Friday Favorites for a Delightful Start of December!

Happy Delightful December!  Today I'm linking up with Erika from A Little Bit of Everything and Andrea from Momfessionals for:

Decorating

I decorate with snowmen and snowflakes so I can keep my decorations up all winter!

 

In my family, we have Hanukkah and Christmas.  My husband is Jewish, and my mother was Jewish.  Growing up, we celebrated Christmas as a fun holiday - not a religious one.  My husband only had Hanukkah.  Now my husband can't wait to go get a tree - we call it a holiday tree.  We decorate it with Hanukkah and winter ornaments.  Most of them are handmade.  We also light the menorah.  I love the glow from the candles. 

I recently bought these cute "little" (they're much smaller than they appear on Amazon!) solar powered snowmen:

 Sending

I'll be sending/gifting these sea glass creations by  @designsbyheidib to my children for Christmas:

Smelling

Yesterday my friend and I went to a church fair.  Upon entering, someone from the kitchen was bringing up a fresh baked batch of cinnamon buns.  Yum!

Wrapping

Here is my confession:  I never wrap anything.  I only use gift bags.  I keep all my received gift bags and use them again.  I am just too lazy to wrap gifts when I can just pop them into a bag!

In closing, I love this meme so I'm ending with this thankful message:

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Happy Thanksgiving Friday Favorites!

Hello everyone!  Today I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for:

It's an exciting week with a lot of family and food to look forward to!  I'm excited to share some news from my neck of the woods!

Decoupage Plate

Right now there are endless Holiday Fairs which include crafts, baked goods and White Elephant Tables.  At one fair, I picked up this most adorable plate (along with baked good on top!):

Here's the best part ~ if you're crafty ~ unlike me ~ you can make these plates on your own!  Click here to check out the directions!

Poetry and Traits

I am a HUGE fan of Doug Florian's poetry.  His poems are witty and wry.  I use them frequently in my Morning Messages, and last week I used two of them and connected them with what we're learning in Science:

I got the above poems from the book, Beast Feast (click here to check it out on Amazon)!

Before Covid, I used to handwrite my Morning Messages.  Luckily, I took pictures (see above) so I could transcribe them into Google Slides and show them on the "Big Screen."  

Cold Weather = Your tires need air!

Has this every happened to you?  It always happens when I'm on my way to school; when I do NOT want to go to the gas station to fill up my tires; when I need to track down 5 or 6 quarters to pay for said air,...  It is just an annoyance.  As soon as I saw this tire-inflating gadget, I put it directly in my Amazon cart:

Click on the picture to check this out on Amazon!

I have gotten good use out of this exciting gadget, and I have given it as gifts to my family.

As always, thank you for visiting and enjoy this short week and Thanksgiving!

 

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How to Make More Time for Reading!

Today I'm linking up with Toronto Sam and her cohosts:   Adrienne, Dara, Jen, and Joanne,. for their monthly link-up!  This month's topic is:

Make More Time for Reading!

Read Magazines Before Bed = Instant Relaxation!

For many years (i.e. after I had kids), I did not read books.  It was too much of a commitment, and I had too little time to read.

Reading magazines allowed me to read.    Consequently, I got several magazine subscriptions.  These are the subscriptions that I have now:  Woman's Day, Real Simple, HGTV and Country Living.  Reading magazines gave me short snippets to read before bed.  Plus, I find these magazines to be very soothing and inspirational.  

Read Books on the Libby App

When I taught, I discovered Libby which is a free app offered through your public library.  I downloaded so many children's e-books to read to my class at snack on the "big screen." Fast forward:  I now have a granddaughter who takes naps.  This is a perfect time to read an e-book! (They also have audio books!)  I always have several books on hold (of course, the holds usually become available at the same time!).   The best part is you always have a book to read without remembering your book!

Here is an example from my Hold Shelf.  You can "freeze" your available books until you are ready to read them.  You won't lose your place in line so you should get them quickly after you "thaw" the hold.

Library Books

I always have "real" (hard cover) books that I get from the library or reserve through interlibrary loans.  I read these books after I finish reading my magazine.  I try to spend at least an hour reading before I go to sleep.  Now that it's winter, I'm so cold at night, I fall asleep before reading for 20 minutes!

Here are some of my holds:

As you can see, I'll be waiting for a while for these books, but I can always find another book to read at the library.  I love see book recommendations on blogs or on Instagram.  I want to make sure that I'm looking forward to reading because it's such a joy.

In addition, I'm on Goodreads if you want to follow along.  I'll follow you back, too!  If you have any must-read books, please let me know!

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Friday Favorites: Veteran's Day and Books to Check Out/Latest Amazon Purchases!

Today I'm delighted to link up for Friday Favorites with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything!      

 Friday Favorites for the First Week of November!

At school, we always had a Veteran's Day assembly.  We also learned about this holiday in class.  As part of our Morning Messages, I included this beautiful poem by Cheryl Dyson:

Check out the Veterans Day poem here too.

In addition, several students brought in family military artifacts.  Adriana even wrote a book to accompany her father's and grandfather's dog tags:

Perfect Veteran's Day Picture Book:

Last summer I read The Women by Kristin Hannah so the Vietnam War is fresh in my mind.  The Wall by Eve Bunting is a touching story of finding soldiers name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.  I remember how powerful the traveling wall was for me so I enjoy sharing this book with my students.  The Wall is a touching and memorable book that is perfect to read around Veterans Day.

A Bike Like Sergio's - a Must-Read Book!


We read this book by Maribeth Boelts:

Click on the book to read more on Amazon.

In this story, Ruben desperately wants a bike, but his family doesn't have the money to afford a new bike.  One day, while in a store, a shopper drops some money which Ruben picks up and keeps because he believes it is just a one dollar bill.  Later that night, Ruben realizes that the money is really a ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR bill.  

Well, the kids had a very strong reaction to that realization.  There's still so much more to the story, too. We had quite a lively discussion on honesty, stealing,...I am definitely reading this book again to the kids next week - that's how AMAZING this book is!

Amazon Purchases to Check Out!

1.  Shower Foot Scrubber

On Instagram, I recently watched a doctor talk about the importance of washing one's feet every day.  I also did some research on Google:

Both the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), for example, advise washing feet daily with soap and water. One reason for this meticulous care is to prevent odour. The soles of the foot contain 600 sweat glands per square centimetre of skin, more than any other region of the body.  Although sweat itself doesn't smell, it contains a nutritious broth of salts, glucose, vitamins and amino acids, which serves as an all-you-can-eat buffet for bacteria that live there. And there a lot of bacteria.

Using this information, I bought a foot scrubber mat from Amazon:

You put shower gel or liquid soap on the map.  By moving your feet on the mat, your feet get clean.  So far, I am not in love with this product.  I don't want to lean down or stand on one foot in the shower either.  If any of you have any cleaning tips for your feet, please let me know!

Right now I'm leaning toward getting an occasional pedicure.  However, you're supposed to clean your feet every day.  Who knew?

2.  Hair Brush Straightener

I have fine straight hair that I color.  Over the years, my hair tends to have a mind of its own:  cowlicks; fly-aways; frizz.   To help with the situation, I bought this straightener brush:

This brush heats up quickly and is easy to use.  I like calming down my hair, but I'm still figuring it out.  I never style my hair or use any product on it.  

From these two purchases, I have learning that I'm still figuring out life at age 65.

Best Cuticle Cream!

I have exceptionally dry cuticles that I pick at (not a good habit!).  Using this cuticle cream has been very helpful:

                                Happy Veterans Day!

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"No man is an island. Every book is a world." ~Author Gabrielle Zevin.

Happy Weekend!  If you're a teacher, and you survived Halloween (amazingly on a Friday, too!), you've reached a great milestone!  

Today I'm linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for their weekly link-up!

FRIDAY FAVORITES & MORE!

Too Good To Go App = Discounted Food = Fighting Food Waste!

One weekend, my sister visited and brought some delicious cookies that she got through the app: Too Good to Go.  Today I used the app for the first time to get a surprise box at a bakery in Melrose.  For $7.00, I got a surprise box of baked goods:  4 cupcakes, a muffin and an apple turnover.

According to their web site:

Too Good To Go is a social impact company on a mission to inspire and empower everyone to fight food waste together.

Here's a link to the app so you can help save good food from going to waste:

 https://tgtg.onelink.me/OGjG/z8zzyhjv.

If you like pandas, check out this book:  Panda Kindergarten

When I was a teacher, I needed a book to read so I peeked in my Trait Crate (3rd grade version)* and found a book called - Panda Kindergarten by Joanne Ryder:

This non-fiction books tells about a place in China that takes special care of panda moms and their cubs.  Panda moms care only care for one cub so if there are twins, one gets ignored.  Not at this place - the special people take care of the other panda while the mom tends to the other cub.  Then the people switch the cubs so that they both get what they need from the mom.  When the pandas are old enough, they go to kindergarten where they get to play outside on equipment; they even have rest time!  My students were crazy for this book!  Now they all want a turn to take it home.  You know it's a winner when that happens.

*P.S.  We only used the Trait Crate as a writing program for a few years before switching to Lucy Calkins Writing.

 

 

A Great Quote!

Now that I'm an older, retired adult, I read a lot.  Years ago, I took this picture at a book store on Nantucket, and I really loved it.  It still resonates! 

If you've read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, you might remember this line from the book:

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto “No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World.” A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

Have a Happy Halloween and a wonderful week!

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Friday Favorites: My Friend Published a Book! Read All About It!

Happy Autumn and Welcome to October!

Thanks for visiting today as I link up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for:

                                     Friday Favorites!

Wow, My Friend, Claudette Sabbag, Published a Book!

Check out this information written by Claudette herself!

My name is Claudette Sabbag. I'm a retired teacher, like Susan, whom I worked with for many years in Woburn. I retired in 2019, just in time to miss the COVID years. I had an idea for a book in my head that I had been working on intermittently since 2011. When I retired, I had more time for writing. Then, I joined the Writers' Collaborative Learning Center in Reading, MA, and actually finished and published my first novel in May! Deer in the Road is about a young man whose life is transformed by a single random incident. Set on Cape Cod, it explores family issues, life choices, and cultural differences and features a touch of romance.  

Click here or on the book to read more about this book on Amazon!

Here is a review from Amazon:

Just finished Deer in the Road and found it to be a nice read about very likable characters and their lives over many years. It also had some very interesting culture references about the area where the story takes place. Anyone who has a loved one in a care facility will truly identify with the descriptions that are in this book. They are very accurate. it is a perfect book to sit on the beach and read and be taken into the lives of many interesting characters.

September Weather is Amazing!

Before I retired, September was a hectic and stressful month with Back to School and getting to know a new class.  I never really paid much attention to the weather (unless it rained, and we had to stay in for recess).  I have totally enjoyed the weather this month with its cooler temperatures and warm sunshine.  My sister and I went up to York Beach one day, and all the stores and the beach were empty (it was a cool and cloudy day so not ideal for the beach).  We still enjoyed our day and bought some Maine merchandise!

Our favorite shop is Whispering Sands!  Everything is now on sale including Teddy the Dog t-shirts from York Beach!

Puzzles:  An Interactive and Fun Way to Learn Geography!

In Social Studies, kids need to be able to locate where they live in the world.  We happen to live in  Massachusetts which has a distinct shape.  This week we started USA and World Map rotations.  There are 2 World Map puzzles and 3 USA Map puzzles, and the groups will rotate until they finish the puzzles.  If they finish early, they can draw a picture of the completed puzzle:

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Friday Favorites in September!

Welcome to September!  I hear people say that summer is over after Labor Day.  I say that it's still summer because I want to enjoy every last day of warm weather and blue skies.  Plus, now that it's officially September, it's time to link up with Andrea from Momfessionals and Erika from A Little Bit of Everything for:

               FRIDAY FAVORITES!

What I'm Reading

I have always loved Sophie Kinsella's books with their happy endings and fun story lines.  This book is somewhat autobiographical as the main character, Evie, has glioblastoma ~ just like Sophie Kinsella in real life.  I was heartbroken to learn this about a young person who is such a successful and intelligent woman who has an incurable form of brain cancer.  Luckily, Sophie Kinsella has survived 3 years with this condition.

 What would summer be without an Emily Henry book?  I found this book a bit slow at the beginning, but then totally enjoyed it.  The setting is Little Crescent Island which is inspired by Tybee Island in Georgia.  We were there in April so I enjoyed the coincidence!

If you haven't read this book, I recommend it because it is easy to read and takes place in the summer (more summer = more fun!).  Here's a brief intro. from Amazon:

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.  

Consuming:  Hello Fresh TWICE a month!

After my husband recovered from esophageal cancer, his food preferences drastically changed.  He doesn't even like pizza any more!  Who doesn't like pizza?  Consequently, I now get a Hello Fresh box every two weeks rather than once a month.  He really enjoys the variety of the Hello Fresh meals with the tasty sauces and spices.

Every box three different meals.  I try to get one chicken, one ground turkey and one steak meal.    

I LOVE this sesame soy rice bowl which I have even made on my own with ingredients from the supermarket!

Click here to see the recipe!

 Discovering

I don't think I'll ever see enough rainbows!  The other night we had unsettled weather when the sun just magically popped out so briefly, and an amazing double rainbow appeared.  I stood outside in the rain and gazed at it until it disappeared.

Once upon a time, before I retired...

I made this most adorable sign for my classroom:

I fell in love with this safari friends themed poster at Lakeshore Learning.  Of course, there are matching products, but I limited myself to this poster ~ it took a lot of self-control...

Saving

I save too much of everything!  After I retired, I just spent so much time purging my teaching materials and papers.  I don't want to save so much "stuff" in general!  What about you?  Do you save things, forget about them, find them a year later, and wonder why you saved them in the first place?  It's a bad habit that I need to break.  In addition, it would be helpful if I started purging again.  

As we all enter the Back to School season and the meteorological fall: 

this September and into the fall!  Thank you for visiting the blog today!

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