Happy Hodge Podge Link-Up = Cooler than a Moose Store and More!!

Hello there!  Thank you very much for visiting the blog today! Today I am linking up with Joyce for her weekly link-up:  

1. August 24th is National Waffle Day...what's something you've 'waffled' on recently? 

While in Quebec, I walked by a gift shop (La cinquieme saison) and fell instantly in love with a painting/collage in the window. Upon returning with my husband, we learned the one in the window was close to $300, but there were smaller ones for under $200. We chose one with sailboats. Here is the collage we bought by artist Claudette Castonguay:

2. Do you like waffles? Make your own or 'leggo my Eggo? Any favorite toppings or add-ins? Waffles or pancakes-which do you prefer? 

I am definitely a waffle person!  On Sundays, I'll treat myself to some frozen waffles with real maple syrup!

3. Do you have any mementos from this summer (or past summers)? What do you do with them? 

I always like to buy a t-shirt or sweatshirt.  In Quebec, one of my favorite stores was Cool as a Moose which has stores in the US and Canada!  Who knew?  I bought some fun tie-dye sweatpants like these:

4. One thing you'd like to do before summer ends? 

I would love to finish cleaning my classroom and organizing my classroom library.  I am in the process; it just takes a lot of time to clean and organize!

5. Life is too short to not enjoy sunny days and to not eat ice cream. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I love summer!

I hope you soak up as much summer as you can!

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Wednesday Hodge Podge Straight From Florida!

Happy Wednesday from the Sunshine State!  As always, I'm delighted to link-up with From This Side of the Pond for:

1. Three things on your spring bucket list? If you don't have an actual list that's fine, pretend you do.


1.  Go to Florida =



2.  Visit my Aunt who has Alzheimer's (she's at a facility in Florida) =


3.  Go to the Everglades = 

 






2. Where do you find rest? What restores your soul? When was the last time you did whatever it was you answered here?

I find rest when I'm reading ~ here's the book I'm finishing up now:

I find rest after I've gone spinning which I did a week ago.

I especially find rest when I'm doing a crossword puzzle or a Sudoku ~ 

3. April is National Celery Month. Who knew? Do you like celery? What's your favorite dish made with celery? On a veggie and dip platter which would you reach for first-carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes? 

Sure, I like celery ~ if I'm at a party, and it's already cut up, and yes, I'd reach for it after cauliflower!

4. I read here eight things to do before 8 am to make your day less hectic-Start one load of laundry, drink water, empty the dishwasher, read your Bible, know what you're having for dinner, get dressed, brain dump (two lists-one what you're thankful for and one what's weighing on your mind), and after the brain dump make your to-list for the day.

How many of these are you currently doing? Which one do you think would help the most if you added it to your early morning routine?


I NEVER make a to-do list or any list because I still believe that I can remember everything I need!  I do get dressed as soon as I get up and I know what I'm having for dinner.  Most importantly, I take my dog for a walk eat breakfast and make my bed which really makes me feel all set for the day!

5. Describe the view from your window.






Palm trees and sunshine!




6. Insert your own random thought here.
 







I'm so lucky to be in warm weather, and I'm hoping spring arrives at some point in Massachusetts!




Thank you for checking in today!  Do you love Florida or do you prefer another warm weather state?

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Welcome to another Wednesday Hodgepodge!

Happy Hump Day!  We're on our third nor'easter this month ~ UGH!  Not only that, there's another one on the horizon for next week as well!  That's why I'm especially happy to link-up with Joyce From This Side of the Pond for:

 

1. Best place you've been lately?

I really loved visiting New York City:  visiting Times Square, going to a Broadway show,  walking on the High Line...!  There are endless activities to do in the Big Apple.  I even knew right away where I had seen this restaurant:

 Of course, my husband insisted that there was NO WAY that I could be right ~ that was until he looked it up.  Ha!  Sometimes I can be right after all!  You can read more about my trip here

 
2. What's something you should say yes to today? Or this week? Or even this year?

I need to declutter and organize and put away "my stuff" ASAP every day and week so I'm not left with a HUGE job after a year.  Of course, yesterday I reorganized and decluttered my linen closet.  I'm embarrassed to say this, but I don't think I've done this job since we moved into this house 20 years ago.  I just keep piling "stuff" in.  Yesterday I threw out three big trash bags of clutter and emptied countless cleaning containers with just a tad left in them.  What an accomplishment!

3. Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any way, shape, or form? If so tell us how. In Western cultures the color green is typically associated with jealousy, nature, good luck, and growth. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'green'?

I do like to wear green the week before St. Patrick's Day.  The weekend after St. Patrick's Day I enjoy going to an Irish restaurant for dinner.  I really LOVE Irish soda bread!

When I think of green, I think of spring and new leaves!

4. What's a product or service you love so much you'd happily be their spokesperson? Tell us what makes you such a fan.

There's a local charity called PAWS of Wakefield that fosters and tends to homeless animals. In addition, they raise money to pay for veterinarian services and to buy pet food for its animals.   I actually got my dog from PAWS.  Consequently, I am a HUGE fan of this organization!

5. March 14th is Pi Day. How are your math skills? What's the last thing you did that required math of any kind? And most importantly do you like pie? What's your favorite kind? With ice cream, whipped cream, or please hold the cream?

Well, I do LOVE math.  I teach third grade so I get to teach about math every day!  My favorite subjects in math are geometry and algebra.

Of course, I LOVE pie!  I'll take some warmed up apple pie with coffee ice cream any day!

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

I cannot believe how much snow we are getting in eastern Massachusetts this month!  We've had six snow days!  In Wakefield (where I live; not where I teach), the kids can access their work on snow days so they don't have to make up any snow days.  What do you think of this idea?  I'd love to hear what you think!

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Happy Wonderful Wednesday!

Happy Hump Day!  I'm so excited to link-up with Joyce from This Side of the Pond for:

1. Where do you go when you need some inspiration?

I just LOVE Pinterest ~ BEST ideas around!

Click here or on the picture  to read the original post.

2. What's under your bed?

On my half of the "under the bed" area is nothing, however, my husband's "under the bed" area is crowded with plastic containers of his shoes.

3. Thursday, February 22nd is National Chili Day, National Margarita Day, and National Cook a Sweet Potato Day. Of the three which would you most like to celebrate? Is that likely?


I make turkey chili every week or so.  I don't have the ingredients on hand so it's doubtful we'll celebrate this holiday.

4. What are you 'snowed under' with right now?

I'm cleaning out the cabinets in my dining room ~ there's way too much stuff that needs to be sorted.  My goal is to unclutter...

5. Tell us three to five things that make you feel balanced?

My three activities include:

1.  Walking my dog.
2.  Reading a book.
3.  Spinning.

Click here or on the picture  to read about spinning.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Why does time fly by super fast when you're on vacation?  This happens on the weekends, too! 

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Happy Hump Day Hodgepodge!

Happy Hump Day!  Welcome to another From This Side of the Pond's:

1. Have you ever been fishing? Did you catch a fish? If so did you keep it or throw it back? If you haven't been fishing is that something you'd like to try?

Once upon a time, my father-in-law had a boat in which he took his father - Grandpa Ruby, my then boyfriend and me out so Grandpa Ruby could fish.  Of course, he caught a fish which ended up in a bucket of water on the boat.  The poor fish was drowning and flapping around so I started crying until Grandpa Ruby (with disgust for my crying) threw the fish back in the ocean.  So there will be no fishing for me, but at least I save a fish's life!



Fish out of water, big fish in a small pond, living in a fishbowl, packed in like sardines, this is a fine kettle of fish, plenty of fish in the sea, fish or cut bait...which fishy phrase most recently applies to some area of your life?
 
Since I'm not a "fish" person, I'd have to pick "living in a fishbowl" because someone is always watching what you're doing.  It is helpful to have neighbors who watch out for you ~ which I do ~ so I guess I'm lucky to "live in a fishbowl."

2. What's something you're always fishing for in your purse, wallet, desk, or kitchen junk drawer?
AARRGGHHH ~ I'm always looking for either my cell phone ~ an oversized i-phone 6S or my car keys in my pocketbook.  I don't understand why they're always so hard to find!

3. Your favorite fish tale or movie?
I just LOVE "The Little Mermaid."  The music and the characters are so much fun!

4. Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight or night? Explain why you chose your answer.
I'm choosing daylight because I am such a morning person and do my best work in the morning!

5. What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear?
I have a navy blue cardigan with pearl buttons that is at least 20 years old, but it's my most cozy cardigan.  I wear this sweater when I need comforting.

 
6. We've got one more month of (officially) winter here in the Northern hemisphere. Are you feeling the need for a getaway? What's been the best and worst part of your winter so far?
The best part of winter is that we've had only a handful of days with Arctic temperatures ~ extreme cold makes it too uncomfortable to be outside.  The worst part is how dark it is ~ but that's all changing now with more daylight!

7.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge lands on National Margarita Day...will you be celebrating? Frozen or on the rocks? Are you a Jimmy Buffet fan? If so, what's your favorite JB tune?


Even though it's in the 50's today, it's still too cold for me to have a margarita.  My favorite JB tune ~ Margaritaville ~ of course!

 
8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm meeting a friend in Harvard Square for dinner, and I'm really excited!

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Happy Terrific Thursday With A Touch of Wednesday Hodgepodge!

Happy Terrific Thursday!  Due to an impending nor'easter, school has been cancelled in many eastern Massachusetts locations ~ snow day!  Now I have time to write in my blog!

Yesterday I posted over in Conversations From The Classroom about the 2017 Caldecott books.  Click on the picture to read more about this:

In addition, I'm linking up for:

1. What's the last thing you did that someone else thought was super? 

*I just went out and got the newspaper in from the driveway for my husband ~ since I forgot to bring it in after walking the dog!

 

2. The last thing you ate that tasted superb? 

*Yesterday I enjoyed a delicious carrot muffin from The Gingerbread Construction Company.

It's even healthy ~ made with carrots, raisins and walnuts.  Of course, that is all offset  by the frosting!

 

3. Supersensitive, superstitious, superwoman, superambitious, supercilious, supervisor, superficial...pick a super word from the list and tell us how it relates to your life in some way recently or currently. 

I have to admit ~ I am very superstitious.  I was recently telling my students how my grandmother wouldn't let anyone eat bread unless she broke off a tiny piece from the end!

4. Do you love easily? If you're comfortable doing so, explain why you think that is. 

Of course!  It's so much easier to love because there's something good inside every one of us! 

5. Valentine's Day lands on a Tuesday this year. Will you mark the day in some way? If you're celebrating with a dinner out somewhere will it be on Tuesday or will you celebrate over the weekend? 

I haven't even thought much about this!  I bought my husband a new briefcase for Valentine's Day, and I've already given it to him because I was so excited to purchase such a handsome briefcase on sale at Marshall's!

6. What's something you are loving right now? 

I am loving that I have today off as a snow day; although I'm not looking forward to shoveling the one foot+ of snow today! 

7 Write a three word (or less) phrase you'd like to see on a Valentine candy heart.  

You are special.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

It's time to move my car into the garage ~ it's already snowing!

Check back here on Saturday because I'm participating in a top-secret giveaway!

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