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Wisdom Wednesday
Welcome to my new Wisdom Wednesday’s post. Every Wednesday for the next two months I will post an inspirational quote and write about what it means to me. It is my hope that the quotes will inspire you and bring joy to your Wednesdays. We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. Buddha I grew up in a home that was plagued with depression. There was very little happiness, striving to meet goals, or expressions of love. It gave me the freedom to escape through my mind which eventually motivated me to search for…
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Stretching Your Intelligence
I’m a huge fan of Kagan’s Multiple Intelligences teaching model. It’s based on the theory that students are smart in different ways. Kagan’s Multiple Intelligences teaches teachers to engage all their students through instructional strategies that target many of the intelligences at the same time. For a list of the intelligences check out one of my previous posts. What’s Your Strongest Intelligence? My strongest intelligence is Intrapersonal or as Kagan describes it: To Know Thyself Philosophers, poets, political leaders, religious figures, theologians, and visionaries have a strong intrapersonal intelligence. One of my weakest intelligences is Visual Spatial. People who appreciate architecture, arranging, decorating, painting, drawing, graphing, building models, solving jigsaw puzzles, people…
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Growing Avocado Trees
I didn’t recognize the symbolism of growing an avocado tree at the same time I was beginning my journey of becoming an author. I simply loved avocados. Four years later as I set a new seed on my windowsill at the same time I was stressing over how to market Mystic I realized my avocado trees represented change and growth from within myself. They were my reminder that even though I could envision the giant tree that would fill my yard it wasn’t going to grow overnight. I needed to care for it every day while enjoying each day and know that eventually my seed would be a majestic tree. Here’s how to grow an avocado tree. This picture was…
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Girl Scout Cookie Brownies
Girl Scout Cookie brownies! Thin Mints on the left and Samoa on the right. They’re easy to make and incredibly delicious! My only regret is that I didn’t buy a box of Tagalongs to try. All you need is a brownie mix and your favorite cookies. Spread half of the brownie mix in the pan. Add cookies. Cover with more batter and a cookie crumble topping. Next time I’ll add the entire cookie for a stronger coconut taste. The Thin Mints brownies were very minty! Just add a dollop of green whipped topping and they’re perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert. You can also make Girl Scout Cookie brownie bites.…
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Horseback Riding at Riding Star Ranch
Horseback Riding at Riding Star Ranch “A companionship with your child must be built. It does not just happen.” Eleanor Roosevelt When the kids were little it was easy to plan family days. Swimming, the zoo, building sandcastles at the beach, even a trip to the park brought smiles and laughter. As Arielle and Kai got older it became more challenging to find activities we’d all enjoy. Even going to the movies usually meant boys in one theatre and girls in the other. However, we all love horses and horseback riding. This past weekend Eric, Kai and I saddled up and went for a trail ride at Riding Star Ranch. Here’s…
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FCAT Stress
FCAT Stress There are four letters that when placed next to each other are sure to cause stress in teachers. FCAT stress is running high this time of year. I see it on the teacher’s faces when I go into schools. FCAT Florida Writes is next week followed by math, reading and science FCAT in April. I have been there done that and I can say it was one of the most stressful times of my life. I loved being with the kids, had many supportive parents, but the pressure of the test was with me from August through March. Believe me, if teachers were allowed to spend more time creating their own lessons…
