Alright. We played along with Bartimius and his darling side kick. Now it’s time for some more fun. Only this time, I get to set the rules. (Mrs. Dub, use your real identity. We like you just the way you are.) Here is the deal. Below, I’m imagining a photo that I snapped while on vacation. The trouble is that I live with the lense cap on. So, let me tell you what I notice and you can create the perfect journal entry for my cute scrap book. (You should see it. Heck, I should see it.)
OK. I hear the sounds of people screaming, babies crying and loud rumbling noises surround me. A seagull screeched too close to my head. My feet stick slightly to the ground and I feel like I’m spinning as I walk. I smell elephant poop and popcorn. The sun is very hot and I need a drink. I hear trickling water off to my right and move toward it. Something or someone tugs on my shirt. I feel something hairy brush against my arm and I scream.
Imagine and compose for future posterity.
Monday, October 29, 2007
In the News!
Here's a blurb from the local paper covering an event that some how I got roped into. I enjoyed speaking at 3 assemblies to over 625 students. We had a good time together. Hopefully, when they need it, the students will remember what we spoke together about.
102207 NC Freesign
Matt Snarr courtesy photo Red Ribbon Week included making a sign of themselves spelling ÒFREEÓ on the school playground for students at Renaissance Academyin north Lehi on Friday.ÊThe theme for the week-long program was ÒBorn to be Free.Ó ÒThis means free from drugs, gossip, bad feelings, bullies, bad wordsand free to make healthy choices for our bodies and minds,Ó said Michelle Porcelli, school family engagement committee member.
images/buythisphoto
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Academy students are 'Born to be Free'
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Cathy Allred - NORTH COUNTY STAFF
Renaissance Academy students had a busy week of activities for Red Ribbon Week including making a sign of themselves spelling "FREE" on the school playground.
Red Ribbon Week at the charter school focused on more things than just drugs, Michelle Porcelli, school family engagement committee member, said in an e-mailinterview. The theme for the program was "Born to be Free."
"This means free from drugs, gossip, bad feelings, bullies, bad words and free to make healthy choices for our bodies and minds," Porcelli wrote.
The week's activities included an assembly with Dr. Rebecca Johnson discussing over the counter and illegal drugs and Kris Belcher, who lost her eye andsight to cancer, and discussed bullies, acceptance and disabilities.
"It went really well," wrote Belcher in an e-mail interview. "The students were very responsive to my comments at the assemblies. I taught them they had"Super Powers."
She explained how, when she was little, she would run down the steep hill on which I lived and pretend to be Superman as I ran and tried to fly.
"The students may not be able to fly, but they have a super power within them," she said. "That power is the power to choose their actions, words, attitudes.If they are being bullied, they can leave and report the problem. They don't have to stick around for the mistreatment."
Children have the power to choose how they will treat other people, especially those who may look or act different from themselves was taught during theweek.
"They can use their words to hurt or help others," Belcher said. "I think they caught the vision and hopefully it made a difference for someone."
Students also signed a pledge banner and tied ribbons around the fence. Parents gathered the teacher's baby pictures and had the students guess whom theybelonged too to go with the theme "Born to Be Free."
There were assemblies, prizes and fun activities for the students, Porcelli said.
Students wore a friendship bracelet all week for a chance at a prize. Each bracelet was red, yellow, orange, pink or black representing different traitsand students were asked to do something representing the traits of the bracelet they wore.
Tuesday, Oct. 16, was Red Day and students wore red polos for their school assembly. The next day was "Born to be Free" pajama day, Oct. 18 was "Turn YouBack to Drugs" day and students wore their Renaissance cloths backwards. "Team up Against Drugs" day was Oct. 19 and kids got to wear their favorite teamapparel whether it was soccer, gymnastics, football or other team activity.Article views: 115
102207 NC Freesign
Matt Snarr courtesy photo Red Ribbon Week included making a sign of themselves spelling ÒFREEÓ on the school playground for students at Renaissance Academyin north Lehi on Friday.ÊThe theme for the week-long program was ÒBorn to be Free.Ó ÒThis means free from drugs, gossip, bad feelings, bullies, bad wordsand free to make healthy choices for our bodies and minds,Ó said Michelle Porcelli, school family engagement committee member.
images/buythisphoto
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Academy students are 'Born to be Free'
PDF Print E-mail
Cathy Allred - NORTH COUNTY STAFF
Renaissance Academy students had a busy week of activities for Red Ribbon Week including making a sign of themselves spelling "FREE" on the school playground.
Red Ribbon Week at the charter school focused on more things than just drugs, Michelle Porcelli, school family engagement committee member, said in an e-mailinterview. The theme for the program was "Born to be Free."
"This means free from drugs, gossip, bad feelings, bullies, bad words and free to make healthy choices for our bodies and minds," Porcelli wrote.
The week's activities included an assembly with Dr. Rebecca Johnson discussing over the counter and illegal drugs and Kris Belcher, who lost her eye andsight to cancer, and discussed bullies, acceptance and disabilities.
"It went really well," wrote Belcher in an e-mail interview. "The students were very responsive to my comments at the assemblies. I taught them they had"Super Powers."
She explained how, when she was little, she would run down the steep hill on which I lived and pretend to be Superman as I ran and tried to fly.
"The students may not be able to fly, but they have a super power within them," she said. "That power is the power to choose their actions, words, attitudes.If they are being bullied, they can leave and report the problem. They don't have to stick around for the mistreatment."
Children have the power to choose how they will treat other people, especially those who may look or act different from themselves was taught during theweek.
"They can use their words to hurt or help others," Belcher said. "I think they caught the vision and hopefully it made a difference for someone."
Students also signed a pledge banner and tied ribbons around the fence. Parents gathered the teacher's baby pictures and had the students guess whom theybelonged too to go with the theme "Born to Be Free."
There were assemblies, prizes and fun activities for the students, Porcelli said.
Students wore a friendship bracelet all week for a chance at a prize. Each bracelet was red, yellow, orange, pink or black representing different traitsand students were asked to do something representing the traits of the bracelet they wore.
Tuesday, Oct. 16, was Red Day and students wore red polos for their school assembly. The next day was "Born to be Free" pajama day, Oct. 18 was "Turn YouBack to Drugs" day and students wore their Renaissance cloths backwards. "Team up Against Drugs" day was Oct. 19 and kids got to wear their favorite teamapparel whether it was soccer, gymnastics, football or other team activity.Article views: 115
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Purification by Fire!
I was scared to death! What had my child done? I was shampooing my hair in the shower, (don’t picture it.) when the piercing rings of the fire alarm began. I wrapped up in a towel and ran to the kitchen with soapy hair and water dripping everywhere. The screaming alarm had ceased, but I was worried nevertheless.
“I heard the noise, Mommy.” Child #2 said innocently as he met me in the kitchen.
Of course I asked in a panic if he had gotten down the matches. Just two days before, he and a few friends had been playing “camping” under the deck. At least half the large match box had been used in an attempt to light their” camp fire”. They had told me at the time that they had been burned but they were fine. I spoke to all the boys and explained the danger of playing with matches and had them collect all the discarded sticks. I hid the remainder of the unused matches; so, I thought
So, I had reason for concern to say the least. My innocent child reported he had just been playing with toys and had heard the alarm. I instructed him to stay out of the kitchen. He went back into the playroom to resume his play and I returned to desoap. Well, a few minutes later, the alarm screams sounded once more. I again panicked. I wondered if my sweet Smokey the Bear was playing camping again or if the alarm needed the batteries changed. (It’s always good to have another line of thought so I’m not always blaming the children. But, I’m not naive.)
It took longer for the alarm to stop this time. Smokey explained that a box of matches had fallen out of the cupboard and one match fell out. That had made the alarm go off. I calmly had him bring me the box and the match that had so unexpectedly fallen out. I hadn’t known there was another box within reach.
Later, the boys and I were in the playroom and I found about 10 used matches behind the TV. There was also a marshmallow stuck onto several matches. (I’m not kidding!)
“Were you roasting marshmallows?” I asked. A quiet “yes” was the answer. The carpet was a bit melted in spots and there was ash on the floor. It is a miracle that was the only damage.
Wow! I feel baffled at my child and extremely grateful to Father in Heaven for protecting him, myself and our home.
Child #1 commented,”I don’t understand why he would do something like that when he knows better.”
“Hmmm.”, was my reply. (Something about kettles and black came to mind.)
It is a bit scary to not be able to see or smell the smoke or see what the child is doing. I’m praying for direction on how to firmly teach the “not playing with matches” lecture. James says we could always handle it like his father did. “He just pulled down my pants and burned my butt.” (Do we say butt?)”I never played with matches again.”
Any ideas?
“I heard the noise, Mommy.” Child #2 said innocently as he met me in the kitchen.
Of course I asked in a panic if he had gotten down the matches. Just two days before, he and a few friends had been playing “camping” under the deck. At least half the large match box had been used in an attempt to light their” camp fire”. They had told me at the time that they had been burned but they were fine. I spoke to all the boys and explained the danger of playing with matches and had them collect all the discarded sticks. I hid the remainder of the unused matches; so, I thought
So, I had reason for concern to say the least. My innocent child reported he had just been playing with toys and had heard the alarm. I instructed him to stay out of the kitchen. He went back into the playroom to resume his play and I returned to desoap. Well, a few minutes later, the alarm screams sounded once more. I again panicked. I wondered if my sweet Smokey the Bear was playing camping again or if the alarm needed the batteries changed. (It’s always good to have another line of thought so I’m not always blaming the children. But, I’m not naive.)
It took longer for the alarm to stop this time. Smokey explained that a box of matches had fallen out of the cupboard and one match fell out. That had made the alarm go off. I calmly had him bring me the box and the match that had so unexpectedly fallen out. I hadn’t known there was another box within reach.
Later, the boys and I were in the playroom and I found about 10 used matches behind the TV. There was also a marshmallow stuck onto several matches. (I’m not kidding!)
“Were you roasting marshmallows?” I asked. A quiet “yes” was the answer. The carpet was a bit melted in spots and there was ash on the floor. It is a miracle that was the only damage.
Wow! I feel baffled at my child and extremely grateful to Father in Heaven for protecting him, myself and our home.
Child #1 commented,”I don’t understand why he would do something like that when he knows better.”
“Hmmm.”, was my reply. (Something about kettles and black came to mind.)
It is a bit scary to not be able to see or smell the smoke or see what the child is doing. I’m praying for direction on how to firmly teach the “not playing with matches” lecture. James says we could always handle it like his father did. “He just pulled down my pants and burned my butt.” (Do we say butt?)”I never played with matches again.”
Any ideas?
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Thank You!
It was such a great feeling! At the end of the day, yesterday, every hamper in the house was empty. Now, they weren’t emptied onto the floor, as is usually the case in the boy’s room. But I had done load after load of laundry and got it folded and put away. (OK, there was one still drying when I retired to bed.) For just a few minutes I was caught up on the washing, drying, and putting away of all the dirty clothing in the house.
I stood in amazement of my hard work and thought, “It’s too bad no one else in this home even notices that I’ve done all this. No one thanks me or stands in awe of my housewifeliness.”
So, I thought I would thank myself and all those out there who work so hard to keep the laundry done. It doesn’t stay done for more than a few minutes, but for the briefest of seconds you have concluded a monumental task! Don’t think nobody notices because I do. I know there were many things you would have rather done than touch gross clothing from your children’s floor. You don’t necessarily enjoy folding other people’s underwear (I hope.). You do it out of love for your family. Or is it to stop the stench from filtering out of the children’s room? Maybe it is due to getting tired of everyone saying, “Have you seen my blue socks? Where are my pants?” You think or perhaps mutter, “They’re in the dryer. They’ve been wandering around the house on their own for weeks. Someone had to take action.” Whatever the cause, I thank you, you noble launderers/laundresses! Without you, this world would be one smelly mess!
I stood in amazement of my hard work and thought, “It’s too bad no one else in this home even notices that I’ve done all this. No one thanks me or stands in awe of my housewifeliness.”
So, I thought I would thank myself and all those out there who work so hard to keep the laundry done. It doesn’t stay done for more than a few minutes, but for the briefest of seconds you have concluded a monumental task! Don’t think nobody notices because I do. I know there were many things you would have rather done than touch gross clothing from your children’s floor. You don’t necessarily enjoy folding other people’s underwear (I hope.). You do it out of love for your family. Or is it to stop the stench from filtering out of the children’s room? Maybe it is due to getting tired of everyone saying, “Have you seen my blue socks? Where are my pants?” You think or perhaps mutter, “They’re in the dryer. They’ve been wandering around the house on their own for weeks. Someone had to take action.” Whatever the cause, I thank you, you noble launderers/laundresses! Without you, this world would be one smelly mess!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Halloween Trauma
I understand now why my mother wouldn’t let us discuss our Halloween costumes until October. It didn’t seem fair as a child, but now that I’m on the other end of things, I think it’s a pretty good rule.
Our #1 child has been planning his costume since last October. I’ve put him off again and again until now. This is due to it now being October, unfortunately. He’s been looking at mailers from stores that we’ve received and begging us to be the creepiest things. For example, last week he freaked out because I said he couldn’t be Dark Lord Skull Child (which James said was another name for Satan) or the Flying Reaper. It isn’t fair that we say no to the bloody skeleton (which is the mild one). We don’t agree that he should be the evil jester (which he tells me is just a clown, “What’s the matter with being a clown, Mom?”). Of course there’s always Zombie punk skater which has a Mohawk and skull underwear which show from the top of the ripped shorts that the skating zombie wears. Oh, “he is just wearing a bracelet, Mom.” Well, the “bracelets are really spiked leather wrist bands that match the spiked choker around his neck. I don’t know why I am not thrilled with that one. The Death Rider is another favorite. He wants to go to the DI and find a leather biker jacket he can rip up for that ensemble. The one he may have settled for is the Street Mime. Tell me why that one appeals. I think it could be due to the fact that the one in the add has a goatee. He thinks it is a bit creepy with the white face. I’m not arguing with that one because I told him that if he was a mime, he would have to be silent the entire day of Halloween. I might end up liking the holiday after all.
What happened to the days of dressing up as a Hobo, witch, baby or even Donny and Marie? I was Marie one year and just put foil over a screw driver for a microphone and JELL-O ed my hair back. That was so cool. This was the one year in which I was something other than a Gipsy. I always wore mom’s hand painted Mexican skirt and a blouse from Jerusalem. I’m not sure how that made a Gipsy, though. But, Mom didn’t have to do much for that one. I did love it for the first few years.
Child #2 is happy to be Batman or Scooby Doo. It is too bad child #1 won’t go for something like that. Instead we have to persuade him that he doesn’t need to look like Satan. “Halloween is for scaring, Mom. It’s not for being Christ like!”
Our #1 child has been planning his costume since last October. I’ve put him off again and again until now. This is due to it now being October, unfortunately. He’s been looking at mailers from stores that we’ve received and begging us to be the creepiest things. For example, last week he freaked out because I said he couldn’t be Dark Lord Skull Child (which James said was another name for Satan) or the Flying Reaper. It isn’t fair that we say no to the bloody skeleton (which is the mild one). We don’t agree that he should be the evil jester (which he tells me is just a clown, “What’s the matter with being a clown, Mom?”). Of course there’s always Zombie punk skater which has a Mohawk and skull underwear which show from the top of the ripped shorts that the skating zombie wears. Oh, “he is just wearing a bracelet, Mom.” Well, the “bracelets are really spiked leather wrist bands that match the spiked choker around his neck. I don’t know why I am not thrilled with that one. The Death Rider is another favorite. He wants to go to the DI and find a leather biker jacket he can rip up for that ensemble. The one he may have settled for is the Street Mime. Tell me why that one appeals. I think it could be due to the fact that the one in the add has a goatee. He thinks it is a bit creepy with the white face. I’m not arguing with that one because I told him that if he was a mime, he would have to be silent the entire day of Halloween. I might end up liking the holiday after all.
What happened to the days of dressing up as a Hobo, witch, baby or even Donny and Marie? I was Marie one year and just put foil over a screw driver for a microphone and JELL-O ed my hair back. That was so cool. This was the one year in which I was something other than a Gipsy. I always wore mom’s hand painted Mexican skirt and a blouse from Jerusalem. I’m not sure how that made a Gipsy, though. But, Mom didn’t have to do much for that one. I did love it for the first few years.
Child #2 is happy to be Batman or Scooby Doo. It is too bad child #1 won’t go for something like that. Instead we have to persuade him that he doesn’t need to look like Satan. “Halloween is for scaring, Mom. It’s not for being Christ like!”
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