Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Haircut!
Although I think this photo is not the best (Anna Rae took it of herself) I must say I definitely like her new, shorter haircut...and I think she does too.
Sitting Down to a Sumptious Christmas Dinner
The Kornowskes hosted another fabulous holiday meal followed by a LONG game of dominoes, which Anna Rae won. I can't begin to tell you how stuffed we all were
when we finally pulled away from this table!
when we finally pulled away from this table!
Christmas Morning
Here she sits in the midst of Christmas wrapping paper and ribbons as she figures out the workings of her ipod dock/radio.
If you have ever read the Peter Spiers wordless picture book, Christmas, you will understand me when I say: The memories of Christmas come from a plethora of details.
If you have ever read the Peter Spiers wordless picture book, Christmas, you will understand me when I say: The memories of Christmas come from a plethora of details.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Christmas Eve
She never seems this short to me. I am always surprised to see the height difference between us as in photos like this.
Emilien and Anna Rae Visit Sanislo
Since Anna Rae's school had early dismissal she brought Emilien to Sanislo to visit me and my kindergarten class during lunch. I had the children practice saying Bon Jour! But when the teen aged guests arrived, the kindergarteners became mute with shyness. Emilien liked Sanislo, especially our gym. When I was able to release myself from the kindergarten I found Emilien in the gym juggling pins and feeling quite 'at home'. Turns out that his dad (a teacher of 9 and 10 year olds) teaches juggling along with reading, writing, etc. in a classroom in France.
At Our Dining Room Table
On Dec. 3rd Emilien, an exchange student and friend of Anna Rae's from Annecy, visited us in Seattle. He is on exchange in Summerland, British Columbia. Emilien stayed with us for 3 days, going to school with Anna Rae on the ferry, attending a school dance with her, and touring downtown on the weekend. The pitcher that Anna Rae is holding is one of the 'treasures' I brought back from France. Every family table I ate at in France had a similar earthenware pitcher filled with water on the table at mealtimes.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Dream On
I do love to cook, really I do. But when I come home after 8 plus hours of teaching kindergarteners everything from the letters of the alphabet to how to blow their nose, as well as picking up after aforementioned kindergarteners and preparing for the next day of engaging, educating and nurturing them, well, I am more than a little ready to spend time on myself. So I am here to tell you that Dream Dinners is one of the most liberating routines I have added to my life in years. How it works: you go to a Dream Dinners Kitchen in your area. They have 14 menu entrees and all the pans, utensils and ingredients to make the entrees. You select the number of meals you want to prepare and get to work. I did 6 meals in about 1 and a half hours. Actually that is 12 meals for our small family because every recipe feeds 4-6 people. Yesterday we had Buffalo Chicken and today it is Autumn Pot Roast. Check out the Dream Dinners website for more information.
What a day I had on Friday! I got to school a half hour early to set up for Science. The lesson was: Investigating how many paper clips it takes to sink cedar and particleboard. We had 4 parent volunteers helping as well as 1 IA and 3 certified teachers (including myself) to guide the investigation. It is certainly ample adult coverage for 52 students but communicating what needs to be done and getting the materials divided up correctly; that is the challenge. But we did it and it went quite well; even managed to get out to recess early for 3 laps around our track (our pattern this year since we have PE only 2 times a week. Once back in the classroom our young scientists graphed their results in their science notebooks. Now as if that was not enough excitement...our Fall Festival was to be in the afternoon. Keep in mind we have no prep time on Fridays and I had a luncheon meeting scheduled. During the kids' lunch (they eat in the classroom) our phone rings. It is Virginia Mason Hospital. The person on the other end says "Teresa were you in Virginia mason 2 weeks ago for XXXXX?" (a midlife test; yucky!) "Yes." All the kindergarteners are quietly munching away they are a 'golden group' ,SO polite when I am on the phone.
The person on the other end is saying, "During your procedure someone attending you
exposed you to a communicable disease."(My mind is racing; "hepatitis, bird flu, SAY the word WOMAN!!" and my heart skippety skips in my ears)"Do you have any cold symptoms? Have you heard of Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough?" My heart finds its normal pace but I am pissed as she says I should have my Dr. Prescribe antibiotics as a precautionary measure. They do not offer to pay the copay for the drugs, her response; "Our policy is that you recognize when you enter a hospital you put yourself at risk." My feeling; if you are employed in a hospital you had better dang well have your immunizations up to date. Isn't pertussis something that falls under an immunization. OK cousin Beth, if you are reading this tell me what you think. Phone call ends, kids wind up lunch and enjoy a lovely fall day on the playground, I go to my meeting. After recess, 4 more parents and two other IAs arrive to help with our Fall Festival. RUSH RUSH RUSH get the paint out for sponge painting tag board maple leaves, find newspaper to cover tables, get frosting, Oreos, licorice whips, and mini m&ms out to make spider cookies. Are there enough bags for the owl puppets? At last we are ready and the kids are in one of the 4 stations,just loving every minute of the break in routine. I like my station most of all: Movement and Singing fall ditties like 'The Leaves Are Falling Down' (each child holds a colored streamer to represent a leaf color and they flutter and fall as their color is sung), Wise Old Owl (tune of Fre Jacque), and Scarecrow, Scarecrow
Turn Around (tune of Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear). 3:00 comes fast and they gobble the spider cookies and head out the door oh, SO happy! It would be nice to collapse but no, time to get the message on the board for Monday and get out my reading lesson so I am ready to go. Stop at the grocery store on the way home, pick up ingredients for an artichoke spinach dip. Once in my kitchen I whip it up. Chris comes home with the blended red wine for the 'wine tasting' part of the Halloween party we go to at about 8:00. Our costumes are lame; I am a blind red mouse and Chris is Jason which is kind of tongue in cheek because the host of the party is named Jason (but not at all like the horror flick Jason). The red mouse costume is a recycled classroom costume from 2 weeks back when the teachers dressed like story book characters. I, along with the other Kindergarten teacher, dressed like two of the mice from Ed Young's book 7 Blind Mice. This is our second wine tasting with this group and it is fun. I try to take the tasting seriously, I really want to learn and develop a discriminating taste. But more than anything it is good to relax with a new group of adults. Most of these people we know from the YMCA spinning and pilates classes. One of them, Laura, has suggested I enter a triathalon. Who knows maybe next summer. Right now I am just so thrilled to have my running feet back and I am happy to be in the company of people who like to exercise as much as I do. Anna Rae did not go to this party. She went costume shopping with her friend Erin and then on Sat. night she and Brittany (Erin's sister) went to another friend's house and carved jack 'o lanterns and watched horror movies. Today we visited with our friend Arthur who was in town from L.A. He was here for his brother's 41st birthday. In Japanese culture the 41st birthday is supposed to be a big deal; something about it being a bad year and needing to ward off bad luck. I still don't think I understand it. Anyway it was good to see Arthur. We ate out at Endolyne Joe's then Chris took him to the airport. Whew! This is a LONG post and I didn't even tell you about the 6 hours of hauling chips and yard work that I did on Saturday. The pile of chips is dwindling slowly but surely. Tomorrow night I will take a photo of our Jack 'o Lanterns which are perched on top of the pile.
What a day I had on Friday! I got to school a half hour early to set up for Science. The lesson was: Investigating how many paper clips it takes to sink cedar and particleboard. We had 4 parent volunteers helping as well as 1 IA and 3 certified teachers (including myself) to guide the investigation. It is certainly ample adult coverage for 52 students but communicating what needs to be done and getting the materials divided up correctly; that is the challenge. But we did it and it went quite well; even managed to get out to recess early for 3 laps around our track (our pattern this year since we have PE only 2 times a week. Once back in the classroom our young scientists graphed their results in their science notebooks. Now as if that was not enough excitement...our Fall Festival was to be in the afternoon. Keep in mind we have no prep time on Fridays and I had a luncheon meeting scheduled. During the kids' lunch (they eat in the classroom) our phone rings. It is Virginia Mason Hospital. The person on the other end says "Teresa were you in Virginia mason 2 weeks ago for XXXXX?" (a midlife test; yucky!) "Yes." All the kindergarteners are quietly munching away they are a 'golden group' ,SO polite when I am on the phone.
The person on the other end is saying, "During your procedure someone attending you
exposed you to a communicable disease."(My mind is racing; "hepatitis, bird flu, SAY the word WOMAN!!" and my heart skippety skips in my ears)"Do you have any cold symptoms? Have you heard of Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough?" My heart finds its normal pace but I am pissed as she says I should have my Dr. Prescribe antibiotics as a precautionary measure. They do not offer to pay the copay for the drugs, her response; "Our policy is that you recognize when you enter a hospital you put yourself at risk." My feeling; if you are employed in a hospital you had better dang well have your immunizations up to date. Isn't pertussis something that falls under an immunization. OK cousin Beth, if you are reading this tell me what you think. Phone call ends, kids wind up lunch and enjoy a lovely fall day on the playground, I go to my meeting. After recess, 4 more parents and two other IAs arrive to help with our Fall Festival. RUSH RUSH RUSH get the paint out for sponge painting tag board maple leaves, find newspaper to cover tables, get frosting, Oreos, licorice whips, and mini m&ms out to make spider cookies. Are there enough bags for the owl puppets? At last we are ready and the kids are in one of the 4 stations,just loving every minute of the break in routine. I like my station most of all: Movement and Singing fall ditties like 'The Leaves Are Falling Down' (each child holds a colored streamer to represent a leaf color and they flutter and fall as their color is sung), Wise Old Owl (tune of Fre Jacque), and Scarecrow, Scarecrow
Turn Around (tune of Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear). 3:00 comes fast and they gobble the spider cookies and head out the door oh, SO happy! It would be nice to collapse but no, time to get the message on the board for Monday and get out my reading lesson so I am ready to go. Stop at the grocery store on the way home, pick up ingredients for an artichoke spinach dip. Once in my kitchen I whip it up. Chris comes home with the blended red wine for the 'wine tasting' part of the Halloween party we go to at about 8:00. Our costumes are lame; I am a blind red mouse and Chris is Jason which is kind of tongue in cheek because the host of the party is named Jason (but not at all like the horror flick Jason). The red mouse costume is a recycled classroom costume from 2 weeks back when the teachers dressed like story book characters. I, along with the other Kindergarten teacher, dressed like two of the mice from Ed Young's book 7 Blind Mice. This is our second wine tasting with this group and it is fun. I try to take the tasting seriously, I really want to learn and develop a discriminating taste. But more than anything it is good to relax with a new group of adults. Most of these people we know from the YMCA spinning and pilates classes. One of them, Laura, has suggested I enter a triathalon. Who knows maybe next summer. Right now I am just so thrilled to have my running feet back and I am happy to be in the company of people who like to exercise as much as I do. Anna Rae did not go to this party. She went costume shopping with her friend Erin and then on Sat. night she and Brittany (Erin's sister) went to another friend's house and carved jack 'o lanterns and watched horror movies. Today we visited with our friend Arthur who was in town from L.A. He was here for his brother's 41st birthday. In Japanese culture the 41st birthday is supposed to be a big deal; something about it being a bad year and needing to ward off bad luck. I still don't think I understand it. Anyway it was good to see Arthur. We ate out at Endolyne Joe's then Chris took him to the airport. Whew! This is a LONG post and I didn't even tell you about the 6 hours of hauling chips and yard work that I did on Saturday. The pile of chips is dwindling slowly but surely. Tomorrow night I will take a photo of our Jack 'o Lanterns which are perched on top of the pile.
So Lovely
It is hard to believe that this lovely teenager was that roly poly 6 month old baby in the picture on the mantle. She will be 18 in less than 2 weeks (as she reminds us daily).
AR dressed for Homecoming
Anna Rae did not like sitting to pose but I think this one turned out very nice. It was such a brilliant fall day!
AR & friends; Homecoming
L to R: Danielle, Anna Rae, Collin, Kaylin
Before the Homecoming dance they went to downtown Seattle and the girls had their nails done and then they ate out at a Mexican restaurant in Pacific Place.
Before the Homecoming dance they went to downtown Seattle and the girls had their nails done and then they ate out at a Mexican restaurant in Pacific Place.
Anna Rae Oct. 2005
You should click on this and look at the enlarged version. She really did look quite lovely. The glitzy shrug is kind of out of character for her but in keeping with the Miami theme of the VHS Homecoming dance. She does a heck of a lot better job walking in those high heels than I ever did.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Sea Grass
See the rain falling on the right horizon?
When I took this picture the sun was shining behind me (yes, there was a rainbow). I think the greens and yellows of the sea grass against the grey sky are very lovely.
When I took this picture the sun was shining behind me (yes, there was a rainbow). I think the greens and yellows of the sea grass against the grey sky are very lovely.
The Tides By the Sea
Chris taught Anna Rae to play Shuffle.
I don't think she won but she may have come close.
I don't think she won but she may have come close.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Seaside, Oregon
We thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing weekend at Seaside, Oregon last week. While the weather behind this stump looks very dramatic, we did have dry pavement and warm sun on Saturday morning which made for some fabulous roller blading on the promanade. If you have never been to Seaside, I would highly reccommend it for: strolls on the beach, flying kites, lots of shopping (an outlet mall is in town, skating and bike riding (also those low riding bikes for on the beach), plenty of little shops for every age, and lots of good restaurants. Also there is historical significance; Lewis and Clarks' sltworks is in this town. In summer they do a reenactment of how they boiled the ocean water for the salt; and a state park and the Lewis and Clark Trail are close by too.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Chips Unloading
We kept the chips from all 3 trees. They had said it would probably be 4 yards.
Well, they underestimated; there must be nearly 6 yards and it is all on a big blue tarp that I spread in our parking pad in front of the house. We have it pared down to about half now, spreading them along the fence line, under the apple tree in the southwest corner, around the snag created from the cherry tree, under the deodor cedar, next to the driveway, around the bamboo and everywhere we can think of, wondering if we will see the end of the heap before Christmas.
Well, they underestimated; there must be nearly 6 yards and it is all on a big blue tarp that I spread in our parking pad in front of the house. We have it pared down to about half now, spreading them along the fence line, under the apple tree in the southwest corner, around the snag created from the cherry tree, under the deodor cedar, next to the driveway, around the bamboo and everywhere we can think of, wondering if we will see the end of the heap before Christmas.
Trimming in Progress
It cost a heck of a lot more to have this tree trimmed than it did to take down the cherry and a mountain ash combined. But isn't it beautiful? This picture is before the trimming was completed. I think there is an arborist somewhere up there.
Tree Guy
As you may have guessed I hate to see our neighborhood losing trees. Unfortunately we had to have this cherry taken down in our own yard. Actually we had it made into an 8 foot tall snag. It is rotting at the base of the trunk and if we had left it all standing there was a good chance it could be blown over and do damage to the neighbors' hot tub and deck. Sure was fun to watch the guys working in the trees. It was worth preparing sub plans to take a day off of work.
To Be 4500 Sq. Ft. of House
This enormous house is being built kitty corner behind us. The builder has told one of the neighbors that he plans to put it on the market next summer for $649,000! It is hard to believe that he will get anything close to that. This is the lot next door to the shabby sheds and exotic deer, a sheep, and a forlorn looking dog. I can't imagine paying that kind of money to live next to that. The builder left 2 trees on a lot that was a veritable forest of mature evergreens
before he got there.
before he got there.
Labor Day's Labor
These photos aren't nearly as exciting as my Europe pictures. It's back to day to day life in Seattle. I won't be blogging as routinely as before but sometimes this is a good way to share pictures although
uploading takes forever on a dial up connection. This is the inside of my garden shed after a thorough cleaning on Labor Day. I had to take a picture because it won't stay this way for long.
uploading takes forever on a dial up connection. This is the inside of my garden shed after a thorough cleaning on Labor Day. I had to take a picture because it won't stay this way for long.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Mt. Rainier, Seattle, WA, USA
Home again. We are so lucky to live in a place that is equal in beauty to anything we saw in our travels. Tomorrow my teaching life begins in earnest,; we are assessing entering kindergarteners. I doubt that I will have time to continue my blog. It took me a major part of today to add these pictures to my blog. It helped me to put closure on my vacation and say "good bye" to summer. I have noticed recently that most of the comments on my blog are from people selling everything from low carb drinks to gaming sites, wedding favors, and online personals. It is insulting to my time to have such parasites attach themselves to my blog. That gives me another reason to discontinue posting.
If you are a truly interested blogger or relative with nothing to sell me, I welcome your comments and thank you for reading.
If you are a truly interested blogger or relative with nothing to sell me, I welcome your comments and thank you for reading.
Anna Rae and Gil
We had the pleasure of meeting Anna Rae's friend Gil on her second to the last day in France. He spent '03-'04 in Belfair, WA as an exchange student. His English is flawless and he is a great conversationalist. This coming year he will be going to the Sorbonne in Paris.
Hopefully he will be able to visit Seattle in summer '06 and we can once again enjoy his company.
Hopefully he will be able to visit Seattle in summer '06 and we can once again enjoy his company.
Sausage Vendor; Annecy, FR
I could not believe all the varieties of hard sausages. Anna Rae's favorite had hazelnuts in it.
Water Skiing on Lac Annecy
Thanks to the generosity of Phillipe and Anne, Anna Rae learned to water ski on Lac 'd Annecy this summer. It continued to be very hot when we returned to Annecy. I can't begin to tell you how refreshing it felt to be on the lake on this day.
Mt. Veyrier Hike
Back in Annecy, Gerard took me and some of his friends on a spectacular 3 hour hike.
Staging Truck for Le Tour
This was taken on July 12th. It is the closest we came to seeing Lance and his last 'Tour'. I think they were headed to Courcheval.
With Friends in Gap, FR
From Nice we rented a car and drove up to Gap, France where we were treated to the generous hospitality of our friends Meg and Marc. Meg and I both taught at Bailey Gatzert in Seattle in the early 1990s. I think she taught 2nd or 3rd grade and I as always, taught kindergarten. Well, Meg left Seattle to teach in the Gambia, Africa where she met Marc, who is French (but NOT a teacher). She married Marc, moved to France, and now they have 2 charming little boys, Ben and Luc, and they live in Gap, France. There is a lot more to the story but that is it in a nutshell. We were so fortunate to stay in the guest room of their lovely home. And the food and wine....tres bien!
One Potato, Two Potato
We went to Nice on a Sunday, market day. It had rained HARD in the morning so we did not roller blade along the promanade as planned. But we did stroll the market which was incredible. Potatoes, olives, tomatoes, marzipan, spices, cactus plants, and of course olives and much more in artistic display. Nice had one of the best markets we experienced in all of Europe.
Rothschild Villa Ephrussi
What can I say?! This 'beauty' stepping out from her bath is at the Rothschild Villa Ephrussi Gardens. These gardens and the first floor of the mansion are well worth a visit to Cap Ferrat. The gardens each have a theme ie; Japanese, the Alhambra, Exotic (more cactus), rose, stonegarden, etc.
Eze-le-Village, FR
This is a village high above the sea. It is very touristy but worth the visit for the breathtaking views. The steps leading up to the gardens where I took this picture are lined with tourist shops (overpriced, I thought). We bought ice cream but did not stay for dinner although I must say the smells from the restaurants were SO enticing! The gardens have a huge selection of cactuses and succulents. The plants are VERY big, obviously thriving. The statues, all named after women and with a bit of prose equating women with flowers and beauty, are a bit kitchy. I would've appreciated about a dozen fewer
statues!
statues!
Villefranche sur Mer
Lots of sun, reading and relaxing. Great food too; try the Moules Frites. We stayed at a one star hotel for 56 euros a night. We found it totally agreeable although when we awoke to a summer storm complete with hail on 7-10 at least one room had some flooding and the Australian owners were in a bit of a tizzy trying to keep everybody happy. The name of the hotel:
Hotel Patricia. The beach is about a 5 minute walk away.
Hotel Patricia. The beach is about a 5 minute walk away.
Villefranche Sur Mer, FR
Back to France and more relaxing on the French Riviera. In a nutshell; Italian trains were noisy, chaotic and dirty, French trains were cleaner quiter and on time!
Grapes in Vernazza
We took the hike between Vernazza and Montessorro, spent the day at the beach and then hiked back. The hike wound up and up between vineyards before the steep descent to the shoreline.
Vernazza, Italy
This is where the relaxing part of our vacation began. This town is part of the
Cinque Terre; 5 towns that cling to the cliffs above the Ligurian Sea. There are no cars allowed into the Cinque Terre but all 5 towns are connected by hiking paths (not for the faint hearted day tripper) and a train runs a constant schedule along the coast.
Cinque Terre; 5 towns that cling to the cliffs above the Ligurian Sea. There are no cars allowed into the Cinque Terre but all 5 towns are connected by hiking paths (not for the faint hearted day tripper) and a train runs a constant schedule along the coast.
Our Courtyard in Florence
Aside from mosquitos which bother only Chris (such a sweet guy), our apartment was perfect. I reccommend it; Affittacamere Freda Lucia on Via S. Zanobi.
The Last Judgement (1572-74)
Climbed up the duomo and got a close up view of the frescoes by Vasari (completed by Zuccari). The dome was built by Brunelleschi; finished in 1463. I thought this dome was more beautiful than St. Peter's.
Florence, Italy
Ponte Vecchio bridge built in 1345 has been lined with fine jewelry shops since 1593 when duke Ferdinand I replaced the blacksmiths, tanners and butchers who had dominated the bridge shops; using the river to dump their waste and refuse. Jewelers paid higher rent and didn't make the stench of the former occupants.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
