Charlotte’s Web belongs in a very special class of literature. It’s a classic and not only does it appeal to children and young adults but also adults. I’m in my tenth year of teaching second grade. This means I have read E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web for a decade now and every year it just keeps getting better! …

Flying Lessons from Charlotte’s WebRead More

Have you ever met someone who is famous and an inspiration to you and when meeting face to face you find your brain slows down so much that you don’t know what you are saying or doing? Well, I recently had that moment meeting Giada De Laurentiis on her book tour for Giada at Home. My friend Craig …

Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian MomRead More

When reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, I would have thought Jacqueline Kelly was born and raised a Texas girl. It was shocking to me when I read she was born in New Zealand and raised in Canada. That is dramatically different from Texas (even though she did live here later on). Another interesting fact …

The Evolution of Calpurnia TateRead More

We are approaching the end of the school year. With teacher appreciation week coming up I found it suitable to write about gifts of thanks! Parents are the most important teachers a child has and if your child sees you modeling appreciation they are likely to follow suit. It’s always nice to have words of …

It’s the thought that counts when it comes to teachers’ giftsRead More

Style is personal! I think as long as you love what you’re wearing and it makes you happy and feel good, then you have style. It’s easy to spot “the followers” (those who do not have their own style because they copy others). Having style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, …

Style…It’s PersonalRead More

Proverbs give wisdom, the ability to motivate, they help us to empathize and give us hope. They are short sayings that explain a fact or a truth. Some proverbs are difficult to understand, especially for children. Proverbs can be a favorite way for teachers and parents to give age old wisdom to their children. In …

Out of the mouths of babes deux: proverbs written by second gradersRead More

This time of year can be overwhelming for a teacher! I really have to step back and look at the big picture. My second graders have accomplished a lot this year and I am proud! But, with Spring Break five days away and open house looming, I am anxious for this week to go quickly …

Open House, Spring Break, and StaycationsRead More

A smile will almost always make a positive improvement to both the love and work that you have in your life. “Love and work… work and love, that’s all there is. ” According to Sigmund Freud, only two necessities exist for a worthy life – to love and to work. Who knows this better than …

Love, Work, and Lots of SmilesRead More

February is a special month for chocolate! It is “Heart Healthy Month” and also “National Chocolate Month.” In honor of chocolate being such a heart healthy treat I am doing a follow up blog on fall in love with chocolate…We all love chocolate and guess what? Chocolate loves us back! Did you know…Chocolate has more …

It’s National Chocolate MonthRead More

  The smell of life is intoxicating! Think about the smells you love…the smell of baby’s breath; the early morning dew in the summertime, rain…These smells can get imprinted in our memories forever. We can be transported anywhere by smell. If we wish we were at the beach, a spritz of something citrusy will take …

Stop and Smell the MemoriesRead More

You know that question…if you could invite anyone to dinner, who would it be? I would so invite Marie Antoinette! Born Maria Antonia the 15th daughter of Maria Theresia, Empress of Austria, Marie Antoinette was a loving mother and wife whose story is like an upside-down fairy tale. I resonate with Marie Antoinette because like …

Marie Antoinette and her upside-down fairy taleRead More