The Sunshine went on Spring Break, too.

Here are a few pictures from our extended weekend. We were able to play, eat, and rest while on Spring Break.   The pictures are just a small sampling.  LOL  I always take too many. 

This was one of our last mornings on our trip. It was cool and rainy.  Nobody was using the kayaks.  Aren't they so colorful on a dreary day?

The Red Bud trees are in full bloom.  Beatutiful!  Breath Taking.

I'm no plant expert, but these little beauties reached out to me every time I passed them.  I had to take their picture.  ;)

This is a cloudy sunset.  Nothing spectacular.  Nothing fancy.  I could stay there forever. 

Springtime in the Ozarks....it's delicious!

Kinder Kid theory

So, I got a phone call from a Kinder Mom today. She said that last night their family was watching a movie. The villain was being very bad when the family father said the villain needed an attitude adjustment. The family mom said he needed Jeses. The kinder kid said, "He needs kindergarten!" Precious!!! Delicious. Makes me want to scoop him up and love on him.

Guilty Pleasures

May I just say that I L.O.V.E. being on vacation?  I seriously do not have to GO anywhere to love it.  I just need time away from the work place and all things associated with it.  Just a few days...that's really all I need.  But, while I AM on vacation, I have been "working" so hard to find new recipes.  My eyes are killing me.  I have read more blogs and scrolled through more recipes than I can even begin to count (and would be mortified to admit!)  The one recipe I keep going back to is right in my own little recipe box.  It is my Granny's Coconut Pie with meringue topping.  I can taste it.  I can see it.  I can see her sweet face cutting into it and handing me a giant slice.  Mmmmmm.  I'd eat the whole thing if I had one today.  Good thing I don't have the ingredients or I'd just have to make one.  Maybe I'll invite myself up to Granny's house this weekend and ask her to make one for me.  Maybe.....  That WOULD be delicious!

What's your guilty pleasure?  What would send you to a secret hideout to eat all by yourself?  Or would you be better than me and share?  It's okay.  I can take it.  See...Granny's pies are the best.  I can't think of a pie she makes that I don't love.  Every family dinner sends me running to the dessert table fighting someone for my favorite.  Of course, my favorite that day depends on which ones she brings, and she always brings more than one!  I can always count on Granny to bring either Coconut or French Silk pie to dinner.  Yes, yes...I think I'll go give her a call right now. 

Go.  Enjoy that guilty pleasure!  Enjoy it and don't look back. 

We are enjoying Spring Break.  We've been to Silver Dollar City twice, the Butterfly Palace, and Bass Pro Shop.  (of course!)  The kids have been kayaking and Paddle-boating.  They've been out for a boat ride and fishing.  They've been in the hot tub.  ...and they have EATEN.  I've been to the store twice already to get food.  I thought I had enough and we are nearly out again.  I might declare Tuesday "Eat Out Day."  :)

We have had beautiful weather.  We have been able to get a lot of fun packed into the weekend.  Today was rainy, but not bad enough to keep us inside.  Excited for another couple of days to play.  It IS funny, though, that the kids have all of their technology with them.  In this one little condo, there are 2 laptops, an iPad and 2 iPods, in addition to 1 cell phone and 3 smart phones.  LOL.  (We DID bring SkipBo and a deck of cards as well as books and magazines.)   Sigh...vacation is awesome.  I love that there are no plans to go anywhere or do anything.  There are no expectations.  There are no fancy dinners.  It's all delicious!

Just ONE more...

We have one more day before we begin our Spring Break.  The anticipation is wonderful.  There will be no airplane trip.  There will be no long road trips in the car.  We WILL have time to be together, time to rest and renew, time to bake some goodies and try some new recipes, time to clean out some closets and drawers, and time to play.  I can't wait!!

On another super happy note...Courtney's volleyball team played in Tulsa last weekend.  They were undefeated for the day, and they won the Championship.  It was a terrific day full of laughing and great volleyball.  We have mixed feelings that there is only ONE tournament left before the season comes to an end.  The weekend tournaments will be missed, but the housework that has been left undone will be happy to be taken care of once again. 

One last quick thing...today is National Pi Day.  I am fully aware that Pi has nothing to do with Pie; however, we made a cheesecake and had it for dessert anyway.  Yummy!  Love that we could tweak a national day and turn it into something delicious.  Have a terrific end of the week my friends!

Kinder Kids are the Bomb-Diggity!

I work better with children than I do adults.  I have known this since the first day I walked into a school as an adult.  I enjoy their enthusiasm for learning.  I love their knock knock jokes.  I love their hugs and sweet little tokens of appreciation...even when they are half eaten treats.  ;)  I love little people.  They are curious.  They are funny.  They want to have relationships with the adults in their lives.  They tell ALL.  They admire those who give them attention and respect.  They LOVE you sincerely for the person you are.
I recently wrote a "love letter" to my students.  It goes like this...

Dear Kinder Kids,
You are sweet.
You are kind.
You are giving.
You are helpful.
You are loving.
You are THE BEST.
I believe in you.
I love you.
Love, Mrs. Schmidt

I read this letter with my Kinder Kids every day.  I remind them that I love them and believe that they can do wonderful things.  We talk about the potential they have for the day, and then we get started with our reading lessons.  The other day, one of those precious little people brought me a love letter of my own.  When I unfolded the letter, it said, "Dear Mrs. Schmidt,  You are kind.  You are loving.  I bleve in you.  I love you.  Love, _________"  What a sweet little letter.  She meant every word just as much as I had meant every word in my letter to the kids.  I pinned her letter on the wall right beside the one that we read each morning.  It is a reminder to me why I chose the profession that I did.  I was not meant to work in the corporate world.  I am not interested in an administrative position. I want to be in the middle of the exploration of a science lesson.  I want to be there when the butterflies stay in the little garden long enough to take a picture with each student. I want to see their faces when they watch the same little butterfly break out of the crysalis.  I want to work with the children.  I want to spend my time with the people who can be taught the importance of responding to someone when they are spoken to.  I want to remind them (or teach them if they have not already been taught) to say please and thank you, excuse me, and may I....?  I hope they will make good choices in my classroom as well as when they are "Schmidt graduates."  It's not just about reading, writing, adding and subtracting.  It is truly about learning to be a responsible citizen and a respectful member of society.  In addition to the academics part of school, if I have taught them to show compassion, be patient to wait their turns, how to say I'm sorry and even I forgive you, then I've done my job as a Kindergarten teacher.  I have high expectations in my classroom.  I want my kids to be the best.  I believe that they CAN be.  I want them to be successful adults.  I hope that one day as they sit back and remember our time together, they can say what a great year they had in Kindergarten...in Room 29 with Mrs. Schmidt.

The best things in life....aren't things.
(Those things that are not really things are the most delicious!)