A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

Teacher Gift: The Hi-Lite of My Day

Did I say I wasn’t happy about school starting? That was before Orientation Day. Now, after being back at school and seeing the hallways filled with so many people I like, I’m feeling much more excited about the whole thing. I’m especially thrilled with my children’s teachers. Enthusiastic, loving, committed, kind. What lucky kids.

Before we headed to school for orientation, we put together little gift bags for the teachers with highlighter markers and printed tags that read “You’re the hi-lite of my day.” It seems like terrible sucking up to give a teacher a present on the first day of school, doesn’t it? But I already know we’re giving the teachers knitted gifts for Christmas, so when I saw this idea at One Charming Party I figured I’d better make them now, see how they turned out, and get it posted in case you’d like to give them to your teachers for Christmas. Or whenever you feel a little extra appreciation is in order.

All you need for this gift are highlighter markers (we used six for each), cellophane bags, black ribbon, card stock paper, and printable tags. You can visit One Charming Party here to print out the tags. By the way, I bought a ton of cellophane bags at Michaels a couple of years ago just to have on hand. I use them all the time—they’re great for packaging all sorts of gifts.

Made by Joel: Paper City Paris

We’re busy getting ready for the first day of school. Sort of. We have a slightly strange set-up here in Prescott. (Maybe other school districts do this, too?) The middle school officially starts classes tomorrow, so we’ll see Andrew off bright and early. But the grade school has an orientation day with scheduled time slots so the other three won’t go to “school” until 5 p.m.

Oh, well. One more day to be together and get stuff done. I’m still trying to get my head around the fact that as of tomorrow I will be the mother of an eighth grader. The days are long but the years are short.

Since my brain is whirling with school supply lists and schedules, I thought this would be a good day to let someone else do the thinking. Every now and then I go and visit Made by Joel, the website of Portland artist and designer and all-around cool dad Joel Henriques. I’m never disappointed. (The man built a coffee roaster so he could roast his own beans for lattes. Enough said.) Joel has loads of fun and do-able projects for kids, but the one that I had to tell you about is his Paper City Paris.

You can go here to print out everything you need to create Parisian adventures with your kids (students? yourself?). Joel has drawn charmingly dressed characters, a Citroën car for them to zoom around in, and lots of places for them to visit: the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Joel includes a description of each of the landmarks so you can teach your kids a little something while you’re playing. You can also print out a bakery and candy shop for your characters to visit when they need a cappuccino and macaron break. If you can do all this in French, ooh-la-la!

The Summer Day by Mary Oliver

We’ve been watching the progress of four monarch caterpillars in our little garden. They’re enjoying the milkweed that Tim transplanted there earlier in the summer when we were planting pumpkins and squash. They’re in the very hungry caterpillar stage right now, but we’re hoping to watch them transform into pupas at any moment.

When we visited the zoo this week, we were reminded that monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles every year, fluttering all the way from the upper midwest to Mexico. I complain when I have to make the eight-mile drive into town. Maybe I would feel differently about the trek if I could fly. It’s all a state of mind, I suppose.

My family’s delight in the caterpillars reminded me of this poem by Mary Oliver. Do you know it?

The Summer Day
by Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean—
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

My New Favorite Salad

I recently had lunch with a very dear friend from my Special Olympics International days. I left SOI and Washington, D.C., years ago, but Julie was far too fabulous to lose touch with. She has great style and humor and a gift for making everything special. I’ve always felt like she was my own personal Jackie O.

I’ve been fortunate to see Julie fairly often because she has relatives to visit in Minnesota and we have relatives in Virginia. Julie usually spends a night or two with her college friend Becky, whom I’ve gotten to know over the years, too. Being with Julie and Becky is like getting to hang out with your seriously cool older sister and her seriously cool friend. I always come away inspired to dress better, add artistic touches around the house, and cook more creatively. Becky sent me home this time with a bag of homemade biscotti—and a new favorite salad.

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