October Faves

It's Friday and as of 2 pm I will be on a 3 day weekend due to the USA celebrating Columbus Day.  For now, I'm sharing FIVE of my FAVE blessings from the past week and linking up at Susanne's our Canadian host who will be celebrating the Canadian Thanksgiving.  Please join in and share something you are thankful for this past week.

FIVE FAVES

Fenimore Art Museum
photo courtesy of the Otesego Institute

• ANNUAL AUTUMN DAY AWAY  Last Saturday my sister Joy and my oldest daughter Courtney went with me to Cooperstown where we explored the Dick Button Collection of figure skating art and sculptures followed by lunch at this place and then shopping at Fly Creek Cider Mill where I bought several Christmas gifts.  What a fun day despite the very chilly temperatures (it never got above 52!) and grey clouds. My fave part of the day was seeing the costumes of Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill......figure skating is my fave winter Olympic sport to watch. 

• LATE AFTERNOON BIKE RIDE: Monday was just perfect weather for autumn.  It was in the high 60s and sunny without a cloud in the sky!  The sky was so cerulean blue...a fave..so I changed out of my teaching clothes and into biking clothes and off I went for a wonderful 5 mile bike ride.  It made dinner late but it was worth it. 

Apple Pie Sensory Play
for ages 3-5

• SUCCESS!  Last week, I was in charge of planning the sensory and fine motor activities for the special ed preK class I work in, so I found this Apple Pie Sensory play lesson on Pinterest and decided to tweak it a little to fit our classroom/children.  I wiped down our water table, added steel cut and regular cooking oats, a half bag of brown sugar, a bunch of cinnamon, ginger and real apples.  Then I added a couple of cookie cutters, bowls, scoops, small bottles.  This was a HIT with most of the 3-5 year olds but especially with our students who are on the autism spectrum. (they tend to need sensory input more than typical children ).  Out of 10 students, we have 4 who are autistic and they are all non verbal.  We also have a Down Syndrome child who signs, and children with emotional and speech/language concerns.  None are speaking at age level.  This activity really brought out language.  I loved it!  Even 2 out of the 4 non verbal children started using many words as they pretended to bake pies and muffins.  It was such a hit that next week I am adding more baking items. I love when lessons are a success.

• CARE PACKAGE SENT!  So, I finally gathered some seasonal items to mail off to Claire in a care package. I had made vegan Pumpkin Bars on Sunday and wrapped them up for Claire and her roommate, along with a cute pillow for her bed, a drinking glass, vegan vitamin c (her last bottle of vitamin c contained milk!), and her fave vegan protein bars.  I sent it via UPS on Monday after work, and she texted me Tuesday afternoon saying she had just picked it up from the mail station at the university. She loved it!  And because gifts is my love language, my heart was full.

photo taken from Pinterest

• FOOT BALM:  Oh my goodness.  This is my new fave for my feet.  I am on my feet A LOT during the day as any teacher is.  Yes, we sit and play with the children on the floor a lot as well but the agency I work for has a shoe requirement:  no open footwear, closed toes only.  SO...my feet get so tired because I am a lot like Claire.....I prefer barefeet or open toed shoes.  Well, this lavender foot softening balm is so soothing..and perfect for worn calluses or tired toes.....I put it on just before swinging my feet into bed and it smells so soothing, too!

That wraps up my faves for the week.

Whatever you have planned for this long holiday weekend, please do take time to give thanks to our Father in Heaven. 


 HAPPY THANKSGIVING, CANADIAN FRIENDS!

Happy Columbus Day weekend, USA FRIENDS!