Peaceful Winter Beauty

Three Simple Pleasures: Water, Candy Canes, Time With Bonnie

1. Today when we lost water again in our building at school I was relieved we were only without restrooms for about three hours. It wasn't as disruptive this time.

2. We enjoyed Bob's Mini Candy Canes while watching the first part of "A Christmas Carol" in class today. I loved it when AR put the cane in his mouth and exclaimed, " I love candy canes. They taste just like Christmas!"

3. It was my December time with my hair stylist Bonnie this afternoon. The time flies when I get my color and cut as we share stories about our former lives in the Tri-Cities and have conversations about the state of affairs in the world.  Many world issues can be resolved sipping a Peppermint Mocha while waiting for your hair to process!

Three Simple Pleasures: Bah! Humbug! Stay Gold, Earthquakes

1. Every year during December I teach an adapted play of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol to my seventh grade class. It is such a good vehicle for teaching character analysis and helps students understand how actions dictate what becomes of a person as they grow older.  When we start the unit many students say "Bah! Humbug!", but as we get closer to the end I hear more "And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!" I love that.

2. I am doing a study of the novel The Outsiders with my 8th grade class. Students love the book for the action, characters they can relate to, and that the author is someone close to their age.  There is a moment when deep understanding occurs as we discuss the ending of the book. I know students get it when you hear voices around the room repeating the quote, "Stay Gold Ponyboy, Stay Gold!"

3. I work with a group of high school students in a Learning Lab at the end of the day.  Recently I have been teaming with the science teacher in supporting the learning of a unit on earthquakes. I have loved digging into the  content which I haven't studied in a long time. As I learned vocabulary alongside my students today I realized I might be able to pass the chapter test next week!

Three Simple Pleasures: Grocery Store Sales, Pizza and Beer, Comforter

1. Today we did the monthly shopping trip to the grocery stores. In December that also includes "the baking list" and I loved finding ingredients like butter, cream cheese, and coconut on sale. I was also pleased the stores were a bit quieter when I was shopping.

2. JEJ dropped me off at my second store and headed to Papa Murphy's to pick up a fresh pizza. After driving to town, shopping, making the trip home again, unloading the car and putting everything away a meal consisting of Hawaiian Pizza hot from the oven and a Rolling Rock Beer cold out of the back of the car was a perfect combo for a late supper.

3. A box arrived from UPS today containing a new comforter just in time for another very cold night in northeastern Washington. JEJ stoked up the fires and we are keeping them burning long into the night.

Three Simple Pleasures: Ornament from Friend, Ornament from Family, Ornament for Inspiration

1.  I use a red and white theme on my Christmas tree in the garden room.  One exception is this beautiful green beaded ornament made by my friend Cheryl. The kids in Native Studies were making them one year. I loved the ornaments and was thrilled when she surprised me with one she had made herself.

 2. Another exception to the red and white theme is this pink stocking with glitter made by my niece the Princess when she was three years old.

3. About five years ago I received a handmade red and white ornament from a family friend Sally that inspired me to begin the red and white theme with the Christmas tree.It has been fun to collect ornaments in red and white. The colors are cheerful and just say "Merry Christmas".

Three Simple Pleasures: Poinsettia, Chutney, Healing

1. The poinsettia that almost died over the summer in the greenhouse has not only revived itself, but the leaves are again turning white.

2. We had another of those wonderful frozen in a bag, put in the crockpot and cook turkey breasts today. I enjoyed it even more with the last of my sister's home canned apple chutney. I love that chutney.

3. JEJ's finger is healing nicely after his mishap with the wood splitter last Monday.  I got my first look at the injury today and am amazed he has never had any pain. When that group of men circled and prayed for him as he left for the hospital, that was all it took! God is good.