GO BLUE SPARTANS!

OK so I am totally into the whole Soccer Mom role... maybe too much so! This is the first year my son has played soccer and he is on an awesome team. His team is undefeated throughout the season, tournament and playoffs!! Now its off to the show! Championship game tomorrow morning at 10:30 am.

I'll be the woman screaming, "This is Sparta!"

Where is Summer?

Did I miss it? As much as my grass and water bill love the rain we have been getting, I would prefer a few more sunny days before Old Man Winter returns.

I am having an eventful summer! Kids all keeping me busy. My sons soccer team is undefeated. My middle daughter is busy with Cheerleading... her coach is mean!! OK actually, I am the coach, so she really isn't all that mean! Oldest daughter has had a smattering of odd jobs and has decided to start checking out colleges through out the US (even though she is only a sophomore). My $%th *cough cough* high school reunion is at the end of August and I plan on attending. SoE has not published the intern class schedule, and technically, classes are to begin after September 2nd, so I am hoping I won't be missing anything.

Upcoming stuff includes my hubby possibly deploying in November... if not then, he'll be gone in March. Just need a straight answer Army People!

Hope everyone is having a GREAT summer!

AYF Cheer Season is Upon Me!

I offered to be the Redskins Senior Assistant Cheer Coach for this years season. The Head coach last year said she was going to do it, so I thought all was well! SO... I was a little surprised to find out that she decided not to do it. Now I am the Head Coach for these girls! I am nervous and worried as I do NOT have any cheer experience other than yelling from the stands! So far, I have five girls and they are all great! I am excited and I am looking forward to this years season!

Any of you guys out there that know me locally and can help... Please give me a call!

On another note... School is just around the corner!

A lot on my mind

Nick has been on my mind a lot since I found out he took his own life last week. My Girl Scout troop had been planning a big trip to Anchorage the weekend his service was scheduled, so I wasn't able to attend. I just keep thinking over and over again about his parents and the lack of any clues he displayed in the classes we had together. As morbid as it is, I want more details; I want to know how he did it. Mostly, because as a parent, maybe knowing more will help me prevent my kids from doing the same thing. I also appreciate that even if I did know every detail, it will not bring me peace with this loss. I wasn't close to Nick at all, we barely spoke. But he was very much the kind of person, the kind of man, I felt should be in education. A role model for my own son. He will be missed.

Summer Time!

Are you enjoying your summer? Honestly, I am not. I am so excited about starting my internship year that I can't seem to sit still much! I have already ordered my course books. I constantly wonder where I will be placed and who will be my mentor teacher. Will my request be taken seriously? If not, then will I be able to make adequate arrangements for my son's Out of Area Attendance school... I am anxious and stressed.. happy and excited all rolled up into one. Almost makes me wish I was taking a class for the summer.

Voice Thread

This was a lot of fun! Like many of my peers, I don't like the sound of my voice! I really enjoyed making up things to say for each slide. I found myself wanting what I said to sound official and professional, which I think will have a lot of cross over in the classroom with students. Again, this is a great medium that will allow kids multiple ways to present information on content they are learning. Plus it allows flexibility to redo a slide until the information is 'perfect.'



I hope to use this program again soon.

Panraven

Finally finished. For some reason, I was thinking it wasn't due until this week, so I focused on other classes. So now I hope you will view this and enjoy it, even though you all could probably narrate my vacation yourselves. Actually, I decided to focus on my family, the people we went to visit while in Arizona, instead of just the scenery... although many pictures are still included.

As far as uses in the classroom, I see many. This is a GREAT way for students to share something of interests. Creating and writing stories is key to building literacy in our children. Panraven does this by providing many templates.