Christmas ARFF

Achievement: made Bon bons and Russian tea cakes with Barbara
Respect: Christmas greetings from friends and family
Fun: walk through the city of Everett with a Stop at Starbucks
Freedom: staying an extra night at Barbara's.

This Week's LAFF

Love and Belonging: Crossroads Church Women's Support Group, dinner out with Steve, FaceTime with Seth, walk with Julie, dinner invitations from friends.

Achievement: Assembly Plans made and announced, RTI plans finalized and announced, parent meetings, teacher meetings, counseling referrals, and plans for a health fair in the works.

Fun: Lego and story time with kids, listening to Sky's choir kids sing the happy song.

Freedom: Whitney taught health on Wednesday and I had the freedom to observe and take pictures:)

Favorite Quote of the Week

As I walked into the Pre-K class to do an introductory lesson, I overheard a little boy ask the teacher, "Is this the visitor who is NOT a princess?" The teacher nodded yes, then looked at me and said, "But she's really pretty and nice." Then she explained to me that the icon for a special visitor on their daily calendar is a princess. I hope my visit wasn't too big of a disappointment!

Harvest Time!

Bigfork Buddies

It's Day 2 of School and the Bigfork Buddies program is up and running. The high school students met their buddies today. What I love about this program is that it is totally pro-active. Elementary kids who can use the support get paired up with a high school student who is committed to working with their buddy everyday of the school year, one period a day. Teachers sign up the littles in the spring so that we are ready to go as soon as school starts.

A common complaint of school counselors is that they have to spend so much time "putting out fires". that they don't have time to run support groups or do class lessons. I am so blessed to be the counselor at Bigfork Elementary School because I work with solution-focused staff and administrators who place a priority on meeting the social-emotional needs of students. The buddy program, Bigfork's student support groups, monthly character assemblies, and class meetings provide a rich framework of social-emotional and behavioral support for students. I'm occasionally called to help "put out a fire", but the majority of my work is helping to create a caring climate in which both teachers and students can thrive. I love my job!

First Day of School!

Love and Belonging: hugs from lots of littles and even a couple of bigs (8th graders).
Achievement: recreating Amy Thoreson's cool viking/choir drawing.
Fun: working with Sky. His tie just says "fun".
Freedom: choosing back to school outfits:)

Summer LAFF

Love and Belonging: celebrated our 34th anniversary, and Walt and Beverly's 68th anniversary, spent time with the Schiller clan at the mountain, the Ahnerts and Sheehans at the ocean, Jesse and Axl in Puyallup, and enjoyed visits from Dunbars, and Pam and Jackie.

Achievement: trained more staff members in SAP, painted a bench, a door, cleaned some cupboards, made jam, knitted balls for Axl to play with, grew some food, and lots of flowers.

Fun: laughed a bunch, flew a kite, picked some berries, played Space Team, Words With Friends, and Mexican Train, hiked in Glacier and the Olympic Peninsula.

Freedom: read Masie Dobbs series, The Hidden Hand, Psalms, Letters From Skye, and Ordinary Grace, and The Irresistable Blueberry Bakeshop and Cafe.

Refreshed and ready for the school year to begin!

Love and Respect: Someone gave me a beautiful geranium. I don't know who. They just left it on my desk. Thank you mystery person!
Achievement: My health classes wrote thank you notes to every staff member and taped them to the whiteboard for the staff appreciation luncheon tomorrow.
Fun: Made a bread pudding for the first time. Yum!
Freedom: Taking a personal day tomorrow to plant marigolds.

"What Do You Do in There"?

I've heard kids ask that question to the students who have regular meetings with me in my office. Maybe some big people want to know what goes on in a counseling office too. If you're curious, read on. Here are some things we "did in there" this week:

Made necklaces
Laughed
Danced to Mozart
Brainstormed a list of things to do if you're mad (that won't hurt anybody)
Drew silly pictures
Talked about appropriate/inappropriate behavior at school
Played Legos
Worked a puzzle on iPad
Practiced being a good friend
Played Totika
Recited the pledge of Allegiance
Reported inappropriate behavior
Played the Heart Game
Problem solved friendship/family issues
Finished class work
Named the things we are grateful for
Cried
Played The Egg Game
Nominated teachers for the Peach Prize
Group juggled with 5 balls
Ate lunch
Invented a way to play Chinese checkers that involves tiny marbles in every corner of the office.
Shared highs and lows
Played puppets
Worked with clay
Calmed down
Practiced love and respect, achievement, fun, and freedom.

Love and Respect: surprise coffe from Dana.

Achievement: planted carrots and beets with Ahna.

Fun: yoga with health classes.

Freedom: sunny afternoon in my garden.

Springtime in Glacier Park

Love and Respect: Invited to bike Glacier with friends.
Achievement: Pedaled uphill from Avalanche to the Loop.
Fun: Watched a pair of Harlequin ducks ride the whitewater.
Freedom: Coasted all the way back to Avalanche

. Whee....!!

Grief and Gratefulness

When I woke up this morning, I learned that Doug Peters had passed away. I am so sorry he is gone, and I mourn with his wife and daughter and all who loved him. He was way too young to die.

When I think of Doug, I am full of gratitude. He put in endless hours as the band teacher at Bigfork for 20 years. He inspired his students, including my sons, to pursue music with a passion. His pep band was award-winning, with some of us attending games just to get revved up by the music. I am grateful for the time he devoted to early morning jazz band practices for students who were willing to show up and work hard. I am grateful for the memories of outstanding Christmas concerts by the 5th-12th grade bands at the Bigfork Playhouse. The community loved hearing the kids play, but we also enjoyed his often humorous introductions to the songs. I miss his annual challenge to see how many carols we could pick out of the holiday medley.

Today I mourn the loss of Doug's life, but I am grateful for the music and joy he brought to our school and community.

Bigfork Physical Therapy

Usually when your health practioner tells you that you don't need to continue with therapy, it's a good thing. No more co-pays. No more scheduling weekly visits. And you're healed. But when Mike Close tells you you're good to go it's a bit of a let-down.

That's what happened to me today when Mike told me I only need one final appointment for my tennis elbow. I was a little sad. I had the same reaction two years ago when he told me I didn't need any more therapy for my frozen shoulder.

So why would anyone be disappointed to find out they are done with therapy?
Because Bigfork Physical Therapy is a LAFF filled way to start your day.

Love and Respect: When you walk in the door, Mike and his staff genuinely look happy to see you.   And when you're done for the day and thank Mike, he says something like, " For you my dear, anything." And it's true.

Achievement: Everyone is busy working out on either a machine, weights, or exercise bands. And they all seem happy to be doing it even though they joke about the pain. And when you leave, you know you are getting stronger and more pain-free.

Fun: Mike is a great storyteller, and there is usually a story of the day being told. If you walk in mid -story, he makes sure to catch you up. Cus you're part of his "team" at that moment.

Freedom: Mike provides guidelines for exercise and monitors your progress, but you're free to choose your apparatus, your challenge level, and your workout time.

Bigfork Physical Therapy is a joyful place to heal, re-energize, and get back to enjoying your work and play. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. Mike has displayed numerous photos and letters of appreciation from past clients. The general theme of those letters is "Thank you Mike for helping me get back to my sport." ( golf, tennis, skiing, etc.)

And that means a promise of more LAFF ... The Love and Respect, Achievement, Fun, and Freedom we get when we are doing what we love to do.

Accountability

I haven't posted my daily ARFF (LAFF) for quite a while. But today I got to give a presentation on parenting to a room full of young moms and I told them that I write a daily blog to help me keep my needs filled. So I better get back at it! It really does help me stay with it if I think someone is reading my posts.

I was explaining to the women that counseling hurting kids can be discouraging at times, and if I don't take care of my needs, I won't have the energy to support them.  I was hoping to encourage the moms to take care of themselves so that they can be there 100% for their kids. So yes, it's important that I model what I taught this morning.

Today's LAFF:
Love and Respect: Thanks to Randy, Julie, Seth, Steve, Karen, Ashley, MOPS leadership, and everyone else who prayed for me today. God answered! I didn't even throw up!

Achievement: I made my first power point presentation ever in my life!

Fun: I played a silly little game kind of like telephone with Jan's table group at MOPS.

Freedom: I stayed after my talk and joined in on the craft. I got to pick my favorite colors of glitter to make a "calming" water bottle.

New Batch

Third Trimester is off and running. New faces, new energy, and another chance for me to improve on this year's lessons. Just look at these happy kids!

Grateful

An anonymous donor has given me money to purchase healthy snacks for our health class. Today we made smoothies. The Ninja blender was provided by FOBS. (Friends of Bigfork Schools)

Ancient Building Blocks

I brought 30 year old Legos to school for the kids to play with.  They are white and yellow, not the vibrant colors of most Lego sets. I can learn a lot about a student by listening and watching them play. Plus, its just fun.

Good Work

Today is one of those days that I feel good about the work I did, and I feel like celebrating. As I drove out of the parking lot I thought... Dairy Queen! A good old favorite reward for just about anything. Then I remembered my commitment to just say no to sugar for awhile and I thought... Alley Connection! Our family's favorite place to celebrate the big stuff. Then I got home and decided a nap would do. So here's what I'm celebrating with a nap:

Achievement: submitted a nutrition and physical activity grant.
Respect: received a heartfelt thank you letter from an 8th grade student/friend.
Fun: watched my students cook and clean. They are so well-trained I didn't have to do/say a thing.
Freedom: turned over Friday's 3rd grade girls group to my 7th grade co-facilitator.

I Love My 8th Graders

I wasn't there today, but according to Mrs. Sullivan, the class waited patiently for the sub to arrive, and Grace brought healthy home made blueberry muffins to share. I have worked with these kids since 5th grade and it will be so fun to hear of their accomplishments in high school and beyond.

Sick in bed

I am thankful for:

Zoe and Brenda and Jill and Jill covering for me today.
Tea with honey and lemon.
Steve running to the store for chicken soup.
My iPad keeping me connected from bed.
Sleep.
The drip drip drip sounds of spring outside my window.
Prayers.

Everyone should be this well- cared for when they are sick.

Weekend ARFF

Achievement- Lived "Alaskan Style" for two days with no running water, electricity, or bathroom.
Respect- Got really silly with friends.
Fun- X-country skiing in Glacier Park.
Freedom- Phone and Internet free.

Birthday Inspired ARFF

Today's ARFF is inspired by activities that remind me of a certain birthday girl.

Achievement - Hand washing all the dishes in the house
Respect - At home yoga session
Fun - Knitting for over an hour
Freedom - Sitting with students during snack and chatting about everything they could thing of

Happy Birthday, Mary!

-Jess

I found a letter

I am a hoarder. I have a difficult time getting rid of anything that has sentimental value, and almost everything I own has sentimental value. Either someone I love made it for me or gave it to me.

My parents were hoarders too so I still have the congratulatory cards my parents received when I was BORN! I have boxes of stuff I am trying to weed through, because who will ever want two generation old birthday cards?

One of the items I found while I was trying to purge, was a letter written in 1978 while I was student teaching. I asked my fifth grade students to write letters of recommendation I could add to my resume. Mary Seim wrote this:

Dear Sir:
I say that Mary McDonald would be a good teacher because she understands the kids whene they have problems. She encourages them to work more but she is gentle whene she is doing it. And thats why I think she would be a good teacher.
Sincerely,
Mary Seim

And then she drew my picture.
Thank you Mary Seim. You, and hundreds of other kids have helped me learn how to be a good teacher.

Quote of the Day

Today I walked into my office thinking it was time to rearrange furniture or do something to change it up a bit. I looked at the wicker chair and thought maybe it was time to get rid of it as it takes up a big chunk of space.

Then this afternoon a first grader stopped in for our weekly appointment and he walked right over to the wicker chair and said, "Mrs. Ahnert, I love this chair. You always have the right stuff."
So guess the chair is staying!

More Gratitude

I am thankful for...
Today's walk in the sunshine
4th grade boy's group
My new printer
Middle School snack time...bananas today!
prayers from all over the place
old friends
my sister and brother
encouraging co-workers
Split wood in the wood box
taco supper with Steve
my sons and daughters in law
Axl
peace
joy
love

Gratitude Lesson Day 2

This is one of the 2nd grader's pictures of what she is thankful for.
"I am thankful for my new baby sister Mila."

Gratitude Lesson

Today I read "The Happy Owls" by Celestino Pilatti to teach 2nd graders the concept of gratitude. It's a simple story about two owls that are happy, while the discontented barnyard fowl wonder why.

When the peacock asks the owls about their happiness, they answer with, "When spring comes, we are happy to see everything come to life after the long winter sleep...." and they continue to describe the beauty of each season.

The chickens and ducks and geese and peacocks retort, "You call that happiness?" and go on living as before.

"But the owls snuggled still closer to each other, blinked their big round eyes, and went on thinking their wise thoughts."

Since the words gratitude and thankfulness aren't mentioned in the book, I asked the kids what the story had to do with gratitude. It was a difficult question, but a few kids observed that the owls were thankful for nature and each other.

Then I shared a quote that Jennifer Wood found. "Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have, than what you don't." That seems to be the difference between the happy owls and the discontented barnyard fowl.

We talked about how important it is to be thankful. It makes us feel better, and when we express it to others, it makes them feel better too. Then we finished the lesson with drawing people, places, and things we are grateful for

This is a list of some of the things the 2nd graders are thankful for ( in their spelling):

sumer, witefish, my mom and dad, my bruther, ride a bick, bird, cow, trees, plants
lost vegas, ckickball, sun, grass, snow, home, bigfork, school, football, thrack, soccer, my techers, the forest, spiders, food, dodgeball, tag, P.E. and the erth.

Winter Mental Health Day

Fruit smoothies and recess in the sun!

Viking Ships

One of the skills I learned from Denny years ago is the importance of "tracking positive". On a daily basis, record what we're doing that's good and true. Say it. Write it. Celebrate it. That's what this blog is for me.

Our school's way of tracking positive is Viking Ships. When a teacher notices a student doing a positive thing, they give them a Viking Ship. The student writes their name on it, brings it to me, and I hang it up in the hall. They get the positive interaction with their teacher, a high five from me, and get to see their name up in the hall every day for the rest of the year for doing something good.

Four students brought me Viking Ships today. Yeah! They got them for:

• being extra helpful
• supporting a friend
• volunteering to sweep up trash in the lunchroom
• helping a fellow student

Thanks to all our teachers who are tracking positive on our kids!

A LAFF Day

Love and Belonging
Achievement
Fun
Freedom

update

I've missed my daily arff posts mostly because it's winter and I'm enjoying taking a break from my regular routine. Lots of reading for pleasure and playing Words With Friends and cooking and baking comfort foods.

But Denny is coming to the Flathead and I've signed up 32 people for the workshop so I am getting pretty energized and ready to start posting again.

So thinking back on the last month, here are some of the highlights:

Love and Belonging- Seth and Jessica home for Christmas
Achievement- Snowshoeing 5 miles with the 8th graders
Fun- Space Team
Freedom- Enjoying a leisurely read through The Hobbit again