North Shore Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving on the North Shore

I'll let the pics speak for themselves...

I am so thankful for my wonderful friends!

Gracias, Mahalo,

It's that time of year again....thankful time!  

Gobble Gobble

I will start with a sweet little story:

At the beginning of the year, I started a "Thankful Board" in my classroom.  It was intended to be a positive way to start the day, you know, we all say one thing that we are thankful for?  Well, somewhere between "the 1st quarter is over" and "we have a lot to do before Christmas", there were a few days where I intentionally skipped talking about our "thankful things" (as my students call it).  I figured that we needed to get to work in order to accomplish all that I had planned for that day.  

However, plan to abort thankful things was quickly shot down.  One of my wonderful students (all of whom I adore) knew right away that we hadn't said our thankful things and said, "But Mrs. Scacco, what about our thankful things?  I want to tell you my thankful thing!"

Oh, Lord in Heaven above.

Like I'm really going to let that one pass.

And so we sat around the blue table.

And talked for 10 minutes about...

Our Thankful Things.

Bless this boy!  Whether his intention was to talk about this thankful thing, or to get out of classwork, he reminded me that there is no "work" more important than the work of gratitude.

Yet another reminder to SLOW DOWN Mrs. Scacco!

I am thankful for all of my students. They keep my mind in check. 

With that in mind, here are my other thankful things:

My family:

I don't have a picture of Tony and Melissa readily available, or it would go here!  Along with Baby Girl Sophia!

My apartment:

In one word, SAFETY!  Although there was a fire on the 23rd floor tonight, yikes!  We were not damaged, though.

My health, although I have a nasty cold right now, I am in good overall health!  Yeah!

Hawaii:

This little slice of heaven is 10 minutes from my apartment, and I'm usually the only person there!

My husband:

Goofy picture, but come on, aren't we cute?

The Married Life

I woke up this morning wishing to reflect on...

The Married Life

I am not one to share too much personal information, and so I will just skim that surface.  I do, however want to share the joy in my life that keeps me chugging along, lightens my day, loves me.

This is my husband:

That is NOT our dog.  Hehe...It really randomly came out of the bushes and made friends with my husband's lap.  At first, I was jealous...
"Hey dog...I don't even like dogs, but I was willing to give you a chance, until you stole my husband's lap!"
...and then I realized that I shouldn't be so stingy.

My husband has PLENTY of love to share with the dog and me...and all of the kids in his class...and our families...I mean, this man is full of love!

He is:
Peaceful
Thoughtful
A Really Great Cook
Handsome
Encouraging
My Best Friend

I really could go on and on, but I need to get back to my school work.  I'm sure that I'll share more later.

Great thing about Hawai'i?
I met my husband here!

aloha.

Blue Day

I wore blue today.

Not just because it is my favorite color to wear,

but because this man passed away:

Someone somewhere organized for people to wear blue today in his memory.

It was the least I could do. 

I've honestly never mourned someone that I've actually never met as I am mourning him.

I've had the absolute pleasure of watching him surf many times...just one of the glories of living in Hawai'i nei.

Those memories will live with me forever.

I've wondered in the last few days whether my sadness is sincerely in mourning, or if I am channeling my exhaustion from being so overly busy into a more "acceptable" cause.  But no, I am truly sad over his death.

And so I'm left thinking about life, and death, and the phrase "carpe diem".  I wish, more than anything that I lived my every minute with that thought in mind, but I don't.  I can't.  I have to plan for the next event, day, lesson, project.  My schedule reflects my priority to make sure I am "prepared" for what comes next.  Monday night, I have to prep for Tuesday.  Tuesday day, I have to prep material for Tuesday night....and the pattern continues.  I am not the only person dependent on this...students, coworkers, bosses, etc are dependent on my planning, as well.

Yet, I can't help but end back where I began.  How can I live for the day?  Death always reminds us that we are living.  Is that the lesson?


Andy, we miss you, and always will.

Aloha.

Happy Halloweenie

I regret to inform you...

that I do not have a Halloween costume this year.

You see, much to my dismay, Halloween was outlawed at my school

...and at my apartment building...

That's right...no trick-or-treating three year old strawberries this year.

So, I have no need for a costume.  No monkey tail this year.  I'm really upset about this.  In fact, I don't quite know what to do with myself because...

I LOVE HALLOWEEN

I used to be the only kid in the third grade who knew how to spell Halloween...not because I was good at spelling, but because I LOVED HALLOWEEN.

Maybe it's the performing artist in me.  Or maybe I just love Halloween.

So I leave you with a picture of last year's costume.  Hope you enjoy.

Happy Halloweenie to all and to all a good night.

Why-e, why-e do I ever leave Kaua'i?

Kauai...the land of my dreams...aloha hello....aloha goodbye....

Here are my favorite pics from our October Break vacay:

 Sittin on a lanai, enjoying the ginger plants

 Rain storm!

 Only the best coffee shop around!

 Is this how it all began?

 Speechless

 Coconut cream pie...from the Coconut Festival...at which this was the only coconut product...hmmm

 Ahhhhhh...oooooommmmm

 Headed out to search for a Grotto

 My lovely mom

 Haven't found the grotto yet

 But we did find this

 At the grotto...but you can't see it...who takes a picture like this?  Hehe

 Going to the hukilau

 New Mexican restaurant in Hawaii...Kauai does everything right

 After yoga...lovely

 Hello, Kauai! Nice to meet you

 Bananas...bearing fruit...hehe

Dear dance,

Dear dance,

You see....I watch you on a daily basis...on tv, on youtube, you name it...and every time, I cry.  In fact, I think my heart cries...for what used to be so prevalent in my life.  I didn't realize what an emotional release you were for me, until I no longer had you in my daily life.  I miss you.  I really miss you.

Love,

Be the honu

An incredible teacher recently shared with me the mantra "Be the Honu".  In Hawai'i, a honu is a sea turtle.  I've snorkled alongside of many a honu, and am enthralled with each one that I come across.  "Be the honu" refers to the direction in which turtles swim.  You see, they can only swim FORWARD.  They cannot swim backwards.

To be honest, it has been a rough start to the new year.  It's the last year of grad school, I'm working full-time as a special ed teacher, and as if that wasn't enough, the dancer in me can't seem to give up my part-time dance teaching jobs!  

Some days, I feel the stress of the day before it even begins...4 am has become an unwanted companion.  Sunday night comes around and I yearn for more weekend...not for pure fun, but for sleep, and time to heal the brain.  This summer, I realized how much I like to do by myself.  I promised myself that I would do at least one of those things once per week.  Hasn't happened, but not for lack of trying.  

However,

I am still breathing...

and I am still swimming forward...

BEING THE HONU...

as best I can.

My new glasses are helping me on that path.  I can finally read my school work without falling asleep! Woot!

Good thing about Hawai'i: Driving home from work is completely inspirational:

yes, I used my camera while driving...Oprah only said not to text...

aloha.