It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.     Wow!  It's the end of March!  I can't believe we've made it to the end of a 31 day writing challenge.  I have to be honest - I struggled sometimes!  I was determined to finished all 31 days, but my writing muscles were definitely atrophed, and at times...sore from the exersion.  It reminded me that writing is a practice that requires just as much grit as any other difficult, but rewarding endeavor.  I was happy to part ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE. Today, I'm inviting you on a tour of my reading room and collection of children's book illustrations ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.      We just got home from Florida.  It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but full of sweet moments.  The photo above was one!  We've visited Mom and Dad a couple times during this year of Covid, but we always had to keep our distance, and we didn't hug of course.  This time, we could!  We had a wonderful afternoon visiting.  It wasn't long enough, but it was special!      I also got to see Mom's neigh ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE      Our long weekend in Florida has been so nice!  The weather is PERFECT.  Upper 80s, low humidity, breezy, and balmy nights.  I love when you can sit outside at night and not be cold!  Our weather back home is rainy, windy, and in the low 50s.  We picked the perfect weekend to be here!      Today, we met my husband's parents and sister and brother-in-law for lunch in this lovely setting. We are so b ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE      While enjoying the sunny Florida weather today by taking a long walk, I listened to Becoming Muhammed Ali by Kwame Alexander and James Patterson.  Kwame narrated the audobook.  I heard about the book from a teacher I was working with who is planning for novels in verse book clubs with his 4th graders.  It will be one of their titles. Of course, when I hear about a book I don't know, I have to read it!  In this case, I d ..read more

It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.      We arrived in Florida.  The balmy air is something that is hard to describe.  In Ohio, I am used to shivering in the night air, but here, the air seems to wrap around you.  Flowers are everywhere.  Colors envelope you.  Pink outlines the clouds. The humidity hugs you tightly.  I take a deep breath.  All seems well.  I get that there are cold weather people.  Folks that love to snow ski and watch the snow ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.      I read an article not too long ago about the affects of Covid isolation on social interactions that weren't even especially "deep".  The people you know at stores you frequent, colleagues and office spaces, neighbors, and all kinds of acquaintances.  I used to go to Cyclebar and Club Pilates, and the people there were important to me.  It's not like we had deep conversations (well, occasionally we did) or knew about everythi ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.      I am a reader.  What could be better than a group of fellow readers sharing a space, reading books together, and then book-talking?!  I was introduced to #CincySlowRead several years ago by Tanny McGregor.  If you have the privilege of knowing who Tanny is, then you have been blessed with her generous spirit, her creativity, her love of storytelling, and her wonderful literacy books.  Her contributions to education have ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.      Today , it was 70 degrees in Cincinnati, Ohio!  What a joy it was to walk outside without a jacket, the warm breeze feeling balmy.  When I left the house this morning, my favorite tree was still holding its blossoms close to its heart.  All winter, the fuzzy sweater buds, looking like pussy willows, stay warm and cozy.  Then one day, they decide to burst open.  Today was the day!  It truly felt like spring had ..read more

  It's time for the 14th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!   My theme for the Challenge is CELEBRATE.      Today I was able to join my Community Conversation group for an honest and open conversation about privilege.  Our Community Conversations began earlier in the year as a way to: Lead the transformation of education Continue to develop our community Build collaborative relationships      Our conversations are a way for us to learn more about social justice, diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity.  We've met ..read more