It's my Birthday--7/27/77!

I chose to celebrate my birthday, as I have now 31 times, with a new experience. We took our kids to Millenium Park in GR for a soaking good time, which it was. They have a splash pad for the kiddos, which is really a big mat with 100's of ways to get wet. I loved it! There is also a little beach on a lake in the middle of nowhere--baby Charley loved the lake and hated the splash pad!

My husband made Baked Alaska for dessert (white cake with strawberry ice cream filling and meringue topping), and we played UNO with the kids to round out the night. Nothing fancy, but a good time for sure!

I Miss the RCWP. I Really Do.

Ok, guys. I am sitting here at the crack of dawn, writing. I already started my purple journal, because DIAAW! Funny how something I wished I had "even just a little time for" several weeks ago has become all I want to do....anyhow, I must dry my tears now. Mojito beckons.
I created my first podcast!!! It is at the bottom of our peeps wiki. Coincidentally, I am pictured just above it, and even look like I am reading something as serious as this piece. So, you don't have to use your imagination (Thanks to whomever posted that pic!)!

Mojito--dedicated to the wonderful, wacky women I wrote with on Marathon Day: Suzanne S., Suzie Gordon, Penny Lew and Susie Phillips, through deep belly laughs at the intro, inspired me to finish the damn thing. Finally, to the rest of the cohort for being such a terrific audience at the dinner and the four weeks that came before it.

Love,
Christina

Killin' Time...

Hey RCWP folks! It has been a true joy spending my summer with you all. Now that we're almost done, how will you spend your summer?

I will be here, sweating and trying to keep my kids from overheating as they run from ride to ride. The world has changed in many ways, but the Free Fair still is a huge part of Ionia, MI!

Did you know?

I thought this would be a fun post to start...please add any odd or otherwise interesting info that you know...

1. Pringles are only 42% potato product. Click here for more.

2. www.freekibble.com was started by a 12-year-old girl to help feed dogs at her local animal shelter--she patterned it after www.freerice.com. Free Rice donates 20 grains of rice for every definition you guess correctly. You can play as many times a day as you want--feed the world, baby! Free Kibble, on the other hand, limits you to just one question day and the kibble is donated whether you are right or wrong.

3. An espresso has less caffeine than a coffee? No kidding!

RCWP Log Report

Pre-Institute Chow: An amazing egg dish and freakishly delicious white chocolate cherry cookies(see recipe in comment section) by the thoughtful TC.....HOLLY DORNBUSH!!! THANKS HOLLY!!!

9:00 Janet's (decaffeinated) call to order: PANIC FOLKS! This is coming down to the wire!

9:05 Troy? Troy? Paul? Helloooo....Awww thanks to Janet(channeling David Sedaris) for leading us in the writing prompt for Sacred Writing Time.

9:15 Write People!

9:30 Working with kids--viewing the Tech Camp's digital stories and offering 2 stars and a wish(plus dealing with the personal state of shock I was left with after admiring "Delta Through the Decades" iMovie by tech wizard, David).

9:55 Tired of Making Choices? Want your life to be planned out with the roll of the die? Suzanne S. has the website for you! Visit: www.ind.ecisions.net

9:56 Portfolio Buddies/Work Time(aka. The End is Near, Cram Now I)
Friendly Portfolio Reminder:
4 writing pieces, with MAPS
1 writing reflection
4 book reviews, critiques, whatever
1 reading reflection
1 teaching demo, reflection, and related CRTD's
1 self-assessment cover letter
1 letter telling the coaches the grade they should give you(be creative here =))
....and a partridge in a pear tree.

11:45 Penny's Rockin' Log Report

11:50 Lunch--Yes, we really were set loose earlier than scheduled!

1:05 Tech Sharing--Mitch so kindly added our resources to the wiki!

2:00 Potty Time

2:07 Blood Pressure meds, anyone? Business Meeting--there was talk of the cash bar, read-around, and other "celebratory" stuff. Oh, and we chose a fancy shmancy entree for that night. No, we did not attempt to frame the constitution, but we began the quote selection for the T-shirts...no fights here.

2:20 Hammer Time! Portfolio Work Session (aka The End is Near, Cram Now II)

3:30 Leave, with a teensy weensy to-do list. Good Night!

Major announcements:
1. E-mail your final anthology piece by 9 am (Monday) to the editorial board. Chris will stand behind you and wait until you finish if it is not in on time!!!!
2. Dee offered her house for out-of-towners wishing to dress up between the Institute and the dinner next Thursday. Thanks Dee!

Here I am!!

Welcome to my very first blog!! My goal for this blog is to invite comments, ideas, and posts from everyone so that I can become "blog-literate" by the time school starts. SO PLEASE--type away!