish up homework. Charge school devices. Prepare for school tomorrow. Relax?! Sleep...

I'm not thrilled to have lost one of the few evenings I should have had time at home. The next few nights are busy with our usual activities. But, I'm glad to be able to support my son in his endeavors. And to spend quality time with him in these experiences. I know it means a lot to him that we take this time for him.

So, it is worth it.

But the laundry is still not done!!

Not Feeling It! #SOL17 Day 6

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

I am not feeling it tonight...
Nothing's going right.
Just want to hide away.

Headache,
Dizzy,
Can't focus

Computer freezing,
Comments won't post,
Everything glitching

Kids not listening,
"I don't wanna!"
"I didn't do it!"

Tomorrow's another day-
Hopefully a better one!
I'll try again then...

Enjoying the Enjoyment #SOL17 Day 5

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

It's Sunday evening. The weekend is coming to a close. But I'm still relishing in the enjoyment that surrounds me.

Earlier I napped on the couch while my oldest son drew in his beloved sketchpad and my younger two played a board game with Daddy. Bliss! We were all together in the same space. All enjoying restful activities and enjoying our day off. It was peaceful- not rushing around and feeling stressed. It was quiet-no one yelling, or crying, or arguing. I cherish these moments and need to capture them and hold onto that feeling- fleeting and far between as it may be.

And yet, now as I type, I am enjoying a second moment in one day!

My daughter is upstairs playing...aside from a few random rustles as she walks past the stairs you could forget she's even there! She is happy, content, and engrossed in her world. My boys are sitting around the living room. My middle son is playing the Wii...and his dad & brother have taken up residence on opposite couches as coaches of sorts. They are narrating, planning, strategizing, and encouraging- all while laughing, yelling, and cringing right along with him!

These are the moments.

We need more of these...

Boy or Man #SOL17 Day 4

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

My oldest is 12.  Last I checked, that's still a kid! So where did this little man come from?

Twice this weekend I have had complete strangers comment to me after having an interaction with this boy. How impressive he is; how it seemed like they were interacting with an adult; how I have a great kid. Yep...I knew that part! He IS a great kid and really I couldn't be more proud of him! And yet, somehow there is more...every time I hear this type of comment!

Last night we went out to dinner. My boys went in to get us a table while I worked on waking up little sister who'd fallen asleep on the way. we walked in and the gentleman at the front desk said, "Are you with, M--? He's incredible! I thought I was dealing with a grown adult!"

Today, M went to a community leadership training that he signed up for. He didn't know anyone else going and it was not specifically for youth, but he was excited to go. He wanted to grow his leadership skills and give back to his community (the goals of every 7th grader, right?!). It turns out, the session was (as I'd feared) him along with a group of adults...no other teenagers or kids! And yet, I got a text midway through that said, "This is great! I'm having lots of fun!" When I went to pick him up, he was escorted out by a gentleman who works at a local church. He relayed to me that at the start of the session, they assumed my son was just someone's kid who was dragged to the meeting. But, he continued, after they started talking, he was surprised that had some great ideas- in fact M had an idea the group voted on and decided to pursue for our community. They want him to continue coming to their sessions (that was his plan!) and to continue sharing any ideas for the planning process. The kids gentleman didn't want to just give my 12 year old his phone number which was why he came to speak with me, but he also wanted to tell me how impressed they were with him and that I should be very proud.

Yep! Proud for sure! But, really when did my little boy grow into this bold, well-spoken, idea-filled grown up?!

Feeling Empty #SOL17 Day 3

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

Feeling Empty
Nothing to give
Nothing to say


Feeling Empty
Want to escape
Want to retreat


Feeling Empty
Need to recharge
Need to refuel


Yep...Friday night & I've got nothing! So glad the weekend is here...

Field Trip Day #SOL17 Day 2

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

As a teacher, I have never been a big fan of field trips. Don't get me wrong, I love the experiences and opportunities they provide for our students. But I've never been a fan of the stress that comes with planning and executing a trip. And after a bad experience of parents not paying attention and multiple students getting bee stings on a trip to the zoo, I have just NOT been a fan!

But today was different. Today, I got to attend a field trip as a parent. So I had way less stress and got to really enjoy the day.

I loaded five 5th grade boys into my van and drove a few towns over to the Mondavi Center at UC Davis. 

We enjoyed a leisurely walk through a lovely wooded area, and the kids marveled at squirrels, ducks, birds, trees, cacti, etc. 

Then we headed into the theatre and enjoyed an incredible education performance by the Dance Theatre of Harlem. It was clear that some of the students were not prepared for this type of performance, but for the most part everyone in the audience was quite respectful and engaged by the information and dancing they got to experience. Personally, I loved it, and, happily, my son did as well. 

After a quick restroom stop, we went back out to the arboretum for lunch on the lawn. The kids took a few minutes to sketch some of their observations and it was time to head back to the cars and back to school.

It was leisurely. It was peaceful. It was enjoyable. It was low-key. It was great. 

Being a teacher, I have struggled for years with being able to attend my own children's field trips. After today, I'm glad I made it happen.

Take Two - #SOL17 Day 1

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC; #SOL17) 

hosted by Two Writing Teachers. 

Each day for the month of March I will be posting a "Slice of Life". 

Please feel free to stop back and check out my other posts here.

Let's try this again!

I have such good intentions of writing regularly...
yet so little follow through!

A blog post here, a quickwrite there.

Last March I participated in Slice of Life for the first time
and wrote every day for the entire month.
I was proud.
I was happy.
I was writing.
I was on a roll...

And then I stopped!
Let life take over again,
Kids, school, house...life!

A burst of writing when focused,
But fleeting focus and I can't hold on to it

I want to try again.
I want to create a habit.
I want to gift this to myself,
and my children, my students, my teachers.
I want to write!

So I am back to try again-
Slice of Life,
my blog,
my writing...
Take Two!