Merry Christmas!

We hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas full of happiness and good cheer! Best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year!

For everything.... there is a season...

Well... another month nearly gone. A myriad of activities of one kind or another... after lots of state and local testing during the months of October and November, I began individual evaluations of students to determine whether or not they needed educational assistance while at school. So, lots of meetings, planning for lessons, keeping kids on track .... and ultimately getting ready to celebrate Christmas. We did get the tree selected and decorated...

Today, we had a snow day. A lot of schools in the area are done now until after the new year, as a result of the storm. They got an extra day tacked on to their vacation. We supposedly have two more days, Monday and Tuesday, if the snow or frigid temperatures don't take them out, too! Of course, that means we will still be in school well into June in that case!

In advance of the snow storm, I was able to bring Kate home from school for her break and we went to the grocery store to get baking supplies. So, when they did call school as anticipated, we baked cookies.. while Charlie cleared snow for the neighborhood.

Kate got the dogs a little more involved than they probably wanted to be..... :-)

my girlies...

(thank you, Cheri... for leading us to picnik. :D )

Search no more.

I would guess you have all experienced this feeling at some point.

You know you have:
1) seen a product in a store, but now cannot find it when you have decided you need it,
2) at least one of something in your house, but regardless of how long you search you cannot locate it(them), or
3) tried to explain the picture of something, which is very clear in your mind, to a clerk in [name of ten or more stores where you have gone to look for a new one] so he/she can help you find the item you are seeking, only to have them look at you like you have totally jumped off the edge.

While that might be true, that is not the point!

After searching on the internet to no avail, because any combination of terms I entered did not produce the item (had I known the actual name, it would have been the lead item on Google search... go figure), I finally found someone who knew what I was talking about and could ORDER me three packages of them.

BUT, WAIT!! Today (remember now, the order for the other three packages has already been placed), Kate and I were at the University Bookstore in Madison (on a Badger game Saturday, who knew?) and what should Kate spy tacked on to the side of a display?! The device! I said... if it is tacked here, they must have it or know where they can get it!! I proceeded to look around and found two containers FULL of them in various colors!!! For $1.49 each!! Why why why.. does that happen... you find things in your house, when you have already bought another... you order three sets, only to find them for the grabbing in a plastic bin.... never fails.

What are these amazing items????

The Klick-Fix.

You simply adhere it to a surface and "klick" your writing utensil into it... where it is held firmly until you lightly lift it up and out when you are ready to write again. Incredible.

Why do I even need/want it? A couple of the students I see at my school cannot keep track of the pencils on the top of their desks... invariably as soon as they open the top of the desk, they forget to hold on to their pencils and they drop off onto the floor, which may as well be a Black Hole for Pencils.... so then, they rarely seem to have a pencil when they need one, creating additional problems for themselves. SO... hopefully, this modification will reduce the number of problems they experience in any school day by one.

I am the mother of an award-winning photographer....

- Kate L. Barr

Here it is.... Best in Category (People)! Campus Student/Faculty Photography Show 2008.

Part of a family portrait series she shot...

Another month?

How did that happen?

Time seems to have a way of flying more quickly, but then I cannot really seem to determine where it all went.

Let's see.... since the end of September..

1. we went to visit Molly in Menomonie. All of us (doggies, too) went up to see the fall colors before they were peak here and spent a beautiful day outside along the Cedar River Trail, around the town of Menomonie, and hanging out at Molly's place with her and Ella, the spunky kitty.

2. Kate and I went to see my parents, which usually means a trip to Elegant Farmer for one thing or another... this time of year it is Fall Festival time, which means pulled pork sandwiches (we didn't have one of those this year) and caramel apples. The place is always packed on weekends with people apple picking, hayrides, pumpkin choosing. Recently, Bobby Flay, from the Food Network, came there and challenged the makers of the infamous Apple Pie in a Paperbag to a "throw down" ... so now people are even more likely to be buying one of them to see exactly what he will be talking about, when the show airs around Thanksgiving.

3. Molly, in turn, came down to this neck of the woods on October 25-26th, so we could all go to The Overture Center in Madison on the 25th to see "Avenue Q, " a Broadway musical that uses muppet-like puppets and performers to describe early adulthood in New York for some.. in politically incorrect and other on-the-edge stuff. We knew what we were getting into when we bought the tickets, but they still reminded all patrons that "this is NOT a show for kids.. it is NOT Sesame Street." So, that should give you some idea... but it is hilarious, with lots of songs that are difficult to get out of your head.
4. Trick or Treat... as Halloween drew near... on the 26th... when Kate did most of the candy distribution to the brave families that came out on the windy cold day.... those that trick-or-treated on October 31st had a much better evening of fun, I suspect!

5. most of my school responsibilities have included some form of testing ... MAP testing, WKCE testing, IEP testing.... etc.. along with keeping all the kids moving toward their academic and social goals. The testing will keep me busy right up to Thanksgiving break.

6. two days "off" from school for teacher's convention.... the exhibitors there seem to me like a sort of 'trick or treat" for teachers... with the free samples and product hawking going on in between sessions... exhibition hall is my favorite part.... a free flash drive, pencils, pens, post-it notes, note pad, sample game board, free book in the mail, free health guide... :)

7. picking out pumpkins, honey crisp apples, Poyer's pie....making Chex mix...... taking care of the animal friends.... reading books for book groups and looking for interesting sites on the internet with materials for my classroom, especially the digital board, etc. etc. seem to fill in the places around all of the other things...

8. agreeing with my niece, Aleca, on the coolness of the toilet freshener, which I had also purchased about the same time she did.

9. I have to start writing down the funny things kids say at school even when they don't even know that what they are saying IS funny... the adults around then surely do!

With that.... I hope all of you are happy, healthy and having fun with the things that are happening in your lives. :)

long time no blog....

Ok. I know. It's time I posted something here before I risk going the way of my youngest brother-in-law's blog...

So, what has been happening since the end of August... since it very nearly the end of September....

First, the whole back to school thingy. Got everyone set... then started working on my own transition. Back to the public school.... this time, at the elementary school level... and this year, as teacher, not paraprofessional. A little shift from what I had been doing for roughly the last ten years. Prior to the students' first day... I had my first day in the classroom. A view from that first day...

After.... is above.. with one of my assistants in a rare moment without her young charge!

Another sort of "after" shot.. different angle.

Decisions had to be made about arrangement and getting equipment set in place and so on... not to mention, determining what, if any, materials were left for me to use. Soon, I will take an "after" shot to post... I had the camera with me several days in a row, but the opportunity to take a shot doesn't usually come til the end of the day, and that is usually the last thing on my mind at that point. :)

Since, then I have been making sure I have things ready for the classes I am teaching and modifying materials for other teachers who have a variety of students in the classroom, and facilitating the move to more inclusionary practices as much as possible. We are also using new software for annual paperwork and record-keeping, so I have learning that as well, so I am ready to present the new goals to each child's family as the meeting arise (my first one was last Tuesday). Another teacher, also new to the school, shares the room with me, and works half-days, in the morning. So, we are getting the routine set and who manages what in terms of students' paperwork.

The days go very quickly, which is not new, I remember this feeling from my days at the middle school level. I quickly remembering what worked and what didn't from those earlier days, as I establish rapport and trust with the troopers in my care.

Weekends have included a reception for a co-worker's daughter, a visit to an art fair primarily to see a former colleague's work, a retirement gathering for the doctor who delivered Kate, a book discussion (Einstein: His Life and Universe), and the 30th Annual AAUW Used Book Sale..where Kate and I spent two hours last night working and another three this morning arranging and re-arranging books... I designed the promotional posters and bookmarks, and got the Price List signs made and sent to the printer as well. The entire armory in town is filled with books and the profits provide scholarships for women and girls in the community. It is our biggest fundraiser of the year. Each year it is like this...

So as you can tell... life is never dull. :) There is always something to do or that I should be doing. I hope all is well with all of you.

Moving Day #2

Well..........in the 12 days since last posting.... we have put four layers of paint on the walls and ceiling of Kate's room. We had to use much primer.... Kate's walls were yellow and orange sponge paint... and the ceiling was dark blue, which had glow in the dark stars stuck to it. Then, since she is changing to a more classic color.... Vintage Mauve... we had to add two coats of that over the primer... the ceiling got Feather Gray.... BUT.. let's not forget the wine-colored accent stripe... which required an additional coat of gray primer... and FOUR coats of the apparently magenta paint (it turns wine-colored, I promise)... to obtain that Wine Tasting color. At the time of this writing, coat #2 has been completed. Sunday.. coat #3.... Monday... coat #4..... Meanwhile, Kate is preparing to return to the UW-W for her sophomore year. So, visualize this scenario. Except for the things safely behind her closet door, nothing is in her room. Her bed was in the middle of the living room floor... that's where she was sleeping. We moved it back into the room tonight and covered it with plastic, since I am only dealing with the accent line at this point. The office (Molly's room, guest room) has become the storage zone for most of those items, except for the dresser and bed frame, which are in our bedroom.

On the other hand, the kitchen had become the depository for All Things College. The list was made and double-checked and things added. Items in boxes and bags of all kinds began to accumulate on the table and the surrounding floor space. "Mom, it's only for four days.. you can handle it." (Tell that to my OCD tendencies.. :P )

Well.. those four days went rather quickly, given that my first "official" day of work at school was on Wednesday, but I (we) have been in the room getting things ready there, too, over the last couple of weeks.

So, this morning, All Things College once again filled the CR-V and the Tundra...and by 9:35 we were headed to Bigelow Hall to make numerous trips up several flights of stairs. Soon, the room was full of these things... electronics were hooked up and tested.... then Cousins for lunch and a grocery store trip ... and that was that! She and Amanda, her roommate, were arranging and re-arranging to creature their own unique room.

Charlie headed off to work for a while... and I headed back home... to paint another layer of wine.
Best wishes for a great academic year for all those returning to school this fall! Make it a great one.

Time to fly....

This past weekend, a small caravan of two cars and two trucks made its way from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, to Menomonie, Wisconsin. Prior to earning her Associates Degree in Interior Design from MATC in May, Molly was making preparations to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts-Interior Design at UW-Stout. She was able to transfer many of her credits from MATC and UW-Oshkosh, which gives her a good foundation there. She was also able to transfer her employment to The Home Depot in Woodbury, so she will be able to continue that position as she settles into her new routine.
Back door of the old place by the balcony and the loaded CRV....


So, Molly, Kate, Charlie, Jamie and I packed up and loaded one apartment and one cat, Ella, early Saturday morning and headed Up North to another apartment and a new beginning in Menomonie. After unloading all of the stuff and making sure the cable and internet were functional, Charlie and Jamie were on their way back to Fort Atkinson and Waukesha by about 3:00 p.m. (Thanks, Uncle Jamie!) while Kate and I stayed overnight to help unpack, get groceries, and, as an added bonus, make a trip to Bloomington MN to the IKEA store and the Mall of America. Then, after assembling the microwave cart, and getting some ice to help the refrigerator/freezer cool down a bit faster, Kate and I headed back to Fort, getting home about 10:00 p.m. Whew!

Living room of the new place...

Like any transition, happiness and sadness accompanied this process, but I am confident that Molly will discover more about herself, and the town, including the beautifully restored theatre and Legacy Chocolate, and the people at her new school and workplace. It's time to fly!

In other news :-)

The Henn Family reunion went off without a hitch on August 10th, with beautiful weather and great food, especially the taco dip! Herkimer made he appearance, too, sporting a new red tam.

Kate and I are done with our summer of packing at the warehouse as of last Friday. Apparently we can't get enough of the packing thing, though...we continued packing as we helped Molly, and will do more of it as I move into my new classroom and role as special educator again, and as Kate moves back to her dorm room .... both prior to the end of August!

The 24-year marker...

Twenty-four years ago today, we were married and celebrated with a street-dance and pig roast...before heading on the westward roadtrip honeymoon trip. Now, our two flower girls have families of their own, and our own two "little girls" are following their dreams as they make a place for themselves in the world.

Time it was.... and what a time it was.... a time of innocence.... a time of confidences... long ago, it must be... I have a photograph. Preserve your memories.

Busy... busy...

This last week or so has been filled with lots of odds and ends. Since I last posted, Molly and I spent some time together on our beloved State Street in Madison looking at (and trying on) funky stuff in various stores like Little Luxuries, The Soap Opera, and Pop Deluxe. We ate our ice cream on the Memorial Union Terrace... watching the ducks and the sailboats.

Reading glasses. I am all too familiar with their purpose.

Then Kate and I went back on "overtime" which means starting work an hour earlier in the morning... 6am - 3:30pm. One hour... no big deal, right? Right.

Charlie and I took our vehicles in for various maintenance and cleaning, which involved pick up and delivery on a couple of evenings.

I had one book discussion about Eat, Pray, Live.... and will attend another one tomorrow on The Brothers K....

Charlie got to spend some days golfing... we celebrated my dad's 79th b-day..... I got to spend some time with a friend of mine and see his presentation at MathFest 2008...went with Kate and Charlie to Noodles, Target.. the pet store (no new friends)...

Then it will be back to work on Monday... which is our 24th anniversary. Soon it will be the Henn family reunion... and then moving weekend for Molly as she prepares to attend UW-Stout.

So, the summer is quickly fading I'm afraid.... which will bring all of us back to school in one way shape or form this fall.

Friends and a visit to Chicago.

This weekend, our friends David and Mary came to visit us from Ohio. We weren't sure they were going to be able to make it, but after a drive, two different trains and a ride in our car, they did. David is a former geography professor and Mary is a retired high school English teacher. I will also post a picture of Mary when I get those files.


While they were here, we went to Karina's Restaurant in Whitewater, which serves delicious Mexican food. David has a cousin in Lake Geneva, so we took a drive down there so he could visit her a bit. We also drove around the lake a bit to see some of the gorgeous houses, and stopped at Big Foot State Park. On the way home, we went to The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago. Saturday night, we saw Mama Mia! What a fun movie!

On Sunday, David and Mary started for home and Kate and I decided to go the first part of the trip with them. So, we woke early and drove to Harvard IL to get the train there, which took us to the Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago. From there, we went to another station, so they could take the South Shore Line back to South Bend IN, to get their car and head back to Ohio. No one had to drive in Chicago traffic... or pay tolls... AND on weekends, you can buy a ticket fon the Northwestern Line for five dollars and ride as much as you want on Saturday and Sunday. Plus, there is a family fare, so for every paying adult three (?) children can ride for free.


After having lunch with us, David and Mary boarded their train, while Kate and I headed out into the city for a brief adventure. First stop was Millennium Park. The silver sculpture is the Bean... though I am sure it has a more formal name... it is reflective so all the people were taking pictures of their reflections ...

Then we went to the large projected fountain in the park as well before heading off to The Art Institute of Chicago to see the Renaissance Art exhibits which had been closed the last two times Kate had been there for Art History field trips. We also saw some of the photography exhibits, the modern exhibit...including a pile of paper in the middle of a wall.. hm.

Here Kate models the gilded glove... beware. We ended the day with stop at Navy Pier where a tall ship was docked that Kate got to investigate. She took some pictures and talked to the crew about what it might be like to live like Jacky Faber... Bubba Gump's Shrimp for dinner... then onto the free tourist trolley and back to Ogilvie.. to catch the train back to Harvard.

A great visit with our friends and an amazing day in The Big City. :-) What a weekend.

Overtime...

As the summer progresses and school districts release their requisitions for the 2008-2009 school year, the orders roll into the company where Kate and I are working this summer. When the summer schedule began on June 23, they went from one shift to two.... and now have added an hour onto each of those shifts. Since we are on first shift, our additional hour gets added at the beginning of our shift, which means we now report at 6 a.m. Second shift has to work an hour longer, ending their "days" at 1:15 a.m.... Today was the first day of "overtime" which will continue this week and into next most likely. After that, we'll have to see.... Just a little early on the summer days.

So, we continue packing orders for many many places across the United States.... some items we pack are more unique than others. :-)

P.S. Happy Birthday, Alice!!!

AFOTS and other things..

That would be the 30th annual Art Fair on (and off) the Square.... Kate and I headed up to Mad-town fairly early this morning, to "beat the crowd" given the weather was borderline, with a big storm having just passed and gray skies still blanketing the area. While we did beat some people, I'm sure, there were plenty of people already walking around the Capital Square taking a look at all of the displays in the EZ-ups. Lots of beautiful things....

After we circled back around, we then walked down State Street, a favorite place, especially in the summer when there are plenty of people of all kinds, and visited some of our favorite shops, including Pop Deluxe! and the UW Bookstore. Noodles, Inc. for lunch and Coldstone Creamery for dessert.... delicious!
http://www.bus.wisc.edu/mba/experience/madison.asp Photo source

Then we did the East Wash route ... Target, the Mall, called to say hi to Molly before heading back home to take care of the doggies.

All in all, a great day, though my feet were feeling it by the time we got in the car to head home. :-)

Boxes - big and small....

For me, the goal at work is to make it through the day without getting a box returned to me for various reasons. Boxes can be returned for using the wrong box, not having a packing slip on the outside, if it weighs too much.... etc. Most days, that is not a problem... but every once in a while, I will miss the PSO.. "packing slip on the outside" or whatever... and it will come sliding back to me. What I hate the most is when that happens at about 8:30 in the morning. :-(

Addendum: I jinxed myself. The VERY next day... I got a package returned at 8:15 a.m. for being in the wrong box. :-(

I also have stopped measuring the "stuff" instead opting to look at the stuff and then the boxes, then... like a puzzle... fitting everything into the box..

Ok.. ok.. I know. Super exciting....

Just by chance...

On the way home from my parents' house, I happened to glance in a field that is known to have some wildlife of one kind or another in it.... and there they were.............

Photograph: Kate L. Barr

The firecracker that fizzled....53 years ago.

At that time, a family friend told Charlie's mom that if that baby didn't have the decency to be born on the Fourth of July, then she was going home (Gussie). So, Maggie brought her little boy into the world, albiet "that big head last," without the immediate support of her good friend, though am sure it came later. So, today we again celebrated this event with a round of minature golf http://www.vitense.com/miniature.asp

and dinner at TGIFridays .... complete with the "Happy Happy Birthday from all of us to you!! We wish it was our birthday so we could party, too!! " song and the "53" candles from home. I hope you had a good day, CB!

Kate is stealing my strawberry lemonade slushie.... :-(

The Fourth of July Ice Cream Social

Every year, the Hoard Historical Museum and Dairy Shrine in Fort Atkinson WI(http://www.hoardmuseum.org/page.asp?content=1.asp ) hosts a free ice cream social on the 4th of July. Even when the museum was undergoing extensive renovations, the museum still sponsored the ice cream social, though off-site. While some people make sure they have good seats for their favorite parade, or wait hours to reserve a site with the best view of the fireworks, it would not quite be the 4th of July without the flag proudly displayed on our house, and a visit to the museum's ice cream social.

Of course, after the sun went down, we did have the traditional "fireworks" display at our house as well. We also got to see some other fireworks being set off in the neighborhood, which I am sure were completely legal.

I hope everyone had a Happy (and safe) Fourth of July!

Summer

Summer is flying, as usual, and it is already the Fourth of July weekend. Ack! Summer has included various things over the years, swimming at the pool, teaching class, taking classes, playing in the yard, taking family vacations, going to Frostie Freeze, to name a few. Last summer, I decided to deliver Yellow Books, the directory that mysteriously appears on your doorstep. Kate came with me and we discovered backroads we didn't know existed, saw creatures we wish we hadn't, and generally determined it was not something we would like to repeat anytime soon.

This summer, the discussion of a summer job resurfaced. Since my school-year job was just that this year, I also needed/wanted to get a summer job, too. So, Kate and I applied for and got summer jobs at the same place, the warehouse of the art store in our town. Admittedly not the most exciting job on the planet, we are "packers"... not The Packers, because that, as people from Wisconsin know, is different. All of the "arty" orders.. and some health care stuff.. comes through this particular warehouse. After "pickers" gather the order from the shelves, they place it in a bin or on a cart, it gets inspected, then it comes to us for packing. So, we select an order, big or small, and prepare it for shipping. Today, I packed a single, metal pencil sharpener. Not the kind that you crank.. this one was about an inch by a half-inch long. Yesterday, the woman next to me spent most of the day packing a single order for a school district in California. It is also sort of a geography lesson....there is a town called... what?! Imagine living in that town... going to that high school... just what is their mascot?

So Kate and I get to work next or near to each other each day, Monday through Friday, discovering new places, and new products we want to order! :-) Good thing we are not working in the store, where we would basically have to endorse our paychecks to pay for all of the amazing things we see in the orders we pack.

So close, but so far...

Starting Thursday night and going through Saturday night, we (in various combinations) got to visit with my brother and his family after they arrived in Wisconsin from Ohio to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. My brother and sister-in-law have three children, all the same age; yes, they have triplets. We were all able to be together for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, with Saturday designated as the more formal celebration. We asked my parents earlier if they wanted to be part of a larger occasion in their honor, but they said they would feel more comfortable with a smaller gathering. So, we played games (Yahtzee, Spoons, BS, cribbage.... ), got too loud, listened to a concert on the square,

had ice cream at Lauber's Ice Cream Parlor,

dinner at Ivan's

and at The Cotton Exchange, and generally got to be with each other for a while. Basically, this gathering occurs twice a year.... Ohio seems kind of close, but when negotiating travel, schedules and other things, it seems so far.

Unfortunately, the weekend began with a loss. My brother's beloved old dog, Arwen, was quite uncomfortable and her health was rapidly failing ... so she was taken to an emergency vet, where goodbyes were said and only the collar brought home. So, hearts were hurting, but the support of the family and the planned activities perhaps helped keep chins up.

Five Gallons.

Yesterday, after my (and Kate's) first day on the new summer job, I went to give blood. This time, while "eating a little something" after donating, I remembered that I was close to another milestone. So, I checked the back of my donor card and it was number 40.... which meant I got a five-gallon pin and a certificate!! I probably have given more than that in my lifetime, but sometimes other organizations were conducting the drive and some were before I had a donor card and kept track.

Mostly, I started donating again after Molly was born. After the events of her birth, and her need for a transfusion, I thought that I would try to give when I could, so that someone else's baby would have what he or she needed to grow up. I know donating is not for everyone; but if you can, some day you might be someone's hero, too.

Another casualty of the flooding...

When going out for fish on a Friday, we would occasionally end up at Kemler's Lamp on Lake Koshkonong. After eating dinner, we would sometimes check out what was happening along the lake, watch the sunset, find a seat for the fireworks in July...

Charlie sent me an email, which said something to the effect of "we won't be eating there anytime soon... " From the looks of it, he couldn't be more right. How sad. :-(

Five little kittens...

After receiving a few text message from my sister-in-law about cat midwifery, the day finally arrived! Domino, one of the cats at my brother's house, delivered five little faces. My nieces, Hannah and Claire, kept texting Kate, giving her the play-by-play during the process. I am sure those little babies will not be lacking attention in the days to come. As cute as they are, I am probably lucky at this point that they live about eight hours away, or else one might end up living here or at Molly's apartment. :-) e.g. "Mom, don't you think Ella needs a sister?!"

Carly!!

One of my favorites of all time... Carly Simon! Her newest CD, This Kind of Love, was released today. She also appeared on The Today Show this morning. Carly rarely ever tours, but in 2005, she did play a few cities featuring songs from her Moonlight Serenade CD. I couldn't go to the Chicago concert, because of work obligations. The seats available in Indianapolis were in the back of the balcony... and I decided if I was going to see Carly, I wanted to SEE Carly.... so I tried Ann Arbor. YES! Eighth row, main floor, center... She ended up cancelling her Indy concert, which was the night before Ann Arbor, because of laryngitis... and we could not wait to see if she was going to cancel otherwise we would miss it entirely. SO, Charlie and I headed off into the ice and snow ... and it was on with the show! At one point during the concert, Carly mentioned how far away everyone seemed, given the open area before the first row of seats. I yelled, "I'll come up there for you, Carly!" She replied, "Oh, would you?" So off I went into the pit, right in front of her and the stage... followed of course by others. Unbelievable!

Cedar Rapids, it isn't; but....

Yes, the water continues to rise. Fortunately for us, we live in what the developers named Nob Hill Subdivision (emphasis on the "hill"); so we have not had to deal with water coming into our home. The news is not so good for other people in town or in other towns across the midwest. We are quite fortunate. Kate and I revisited the playground today, and took a walk onto the old railroad bridge turned pedestrian/bike path... as the water rushed beneath us.

The newest water park in town.... :-)