Snow Many Blessings

In preparation for the snow that blessed us last night and today, I shared my mom’s recipe with my kiddos…you know….analyzing evidence and other such literacy jargon! (and proof you might always want to write neatly…as who knows who might post your writings years later! BUT! I sure do love having this recipe in my mom's handwriting!)

Snow Day Poll:

• A = serve Chocolate Gravy over whole biscuits
• B = tear those biscuits up first and cover with Chocolate Gravy

Let’s see if your thoughts match up with teenagers of today. (Originally posted this poll on my Facebook page).

I will say some almost convinced me to change my answer. Until! I looked them in the face and remembered they are teenagers and like to argue with any evidence on the table!

Very seriously!

Survey Results Say:

• In class, 50/50. Some were adamant that the gravy should be poured over whole biscuits, while others said do the work ahead of time and just be ready to eat.
• On Facebook, all but two voted B, with one wanting to dip her biscuit in the gravy and another wanting to place butter between the two sides of the biscuits before adding the chocolate gravy. Hummmm...

What a beautiful day! This was a beautiful snow...just the perfect snow. Snow on the trees, large flakes, at time. Just beautiful.

Should I have accomplished more than I did. Probably. Maybe?

#MakeThoseMemories! #SnowDayOne2025

SCHS Reads: Our Winter Picks

Off and on our high school faculty....well, another English teacher and I...have hosted a book club.  When she decided to not return to teaching and as a commitment to meet and chat and drink coffee and talk books, we decided to meet read a book each month over the summer and then to continue meeting even after school started.  

Our group has grown some...another English teacher sometimes meets with us and one of the history teachers is somewhat committed.  But...regardless...we love meeting and drinking coffee and chatting...sometimes, about the current month's book!

Our first three picks for 2025 are as follows: 

• January:  The Snow Child, which I saw recommended on some Facebook online book club...and because I soooo love a good snow in January (we are out tomorrow for our first snow day!  Yay!), so I suggested this title.  So far?  Interesting...seems to have a connection to a fairy tale, which I am going to need to read.
• February:  James, which I received as an Audible gift (a first for me)...because I have never listened to a book.  No.  Never.  Hummm...now, I must!  But...I went ahead and bought a hard copy, as I can see maybe wanting to use excerpts in my class?  This is a telling of Jim's side of the story, a character in Huck Finn.  This title is also the chosen title for The Girlfriend Book Club...and I chose for Friends and Fiction for January for a book that begins with PB or J...yes, my J book!
• March:  The Magician's Nephew - we chose this one after a discussion about my friend having read CS Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe...and that this was actually the first in the series...and that she had just asked her husband for the series...and my saying I had two copies of this series...and the decision was made to read the first one in the series.  Yay!

Now, I need to share this with our building/district...maybe another one or two will join us!

Friends who love to read books, aren't they just even more special?  I think so!

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Also, posted at TG's Book Thoughts.

Why Do We Read?

As my students and I chatted about resolutions/intentions for 2025, I shared that I had read 81 books.  A curious student asked, "Do you remember all the books you read?"

No.

Some.

Some more than others.

This got me to thinking...should I remember them all?

My answer:  no.  Many books I read for just the pure entertainment, for the moment, for the quick journey that particular book takes me.  Much like movies or TV shows...I do not remember all the characters;  sometimes, I even lose the plotlines, for I watched them for the moment, for the pure entertainment, for the journey.

I hope I am asked this question again sometime...now that I know the answer to the question...or, at least, I know my answer! 

_____________________

Also, posted at TG's Book Reviews.

25 Intentions...for 2025

Several years ago, I read a blog post where the writer presented her argument for writing intentions, instead of resolutions, as intentions are more forgiving and much more achievable.  I liked her way of thinking; therefore, I complimented her and imitated her jargon.  Thus, I now write intentions...and...I, also, write one for number of the current year.  Hummmm...those year numbers are adding up!  

Without further ado...my 25 Intentions for 2025:

1. Read every day...something besides my phone.
2. Spend less time on my phone.
3. Read an average of one book a week.  
4. Finish all the books I started in 2024.  
5. Buy fewer books for myself...as I have quite the supply.
6. Write more.
1. Blog
2. Journal
3. Poetry
7. Read the New Testament...twice. 
8. Lose weight.
9. Move more.
10. Drink much more water...less sodas. Ugh.
11. Teach with more focus on those who want to learn, hoping to inspire those who need more interest along the way.
12. Continue to grow professionally.
1. Professional books
2. ELA PLC
3. Achieve Instructional Lead 
13. Give books as gifts for birthdays. 
1. The Man...Jan. 15...wants First Blood.  :) 
14. Send birthday and thank you cards much more diligently!  
15. Finish all the quilts I currently have started or promised to others.
16. Paint.  
17. Put away and pick up...especially in my car and house! 
18. Focus on my One Word:  Renew  
19. Continue making time for my friend groups:  Meeting of the Minds and the Wildcats.  
20. Enjoy the end of ALA.
21. More Tammy Time.
22. More focus on being a TamTam.
23. Declutter...some...maybe!
24. Organize...and keep organized...my storage building.  See #22.
25. Build a gingerbread house. :)

Made it...at some point, my intention may just be to finish writing the intentions!  

Happy New Year!  Here we go!