Alicia's Tiara Dinner

This past week, my dear friend Alicia celebrated her birthday.  She said it was something crazy like the 21st anniversary of her 21st birthday.  I don't remember.  The point was that we used it as an excuse to get together with each other.  I taught with most of these ladies in another school district and only see them on rare occasions now.  Alicia is an original tiara buddy of mine.  She was maybe the very first to introduce me to a tiara.  We would wear them at school on any random day just to make ourselves feel better.  Birthdays were of course cause for a tiara, but not just for the birthday girl.  Any teacher could wear a tiara on any other tiara wearing teacher's birthday.  The Ville was definitely full of enthusiastic teachers!  What is even better is that I can say that many of them understood the significance of claiming royalty.  We are not just crazy ladies (maybe a little crazy), but we are daughters of the King of Kings!
John 1:12  "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." 

Alicia wanted to go to Cafe Monet first to paint pottery.  How appropriate!
The Bible refers to God as the potter and we are the clay.
He shapes us and molds us into His creation.  

Here is the queen for the day!  Stick a fork in her.  She is done!  

This is one of my favorite pictures from the night!  Mary has the best attitude!
 Her smile and mischievous eyes say it all!  

Here are a few more of the ladies at dinner: Mary, Sheila, Deidra, Alicia, and Stacey.   

My little sister surprised me with a visit and I finally got a tiara on her head.
It is so small that you can hardly see it, but I promise it is right on top of her head!  

People have asked me before what a "Tiara Dinner" is or how to do it.  Here are some simple ideas: 

1. Pick a group of ladies you love and claim as sisters in Christ.  

2. Pick an occasion or make one up.  Friday is just as good as a birthday.  

3. Sharing a meal is always good fellowship.  Watch your language and conversation.  Keep it positive because people are watching you.  After all you have a tiara on your head!  

4. Bless the people you come into contact with.  Verbal compliments and monetary tips are important.  The service doesn't have to be great.  Trust that God gives you the waiter that needs you.  My friends and I do a decorated tip jar.  Presenting that is so much more fun.  We also slip a card with some verses about being royal in the jar.  You can find some on the page that talks about why I wear a tiara.  

5. If you want to bless more people, pick a charity and incorporate it into the evening.  I like Redeemed Ministries.  Other friends like organizations that support Breast Cancer Awareness, a local women's shelter or children's home, or a church group like the Baptist Men or Lutheran World Relief.  Research their needs and make it a point to get involved.  Local is always awesome.  

THEN . . . crown yourself and go out and have a good time!  {] 8)

Ruminations from the Week

Every two weeks or so I post a new word on my board that is the not so secrete password into my class.  Recently, I used the word ruminate which means to think deeply on something.  However, in my community, several people think it also refers to what a cow does to its cud when it is eating.  A history teacher and friend filled me in on that one!  I'm such a city slicker that I had no idea about this alternate meaning.  The situation just reinforces to me that life experience is valuable and dependent on circumstances.  We must enrich our lives by expanding our possible experiences in order to include a broad range of definitions.  This is essential in helping us to understand people from different places who are not exactly like us.  One reason that reading is so very important is that it helps the reader to connect with and understand other people.  As a result, we can act more compassionately toward other people in real life.

In The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas, the father tells his son that those people are not really people.  The people to which he is referring are Jews in a concentration camp.  The family has moved next door because the father is a high ranking official in the Nazi army.  What a cold and unfeeling statement to make!  However, I can see already that the son may not see things the same way.  Reading helps us to see people as people.  We come to connect with their thoughts and feelings that we otherwise would not encounter.

Another important thing I've been thinking about is spending time with my family.  These are the people with whom I need to connect the most!  Sometimes I would rather escape in a book, but I can't resist my cute kids.  Here are the highlights of our less than successful fishing afternoon.  We didn't get any keepers, fish that is, but I did get some great pictures!

  

Wild Hog Track

Coyote Track

Raccoon Track

The road to and from a little piece of Heaven on Earth!

The Rattle in my Head

Although I just upgraded my phone, I guess I'm still kind of old school, because I still need to carry around a notebook where I write down ideas.  Otherwise, these things rattling around in my head will never amount to much.  I've heard ideas.  I've been reading books.  I've been listening to music.  I've been teaching.  I'm not sure if that order is appropriate or reflects my priorities, but maybe it does.  I'll probably write this and then rearrange it several times.  Either ways, here are the thoughts rattling around in my head this week.  

I'm addicted to Mandisa this week.  Her songs are inspiring and moving.  I mean her songs inspire my relationship with God.  Her songs move me to get moving.  Her message is awesome and her beat is dancing!  Check her out.



As a teacher, I'm always reading something.  This week, I'm reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.  I got a copy because I saw one of my students reading it.  She said it was about a young boy in Germany.  That doesn't sound interesting, but she said it had some heavy concepts in it.  She was right!  This young boy moves next door to a concentration camp because his father is in the military.  I'm about 50 pages into it, and I'm guessing that this young boy will have to learn that what his father is doing is wrong.  I'll let you know when I finish.  Yes, I know it is a movie.  Multiple students have told me, but I haven't seen it.  You decide if the book is worth it.  Let me know.  Should I watch the movie too?


I'm also reading Pigs in the Parlor: The Practical Guide to Deliverance.  It is very interesting reading if you believe in the active spiritual world.  I absolutely do.  However, I'm reading this with a critical mind.  I don't mean that I'm criticizing it.  I mean that I'm thinking critically about everything it says.  Just because something is in print doesn't mean that it is true.  I completely agree with somethings in this book.  Other things I'm considering.  Still other things, I think I could cross off completely.  The book is still worth it.  Awareness of what we can't see is worth it.  The best source for awareness of what we can't see is still the Bible, and at the same time, there have been many wonderful authors since the end of Revelation.  Don't just take my word for it, check it out yourself.



But wait!  There's more!  One too many infomercials on TV lately.

My new principal has also recommended Ted Talks.  I signed up for the emails, and when there is time, I watch one.  Recently, the mayor of Oklahoma City talked about how he got his city off the list of most obese cities in the country.  My daughter tells me I need to get back to my Tae Bo, so I've dusted of the workout videos and already downloaded a Nike Ap on my new phone.  Now to find the time.



After a crazy day with students, Tae Bo feels much better than dancing.  The point is to get moving.  Take your pick and do something!  Check out this video of extreme jump roping too.

Model T is my inspiration for getting moving.

Until next week when I have time to organize my handwritten notes in traditional journals . . .

A Year in Review

This is for the family who wants to know what is going on.  I'm limiting facebook.  Enjoy!

Every year Model T gets a rabbit for the stock show.   Model C is showing off my skills in dress making.  And finally, we attended the Boots and Hearts Country Ball!

So much happened!  The kids spent Spring Break with my parents so I could work.  My college BFF had a baby shower.  Model T kicked some hiny and showed off her bunny.  Of course the Easter Bunny also visited.  And most important, Grandpa got to visit.  There are 90 years between my grandpa and Model C. 

Spending time with dad is the biggest event.  We built some memories with dad in the deer stand and shooting tin cans. 

Summer started off with me teaching summer school, but we found time to go to the beach and the dinosaur park.  

The girls headed out to their first rodeo on the 4th of July!  Small town rodeos are the best!  They also enjoyed VBS at our church and friends in the backyard.  

The first part of our vacation was the zoo!  We did local places and came home at night.  It was ridiculously hot!

Day 2 of our little vacation was thanks to a local radio station giving tickets away to Sea World.  

Model T attended her first camp away from home at the beginning of the month and stated school a few weeks later.  I, of course, organized my annual Tiara Dinner which was a huge success for a local charity.  My sweet husband brought me beautiful roses from work.  And we enjoyed spending time with my niece and nephew.  

Model T had her first slumber party with friends and her birthday buddy.  My sweet friend, Joy, has been my friend for years!  Now she shares a birthday with Model T.  

This past fall was very exciting.  Daddy had to feed two calves at work by bottle.  Model T participated in a half time show at a high school football game.  Halloween!  And Model C is showing off the deer that daddy shot when they went hunting together.  

Thank goodness for a sister weekend!  We were in desperate need of it!   

This is the photo shoot in my garage for Model C's birthday party.  I'm glad to have a brick wall like this because it was crazy cold outside.  

Finally, Christmas!  We participated in our first Advent reading with my brother-in-law's family.  We attend the same church.  We traveled several places to celebrate the holiday with different families.  And finally, my husband and I celebrated our 12th anniversary!  

Treasure Hunt

Over Christmas vacation, my kids needed something a little more creative to do.  Today began the treasure hunt.  They found one treasure today, but the possibilities are as endless as the treasures I can hide and the quatrains I can write.

First, I created a map of our home by crinkling packing paper.  It was the biggest piece of paper I had and worked great.  I used marker to draw the items and water color.  No, we don't actually live in a castle.  However, as the saying goes, "A man's home is his castle."  (Or something like that.)  Some map items are figurative.  I had to explain that to my kids.  This seemed to be an education experience.

Learning Objectives:
1. Read cursive handwriting.
2. Decode strange clues.  (figurative language)
3. Read a map.
4. Use a compass.

I used the compass on my iphone to help with the directions.
It isn't perfect, but it works fine.
Next time I will draw the map with the traditional North at the top.
Live and Learn.  

Here are my clues if you want to borrow my poetry.  

And the end result!  It was too cold to spend much time outside anyway. 

And the treasure today was a new movie.  My girls loved it when we went to the theater.  Now they can watch it any time they want.  

Click below and order a copy from Amazon.com.  Enjoy!