Cousins - #SOLSC Day 6

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

**This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.**

Wanda would have been so happy.

Wanda is my mom, and she died a little over two years ago. Family meant everything to her, and she worked hard at passing that love of family along to my brother and me.

Mom came from a family of eleven brothers and sisters. They didn't have many material things, but they always had each other. The eleven has now been whittled down to three - two sisters and one brother remain, but the memories of the love in our family will stay with us forever.

Childhood memories of family reunions -

• hugs to say hi
• huge softball games complete with uncles doing a great deal of trash talking
• large garbage cans filled with ice and pop
• homemade ice cream so cold it would surely give us each a brain freeze
• tables and tables of delicious food
• another round of hugs to say goodbye

Childhood memories of going visiting at cousins' houses -

• hugs to say hi
• hanging out in the haylofts
• driving the tractors
• helping my cousin with her sheep at the Logan County Fair
• playing hide and seek in the different rooms at the motel my uncle and aunt owned
• always food
• another round of hugs to say goodbye

Adult memories -

• our wedding where our family claims the first Wallace cousins' party began
• future cousins' parties with dancing, laughter, favorite beverages, and tables of delicious food
• boat rides on the lake
• dinners gathered around each others' tables
• grieving together for departed loved ones more times than we would like
• the cousins' party reinstated this past summer at my brother's house
• hugs to say hi and another round of hugs to say goodbye

This past Saturday night memories -

• reached out to some cousins via text : We are free this Saturday. Is anyone free to meet us at the Mexican restaurant?
• Yes. Yes. Yes.
• the service was not great
• the food was just okay
• but many new stories were told and other stories were retold
• there was lots of laughter
• and even a few tears
• and love, lots and lots of love, at the table
• many more memories to savor and add to the bank
• hugs to say hi and another round of hugs to say goodbye

Wanda would have been so happy.

Uncle Carroll*, Uncle Harold*, Uncle Albert*, Uncle Bill*, Uncle Roy
Aunt Florence, Aunt Martha*, Mom (Wanda)*, Aunt Bert, Aunt Mary Evelyn*
missing: Aunt Katherine*
(*gone, but most definitely not forgotten)

**Author's note: When I began writing today, I had one direction, and then this picture and my emotions took me somewhere else. Thanks for stopping here today to read my journey. 
In addition to savoring these family memories, I realized that my cousins are another writing territory for me; I've written about them before.  It's fun to read pieces I've written on the same topic, but approached in different ways.

Dinner Dishes: The Saga - #SOLSC Day 5

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.

We got married in 1985, and the dinner dishes we received as wedding presents were a beautiful blue Pfaltzgraf pattern. I loved those dishes!

I still loved the Pfaltzgraf  dishes in 1995.

By 2005, I was getting a bit tired of the pattern, but didn't have the energy to do anything about it, except just look at what was available when I was browsing in stores. Buying an entire new set of dishes with matching serving platters seemed like a lot of unnecessary money, especially as we were getting ready to start paying for college tuition.

In 2010, I was ready to get rid of the Pfaltzgraf. After all, these dishes had served us well for 25 years. Certainly, it would be ok to move on. During a trip to Ikea, I found some plates that might work, and I bought a set of four. I didn't love them, but we liked the color, we liked their shape, and they were easy to take care of. We were empty nesters so four sets of dishes seemed like enough for the two of us. Life was good for awhile.

2014 - I was at Macy's buying my niece's wedding shower gift, and she had registered for a lovely Noritake pattern. I thought to myself - this is it! This is the pattern I want for our daily dishes. So I bought a set of four for yet another test run. The first week we had them, I broke a bowl, and cracked a dinner plate; the sales lady had told me they were almost impossible to break. I didn't have the heart to replace the bowl and the plate just to break them again, so I kept my mismatched Ikea and Noritake dish sets, and worked with that.

It's now 2017. We just purchased a new kitchen table, and instead of settling for mismatched dishes anymore, I have been actively looking for the "right" dish set to go with this new table. Today, I found myself again buying a wedding shower gift; this time for a friend's son and his fiance at Crate and Barrel. I've always loved that store, and can spend hours just browsing, but today I did a little more than that. I brought home another pattern for a test drive. I like every single thing about these plates so far. Fingers crossed!

Stay tuned... Hopefully, by next Saturday, the dish saga will reach its conclusion: we will love using the plates this week, and I will head back to Crate and Barrel to purchase an entire set of dishes and platters.
And when that happens, I plan to savor every moment of using those dishes since it's taken me 7 years to figure it out!

The annual spring mission - #SOLSC Day 4

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.

"Karen, it's freezing out! Why in the world are you leaving the house in flip-flops?!! And isn't it snowing?!!"

My husband's words penetrated my consciousness, but I shrugged them off. I was on a spring mission.

Thursday night was my annual spring pedicure; the pedicure that occurs after my feet have been ignored for quite some time throughout the winter, and now need a lot of TLC (and a fresh coat of paint on the toes). So off I went outside in the snow no matter what my husband thought.

As I drove to the salon, the snow squalls that had been occurring, increased in intensity. When I walked from my car to the front doors of the salon, my head and coat (and toes and feet) were covered in snow. I entered at the same time as a gentleman, and he took one look at my flip-flop clad, snow-covered feet, and gave me a glance that clearly said, "You are crazy, lady!"

His disdainful look penetrated my consciousness, but I shrugged it off. I was on a spring mission.

I walked upstairs, and that is where the magic happened. Feet immersed in a very warm whirlpool bath. Back massaged from top to bottom by the comfy chair. Feet and legs massaged for what seemed like hours. Toenails painted a pretty pink color.

I savored every heavenly moment.

Spring mission accomplished.

I am also joining Ruth and the #Celebratelu group today as I celebrate spring and an amazing pedicure. 

**Author's note: I realize that pedicures must be part of my writing territories. I looked back and noticed that pedicures have been one of my slices every year I've participated in #SOLSC. Thanks for indulging me. ;)

A phone call - #SOLSC Day 3

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.

Brinng! Brinng!

I dislike phone calls. I'm not a great multi-tasker, so when I get a phone call, I have to sit down in one place and be very focused on the person on the other end of the phone and their words. As my cell phone rang this time, I looked at my screen and saw that it was my friend, Lisa.

She never calls me. I quickly sat down on the couch and answered.

"What's up?! Is everything ok?!" were the first words out of my mouth.

"Yes, everything is fine. We just hadn't talked for awhile, so I wanted to touch base."

An hour later, we wrapped up our conversation with our typical closing ritual.

"Talk to you soon. Love you."
"Love you, too."

I had spent an hour sitting on my couch, doing nothing at all except talking to Lisa, and it was the best hour of my day.

We had talked about:

• her travel plans to Florida with her husband to visit family
• my travel plans to Hilton Head with my husband for spring break
• my future travel plans next winter to a warmer climate (and wouldn't it be great if she and her husband came to visit!)
• our children and what was happening in their lives
• her grandchildren and how darling they are
• recipes
• our plans for what we can do together when I retire (she's already there!)

An hour's worth of sitting on the couch. 

An hour's worth of conversation and friendship.

I dislike phone calls.

But I love this friend!

**Author's note - You know how sometimes things dovetail in unexpected ways? That's how I felt about this moment. That same day, Ann Marie Corgill had shared a link written by a friend of hers titled "Would You Rather Be Liked Online or Loved in Person?" It's a great read and thought-provoking.

I love my online friends and connectedness, but the in-person, or in this case, telephone call with a dear friend, means so much!!

Bullet Journal Joy - #SOLSC Day 2

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.

I recently discovered the joys and unbelievable organizational assistance of a Bullet Journal. It was designed for people like me who try to get organized, but end up with lists everywhere, and can't always remember where the necessary list for the moment is. Today's post is celebrating this new organizational tool:

Lists and lists and lists

Before...
could be found on post-its, on jot pads,
on notepads and notebooks, in my calendar

on the counter, in my purse, in my schoolbag, 

on my steering wheel, on the door to the garage

and in some cases, not found at all

Needed my lists...

to stay organized

to help remember

(think of idea / forget to write it down / it's gone...)

Needed a better system...

discovered the Bullet Journal

Mentor texts that got me started...

Kate Messner's blog post

Bullet journal's website and videos

You-Tube clips on ways to use the bullet journal

Fresh start to organization each month...

just turned page yesterday to organize 

for March and beyond 

Brought me joy...
as I filled in my new

monthly calendar

daily to-dos

yearly planning

exercise log

books to read log

clothes I have worn log

table of contents for these new sections

Savoring... 

the organization of each page

every time a "to do" bullet gets checked off

adding new sections when they are needed

(a "places I want to travel" will be coming soon!)

organization for both my personal and professional lives

the creative feel and look of using colored pens

yet my fave Ticonderoga #2 makes an appearance also

having all my lists in one place

Ahhhh...

Thank you to my coaching colleagues - #SOLSC Day 1

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I commit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, organizing, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

This March, I plan to connect as many posts as possible to my #OLW for the year - SAVOR.


"You can do this."

"No, it's beautiful out, and I don't want to participate today."

"I'm telling you, you will regret not going in. This is going to be a fantastic day of learning."

"I'm tired, and a little bit cranky, and don't feel like I will be invested in a productive day. I think I should just head home."

BEEP! BEEP!

A car horn interrupted the warring voices in my head, as I sat in the parking lot trying to decide whether or not I was really up for the Dublin Literacy conference this past Saturday. The horn interruption came from two of my coaching colleagues, Brooke and Heather. I looked up and saw their smiling faces drive by, and park down the row from me - I realized seeing those faces was a sign of which voice to listen.

How lucky I was to see those faces and smiles at that moment. I quieted the voices in my head, turned off my car, and headed into the conference with them, and I'm so glad I did!! (It was one of my favorite Dublin Literacy conferences ever - more on that soon!)

As the day progressed, I reflected on how much these colleagues have meant to me, both personally and professionally, these past three years I have been an intermediate literacy coach.

Three years ago... I had no more than a surface knowledge of their names; I truly didn't know either of these individuals at all. How far we have come since then! And how fortunate I am because of it!

Three years ago... one of those colleagues was a 3rd grade teacher in a building I was assigned. Every coaching cycle I came to her building, we engaged in reflective and collegial conversations about how to grow readers and writers. I know I learned from our conversations and collaborative work together, and hopefully, she learned a little as well. Two years ago, she interviewed for, and became, another intermediate literacy coach in our district, and I was thrilled to know our learning together would be continuing.

Three years ago... the other face in the car Saturday morning was entering her second year as an intermediate coach as the rest of our literacy group was beginning at Year 1. In addition to her coaching assignment at her building, she also gives reading support to students. Time and time again, over the past 3 years, I have relied on her experience and skill sets to help me think through tricky reading situations in which the classroom teacher and I got stuck on "next steps" for specific students. And I have trusted, and tried to emulate, her reflective look at deconstructing standards with teachers to make them more manageable.

These ladies have been colleagues that I treasure for their inquisitiveness, their knowledge, their reflective natures, their willingness to collaborate and share, and so much more.

But if your peek below the surface of our professional relationship, you find people who have become friends. Those colleagues/friends who:

• laugh together - much laughter as we first learned the ins and outs of sharing Google Docs with one another (trust me on this one!)
• share the good and the bad in our lives when the need arises
• enjoy eating and sharing the same type of pizza - Ryan's Inferno - when we visit a local pizzeria
• stay connected through Google hangouts, emails, and texts
• borrow each other's clothing (well, the truth of it is, I was asked by one of them one time, and it was a scarf - kind of a one size fits all, but still!!)

So, as I spent Saturday learning and talking and reflecting with these smart women, it comes as no surprise that with their "BEEP! BEEP!" in the parking lot that morning, they lifted me up once again.

I will continue to savor our relationships as both colleagues and friends for as long as I can!

**Author's note - These two coaches lifted me up Saturday, but for the past 3 years, all of these other incredible women have lifted me up as colleagues as well as we embraced literacy coaching together. And on a very personal note, they were all there for me during the year my parents died within seven months of each other.

• Josie, 
• Lisa, 
• Lynsey, 
• Gayle, 
• Mandy, 
• Gretchen, 
• Rita, 
• and Jill. 

Thank you all so very much!! Words can never express how very grateful I am to be part of such an amazing, powerful, reflective, caring, and smart group of women. It has been a true blessing.

Joining #SOLSC 2017! - #SOL 2/21/17

I love March, when during the Slice of Life Challenge, I recommit to writing on a daily basis. It's fun during 31 days of posts to watch the ebb and flow of my writing. Some days I'll be incredibly pleased with how a post turned out; other days I'll just be glad I posted anything at all. A huge thanks to the gang at Two Writing Teachers for hosting, curating, and commenting on this ginormous event each year. I appreciate the community of writers you encourage the entire month of March, and all the Tuesdays the rest of the year. Thank you, thank you.

I am excited to be joining the 2017 Slice of Life Story Challenge beginning Wednesday, March 1!!

As writers, we all come into SOLSC with different game plans to help us reach our goal of writing for 31 consecutive days, but the one that works the best for me is pre-planning. Waking up each morning and finding inspiration isn't always doable for me. So, I begin planning ahead of time for possible topics that might be good on those days I feel stuck.

Having this organization ahead of time also helps me solve this other problem that happens more and more frequently: I think of a great idea, don't write it down, and then it's gone - poof! I can't remember what I wanted to write.

So here are some of the pre-planning solutions that have worked for me in the past, and I plan on using again this year:

• I begin stockpiling ideas for "slices" about 2 weeks out. I dust off my Slice of Life notebook, and start brainstorming some small moments of significance for me that might develop into written pieces.
• I begin to carry this notebook with me at all times so I can capture inspiration when it occurs. It is with me constantly, either in my purse or my teacher's bag.
• In addition, I like to add pictures when appropriate, so my phone is used often to capture pictures that complement these small moments.
• If one of those captured ideas really floats my boat, as soon as possible, I go to my blogger dashboard, and begin typing in the bare bones of the piece as a draft. Fleshing it out a bit allows me to be more focused when I come back to further develop it.

I wish I could give credit to the #SOLSC participant who made me think about this starting a few years ago (my apologies for not being able to name you here), but I love the idea of having all my posts for the entire month center around a theme of some sort.

Last year, I tried to stay within my "writing territories" - family, friends, work, travel.

This year, I want to try to write around my #OLW for 2017 - savor. In my posts during this challenge, I want to "savor" the good, the bad, the endings, the new beginnings, and everything in between.

I look forward to finding out who else is taking this journey as well! Happy writing to all!