Oprah and Martha

As we all know - I like Oprah.

Today two worlds collided - Oprah had on Martha Stewart.

The queen of talk meets the queen of crafts. I was in heaven.

All of my life I have loved crafts. I scrapbook and make cards and am always thinking of projects I could take on. I also like to read craft blogs. If you have not gone to check out Creation Corner then you need to. Tasha is amazing and will help you link up with other amazing craft blogs and show you projects that even the anti crafter can take on.

I grew up with Martha - I was the kid who would watch a Martha show and look at and decide - I'm going to make that. One of my favorite projects was a Christmas topiary - you take a foam ball and then a bag of fresh cranberries - and tooth picks cut in half. Pierce each cranberry with the toothpick then push the cranberry into the foam ball. You can display it by using a wooden dowel and pushing that into the foam ball as well - then place it into a container of your choice. It kinda looks like this when you are done -



oceanspray.com also has great directions on how to make your holiday shine a little brighter.

I look forward to the fall holiday season kicking off. I love the thought of sitting around and thinking of things I can make to make the house a little more holiday-tastic and what fun treats I can make for my friends.

A tree grows

How did I miss reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn when I was in my teenage years.

My book club read it for our big summer read. Normally we go about 4 or 5 weeks in between books. But because people were going to be away for summer trips and none of us had work we chose to go for a longer gap as well as a longer book. We last read Angry Housewives Eating BonBons (a book about a book club - which we read for book club), and so we picked one of the books those women read as one of our books.

There are few books in my life that make me want to name children or pets after the characters - this book was one of them. I'm not crazy about naming a child Frances - but someday I will have a cat named Francie.

This was not a 'my life is now different because I read this book book' - It was a 'I could read this again after I finished the last page book' - the kind of book that makes you happy and sad, and as much as my friends tease me about being a fan of Oprah, I heard her say this once and it totally applies to this book.

"It's the kind of book that makes you think the characters are going on without you when you put the book down and go do something else"

Francie is the kind of girl who might just be the perfect character. She is witty and brave - sassy and loving. I adored every second of it. It reminded me a bit of Angela's Ashes. The idea of being so poor but still so alive and aware of the world.

I loved that she was always saying 'I wonder' - she was a lover of books and the page that describes her understanding words for the first time - and therefore was able to read - made me cry. It was so well put and really just what it feels like to read for the first time and really get it.

I love that I am here in Sydney while reading it. It always seems like there is time to read on vacation - that somehow doesn't really exist when I'm at home. I also love that it's cold here. It's nice to curl up with a cup of tea and a blanket and read.

Oprah likes to make people cry.

I watch Oprah - I dvr it - I know some of my friends think I'm crazy for watching. But I learn things and I know about the world. That and I find her kinda crazy so it's fun to watch what she might do next.

Today she had a smattering of guests and then she highlighted a middle school in Florida that had created a flash mob. (A flash mob is dancing that appears out of no where but is completely choreographed) This school had rewritten the words to a Black Eyed Peas song to that it talked about books. So like the sap that I am I see 1500 students singing about how awesome books are and what happens to me. Nerd Alert - I tear up.

I was just sitting in amazement that those kids would be so into singing about books!

And now for your viewing enjoyment - and a little search from YouTube: Please enjoy!

what a day

So I'm sitting here watching my dvr of oprah with the cat sitting on my lap. Trying to think of a way to re tell the events of the day. I keep hoping she will come through my tv and scream that I'm getting a car. I love my car don't get me wrong, but how awesome would that be!

I'm also waiting for the laundry to finish so I can put it in the dryer. *we have an upstairs washer and dryer - go ahead and be jealous. *

The day started out by showing up to school printing out my sub-note, meeting my sub, and walking out the door to go film a video clip for the morning announcements for two new classes being offered on campus next year. Two years ago I helped write a grant, we got the grant and we are now in our implementation year. Today I was spending the day trying to figure out how to spend a whole lot of money that wasn't mine. That's fun - it's also very stressful.

I rapped today on the announcements.
Here is how it went.

Myyyyyy name is Mrs. Parsons and I'm here to say
That I'm going to talk to you about two classes today
Intro to education
And methods in teaching
Now Stop - I know what you're thinking
Why would I want to come to school and learn
About the education that I already learned
Well did you take child development or psychology
These are those classes just rolled up you see
It's about education
It's about how you learn
It's about the college degree that you'll earn
So stop by my room M114
or go knock on your councilors door
For more information yo!!!!

I know - you're impressed - you may not be able to continue because you are so amazed by my mad skills.

but you will because you are a good friend - and you are thinking "If this is how the day started what more could be on it's way?!"

I spend 7 hours planning curriculum for the Methods in Teaching class - and ran around trying to figure out how to spend a lot of money by March 19th.

(Oprah just told me that spicy is the new feeling for spring - Hi I've been spicy for years Oprah, where have you been)

Then at 2:30 I head my happy self back to my classroom. and what am I met with - an angry sub note. One of my classes was going to watch Julius Caesar. Yes I know it was the 1970s BBC version - but it was a movie, on a Friday - And my kids had their heads down and were so rude that he turned off the movie 40 minutes before class ended. Blurg. It's so embarrassing to have your kids misbehave.

Between 2:30 and 5 I talked with a few friends about some upcoming events (Baby shower for Kristine the Blog stalker). and enjoyed some dinner with friends T (the secret agent), Kristine and Ellen. We went to Mama Rosas a very yummy italian food.

But Wait - There's more!

The ASL variety show was tonight. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Two hours of some very dedicated kids putting on a fantastic performance. There was everything from Single Ladies to Imagine by John Lennon. There were many points where I was totally tearing up. But I'm a sucker for a great performance by kids who really love what they are doing. I could tell that they had worked so hard - for their friends, teachers, and families.

It was a great end to a bit of a long week.