Five for Friday 10/31/14

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I'm anticipating a crazy day today.  I talked to my kiddos about it being a (fairly) normal day.  I'm going to brace for craziness anyway!  We have a fun tradition at our school  Our p.e., music, and art team teach the kids fun "aerobics" using songs like "Monster Mash."  Parents come and it's a great performance with singing and dancing.  It's hard to get the kids back to earth after that along with the anticipation of candy!  I found these cute little skulls (can skulls be cute?) at Target (6/$1!!) and bought some mini Tootsie Pops.  They will be so excited when they walk in and see one of these on their desk!

I am directly contributing to tooth decay.

I want to share my FAVORITE children's book of all time, Crossing Bok Chitto.  (Not including novels- had to qualify that!) It is set during the 1800's in Mississippi...it's magical and spiritual and historical.  It explains how a Native American Choctaw tribe helped slaves escape (historically accurate), and it tells a wonderful story of friendship.

Here is an excerpt by Tom Tingle, the author, and a Choctaw Indian:
In an essay at the back of Crossing Bok Chitto, Tim Tingle says:

“Crossing Bok Chitto is a tribute to the Indians of every nation who aided the runaway people of bondage. Crossing Bok Chitto is an Indian book and documented the Indian way, told and told again and then passed on by uncles and grandmothers. In this new format, this book way of telling, Crossing Bok Chitto is for both the Indian and the non-Indian. We Indians need to know and embrace our past. Non-Indians should know the sweet and secret fire, as secret as the stones, that drives the Indian heart and keeps us so determined that our way, a way of respect for others and the land we live on, will prevail.”

Context Clues. This is one of our most difficult skills for some reason!  We practice and practice...small groups, whole group, worksheets, verbally, every bell and whistle I can come up with, and we still don't have it at the independent level.  We will keep practicing. I've made a practice page for next week. FREEBIE.  Grab one! 

TpT Freebie  (3 pgs.) {HERE}

It's becoming more and more apparent to my family and to those who know me that I have resigned from cooking.  I know cooking is trendy and cool.  I know families appreciate someone who can effortlessly throw a beautiful meal together, but I think I'm safe to say my husband is aware that I'm past trendy and cool. We've been married for 29 years, and I have been a faithful cook for 28 of them. I mean, I CAN cook, and I'm actually pretty good at it. The truth is that I'm so tired of figuring out what to cook, thaw food out, etc... My kids are high school/college, they know how to fix stuff.  Seriously, can I just retire from it? Do I have permission? I'd thought I'd share my most recent recipe with you in honor of me not cooking anymore. Are you ready?!?!?  Here it is...my favorite fall recipe. 

Directions:  Mix equal parts thoroughly.  

Eat while watching a rerun of Numb3rs.  

See, I told you I can cook. 

I had to share my brother's Halloween costume.  He's a groovy dude.  You'd like him.  Sad thing is, we all had clothes in the 70's just like those.  That is a wig (making sure you knew that!)  

Have a groovy weekend.