Our Easter Sunday poem

S.O.L. #31/31

                                           It was a ..

picnic packing,

                     jelly bean snacking

eggs a hiding,  

                        children finding

                                                                                    kind of Easter Sunday.

                                              It was a .....

playground playing,

                        grass a laying.

soccer ball kicking,

                                 chocolate lip licking

                                         

                                                                   kind of Easter Sunday.

                                           It was a .......

sunshine shining,

                 scooter riding

wind whipping,

                         kite tails flipping

                                                                 kind of Easter Sunday. 

                                             It was a ........

family strolling,

                       hands a holding

lake waves lapping,

                            children laughing

                                                                 kind of Easter Sunday.  

An Easter Egg Tradition

 

S.O.L. #30/31



My family has always had a unique way of creating Easter Eggs.  It is just a little twist to the normal egg dying process.  We use melted paraffin wax to give a multi-colored effect.  I don't know how this tradition actually started but we have been doing it this way for as long as I can remember.  In fact, if took me a long to figure out that not everyone did it this way.

First , gather the egg dying supplies. 

You will need:
    -  lots of freshly boiled eggs (make sure they are dry but still warm)
    -  the traditional egg dying colored tablets (with a splash of vinegar in each cup)
    -  white/clear paraffin wax
    - small paint brushes
    - clothes or paper towels to dry the eggs (They always end up as pretty as the eggs.)

1.  Begin by melting a small amount of white(clear when melted) parffin wax.
     We've always used what my mom and dad had around that house that they had left over
     from canning.  I bet you could use a few white birthday candles or such. We melt it
     using the double boiler method.  A small pot with the wax inside a bigger pot with a
     little bit of water that you bring to boil or at least until the wax has melted. 

2.  Dissolve your traditional egg dying colored tablets in warm water and a splash of vinegar.

3.  Get one of your freshly boiled eggs.  It needs to still be warm (never cold) but not
     too hot either or the melted wax will just run away.

4.  Dip the small paint brush into the melted wax and apply it to the white egg shell.
    "Paint on" the clear wax in whatever design appeases you.  polka dots,  zig zags,
    names, etc (This area will remain white. )

5.  Now place your egg into one of the colored solutions.   Note: We have learned
     this process works best if you begin with a lighter shade and work through to
     the darker shades.

6.   Take the egg out once it reaches  he desired color. Pat it dry with a paper towel
      or cloth. See the area where you applied the wax stayed white!

7.  Go back to the wax and use the paint brush to "paint" a few more strokes of
     wax onto the now colored (green) egg shell.   These areas will remain
     (green).

8.  Place the egg into a second color. This time a slightly darker color.  I placed
    it in pink. Do you notice where you applied the wax this time stayed green?

9.  Continue this process with the same egg until it becomes to your liking.
     I dunked mine in blue for the last time.  (kind of came out dark purple)
     But you can still see the pink polka dots left behind. 

Each and every eggs always come out so unique and beautiful and colorful!!!

I was so excited to share this tradition with my children (6 and 2 years old)  this year.
I was beyond excited that they got to do it at Grandma and Papa's house too.

  Thank you mom and dad for making this such a special activity when
I was a little girl. Thank you even more for making it a special memory for
my little boy and girl too.   You have created a tradition that I know will live on
through my children as well!

It matters!

 

S.O.L. #29/31

 

I had a “first” in my career that I wish would never have happened. A former student took his own life. Sam* (named changed) was an intelligent boy. In fact, he was in the gifted program at our school. He was the boy who used his intelligence in all the mischievous ways, if you know what I mean. I had Sam for 4th grade, only my second year of teaching. Sam’s and his family were actually the first neighbors I met when I moved to this  town. They lived right across the street. I knew before I actually had him as a student that he was going to be a challenge. Boy, did he ever keep me hopping. Although, he was very likeable and witty. For instance, after getting into some trouble in art, he wrote the art teacher a seemingly heartfelt apology note. At the end of his letter, he writes,

“How can I ever repay you? Oh, I know,......

(signs his full name like an autograph).....

This will be worth millions some day!”

 

Unfortunately, I don’t think this young boy’s autograph will ever be worth a million dollars. However, it has been worth a million laughs.

I shared that story and many more as I reminisced with his mom and dad when I attened Sam's memorial. I was teary eyed as I tentatively walked along the tables viewing the displays of photographs and keepsakes from Sam’s life. The wide toothless grins of a baby in a bathtub; a young boy with tousled hair proudly wearing his boy scout uniform--This is someone’s baby boy who has grown up in her arms within her reach but now he is gone.
       Then it caught my eye a small Christmas wreath made of puzzle pieces painted green that encircled a wallet sized school photograph. Sam made this as a gift to his mom in my 4th grade class!!! A few of the puzzle pieces were missing, some of the green paint was chipped away and the picture was a little faded and bent but his mother obviously treasured this gift and kept it all these years. Now tears stream down my face. It mattered! Of course, it mattered it was created by the hands of her precious little boy. It would matter to me. I am so thankful that I have taken the time each year that I have taught to gather old puzzle pieces, paint them and let my students great a gift. Somebody’s mommy just might treasure it forever.

Love em while you got em!

Author Visit

 S.O.L. #28/31

My students were fortunate enough to visit with an author, Kate Klise, today.  Kate's website intro begins:

"Once upon a time there were two sisters named Kate and Sarah Klise who wanted to make a book. And they did! Or rather, we did."

         Kate and sister create children's books together. Kate writes. Sarah illustrates.  My fourth graders  could really relate to Kate because Kate revealed that she wrote her first book in the 4th grade!  She has written many picture books and children's novels.  During her talk, she shared a few writer's secrets that she has learned along the way.
     We've all heard that standard comparison that  story elements follow the structure of a mountain.  You know,  it begins,  then builds up to a climax and back down again. She claimed her trouble with that organization was  her stories started off boring, followed by more b-o-r-i-n-g,  then really good part, then a little bit more BORING. The end!
      To cure this issue, Kate Klise suggests that writer's use the circular motion of the  hands moving  around a clock when creating their story's plot.   For instance, the story begins at 12:00 on the clock .  To engage the reader's, the character should face the problem immediately (about 1:00).  This problem leads the character along the adventure/quest to solve the problem ( the largest part of the story).  Editors even say that the main character should "suffer" so the readers will empathize with him/her.  About 7:00 on the clock, there should be an OH NO! moment.  When something tragic or shocking happens.  Followed by the Ah Ha! Moment  (around 8:00-9:00) when the character learns something about life or has a chnage of heart or feelings.  Then of course the story has come full circle (by 11:00-12:00) when the problem is solved and all is well.  She even did impromptu story creating following this clock model as a guide and suggestions from the audience of students.   She made it seem so simple and easy!
      The next time I read aloud a picture book I plan to compare the story's structure to her writing model.  I loved these simple suggestions that I can pass on to the writers in my classroom.   I hope my students will attempt to use this as a way to organize their future stories. I know she has already inspired them to be reading more!! Several of my students bought copies of her books and got them autographed.  And there is a mile long waiting list for her books we have in our school library.

Here is a cover from her 43 Old Cemetery Road Series

 

Kaitlyn's comedy

S.O.L. #27/31

Here are just a couple of moments with my 2 year old daughter this week that I wanted to be capture so we can be sure to look back in a few years and chuckle. 

Monday-
We had an incident  with the crayons, (I blogged about earlier "peeling the paper")  I asked her to come help  mommy pick up all of her crayons that had dumped out on the floor.  I "threatened", "If I pick your crayons, then they will be mine and I will put them up, far, far away." She calmly replied, "Ok, I have mawkers."  Grrr..


Tuesday-
I picked her up from daycare and the day care teacher told me that Kaitlyn said she was excited to get a tattoo.  My head cocked with curiousity to hear the rest of the story when the teacher said she asked her, 'Does you mommy have a tattoo?".  Kailtyn matter of factly answered, "Yes." ( No I don't! My eyes began to bug out as I looked at the teacher to hear her continue. The teacher said, " Oh she does? Wow." To which Kailtyn explained further, "Yeap, up in the cabinet!" (whoo! she only knows about temporary tattoos! relief)

Wednesday-
I picked her up from daycare and the daycare teacher approaches me to relay to me another "story" Kaitlyn told her. 
Teacher: "Does your dad live with you?"
Kaitlyn: No. (Yes he does! I was thinking infactically.)
Teacher: "I thought he did.  He goes to work but doesn't he sleep at your house?"
Kaitlyn: "No, mostly he sleeps in the woods!"
(You have to know my hunter husband to know who completely funny this was.  He spends a lot of time in the woods and I am betting he occassionally catches some ZZZZZ's there too..)

Oh the joys of a two year old who likes to talk.....What is to come?

The Writing on the.......

            

S.O.L. #26/31

            Ahhh! Yeahh!! That is the feeling I get when my 2 year old little year crawls up into my lap cluthing her pencil and paper asking, "Mommy, do you know hoew to make a K? Show me how to make a K."  She's ready to absorb, ready to learn. These are the  moments to be savored, tiny momnets of acquisision that  shape who she is.
            I wasn't even aware that she knew so many letters of the alphabet until we were waiting in the doctor's office.   I got a pen from my purse (not wanting her to touch the toys or books in the exam room) and I began writing on the paper that covers the examination table.  Soon she was shouting out the names of the letters as I wrote them. Astonishingly, she could recognize 20 out of 26 letters!  All those repeat readings of her favorite board books, assembling alphabet puzzles thousands of times, "playing" games on starfall.com & watching the letter factroy DVD has its effect.
              She is now gripping a pencil properly and scrawling these letters herself.  Just last night, at the dinner table she asked, "How to you write MOM?" So I called out the letters and she moved her hand in the up down, up down motion forming an M on the napkin.  Then she eagerly wrote the "O". That one's easy because she plays tic-tac-toe with her older brother and always gets to be "O"s.  Then again she formed a mountain to make the last "M".  There is was .......MOM !! My 2 year old has written MOM on the napkin before me.  Priceless!!
             My husband was surprised that I didn't snap a picture or save it for the baby book.  Maybe it is because I can already sense the inner writer in her and I know there will be more where that came from!!!      Let's just hope it isn't on my walls!! I'd probably still frame it! :)

Peeling the Paper

S.O.L. #25/31



        I don't know why she does it and it isn't a big deal to me. But it drives my
 husband crazy. Our 2 year old daughter......... peels all of the paper off of her
crayons before she uses them. 

         Just like any other house with youngsters, we have a tub full of crayons. 
Most broken, some only nubs. Rarely is there a full length, papered crayon complete
 with sharp tip.  She enjoys scribbling a few lines on various pages in her coloring
book.  She has just learned the art of tracing around the outline of the figure before
she attempts to color within the lines. 

        Honestly, I'm just thankful that she's never offered to use her crayons on
anything other than her coloring books or paper.  I'm glad that she is keeping
 herself entertained quietly. But my husband is annoyed everytime he witnesses her
 bring the papered crayon up to her mouth to unravel it. Or when he enters a room
and discovers tiny pieces of partial curled, primary colored, paper parts scattered
randomly under the Little Tikes table and chair. 

         I thought I had devised the master plan when I tried to entice her into picking
up the bucketload of crayons and paper pieces that had dumped out on the floor with the threat of....."Oh, Kaitlyn, come help pick up your crayons.  If mommy picks them up, they
are mine and I will put them up-- far, far away." She calmly, cooly and collectedly
 replied, "It's ok. I have markers!"

        Grrr! See why I don't even try?

             Guess I will just have to buy a DustBuster. :)

Forever and Always----Sister Love

S.O.L. #24/31

 

When my old sister decided to move to Arizona almost 3 years ago, I was so devastated I didn’t even want to think about it let alone talk about it. I knew I would be emotional even thinking about my closest sister not being here with me especially because I was nine months pregnant with my second child. My sister did everything with me and was even at the birth of my first child. She had been by my side every step of my pregnancy with this baby too. She helped me capture the most special moments by joining me at a peaceful serene lake setting with my 4 year old precious boy to take a few pregnancy photos.

 

She came rushing to my side when I called her at 4 in the morning to tell her it was time for this little bundle of joy to come into the world.

I think I was in denial until the day I helped her pack up her house and she set out on her 1,000 mile journey to find a new home. It has been three years. I think I was still in denial for the entire first year she was out there hoping she would come to her senses and move back here!

But now I have come to realize this thousand mile distance has actually helped us grow closer. I took a year leave of absence from teaching when my baby girl was born. I was remembering how to be a newborn mommy again but this time much harder because I had a four year old vying for my attention as well. Who do you think was “there” for me? My sister, of course! Even though she was all the way in Arizona, she was never more than a phone call away. She had all the time in the world to sit and chat with me offering advice, consoling my tears, decompressing my stress & fears.

My little ones made homemade cards, colored pictures, painted handprints and sent them to Aunt Tina all throughout the year. Aunt Tina, in turn, mailed little trinkets and gifts to each of my kids making them feel special. We shared many moments through a quick snap of the camera phone lens and picture message because sometimes "a picture is worth a thousand words." Heck sometimes, even though she was in Arizona, she knew more about what was going in our lives than some of our relatives here. She made a point to stay involved. She created the time to travel back to KC about every 3 months. Visiting lots of family but each trip making time to staying at my house intentionally sharing moments with my children.

  Piggy Back Rides

& Painting Piggies!!

As the kids got older, we started to Skype with Aunt Tina. It is amazing how close you can feel through Skype. They play peek-a-boo with each other & make silly faces. She sings songs with them, read books to them. Now my 6 year old is reading books to her. Both kids know how to click the green phone to video dial her and push the plus sign to snap a Skype picture. Skype has helped those relationship bonds hold tight.

  Receiving Precious Letters &Blowing Kisses

Tina- It is ok that you moved to Arizona.

In fact , I am thankful for the experiences that we have shared

because now I know...........

Forever and always

even thousands a miles apart,

you are always in my heart!

Love you Bunches,

your Little Sis XOXO

My sister & I on top of Mt. Lemon in Arizona!!

Coffee with my sister- 1,000 miles apart

S.O.L. #22/31

A simple sip of sweet, hot French vanilla roast coffee  from a special carafe can warm my heart and bring me closer to my sister.   My sister moved to Arizona from Missouri about 3 years ago.  It was an easier transition than I imagined because we have many ways in which we stay connected.  Oddly enough,  sipping coffee on Saturday mornings is something we do that reminds us of one another.  After the hustle and bustle of a busy week,  we may or may not have had a chance to connect during the week by calling, texting or Skyping.  But when Saturday mornings roll around, we both have a quiet moment of solitude each in our own homes 1,000 miles apart from one another.  

Early Saturday morning,  I quietly slip out of bed sliding on a warm shirt, cozy yoga pants and a pair of fuzzy white socks.  I tiptoe down the stairs and reach for my Arizona mug.  The one I purchased in Tucson, Arizona when the kids and I took a trip to visit Aunt Tina (my sister).   It has a warm desert scene including many cacti encircling the entire mug.  The streaming Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla coffee enters my mug as the splash of French Vanilla creamer swirls with the dash of sugar.  After opening the living room shades, I  settle into my big comfy sofa corner embracing the warm cup of coffee with both hands and closing my eyes imagining my sister’s view out her window in Arizona.  The warm desert sun’s rays warm my face even though they are barely peeking over the sturdy mountains on the horizon ----but oh so near. Peace and  joy  fill my heart because I can feel her love and know she is embracing her “Live, Laugh, Love” mug (the one I gave her for Christmas) in her home  half way across the country. .........And she is thinking of me.

Downhill

S.O.L. #22/31

We are  on the downhill side of this Slice of Life Challenge.  I am so glad that I just did it!  However,  I am not fortunate enough to have a ten day spring break like others to afford me more time to write my slices this last week.  I only have two days off. Enough whining! If I have made it this far, I can finish it out!

After reading a fellow slicers post today about finding a PLN with Twitter, it inspired me to write this post.  Because I feel the same way about the Slice of Life Challenge.  I have celebrated in all of your joys (new babies, getting comments from “real” authors) & and struggles( potty training, not so nice colleagues) & have gleaned SOOO much knowledge! I  have kept a Google Doc of books to read, ideas I’ve gathered, quotes I love  & added many new blogs to read on my blog.

It is like receiving Professional Development every night right in my own living room.  You know that excitement you get from attending an awesome workshop? Well, it feels like that everyday to me after reading everyone’s SOL posts.  It is similar to reading a professional magazine.  I can just peruse the posts/flip the pages until I find a title/article that interests me. But then I get to immediately interact with the author/slicer by commenting.  

It is so much better than Facebook (which is something that I gave up in order t have time to blog) I felt guilty spending so much time just “facebooking” Now for the last month, when my husbands enters the room and sees a computer on my lap and asks, “Are you facebooking?”

I can reply confidently, “No, I am blogging” (which everyone know is serious work! )

After March 31, I don’t think I will keep up blogging everyday.( It think I will try Michelle’s 10 year journal)   But I am planning to post on Tuesdays @  TWT.  I think I am actually going to miss it.  

The Boy Who Loved Words

 S.O.L. #21/31

 

WooHoo!!!  I saw someone mention the book The Boy Who Loved Words somewhere recently.  The minute I heard the title I knew I needed to grab the book and check it out for myself.  

I immediately checked our school library but nope, didn’t have it.  So I emailed our Primary (k-2) Elementary Librarian.  She had it and sent it home with my son last night.  I voraciously (That is a word from the book) read it as soon as I got home and it was  perfect!!!

All year long, my students have been gathering words to “expand our vocabulary”.

We study the vocabulary words that our reading series introduces each week.  My students squeal with glee (ok the boys don’t actually squeal) when they find one of our  vocabulary words in their own personal reading books. For the first semester,  we gathered these vocabulary words on a huge “I SPY my vocabulary words” poster.  They wrote the vocabulary word, the title of the book they found it in and then sign their name.  The kids filled this poster up quickly and loved it!  

Now for the second semester, I switched it up on them.  We are still word collectors but now we are gathering interesting, intriguing, new, important words in our own independent reading. The can share and write their words on our new “Word Collector” poster.  They keep a personal word collector page in their notebooks as well.  So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered a there was a book about a boy who collected words. Along with being a really cute story, it contained many new, tantalising (yeah that’s another one)  words!!! I hope it inspires my students to continue being word collectors and to have a purpose for their words. I want them to be awakened to words, notice vocabulary.  Eventually,  I hope to see them weaving these new words they’ve discovered into their writing as well.  The Boy Who Loved Words is a gem I know I will be ordering it for my classroom library to share with my 4th graders every year!!!

Note: I grabbed the word “mellifluously” from the book .  I swirled it around my head practicing its pronunciation all day.  Then would you believe while we were reading a fable from our reading series-------the word mellifluously was used?!!!! Weeeeee!!! (That is ME squealing!!)

Little Miss Teacher

S.O.L. #20/31

All I have ever done is take care of and teach children.  Even as a little girl, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. .  I was set up to teach too.  With a desk and all the office supplies you could dream of, I had classroom in every room of our house.  I even had a  huge 6 ft chalkboard with the uppercase alphabet strung across the top of it in  alternating primary colors. Having  14+ nieces and nephews I always had someone to be my student.  

When I was a middle schooler, my mom ran a daycare at the local bowling alley.  Since it was after the school day, in the evenings, I went to work with her often and was eager to be a “teacher” to those young children.  My mom claims I stood up on the table to create my own stage to entertain/teach all of the kids.

My very first job, right out of high school, was teaching 2 year olds at a local daycare. I loved it!! (all but the diaper changing:) It was here that my desire to become a teacher solidified.  Those precious little ones were sponges eager to absorb anything I put before them.  They mimicked all of my fingerplays and songs. They mastered their alphabet and listened intently as I read tons of picture books (the local library was next door) to them.  I realized my impact on little lives and knew that teaching is what I wanted to do.  I narrowed my college focus to elementary education.  Then reluctantly left my precious little ones at daycare to enter the school setting in order to determine if I was really cut out to handle elementary aged children.  I accepted a position in a school district as leader of the before and after school child care program.  I  attended college during the day and worked  with the school agers before and after school.   I loved it as well!! I took part in planning and preparing  many fun crafty projects to kept the kids busy, engaged and having fun after-school.   The program ran all day during the summers too.  So we went on my many field trips to lots of interesting places.  I soon recognised that I could handle the logistics and leadership of being in charge of 100+ students.  I truly enjoyed my experiences and  being with kids each and everyday!

Soon I graduated and  worked with two master teachers as a paraprofessional until I finally received a position teaching 4th graders!! That was 13 years ago and I am still with my fourth graders at the same school!!! Guess I am not smarter than a 5th grader!! I love teaching. Learning and Children are my passion.  It is also the only thing I know! Hope I never have to get a “real job”! I love my students!!!

High Tech?

                                                                 S.O.L. #19/31

When I was a young girl, we were one of the first to own a home computer.  That is probably why I was never intimidated by new technology.  In fact, my parents bought two computers and put them in the same room, his and hers! My parents are in their 80’s and they keep learning not intimated but invigorated by new technology.  My mom and dad each still have their own desktops computers.  Recently, my Dad got even got an  Ipad and mom has a laptop (btw thanks for letting me borrow it to participate in the Slice of Life Challenge this month)  They both have their own active email and Facebook accounts.  Dad drops pictures in Dropbox to share with family across the country. Mom even created her own Blog recently. These folks know how to keep up with the world.    It is because of them that I enjoy learning and embracing new technology---Heck, I can’t keep up with them!

As a 2nd year teacher, about 12 years ago, I  was offered the training and equipment to become an EMINTS teacher.  So for two years, I received technology integration training along with 12 computers for my students, a smartboard, projector, scanning & digital camera! This was a fantastic journey for myself and my students. It has changed over the years but the amazing part is the learning never ceases.  I am on the technology committee for my school district.  Our school has several Ipads and laptops and are in the process of implementing the BYOD (bring Your Own Device) program.  I can’t wait to find out where we will take learning next!   

The Wedding "Helper"

 

 

 

 

S.O.L. #18/31  The Wedding “ Helper”

This weekend I had the privilege of helping in many aspects of my sister’s stepson’s wedding.

Rewind a couple days prior to the wedding:

I showed up at my sister’s house to help her with wedding decorations and the groom’s cake she was making. Even though I have very little experience with any of these elements .I jumped right in with

fondant, petal dust, royal icing, modeling chocolate

 

 

 

That was one "ROCKIN'" groom's cake.

Fast forward to the day of the wedding:

I arrive at the venue early Saturday morning to help my sister prepare and decorate prior to the “big” event later that afternoon.

Twinkle lights, sparkle fabric, black backdrops, table covers, candles,flowers

I quickly became an “expert” at a multitude of various tasks. Somehow I was able to answer random questions and requests during the few hours before the ceremony.

Me: “Yes! I know how to use the steamer and can steam that veil for you.”

(Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?)

   Me:. Sure, I can steam a wedding dress............... while it is ON the bride!

Me: Water and snacks for the bride? I got it! (This one is easy.)

Me: No problem. I can take and rock the crying baby since it is her naptime. (said unassuredly)  

 

Me: Yes I can whip those gigantic cans of green beans open with this industrial sized can opener. (somehow)

Me: Oh, Let me lift that massive pan heaped with ham out of the hot oven for you. (Grunt....groan)

Me: Sure I can blanch those vegetables. (Tell me again what “blanching” means.)


Me : I am sure I can figure out how to assemble chafing servers.

(I just hope no one was watching as I switched out the pans when the water began to overflow)

Me: Light the Sterno flames under the chaffing servers? Sure. Where’s the lighter?

(We have the fire department on standby..don’t we?)

 

 

 

It felt wonderful being able  work along the sidelines and be at the beck- and -call for whoever

 needed a helping hand.  After all was said and done, despite my inexperience,

the wedding turned out magical!

Congratulations Mr & Mrs. Crockett!!!

Here's to ......Happily Ever After!!!!!!

I have to admit.....

 

 

S.O.L. #17/31

 

I have absolutely no sense of direction. Yes, I can follow a map or find it with GPS. But honestly, I would follow the GPS voice right into oblivion and wouldn’t even know I was going the wrong way until I crossed the state line. Rights and lefts, norths and souths. It is all too confusing for me.  I am that person that could have been some place twenty times and still need you to tell me how to get there.
 

 My husband on the other hand, has this internal compass. He can walk into the woods in the pitch-black of the morning and find the almost hidden deer stand he placed there at the beginning of the deer season. He knows all the highways and bi-ways of the city and even the bends and turns of backroads from here to Iowa.

 

Way back before anyone had GPS or cell phones, I went on a road trip with girlfriends who obviously weren’t aware of my directional disabilities because they ask me to drive. At the end of the evening, we had been driving for quite awhile and nothing looked familiar.  Finally, we stopped and asked “Which way to KC?”  
 We were quite surprised when the nice truck drivers at the all night truck stop revealed to us that I had traveled SIXTY miles the completely WRONG direction!! From then on, I knew driving or at least the directional part of driving was not my strong suit.

 

 

My husband pretty much just expects a phone call from me soon after I head out on a journey to a new destination (sometimes even an old one). Nowadays, I could just use my phone for voice navigation but my lack of directional awareness causes me to call him to confirm that my GPS gal is telling me the right direction. 

 My husband understands that I need to know landmarks  not just “go north on I-35”.  

I feel better hearing “turn right at the Mc Donald’s”

or “look for the house with the red door and take a left”

or “drive until you pass the horse statue.”

These landmarks are much more relevant and memorable to me.

 
I accept this as a weakness of mine. Thanks to technology advances and my exceptionally patient husband with his strong map skills, I don’t get lost very much any more.

 

........or at least not for too long!!