Fishing for a Party

My daughter loves fishing and she decided fairly early on that she wanted a fishing themed birthday party this year. So far in our house, all the birthday parties we've had have been small family affairs revolving around a family dinner. Since I don't have to plan big parties with games and activities, I have lots of fun decorating the dining room.

For me, on of the best parts of the day happens first thing in the morning. We don't start decorating for the party until the kids go to bed the night before, so when they wake up and go downstairs they discover the dining room has been transformed for the party. I adore watching as they walk into the room and then stop to take it all in. My daughter was a hoot this year. She walked around the room nodding in approval and commenting on each item as she noticed it...

 She liked the fish pom-pons hung from the ceiling,

and  how we draped the china cabinet with netting

and bobbers. I'm not sure why, but it surprised
me that she knew it was supposed
to be a fishing net.

 

 She nibbled on the bait (gold fish, gummy worms &

gummy fish) and played with the bobbers on the table,

  but she loved the fish napkins.

(I'm so glad I found this folding tutorial - they each
only took a minute or two.)

The fish shaped ice cubes (from IKEA)
didn't come out until dinner time and were just icing on
the cake. Oh, I almost forgot the cake...

  K loved it! Our friend, Miranda, made it complete with a
little gum paste boat on the top. I really like how she
reused  the glass beads to decorate
around the edge of the plate.

Such a fun day, and not particularly expensive.  The bobbers, the confetti poppers and the net came from the dollar store, the ice cube molds were $0.99 each, and the napkin fabric was about $12.00; everything else, well except the green paper plates, I already had on hand.

My son's party isn't until fall, but he has already started thinking about what theme he wants. Hopefully he changes his mind because there is no way I am throwing an eight year-old a zombie party! Hopefully he was just teasing me. Just thinking about zombies keeps me up at night. Whenever I watch anything with zombies on TV I can't sleep; I toss and turn because I get caught up thinking about how I'll keep the kids alive. Silly, I know. Especially given the absolute zero percent chance of zombies ever appearing at my front door on any night other than Halloween. Although the Centers for Disease Control has entertained the idea...

A Blue Bridge

The Mackinac Bridge is looking a wee bit different these days. The normal red and green lights have been swapped out for blue ones for the month of April for autism awareness. I've worked with several kids in the past with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, but I had no idea that Michigan had 15,000 kids with an A. S. D. That makes us fourth in the nation in terms of cases despite the fact that we're only the eighth most populated state. (Right behind CA, TX, NY, FL, IL, PA, and OH.)    

photo via

The blue lights aren't nearly as bright as the normal ones so they aren't really visible from the island, but I love the the idea of increasing awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders. I love that the Mackinac Bridge Authority agreed to participate in this project.

Counting: Mackinac Style

Alex over at Moonstitches has inspired me. As she roams the streets of Yokohama, Japan, she manages to capture images of numbers. She hadn't posted since the tsunami hit last year and she and her family relocated, but she's back home and blogging again. Thank goodness.

I thought it might be fun to see what I could find here on Mackinac Island. I probably won't find nearly as many as she does given the size of my town, but I still thought it might be fun. I actually took these pictures last spring, but after Alex quit posting due to the disaster, the idea of posting them just didn't seem right. Now that she's home, it's time to share...

You can take a look at one of Alex's counting series here.

More island counting to come...

Looking Back

This was the sight outside my classroom window back in February. This freighter was stuck in the ice and patiently waiting for the Coast Guard cutter to come break her free. I don't know what time she got stuck, but our custodian arrived at school at 4:15 am and watched the crew use the search light to try to find a path through the ice. I snapped this picture at about 7:20 - after it was light enough to get a decent shot. By about 10:00 she was free and back on her way.

In a month we've gone from stuck freighters to almost 60 degree (about 15 C) days. I'm still in awe of this winter's weather; talk about crazy! To go from a day like the one pictured above to this weekend with almost 60 degree (about 15 C) days. I never would have imagined that we would be out in short sleeves on Mackinac Island in mid-March!

I might not have imagined it, but I am enjoying it...

Toasty

My first pair of fingerless gloves...

I made them out of a felted sweater that just didn't get very thick after it felted. I suppose I could have thrown it in the washer again, but then you risk over felting it. I thought about tossing it into the scrap bin, but it was such a pretty blue - and I just loved the detail at the hem - I couldn't bear not to do something with it.

We'll see how much use I'll get out of them. My winter coat has a pair built right into the sleeves, so I certainly won't use them every day. But I did take them along to Sault Ste. Marie last week to see how I liked them for driving this time of year. This time of year during most years anyway, it's been so warm this year. Warm and weird - it was three degrees one day last week (about -16 C) and then it hit 50 the next day (about 10 C.)

I was heading up to the Soo to go to the ISD (EUPISD) for the last session of MMPI (Michigan Mathematics Program Improvement.) I've really enjoyed it. The whole idea has been to look at standardized test (MEAP) questions that Michigan 3rd - 8th graders consistently get wrong and then look at different ways to teach those concepts, so that hopefully, we can achieve better student understanding.

The best part is all of the PowerPoints and black line masters have been posted on line. If you're a teacher or you home school take a look here; there's some really good stuff! Some of it will make no sense because you weren't at the training, but you're bound to find something useful - everything is hands on and uses manipulatives. But I digress...

Anyway, driving with the fingerless gloves was great. I usually try to keep the car on the cool side (so I don't get drowsy) and my hands get cold. Driving with my mittens on is just cumbersome, but the fingerless gloves were perfect. My hands were warm enough and I could move my fingers to operate everything so I could drive safely. They worked so well, I just left them in the car...

Hallelujah!

This morning Mackinac Island woke up to inches and inches of beautiful white snow.

The front yard looked great,

 but it wasn't until I looked into the back yard that I

realized just how much snow we'd gotten.

Thank you Mother Nature!

Now if you'll excuse me, the kids and I

are heading out for a snowmobile ride,

some sledding, a snowball fight, and perhaps even

a snow angel or two.

We've got to enjoy the snow while it lasts...

And the Winners Are...

#12:  Kate of A Lotta Yadda
#17:  Suzanne of Minou's Minute
#1:  Redfinch

Congratulations to all three of you and thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a comment.

Redfinch, I don't have an email address for you, so please email me with your mailing address.

I'll be back soon with some crafty goodness to share...

Giveaway

Finally it's giveaway time...

I've played with the idea of celebrating my blogging anniversary, but always felt weird about it, although I'm not sure exactly why. This year I decided to bite the bullet and just do it! So, leave a comment with your email address and let me know which one of these fabulous prizes you'd like me to send your way. 

If you've been lurking out there and haven't left a comment before, this would be the perfect opportunity. I'd love to know just how many readers I've got, and who knows, you just might win.

You could choose this 2012 Seasons of Mackinac calendar,

or one of these two hand-appliqued pillow covers.

 

The navy one is 18 X 18 (about 45.75 cm X 45.75 cm,) the red and green one is a touch smaller at 17 1/4 inches by 17 1/4 inches (about 44 X 44 cm.) Both have a zipper on the back so you can insert a pillow form. I bought them when I was in Egypt, visiting my mom, back in 2010, and had intended to give them away right after I got back, but somehow I never got around to it.  I am willing to ship internationally and will be just as happy if a first time commenter or someone I've known for ages wins. So go ahead and comment - even if you never have before.

Next week, say on Wednesday evening, I'll draw three names and email the winners. Good luck!

On a completely different note, I hear that Arnold Line will begin running again on Tuesday. Wahoo!!  Such good news. Usually this time of year the Straits of Mackinac look like this:

 It's been such an odd winter - we don't really have any ice at all this year. Sure ice chunks blow in and out every few days but there is a lot of open water...

I'm Still Here, Really

I didn't forget about the giveaway - really I didn't. Life just kind of got in the way. I have been so crazy busy this school year that I just haven't had much time to post. I know I have alluded to it before, but I have never really said exactly what has me so darn busy this year. 

Financially, Michigan is in a bit of trouble, and of of the ways our governor tried to save money was by cutting the funding for K-12 schools. So, for our little school to make ends meet, we had to make some pretty drastic cuts.

One of those cuts was a teacher. Thankfully she retired and no one was let go. But either way we were one staff member short and the school board decided that the best solution was to rearrange our elementary students.  Since we are a K-12 school with only about 85 kids, we have always had combined grades: a K-1 split, a 2-3, a 4-5, and a 6-7; the high school students move from class to class just like in other high schools.

Given the numbers of students in each grade it was decided to combine the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades into one group. (Keep in mind that those four grades contained a total of 15 students.) I'm not saying it was a good solution to the problem, or a bad solution to the problem. It was just the solution. The plan was to keep the four grades together for two years - until the number of students in the group would be too large keep in one classroom. Oh yes, and our special education teacher was cut to half time.

So, as you can imagine I've been busy - teaching 4th - 7th grade math as well as science to the 4th and 5th graders in the morning, and then teaching math, science and social studies to the 2nd and 3rd graders in the afternoon.   I'm trying my best to cover all the material, give each student the individual attention they need, plan meaningful lessons and activities, and grade and return work in a timely manner - not to mention have a life outside of work.

 

You can imagine how I felt when, earlier this week, the superintendent told us the that the school would most likely be able to separate the 4th - 7th grade group next year and that our special ed. teacher would be able to come back full time. We'll still be down a teacher, and I'm sure things won't be back to "normal," but it's a step back toward "normal," and that will be a good thing...

Four

Today The Quilted Turtle turns four.

Four years,

471 posts,

160 followers

and more new friends than I can count.

Starting a blog was actually my husband's idea. Back in 2008, for Valentine's Day, he bought me my DSLR camera. So with camera in hand and support from my good friend, Maggie, off I went into the blogosphere. The rest, as they say, is history.

I've really enjoyed this space. Though sometimes I think I must bore people. My life isn't that exciting - just kids, crafts and a dash of Mackinac; not much drama. But that's just the way I like it.

As a way to celebrate my little anniversary, and show you all how much I appreciate your comments and kind words, I am having a give away.  Check back in a day or two to see what I've got to share...

Moonlight Madness

 

Last night we had a  gorgeous full moon. It lit up the Grand Hotel so beautifully this morning as I walked to work (at about 6:00) I just couldn't resist taking a few pictures. 

By about 7:15, as the moon was setting over St. Ignace, the scene looked more like this. Cold, quiet, and so very peaceful...

To Brighten Your Day

If you have kids at home, you've got to make a batch of this dough. It's playdough that actually conducts electricity, and let me tell you - it's really cool and so easy to make.

Conductive Dough Recipe 

(found here)

1 cup water
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup salt
3 Tbsp. cream of tartar*
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
 food coloring (optional)

(*9 Tbsp. of  lemon juice may be substituted)

1. Mix water, 1cup of the flour, salt, cream of tartar, vegetable oil, and food coloring in a pot.
2. Cook over medium heat  stirring constantly.
3. The mixture will start to boil and then get chunky.
4. Keep stirring the mixture until it forms a ball.
5. Once a ball forms in the middle of the pot, place it on a lightly floured board. The ball will be very hot. Flatten it out and let it cool for a couple minutes before kneading
6. Slowly knead the remaining flour into the ball until you are happy with the consistency
7. Store in an airtight container. While in the container, water from the dough will create condensation - it's normal - just knead the dough after getting it out.

I just can't tell you how much fun the kids have been having with this stuff. We didn't have any of the fancy equipment they suggested, so we just used 9V batteries and pulled LEDs out of a string of Christmas lights.

(If the LEDs don't light, you may have to pull them out of the dough and stick them back in the other way. They'll only light with the electricity going in one direction. You'll also want to make sure the pieces of dough touching the contacts on the top of the battery do not touch one another. If they do touch, there is the possibility that the battery will overheat and rupture.)

I had so much fun watching my five and seven year-old build electric circuits and then troubleshoot when the lights wouldn't light. Sigh. Such good science. I am so going to use this stuff with my 4th and 5th graders at school...

Three Cheers

 

Lots of little girls are cheerleaders on Mackinac Island.

(Elementary school age.)

This year two young men

have been welcomed into the squad.

After all, who can resist pom-pons and

super-cool dance moves?

Not my son.

He's taking a bit of flack from
a couple of the other kids at school,

but he doesn't seem to care.

I try to remind him to be true to himself

and not worry about what other people say.

So far, so good...

The End

Saturday is it - after the 5:00 pm boat Arnold line is shutting down ferry service to Mackinac Island for the season. That means from now till spring, we'll have to fly to the mainland or cross the ice. With all the oddly warm weather we've been having, I doubt we'll have a good ice bridge this year. But that's OK. Not having an ice bridge some years makes you really appreciate having it when we do get one.

Luckily we've laid in supplies and my husband or I will still be able to fly to the mainland once a month or so to stock up. Plus, my parents rented an apartment on the island for the winter, so I know my mom will gladly bring groceries over with her when she pops in for a visit.

2 hrs. after initial post edited to add:

I happened to bump into our Police Chief tonight and he told me the boat will likely be done this evening. Apparently, the last boat spent two hours stuck in the ice  and finally had to call the U.S. Coast Guard to break the boat free. My parents are quite glad they decided to fly to the island today...

Yummy

2011 Teacher Gifts

This year the kids passed out these delicious goodies to their teachers and babysitters. It's all you need for hot cocoa  - on a stick. I got the idea (again) from Marie. (She's just full of good ideas!) They were super easy and very child friendly to make, but the best part was making the homemade marshmallows! I'd never made them before. They were so good! Especially right after we cut them; so much smoother than the store bought ones...

Mackinac Moments

I took this as I was leaving school after a staff meeting last week. Thanks to a weeks worth of 40 degree days (about 4 degrees C), our snow was gone and another teacher and I were gearing up for the walk home. Luckily, she was willing to wait a moment or two so I could snap some photos of the setting sun.

If I had taken this photo yesterday, the ground would be much whiter. We were lucky enough to get four or five inches of snow Thursday night, and are back on our snowmobiles...

Silhouette Valentines

I love Valentine's Day. I know Valentines are just silly little pieces of paper, but I've just always just loved them. I think it's because I have such fond memories of Valentine's Day from my childhood. I wasn't exactly popular in elementary school, but on Valentine's Day everyone was nice I got cards from all the other kids. Sure, they didn't have a choice, but as a kid I don't remember being really aware of that fact.  (I may have also been in denial...) When I was little we always bought our cards, but these days I've been trying to make homemade ones. (Check out our Valentines past here and here.)

 I instantly fell in love with the idea of a silhouette card when I found them at this lovely little shop, but $15.00 for cards for each of us just wasn't in the family budget (as a teacher I need Valentines, too.) I've been feeling a bit braver with photoshop lately, so I thought I'd try to make them myself.

I started by taking a profile picture of each child in front of a plain background. (Think plain white wall with good light and few shadows.) Then, using photoshop, I edited out that background, changed the colors around, and added the text. The thought bubbles, heart and circles were right there in photoshop so all I had to worry about was the placement. I really loved the boarder in the cards on Etsy, and thought the scalloped boarder I found here would do the trick. (You should pop in over there - she's got lots of great free downloads, and even more stuff for paying members.) The boarder is a separate layer in photoshop, so it was a good way for me to tackle learning how to use them. (So easy!) I uploaded the finished images to my favorite photo printing site and, at only ten cents per print,  was able to get a class set for less than $3.00 per child. I'm really happy with how they turned out - cute, personal and best of all - homemade.

Are you planning anything interesting for Valentine's Day?

Granted

Lots of heavy wet snow fell on

Mackinac Island

yesterday and today,

so lots of us got outside and enjoyed it!

Sadly, the temperatures have been hovering right around

freezing, so it's melting quickly. We're

keeping our fingers crossed that

we'll get more tomorrow...

Lego Cake Pops

So my first attempt at cake pops was pretty much a complete failure. I saw the idea for Lego head cake pops  here and thought they would be perfect for my son to take to school for his birthday treat. Unfortunately, I didn't quite grasp the appropriate size of the pops. When I make them again, they'll be a lot smaller...

I thought they should be, well, cupcake size. Not a good idea. They were so heavy that the pops buckled under their own weight. Luckily, I made six extras, so there were enough unbroken ones for the 21 kindergarten and first graders in my son's class. (On Mackinac all our elementary classes are splits. The first graders attend school alone in the morning and the kindergartners join them after lunch.)

The day we made them was one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. Not only did the pops bend the sticks and crack, but we also had problems with the candy melts (the yellow coating). And I'm a direction reader! I read them all - and yes, I read them before we got started.

The candy melts (Wilton brand) did not want to melt well, and even when they did liquefy, we had to add shortening to get them liquidy enough to coat the pops. But even then the coating wasn't smooth. Luckily the kids weren't the least bit critical. They identified them immediately as Lego guys and hastily began attacking them (complete with zombie noises.)  The kids didn't care that they were lumpy, cracked, and on bent sticks - because, while they looked nothing like we wanted them to,  they were really tasty!

I'll let you know how round two goes. Right now: Cake Pops - 1, Liz & Miranda - 0...

A Christmas Wish

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas is for Mackinac Island to look like this. This whole riding my bike in 20 degree weather thing is getting kind of old. A nice winter storm, that no one had to drive in, would be perfect.

Thank you, Santa, and drive safe!

Liz