Music for the People

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

If arts have a place in society,
they must be part of a community.

To be an artist is not the privilege of a few,
but the necessity of us all.

Robert Lawson Shaw (1916 - 1999)
American Conductor

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Ok, ok...I admit: today's thoughts may not have originated from the Thoughts in a Bottle container, but they certainly came from the heart. From the man who clearly set the standard for how choral music should be sung. Today is a big day - one that combines my love of both church and choral music. I officially join the congregation of Bethany Lutheran Church at the 10:30 am service, and then attend a tribute concert to Robert Shaw in the afternoon! Somewhere in-between there, I'm having lunch with Marie, which will be wonderful, as we've often been in the same room, just not long enough to chat! Big day!

I've only ever been a part of my childhood congregation back in Sheboygan, WI, so transferring membership was an important deal. I've always kept the faith, always attended church, I just never officially joined my new congregations. It was time, and this was the place.

The weather outside does not match my mood - it's gray and foggy - a bit spooky. I'm going to choose to think of it as...mysterious! Here in Colorado, the sun always breaks through the clouds eventually. I think that is a fantastic metaphor for the day - a symbolic way of showing that when the right thing finds you, it can't help but burst forth in joy!

What else is there?

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

If a man is doing his best,
what else is there?

George S. Patton (1885 - 1945)
Distinguished and controversial U.S. Army Officer

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Doing my best: that's all I could have done for yesterday's inservice. I couldn't possibly have been more prepared, my audience couldn't have been kinder and more enthusiastic, and my students could not have been more darling. Prepping for a workshop/demonstration on Cooperative Learning, Literacy, and Critical Thinking is not an easy task! My brain hurt putting all of those elements together in a logical, engaging way!


That being said, it is DONE! The audience was complimentary, and I really hope they were able to walk away with some practical ideas. If anything, they have some new thoughts and a local resource person they can call/e-mail. I so appreciated my students (eight!) coming in on their day off - that meant a lot to me. I will miss them over the next THREE WEEKS that I have OFF. Thank you, year-round schooling!

With a Care

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Things done well and with a care
exempt themselves from fear.

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
English poet and playwright

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Meeting my Maker

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my
Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of
meeting me is another matter.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, noted statesman and orator,
officer in the British Army, a historian, a Nobel Prize-winning writer, and an artist

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Prevailing from Pain

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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Although the world is full of suffering,
it is full also of the overcoming of it.

Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)
American author, activist, and lecturer
First deafblind person to graduate from college

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Older than Jesus

As fate would have it, I happened to tune-in to the national broadcast of the Presidential Inauguration on CNN just as the musicians were performing the new John Williams piece! My kiddos adore Star Wars and Indiana Jones, so telling them that the man who wrote those pieces also wrote this special Inauguration piece was incredible! Here's a photo I found on Flickr.

Back to the performance: there on the stage was Yo-Yo Ma (try explaining THAT name to kids!) and Itzhak Perlman. They wanted to know how old he was, and I told them we needed to look that information up online. While hunting, I mentioned that he was born in what is now Israel, and the kids asked me if he was older than Jesus! I love these kids! The way their minds work!

We were able to watch Gabriella Montero on the grand piano and Anthony McGill playing the clarinet. Talk about a music lesson in the making! Because John Williams used "Simple Gifts" as the basis of his new piece, we were able to immediately connect to the music, as they have the original song in their "Get America Singing" book.

We missed hearing Aretha Franklin sing, but I'm sure I'll be able to find and download it somewhere online! I already found and archived the ensemble performance mentioned above, and found a way to view it during school hours, without having to go through any of the blocked sites (Facebook, YouTube, etc.) Hooray!

The kids were just amazed at the number of people - as was I! I found these satellite images on GeoEye later in the day - unreal!
I LOVE sharing these experiences with young children - they are exited because you are excited, and regardless of party affiliation, they completely understood that this was a momentous day in their lives! I am so excited for the future!

Knowing Where You Want to Go

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

In simplest terms, a leader is one who knows
where he wants to go, and gets up, and goes.

John Erskine (1879 - 1951)
American Educator and Author

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7:00 am: A perfect quote for today's events: the crowds attending the festivities in Washington, D. C. are a true testament to fact that our new leader has gone where he wants to go, and will continue to do so once in office. Much more throughout this historic day!

8:00 am: If I cannot watch today's activities as they unfold, I am happy to say that I will be spending this day with my kiddos at school. Answering questions, singing songs - we will celebrate in our own way here in Castle Rock!

Measured Silence

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Monday, January 19, 2009

I have often regretted my speech,
never my silence.

Xenocrates (396 - 314 BC)
Greek philosopher, mathematician, and leader of the Platonic Academy

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Silence? What's that?! I definitely have the speech part down, and for the most part, I can stand strongly behind what I say. As for being silent, well....something I could begin to work on. I've taken the Strengths Finders Quiz (from Gallop) about 8 times now, and the one strength that keeps popping up in my results is Communication. Their definition: "People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters." I might have to throw blogging in there, too.

So, I guess I would have to balance the power of the quote above with this: say the right thing in the right way, and you'll keep yourself out of trouble. No regrets. If there is nothing to say, however, and no benefit will come of your words? Zip it.

Until then, the only measured silence coming from Brenda will have be monitored this way:

They Just Keep Swimming

HOORAY! My fish have made it past the 5 month mark! My little swimmers have been alive now for 5 months! 5 months and 2 days to be exact. That's 155 days. (How lame is THIS blog entry!?)

If you remember my blog entry in September, keeping fish alive is NOT my forte. Five hours is about my record, so measuring little fish in MONTHS is a Brenda miracle.

I feed them every other day, because that's when I remember to feed them. I change their water more often than I feed them.

I do talk to them (I think we may have just nailed down why I am still single) all the time, so they know I love them. Even if I forget to give them daily nourishment.

Good job, little fish. Way to keep swimming.

I Think I Can

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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Whether you think that you can,
or that you can't, you are usually right.

Henry Ford (1863 - 1947)
American founder of the Ford Motor Company, father of modern assembly lines

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1,000 Hits

Wow! My blog counter just reached 1,000 hits! How amazing to think that so many people have visited The Cheese Stands Alone, whether it was to read, browse, or just enjoy the pictures.

Regardless of what draws you here, thank you
for stopping by, and enjoy what's to come!

Baby Steps

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Saturday, January 17, 2009

A journey of a thousand miles
must begin with a single step.

Proverb

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Or, in my case, a journey of a thousand books must begin with a single page! I find my home filled with lots of wonderful literature right now. The books themselves are nothing new, the READING of them is! There are a collection of books from, for, and about faith, and there are a bunch of books I simply WANT to read. Here is what is staring me down from the coffee table:

• Big Russ and Me - Tim Russert
• Pontoon - Garrison Keillor
• Opening the Book of Faith - Jacobson, Powell, Olson
  
• And One More Thing Before You Go - Maria Shriver
• We Thought You Would Be Prettier - Laurie Notaro
• Kate Remembered - A. Scott Berg
• Disciple: Becoming Disciples through Bible Study
  
• The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
• A Thread of Grace - Mary Doria Russell

Hmm...not exactly light reading. Perhaps that's why I keep having some difficulty when trying to finish reading these texts! Little Miss ADHD here needs to pick one or two, and really focus on completing those books. I think I just might try that!

I can't help but think of one of my favorite movies, "What About Bob?", where the psychiatrist suggests beginning things with 'baby steps'. WHY I love this movie, I'm not quite sure, but it keeps me laughing every time I view it, and wouldn't you know it, now fits into the blog thought of the day! HA!

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Note: The day is finally here! Tonight, I'm attending "My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra" with Ann, Kim, and Kim's mom, Neva!

The show is at the Town Hall Arts Center just up the road in Littleton, and their website has this to say about the show: Great songs combined with witty and charming dialog create an eye-popping and ear-pleasing performance that will leave you feeling like the Chairman of the Board. My Way is not a Sinatra impersonation, but a tribute to the musical legacy this legendary performer left behind. Packed with over fifty songs, the cast of two musicians and four singers share renditions of Strangers in the Night, New York, New York, Chicago, That's Life, and of course My Way. In breaks between the medleys the actors recall quotes from Sinatra and memories other musicians had of the man. Whether you're a Sinatra fan or you just love good music, My Way will have you humming a tune all the way home. Come and see why The Best is Yet to Come!

Those of you who know me, know just how much I love the smooth, lyrical sounds of the Sinatra era. The text of the songs, the line of the melody. This theme was crafted into many written pieces during my Master's Degree coursework at Regis, my final presentation (CAP), my classroom, my iPod - you name it! Oooooh, I'm excited!

What I Know

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Friday, January 16, 2009

I am not young enough to know everything.

Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Irish Playwright, author, poet

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Well! I'm pretty sure that there is NOT an age out there where you actually know everything, although, we've all met people on both ends of the age spectrum who believe they have reached and passed this age already! Wisdom, maturity, experience, and the ability to act upon reason does indeed come as one ages. Innocence, sincerity, and curiosity, while often explicitly displayed in children, are certainly qualities an adult can both learn and benefit from possessing.

Knowing I'm somewhere in between curiosity and experience, it is the 16th of the month. In exactly 1 month, I will enter my third decade of life. I just love how that sounds - so much different than when it was only my second. What a difference 10 years can make in one's life.
One thing I know for sure: what happened in New York yesterday was a miracle. The fact that everyone survived what could have been a horrible airplane landing still amazes me! God was definitely looking out for all the people aboard that plane!

Magical Leaders

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Thursday, January 15, 2009

The great leaders are like the best
conductors - they reach beyond the notes
to reach the magic in the players.

Blaine Lee
Self and organization improvement expert with Franklin Covey

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Be Still

Ahhh. With the way my day began, I never thought I'd be in as much peace as I am right now. The children were an absolute delight today, from fractions to mariachi bands, my job is a blessing each and every day. I think the kids have an inner sense that allows them to know just when to be extra charming, extra darling, inquisitive, thoughtful - you name it.

I concluded my evening at Bethany, where, after a brief church service, I sat next to Marie, and vowed to study the Bible with renewed intent. Tonight, I became part of an almost year-long study into the facts, faith, and foundation of my beliefs. The pastor mentioned Psalm 46 tonight, which mentions 'being still', something I am NOT necessarily known for! We talked about not being a human doing, but rather, a human being. I think that I can work on that!

I can't tell you how important this is to me, and to be embarking on something so meaningful seems like a significant and essential way to begin my 30's.

Inferiority Complex

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)
First Lady, Civil Rights advocate, author, speaker, politician, activist

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I am feeling excruciatingly inferior right now. I woke up from a rottenly vivid dream, where I was completely unprepared for a college choir concert. It involved all of the real characters from my real college, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

(I have a feeling this dream was brought upon by my re-connection with lots of these folks via Facebook - this may be my punishment for spending too much time on that site! If these nightmares continue, I may have to cut off contact with each and every person!)

The stage was 10 times the size of what it should have been. The lighting was obnoxiously bright. There were props on stage that rival the giant tree in the Nutcracker. And people - there must have been a thousand choir members, and THEY knew exactly what to sing, and where to go, and what costumes to wear. I still have a furrowed brow just thinking of how completely unprepared I felt.

I left my piano binder behind the stage, which I've mentioned, was larger than usual. I was hunting for it in the dark, not knowing what to do, where it was, where to go - can you sense the total inferiority right now!? Ugh. I want to go back to bed, and restart the day. By the time I had found it, there was someone else on the bench, playing instead of me. Agh! Is this a sign that I'm afraid to be replaced in my real, day-to-day life!? I hadn't thought so, but I can't tell you how disconcerted I am feeling this morning.

I need to re-start my day, get back on track, and just let this dream go in the category of "Crazy Busy Life + Overactive Imagination + 1/2 of an Ambien Sleeping Pill" category of weirdness, and take Eleanor Roosevelt's word to heart: I am not inferior. I am not inferior. I am NOT inferior!

Young at Heart

"I have never seen a grown woman who keeps candy in her pocket!"

Says the fourth grader who caught me sneaking gummi bears during our book club meeting. Apparently, I'm not as sneaky as I thought! HA!

Multiplicative Seizure

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

Sun Tzu (unknown)
Chinese General and author

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I have found myself to be blessed again and again over the last year - it's been a domino effect of opportunities. A connect-the-dot kind of joys. I believe that hard work accompanies a lot of these opportunities - dedication, commitment, zest, passion. I think that's the only kind of 'seizure' I am comfortable with - one that I have honestly earned and can stand proudly behind.

One last thought: not one of these opportunities would have even presented themselves without the fact that God has really been looking out for me lately. I'm healthy, I'm happy, I'm blessed.

Wisconsin ---> Colorado

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Monday, January 12, 2009

Age considers; youth ventures.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Noble Prize in Literature, Author, Poet, Musician

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Shut Your Zippy

I am smack in the middle of trying to find songs for my next choir concert. A parent passed along the idea of television theme songs, and I love it! I'm trying to find the perfect mix of both songs that the kids already know (Scooby Doo, Addams Family), and then some new songs that the kids can learn (Gilligan's Island, The Andy Griffith Show)! It's always nice for the parents/community to be able to enjoy the concert as much as the kids and I do.

During my search, I came across one of the strangest, most frightening TV Theme Song website, complete with pictures and YouTube clips. It's called "Shut Your Zippy", and I've included some of the highlights for you to enjoy:

Stop It and Tidy Up (toilet bowl cleaners? manners coaches?)

The Moomins (not quite sure how they eat)

Jackanory (with Dame Judi Dench and a really, flat dog)

The Flumps (furry, fuzzballs with no ears)

Bananaman & Mr. Majeika
(what's with bananas this year!?)

Wizbit
(anything starring a chunk of cheese must be a good thing)

Shockingly, these songs will NOT be featured in our Spring Concert! A full list of the real concert songs coming soon!

Say Cheese!

If only we had thought

to bring a camera...!

Spark

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Sunday, January 11, 2009

The work of the individual still
remains the spark that moves mankind
ahead even more than teamwork.

Igor Sikorsky (1889 - 1972)
Russian-American pioneer of aviation

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Share Your Courage

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Keep your fears to yourself,
but share your courage with others.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer

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Mis-Match.com

I cannot make this stuff up: Thursday night, I checked out my matches on match.com (yes, I have a profile on an online dating site - I work with 60+ women! I need to meet some wonderful, single men, and it's not happening at work!). ANYWHO, I'm checking my matches, and I do a quick search that includes the words humor, non-smoker, Christian, wants children, and the search results show about 10 guys. This is good.

Now, I'm always wary of guys who post pictures with women. I can certainly understand why there is a female in a picture if the guy has six sisters or something like that. But, to post pictures on an online dating site WITH women in the pictures?! Not my idea of a great profile! (I've always loved The Bernstain Bears series, and I think the book pictured here fits my sentiments perfectly when it comes to what I'm looking for in a match.com profile!)

SO, I'm checking out Guy #3, and we match on a bunch of great attributes: fun, outgoing, adventurous, Christian, non-smoking, etc. I get to his third picture, and I realize that I am staring at a picture of Guy #3 and a COLLEAGUE of mine! Yes, a friend from my school! Are you kidding me!? As if it wasn't bad enough to have a mysterious female in his picture - I KNEW this person!

I'm still laughing about this one. And yes, I told my friend about the picture so she'd realize she was part of a match.com profile! HA! Too funny. I think I'll keep searching.

What You See

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Friday, January 9, 2009

A pessimist sees the difficulty
in every opportunity,
an optimist sees the opportunity
in every difficulty.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
British politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
noted statesman and orator, officer in British Army, historian,
a Nobel Prize-winning writer, and artist

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A gentle reminder on this long-awaited day of the week! This week has tried my optimistic nature. Attitudes, pettiness - you name it. That being said, I have 25 little reminders each and every hour of the school day, helping me figure out what really counts. They are the ones that guide me during the day, and help me figure out why I do what I do, what matters in my life.

I am VERY excited for tomorrow: I'm attending a new member class at my new church! I'm so excited to learn more about the foundation of my beliefs. While I was raised Christian Reformed (that's always sounds so sad), I've attended Lutheran congregations since my college days in Eau Claire. I've done some reading about the teachings of Luther - we'll receive our own copy at the class (I'm not sure if this makes me an over-achiever or just really curious! Let's go with...informed!) I'm excited to do some more networking at this church, too! Can't wait!

Quick Quips

"Boy, we need to get that hen on an appetite!"

We sang a song about 10 Fat Hens today, and my little singer meant to say DIET!


"You have GOT to stop picking me up early from music class!"

Says the six year old to his nanny, as he was pulled out of music class for the third time this week. Yeah! He likes music!

What We Remember

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Thursday, January 8, 2009

In the end, we will remember not the words
of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 - 1968)
Civil rights leader and clergyman

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I can't believe the timing of this quote! (See January 7th post). I'm excited to see my students, and share this quote with them. They had lots of thoughts about protests and how to appropriately express opinions. This will provide yet another talking point on these issues!

Can do

(Updated: 9:00 pm)

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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.

John Wooden (1910 - )
Retired American basketball coach

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This quote is another wonderful reminder that we should play off of our strengths, not our weaknesses. So many times, we think of the obstacles that will stand in our way, the excuses that will get us out of doing things, and the many reasons why we will be completely unable to complete things. (How general can I get!?)

9:00 pm: What I can do: my kids have this uncanny ability to believe in me no matter what. We had an amazing conversation regarding civil rights today, and they looked to me with curiosity and wonder, as I told them tales of the past. Trying my best to fill in the historical gaps, I really tried to keep this quote in mind as we launched into our discussion. I didn't let my apprehension of the minutia (specific dates, names, etc.) interfere with the fact that I could help them understand the bigger concepts of humanity, equity, and liberty. We were singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing", and their questions and comments were so innocent and intriguing. They are so young! I really hope they continue our conversation with their families, and gain the perspective that they are part of a larger whole.

Let Go

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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

No man can think clearly
when his fists are clenched.

George Jean Nathan (1882 - 1959)
American drama critic and editor

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While I may not clench my fists, I certainly clench my TEETH, and that is my first sign that something is wrong. I will often wake up in the morning with a sore jaw, telling me that I was obviously working through something while I 'slept'. I can physically feel when I clench my jaw during the day, whether it be a frustration with work issues or with an individual. Let go, let God. Working on that... I really do try to figure out how to work through the issues during the day, so my poor teeth can get a break during the night!

1,320 Days Later

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Monday, January 5, 2009

Happiness is good health and a bad memory.

Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982)

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Ah, how true. I couldn't be happier for my good health. It has been 1,320 days since my total hysterectomy, and not a day goes by where I am not extremely thankful for my second chance at life. No more pain, no more medications. I have the energy and excitement needed for my active schedule, and the daily passion that my students and colleagues deserve.

Speaking of that selective memory, I'm choosing not to remember the incredibly stressful performance schedule of December 2008. I'm also choosing not to remember that I'll be standing on a corner each morning now, directing the parking lot traffic. Game on.

Dancing with Delight

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Sunday, January 4, 2009

Dancing is silent poetry.

Simonides (556 BC - 468 BC)

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My heart is anything but silent today - it is dancing with delight! I enjoyed yet another calm and renewing church service at Bethany today. The Christmas hymns were amazing in the sanctuary, as the organist once again impressed me with her skill and musicality. Angels we Have Heard on High, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful - wonderful music!

This Sunday, however, I thought I spied someone familiar in the pews ahead of me. Sure enough, there was Dr. Marie Friedemann, from Regis! She was the kind soul who helped with all the behind-the-scene details of Commencement in December, providing everything from advice on what should be included in my Benediction speech, to the last minute straightening of my hood. I could tell right away she was a hoot, and now I find she is a 30+ year member of Bethany's congregation! Our paths were certainly meant to cross!

Mailboxes in Heaven

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Saturday, January 3, 2009

Then He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored.

Matthew 9 : 29

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Well, any Bible story about the restoration of sight is certainly going to catch my eye! (ha) While I've never known what sight with two eyes is really like, I do have faith that one day I'll be able to know. Sight in both eyes will definitely save a lot of mailboxes on the left side of the roads in Heaven, as I just might finally have that depth perception I so often lack!

I do find it amazing, though, that I currently teach two children with similar eye issues - TWO! I never would have thought that, as a little girl myself. Yet, here we are, brought together, and not by random chance, that's for sure. Amazing what a little faith can bring into your life!

(This Bible story goes on to mention the healing of a mute man. No impairments in THAT department!)

A Wonderful Time

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Friday, January 2, 2009

I've had a wonderful time, but this wasn't it.

Groucho Marx (1890-1977)

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Thoughts in a Bottle

Years ago, my friend (and former student and someone I would consider family) KATE made me a bottle of happy thoughts. Quotes, deep thoughts, wise words. She printed them all on white pieces of paper, cut them into thin strips, and shoved them deep into a glass bottle. The bottle was decorated with those shiny stars from the old days. Kate even made replacement thoughts when she believed I might be running out of thoughts! Too sweet!

I have no idea how many thoughts are actually in the bottle, so I'm going to pull and post a thought each day, until the bottle is empty! Some days, I'm sure the quote will speak to me. Other days, I'm sure we'll all learn a bit more about the author of the thought. Either way, Thank You, Kate, for your kind gift and creative start to my day!

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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Talent does what it can, genius does what it must.

Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873)

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Random Facts (which will most likely be pulled from Wikipedia!)

• Bulwer-Lytton is the originator of the now infamous line "It was a dark and stormy night".
• The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, named in his honor, celebrates deliberately bad writing. Entries are encouraged to be as terrible as possible.
• He was one of Charles Dickens's closest friends and favorite authors.

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Bananagram'o'rama!

Happy New Year from Colorado!

My newest favorite thing: Bananagrams! Described as the 'anagram game that will drive you bananas', Bananagrams is a 144-tile world game where players form words until all the tiles are used. You begin with 21 tiles, and add one tile from the draw pile once you've placed your tiles. Everyone has to pick up a new tile, whether they were ready for the next tile or not. If you are on a roll, and the others players aren't...look out! I LOVE the bag the tiles come in - a banana! Super cute and compact! Portable, too!

What a great game to build your vocabulary - it's amazing how my word length has improved after just one week of playing! There are a couple of tricky letters: J, V, Q and of course, Z. If those letters trip you up, you have the option of tossing it back into the draw pile, but you'll have to grab 3 tiles in exchange. No proper nouns, names, etc. The typical scrabble-like rules. Can you tell I really enjoy this game?! I bought it for some friends, and had to go back to the store and purchase my own bag'o'banana fun!

Here's what a solo-round looks like:
Love it! It's $15 - Barnes and Noble keeps it in stock!

Have a bananagram'o'riffic 2009!

Christmas in Estes Park

Wanting to avoid anything involving the words AIRPORT, DELAY, STORM, or FLIGHT CANCELED this year, I decided to stay in Colorado for Christmas. I'll travel back to Wisconsin during my off-track time in February.

I traveled up to Estes Park with the Herrell Family, where Ann's parents own a home along a lovely, babbling brook. Literally. Their home is about a mile from the YMCA camp in Estes Park, about 2 hours north west of Castle Rock. It's GORGEOUS there - picturesque and beautiful. What a busy, bustling week it was! Between all the families that were there (Ann's brother + family, Ann's sister + family, etc.), we took over 800 pictures throughout the week. I will be posting every single picture below.

Ok, not ALL the pictures, just the highlights! ENJOY!

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I adore the view of the mountains!
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All the kids in their matching pajamas on Christmas Day.
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Note: I was NOT the one who hit the tree this year. All is well...
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Aren't we crafty!? Kate and I at the YMCA, painting up a storm!
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Here's the plate, after it was fired in the kiln. Dang!
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The munchkins with their mustaches!
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Happy Lucy, Happy Brenda.
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Smores in a Jar

Oh, MY was this a scrumptious treat to make over break! YUM! I received this recipe in a jar from two of my students (and their über-creative mama) as a Christmas gift.

Anyone who knows my affinity for marshmallow Peeps understands how much restraint it took for me to actually follow the recipe, and not immediately inhale these delicious pieces of marshmallow joy!

The dry mixture looked colorful and full of holiday cheer!

The wet mixture looked rather, um...disturbing - no cheer!

Note: If you actually FOLLOW the order of ingredients, you won't mix everything together, as I did, and your Smores in a Jar will be just fine! HA!

The finished product...unreal! The brown sugar and graham crackers formed a semi-solid crust on the bottom, while the chocolate melted to ooey-gooey goodness. The long-awaited marshmallows stretched as proper marshmallows do, and I ate the marvelous mixture (well, part of it!) before I could take an 'after' picture!

Here's the entire recipe, from table to tummy!

Layer the following in a 1 quart jar:
---1 sleeve of graham crackers, crushed to crumbs
---1/3 cup brown sugar
---1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows (or sliced, holiday Peeps)
---1 cup milk chocolate chips or Red/Green M & M's

On the attached, gift/directions card:
---Pour contents of jar into a greased 9 x 9 pan
---Melt 1/2 cup butter, add 1 teaspoon vanilla
---Pour over dry ingredients, mixing well

Bake at 350° F. for 15 minutes.

Amen

I was asked to give the Benediction at my Commencement ceremony - anyone who knows me understands that Benediction and Brenda are rarely used in the same sentence! Opening? Sure. Entertainment? You bet. Religious dismissal? Not usually! :o) Even so, I was honored to be asked, and took the assignment very seriously. I was given a 60 second time limit, and some general guidelines (basically the same steps we give our beginning writers about including a salutation, body, conclusion, etc.).

As a speaker, I was invited to gather and prepare with the other dignitaries - the faculty and staff members, the President of Regis, the deans of schools - all dressed in their magnificent robes and regalia. The sheer amount of education gathered in those 2 rooms! They were all so welcoming and down to earth - they put the four of us at ease, and were incredibly encouraging. Dr. Marie Friedemann was especially helpful, giving us those last minute details and helping us look our best before we processed on stage. I am going to miss this faculty!

In addition to the 806 graduates and their families at Saturday's ceremony, the Governor and First Lady of Colorado (Bill and Jeannie Ritter) were in attendance, too! My brother was in town, and Ann and Kim snuck in near the end. There were a lot of people in that ballroom!

The Provost said it was the first Commencement ever with live music from the podium (I sang the 2 lines of text near the end). The faculty was highly complimentary, too. They said they "knew I had a special sparkle in my eye and that they just didn't know the sparkle would come out through my voice!" Here's the text of my Benediction:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we gather today to celebrate this academic milestone, let us recognize that we have not been alone on this journey.

Indeed, there were many people at our side, first and foremost being our family and friends, who gave us their support, their advice, and their love.

Secondly, Regis University, an institute where learners do indeed become leaders, where instructors create opportunities for our success, and where peers provide encouragement and inspiration.

Lastly, Lord, we thank and remember Your presence on our path. We pray that You continue to grant us courage to fulfill our callings, peace in times of struggle, and strength that we will invest both our education and knowledge into worthy causes.

I leave you now with the words of Meredith Willson:
"May your troubles all be small ones, and your fortunes ten times ten. May the good Lord bless and keep you till we meet again."

In Your holy name, 

Amen

Exhale

I have made it to December 14th! The amount of things I've had to do in the last 6 weeks has been UNREAL, and I can finally take a deep breath AND exhale! Whew! I've had an exciting time with Track Concerts (see previous post), Choir Concerts, Brad's visit and then Commencement this past weekend. Crazy amazing!

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All of my second graders, dancing their little hearts out!
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Back on the slopes - a whole day without falling down!
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Brad and his F-14 Tomcat - Top Gun, anyone!?
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geoGreeting

You know how you start by clicking on ONE website, and an hour later, you find yourself on a completely different topic, not really able to trace your path!? Well, welcome to geoGreeting: you can type in a sentence, and each letter is a building somewhere in the world, viewed from above using Google Maps. Is that not awesome?! A geography lesson built right in! Here's where my letters can be found throughout the world:

B - Maspalomas, Canary Islands
R - Gary, IN
E - Chicago, IL
N - Tucson, AZ
D - Moscow, Russia (lake)
A - Bangkok, Thailand

Bless their Hearts

Two down, two to go. My B Trackers, 182 kids in grades 1 - 6, had their Track Concert last week. After exhausting teaching sessions, and lots of reminders, the blessed children SHOWED UP! There were over 170 kids AND their families at our evening concert - bless their hearts! The concert was 2 hours after dismissal, and the temperature was less than 15 degrees that night - and they still came back! I had know idea who was going to show up, as I hadn't been able to collect information on attending families. If I would have sent anything home that made the evening concert seem even remotely optional, I know some kids would have capitalized on that! Yet, they came!

These concerts are a total combination of organization...and letting go. The sheer amount of kids could have been overwhelming. Thankfully, I'm used to dealing with large groups of kids, and my kids are so great to quickly respond to me when I need their attention. When one groups was done, they'd bow, leave the stage, and the other group would stand up, and get into place. It felt like there was constant motion!

The energy in the gym was PALPABLE! First graders were ready to explode, while second graders had the deer in the headlights look. My 3rd graders were just plain nervous, while the 4th graders were super confident. 5th graders wouldn't stop talking, and just about every 6th grader was in attendance! It was amazing to see how many people we were able to fit into our gym! I thought the CHOIR concerts were full - HA! My kids had so many family members present to support them! How exciting!

While the concert itself did go amazingly smooth, there were a couple of absolutely crazy moments. I still laugh out loud remembering them:

• Flying Shoes: a 5th grader lost their SHOE in the middle of their dance number - it FLEW across the stage
• I'm Here: a late 3rd grader runs ONTO the stage during the 4th grade set, loudly declaring "I'm here, Ms. G!"
• I'm Not Here: some of my shy first graders were literally trying to hide behind each other on stage - darling!
• Zoom: regardless of how slowly I set and re-set the tempo, my 5th graders set a land-speed record on the xylophones
• Maggie: a 3 year old sibling I've know since her conception, joined the first graders on stage, ready to perform, THEN ended up joining me at the piano, calm and quiet as can be! Fearless!
• Take a Bow: apparently, this phrase must have been a code for my 3rd graders, because as soon as I said it, they all fled from the stage!

Two down, two to go. I get to do it all over again this week Wednesday, with my C Track kids (172 of them). My brother, Bradley, arrives Wednesday morning, so he'll be here in town for both the afternoon and evening concerts! I can't wait!