More Inspiration

So I really love free gadgets online that do cool things. One that I discovered this summer is animoto. Anyone can open a free account, upload photos and short video clips and make fun FREE 30 second videos. It's amazing. Here is a little inspiration video I made of photos I took hiking this summer:

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Check it out!

My Passion Devours the Terror

"I'm not scared. My passion devours the terror."

Isn't that an inspiring statement for Inspiration Monday? I cut it out of a magazine and put it on a collage I made. Part of the collage is in the photo above.

For more than half my life now I have been inspired by cutting up magazines and making collages. I'm always surprised by what appears. This most recent collage was meant to inspire me. I'm planning to put it in my workspace in my classroom soon. It's a completely imperfect art form. The words and pictures usually aren't cut out straight. I usually glue them on construction paper--most often black paper.

The power of the process is that one of two things ALWAYS happens. Either something from my heart spills out, or something my heart needs floats in. This time "My passion devours the terror." lept to me.

I'm feeling many internal shifts about how I view myself, my little family, my workplace. I know these are really good, but change always feels scary to me, and that little line just gives me courage.

I highly recommend making your own imperfect magazine collage. This is what you do:

1. Gather old magazines, glue, scissors, paper.
2. Browse through the magazines for anything that jumps out at you and cut it out.
3. Keep doing this until you feel like stopping--minutes or hours or days.
4. Start to arrange them on the paper you have and glue them down.
5. Look at your work without judgement only asking what this says or shows about or to you.

Hint: If you don't like your collage, put it away for a bit until you're feeling less judgemental.
Hint 2: This is also fun to do with other people for a crafternoon or party.

Sam is 18 Months Old

Yesterday was Sam's 18 month birthday! Okay, I know some people think it's goofy that we still count his age in months. But honestly, it's such a short window, and we cherish every day--all 548, but who's counting?!

After dinner we went with Grandpa Joe and Uncle Jon to the fun water park and playground. The water was cold, but he was a daredevil on the slides. I think I have some reasons to be nervous!

He is my master teacher. He is teaching me about being completely present and living each day to its fullest. He's also teaching me about limiting my worries and fears and to trust that others will meet my needs. There is so much more, but I'm a bit of a slow learner, so I'll stop with those.

Watch a fun little video of Sam here.

Book Recommendation Friday

So I saw this book at the library earlier this year, and I must admit, I walked right by it. And then last Saturday evening I attended the storytelling concert at the 5th Annual Akron Storytelling Festival, and the author, Carmen Deedy, was featured. She is an AMAZING storyteller--I laughed, I cried. . .

This lead me to go home and look her up online. She has written numerous books, but this is the most recent. And it's a heart grabber. 14 Cows for America recounts the response of the the Masai people of Kenya to 9/11 when they finally heard about it the following April.

I think its a fantastic book to use in discussions about compassion for others--a topic that is not discussed nearly enough with children. Nor is it modeled often enough in ways that children can witness. It's also a great text for responding to tragedy in a nonviolent way, without seeking revenge or mongering fear.

I'm inspired to integrate more compassion into my life and into this world. What has a book inspired you to do?

I Am The Queen Bee

Yesterday I received a fabulous piece of art in the mail. It's a raised carving print. I was very drawn to it on etsy (see other prints and journals by the artist here), and I think I like it more and more everytime I look at it. The artist, Catherine Just, I became aquainted with through the Mondo Beyondo class--which I can't recommend highly enough.

My intention with the piece of art was to fill my classroom this year with things that inspire me and my students. I loved this line by the artist, "The queen bee knows who she is, and she isn't afraid to own it!" I think of how inspiring it would be to my students if I really owned who I was, not trying to fit into other expectations and having enough awareness of myself to know when this was happening and stop it.

In addition to the print here are some other things that will be in our classroom this year: plants, (maybe fish,) linens, lamps, pillows, a sofa, fun writing paper and office supplies--not just business. I also want to include and inspiration board for myself.

What do you include in your workspace to inspire you?

Inspiration Monday

I wish I had a video of the most inspiring moment of my weekend. We popped into the car, headed to a neighborhood park with a water playground a few miles from our house and voila! OK, people, picture this with me. . .

a squeal of delight followed by the kind of laughter that usually accompanies uncontrolled tickling, but no one is touching this blue-eyed, blond haired, almost 18 month old. He is just soaking up the water that is spraying, trickling, and dumping from nearly every direction, walking around and watching other kids.

If you think you can handle more, read on. . . so a boy about 6 years old come up and starts playing with Sam, splashing in the water as it's about to spray from various spots, and talking to Sam (telling him they're play, as if the baby might not know!) and telling other kids to watch out for the baby! Even when some bigger boys (maybe brothers) tried to badger him into leaving, he just stayed with Sam.

As I watched this seen unfold and saw so much bliss in the eyes of many wet kids I was reminded of how grown ups can learn A LOT, A WHOLE BUNCH, A HEAP from children. They were so present and in the moment. There was joy and consideration for others. There was so much silliness and laughter, too.

As I recount those events I'm inspired to contemplate what that means for me in my life today and in the upcoming school year. I think I want to be more like the kids and less like the grownups.

What's inspiring you, today?

Book Recommendation Friday

Every year I try to start out with a read aloud novel that is newer to me. It's usually something I've read over the summer. I have just discovered the read aloud for this school year. . .Where The Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. It was a Newbery Honor book this year, but I would have never picked it up if my brother had not recommended it.

I read it in one day! I never do that anymore. It is a beautifully woven tale that combines many legends in a stunning way. I can't wait to share it with my class. It is also a wonderful example of traditional literature for middle grade kids. There are many life lesson woven throughout, and I love the strong heroine. I think even reluctant readers would enjoy this story filled so much adventure.

The website linked above also has a fun introductory activity for the book and several activities for during and after reading.

What books do you recommend to read aloud?