Thanksgiving Mix Recipe

     Earlier today, I commented on Kay's blog that I'm not a big fan of Thanksgiving.  After I made that  statement, I felt like the biggest Thanksgiving Scrooge.  I went back to her blog later in the day, and lo and behold, I found her wondering why.  The whys don't really bear repeating, but I did make note that I DO do things that cause me to enjoy the holiday a lot more than I used to.
     One Thanksgiving tradition is my Thanksgiving Mix making with my class.  The kids bring in the ingredients, we clean the room well, we wash our hands, set up an assembly line (which aligns with our 4th grade social studies curriculum), and we get to mixing.  The last step in the line is to attach a label with the explanation for each item.  The kids love the experience and bringing home a treat to share.  (Side note, this year I have a student who is Jehovah's Witness, so we're making it a "fall mix" so he can participate.  However most of the bag labels will read similar to the ingredient list below.)
     We have a week off for the holiday, and with all that time to do so, a few of my students wind up making the mix to take to their family parties.  I love that.  Oh, and we also make enough bags to give one to each staff member, so my peers look forward to this too!

Here's what's in it and why:

Bugles
Shaped like a cornucopia, a symbol of our nation's abundance

Pretzels
Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who celebrated the first Thanksgiving

Candy Corn
Food was so scarce that Pilgrims survived on just a few kernels of corn a day during their first winter

Seeds
Promise of future harvests to be reaped only if seeds are planted and tended with diligence

Dried fruits
Harvest gifts from our bountiful land

M & M's
Memories of those who came before us and memories of those whom we miss on this and every day

Kisses
The love of family and friends that sweetens our lives, a symbol of giving to those we know and to those who are strangers except for knowing of our kindnesses

     Some added helps: the pretzels are mini twist in variety, for seeds I use sunflower kernels, raisins are the dried fruit, and I make sure I get the candy corn now (I'm shopping for this today), so it's easier to find (and on clearance).  Oh and of course, we always talk about putting Bugles on our fingers like witches' nails. That's part of the tradition too!
     Since this is such a hit, I am sharing it early in hopes someone will come along the recipe and think it's as sweetly touching as I do!

Happy November!

Photo source

Fragging for the First Time?

I started this "new" blog a while back because though I loved my old one, I had posted some things there that reflected a not so pretty side of me (aka the petty side of me.)

Downside to trying to soften, many followers haven't made the move with me.

Okay dozens haven't.

Dozens?  Now that's some hefty readership.

So I'm visiting an old haunt, Friday Fragments, because my life is best sampled in bits and pieces.

• My class this year is made up of really wonderful kids.  I'm enjoying each day with them.
• Parent-teacher conferences were this week, and my mind was blown when one dad donated $100 to our class service project (Operation Christmas Child).  He wants to remain anonymous, so posting this here assures him of that!
• I had a fun birthday, and though Brad and I don't exchange gifts, he told me to order a Kindle and we went shoe shopping.  Yep, my husband likes to go shoe shopping.  (And after that little shopping excursion, I am imposing a ban on shopping for myself for months!  EEK!)
• He also bought a bottle of Jose Cuervo Margaritas for me.  This is funny because he doesn't drink, so picturing him in the local "beverage depot," even with my son's help, cracks me up.
• I've come up with a neato concept for a new advent tradition, and I can't wait to share it.  Unfortunately, my vision doesn't always align with my reality...
• I have a student who is a Jehovah's Witness, so to support him, I didn't dress up this Halloween.  Well, I guess I did, I went as the Halloween Scrooge!  Party.  Pooper.
•  I wonder, are you ever torn about how to spend money?  Lately I've been struggling with taking trips versus investing in new furniture.  The good thing is, this dilemma keeps my from spending on either.
• I'm a A-line skirt wearer in a pencil skirt world.  It's quite sad.
• Brad attends a Thursday night men's group at church where guys are rewarded for participation and question answering with a chocolate bar.  The man has a Dr.'s degree in ministry, I was counting on him bringing home something sweet each week, but he will not play that way.  Sigh!
• Last Saturday, my student B. and I went to a trunk-or-treat event at our church.  The candy collectors were children and adults with special needs, and B. was so into sharing our loot with them.  I picked the right helper! 
• Last year, B. helped a non-verbal, wheelchair ridden boy in a grade two above hers with his daily vocabulary lessons.  When I told her we'd be giving candy to people with special needs, she asked what that meant.  I explained it would be people like "J."  She said, "J. had special needs?"  She just saw him as him, and that's beautiful.

•  Happy gain an hour weekend!

Zipping May Have to Do

This summer, a group from our church planned a skydiving event.  Brad wanted to go.  Apparently it's on his, I hate this term, bucket list.

Right then, I knew he was crazy.  And the idea terrified me.

But I didn't tell him no.  That just doesn't seem right, for me to forbid him to do something like that.

Instead I asked him to compromise.  You see, he also wants to go hot air ballooning. So I suggested we should plan to do that.

Together.

That idea and a conflict on the day the group traveled out west to jump made him give up the diving idea, for now at least.

Then, when were in Wisconsin for a weekend, I persuaded him to join me in doing something I've always wanted to do, zip lining.  (I think he wanted to do it all along, but he just made me keep on asking him.  What a tease.)

It was a gorgeous early fall day, and we had a blast!  We wore grubby clothes, but the young women who were on the towers with us were in glitz and flip flops.  They were adorable, and they were afraid, and so we found ourselves momming and dadding them along the way.  Brad took more photos of them (with their phones) than he did of me, and that was fine by me.  You all don't need to see close-ups of these ol' legs in shorts (suffice it to say I've changed up my workouts since then).

Heights are not my friend, but I loved zip lining.  Is it corny to say it's a rush?   I had predicted I'd do it once and be satisfied, but I want to do it again.  The climbing onto precarious perches had me shaking, but the letting go and gliding had me laughing and smiling. 

Which brings me to sky diving.  I started thinking, maybe I can do it.  Maybe I want to do this.  Maybe it's something we can do together.  But you'll never guess what Brad said.

He said no.  Apparently, I could get hurt.  Oh, yes, I could die too.

Huh.

I'm saying, stay tuned.

Disclaimer:  Friends were worried, once some pics were posted on facebook, that this would be bad for Brad's back, but zipping is like sitting in a swing.  It's smooth and virtually non-jarring.