A couple of years ago, a few months before summer vacation, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand the thought of grading another paper, writing another test, calling another parent, yada yada yada. So the best idea I ever had was born. My summer calendar. I printed a small pocket calendar for June, July and August. I tucked it into my coat pocket and carried it everywhere. I would pull it out at random times during the day, during staff meetings, in between classes, waiting for my broccoli to cook in the microwave. And I would add appointments to my calendar of things I was going to do when I was free. FREE!! Adventurous appointments.
Like go to Mt. St. Helens, Hurricane Ridge, The Gorge, San Antonio or Space Camp.
Now folks, don't worry. I'm not already loosing heart so far from the end of the school year. I feel like I'm just getting started and I'm even looking forward to getting back to work on Monday. But I look forward to my summer calendar so much (I usually print it in April) that I thought I would metamorphose my summer calendar idea into my new years resolution. So here it is:
Instead of waiting until Summer Vacation, I resolve to go on at least one adventure per month.
Januray--river rafting through the skagit to see nesting eagles.
February--?
March--umm...
April through December--have yet to be determined. But you can help me keep my resolution by helping me come up with ideas.
I'll be sure to post pictures and label them with funny antedotes. Let me know if you want to come on an adventure with me.
1.02.2009
12.30.2008
Favorite Sleepover Games
Fortune Teller:
Click on the picture above to enlarge.
Mash:
As essential to a sleepover as pizza, brownies and popcorn. The game that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about your future. Will I live in a shack? Or drive a orange Volvo? Who will I marry and how many kids will we have? The answers to these burning questions and many more can be discovered if only you pick the right number and count carefully.
Seven-Eleven (Also known as the Candy Bar Game) :
For Christmas this year we thought doing a family white elephant exchange would be a lot of fun. We were right, it was a laugh. The Kayners left with a jar of sock locks and the Carlyles scored big with a fleece blanket/snuggling robe hybrid, the Beechers used the sleek hand vac they won to clean up Tessa's spilled fun dip before they even left the room.
Even with as much fun as the adults were having however, we knew the younger kids would be bored. So while the parents were playing I taught their kids how to gamble. More or less.
The candy bar game is a family favorite. And like all family traditions, must be lovingly passed on to the rising generation. The game works like this:
All the players sit on the floor in a circle with a large pile of gleaming candy sitting in the center of the ring. Two pairs of dice are circulated around the group and rolled once per turn and then passed to the person on your left. If you roll a combination that adds to either a 7 (1+6, 2+5, 3+4, 4+3, 5+2 or 6+1) or an 11 (do your own math) you get to select a candy bar from the pile in the middle. After all the candy is removed from the circle, a timer is set--usually for 5 minutes? Maybe longer.
Each player then gets a paper sack and hides their candy inside. The players continue with the roll-add-pass routine until someone gets a 7 or 11 combo, at which point they get to steal a candy bar.
But here's the catch; the moral of the story is you have to ask for it nicely and if you ask the wrong player they get to open your sack and select anything they want. So you have to stay alert and watch where and when the candy bars are changing hands. But that doesn't sound too hard right?
Well there is one more thing, most of my nieces and nephews, although absolutely adorable, can't add. So we had a problem...
Aunt Karen's revised rules. Any kid who throws a tantrum may select a candy whenever they begin the tantrum. Kids who roll a dud combo roll after roll can have as many turns in a row until they win before passing the dice onto their neighbor. Kids without any wins will be compensated with hugs and all of Aunt Karen's candy. Instead of 2 dice rolled to 7 or 11? 1 dice rolled to a 1. Even a little kid can tell the difference between 1 and the sides with a bunch of dots. And the number 1 rule? Smile for the camera:
Click on the picture above to enlarge.Mash:
As essential to a sleepover as pizza, brownies and popcorn. The game that tells you everything you ever wanted to know about your future. Will I live in a shack? Or drive a orange Volvo? Who will I marry and how many kids will we have? The answers to these burning questions and many more can be discovered if only you pick the right number and count carefully.
Seven-Eleven (Also known as the Candy Bar Game) :
For Christmas this year we thought doing a family white elephant exchange would be a lot of fun. We were right, it was a laugh. The Kayners left with a jar of sock locks and the Carlyles scored big with a fleece blanket/snuggling robe hybrid, the Beechers used the sleek hand vac they won to clean up Tessa's spilled fun dip before they even left the room.
Even with as much fun as the adults were having however, we knew the younger kids would be bored. So while the parents were playing I taught their kids how to gamble. More or less.
The candy bar game is a family favorite. And like all family traditions, must be lovingly passed on to the rising generation. The game works like this:
All the players sit on the floor in a circle with a large pile of gleaming candy sitting in the center of the ring. Two pairs of dice are circulated around the group and rolled once per turn and then passed to the person on your left. If you roll a combination that adds to either a 7 (1+6, 2+5, 3+4, 4+3, 5+2 or 6+1) or an 11 (do your own math) you get to select a candy bar from the pile in the middle. After all the candy is removed from the circle, a timer is set--usually for 5 minutes? Maybe longer.
Each player then gets a paper sack and hides their candy inside. The players continue with the roll-add-pass routine until someone gets a 7 or 11 combo, at which point they get to steal a candy bar.
But here's the catch; the moral of the story is you have to ask for it nicely and if you ask the wrong player they get to open your sack and select anything they want. So you have to stay alert and watch where and when the candy bars are changing hands. But that doesn't sound too hard right?
Well there is one more thing, most of my nieces and nephews, although absolutely adorable, can't add. So we had a problem...
Aunt Karen's revised rules. Any kid who throws a tantrum may select a candy whenever they begin the tantrum. Kids who roll a dud combo roll after roll can have as many turns in a row until they win before passing the dice onto their neighbor. Kids without any wins will be compensated with hugs and all of Aunt Karen's candy. Instead of 2 dice rolled to 7 or 11? 1 dice rolled to a 1. Even a little kid can tell the difference between 1 and the sides with a bunch of dots. And the number 1 rule? Smile for the camera:
12.24.2008
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
What a fun show! I only saw the first half because during the intermission I noticed snow dumping on the streets of Seattle and thought it was time to make my exit. I'm still a little bummed. But glad to have gotten home safely. We ended up with almost 10 inches of snow before it was all over.
12.21.2008
Snow Driving Adventure
Me: Come on! You can do it!!
Car: I think I can.
Car: I think I can.
Car: Sorry, nope.
Car: I think I can.
Car: I think I can.
Car: Sorry, nope.
What's My Elevation?
Have you ever been halfway through an argument/discussion when you realized your heart wasn't really in it? Arguments are best if you win them, it's true. But I've had a few where I just didn't care anymore. The following story is NOT an example of this.
My friend Boris* (names have been changed to protect the innocent) and I got into a silly dispute years ago. We were living in Bellingham at the time and I mentioned something about being at sea level. Boris is from Houston and laughed at me and our mountains and rolling hills and said This IS Not Sea Level. I pointed to the sea, which we lived 10 blocks from and said something dumb. The problem is that we defined the word sea level differently. I'm thinking "being at the same elevation at the sea" Boris is thinking "the land is level like the sea".
Which Houston is and Bellingham is not.
Ok, Boris I apologize.
You can type in your address at this site, then click on "find" and it will give you your elevation.
My elevation 423 ft. What' s yours?
My friend Boris* (names have been changed to protect the innocent) and I got into a silly dispute years ago. We were living in Bellingham at the time and I mentioned something about being at sea level. Boris is from Houston and laughed at me and our mountains and rolling hills and said This IS Not Sea Level. I pointed to the sea, which we lived 10 blocks from and said something dumb. The problem is that we defined the word sea level differently. I'm thinking "being at the same elevation at the sea" Boris is thinking "the land is level like the sea".
Which Houston is and Bellingham is not.
Ok, Boris I apologize.
You can type in your address at this site, then click on "find" and it will give you your elevation.
My elevation 423 ft. What' s yours?
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