Safe and sound...

I've returned from the Windy City. It was a GREAT convention. I'm still on information overload!! We heard an amazing speaker, Dr. Becky Bailey, who talked to us about Conscious Discipline. The skills I learned from her I can apply to my teaching and also to my own parenting. Check out her website! What was really neat as I started listening to her lecture was that I realized Anna's Kindergarten teacher is using Becky Bailey's techniques. Anna knows all the rituals, and so -- now we can do them together! This really gave me a whole new perspective on adult and child behavior, along with discipline.



















We also heard Daniel Levitin speak on his book "This is your Brain on Music: The Science of Human Obsession". Very interesting scientific look into music and the brain. Each educator received a free copy that day, so I look forward to reading it!

We also enjoyed an AMAZING concert with the Grammy winning group "Sweet Honey in the Rock". These powerful women have been singing their hearts out in this group for 34 years!!

We barely saw the light of day because we were so busy with speakers and breakout sessions but we did manage to go into the city for one evening. Rachael, Elizabeth and I decided to have an adventure. So we hopped on the train in Schaumberg, and went into the city. We had a very nice train conductor who told us to walk out to the street, make a left and keep going. So... that is what we did. We walked and walked in the chill and wind......passed a bunch of interesting looking places, and came upon an Indian Restaurant that had a line. We figured, if all those people were waiting to eat there, it must be good! So we went in, ordered martinis at the bar, and waited for our table. It turned out to be a WONDERFUL choice. It was a place called India House. The food was SOOO good, and the atmosphere was so cozy. After dinner, we just walked slowly back to the train. We found ourselves in the theatre district at the exact time that all the shows were letting out. The town was hopping!! We had a great time looking around. We went back to the train and realized we were riding with an entire car filled with SMASHED people who just left a hockey game. Oh my, it was definitely interesting!














































Kindermusik held a banquet on the last night, so we all got dressed up.



















Will and the kids did great in my absence. I'm not at all surprised. :)

Well, after a couple days of settling back in... I'm back to teaching tomorrow. I look forward to putting all I learned into action!!

Until next time....

See ya!
Holly