Half Marathon, here i come.

Maybe it was the candy...

 or the volume of junk I ate this morning given that it is Halloween and our workroom was full of snacks.

 But, I did it! I signed up for the Cowtown Half Marathon!!

 I'm excited. Now to get training!!

Packing Tape Sculpture

Just a glimpse into my classroom...

We are making packing tape sculptures.

Besides the horrible constant screech sound that the tape makes, it's a pretty fun and easy sculpture project. A little expensive, but worth it.

A finished sculpture....

In progress...



I can't wait to show you the thirty finished sculptures! It is going to be a really cool exhibit!

Watercolor Portrait of my Granddad

 



I'm working on lesson plans and in doing so, I'm getting a chance to create for myself!  My art 1 students will start watercolor next week and I am going to have them create a 2 or 3 tone watercolor portrait. 

The above watercolor is of my grandfather. I know it looks kinda weird, it's supposed to. It's a 3 tone posterized portrait. But I have to say, I love how it looks in person!  And I'm thrilled that I am taking the time to create as well.

I've decided that I'm going to do a full concentration of these little watercolors. Yep, another goal set!!

Costumes are Cool for School!

It's Red Ribbon Week in our school district.

That means, every day is a different dress up day.

 

On Monday, Maddie got to wear her Halloween costume to school.

That's cool in my book. I love getting extra wearing out of expensive costumes!!

 

Doesn't Maddie look GREAT!!

 

And, I got to pick up Kylie's pictures today from school.

Yep, Super Girl was adorable!!

 

Not $250 worth of adorable.

Sorry, but who needs 14 sheets of pictures plus the digital copies of a photo?

Are they NUTS???

 

Anyway..  I did purchase pictures. I got the smallest package possible. Ouch.

Bright side, I have really cool pictures for her scrapbook!

 

Tomorrow we are all wearing red.

Glad I look good in red.

Just in case you didn't know,
wearing red says that I'm not gonna use drugs.

Posterized 3 tone Watercolor Tutorial

I'm always on the lookout for new or different projects to add to my art 1 curriculum. Recently I came across a nice watercolor project that uses 2 tones, but I wanted my project to be a little different. I see lots of 2 tone projects.

So taking what I like from the 2 tone "posterized" project and ramping it up a little, here is the 3 tone project that my students will be working on after they finish their packing tape sculptures!!

Personally, I love how this came out! And it was SUPER easy!! Like 30 minutes from start to finish!! (It will take longer for students I realize, but it will still be a fast and easy project for them!)

Step one: Find a photo that you want to play with.

 Step 2: Using photoshop or a free site like picmonkey, posterize your photo to 3 layers.

 Step 3: Print it out. And either free hand the drawing onto your watercolor paper or trace it using a carbon or light box or just rub graphite on the back and trace it onto the page.

 Step 4: I am using watercolor pencils for this project as I wanted something easy. I have lots and lots of cheap watercolor pencils that my students can use to play. I like using watercolor pencils at this point in the year as they are feeling confident with the colored pencils by now, but watercolors still seem scary. This is a nice bridge project.

 Step 5: Once you have the two basic areas completed, go back over the lines with a darker colored pencil. I used purple for this.

Step 6: Using a TINY amount of water and a preferably decent brush, paint on the water and your pencil becomes watercolor. I love watercolor pencils!!

And that's it. Thirty minutes from start to finish. Enjoy.

Yipppee. I am so proud of myself!

Doug and I ran the homecoming 5k.

My first 5k as a "runner." Doug's first 5k ever.

Here we are before the race!

Here I am with my fellow running partners before the race. Before running with these ladies, I didn't really see the need to run with a group. But now I really enjoy it. It's fun, they make me laugh and we run faster!

The goal was to run it in 30 minutes. I wasn't sure if that would be possible. When we started, all the racers were clumped together and I wondered how this was gonna work! At our first walking minute I know that people were frustrated that we had just run by them to walk.. but too bad :) After playing cat and mouse with people for 3 miles, in the end, we beat a lot of them! Personally, I LOVE the Galloway running method!

Below are the results! I ran it in 29:10!!!!!!!!!  I was 7th in my age group! And yes, there were more than 7 in my age group. There were 21!  How cool is that!



And here is the AFTER picture of some of the ladies I run with.



How did Doug do? Awesome!! He completed his first 5k in 34:34! And that's just 2 months post elbow surgery!!

What's next? a 10k next week. that's what! Onward and Upward!

A new way to lace your shoes!

 

I run with an awesome group of ladies in a local running club.

We have fun, support each other and are racking up the miles.

 

One of the ladies posted a link about the different ways you can lace your shoes.



The link is below. If you are a runner, or want-to-be runner, you should take a look at it!

http://katierunsthis.com/2011/10/04/running-shoe-lacing-techniques/

 

After reading the article, I relaced my shoes for the high instep.
As seen in the above picture! Yep, that's my foot :)

It is WONDERFUL!! My toes don't go to sleep on mile 4 anymore!

 

Tomorrow (Saturday) is my first 5k as a RUNNER.

A little scary. I've run 5k's before, but never with a goal but finishing in mind.

Now, I have a time goal and a pace.

eek.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

This is really just a warm up.

Next week is my first 10k.

 

Wow.

I may need to go revisit my last post and get motivated again as to how far I have come!!

Before and After Photo

The picture says it all.

But in case you were wondering.... As a teacher I have my picture taken every fall.   It's a great show of the years passing.

Here I am in September of 2011 --- BEFORE.

and then September 2012--- AFTER losing 33 pounds and going from a size 12/14 to a size 6.

Thank you Weight Watchers, and Stephenville Bootcamp, and water aerobics, and Stephenville Women's Running Club.... and the list goes on and on.

The price of a tantrum

Daycare called.

Kylie didn't want to line up for the potty break and decided to throw a tantrum instead.

When she threw herself to the ground she fell weird on her left wrist.

Doug got her into the Orthopedic.

And this is the result.

Great.

Never a dull moment in our home.

So... the art teacher and the theatre teacher became volleyball coaches...

I know, it sounds like the start of a joke: One day the art teacher and the theatre teacher decided to become volleyball coaches.....

Interestingly to everyone, we aren't that bad.

Granted, our team is made up of 8 and under girls. But still, given that people laugh just thinking of us coaching, it's nice to say that we have a winning record! And that half of our girls had never played volleyball before!!



And here is what I have learned so far.  That because neither of us have any experience being coaches of a sport, we are willing to ask a lot of questions, request a lot of input and aren't afraid to ask for help. Doing this has engaged the parents in this process.  When Maddie played, I dropped her off at practice or if I stayed, I wasn't asked to help, therefore I played on my phone or read a book. At our practices, we have 4 or more parents playing and volleying with the girls. Sure, they would probably rather sit and play on their phone, but they are willing to be the opposing team for our girls to practice!

Another thing that I knew, but maybe others would not have given Mindy (the theatre teacher) or myself credit for was that we are both experienced herders of children. At our practices, there is no sitting around and very little downtime. With our teaching and directing experience, our girls are kept busy and engaged!



I'm not saying we are the best coaches around.  BUT, our girls are learning new skills (heck, we are learning new skills) and enjoying themselves as well.  At the end season, we will see how our win/loss record looks. But I can tell you this, the girls will consider it a winning season I am sure.

Junior High Dancer

Maddie is taking dance this year. This is offered beginning in 7th grade in our school district as an alternative to sports or straight p.e.  We had hoped that she would be able to do this, but were not sure since she spent the last couple of months of 6th grade completely removed from p.e. class. To be ready for dance, Maddie spent all summer long taking physical therapy twice a week in order to be able to participate.

 

She is doing GREAT!

 

Last week, she was picked to be in the dance at the pep rally!! This was HUGE!

 

So, here is Maddie and the other girls dancing. Maddie is the one on the right with the long sleeve white shirt.

 

Go Maddie!

 

The Cutest Kid in the Universe

Hate to break it to all of you with children,

but my sweet Kylie Faith may just be the cutest kid in the universe!!

 

Today after seeing the doctor, Kylie and I were walking through Academy and saw these pink longjohns. It doesn't matter that it was 85 degrees today. She NEEDED them!

 

(And if I looked as cute as she does in longjohns, I might need some too....
sorry, I went there... but I didn't buy any, so no worries.)

 

 

 

 

The Allergist

I'm taking Kylie to see Dr. Wasserman tomorrow. Dr. Wasserman is Maddie's allergy/immunology doctor. ( dallasallergy.net ) should anyone need it.

Why would I put my non-compliant 3 year old in the car and drive more than 2 hours to see a doctor?

Well... because he's the best. And doesn't she deserve the best? :)

In preparation for tomorrow's visit, I got a copy of when she had antibiotics/steroids last year.

Case in point:  THIS is why she needs Dr. Wasserman.

Looking at the last year, Kylie was sick and on antibiotics/breathing treatments/ and/or steroids..

September , October, November, December. Surgery to remove adenoids, tonsils and place ear tubes in February. Was sick TWICE in March, then June, twice this September and already once in October.

This is on top of taking two prescription allergy meds EVERY Day and one over the counter allergy med.

Nuts.

So tomorrow Kylie and I will begin a journey I know so well. It just usually involves Maddie. 

Super Girl

Months and months ago, Kylie saw the Dora the Explorer episode where Dora's twin siblings are super babies. Since then, she has had a fascination with anything "super." So no surprise, Kylie decided she wanted to be Super Girl for Halloween. Except that she was NOT going to wear a skirt. Kylie does not wear dresses, or skirts or anything girly.  She likes shorts.

 

Well, fast forward to portrait day at school. Kylie is NOT impressed. She doesn't want to have to wear a dress and she really isn't excited about having to sit still and smile. Until, smart momma asks her if she wants to be Super Girl in the picture. Oh Baby!! She can't wait!

 

Thankfully, I have an awesome friend that found and purchased the entire outfit for me, I had the costume ready to go this morning.  Kylie didn't wear the mask to school, but she did wear the top and bottom. The cape was special for the pictures and then remained in the backpack!

 

Isn't she adorable!!

 

Yes, she is Super Girl!

A Goal Made, A Good Run and.... Out of the Closet

A Goal Made:

 

Over the weekend I hit 140 lbs. This was my goal weight!! Yippee.  Of course, I ate so well over the weekend including a hamburger (I had forgotten how good those bad boys are!), that by my Tuesday weigh-in I was at 141. But that's okay, it was still a loss from the previous week. 

 

I am so close to "maintenance" that I can taste it!

 

A Good Run:

 

Over the weekend I also had a couple of good runs with friends, logging 11 miles in two days!!

 

So after taking it a little easier for a couple of days I went running this morning. I was really, really wanting to make it to the 3 miles in 30 minutes. I didn't make it. BUT, take a look at my ending pace! Yes, that's 7:51 at the end of 3.28 miles! In case you are wondering... I do the 3 minute run, 1 minute walk interval training. It REALLY works! I just have to remind myself to walk faster so that my overall pace is faster. But, given that at the end of May my overall pace was 14 minutes a mile and now on the 10th of October it's 10:25 a mile, I'd say that's a win.

 

 

And finally, my purse came OUT OF THE CLOSET!!

 

Maddie had a doctor's appointment in Dallas today and so, I decided to break out the COACH. It felt nice. :)

Lots and lots going on around here. Hope to fill you in more soon.

Going out on a limb.. and the reward.

I went out on a limb at work and asked for something big.

And I got it.

And I am getting monetary compensation as well. (yippee)

Crazy good stuff.

Scary stuff.

In fact, for the first time since I recieved my MFA in Arts Management 12 years ago do I feel like I will actually be using my degree + my experience+ my passion.

It's just a 27minute production for an audience of 7000.no biggie... :)

But I'm the coordinator of the whole thing!

how cool is that!

How to kick the Working Mom Blues

How to kick the Working Mom Blues...

 

1. Go to bootcamp and get your butt kicked for an hour.

 

2. Plan ahead and get your kids week under control.

 

3. Get caught up at work and take a minute to reflect on the good things that happen there.

 

And that's what I've done.

 

I'm still tired, but who isn't!! But I've kicked the blues to the curb again and am ready to face Friday.

 

If you'd like to see what my students have been up to at school, go check out my artsonia site!

 

http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=91585 

 

Here are a couple of Art 1 projects...



 

Thanks for hanging with me while I was blue.

I haven't used my purse yet. I think I may need to carry it to work tomorrow!

The Working Mom's Blues

I've been feeling blah this week. just going through the motions.

Everyone has weeks like this I know. Mine started with a sick kid last week, then Doug went out of town and things just kinda went down hill from there.

It's funny, everything is normal in my world, but I'm just blah.

To be honest, I think it's really "The Working Mom Blues" where it seems like you spend all of your time taking care of work obligations and your children have needs that you can't meet and your house is a mess and on and on.

It has even translated to my workouts. On Wednesday, I was lead at bootcamp. Today, I didn't even workout. Tomorrow I'm determined to put the blues aside and get me rear in gear.

I'll let you know how it goes.