1. My daughter and I just returned from a week trip to San Francisco to visit my brother and his family. I love that city! Here are a few fun pictures!
We climbed UP the street one block over and climbed DOWN Lombard Street!
This is a picture of my Mom and me and the picture below is of my daughter and me. We are standing at the the old Navy base on Alameda Island. Notice the sky. My brother said it hardly ever rains in San Francisco in June, but guess what, it did while we were there!
I love this view of the city! And of course, my beautiful daughter!
2. As I said in a previous post, I will be "imprisoned" in my house for most of July due to foot surgery. I am a planner, so the wonderful maintenance guys in my school cleaned my classroom early so that I can get inside and set it up before August! I loved my theme last year which was apples because I LOVE apple colors. So, my thought is to continue parts of the apple color for my classroom decor, but instead of apples, I am doing polka dots! We do not have a teacher supply store in our town so I have to order bulletin board trim and other decor on line. Unfortunately I just received the confirmation and the trim will not be here until AFTER my surgery.... Boo hoo..... oh well, hopefully I will be able to get the bulletin boards up in August!
These pictures are from yesterday after 3 hours of working...... still MUCH to do, but I know I will appreciate it when August rolls around!
3. I just finished an EARLY Apple literacy packet for Word Work. (Early meaning it is for EARLY in the year!) It is based ONLY on the letters in the word apple. I always teach my students to spell APPLE and thought this would be a fun way to reinforce that skill.
4. I am sure by now that you know that Google Reader will be no more after July 1. I am really unsure as to how this is all going to work, but do know that a switch needs to be made in order for us to continue to follow our favorite blogs. You can see my "Follow me on Blog Lovin" button on the top left corner of my blog. (That cute button is courtesy of Melissa from Common and Core and More. Click here to find her tutorial about how to add the button to your own blog!) If you want to continue to read my posts, you will need to click that button. It will take you through a really simple setup process and you will be all set to go. 
5. I was chatting with some bloggy friends discussing favorite pencil sharpeners. I just have to tell you that THIS one is my favorite of all time! It has multiple size holes for different sized pencils and can sharpen ANY kind of pencil! It has a large shavings receptacle and has even survived being knocked on the floor! I got mine on Amazon, but I think you can get it other places, too!
6. And just for fun..... I learned how to make DELICIOUS vegetable soup while in San Francisco. The key is ROASTING the vegetables before adding them to the liquid. This dehydrates the vegetables and then when they are added to the soup mixture, the vegetables are reconstituted with the flavor of the broth! Yummy! 
Here is the recipe for VEGETABLE SOUP
(I used these vegetables.......Carrots, onions, celery, string beans, asparagus, red pepper, green pepper, russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, corn, sliced mushrooms)
On a baking sheet in a single layer, roast veggies in a 400 degree oven. Turn veggies after 20 minutes and continue roasting for 20 more minutes. Veggies are reduced by half; they should NOT burn.
In a large cooking pot or crock pot, add the vegetables to this liquid combination:
46 ounce V8 juice
32 ounce Vegetable broth
One 14 ounce can diced tomato and peppers
1/2 teaspoon each cumin, thyme, oregano
I added a teaspoon of fresh basil.
If using a cooking pot on the top of a stove, simmer 1-2 hours until veggies are reconstituted.
If using a crock pot, simmer for 4 hours.
Until next time!
Blessings,
Cindy
