30 Days of Blogging Challenge

I just signed up for the 30 Days of Blogging Challenge.
I said I would write 500 words every day for 30 days, not necessarily consecutively, and will post at least twice a week.

This makes me a little nervous. What if I can't think of something to write? What if what I have to say no one wants to read? Oh, well. I will give it a try. :-)

I said I would write 500 words, but I have no idea how to have the system count them. Oh, well. I will just write and hope it is long enough.

Have you checked out my BFF's new blog--Dr. Jill Reads? You can learn so much about books and blogs from her.  She is pretty phenomenal when it comes to books and literacy.

Our other BFF, Robin, is a professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and she is pretty phenomenal when it comes to literacy and educating teacher candidates.

The three of us make up The Literacy Triad, and we love to attend conferences, present, hang out together, and share all we know about literacy.

Today, a co-worker and I worked with two History departments to help them use more literature and passages in their classes. I can't wait to see how it goes.

Going to the Theater

My amazing Great Aunt gave me her two tickets to see Dirty Dancing on stage during the Summer Musicals.  I invited my BFF and off we went, and we had the best time.

The moves and most of the lines were exactly like the movie.  However, they added a storyline involving the Civil Rights Movement.  It was fine and worked, but it was just different.  They had a male and female singer who sang a few of the songs, which I love in the movie.  I tell you . . . that guy can sing to me any time.  He has a beautiful bass voice, and I loved it.

It was a little sad thinking about Patrick Swayze and Jerry Orbach not being in it.  :-(

Thank you, Aunt Darlene!  We had a great time!!

Independence Day and Amazing Helpers

Happy Independence Day!

My Great Aunt and cousins invited me for lunch for brisket and the fixings.  The food was great and the company was wonderful!

My BFF's husband and son came over to help me with my yard.  I can do the mowing.  I have run a mower since I was 7, but I need help with weed eating, trimming trees and shrubs, and hauling off junk and trash.  Her awesome husband tackled the weed eating and mowing a strip of land I have behind my back fence while her son and I trimmed shrubs and cleaned up junk/trash and then hauled trash can after trash can to the curb.

For the first time, we saw a snake.  I'm so glad her husband was here when it slithered out and to the yard behind us.  (It is hard to see.)

Her son and I watched a crawdad/crayfish in the far back yard while her husband cut that strip of land.  I have seen their little houses/holes my whole life, but I have never seen an actual critter back there.  Well, we got one to come out of the hole and played with it.

I will forever be grateful to Tim and Connor Culmo for all their help today. They didn't have to, but they did.  They have no idea what it means to me.

I ended the day with my BFF and her family. Her mom invited me over for BBQ and fireworks.  I had such a nice time. I am so thankful to them for including me.  It really means so much to me. (I am not thankful for the chigger and mosquito bites.  Ha ha!)

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the males out there who play an important role in the lives of children.

Like Mother's Day, not all males have had the opportunity to father a child, and I can imagine this day is a little sad for them.

For others, they have lost their father.

This is my 12th Father's Day without my dad.  Honestly, I am not sure what my thoughts or feelings are on that. I don't know if I can put them into words.

Prayers to everyone having a difficult day today.

My sweet BFF and her mom invited me over for dinner.  It was great being around friends today.  I hated to intrude on their family, but they were so sweet to include me.

TCTELA 2015

Texas Council of Texas English Language Arts Conference 2015

The Literacy Triad with Donalyn Miller

The Literacy Triad with Jeff Anderson

The Literacy Triad getting ready to present

The Literacy Triad with Teri Lesesne

ALER October 31-November 2

One of my BFFs, Robin, and I went to Delray Beach, Florida October 30th-November 2nd to attend ALER (Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers).  I attended some great sessions, enjoyed presenting with my BFF, and enjoyed seeing the Atlantic Ocean.

Here are a few pics:

 Photo Op at the Airport

 The view of the Atlantic Ocean from our room.

 It wouldn't be a great trip without a little excitement.  Yep!  That is a fire truck at our hotel, which had to be evacuated, and no, we did not hear the alarms to evacuate. We found out and evacuated as the firemen were loading up and everyone was returning.

 I'm almost always working. Just kidding!  We were resting.

Our Selfie on November 1st

My feet in the Atlantic Ocean!

 The Atlantic Ocean

Checking out the beach again before we left.

Our gift to our other BBF, Jill, who couldn't attend.

For some reason, I don't have any pics of our presentation.  Oh, well!

Run for God Pinky 5K (Virtual 5K)

Tonight, after 11.5 hours of Professional Development and hard work unpacking, moving, etc., I joined my BFFs, and we did a Virtual 5K.  All we had to do was register, choose our own course, and then walk or run between August 15th and 17th.  So easy and fun!  Since we live in 2 different places, we started off at the same time and walked, messaging each other, and enjoying our experience.

 My BFF and walking buddy before and after (sunny to dark).

On top is a pic of my other BFF and her daughter at the start.

100 Miles in August

Have you heard about #August100Miles?  You can learn more at https://ilovetorun.org or on their Facebook page.

I first saw it b/c a Facebook friend liked and joined it.  I then started looking into it.  For those of you who have read a few of my posts, you know I am not a runner. Maybe some day I will be, but I'm not there.  These knees of mine aren't young and spry.  :-) However, I am a walker.  Most of the time, I could walk more than I actually do.  My mind keeps me from going or I run out of time.

My BFF and I were looking for a challenge from July 4th to the beginning of school.  Well, we didn't really find one, but when I saw this, we were hooked!  We started on July 31st and have been focused ever since.  We did not officially join to get the buckle, but we are accountable to one another and will know we did it for the health and fitness benefits.

She did the math and figured out we had to do 3.23 miles a day. That is our goal, and we do at least that each night when we walk.  We used July 31st as an extra day in case something happens and we don't get 3.23 in one day.  I also include the other mileage I accumulate throughout the day and is recorded with my Fitbit. In just 4 days, I have walked 29.54 miles.  Yea!

Moving Day

Today was moving day.  Not my moving day.  Moving furniture out of Granny's house to empty it in preparation for the painters.  It was a little emotional standing in each room for the last time with her furniture (or what was left that we had not moved ourselves). 14 pieces of furniture and 6 items from the garage.  Once the movers were done wrapping, padding, and loading it, we headed to our house.  Some of the furniture was put inside our house for our use.  Other items were placed in the shed until we can find a new owner.  The tools were placed in the garage/carport until we find a new owner or need to use them. We don't really have room for all these things, but I just can't part with them.  We will have a dining room table again, we will have a place to store her china, we will have all her sewing equipment for me to make amazing projects (if I actually sit down and make the time), we will have her swivel rocking chair to enjoy (we love sitting in that chair), and so many more pieces. Now . . . to get our house in order.  Wonder how long that will take us.

Have you had to clean out a loved one's home?  What did you do with all the furniture and personal items?
What family pieces hold the most memories for you?

I'm so grateful my BFF shares her husband with us.  That did not sound right.  :-)  Her husband is a great handyman.  He can fix and build a lot of things.  Today, he came over to replace 3 light fixtures, unlock a lock, help us undo a lightbulb and found a live wire that should't be there, and fix the front door. I'm so grateful for him giving his time when we need him.