http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestate/obituary.aspx?n=Toni-Byrd&pid=155669126

VBF

My mom passed away this morning. Thank you all SO MUCH for your love, texts, emails, positive energy, and support. It means so much. There will be a celebration of life service on Tuesday, January 31 at 2pm at Virginia Wingard United Methodist Church on Broad River Road in Columbia. Visitation will take place on Monday, January 30 from 6-8pm at Woodridge Funeral Home on 138 Corley Mill Road in Lexington.

Thank you,

Valerie

Hello friends,

My dad and I want to let you know that we have decided to move my mom to Agape Hospice. It is a very nice hospice care facility in Columbia. We had a wonderful weekend together, with a great visit and dinner from one of her favorite people (THANKS, Jonathan!). On Monday, her health really started to decline. She was having trouble breathing and we just could not get her comfortable at home. She was admitted to Agape this afternoon. She is much more comfortable and we are thankful to have care for her 24/7.

If you would like to see her or visit, just let us know.

Thank you all for everything (support, thoughts, prayers) – I will continue to update the blog as needed!

Valerie

Here is a run down of my short week:

*On Monday, I went to TEDxColumbiaSC. WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY!!! I will blog about it when the videos from the event are posted.

*My Yahoo account sent out spam to the world. I apologize if you got an email from me that in turn gave you the spam. Here’s what I did about it (in case this happens to you): 1) I CHANGED MY PASSWORD 2) I ran a virus check on any computer that I use at home and at school. 3) I cleaned out my contacts list. Just deleted the whole thing (over 1,000 contacts – it needed to be cleaned out!). I don’t think there is much else I can do. It will probably happen again. That’s the joy of technology.

*K – 2 are continuing to read the South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominees. This week, I read Under the Snow to Kindergarten and 1st grade and Testing the Ice to 2nd grade (they are learning about biographies in their classroom, so it was a perfect fit).

*We have 2 library ladies hanging out with us this semester (they will be around 2 – 3 days a week). Not really student teachers, but just folks who are learning from me. I am humbled and flattered that people CHOOSE to hang out with me to see what I do. They are just awesome ladies and I can tell they WILL BE awesome in their own schools one day.

*Years ago, I saw a segment on the news about a reading program where therapy dogs go to schools and students read to them. We are finally starting a program like this at NPES. I am SO EXCITED. Emily (a dog), came to school on Wednesday to get a “feel” for our school and for where she will be reading. This week, we will start the program. I cannot wait.

*PENGUIN STORYTIME!

Lion Cub Storytime was Friday.

Here’s what we did -

As they walked in, I had a live penguin cam running from a zoo in California.

When it was time to start, I asked them to guess what the theme might be (they had penguin nametags, the live cam was playing…it wasn’t hard to guess )

We read Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

Then we tried to waddle around like a penguin (stand up, legs together, feet apart like a V, hands and arms glued to your side – try to walk!)

We read A Penguin Story by Antoinette Portis

I told them a box story about Mr. Penguin (“A New Color for Mr. Penguin”). Got the idea from this blog: http://thestorytimelady.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/a-new-color-for-mr-penguin/ A Scholastic Book Fair book box made the perfect ocean!

Our craft was penguin cookies. Idea was from Family Fun. We used cookies instead of cupcakes though. I made little penguin “kits” with everything they needed to make their penguin cookie. I had some frosting in the middle of the tables for everyone to use.

After that, it was checkout time! After they checked out, they did get a snack of goldfish (because penguins eat fish, of course!)

*Friday evening was our Annual Books & BBQ event at school. One of those events that sort of runs itself once everything is lined up. We had guest readers, BBQ, a bake sale, some book characters walking around, and just a good time hanging out with families and friends.

*This was the first week for hospice care for mom. She’s doing really well – very “with it,” no confusion. We met the nurse (we call her Fancy Nancy) and our social worker (Debbie). Both are very nice and I know they will be very helpful to my dad (and me). I have tried to ease my schedule a little so that I can visit everyday. If I have something on my schedule that does not allow me to visit, I have cancelled it. So, for now, I have had to cancel Park North and Yoga Storytimes. This makes me sad, especially when kids ask me about it. I will start up again, when I can.

*Wednesday was my birthday. I am old.

Have a SUPER week!

VBF

This was the last week for this group of Media Technology 5th graders. They showed off games and movies they’ve made and on Wednesday, we had a “Bring Your Own Device Day,” during which they brought in their favorite device (not one of which was an e-reader like a Nook or Kindle) and talked about what they use it for and showed off any of their favorite apps or games. This experience was interesting to me for a few reasons. While it was fun and YES, kids are using and loving mobile devices, they are clearly ONLY using them for fun. At least, that’s the case with this group of 23 kids. We don’t use mobile devices much (yet) in the classroom at my school, but I know that’s the current push in education. I might do an entire blog post about this sometime, but everytime I see an elementary aged kid with a device, they are playing on it – and that’s all they want to do. Plus, it was like instant lack of attention the moment they had the device in their hand. They couldn’t even really listen to others talk about what they had brought because they were so focused on their own device, they totally zoned out.

5th grade Book Club met on Thursday morning. We are trying something new this year – they are reading different books (South Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominees) and breaking up into small groups, depending on the book they are reading. At each table, I had generic questions for them to answer about their book. After talking about the book, they each wrote a review of the book. The trick was the review had to be 140 characters or less – like a “tweet.” AFTER the fact, I found a pretty cool SMARTboard template for a Twitter page they could have done…next time

And, finally, a mom update: Mom went into the hospital on Monday to get her right lung drained. This is a procedure she has had done in the past and it usually makes her feel better very soon after it is done. However, this time, her right lung will not re-inflate fully. After a few days in the hospital, her doctor decided that it really isn’t going to re-inflate and it is best to go home. She went home on Friday and is now on hospice care. That is scary and sad, but I like to find the positives. First, she really seems to be her regular self right now. Sure, it is hard for her to get around, and yes, we realize that you need your lungs to work and her lungs don’t work. BUT, her personality is the same and she is lucid and she looks good – we are thankful for that. I’m glad that my dad will have help. He has been her 24/7 caretaker since August and he needs a break too. I’m glad that we still have some time. Many people aren’t lucky enough to have a chance to say good bye. We have that chance. We are all spending as much time together as possible. I am still going to work and exercising. Lots of people are asking me why. If I don’t do those things, I am not going to be any help to my dad. Plus, they need their space and time together too. I am going there everyday…please keep my family in your thoughts.

VBF

SO, this week we are back in school and that means a quick overview of what I did with my classes!

5th grade Media Technology is working on a “final project.” They will present next week. They can either create a Kerpoof movie or a game using GameMaker or Scratch or KoDu. I am hoping to encourage a couple of them to enter the STEM Challenge. I am looking forward to the next group of kids, because the TIS and I have a better idea of what we plan to do with them this time around, I think.

K – 2 did a lesson that I LOVE. Strongman by Megan McCarthy was a South Carolina Book Award Nominee a few years ago. That is when I first did this lesson. Since I did it this week, I will have to retire it for a few years, but it is a GREAT lesson and story to start the year off with. First, I start with a discussion about New Year’s Resolutions – what they are, why we make them, and then we share some of our resolutions. Many of them were doing something similar in their classrooms, so they knew what to say right away. A couple of my favorite resolutions were to: eat MORE junk food and watch MORE TV. Same here, little dudes! (Those of you who really know me know that’s totally NOT going to happen here!).

After sharing our resolutions, I introduce our book (I say that it a PERFECT book to start the New Year with because it is about someone who makes lots of changes to his life). We also review the difference between Fiction and NonFiction, since that is something we were doing before break. We listened to the first part of the book on Megan McCarthy’s website and I finished the rest. After reading Strongman, we discussed what Atlas did to become strong and healthy. After they share (and I make sure someone says EXERCISE), we get up and complete a DESKERCISE activity with Slim Goodbody (downloaded from STreamlineSC). So fun!

So, that’s mostly what I did this week. I also spent a lot of time preparing for some upcoming events (Books & BBQ; NPEs Got Talent; a therapy dog program we are kicking off next week; upcoming storytimes; an intern; etc.) A good, productive week – I hope you had the same!

Other tidbits to note:

I finished a REALLY great book: The Art of Racing in the Rain. I wasn’t going to read this. I do not like dog books, in general. Dogs normally die in dog books and that’s not acceptable. However, this book kept coming into my world, so I figured it was time to check it out. WONDERFUL BOOK. The story itself is awesome. To be honest, there were parts where I skimmed – there is lots of detail about Formula One racing and I don’t love reading court scenes, but, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the story itself. This one will stick with me. There is also one for upper elementary readers, which I plan to get my hands on very soon. I think this would be a good book club book.

Mom update – I think I mentioned that she had good scans on 12/30 – no new growth. My dad took her back to the doctor on Friday because she is acting super loopy – like, crazy house loopy, and she has arm tremors, which cause her to drop the remote, the phone, her makeup, etc. all the time. The oncologist was concerned that her cancer had spread to her brain, so she went in for another scan (this time, of her head). All clear (there is a brain, of course , but nothing to indicate that her cancer has spread there). He thinks that what is causing the loopy behavior and the tremors is lack of oxygen to her brain. Her right lung is once again full of fluid. She will go in tomorrow to have it drained and should feel better right away. With a clear lung, oxygen can once again flow throughout her body. Keep her in your thoughts, please!

Have a GREAT week, readers!

VBF

First, a reflection/overview of 2011. My memory is pretty horrible, so these are truly highlights – I remember these things happening, after all!

January – Marty and I had a wonderful time in Disney World. I hope that everyone wins a trip to Disney at some point in their lives. And, I hope it is during your birthday month, because that just rocked.

March – Judy Freeman Workshop. Every year, I love going to this workshop. It renews me and gives me new ideas to use in my library. Can’t wait for this year’s workshop!

April – Our good friends, Mike and Amy, got married in Vegas. BEST TRIP EVER. Little known fact about me – I LOVE LOVE LOVE to dance. Vegas is the best for that.

June – City Yoga workshop about raw foods and Ayurvedic medicine with Cate Stillman. I learned SO MUCH at this workshop. I have been drinking green smoothies since then (at least 2 times a week). This workshop also helped me to commit to a meditation and yoga practice at home.

July – The month of my new car = Baby Prius

August – Mom diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer.

September – My good friend, Mary, diagnosed with breast cancer.

October – Named NPES Teacher of the Year.

December – Marty and I celebrated our 10 year dating anniversary. And they said it would never last!

Overall, a good year. Mom and Mary are both doing well. Mom just had an appointment with the oncologist and there has been no new growth since she was diagnosed. That’s good. It gives her hope and she is now back to trying to get her strength up to enjoy what is her “new normal.” Mary is doing wonderful – last check, they couldn’t even find that pesky tumor. The moral of this is that chemo drugs really, really suck, but they appear to work. A positive attitude really helps too.

So, 2012 is here. Instead of resolutions, I have some hopes:

I hope for another happy year with my mommy. I hope she is here to see Marty and I start a family (which, I HOPE, will happen this year).

I hope that my kiddos at school will continue to love reading and that I am able to encourage them and be a good role model for them. I hope to read more this year – yes, even a librarian can hope to read more.

I hope to practice more yoga this year.

I hope for less screen time – Facebook, iPhone, iPad, laptop, TV – all of these are included.

I hope that YOU have a wonderful 2012!

VBF

Christmas Eve as a kid usually included a social event of some sort. We either went to a friend’s house or someone came to our house. Lately, it seems that we just spend Christmas Eve quietly together as a family. I always open one present on Christmas Eve. This present is ALWAYS pajamas. Sometimes, there are other things in the box, like matching slippers or a movie, but no matter what, I always get new pajamas that I am expected to wear that night. One year, when I was in college, my dad surprised us and gave my mom pajamas that matched what she had bought for me and a new tradition was born. Even this year, my mom and I got matching jammies. I always sleep at my parent’s house on Christmas Eve (so that Santa knows where I am, duh!). Marty even slept there a couple of years, but once we had kids got Lucky and Mozzy, he goes home to sleep on Christmas Eve. We always eat breakfast before opening gifts on Christmas morning (Marty comes back early for breakfast. I even made him wear his pajamas one year). This tradition was is my LEAST favorite, of course. Not only did I have to wait for my mom to get dressed and put her makeup on (which took FOREVER), I’d have to wait and wait and wait for my mom and dad to finish breakfast, clean it up, and decide it was time to open gifts. We always open our stockings first and then it’s on to what is under the tree. Our gifts are always wrapped. I’ve noticed on Facebook that lots of people don’t wrap Santa gifts – what’s up with that? Part of the fun is unwrapping the gifts! At my house, we unwrap one person at a time and we take turns. Christmas Day traditions have changed from year to year. Ever since meeting Marty it involves something with the Forts. Always a little crazy for me because his family is SO BIG and my family is so small. I’m just not used to all the running around and yelling. There seems to be more and more people there every year – lots of kids and lots of food. Typically, we spend a little time there and then it is back to my folks house for Christmas Day dinner, always stuffed shells. This year, we had the stuffed shells on Christmas Eve. The day after Christmas is always the saddest day because you have to wait a WHOLE YEAR to do it again. Oh, I just love Christmas and everything that goes along with it. This Christmas was great and I know that future Christmas’ will be wonderful thanks to traditions that my family (and Marty’s family) started for us and that we will continue.

Again, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. The New Year will be here soon and, of course, there are traditions that go along with that holiday as well – I’ll save those for another post

VBF

This past week has been a bit of a blur with all of the Christmas STUFF going on: finished my shopping (and my dad’s shopping and my mom’s shopping), went to the zoo lights, saw friends, spent time with the dogs and Marty – all good holiday fun.

I’ve been thinking a lot about tradition and making sure we do everything “we always do” this year. This is my mom’s favorite time of year and always has been. I gotta say, it’s my favorite time of year too. As a kid, my parents did it right. I always wrote a note to Santa and he always wrote back. I left cookies out for him and he always ate them, leaving crumbs behind, of course. Every year, we spent time driving around looking at lights (Saluda Shoals and Riverbanks Zoo are a must). There were always people to visit and food everywhere. My mom always made Toni Cookies (ritz crackers with peanut butter, dipped in chocolate)…until the year someone at my dad’s office actually went into a diabetic coma because of them (well, he obviously had a very poor diet ANYWAY, but the Toni Cookies did not help!). I made them this year and plan to continue every Christmas – if someone dies because they ate too many Toni Cookies, then I say, “what a wonderful way to go.” Every year (including this year), when I wake up, there are presents under the tree from Santa. Every Christmas Eve, we watch a movie. Last night, we watched Elf. Other Christmas Eve movies we’ve enjoyed over the years – National Lampoon’s Christmas, and UP!

This Christmas hasn’t been as festive as in the past, but I am very thankful that she’s here. My dad has been great, trying to make it special for both of us.  

And, since Santa came again this year, it is time to open gifts. Go hug your mom and dad RIGHT NOW!

Love,

VBF

Check out the fun stuff that I did this week -

One of our 3rd grade teachers read James and the Giant Peach to her students. They wrote letters to pen pals and decorated a paper peach (I’ve written about this before). This week, they uploaded pictures of their peaches to the Follow that Peach website, finished their letters, and mailed them off! Can’t wait to see where their peach goes!

Kindergarten students looked for the Gingerbread Man using clues they got by scanning QR codes – LOVED this and I think it will be a new tradition (at least I hope so!). I pretty much did what Shannon Miller wrote about in her blog. After students went around the school, asking folks if they’ve seen the Gingerbread Man and scanning all of the codes (the last code leads them back to their classroom), there were gingerbread cookies waiting for them. We told the kids that the Gingerbread Man left those there for him. So fun!

I read Snowmen at Night (on the SMARTBoard – thanks, We Give Books!) and Snowmen All Year to my K – 2 classes. On Friday, I thought about seeing if there were make a snowman apps and websites we could use to make our own snowman – of course there are some fun ones out there! Too bad I did not think about it until Friday On the computer, I used this website from ABCya! And, on the iPhones and iPads, I loaded this app.

On Thursday morning, the 5th grade South Carolina Book Award Book Club students skyped with our Chapin Elementary friends who will be participating in the book club with us. Our plan is to skype with them more and use Edmoto to talk about the books. I will do some thinking and planning for this over the break.

The 5th grade Media Technology class is working on “final projects.” They can select a program we’ve learned about this year (Scratch, Kerpoof, Game Maker, etc.) to create a game or a movie. When we return from break, they will present what they created. We will get a new group of kids at the end of the 9 weeks. The TIS and I are thinking about making this more like a gaming class than a modge podge technology class. Some students are planning to participate in the STEM Challenge. I’m proud and excited for them!

I even had some fun AFTER school this week – my folks, Marty, and I went to Saluda Shoals to check out the lights. Marty’s birthday was on Wednesday, so we went to dinner with some friends. My pal, Jessica, had her annual Christmas drop in that we go to every year, so we did that too! Tis the season to be running around like Christmas chickens.

Now, to finish some of that shopping and baking I have to do…

VBF