Current Obsessions

Here are five things I'm currently obsessed with...

On Trying New Things in Teaching

This school year, I'm trying all things new. New strategies. New ways of doing old things. Fresh. New. Unfamiliar. New.  And I'm discovering that the very things I've always been afraid to try, aren't as daunting as they first appeared...

About This School Year

Literacy and Numeracy Night 2016

This school year is going well. Not to say it's without stress and challenges because those things still exist in the world of teaching. But still, things are looking up...

Be True to Yourself

I recently ordered these MantraBands to wear as a daily reminder of what's really important...choose love, and be true, be you, be kind.  Sometimes we get so busy with our daily lives that it's easy to lose focus, and this week I did just that. I lost focus...

On Parenting

Last week, I attended this art thing that one of the teachers at my school was hosting. It's like one of those sip and paint deals where you create your own "masterpiece" from start to finish while snacking and hanging out with friends. Only, we didn't just get to work with paint...we also used a lot of different mixed media which put a whole new spin on things. 

Anyways this got me thinking.  An artist starts with a blank canvas, and can put a lot of thought and planning into it, never truly knowing how it will turn out. Parenting is kinda like that.  You plan, and you dream. You make sacrifices, you toil, you teach, and you learn.  You do the best you know how, and you hope for the best, but sometimes you never know what you're gonna get, or how things will turn out...

A Forgotten Benefit of Reading

It all started with a small twitching below my left eye. Let me be clear. It was a constant twitching, sometimes called eyelid tics or spasms, and although it wasn't noticeable by others, it was driving me crazy...

On Fourteen Years of Marriage

Some things you just never forget.

Like what it felt like to own my first car. But I'll also never forget the day I drove away in my second car. It was a used 1991 Honda Accord, and at the time, it was almost ten years old, but to me, it felt new. And exciting! I remember driving off the car lot and feeling a sense of joy and pride. Me and my car! We were going places, and I looked forward to the little things like taking it through the car wash, and driving to places like the grocery story was now no "ordinary" trip because, now, when I walked to my car, in the parking lot, I could admire it, once again, thinking...that's my car!  Over the years, my car and I developed a rhythm. We understood each other. I knew it needed it's regular maintenance, and I knew my limits with my old car. Like how it would almost tremble and slightly shake when I tried to push it to the limits of driving fast speeds.  But through it all, my little old car remained faithful and never left me stranded. Never.  Even when I had my doubts, my car always came through for me.

Being married for 14 years is kinda like that...

A Silly Family Portrait

The last time The Hubs and I had caricatures made of ourselves, it was before Buddy Roller was born. So yesterday, while at the fair, we did one as a family. Take a look if you'd like to see the beginning, middle and end...

Growing Old is Like an Onion

Author, Sandra Cisneros describes growing older like the rings inside an onion, or the rings inside a tree trunk...

Listen to Your Inner Voice

Have you ever ignored that little voice inside your head that tells you to do something? Talk to a stranger who looks hopeless. Help someone you don't know...like a mother walking along the roadside, carrying groceries, with her three kids dragging behind. Offer someone a hug who's been crying.  Strike up a nice conversation with a colleague who nags the living hell out of you. Well this evening, that voice spoke to me. Not once, but two times...

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Week

I'm looking forward to the start of this new TV show next week! Not since Parenthood have I been this excited about a television drama...

Pic of the Day - Dinner and Questions

I don't know about you, but I look forward to having someone else cook dinner for a change. There's just something about having good food (that I didn't make) that gets me excited. That, plus good company and thought provoking questions to mull over...

Pic of the Day - School Projects

How do you feel about school projects?

Pic of the Day - Second Grade Homework

I've been complaining about my son's homework for three weeks now. I know it's not good to complain, but...

Pic of the Day - Birthday Requests Fulfilled

We have a tradition in this family...

Pic of the Day - And Just Like That!

And just like that, we're celebrating another birthday...

Pic of the Day - Sweet Mommy Moment

About this photo...

Pic of the Day - Marshmallow Challenge

Meet Sheila Spaghetti Sheghetti. The name affectionately given, by a group of my sixth graders, to the spaghetti tower above, that holds one lonely, sweet, gooey, melt in your mouth marshmallow...

Pic of the Day - Ready Or Not, Here They Come

Kids return to school on Monday, and all this week the teachers at my school were busy preparing for that exciting first day. As I was rushing out the door this evening, there were a million and one things I still had to do. But, ready or not, they'll be here on Monday...

Why Hillary Gives Me Hope and Inspiration

I don't usually do politics. I avoid talking about it in social gatherings because like education, religion and parenting, it can get people all "riled up" and emotional.  But never since Barack Obama have I been this fired up and hopeful about the upcoming elections.  I can agree that while both candidates may not appear to be "perfect," and I may not 100 percent agree with their policies or campaign tactics, one thing propels me to make my decision. And that is the candidate's character. Period. Let me be more clear.  It's their core values, it's what they stand for, it's who they're fighting for, it's who they've been all their life, it's their past activism. It's their character...

My Happy Place

What is the one place on earth that brings you the most happiness? For me, it's that place where, when you get there, you immediately start to smile, and all your worries and troubles just seem to fade away.  For me, that place is even happier when my family is there.  My happy place has always been the beach...

Staycations and Lemonade

When I first set eyes on this tower of Turkish limestone, Indian pink sandstone and Italian marble, I admit, I was intrigued by its beauty. It looks like we could be in an exotic country, on another continent, right? Except that we're not because this temple is located just minutes from where we live. During any "normal" summer, we would have been on our second getaway by now, but, as life would have it, we're on a staycation and making lemonade out of lemons...

On the Inevitable

She's a true talker. You know those people who when you see them, you know you're in for a long conversation.  You could say anything to her, and she always had a story to share. Always. I'm normally in a rush when I see her. But this time, I wasn't, thank God, and I took the time to listen to her. Really listen.  I sat down on the tiny bench made for little ones, fearing the planks wouldn't hold my weight. They did. And I patiently listened. It was as if I knew this would be an important conversation to have. It was. And it was the last one I would have with her. She passed away on Sunday...

Girl Meets Wizard for the First Time

I'll be the first to admit, that unlike elephants, I have terrible memory. I've never seen the movie, The Wizard of Oz. At least, I don't remember seeing it as a child. I think I would have remembered it if I did though.  Anyways, so much of American culture is tied to this movie. To this day, people still make references to this iconic movie, which was released in 1939! Even though I have lived in America for most of my life now, it was time for this Jamaican girl to go meet the wizard...

On Making Dumb Mistakes

 

Let's face it. We all make stupid mistakes. At least I do.  Some I wish I could do over, and some I wish I never even had the dumb idea to do in the first place...

How I Came to Love Spaghetti

Growing up in Jamaica, our meals always consisted of the traditional ones. You know, curry chicken, oxtails, stew chicken, curry goat, jerk chicken, rice and peas, fried plantains, Escovitch fish, bammy, fried festival and dumplings, ackee and saltfish, beef patties, boiled yam and bananas, and so much more. My family never veered too far from the norm. But then a move to the states changed everything...

On Food Trucks

Regarding food trucks. Three words. I support them...

Did You Know?

Here are 34 things you may - or may not - know about me...

Dear Dad

Dear Dad.  We've been together my whole life...almost seven years now. And since it's Father's Day, I wanted to tell you thank you for being a great Dad. Here are all the reasons why I'm glad you're my Dad, and I'm your son...

"Oh Snap" on Safari

This past weekend, we went on a little excursion to Pine Mountain for our first ever Wild Animal Safari. And let me tell you, it was a ton of unexpected fun...

My Current Obsessions

My obsessions (things I can't get enough of, or things that make life a little happier) change from time to time. Right now, here are five things I'm currently obsessed with...

Saturday Workshop

This Saturday, Buddy Roller and I moseyed over to The Home Depot for their kids' workshop where we built a DIY gift for someone very special...

My Worst Fear as a Parent

Buddy Roller and me

My first real "hands-on" experience, with taking care of a baby, was - it seems - a lifetime ago when I was in college. I was in charge of babysitting my godson Brandon, and I remember feeling both excited and horrified...

My Summer 2016 Reading List

I've made my list, and I've checked it twice. Here's my plan of what I'll be reading this summer...

Simply Beautiful

Natalie Babbitt once said, "Like all magnificent things, it's very simple."

Words Have Power

Dr. Eula Gueye.  She's been a person I've admired and respected for years. But next school year, she will no longer be around to support us, mentor us, have our backs! She will be sorely missed. By me. By many...

What's on Your Bucket List?

Now that I'm on a break from school, and I have a little more time on my hands, I've been thinking about all the things I want to do while I'm here on planet Earth...

The Last Day of School

Today has been bittersweet...

A Perfect Day to Fly a Kite

"A kite only flies when it's tethered," said Victor Robin Lee. Well.  Tell that to my six year old who just wants to run while holding his kite.

And I enjoyed every minute watching him. Run. Run. Run.

Collecting Moments 12

I'd like to end (for now) this month-long installment of collecting moments with Buddy Roller's first grade musical of "The Bear Goes Over the Mountain"...

Collecting Moments 11

It is one of the hardest jobs, and yet one of the most rewarding! I wouldn't be a MOM without this little guy.  He melts my heart, and makes me happy to be living and enjoying one of the best roles I've been privileged to hold...MOTHER.

Every Mother's Day is special, and this one was no different.

Take a look...

Collecting Moments 10

We've hit another milestone folks...

Collecting Moments 9

Today, one of my students surprised me by giving me this book for teacher appreciation week. She said she'd noticed how much I was talking about this book, one of several featured in our book fair this week, and she wanted to do something special for me...

Just a Random Rant

I interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring you a random rant from yours truly. In case you weren't aware, this week is "Teacher Appreciation Week," AND the elementary schools have got it going on with how they appreciate their teachers. I'm just sayin' ...