This morning is an example of why I truly LOVE my job!
A very excited young lady just bounced into the library to say that the book she checked out yesterday is "amazing"! Then she proceeded to ask me questions about it, and she continued to rave about it. And THEN she says, "I'm only 3/4 of the way into it!"
Yep, that's what I needed to hear first thing this morning. :)
I absolutely LOVE getting to recommend books to students. And I love it even more when they come back LOVING the book.
Perhaps the best part of my job is getting to pass along my enthusiasm, my excitement, my LOVE of books! I really enjoy seeing students come in to ask for a book the SECOND time, knowing I can help them find something they'll enjoy.
Why do I LOVE my job? My work is never done! :)
Oh, by the way, the exciting book she was reading? Au revior, crazy European chick by Joe Schreiber!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Doing the Right Thing
I enjoy working with kids. I think it's fascinating to watch them grow up into young adults, to watch the workings of their minds as they mature.
The hardest thing to instill in our children, I think, is the power to do the right thing. Sometimes, it seems we encourage them to make their own decisions based on what we (the adult world) want them to do. I'm always proud (and a little amazed) when kids stand up and do what's right. Without being pushed. But just because it's the right thing to do.
It's hard to be brave, no matter what age you are, to stand up for what you believe. I'm proud of all my students who wake up in the morning and come to school. It's not always easy to face the world, and it definitely isn't always easy to do the right thing.
But your efforts are appreciated. Your good deeds are seen. I am proud.
A book about doing the right thing, even if it's the hard thing: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
The hardest thing to instill in our children, I think, is the power to do the right thing. Sometimes, it seems we encourage them to make their own decisions based on what we (the adult world) want them to do. I'm always proud (and a little amazed) when kids stand up and do what's right. Without being pushed. But just because it's the right thing to do.
It's hard to be brave, no matter what age you are, to stand up for what you believe. I'm proud of all my students who wake up in the morning and come to school. It's not always easy to face the world, and it definitely isn't always easy to do the right thing.
But your efforts are appreciated. Your good deeds are seen. I am proud.
A book about doing the right thing, even if it's the hard thing: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Technology Leadership Differences
As a Library Media Specialist, I think somewhere along the line, I heard I was supposed to be a technology leader.
As a person who knows just enough about technology to be dangerous, that call to be a technology leader seems a bit daunting. And yet... Maybe my own struggle to learn and keep up with technology can mirror my students' struggles to learn something new. Although it seems that anything "tech" comes easy to today's young people, many struggle in school. As a leader in education, I should be able to guide kids toward tools that help (and to empathize with their struggles).
I currently serve two libraries, one at elementary and one at jr/sr high school. Here is where the strangest dichotomy exists. Our elementary school is led by a strong administrator who acknowledges the need for technology in education, and who encourages all of us to expand our boundaries and think outside the box. Her attitude is one of excelling as champions in all areas. Our principal's enthusiasm is contagious, and as we learn new things, we pass them on to our students. The atmosphere at the elementary school is one of optimism as we eagerly embrace the future today.
The atmosphere in the junior/senior high school is a bit different. The teachers are not pushed to try new things, but they can if they are willing to do so on their own. New technology is not on the "high priority" list.
Where do I fit in here? I think I sort of fall in the middle somewhere. I try to keep up with new things (being married to the computer tech guy at the elementary helps), but I admit that it is sometimes difficult to try new things.
Here's the point: no matter where you work, no matter your own ability or comfort level, step out of the box once in awhile. Anyone can be a technology leader. It may take a bit of effort, but aren't our kids worth it?
How about a fun read for elementary kids? Dan Gutman's Virtually Perfect is a great choice!
As a person who knows just enough about technology to be dangerous, that call to be a technology leader seems a bit daunting. And yet... Maybe my own struggle to learn and keep up with technology can mirror my students' struggles to learn something new. Although it seems that anything "tech" comes easy to today's young people, many struggle in school. As a leader in education, I should be able to guide kids toward tools that help (and to empathize with their struggles).
I currently serve two libraries, one at elementary and one at jr/sr high school. Here is where the strangest dichotomy exists. Our elementary school is led by a strong administrator who acknowledges the need for technology in education, and who encourages all of us to expand our boundaries and think outside the box. Her attitude is one of excelling as champions in all areas. Our principal's enthusiasm is contagious, and as we learn new things, we pass them on to our students. The atmosphere at the elementary school is one of optimism as we eagerly embrace the future today.
The atmosphere in the junior/senior high school is a bit different. The teachers are not pushed to try new things, but they can if they are willing to do so on their own. New technology is not on the "high priority" list.
Where do I fit in here? I think I sort of fall in the middle somewhere. I try to keep up with new things (being married to the computer tech guy at the elementary helps), but I admit that it is sometimes difficult to try new things.
Here's the point: no matter where you work, no matter your own ability or comfort level, step out of the box once in awhile. Anyone can be a technology leader. It may take a bit of effort, but aren't our kids worth it?
How about a fun read for elementary kids? Dan Gutman's Virtually Perfect is a great choice!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
New Fun with Technology (and Scrapbooking)
That's right, I've found more fun with technology!
I know I'm married to a technology guru, but it's so much more fun when I "discover" things for myself. I often say I know enough about technology to be dangerous! But trust me, my new fun technology is safe for all users!
This new, fun aspect of technology combines several of my "favorite things".
Scrapbooking
Taking pictures
Family
Walmart
Combine all those together and presto!
Photo Books from the Walmart Digital Photo Center!
There are several neat aspects of the Walmart online site, but I love the photo center. We've known for a long time about the ease of using the online photo center to send pictures to be developed. If my order is under $20, I can just send them the photos, then go pick them up and pay for them at my local Walmart! I have 2 Walmart stores close by, and it's easy to choose which one with just a click. So, no matter what town I'm in, I can go by and pick up my pictures.
The "new" part of the site that I've "discovered" is the photo book section. Basically, it's like online scrapbooking! I can upload my pictures from my computer or camera card . Then I choose from a PLETHORA of backgrounds and themes. I can also choose what size I want the album to be, whether I want it hardbound or paper, and even if I want a picture cover, standard cover, or cover with a picture window.
The best part is, I can make the books however long I need them to be (with a minimum of 20 pages -- but that's hardly a "minimum", right?) and add as many pages as I need. Not only do the pages allow me to put in pictures, but I can also add journaling. Which, as any ardent scrapbooker will agree, is a vital part of any photo album!
I can take as long as I want to create a book. I can save at any point along the way, edit and undo wherever I need to, or even discard the whole thing if I want! Best of all, I can order the books sent directly to my local Walmart for me to pick up. No shipping charges! With the photo books, I usually use my handy Walmart gift card to pay online, so all I have to do is drop by Walmart in about a week and pick up my books!
Believe me, these books are quite nice. I've made 4 so far! Can't wait to get together with my family this week to share the books I've made, and to take more pictures to use in creating more masterpieces!
As a book recommendation, I suggest the scrapbooking tools from Creative Memories! The company has local representatives that sell everything from paper and stickers to organizers and books. I love the idea books, like the one below. Or explore the website at creativememories.com! (ooo, more technology!)
I know I'm married to a technology guru, but it's so much more fun when I "discover" things for myself. I often say I know enough about technology to be dangerous! But trust me, my new fun technology is safe for all users!
This new, fun aspect of technology combines several of my "favorite things".
Scrapbooking
Taking pictures
Family
Walmart
Combine all those together and presto!
Photo Books from the Walmart Digital Photo Center!
There are several neat aspects of the Walmart online site, but I love the photo center. We've known for a long time about the ease of using the online photo center to send pictures to be developed. If my order is under $20, I can just send them the photos, then go pick them up and pay for them at my local Walmart! I have 2 Walmart stores close by, and it's easy to choose which one with just a click. So, no matter what town I'm in, I can go by and pick up my pictures.
The "new" part of the site that I've "discovered" is the photo book section. Basically, it's like online scrapbooking! I can upload my pictures from my computer or camera card . Then I choose from a PLETHORA of backgrounds and themes. I can also choose what size I want the album to be, whether I want it hardbound or paper, and even if I want a picture cover, standard cover, or cover with a picture window.
The best part is, I can make the books however long I need them to be (with a minimum of 20 pages -- but that's hardly a "minimum", right?) and add as many pages as I need. Not only do the pages allow me to put in pictures, but I can also add journaling. Which, as any ardent scrapbooker will agree, is a vital part of any photo album!
I can take as long as I want to create a book. I can save at any point along the way, edit and undo wherever I need to, or even discard the whole thing if I want! Best of all, I can order the books sent directly to my local Walmart for me to pick up. No shipping charges! With the photo books, I usually use my handy Walmart gift card to pay online, so all I have to do is drop by Walmart in about a week and pick up my books!
Believe me, these books are quite nice. I've made 4 so far! Can't wait to get together with my family this week to share the books I've made, and to take more pictures to use in creating more masterpieces!
As a book recommendation, I suggest the scrapbooking tools from Creative Memories! The company has local representatives that sell everything from paper and stickers to organizers and books. I love the idea books, like the one below. Or explore the website at creativememories.com! (ooo, more technology!)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Logistics of Family Togetherness
It's no secret, I love getting together with my family! I have a very close family, and we love spending time together. The problem is, we live very far away from them!
It's hard to get together very often when you live 8 hours from the people you want to see. It's actually a major undertaking. Thankfully, my kids are good travelers; but getting everyone else together is like organizing a small army. Make that an army of cats!
Usually, we manage to get together only twice a year -- Christmas and summer time. Sometimes, it's closer to Thanksgiving, or Fall Break, or Spring Break. However we can manage it, we get together when we can. We especially love heading out to the farm where my grandma lives. The kids love running around the wide open Kansas plains, and the cousins love coming out and running around with them! It's just difficult to get all of us in one place at the same time.
Most difficult of all is having to change plans. Yes, making the plans initially is tricky. Carrying out the plans is even more dicey.
As you can tell, I am experiencing this plan-changing right now. Because my son is sick, we are unable to get together with my herd (hmm, I mean family) when we originally planned. Hopefully everyone will be flexible and we can try again when the little guy is feeling better. Nothing like a long drive in the car with a sick child! And he would have NO fun out at the farm if he had to stay inside the whole time!
So, family, be patient. We'll try this again.
In the meantime, I'll be indulging in some light reading. To cheer myself up. I miss my family!
Light reading suggestion: Hester Browne's Swept Off Her Feet. I plan to enjoy it this weekend!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Design Therapy
I love watching HGTV. And now, I'm pretty sure my daughter is also hooked!
The premiere of the new season of Design Star was last night, so we spent this morning enjoying the show on hgtv.com, as well as the "extras".
You know, the extras: behind the scenes, expert advice, the whining, and of course, the sneak peak of next week's episode! (Which is the white box, by the way -- my favorite of each season.)
Then, we discovered a cool extension -- HGTV Color Schemes and Paint!
We started with the really cool Style Quiz at http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/hgtv-home-by-sherwin-williams/quiz/
I think it's pretty accurate, considering it nailed me, my daughter, and my son. (I'm "Global Spice", daughter is "Color Pizazz", and son is "Rustic Refined".) Even the names are fun! The kids had fun looking through the color combinations, seeing if they could find the color styles that matched other people we know, like Aunt Teri ("Coastal Cool") or cousin Heidi ("Traditional Twist").
There is also a cool section where you can "Picture it before you paint it" -- click on the colors you like, and use coordinating colors to decorate sample rooms!
My book suggestion for the day is Apartment Therapy by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. This amazing book was given to me several years ago, and works really well for people with small houses as well as city apartments. It takes you step-by-step through your living space to take you from hating your home to loving it! Apartment Therapy has a website, too, with lots of blogs and shopping. Great book, and great website!
The premiere of the new season of Design Star was last night, so we spent this morning enjoying the show on hgtv.com, as well as the "extras".
You know, the extras: behind the scenes, expert advice, the whining, and of course, the sneak peak of next week's episode! (Which is the white box, by the way -- my favorite of each season.)
Then, we discovered a cool extension -- HGTV Color Schemes and Paint!
We started with the really cool Style Quiz at http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/hgtv-home-by-sherwin-williams/quiz/
I think it's pretty accurate, considering it nailed me, my daughter, and my son. (I'm "Global Spice", daughter is "Color Pizazz", and son is "Rustic Refined".) Even the names are fun! The kids had fun looking through the color combinations, seeing if they could find the color styles that matched other people we know, like Aunt Teri ("Coastal Cool") or cousin Heidi ("Traditional Twist").
There is also a cool section where you can "Picture it before you paint it" -- click on the colors you like, and use coordinating colors to decorate sample rooms!
My book suggestion for the day is Apartment Therapy by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. This amazing book was given to me several years ago, and works really well for people with small houses as well as city apartments. It takes you step-by-step through your living space to take you from hating your home to loving it! Apartment Therapy has a website, too, with lots of blogs and shopping. Great book, and great website!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Memorial Musings
This Memorial Day weekend really made me reminisce. It was just one of those weekends.
We took flowers around for my husband's grandma, to all the gravesites she usually visits. Good thing my father-in-law took us. It was a bit of a wild good chase, and I will probably not remember where they all are, but it was quite interesting. Lots of my husband's relatives that I didn't know much about. I also got to sit with his grandma and talk to her for awhile about her life. I learned so much about her childhood that I didn't know before. The neatest story was about when she moved when she was 2. She had to ride in the back of a pickup with the family's chickens!
We also went out to Mammaw's grave. The kids and I go out there several times a year, but it was neat to see it decorated with beautiful flowers from my sister-in-law and a wreath from PaPa. My husband also found the rock that my daughter had put out there when the headstone first arrived. It had been "lost" under a bit of grass and dirt. (PaPa said he'd been asking everyone about who had put the rock out there in the first place -- not knowing it was his own granddaughter!!)
I have also ordered a spray of flowers to take out to my mom's grave. We usually don't get there during Memorial Day time, but we will be there next weekend! My sister-in-law the florist designed flowers just for me! It will be beautiful: sunflowers, orange lilies, and white roses.
On Sunday, the family all gathered at PaPa's house. The men grilled burgers and steaks, and we had asparagus and cheese! The hardest part of the day, though, was that my son was sick. So hubby and I "tag teamed" to get to spend some time with the family. Everyone was there, but not all at the same time! My daughter had fun playing with all her little cousins.
Check out some great Memorial Day "reading": cookbooks! Get out the grill!
We took flowers around for my husband's grandma, to all the gravesites she usually visits. Good thing my father-in-law took us. It was a bit of a wild good chase, and I will probably not remember where they all are, but it was quite interesting. Lots of my husband's relatives that I didn't know much about. I also got to sit with his grandma and talk to her for awhile about her life. I learned so much about her childhood that I didn't know before. The neatest story was about when she moved when she was 2. She had to ride in the back of a pickup with the family's chickens!
We also went out to Mammaw's grave. The kids and I go out there several times a year, but it was neat to see it decorated with beautiful flowers from my sister-in-law and a wreath from PaPa. My husband also found the rock that my daughter had put out there when the headstone first arrived. It had been "lost" under a bit of grass and dirt. (PaPa said he'd been asking everyone about who had put the rock out there in the first place -- not knowing it was his own granddaughter!!)
I have also ordered a spray of flowers to take out to my mom's grave. We usually don't get there during Memorial Day time, but we will be there next weekend! My sister-in-law the florist designed flowers just for me! It will be beautiful: sunflowers, orange lilies, and white roses.
On Sunday, the family all gathered at PaPa's house. The men grilled burgers and steaks, and we had asparagus and cheese! The hardest part of the day, though, was that my son was sick. So hubby and I "tag teamed" to get to spend some time with the family. Everyone was there, but not all at the same time! My daughter had fun playing with all her little cousins.
Check out some great Memorial Day "reading": cookbooks! Get out the grill!
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