Grace (far left) is a tree! You can't see it in this pic but she has a crow on her wrist and orange sunglasses with leaves glued to them!Monday, October 31, 2011
Halloween 2011
Grace (far left) is a tree! You can't see it in this pic but she has a crow on her wrist and orange sunglasses with leaves glued to them!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Redneck Halloween
Our friend, Fred, came by last week to get some of Jim's camo gear for his and Missy's redneck Halloween costume! I want to point out that the hair that Fred is wearing, is NOT Jim's!
Hula is on Hold
My family is doubting my ability to learn hula so I have moved on to something new....American Sign Language!
So far, I know:
A thru L
Are you married?
Goodnite
Are you deaf
No I am not deaf, I am hearing
I looked at local classes but I don't have time to do a 3 hour class once a week. I need to look at online options.
Stay tuned.
So far, I know:
A thru L
Are you married?
Goodnite
Are you deaf
No I am not deaf, I am hearing
I looked at local classes but I don't have time to do a 3 hour class once a week. I need to look at online options.
Stay tuned.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Cabin in the Fall
I think my favorite time of year at the cabin is the fall. The reason is that there is no "planned activity" - i.e. no skiing, no boating, no backpacking, no swimming, no fishing, etc. So the fall leaves us time to just "putz" around.
Today we:
* went and looked at a house - it was super creepy!
* went to the archery range and shot some arrows - Jim is amazing! I couldn't even pull the string back!
* drove thru the campground to check it out
* went to the local junk store to get a pair of glasses for Gracie's Halloween costume
* checked out the local farmers market (there was only 3 stalls!)
* went to the creek to pan for gold but got distracted by panning for crawdads
* furminated Daisy Mae
Tomorrow we will head back to the creek to do some more crawdad fishing!
Today we:
* went and looked at a house - it was super creepy!
* went to the archery range and shot some arrows - Jim is amazing! I couldn't even pull the string back!
* drove thru the campground to check it out
* went to the local junk store to get a pair of glasses for Gracie's Halloween costume
* checked out the local farmers market (there was only 3 stalls!)
* went to the creek to pan for gold but got distracted by panning for crawdads
* furminated Daisy Mae
Tomorrow we will head back to the creek to do some more crawdad fishing!
Sports Scores
Football - a win at 54 to 25! Drew had a lot of play time and blocked a field goal.
Soccer - Grace had the weekend off!
Soccer - Grace had the weekend off!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Happy 32, Kyle
TNDC was Kyle's birthday edition and in his honor, the boys had a beer tasting event. Each of them brought two six packs of their assigned types of beers.
Happy bday Kyle!
Fancy Chocolate Milk
I got the girls these super cool straws that have chocolate or strawberry flavoring in them. You put the straw in a glass of milk and and then the flavor comes out when you drink thru the straw.
Very fun!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Identification?
Someone at work sent this pic around asking for help identifying it. He had found it in his front yard this morning....
I cracked up - it is clearly a worm!
Where has this guy been his whole life that he does not recognize a worm?
But that got me thinking...I guess not everyone has a worm bin and get to look at them everyday.
Here is a quick lesson on worms:
In terms of animal complexity about half of all animal species on Earth are less complex than segmented worms, while about half are more complex. Of course we humans are the most complex.
ARE EARTHWORMS IMPORTANT?
Certainly what earthworms do isn't simple in ecological terms. The great naturalist Charles Darwin, after making a careful study of them, wrote this:
"...it may be doubted if there are any other animals which have played such an important part in the history of the world as these lowly organized creatures." "History of the world," he said!
One important thing that earthworms do is to plow the soil by tunneling through it. Their tunnels provide the soil with passageways through which air and water can circulate, and that's important because soil microorganisms and plant roots need air and water just like we do. Without some kind of plowing, soil becomes compacted, air and water can't circulate in it, and plant roots can't penetrate it.
One study showed that each year on an acre (0.4 hectare) of average cultivated land, 16,000 pounds (7200 kg) of soil pass through earthworm guts and are deposited atop the soil -- 30,000 pounds (13,500 kg) in really wormy soil! Charles Darwin himself calculated that if all the worm excreta resulting from ten years of worm work on one acre of soil were spread over that acre, it would be two inches thick (5.08 cm).
This is something we should appreciate because earthworm droppings -- called castings when deposited atop the ground -- are rich in nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and these are all important nutrients for healthy, prospering ecosystems.
I used castings in my tomato plants this year and the plants grew like crazy!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Hunting for Ducks
After the raccoon incident at the lake, the dogs were on HIGH alert. This pic was taken about 10 minutes after chasing the raccoon - they were in the full on hunting mode!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sports Scores
Drew's football team lost on Friday nite - 14 to 7
Gracie's soccer team lost on Saturday - 3 to 1
Gracie's soccer team lost on Saturday - 3 to 1
Tooth Update
My tooth is actually better! Have slept thru the nite with no advil for two nites now!
Fingers crossed that it is on the mend.
Fingers crossed that it is on the mend.
On the Menu for this Week
Horseradish Flank Steak
Ingredients
1 (1 pound) beef flank steak
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
HORSERADISH SAUCE:
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Directions
Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the steak with shallow diagonal cuts at 1-in. intervals, making diamond shapes. Repeat on other side. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the next five ingredients. Add steak. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Drain and discard marinade. Grill steak, covered, over medium-hot heat for 7-9 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well done, 170 degrees F). Thinly slice steak across the grain; serve with sauce.
Ingredients
1 (1 pound) beef flank steak
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
HORSERADISH SAUCE:
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Directions
Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the steak with shallow diagonal cuts at 1-in. intervals, making diamond shapes. Repeat on other side. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the next five ingredients. Add steak. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Drain and discard marinade. Grill steak, covered, over medium-hot heat for 7-9 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well done, 170 degrees F). Thinly slice steak across the grain; serve with sauce.
Turkey Earthquake
I wake up this morning to hear about a huge earthquake in Turkey, which is not usually a big concern for me. But my folks are on a cruise that makes a stop in Turkey. So I immediately start doing research. I have my laptop, my ipad, my cell phone and the tv all going and gathering information.
First, I text Drew in SJ to have him check the itinerary that is in the office to tell me when they are suppose to be in Turkey. Then I have Jim pull up a map of the middle east and we track their movement by dates.
What we determine is that they were in Egypt and the earthquake was quite a distance north east of them.
Wheeeewwww!
First, I text Drew in SJ to have him check the itinerary that is in the office to tell me when they are suppose to be in Turkey. Then I have Jim pull up a map of the middle east and we track their movement by dates.
What we determine is that they were in Egypt and the earthquake was quite a distance north east of them.
Wheeeewwww!
Yikes! Holy Boating Raccoon!
Jim and I are at the cabin for our anniversary (without the kids)! Yesterday morning, we went down to the lake to do some fishing.
When we got to the boat, the tarp was ripped and filled with water. Damn! That stupid tarp was expensive ($800) and this is the second time it ripped. It ripped last year after a big snow storm.
As Jim and I are working to get the water out of the boat, the dogs are going crazy sniffing the boat. I told Jim, "there must have been something on the boat because the dogs are super interested." Just then, a raccoon comes shooting out the back door of the boat, runs across the back of the boat next to us and into the water! Daisy rips off after it and jumps in the water. Ahi runs down the dock and yips and cries at all the action!
We think the raccoon climbed up under the dock because we never saw it again. Jim hauled Daisy out of the water and we made them come back to the boat. We didn't want them getting attacked by a raccoon!
It was all very exciting!
Luckily, the raccoon had not been living there -- there was no evidence of setting up house! We were really worried that when we took the tarp all the way off, we would find 3 raccoon babies!
New thoughts on hula...
I watched some hula dancers on tv this morning: kids first and then adults.
I am having serious second thoughts about learning to hula....I don't think I could do it as good as the kids!
I need to do some research!
I am having serious second thoughts about learning to hula....I don't think I could do it as good as the kids!
I need to do some research!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
TV - Fall Season
I have never been a big tv watcher because I have an attention span of about 20 minutes. But this year, I have totally gotten into a bunch of new shows. I am currently watching:
The Old Standbys:
* NCIS
* Modern Family
* The Big Bang Theory
* The Middle
The New Shows:
* Revenge - Sort of like a Knotts Landing in the Hamptons
* Unforgettable - About a woman that has a photographic memory and never forgets anything - she solves crimes.
* Person of Interest - Lots of twists in the plot, the main characters are a little creepy
The Old Standbys:
* NCIS
* Modern Family
* The Big Bang Theory
* The Middle
The New Shows:
* Revenge - Sort of like a Knotts Landing in the Hamptons
* Unforgettable - About a woman that has a photographic memory and never forgets anything - she solves crimes.
* Person of Interest - Lots of twists in the plot, the main characters are a little creepy
Root Canal?
I had a crown prep about 2 weeks ago because of a fractured tooth. The dentist thought it was the best case scenario because is looked like the nerve was not involved. So I was sent home for two weeks to wait for my permanent crown.
Things did not go as expected and I have been taking advil every 4 hours for the last two weeks to manage the achy pain. I was hoping that the pain would subside.
Today I went in for the placement of the permanent crown. Based on the pain, the Dentist thinks I will need a root canal, but was willing to give it another month with the permanent crown on - glued with temporary cement mixed with anesthetic to calm the nerve. Sometimes the mixture of the permanent crown with the anesthetic calms the nerve down.
Sounded like a good plan....until I got into the procedure to place the permanent crown! Because of the achiness I already had, it was like torture! And it took an hour to get the crown seated properly. I left the dentist office after an hour and was totally traumatized. I felt beat up!
So now....wait a month and see what happens. If it gets worse, I have a referral for a root canal. If it gets better, I do a happy dance!
Things did not go as expected and I have been taking advil every 4 hours for the last two weeks to manage the achy pain. I was hoping that the pain would subside.
Today I went in for the placement of the permanent crown. Based on the pain, the Dentist thinks I will need a root canal, but was willing to give it another month with the permanent crown on - glued with temporary cement mixed with anesthetic to calm the nerve. Sometimes the mixture of the permanent crown with the anesthetic calms the nerve down.
Sounded like a good plan....until I got into the procedure to place the permanent crown! Because of the achiness I already had, it was like torture! And it took an hour to get the crown seated properly. I left the dentist office after an hour and was totally traumatized. I felt beat up!
So now....wait a month and see what happens. If it gets worse, I have a referral for a root canal. If it gets better, I do a happy dance!
Ick - moths!
We are having a terrible time with pantry moths this year. We had them once a few years ago and I cleaned out the pantry, got some traps and they were gone!
It has not been so easy this time. I have cleaned out the pantry and put traps all over but they still won't be "gone"!
What makes me mad is the culprit is the same as last time, a bag of brown rice. They were setting up a whole town in it!
It has not been so easy this time. I have cleaned out the pantry and put traps all over but they still won't be "gone"!
What makes me mad is the culprit is the same as last time, a bag of brown rice. They were setting up a whole town in it!
Little things that delight!
Two things that delighted me today. One is "little" in size and one is "little" in importance:
1. The "little" in importance is my new hair dryer! My current hair dryer is so old that I don't even remember when I bought it. And it works in slow motion, barely blowing out warm air. The only reason I could stand it this long is I shower at the gym so often that I don't have to use it very often. On Monday I was at the gym using their hair dryer and decided that it was time to get a new one for home. I went to my desk and ordered one just like the one at the gym on amazon (i love amazon) and it was delivered yesterday!
2. The "little" in size is my new 21 st anniversary ring that Jim gave me this morning! Very pretty pear shaped sapphire in a white gold setting. It makes me think if the pearl promise ring he gave me 23 years ago!
Happy anniversary to us and happy new hair dryer day!
1. The "little" in importance is my new hair dryer! My current hair dryer is so old that I don't even remember when I bought it. And it works in slow motion, barely blowing out warm air. The only reason I could stand it this long is I shower at the gym so often that I don't have to use it very often. On Monday I was at the gym using their hair dryer and decided that it was time to get a new one for home. I went to my desk and ordered one just like the one at the gym on amazon (i love amazon) and it was delivered yesterday!
2. The "little" in size is my new 21 st anniversary ring that Jim gave me this morning! Very pretty pear shaped sapphire in a white gold setting. It makes me think if the pearl promise ring he gave me 23 years ago!
Happy anniversary to us and happy new hair dryer day!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Halloween....Past
I think this was about 6 years ago when Drew was 10 and Grace was 6. Grace is a jockey. See the racehorse in her candy bucket? And Drew....well....he was a bottle of ketchup!
And I LOVE our super fancy table holding the basket of candy. Really? A box as a table!?!?!
Tator Tot Casserole
This was ridiculously yummy! I found the recipe after not wanting to have to make a trip to the grocery store --- I looked in the freezer to find tator tots and was looking for something to do with them!
Ingredients
1 (32 ounce) package frozen potato rounds
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped and sauteed in a little olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Arrange tater tots in the prepared baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cheese, and mushroom soup. Pour this mixture over the tater tots. Sprinkle onions over the top of the casserole.
Bake in the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 60 minutes.
Spoon out and eat like a pig!
Ingredients
1 (32 ounce) package frozen potato rounds
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped and sauteed in a little olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Arrange tater tots in the prepared baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, cheese, and mushroom soup. Pour this mixture over the tater tots. Sprinkle onions over the top of the casserole.
Bake in the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 60 minutes.
Spoon out and eat like a pig!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
TNDC - Anniversary Edition
This week's Thursday Nite Dinner Club is the anniversary edition - mine and Jim's 21st anniversary!
The menu for our special day will be:
Pulled chicken sandwiches
Baked beans
Fries
Coleslaw
We are happy to be celebrating with a group of friends. Anyone who wants to join for the TNDC anniversary edition is welcome....just send me an email so I can assign you something to bring!
The menu for our special day will be:
Pulled chicken sandwiches
Baked beans
Fries
Coleslaw
We are happy to be celebrating with a group of friends. Anyone who wants to join for the TNDC anniversary edition is welcome....just send me an email so I can assign you something to bring!
Whoopie Pies
I made whoopie pies for bosses day this week and wow - are they yummy! I read somewhere that they are better a day later and after having one for breakfast this morning, I have to agree!
Whoopie Pies
For cakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
For filling
4 tablespoons, or so, of softened cream cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla
Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined.
Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well.
Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.
Spoon rounded teaspoon of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes.
Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.
Make filling:
Beat together butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Assemble pies:
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.
Whoopie Pies
For cakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
For filling
4 tablespoons, or so, of softened cream cheese
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla
Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined.
Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well.
Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.
Spoon rounded teaspoon of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes.
Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.
Make filling:
Beat together butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Assemble pies:
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Team Murray
This is Gracie's soccer team pic for the Fall Season. Murray happened to be there, so he joined in for the official team pic!Friday, October 14, 2011
Walkathon
Grace's school has a big fundraiser walkathon every year. This is a pic of her and her buddies.
How does it go so wrong so fast?
Being the good citizen that I am, I am planning to sign up a bunch of friends to volunteer at the Family Giving Tree. That means we will spend a few hours wrapping and sorting gifts for the underprivelged. We have done this before and it is a lot of fun. And we all bring gifts to donate to double the goodness!
So, today I sent out an email telling our group of friends that I am working on setting this up. The men of the group - who are always worried about whether there will be enough meat at an event - had the following converstation:
Jim: Will they have meat?
Mr C responds with:
Marty responds with: "Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree....How fatty are thy branches."
How does doing good turn into a meat xmas tree in 4 short emails?
So, today I sent out an email telling our group of friends that I am working on setting this up. The men of the group - who are always worried about whether there will be enough meat at an event - had the following converstation:
Jim: Will they have meat?
Mr C responds with:
Marty responds with: "Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree....How fatty are thy branches."
Missy (who can hang with the men in both the beer drinking and meat eating arenas, responds with: "Holy sausage batman I hope that is there when we work!"
And as the resident vegetarian, I am horrified!
How does doing good turn into a meat xmas tree in 4 short emails?
And I wonder why....
All before 9 am this morning:
* Packed a lunch
* Commuted to work
* Did one hour of cardio and 30 mins of weights
* Showered and got ready for work
* Emailed Drew's tutor
* Drew's ride did not show for tutoring - so Jim had to take Drew to tutoring and then to school
* Since Jim was not home, he had to get Grandma Anna to come over to get Grace to school
* Found out that the friend who was suppose to pick up Grace after school and take to soccer practice was in the hospital with a kidney stone. Made alternate pick up plans for Grace.
* Grace's soccer bag was suppose to be at the friends house so it was ready for practice tonite - with change of plans, had to track down soccer bag.
* Friend in hospital had soccer carpool duty tonite - so had to make alternate plans, including me doing pick up.
And my dentist wonders why I clench my teeth hard enough to fracture my teeth.
Next up today.....8 plus hours of work and yoga!
* Packed a lunch
* Commuted to work
* Did one hour of cardio and 30 mins of weights
* Showered and got ready for work
* Emailed Drew's tutor
* Drew's ride did not show for tutoring - so Jim had to take Drew to tutoring and then to school
* Since Jim was not home, he had to get Grandma Anna to come over to get Grace to school
* Found out that the friend who was suppose to pick up Grace after school and take to soccer practice was in the hospital with a kidney stone. Made alternate pick up plans for Grace.
* Grace's soccer bag was suppose to be at the friends house so it was ready for practice tonite - with change of plans, had to track down soccer bag.
* Friend in hospital had soccer carpool duty tonite - so had to make alternate plans, including me doing pick up.
And my dentist wonders why I clench my teeth hard enough to fracture my teeth.
Next up today.....8 plus hours of work and yoga!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Aloha
I have been thinking....I want to learn how to hula dance.
When my kids are out of the house, that is #1 on my list of things to do.
When my kids are out of the house, that is #1 on my list of things to do.
College Tour
We took Drew on his first college tour this last weekend to Chico State.
It is a little early to be starting but I wanted him to have a foundation and general knowledge on which to build his thoughts about college. College is an abstract thought to a high school sophomore. To be able to see a college campus, visit the bookstore, walk thru a dorm room, etc. is something that they can grasp.
It was a great experience! Highlights included:
* Buying Chico State gear for the whole family
* Eating at the Bear
* Watching a men's soccer game
* Going to the Sierra Nevada Brewery
* Touring Bear Hole, Salmon Hole, 1 mile and 5 mile
The funniest part was when Drew walked into a dorm room and said, "this won't work"! The room was so small that if he laid down on the floor, he would have to bend his knees to avoid hitting the other side of the room. And the beds are twin beds. He hasn't slept in a twin bed since he was 9! We were cracking up!
It is a little early to be starting but I wanted him to have a foundation and general knowledge on which to build his thoughts about college. College is an abstract thought to a high school sophomore. To be able to see a college campus, visit the bookstore, walk thru a dorm room, etc. is something that they can grasp.
It was a great experience! Highlights included:
* Buying Chico State gear for the whole family
* Eating at the Bear
* Watching a men's soccer game
* Going to the Sierra Nevada Brewery
* Touring Bear Hole, Salmon Hole, 1 mile and 5 mile
The funniest part was when Drew walked into a dorm room and said, "this won't work"! The room was so small that if he laid down on the floor, he would have to bend his knees to avoid hitting the other side of the room. And the beds are twin beds. He hasn't slept in a twin bed since he was 9! We were cracking up!
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
Frequently Asked Questions About Dyslexia
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, or extra support services.
What causes dyslexia?
The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a dyslexic person develops and functions. Moreover, most people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with identifying the separate speech sounds within a word and/or learning how letters represent those sounds, a key factor in their reading difficulties. Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods, dyslexics can learn successfully.
What are the effects of dyslexia?
The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty is with word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Some dyslexics manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays.
What Are the Signs of Dyslexia?
The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using language--reading and writing letters in the wrong order is just one manifestation of dyslexia and does not occur in all cases. Other problems experienced by dyslexics include:
Learning to speak
Organizing written and spoken language
Learning letters and their sounds
Memorizing number facts
Spelling
Reading
Learning a foreign language
Correctly doing math operations
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language skills, particularly reading. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Dyslexia affects individuals throughout their lives; however, its impact can change at different stages in a person’s life. It is referred to as a learning disability because dyslexia can make it very difficult for a student to succeed academically in the typical instructional environment, and in its more severe forms, will qualify a student for special education, special accommodations, or extra support services.
What causes dyslexia?
The exact causes of dyslexia are still not completely clear, but anatomical and brain imagery studies show differences in the way the brain of a dyslexic person develops and functions. Moreover, most people with dyslexia have been found to have problems with identifying the separate speech sounds within a word and/or learning how letters represent those sounds, a key factor in their reading difficulties. Dyslexia is not due to either lack of intelligence or desire to learn; with appropriate teaching methods, dyslexics can learn successfully.
What are the effects of dyslexia?
The impact that dyslexia has is different for each person and depends on the severity of the condition and the effectiveness of instruction or remediation. The core difficulty is with word recognition and reading fluency, spelling, and writing. Some dyslexics manage to learn early reading and spelling tasks, especially with excellent instruction, but later experience their most debilitating problems when more complex language skills are required, such as grammar, understanding textbook material, and writing essays.
What Are the Signs of Dyslexia?
The problems displayed by individuals with dyslexia involve difficulties in acquiring and using language--reading and writing letters in the wrong order is just one manifestation of dyslexia and does not occur in all cases. Other problems experienced by dyslexics include:
Learning to speak
Organizing written and spoken language
Learning letters and their sounds
Memorizing number facts
Spelling
Reading
Learning a foreign language
Correctly doing math operations
Thursday, October 06, 2011
A new buddy
Grace has a new buddy! He is an "E-buddy" and his name is James.
She just joined Best Buddies, e-buddies program, which is an electronic pen pal with a child with an intellectual or developmental disability:
http://www.bestbuddies.org/
She got the buddy last nite and sent her first email to him. She got up first thing this morning to see if she got any response.....nothing yet!
She just joined Best Buddies, e-buddies program, which is an electronic pen pal with a child with an intellectual or developmental disability:
http://www.bestbuddies.org/
She got the buddy last nite and sent her first email to him. She got up first thing this morning to see if she got any response.....nothing yet!
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Hurray!
This morning when I announced what was for dinner, I received CHEERS! So what do you think that dinner is:
* Burgers?
* Mac and Cheese?
* BBQ Chicken?
* Spaghetti and meatballs?
NOPE!
Cabbage and noodles!
These kids eat anything and eat it with gusto! Cabbage and noodles is cabbage that is cooked for hours so that it is sweet tasting. Then you mix it with cooked egg noodles and butter and then sprinkle a little salt over the top. It is a Polish dish that I learned to make in high school - I had a close girlfriend who was Polish.
I fully expect to get texts from Drew today telling me how excited he is that we are having cabbage and noodles.
* Burgers?
* Mac and Cheese?
* BBQ Chicken?
* Spaghetti and meatballs?
NOPE!
Cabbage and noodles!
These kids eat anything and eat it with gusto! Cabbage and noodles is cabbage that is cooked for hours so that it is sweet tasting. Then you mix it with cooked egg noodles and butter and then sprinkle a little salt over the top. It is a Polish dish that I learned to make in high school - I had a close girlfriend who was Polish.
I fully expect to get texts from Drew today telling me how excited he is that we are having cabbage and noodles.
Monday, October 03, 2011
A good friend?
Tina texted me and asked me if I wanted any frozen yogurt....they had a new flavor....Maple Bacon Donut!
Be sure to notice that it does not actually contain meat. Oh - and it's nonfat!
I still did not want any!
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Tuna Slayer
The tuna have moved close in, about 30 miles offshore. So Jim went out to today - left at 3 am. They are still not back yet (6 pm) but got 17 tuna!
I guess there will be fresh tuna for dinner tomorrow.
I guess there will be fresh tuna for dinner tomorrow.
Homecoming
This weekend was homecoming, which is especially fun if you have a football player. They played yesterday and won 33 to 7. Drew played a great game and got a touch down and a quarterback sack! He was mowing people over in the first half but then took a pretty big hit and slowed down the rest of the day because his head hurt and he felt like he was going to barf!
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