A Home Reading Station and Literacy Journal
Posted: September 9, 2012 Filed under: Mommy Notes, Tyson Leave a commentThe one big thing Ty’s kindergarten teacher asked us to do at home with him was read. Nightly. And keep track of the books finished. I wanted to do a little something more…so, I set up a Reading Station:
The contents: books that will be rotated/changed monthly, Ty’s reading chart that is to be handed end at the end of each month, a literacy journal, and a timer: it gives a five-minute warning and turns red when time is up, it has been a lifesaver in our house. The visual cues make it easy for Tyson to do this independently if needed.
The literacy journal is made up of fun bits and pieces spied on Pinterest. I love the idea of having him draw pictures to represent major pieces of the story or serve as a synopsis of his take on what we read:
First entry. So far, so good…he LOVES explaining, in GREAT five year-old detail (read: never-ending) his pictures. I am hoping in the near future, he can write a one sentence description himself. A good goal to work towards…
We’ll keep his monthly class sheet nearby so that we don’t lose it and he can color in the train cars himself:
I found these fantastic drawing prompts online: here and plan to use them as well:
Since it is currently our one and only “homework” assignment, we’ll keep the station in our family room where the books and journal are easily accessible for Tyson and the family:
And Tyson LOVED picking out his favorite washi tape colors and prints to personalize his journal. Working on the cover…
DIY Washi Tape Smash Book/Journal
Posted: September 6, 2012 Filed under: Arts and Crafts, Scrapbooking 44 CommentsI recently stumbled across the most AMAZING, super cute, super easy to use Gratitude Journal app on the iPhone. One entry a day, you can easily attach a photograph, and you can set daily reminders as well…LOVE this app.
Inspired by the app and intent on ACTUALLY COMPLETING a Gratitude Journal, I wanted to make something to keep actual copies of the photographs and handwrite sentiments. Many of the composition notebooks have been marked down at Target, I found this particular notebook for .37 cents. Giddy about having the chance to finally use my embarrassingly large washi tape stash, I went to work…
I grouped the pages in threes as I wanted them sturdy and thick enough to withstand ink, tape, embellishments, etc.
Super easy. The edges are far from perfect. Just line up…
Turn the book over. Cut the corners at an angle. Fold over corner. Fold over tape. Turn book back over and fold down the remaining pieces of washi tape.
Seriously, super easy. Maybe, 15, 20 minutes…and you get a super personalized, fun smash book or journal:
The colors make me smile and the lined paper is so much easier for me to work with than the various papers included in the Smash books. I like the simple, clean look of the lined background. Looking forward to adding and working this…not bad for a .37 cent journal!!
Project Life: Week 26
Posted: September 3, 2012 Filed under: Project Life 3 CommentsThe last week in the first binder…slowly but surely catching up. Loving the light blue, beige/tan, white and yellow color combo. Left side:
Title card:
Right side:
Included a piece of a bag from a super cute vintage clothing store we found while out shopping as well as movie ticket stubs from our girls night out:
Full spread. Definitely need the continuity of a color scheme, the mis-matched layouts bug me. It is all I can do to not go back and redo them…still enjoying the process. Loved being able to look back at the last six months. I am even enjoying reliving some of our summer adventures while I go back and finish the journaling…
Linking up with The Mom Creative…
50 in 2012: Book Forty
Posted: September 3, 2012 Filed under: Book Review Leave a comment
Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The exploration of interracial relationships during the height of wartime chaos sparked my interest. After reading the book’s synopsis, I quickly dove in. Having loved Letters From Home, I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, something just didn’t connect for me…
Maddie Kern and Lane Moritomo had succeeded in hiding their budding relationship from Maddie’s older brother, TJ. However, Lane no longer wanted to hide their love. Maddie was not yet ready to explain their situation to her brother who had assumed a fatherly role following their parent’s tragic accident. Hopelessly in love and destined to be together, Lane and Maddie take matters into their own hands and elope. Enveloped in the thrill of their little secret and overcome with love, they celebrate their new marriage in their own little world. A world that is quickly shattered as they awake the next morning to news that Pearl Harbor has been bombed.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese American relationships become strained: one’s nationality no longer matters. Instead, ethnicity and skin color quickly divide those who were once close friends. All Japanese Americans are immediately considered suspect.
As Lane’s family is torn apart, Maddie struggles to decide whether she should pursue her Juilliard dreams or stand by her husband as he is interned in a Japanese interment camp.
Love, war, tragedy, the courage of two intensely strong women…a little bit of everything. I feel as though there were tangents discussed in great detail that detracted from the overall poignancy of this novel. Perhaps too verbose in some areas, particularly TJ’s college baseball experience, and not detailed enough in others: the aftermath of war and how life is resumed following the intense fractionalization of Japanese American relationships.
Many of the words in this book could have been my family’s own story. My grandmother was interned in Manzanar and my parents faced scrutiny for their Japanese American interracial relationship. It is hard to imagine the sacrifices and fear faced by families like the Moritomo’s. One day, a mere family next door, the next, a potential war enemy. In the blink of an eye…
Disappointing read, poignant plot idea.
Still TRI-ing…
Posted: September 1, 2012 Filed under: Milestones, Mommy Notes, Running, TRI-ing Leave a commentWhen I signed up for the sprint tri in July, I had planned out the training months in advance: swim one day a week, run three days, and bike one or two…all while the boys were both in school three mornings a week. In my head, the plan was flawless. Then, as it always seems to happen, the plans changed and a part-time teaching position fell in my lap. As a result, I have officially traded in the yoga pants for work wear, my car/house office for a classroom, and…training for working.
The sight still makes me giddy. I absolutely love being back in the classroom and back in a school setting: teaching kids who LISTEN and having co-workers who love to talk about things other than Legos and Batman…
I survived my first full week back to work, Ty’s first full week of kindergarten, and Jake’s first week back at preschool. As we search for a new normal in our house, the first thing to go was my former workout/training routine. I desperately hope to get some of it back. And fear I will be the last person to cross the finish line in a few weeks. We now have FOUR entirely different school schedules, soccer, basketball, and swimming to keep track of. I realize there are phone apps that can do this, but I need to write things out, see them visually, and I love all paper products. Each person has a specific color. I have two boards that will be rotated and a small spiral calendar I keep nearby to plan further in advance. Items that need immediate attention, signatures, and/or checks are clipped to the board. Ty’s school picture form currently hangs, ready to be signed:
I wish we had a wall to devote to a family work station but we don’t. The calendar sits on our kitchen counter where it is clearly visible. On our fridge, I have one clip for Jake’s important papers/schedules/etc. and one for Tyson. Their morning routine/chore charts, which have proven invaluable hang below. For longer term papers/notes, each child has a folder in a standing organizer next to the big calendar on our kitchen calendar:
Thanks to Pinterest, our snack bin has evolved since this photo but it has made making lunches and packing a snack a breeze. For Tyson, I pack his snack in the front pocket of his backpack and leave his lunch separate in the big zipper portion of his backpack. That way, I don’t have to worry about him eating his lunch at snack time on the days he stays later at after school care:
And I have been getting used to being at the gym at different times. Different times = different classes. I am doing my best to squeeze in at least one spin class and a couple runs a week…I haven’t seen a pool in weeks. I am trying to adjust my overall outlook and approach for the tri. My goal is simply to finish. Have fun. Not drown. Complete the bike portion with my bike intact.
Searching for a new normal and hoping new routines fall into place. For now, still tri-ing…and wishing I had signed up for a fall half instead. I am determined to stick with the tri training but am already disappointed that I am not going to be anywhere near the kind of shape I had previously hoped.
First Day: Take Two
Posted: August 27, 2012 Filed under: Jake, Milestones Leave a commentJake’s first day of three-day preschool…those cheeks:
Sweet boy. Outfit only lasted about thirty second after the photo but I enjoyed the jean cuteness while it lasted. Neither of my boys are big fans of jeans…
And what happens when you ask him to say “cheese”…
Project Life: Week 25
Posted: August 21, 2012 Filed under: Project Life 3 CommentsLeft side: trying to keep it super simple. Light blue, yellow, tan color streak…
I have been struggling to find ways to use the little metal smash clips, finally found a way to make them work. I stared at this journal card for a long time thinking it didn’t look “finished” but I like the overall simple look of it…
Right side. I seem to feel better about the weekly layouts that have a color scheme or overall theme. Not super matchy matchy but the weeks where there is no continuity never look finished to me…
Project Life: Weeks 21, 22, 23 and 24
Posted: August 21, 2012 Filed under: Project Life 2 CommentsI have been really struggling with Project Life the last few weeks. I would sit down to journal and embellish…and nothing. Determined to make a dent, I sat down and decided to just adhere, journal, and go…
WEEK 21
Had fun with various combinations of photos and collages this week:
Also included a coin collector sheet with 2 x 2 Instagram photos of Ty’s Class Art Show. Easy, fun way to include massive amounts of photos in a weekly layout. I was able to get one shot of Ty’s individual piece and one of the class set up. A lot of love and time went into the set up and presentation of this art show. LOVE Ty’s teachers:
WEEK 22
A family date night: bowling started off one of our busiest week’s to date. A week FULL of lasts: last days of school, last practices, last games. Had a lot of fun with the end-of-the-year teacher gifts this year. Especially as it would be Ty’s last year in preschool, he’s been going since he was 18 months old…
Right side with inserts:
LOVE the comparison shots: now and then. It really is amazing how much they grow in one school year. Jake’s is this year’s first and last day of school. Ty’s is his very first day of drop-off-and-leave preschool and his last day…makes me weepy how fast it all goes.
Inserts are photos printed out as 8 x 12 and trimmed down to fit the 6 x 12 pockets. I cut out the words and used them as tabs…
WEEK 23
Looming at the end of the busiest week ever, was a trip away. Without the boys. The packing and laundry were daunting, but the time away was absolutely glorious. First time in YEARS…
Experimented with various textures, my favorite color combination:
Right side with insert. I cut the coin collector page in half, printed out the Instagram photos as a collage on a 5 x 7 page. Cut to fit. Journaled little bits on the opposite side of each photo.
Returned from Coeur d’Alene and went straight to work on our summer bucket list. Hoping to use the label maker for each bucket list item for continuity:
WEEK 24
A week of many adventures…
Linking up with The Mom Creative, it has been far too long…
50 in 2012: Book Thirty Nine
Posted: August 21, 2012 Filed under: Book Review Leave a comment
Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An evil oppressive Aunt, the tragic demise of the Titanic, World War I…and a harrowing love story.
Annie Allen is determined to escape the oppressive confines set forth by her vile Aunt Eleanor. Fearing no other option, Owen Allen courageously decides to pursue a better life in America, promising to send for his sister Annie as soon as he manages the funds to do so. Shortly before he is to set sail, he runs into a peculiar young man who is clearly homeless and in need of assistance. He takes this young man under his wing. Owen had no idea that doing so would forever change his life’s path. Michael Dunnagan admires his new mentor, longing for the familial bond he sees between Owen and his sister.
The day Owen is to begin his journey to America finally arrives and Annie sneaks out of school to bid her brother farewell and watch the magical Titanic set out to sea. Aboard the Titanic, Michael and Owen admire the beauty and opulence of the ship. Their bond strengthens as they discuss the gardening business they are to attend upon their arrival. Owen keeps meticulous notes in his journal while teaching Michael all he knows. A curious bump in the night begins a nightmare that will leave one young man heroically dead and the other plagued with survivor’s guilt for the rest of his life. Haunted by Owen’s last words, Michael devotes the remainder of his days to bringing Annie over to America and fulfilling a promise that means everything to him.
Michael follows the path set forth by Owen and works to bring Annie over. Meanwhile, Annie is living a troubled, difficult life in England. Her Aunt Eleanor striving to make each day more miserable than the last. Just as Michael believes all is ready to send for Annie, Eleanor and World War I promise to overthrow his best laid plans…
Annie Allen is a truly courageous, tenacious heroine. Her story spans heartache and tragedy not often known to one person. Surviving lifetimes of misfortune and loss, she never gives up. An undying tale of love and good conquering evil.
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