Five for Friday... Cooking, Cleaning and Catching Up!

I am wrestling with the hands on the clock. I wish time would just SLOW DOWN. I have truly enjoyed all of my "minutes" during this break. I am one of the lucky ones who get a whole week away from school for Thanksgiving. It has been pure bliss.

Since I am always late for all-things-technological, it seems only fitting that I should be late for Doodle Bugs' Five for Friday. I know I am not the only Five for Fraturday gal around, so I don't feel too bad. In fact, I have blogged twice in three days. That's practically a record!

So here are some of the JOYS that have been a part of the week...

We participate in two Thanksgiving meals each year. First, we join in a "Family Gathering" with "extended" family and great food (because I rarely have to cook anything)! My friend, the hostess, is a gourmet cook... Translate that as: "YUM!" Then we have a just-the-two-of-us Thanksgiving dinner at home. Here's a picture of the turkey. Love the giant thermometer? A consequence of growing old... and I still can't read it without my glasses!

I did have some concerns that there wouldn't be any place to eat the Thanksgiving dinner. I have taken over every room in the house with piles and piles of school stuff. Wherever you look, there is a pile of books, a pile of papers and/or forty-seven assorted pens. The dining room table has served as my desk since September. Hmmmm. At least I have now have pictorial proof that the table was (once) cleared!

While I was flying through my cleaning frenzy, I decided to move some boxes into the garage. Of course, I had to have matching boxes. And the boxes had to have labels. And then I decided there should be clip art. I guess no one really wonders why it takes me so long to get anything done...

I love these clear bins. They have them at Office Depot (They have colored ones, too, which I use for curriculum). These bins hold enough to be efficient, but not so much that I cannot pick them up when they are full). I open them all year long to replenish supplies, and having everything in one--labeled!--place makes that task go much more smoothly.

 

Even after thirty years, I still love planning and creating lessons. With computers and clip art, I may love it even more at this point! I have to teach the water cycle in science this week. However, the water cycle lessons require (in my mind) some background knowledge about phases of matter. So I planned those lessons. And those matter lessons require (in my mind) some background knowledge about atoms, molecules and elements. So I planned those lessons too. At this point, I am reminding myself that sometimes you have to go backwards to feel successful going forward. And I am rejoicing in the fact that I have science planned for the week! Besides, I think any flip chart or slide show is better (or at least more fun for me to look at!) when a little Melonheadz clip art is added in. I love all of Nikki's kidlettes!

I still have a lengthy To Do list and LOTS of papers to grade. Thus my plea for time to slow down. Even if it is only to have a few more hours to "get stuff done," I still enjoy doing things at my own pace. And, happily, there are just three short weeks until the next vacation.

So, with a contented sigh, I wish you a happy Sunday!