Posted by terrepruitt on May 23, 2013
A friend of my communicated with me that the company she worked for was going to be volunteering at RAFT. She asked me if I wanted to join them. I didn’t know what RAFT was. So I looked it up online and I saw what it stood for so I said yes. RAFT is Resource Area For Teaching. I showed up not knowing what they really did. I didn’t look at the website beyond the meaning of the acronym. After listening to the short orientation about what RAFT is I was very impressed. I was excited to learn that there is this type resource available to teachers. I know many teachers work way more than the school day hours and put a lot of their own money into supplies. I thought that RAFT might be something to help them out. RAFT is as a non-profit organization that supplies teachers with Idea Sheets, materials and other resources. RAFT also holds workshop for Educators.
RAFT understands that the hands on approach is a very powerful way to learn. Their mission is to “inspire the joy and discovery of learning” through hands on learning. The website has hundreds of “Idea Sheets” that teachers can print at no charge. These sheets are guides on lessons that correlate to the subjects and things that need to be taught in California. But anyone teaching kids can use them because they are on a variety of subjects. The sheets can be searched by subject or grade/level. The sheets state the materials needed, how to assemble the learning tool, the grade it corresponds to as well as the California Standard, the science behind it and alternative lessons that can be taught. Some of the idea sheets also have actual kits you can purchase through RAFT. But you can always obtain the materials yourself. Some things needed could be stuff you have around your house.
RAFT receives surplus “stuff” from businesses and they create learning tools from these spare parts. These are the Activity Kits that can be purchased. It is really cool because RAFT takes stuff that businesses more than likely would just be throwing away and they create a learning project from it. I thought that was so cool. RAFT is recycling by using things in a different way than was originally intended. When I was there we were using a CD/DVD Spindle, a CD/DVD, a CD/DVD case to create kits. We kept saying as we were assembling the kits that we would have to see what it was that we were putting together, but then we never did. And I was at the front of the assembly line so I don’t even know what else was in it except I saw sticks, straws, and string. I looked online and I don’t see the kit available yet so I can’t try to figure it out from the website.
In addition to the Idea Sheets, Activity Kits, workshops, and mentoring RAFT also has common classroom supplies available to teachers as a discount. So overall RAFT sounds like a great resource for teachers. I love that RAFT uses stuff that would just end up in the garbage. That the materials they are keeping out of the landfills actually go to making a project for children to learn from is just super delicious icing on the cake! Then having all of this help teachers. I was just so excited and impressed I had to share. I didn’t know this place, this type of thing existed. I am really glad I agreed to volunteer even though I had no idea what it was about.
If you teach kids I hope that you will take a moment to look at this GREAT resource that is available to you.
Did you know about RAFT? Have you ever used one of their Idea Sheets?
Posted in Helpful Hints, Misc | Tagged: Activity Kits, California Education Standards, classroom supplies, hands on learning, Idea Sheets, lesson plans, RAFT, teacher mentoring, teacher resource | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 21, 2013
My husband works with Little Sheba the Hug Pug. They both are a part of a very dog friendly company. Actually the company is pet friendly. But the main pet around is dogs and the main dog breed is pug! Every year Little Sheba and her little brother, Rio Bravo, participate in the Los Altos Pet Parade. The owners of the company gather all their pug friends to walk as a group. This past weekend was the 66th Annual Los Altos Pet Parade. My hubby was thrilled to have been asked to walk a bit with Rio and he asked me to come along. I kept thinking of it as a pug parade. Then even as I remembered it was a PET parade I was somewhat surprised to see chickens, lizards, cats, bees, and various other pets along the route. I was so busy taking pictures of the pugs, I didn’t take any pictures of the other pets except the chickens.
I was kinda on the sidelines taking the pictures and letting all the pug parents get the best positions for shots of the pug children. I didn’t want to get in the way of that. They were eagerly documenting the event. Such proud happy parents. Here are a couple of images where all the pugs were at attention due to a promise of a treat.
I was able to get in a quick shot while Rio and Sheba happen to be next to John.
Rio and Sheba were ready to go.
They were a group of seven pugs. (I didn’t get them all in this shot.)
In addition to trying to stay out of the way, I was walking and snapping, I was not focusing on the people holding the leashes and I did not get many full bodies in the shot. I did concentrate a few shots on my hubby because he was really very excited and honored to walk his little buddy in the parade. So I wanted to make sure I got a few to document that. But still I didn’t do a great job with that, but I managed to at least get a few. Here are some of the photos I was able to get.
Since we live in a neighborhood where it often sounds as if some of the dog owners don’t spend a lot of time with their dogs I was really happy to see so many proud dog owners strutting around with their beautiful and really well-behaved dogs. I actually only saw ONE dog out of at least a hundred, that seemed to think he needed to bark at every dog that walked by as if he was possessed. And, as you would expect from a dog with that behavior the owner just dragged him off without any instruction or conversation. Sad to say, no lesson learned there.
Participating in the parade were big dogs, little dogs, medium sized dogs, old dogs, young dogs, you name it a lot of different types of dogs. As, I said, it was nice to see them all so happy and getting along. It was obvious they knew they were the stars and the parade was in their honor as very loved pets!
Maybe next year you will bring your pet down to the pet parade. Or if not just come watch. Wouldn’t you like to spend the morning in beautiful Los Altos watching a parade of pets? C’mon it’s fun!
Posted in Misc | Tagged: dog breeds, dog owners, Hug pug, Little Sheba, Los Altos Pet Parade, pugs, Rio Bravo, well- behaved dogs, www.HugPug.com | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 18, 2013
The other day we were out of vegetables. OH MY! On my way home from Nia in Willow Glen I was going to go to the store to get some. For some reason there’s a street in Willow Glen that has been closed for quite some time now so I was unable to take that street home. So the detour had me going past a different store than I was planning on going to. It is a produce store. Maybe kind of more like a small market because they have dry goods also. The produce there is not that great so I decided not to get lettuce and salad fixings. I thought I could just grab a veggie for that night’s dinner since I was going to be going to the store the very next day after my Nia class at the community center. All I bought was broccoli. When I got home I decided to have a sandwich. I like lettuce on my sandwiches or cucumbers or bell peppers something like that. I usually put at least one of those vegetables, sometimes all three, or a combination on my sandwich. But I didn’t have any because I didn’t buy any salad ingredients. Argh! I had only the broccoli I had bought. I started thinking. I’ve had shaved broccoli on pizza before and it was good but I didn’t think the shaved broccoli would go that well on my sandwich. I remember having posted something about broccoli before and people saying that you could use the stocks or stems so I thought, “Can I do that?” So I peeled a stock of broccoli and sliced it thinly and put on the sandwich was pretty good. I was happy I had a vegetable on my sandwich.
I guess I could do that all the time. In the comments of the post where I spoke about broccoli the one in which people told me to use the stems I said I would start and I haven’t. I have left more of the stem on when using broccoli but haven’t necessarily used the stocks. I suppose I could begin making my sandwiches with broccoli stocks in them. It is a good way to get additional vegetables and use broccoli stocks.
We used to have a dog that ate broccoli stocks. She loved them. She loved salad too!
Speaking of salads . . . . I didn’t use all the stocks in my sandwich. So the next night when I did get around to making a salad I decided to add some of the stocks to our salads. To me the stocks are a bit fibrous and stringy so I chopped them up pretty small. I tossed it on the salads as an added veggie. I think that worked out well. My hubby didn’t say, “Ewww. What is this? A broccoli stock on my salad???” So it must have been ok. I liked it.
At first I was not happy that I didn’t buy any produce that I would normally put on my sandwich. But now I am glad that I didn’t. I caused me to think of using the stems. And since my friend had shared that she eats the stems it encouraged me to try something new. Lovely. It has only taken me three years from when I originally posted! 🙂
What about you? Do you like produce on your sandwich? What do you prefer? Do you make use of broccoli stocks?
Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: broccoli, broccoli stocks, Community Center Nia classes, Nia, Nia Classes, Nia in Willow Glen, salad fixings, sandwich fixings, sandwich produce, Vegetables, veggieless, Willow Glen Nia | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 17, 2013
Yowza! I almost forgot about my Friday Goodie Jar Check In. I remember last night just as I was falling asleep and I thought I would do it when I got home. This morning I was volunteering at a REALLY cool place I didn’t even know existed until this week when I was invited to join the volunteer group.
I was going to write about it in this post, but I think it deserves a post of its own. You know me (maybe, from my posts?), you know when I get excited about something I want to share and I thing this place is worth sharing in a blog post!
I got home a little later than I expected. But here I am posting the check in. Are you still with me? Are you still putting notes of good things in your Goodie Jar? I am!
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar | Tagged: good things, good things jar, Goodie Jar check in, volunteering | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 16, 2013
Recently I was doing some quick cleaning. As I started I felt an itch on my arm but I had just started cleaning and I was on a roll so I didn’t want to stop and look so, I kept cleaning. I have kept my box of essential oils on my coffee table for ease of use, so as I was moving them to clean the table I remembered that one of them states it helps with bug bites. I assumed without looking at my arm that it was a bug that had bit me. It kept itching! So I decided to sit down to find the one that helps. I had to read every bottle. I don’t yet know which oil does what so I have to read each bottle each time I want to use one. I found it. It is Eucalyptus Oil. I put it on the spot and the itch stopped instantly. IMMEDIATELY!!!!! I was a little taken a back. It was amazing. I tipped the bottle onto my arm again. I wanted that effect to last!
According to the bottle it says:
“Fantastic on skin ailments such as burns, blisters, wounds, insect bites, lice and skin infections, as well as to combat the effects of colds and the flu. There is also a history of Eucalyptus essential oil being applied to sore muscles and joints.”
I thought it was pretty cool that I remembered an essential oil would help with the bite. I also thought is was really cool that it took the itching away instantly. I am not sure if the swelling went down and the bite disappeared faster, but I do know the itching stopped and that is huge to me. I mean I have had bites before and because they continue to itch I continue to scratch them and I know that does not help them go away any faster. So this was great to me.
Other common uses for eucalyptus oil are for allergies, asthma, bronchitis, congestion, cough, emphysema, hay fever, pneumonia, and poison ivy.
I have not tried Eucalyptus Oil for any of the other things listed on the bottle. I have also not tried if for most of the things listed as common uses. I usually just breathe it in. I have allergies and hay fever, so I think of it as helping clear my sinuses a bit.
As to the other uses I can not attest, I am not an essential oil expert nor a medical professional. I am not stating here that eucalyptus oil will assist with or cure any of the issues as stated under common uses or any of the things on the bottle. I am just here telling you what I used it for and how amazed I was at the result. It was great. The itch was gone!
Eucalyptus oil is also associated with opening and/or balancing the Heart Chakra as I mentioned in my post Chakras and Single Essential Oils, you can read that post by clicking here.
So there you have one of my experiences with essential oils.
How about you? Have you had an experience with eucalyptus oil you want to share?
Posted in Essential Oils, Misc | Tagged: Allergies, balancing chakras, blended frozen fruit, essential oils, eucalyptus oil, hay fever, heart chakra, help with colds and flus, insect bites, skin ailments | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 14, 2013
Oh my!!! Easy-peasy, just takes forethought of freezing the bananas!
The recipe is from the Blendtec website – I am not sure it is in my recipe book because I think the Twister Jar is new!
Appliances: Blendtec blender and Twister Jar
INGREDIENTS
2 bananas , peeled, quartered and frozen
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel and quarter bananas; freeze until solid. Add frozen, quartered banana pieces to Twister jar, and place lid on jar. Hold lid firmly with one hand, and with the other hand press “Pulse” 15–20 times or until smooth. Turn Twister lid counterclockwise during blending. Serve with fresh berries, drizzle with syrup, or sprinkle with granola for a little crunch.
——————–
Well, I don’t have a twisted jar and for $200, I probably won’t until I am rolling in the dough. But I did look at a video of someone making “ice cream” with just fruit (bananas and strawberries) . . . . so somewhat the same thing as this, but with strawberries . . . and the twister jar is cool. I makes the fruit very creamy AND I think it does it without heating it up too much.
I just made this recently and it was a little melty. I think that might be because the blender does get a little warm. That is why it can make hot soup.
Anyway . . . . I made it with two frozen bananas and a little splash of milk in my Wildside Jar. I just let the blender blend on 1 until it was only blending “smooth”, then I stopped it and pushed the bananas close to the blade, then blended until it was only blending “smooth”, etc. I probably did it about four times.
I was thinking if I didn’t want the bananas to be melty I could put them back in the freezer for a bit.
I had my bananas with almond slivers and chocolate port wine sauce. My hubby skipped the almonds.
We don’t usually have dessert so when I told him after dinner we were having dessert he said, “No thanks.” I knew he would say that because I told him RIGHT after dinner. So we were full from dinner. But I also knew that by the time I made it he would want some AND he would be interested because it was frozen fruit. He is not much of a dessert eater and does not like cake and things like that so I know that won’t interest him, but he really likes bananas. Also he is very supportive of my experiments with the blender so he was more than willing to try it. I waited a couple of hours before making it. He was happy and a bit surprised that it was JUST bananas (oh, the little bit of milk — I bet it was only about two tablespoons. Next time I will measure.)
Of course, as I mentioned about the video I saw with the twister jar in it, they used strawberries. I imagine you can use any berry you want. You could probably use any fruit you want. I am not a berry person or a sherbet person, so I will stick to bananas. Awww, well, I guess, I should try some other fruit because my hubby likes it. Yeah, I’ll do that . . . eventually.
The next time I make this though I am going to use three bananas! And I will measure the milk and report back.
So what do you think about fruit ice “cream”? Could you see yourself enjoying a dish? What would you put in yours?
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: almonds, Blendtec, cake, cold fruit dessert, fresh berries, frozen bananas, fruit smoothie, granola, ice cream, port wine sauce, strawberries, twister jar, WildSide Jar | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 11, 2013
As you might know, I purchased some dried garbanzo beans. I thought I would go the dried bean route and try to avoid the canned because of the stuff they say is in the can that you should avoid. But then I didn’t know how to process them. A quick search on the internet said I needed to soak them for at least 4 hours or that I could do a “Quick” Soak Method. Well, I did the soaking method a few weeks ago and I have been meaning to do the “Quick” Soak Method but I have not had time. I mean, honestly, putting beans in a bowl and letting them soak for however long—until I am ready to use them—seems so much easier than boiling them on the stove. Well when I finally went to do the “Quick” Soak Method I looked it up again and one blog said to boil them, rinse them, let them set for an hour, then boil them again, rinse them, let them set for an hour . . . . I was failing to see the QUICK in that method at all. Then I found one that said boil them until they had little bubbles then let them set for an hour then rinse them. Ok, that is more like it, but still, I had to be in the kitchen to watch for the bubbles. In the “long” soak method, I left them to soak unsupervised. I am thinking that the “Quick” Soak Method might be quicker, but to me it is not easier.
So I followed the directions I found on About.com:
Rinse beans in cold water. Put them in a large pot and cover with about 3 inches of cold water. Bring almost to a boil (small bubbles appear around the edges of the pot), cover, and remove from heat. Let sit for 1 hour. Drain. The beans will be “soaked” and ready to cook.
I actually let them sit for TWO hours because when I poked them they didn’t seem very soft. What I have been seeing articles say is that if the beans looked shriveled to begin with they will not get soft. Well, one of the reasons I don’t like beans is because of the texture. I don’t like soft and mushy. So I really think I like the dried beans because they don’t get that soft.
This time I managed to NOT burn them when I cooked them. I like the roasted chickpeas crunchy. So I really like this dried bean route. I think I will use them from now on. I will have a few cans on hand in case I don’t remember to soak them in advance, but really if I don’t remember to soak my beans in advance the “Quick Soak Method” is not going to help me. It doesn’t really save that much time. I mean, if the “long” soak method only requires four hours and most “Quick” soaks require at least 90 minutes . . . . I think I can plan ahead. I might even try freezing some that I have soaked.
Anyway . . . the end result to me, is that either soaking method results in about the same type of textured bean and the “Quick” Soak is not quick or easier enough for me. I like the put-them-in-a-bowl-full-of-water-and forget-about-them-method better.
Now I need to try it with other beans, right? Since the only other bean I eat is kidney beans, I will try it with them . . . . eventually. But I will skip the “Quick Soak Method” and just use the overnight one.
How about you? Do you have a preferred method for soaking your beans?
Posted in Food | Tagged: canned beans, chickpeas, dried beans, dried garbanzo beans, Garbanzo beans, quick soak method, roasted garbanzo beans | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 10, 2013
If I had started the Good Things Jar at the beginning of the year we would be at Goodie Jar – Check In #19, but I didn’t start my good things jar until February 2013 so we are only at Goodie Jar – Check In #15. And yes, life gets busy and we forget to focus on the good things, that is why we have a check in.
Some of my notes are pretty small. I like to use colorful paper!
How is your week going? Did you have a chance to note a good thing and put it in your Good Things Jar? Now is your chance!
.
Posted in Good Things in the Goodie Jar, Misc | Tagged: good things, good things jar, Goodie Jar – Check In #15, oodie Jar | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 9, 2013
I teach Nia. I actually like to say I lead Nia because to me teaching a dance is more instructive. What I think of as teaching is the type of class where the instructor demonstrates a step or two then the students do the steps a few times, then the instructor demonstrates more steps and the students practice them. Eventually the steps are strung together in a dance. But in my Nia cardio classes it is just lead follow. I do – you follow. I give verbal instructions and/or verbal guides but it is not the type of instructional class where I show you, then you do, then we practice and then we string all the steps together. So I guess it is not an “instructional” or “instructed” dance class. But I do teach by example. You follow my lead. In order to be a Nia teacher I had to take the Nia White Belt Intensive. I have talked about this before, but to review the White Belt is the first level of Nia. The White Belt Intensive is over 50 hours of instruction and is open to anyone. Individuals do not have to have the intent to teach. The Nia White Belt Intensive is about the body so anyone is welcome to join and learn. In order to be a Nia teacher there is an additional licensing fee. The fee is due annually and it includes four routines that we, as teachers, agree to learn per year. I was just looking at my DVDs. I have two routines that I have not learned. I have 19 that I have learned. I have been teaching almost four and half years so I am keeping up with the four per year schedule.
Now, I want to clarify that I have learned 19 routines. That means that I basically did the bars and have shared 19 routines with my students. That means I roughly know those 19 routines. I could stand up right now and lead you through some of them, but some of them I would have to look at my bars, and some of them I would have to study my bars. But I also feel I am better at just doing. While I want to do the routine as per the choreography, I am not as afraid as I once was to just DO the routine.
When I am preparing to do a different routine for my class sometimes I have a chance to practice and sometimes I don’t. I will look at my bars for each song. Sometimes I look at the first few lines and think, “Oh yeah, I know this one.” Then when I am leading it my body and my mind don’t remember it as well as I thought and I just dance through it, but then when I get home I look more closely at my bars or re-watch the DVD. It really is about moving and having fun. As long as we are moving and we are doing it close enough then it is good. Then, like I said, I come home to get the choreography better established in my head and body!
The routines I have learned are:
Alive – Carlos AyaRosas
Amethyst – Debbie Rosas
Aya – Carlos Rosas
Beyond – Debbie Rosas and Ann Christiansen
Birth – Debbie Rosas and Collaborators
Canta – Carlos Rosas
Clarity – Carlos Rosas
White Belt Dream Walker – Carlos Rosas
Earthsong – Carlos Rosas
Global Unity
Humanity – Carlos AyaRosas
Miracle – Carlos Rosas
Opal – Debbie Rosas
Passion – Debbie Rosas and Carlos Rosas
Sanjana – Debbie Rosas
San Medusa – Helen Terry
Sexi – Carlos Rosas
Velvet – Debbie Rosas
Vibe – Debbie Rosas
The names of the routines that I have on my shelf that I need to learn are Butterfly and Oshun. I just renewed so I have four routines that I need to pick out as my new routines. Picking routines is always a challenge because everyone has such different tastes. Some people LOVE, LOVE, LOVE some of the routines I have and I don’t love them. So for me it is a difficult decision. I try to pick routines that I think my students will like, but then that is just a guess. I know which ones they like out of the ones I teach because they request them often.
If you were just picking a routine from the name which one would you pick? As a Nia student which one out of this list is your favorite? What about Nia teachers, which is your favorite out of this list?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Ann Christiansen, Canta, cardio class, cardio dance exercise, Carlos AyaRosas, Carlos Rosas, dance exercise, dance instructor, dance teacher, Debbie Rosas, Dream Walker, Earthsong, Global Unity, Nia, Nia bars, Nia choreography, Nia Dance, Nia DVDs, Nia licensing, Nia Practice, Nia routines, Nia stuents, Nia Teacher, Nia White Belt, Nia White Belt Intensive, Opal, Sanjana, Sexi | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on May 7, 2013
There is such a thin line in regards to so many things. I recently was listening to a song called “The Thin Line Between Love And Hate.” and while I don’t necessarily believe that, I do believe there is a thin line between being positive and being in denial and being realistic and being negative. Well, maybe the line is not so thin, but there is a difference. I believe that a positive attitude can help with a lot of things. It can help make a situation better. It can defuse a situation. It can allow for more positive things to happen. It can heal. But at the same time it is important to not be in denial of a situation. 
Even if there is acknowledgement at some point and then you chose to never look at the situation again because you are concentrating on being positive. I think that is somewhat ok. As long as you know somewhere deep inside and can face it when and if you need to. Then, there is also being realistic. With some things you just have to face the facts. It is good to know what is going on. It is important to know the situation, but that doesn’t mean you are being negative. There could be a situation in which it is important to look at the facts and make decisions based on those facts even if those “facts” are actually POSSIBLE consequences or outcomes. Even if they are less than favorable. I choose to be realistic, but then not dwell on it. I think dwelling on the less than favorable stuff becomes negative. And negativity doesn’t really get you anywhere. It blocks positive energy. To me, it thwarts your power. But again . . . there are fine lines between all of this. And everyone has different limits. It is so difficult to know people’s limits and their lines.
There could be a situation where you happen to be with the person at their point of being so positive you might think they are in denial. Sometimes you have to wait these times out to see. Sometimes it could be that the person will just function better being in that constant endless state of denial. Sometimes they are just doing what they feel they need to do to get through the situation. Sometimes they know, but they are being positive.
And it could also be that you happen to be with the person in their state of recognizing and coming to terms with reality and it might appear as if they are super duper negative. I like to wait that out a bit too. I am usually so eager to be the cheerleader and start with the “positives” but I also think it is good to be realistic, but I don’t like to “stay” there. In some instances, I feel that I need to not contribute to the reality and just let them state their beliefs or facts they know to be true.
It is all so interesting the human psyche. Whew. At times it is difficult to know when to be positive, when to support the denial, and when to contribute to the reality. I rarely believe in dwelling on the negative, but you might catch me in a moment where I am facing the reality of it and think that I am negative, but give me a few minutes and I am sure I will get back to the positive!
Do you know what I mean? Ever been in a situation where you have to stop and think about which state you will be in; positive, denial, realistic, or negative? Ever have to decide where you need to be to be the most helpful?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: being positive, cheerleader, negative attitude, negativity, Positive attitude, positive energy, realistic outlook, state of denial, thin line | 2 Comments »
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