Gift Giving

I LOVE giving gifts!  Especially to those who are difficult to buy for, like the hubby.  This year I had to get creative and finally finished his gift on the 23rd.  Here's what he got:

One large box containing 12 smaller gifts.
On the large box was a poem telling him that he would find 12 smaller gifts inside, one for each month of 2018.  An adventure a month for a year.

Upon opening the large box, he had to open the smaller gifts in order.  Each smaller gift was something he could use for that month's adventure, a sheet with information about the adventure, as  well as a "poem" giving clues to the adventure.  Please note that I use "poem" very loosely here.

Here is an example of one of the poems.  This was for the January adventure.

January 2018

By now you have worked

For almost two weeks

Going to school is much harder

Than maybe you thought.

So take some time off

The calendar will say

Put on this gift

And head to Port A.

Here is what the hubster received in his year of adventures.

January-swim trunks, condo rental in Port A for MLK weekend

February-book of presidential facts, hotel reserved in College Station  for one night on a weekend to visit the Bush Presidential Library (We are trying to get to all of them.)

March- Travel book about Atlanta and condo rental for a road trip over spring break to  visit the College Football Hall of Fame and beach vacay in Gulfport on the way home.

April-tickets and hotel reservation to visit the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Fair with Michael the first weekend of April. (Michael will be there for work earlier in the week.)

May-The hubster has a National Bowling tournament in Syracuse NY over Memorial Day weekend, so he got a book about presidents and we will visit the FDR Presidential library in Hyde Park, NY.

June-Since we are already planning to be in the area, this month the adventure is attending the final round of the US Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills. He received a desk calendar with golf tips and the tickets for the final round.

July- a little low key-gift cards for dinner and movie.

August-2 new Husker shirts for he and his daughter to get ready for some football. (Technically not an adventure but with a new head coach, the season may be the adventure.)

September-A DVD of season one of Game of Thrones to review and tickets to the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience when it comes to Austin.

October-some sunscreen and boarding passes for a 4 night cruise out of Miami to the Bahamas.

November-(This is really more for me than for him...) Hotel reservations near Times Square so we can attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

December- A book about how to win at blackjack and hotel reservations for us and for his parents in Vegas at Caesar's Palace the first week of December.

This was so much fun to plan and he is going to have a ton of fun in 2018, as will I!

I love giving gifts!

Merry Christmas!

My Favorite Books of 2017

Reading is my go to activity.  Books are a necessity in my view.  I have a membership in the Book of the Month club and I cannot keep up with the books I receive, but I cannot make myself halt the membership dues, or put my selection on hold.  What if I miss the my next great read? I have a bookshelf filled with these books.  I prefer the feel of the book in my hand.  The ability to use a bookmark of my choosing.  I do listen to audio books but mostly if and when I exercise. So for the year 2017, I had a goal to read at least 17 books.  I have surpassed my goal and have currently read 28 books and am working on number 29, which I will most likely finish before we ring in 2018.

Here are my top 5 favorites in no particular order, plus one extra worthy of reading for anyone in education.

1. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

2. Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

3. Troublemakers-Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School by Carla Shalaby

4. Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

5. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Extra-
Embarrassment-The Emotional Underlife of Learning by Thomas Newkirk

Have you read any of these?  What are your favorites from 2017?

I'm Back!

Hey! Hey! Hey!
Haven't posted on this blog in a loooong time.  I was busy for the last year posting on the J & L Roadshow blog, which you can see here.  https://jandlroadshow.blogspot.com/

Some interesting news...I have taken a long term substitute position at my old school beginning the second week of school through the end of October in 4th grade.  I'm really excited about getting an opportunity to work with several students who are siblings of previous students.  I'm also excited to see their parents and reconnect with them.

I've been busy helping Lauren with her classroom again this year and I love doing that!  It helps her and it allows me to kinda keep in touch with teaching and education in general. I can't believe that she is starting her 4th year.  Crazy how time flies!  Here's a cute picture from her Meet The Teacher night.

I've also taken on a new side deal.  I've made a new friend who is struggling with some memory issues and her family has asked me to  try to get her out and about a couple times a week.  So I pick her up and we walk the mall and have lunch together.  We both enjoy our time together and I am always happy to have  a new friend.

Otherwise, all is well and I'll be back to posting periodically here on this blog.
Until later,
Jennifer