September, 2013 | The Angel Forever

Monthly Archives September 2013

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Ready for Crochet Wristers

Posted on September 16, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

My love for all things crochet has really taken off. Part of this is thanks to a great community called The Crochet Crowd. While I used to sit and wonder how I would ever be able to make things everyone shared in the group, I now makes lists of the next item to tackle. Part of the beauty of The Crochet Crowd is the gentleman who started it: Michael Selnick. Mikey is a master of crochet tutorials who helped me to ditch my knitting needles (for now) and finally learn to crochet. The video tutorials are amazing and have allowed me to not only make my giant Rainbow Granny Square Afghan, but multiple other items including the following:

Last week I realized I did not have much of a yarn stash in the house and wanted to start something. The next big project I want to attack is an 8-bit granny square blanket, but the planning is taking a bit more time. I found the vibrant blue yarn that I had bought some time ago and decided to try a new technique. I used two skeins and made a corner to corner scarf (variation of a Red Heart pattern in this tutorial). Once that was finished I got the guts to try the Crochet Wristers (using the Give em Spirit Crochet Wristers tutorial). This pattern also happens to be the Challenge on The Crochet Crowd right now and hundreds of pairs have already been created in just a weeks time.

I can not believe how easy this was to make. Once I had the yarn on my hook, it just took shape before my eyes.

I was a little nervous about the thumb area, but it was not difficult thanks to Mikey’s tutorial guiding me through it. Once I was finished with the first one, I tried it on and took a few quick photos.

Then I took a little break and eventually grabbed my hook and yarn and made the second for the complete pair. Once they were finished, a certain six year old declared that they were his. He said they made him a super hero and went flying around the house. He stopped just long enough for the photo below and the one at the top.

Of course, once you make one child a pair of wristers, chances are the other child will also want a pair. Hmmmm….there may be a book on this with a Mouse and a Cookie. Anyway, more yarn was purchased that the big kid selected. Plus, I bought a few additional skeins to start making additional pairs for gifting.

If you were to receive a pair of wristers, what would your dream color combination look like?

It's Me

Categories:
arts and crafts crocheting

Quantity vs. Quality When Reading

Posted on September 13, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

It is no secret that I love to read. Of course, what some may not know is that I have not always been an avid reader. Growing up, I despised being forced to read items in school and being told that so many book reports were equivalent to an A, B,C, and so on. My mother saw that this was a quantity vs. quality dilemma. She never forced me to do more than seemed reasonable so long as I was reading. I still resent my fifth grade teacher to this day for forcing our class to read The Hobbit.

I believe I owe my mother a huge thank you for not pushing the issue and letting me figure out my own love of reading. When I was finally able to break free of required reading, I felt a weight lift off my back. I learned to love new and different genres and explored many new authors when I was studying to become a teacher. When I became a certified reading teacher, I knew that I would use my experience to help children. While many teachers may not have admitted how they felt as a child, I told my older students. Why not tell them the truth and use it to connect with them. I told them that I would be there to help them as they had to work through the books that I had selected for Language Arts that year. We changed things up, worked together, listened to audio books, and kept thinking outside of the box. I knew that not every student would adore the books I picked, but it was my role as the teacher to get them through them and learn from the titles.

So why am I mentioning this?

Two things have come up recently that have frustrated me as a parent and educator. This summer, our local library changed the summer reading problem. My boys have adored it for many years, but this year it did not click. Rather than focus on the time read and encouraging children to read, it was all about the number of books and completing games for prizes. While this was apparently quite popular with other children (their numbers were high), it was not with us. My oldest was reading Harry Potter books. He tuned out and never wanted to go back and once again my reluctant reader was back. In the past, the library program kept track of every fifteen minutes that children read. After so much time, they received a prize like a pencil, ice cream cone coupon, or something else. This spoke to my kids, especially my reluctant reader. He could read his books about facts during the day and more of Harry Potter at night. It was an amazing motivator and he was reading an hour or more each evening before bed during the summer.

The next thing that I do not understand is requiring a specific amount of books to be read during a school year. Sure, it may work for younger elementary age students who are learning to read and emerging with leveled reading and picture books. The reality is it blows up after second or third grade when kids have moved onto chapter books. This is once again pushing the quantity versus quality button in my brain. It also discourages children from pushing themselves further and trying more challenging books. Why would they want to if it is simply the number that counts and not titles, authors, or time actually spent reading. Why yes, this also can lead more children down the path to being a reluctant reader.

So my questions to you this week:

How do you encourage your children to read without stepping on toes and making them reluctant readers? Have you ever had a time when you did not like to read or perhaps your children? I would love to know what you did and how you helped to remedy this.

It's Me

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this Friday fun. These days, Pamela at A Renaissance Woman is reviving the fun Friday Meme. Head over there to link up and join in the fun.

Aloha Friday by Kailani at An Island Life

Aloha #253

Categories:
books Educational school

Being An App Game Playing Family

Posted on September 12, 2013 11:07 am by TheAngelForever

Did you play video games when you were a child? I know I did. I still remember having a Coleco Vision and Atari systems to start. We eventually bought a Commodore 64 Computer. While I do not recall my mother playing the games with us, my father did. He would help us to figure out new games. One of the favorites on our new computer was Load Runner. This was a puzzle like game with a character that really made you think. We would work together and compete to see who could pass and figure out levels. As my brother and I grew up, this continued with other gaming systems and better computers and games. Of course, these days we have several gaming devices and most recently added the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 into the mix thanks to being a Verizon Lifestyle Blogger. The boys loved the one we received so much, they split the cost of a second one using gift card money they had saved up.

As a teacher, you may think that I am not a fan of gaming. You would be wrong. I think they have a place for children and parents that enjoy them. In fact, many of them are educational and require the use problem solving strategies. They also provide a great way for families to work together, talk, and bond. The case in point this summer would be the My Muppets Show app that is available for Android and Apple devices. All three of the boys fell head over heels in love with this. I was haunted by the Muppets music often coming from two Galaxy Tablets. TechyDad and I boys would chat up what they were accomplishing. The boys would assist each other earning new Muppets. It was not simply TechyDad telling them, they all helped each other. I actually hate to admit it, I felt a bit left out of the conversations because I had not really kept up with using the app on my Android phone.

So why am I writing about this? Well yesterday Monia Vila, The Online Mom, shared a post that she had written on The Huffington Post. Can Playing Video Games Make You a Better Parent? was inspired by the recent TEDTalk by Jane McGonigal. Thanks to Monica’s article, I spent the time and listened to the powerful words from McGonigal. As a parent and educator, I now want to use my extra minutes that she notes to connect more with my boys. We already read together, play board games, and go to places near and far as a family, but I want more. I want to be able to chat with them and understand the gaming apps that they adore. I want to geek out with them. I do not look at gaming as a waste of time. It is something we can do together for years to come. I take this up a notch from what Monica wrote about in her article and suggest that educators, including teachers, get in tune with games and things that their students are playing. Not only can you use these as ways to connect with the kids in your classroom, but you can expand on the apps/games for use in your teaching for a more authentic experience.

Fess up, do you use gaming as a way to connect with your family? If you are a teacher, have you ever made lesson plans that reach out to the gamers in your class? I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Oh and be sure to head over to read Monica’s post where she also has the TEDTalk with Jane McGonigal – it is worth reading and watching. No doubt it will leave your brain racing a mile a minute trying to figure out how to utilize this information in your life.

I know that in our house gaming is not a waste of time, but something that we use to keep everyone problem solving, talking, and focused. Oh and one other item, it’s fun and helps to relieve stress from every day life that does happen.

It's Me

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 to test out and share ways that I use this in my life. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Categories:
Educational family Technology

Tuesday Tales – The Vanishing Gourds: A Sukkot Mystery

Posted on September 10, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Each year, after Rosh Hashanah, many Jewish families begin to prepare for Sukkot. This is a fun holidays where some build a sukkah in their yard and eat meals and sleep under the stars. In the past our boys have helped to decorate the sukkah at our synagogue while at nursery school and Hebrew School. Looking back we have a lot of wonderful memories with our children celebrating Sukkot together.

Thanks to the PJ Library, we were introduced to new book about Sukkot. The Vanishing Gourds: A Sukkot Mystery by Susan Axe-Bronk arrived for JSL to read during the holiday season. I have to admit, that I may have been more excited to sit down and read it together. Once I started to read, JSL was hooked. He wanted to know more about Sara and the way her family celebrates Sukkot.

When you begin the story, you are introduced to Sara. We watch as she and her family prepare for Sukkot. She helps her father to build the sukkah, she bakes items to eat in the sukkah, and she decorates the sukkah. Sara goes with her mother to a farm to get some gourds to hang in their sukkah. The beautiful illustrations by Marta Monelli make the book even more festive. The crisp autumn feel is present as we see Sara, the gourds, and sukkah happenings. Then something starts to happen to the gourds in the sukkah and we follow along as Sara solves the mystery.

JSL really enjoyed the story and wanted to know more about gourds. For some reason, he does not recall seeing them at the farms that we have gone to in the past. I do believe we may have to get some for fall decorations this year. We talked about memories of decorating the sukkah when he was in nursery school and how he would often eat lunch in it when the weather was nice. At the end of the book, JSL was happy with the ending and seemed to want to hear more about Sara and her family.

I also enjoyed the story. I liked that it was different than other Sukkot stories that we have read in the past. The cute mystery gives children the chance to think, predict, and wonder about the cause of the gourds being smashed. In addition to this, I liked how forgiving Sara was throughout the story. She had great coping strategies and looked ahead to the following year when she would celebrate Sukkot again. For families reading the book together, PJ Library also has a Reading Guide available. This includes an explanation of Sukkot, the sukkah, and includes questions that would work nicely as discussion starters. JSL and I will likely read the book again before Sukkot and chat about some of the items included.

Do you have any special Sukkot books that you like to read with your family? As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: My son received this book as a members of the PJ Library. Membership in our area is free and we are never expected to review/write about this, I simply wanted to share a new book with others. All opinions are my own.

Categories:
books holidays Tuesday Tales

First Day of School 2013

Posted on September 9, 2013 10:33 am by TheAngelForever

Last year, I brought my “baby” to kindergarten and it was a hard moment for me to get through. This year, the first day of school was even more bittersweet. This is the last time my boys will ever be in the same school together. I love knowing that they are in the same building just in case they need something from their brother.

This morning, the boys were ready for school in record time. TechyDad stayed home with us to go for first morning drop off together. Before heading out, the boys posed for a traditional first day of school photos together. Here are my first and fifth grader before going to school.

NHL was so excited to head back to school. Routines are huge for him and school provides that. He was so positive and trying to perk up his little brother. These are items I will miss when they are not heading in the same direction next year. I will cherish watching them walk to the car together.

I will try to savor the moments of them chatting with each other when walking into the building rather than focus on them bickering.

While I sit in a house that seems too quiet, I have a few simple wishes on this first day of school. I wish for both of my boys to have a wonderful year ahead of them. I wish for NHL and JSL to learn, grow, and be the best that they can while helping others in the process. I wish for no drama and tears in the days ahead. Most importantly, I hope to see smiles and excitement about learning new things about the world around them.

It's Me