The Ameri Brit Mom

Meanwhile in the Garden…

Over this summer I have chronicled my first ever venture at gardening. It’s been a fun experience and this week I was finally able to harvest my first vegetables. If you want to check out the step-by-step process you can read my previous posts: My Garden in the Making Part 1, My Garden in the Making Part 2, and The Weeds Were Taking Over.

The following pictures are snapshots of the progress that my garden has made and some of the “veggies of my labor”.

In the top left corner you can see my very healthy and prosperous cucumber plant. At this point it is taking over the rest of the garden. It’s spread itself the entire width of my allotted space and is producing an abundance of vegetation. So much so that I am practically forcing all of my friends to take some.

In the top right corner you can see the first ever pickings from my garden. On my first day of picking I was able to pluck three fully grown and delicious cucumbers and one lovely green pepper. My green pepper plant has not been as fruitful as the others, but it’s been a wet and hot summer so it’s to be expected.

In the bottom left corner you can see a large plant surrounded by carrots on the ground. I did not plant anything in this spot so I am unsure of what this plant is, but it looks like one of my neighbor’s plants so its possible the seed fell on my soil. Or it could be a weed. It’s definitely a possibility. If you have insight as to what this giant plant is please fill me in. I’m clueless.

In the bottom right corner you can see my lovely tomato plant. I am anxiously awaiting the ripening of my first tomatoes, but as you can see my tomatoes are plentiful. They’re also my favorite of the vegetables so I am excited to taste my first homegrown tomato!

Not bad for a newbie, right? It’s been a great learning experience and I’ve really fallen in love with the idea of growing and caring for my own vegetable plants. I hope to update once again when the rest of the vegetables are ready to be picked.

On Being a Writer: Surround

I am currently taking part in a link-up that will be posted twice a week for a little over a month discussing ideas from the book On Being a Writer by Ann Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig. To visit the link-up pop on over to Kate Motaung’s page, Heading Home, and check out other bloggers’ writings on a similar topic.

Today’s topic is Surround:

When I write posts on my blog I oftentimes write about whatever has stolen my attention on that particular day. Some days that means I blog about a book that I’m reading or have just finished. Other days I write about activities my family took part in. At other times I may share a recipe I found on Pinterest or a DIY project that I’ve been working on for my home.

My blog posts always reflect whatever it is that I’m surrounding myself with. If it seems like my topics are widespread it is because I’m passionate about so many things, but the idea that ties every post together is my passion and desire for writing. I blog because I love to write and though my inspiration varies my motivation and reasons for blogging do not. I am a Christian-Wife-Mother-Teacher-Writer-Homeowner-Friend and that is why my blog explores so many topics. I can’t just write about one of those aspects because all of those things make me who I am.

Some ideas I would like to tackle in my writing life would be some more short, creative stories. In order to make that happen I first need to be reading more and taking time to develop my ideas in a more orderly fashion. I’m not the best at collecting my ideas in a nice and neat notebook or file. I think in order to do more creative writing projects I will need to be more adamant about taking time to cultivate topics and ideas. I will also need to put myself in state of mind where I am searching out inspiration as opposed to waiting for it to hit me.

One of the most inspirational places for me to write is at a coffee shop in my hometown. Some of my most focused and productive writing has come from sessions at this cafe. I think whenever I hit a dry patch in writing I need to take some time to myself and venture out of my home to find that inspiration. I also do well to write in serene spaces. Packing up my laptop and traveling to the Great Outdoors is a great way for me to get inspired.

What inspires you? What can you surround yourself with that will make you a more focused and passionate writer?

Fiction Teaser: From Mid-Manuscript

The following piece comes from a manuscript I am currently working on. It is a portion of a chapter from the middle of the story so there are some details and background that are missing. I’m not quite into the editing phase yet so be patient of any grammatical or spelling errors. I’ve chosen to reveal a little piece of this puzzle which I pray will one day be a novel. Thoughts and encouragement are welcomed in the comment box below!

Michael slammed his Macbook shut with frustration on his large mahogany desk. Writer’s block was real and he had experienced this blockade of ideas and articulation for well over two weeks. He rolled his chair backward and settled on the idea of exiting his office space to clear his head. He grabbed his black and aluminum coffee tumbler and began to walk briskly toward the third floor break room.

“Still can’t shake it?” Michael’s intern, Rebekah, asked passing him in the row of cubicles outside of his four-walled office. Her spiky black heels caused her to be slightly taller than Michael. “Let me grab the coffee this time. You should do a lap outside. I’ve heard fresh air can do wonders for creativity.” She didn’t give him a second to protest and slid the tumbler out of his sweaty hands. At that Rebekah headed down the corridor to the break room and Michael diverted his course to include the stairs to the ground level.

He stopped once the metal door to the office stairwell closed. A deep breath escaped from his lungs. For weeks Michael had been noticing the young intern from Harry S Truman College. Rebekah was no longer the stupid college girl that she had been when his boss hired her, but had become at first a friend and then a crush. Michael tried to ignore Rebekah and keep his feelings a secret, and it wasn’t until this facade of unfazed persona began that he became acquainted with the dreaded writing difficulties. Every word brought to mind the face or body of this beautiful young co-ed. He had once been quite the wordsmith who prided himself on his rise through the ranks at The Chicago Tribune, but he had found that Rebekah was his kryptonite. The trouble was that Michael couldn’t bring himself to say anything to her. She had no idea that her constant checking in on him was actually making the writer’s block worse.

He wasn’t exactly the most happening bachelor in the city. Over the past five years he had done little outside of his profession. Occasionally he would journey back home to escape the city, but apart from those visits Michael’s nose was to the grindstone and his focus was superb.

Rebekah had become the complication that he had not planned for. Everyday he would look at the deadlines that had come and gone and have nothing to show for it. His work was mediocre at best and Michael had never been one for anything less than award-winning. He began each work day opening up his laptop and typing her name. Then her name followed by words he wished he had the courage to say to her in real life. He would delete and write. Delete and write. That was the typical work day for the past few weeks.

Michael bent down in the empty concrete stairwell and laced up his new Nike trainers. He bounded down three flights of stairs right to the opening on the busy city streets. It was another beautiful mid-May day. The sun was beaming and the breeze was a perfect seventy-five degrees. Michael sucked the perfect temperature through his nostrils and for a second he relived his days as a track and field runner for NYU. Back then he had lived for this weather. It was perfect for getting the right amount of oxygen moving through his lungs without the piercing tinge of cold or drowning heat. He closed his eyes and then his feet took over. Despite the fact that he was wearing tight fitting khaki Chinos he began to jog across the sidewalk.

Three loops of the block later Michael’s feet came to a halt outside of the Tribune glass doors. He doubled over to catch his breath. It had felt so great to clear his mind and pretend that he was the carefree college runner that he had once been. The doorman opened the doors for a now winded and sweaty Michael and proceeded to the elevator for the third floor.

Ten minutes later Rebekah appeared in the doorway to his office.

“How was the fresh air?” She kept her distance in the doorway folding her arms and giving a slightly flirtatious smile.

“It was nice to escape. I think it has given me a little edge.” Michael muttered looking up over the laptop at the co-ed.

“It could’ve been the jog, but also I did add a shot of espresso to your coffee.” She pointed toward the tumbler that Michael had practically inhaled the moment he returned to his office.

“Whatever you did keep it coming.” Michael smiled and then refocused on the task at hand. His boss had asked for a business piece over a week ago. He hated to miss deadlines, but at the time he had used up his shelf of ideas and instead had produced a variation of sentences all with the theme, “Rebekah, will you go out with me?” As he typed away he received an email in response to an interview for the business piece and began to lay plans to interview a young duo of entrepreneurs who had recently opened a booming consignment shop for working-class citizens.

Relieved that he had regained a semblance of focus Michael began to jot down bullet point questions to ask during the interview. He was deep in thought when his iPhone began to buzz across the desktop. After examining the screen he realized that his mother was calling. He pressed “save” on the monitor and accepted the phone call.

“Mom, hey, I’m at work.” Michael said before his mother even had a chance to address him. This was his way of saying he didn’t have time or energy to talk presently.

“Michael, are you doing okay?” Mona’s raspy voice echoed through the receiver.

“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. Everything’s fine. You know how it is. Lots of deadlines. Not much time.” Michael began to make excuses for why he couldn’t spare time to chat.

“I won’t be long. As you know, Evelyn’s birthday is this Sunday. We would all love to see you come around for your sister’s birthday. Simon just said the other day it’s been about five months. Can you spare some time for us this weekend. It would mean a great deal to…”

“I’ll see what I can do. No promises.” Michael cut her off.

“It’s not a long drive. We aren’t asking for more than a couple of hours.” Mona’s voice now had a bit of sadness in it.

“Okay, okay. Sorry, mom, I’m just really behind. I’ll make time though I promise.” Michael began to speak with remorse. It was hard not holding it against his mother that she had started another, younger family with her current husband, Raymond. Evelyn was born when Michael was a junior in high school. He had avoided forging a relationship with her because he knew he’d be leaving and he wasn’t too keen on her father. Simon was born when Michael was already off at NYU. In fact, this new family was the real reason he chose to go to school in New York. Distance was a great excuse to lose touch and pouring himself into his work was a great excuse to avoid the thirty minute trip once he moved back to the Chicago area.

“See you Sunday. I love you.” Mona waited to hear the three words in response that she had been longing to hear for weeks.

“Love you too, Mom. See you then.” Michael ended the call and typed the event into his calendar on his phone. He had to do a little configuring to realize that Evelyn would be eleven. He reopened his laptop and in his search engine typed, “Gifts for an eleven year old girl.”

As he was sifting through the search results Rebekah’s silhouetted figure appeared once again in the doorway.

“Mr. Robinson, I’m about to head out for the evening. My friends and I are going to hit a gallery hop in the arts district. Is there anything you need before I head out? More coffee or a critical eye for editing?” Rebekah brushed her long blond hair off her shoulder. She fidgeted with her tight black blazer and straightened her red camisole underneath making sure it overlapped her black pencil skirt at the waist.

“Have a great evening.” Michael barely broke his glance at the computer while they spoke.

“Thanks you too.” Rebekah half smiled, but got the hint that Michael was not paying her any mind. She turned to leave.

“Rebekah, hold on…” Michael began impulsively. He looked up at her and met her gaze. “Could you help me with a gift idea for my half-sister?” He pushed his palms into his forehead. “It’s rougher than it sounds.”

“Every girl loves a journal, speaking from experience.” Rebekah responded without even glancing at the computer.

“Journal? Yes. Perfect. Thanks.” Michael reverted his glance to the computer.

“Anything else?” Rebekah asked.

“No. Have a great time.” At that she turned and walked away. Michael’s heart was pumping out of his chest. He had held a conversation with her. In his mind he knew that his focus had once again been blown for the day so he began to pack up his computer and put it in his satchel. The interview with the entrepreneurs would have to wait til tomorrow.

It is unlawful to plaigarize any of the original work from The Ameri Brit Mom. Always give credit where credit is due.

Putting the Hat Back On

A while ago I posted an article about one of the many hats that I wear on a daily basis. This article was about my journey as the adviser for the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at the high school where I work. If you haven’t read it yet check out the post One of My Many Hats.

Last night we kicked off our first meeting of my fifth year leading the group. Every year we meet at the home of one of the upperclassmen leaders. This has always been a positive experience. Having these meetings in a home helps to facilitate a family-feel. The students feel safe to open up to one another and there is opportunity for them to also experience what it is like to be a part of a Christian home if that is something they are not privileged enough to have themselves.

Our first meeting went off without a problem. Over fifty students showed up. There was a healthy mix of students who had attended in previous years and those who were new to the high school this year. We began our meeting by introducing who we are and why we meet. One of the senior leaders led a quick description of our goals as a club which is just to grow together toward Christ and lead others in the school to know Christ more. I introduced myself, but the first meeting was almost completely led by students. They organized the meeting and later each stood up and shared their personal story and testimony with the rest of the club.

I didn’t realize how much I had missed every single one of the students over the summer until they began to arrive in carpools to the meeting. The excitement of seeing them for the first time in months was exhilarating. I spent the evening catching up with students who attended last year and getting to know all of the new students in attendance.

As a whole group they played a game that our FCA in infamous for: The Name Game. It involves running. screaming, and embarrassing yourself. So naturally the students all favor this particular game. I was so proud of them as every single student participated in the games, which is not always the case. After the game we moved into a time of worship. We all sat near a fire pit and listened/sang along to a worship song. Every week I provide lyrics to each song for those students who may be unfamiliar with it. This is such an awesome time. How many Christian public school teachers get to have an opportunity to worship with their students?

Finally, the meeting wrapped up with good food and fellowship. The kids hung around for a bit shooting hoops, playing frisbie and talking. God has blessed me so much by allowing me to serve as adviser for this club. We are so privileged as a school to continue to have an FCA when other schools are told no. The administration at my school is supportive of all kids and their spiritual/emotional health and that is so encouraging me.

Please join me as I pray that God will continue to grow this program and people who are searching for Him will find Him in our family at FCA.

On Being a Writer: Arrange

I am joining a group of writers who are linking-up twice a week for the next month to discuss some of the foundational ideas in writing. The topics for this link-up come from the book On Being a Writer by Ann Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig. This link-up is being hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog entitled Heading Home.

In order for me to pursue writing as an individual I needed to arrange a place and a time that I could devote to writing. As a busy woman who juggled the responsibilities of a full time job and motherhood this would prove to be one of the biggest obstacles for me and my writing. However, I quickly came to the realization that we all make time for the things we love in life. If I was going to pursue writing as my personal endeavor it was going to mean making some sacrifices, but in the end I would have the fulfillment of achieving some of my personal goals and dreams. I began to set aside an hour every day for writing. Sometimes that time would be spent on blog posts and other times I would work on some of my creative writing projects. But getting into the habit of daily writing was one of the biggest struggles. It is easy to make excuses about why we cannot do something, but in the end if it is something we care about we will intentionally rearrange our schedule because our desire to complete that activity is great.

Currently, I do most of my writing on the living room couch either while my daughter is still sleeping or when she has just woken up and is eating breakfast. I would love to have a space a little more conducive for writing, but for now I’ll take my minutes of writing however I can get them. I do have an established schedule of Saturday mornings setting aside two hours outside of the home to make some progress on a novel I am working on. That time is not for blogging or other writings. It is solely devoted to novel writing. I like that habit and priority. I am so glad that I finally blocked out that time in my schedule and have been making that happen.

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In order to make progress in our writing we must ARRANGE for it!

On Being a Writer: Identify

Today’s topic is identify:

When I was in high school I began to journal on a regular basis. My journaling began as a chronicle of my life, but soon morphed to include some of my personal stories and creative writings. By the time I was a junior in high school I had decided that I wanted to study English in college, because it had become a huge passion of mine. I wanted to pick a major that would lead to a career in English and so through numerous experiences I felt led to become an English teacher. I love having that title today because really it just means I’m a professional writer and reader who passes on my skills and experiences daily. I love what I do for a living and I couldn’t pick a more enjoyable age group with whom to work.

Sometimes I think teachers begin to lose their personal identity as a writer or reader because those things are associated with their job. Not I. Each day that I spend talking to my students about books that they are reading and authentic writing that they are doing brings me fulfillment in my goals for myself. They inspire me to continue my own writing and reading and not to let my career keep me from something I’ve loved for so long. I truly enjoy my content and my classroom and I look forward to fostering a love of writing and reading in my students everyday.

A writer is someone who finds inspiration in the mediocre and gives it life. Writer’s routinely polish their craft through regular practice. I never really considered myself a writer in school. I was a student learning the basics of writing, but once I took the reigns I began to develop that identity for myself.

Over time I began to write short stories, novels, articles, poetry, and blogs. I enjoy the variety of writing styles that I produce and I love a good challenge to my comfort zone. For the longest time my writing was just mine. I selfishly kept folders and notebooks with my writings hoarding them in my parents’ basement until one day I decided to open up and reveal the stories seizing control over my mind and hard drive. I shared those writings little by little. First with those I trusted, then with students, and finally when I published this blog I made a lot of my own writing public.

I now identify myself as a writer, because I’ve made writing a priority. In a way many of us are writers. You don’t have to be published to claim that title. You don’t even have to share your skills to be deemed a writer. A writer is anyone who has unique thoughts and keeps record of them. Maybe your medium is a notepad app on your phone or a napkin at the restaurant where you work (I admit that I stole that scenario from J.K. Rowling’s humble beginning). Whoever you are and however you do it YOU ARE A WRITER.

A writer is thoughtful. A writer is inquisitive. A writer is unique. A writer is courageous.

I have yet to receive my copy of the book On Being a Writer so everything I have posted today has been an original thought of mine. I saw the topic and ran with it. I hope you liked the finished product.

Happy 6 Month Blogiversary to ME

Six months ago today I hit publish on my first ever post for The Ameri Brit Mom blog. It was such a huge step toward my personal goals and a huge day in my life. I went from closet writing to publicly releasing my work in a matter of seconds. Previously, I had a readership of one (my husband), but now I have just under 1000 subscribers who regularly receive and read my work. A lot has changed over the past six months and so many opportunities have surfaced for me all because I had the courage to make my dreams public.

I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey. If you have taken the time to read anything I have posted on this blog you have contributed to my dream.

Things have been busy at the Sisley home over the past week. My husband has begun working in the school district where I am also employed. We are right smack in the middle of a transitional period, so if it seems like my posts have been shorter and further between it is because we are trying to figure out this new schedule and rhythm which consequently is making it a struggle to pencil in my writing time. But, this transitional phase will be coming to an end soon and I will be regaining my regular writing habits and routines.

Before I hit publish on today’s post I want to share two things with you. The first thing I’d like to share are some statistics from my blog over the past six months.

As of today I currently have 993 followers or subscribers.

My blog has been viewed 3,408 times by 1,592 different browsers from 30 different countries.

I have received 123 comments and 464 likes.

I have published 132 unique posts.

For me, it has never been about the statistics, but they are definitely a huge encouragement to look back on. When I took the leap of faith and became a blogger I never could’ve imagined the success I would receive in the first six months.

The second thing I want to share with you are a couple of projects that I am working on for my blog:

Starting tomorrow I will be a part of a writing link-up called On Being a Writer based on the book On Being a Writer by Anne Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig. I will post twice a week about this book and topics featured on Kate Motaung’s blog.

Now that my blog is six months old it now qualifies for quite a few blogging groups so I will be beginning the process of membership in to these groups.
Next week, I will begin a series that will be published every other month reviewing the online fashion and personal stylist site, StitchFix. This is going to be a series based on my personal experiences with this program. If you aren’t familiar with StitchFix please check out their site by next week.

If you have any ideas for other writing ideas or opportunities for me please email me at: theameribritmom@gmail.com

Thanks again for making these six months so meaningful and fulfilling. I look forward to growing with you in the future.

Reblog: Quit Multitasking

As a wife, mother, teacher, and friend I’ve learned to be quite the multi-tasker. Even as I sit here writing this post I am running the washing machine, have lunch cooking on the stove, and am watching my daughter shimmy into the clothes I laid out for her for the day. Multi-tasking isn’t an option. It is a way of life. However, my perspective on multi-tasking has been challenged through the blog post I am reblogging today from kindandsimpleblog.com.

This post speaks to the downfall of multi-tasking. It rocked my world when it began to talk about the art of multi-tasking as self-defeating. When 100% of our attention is pulled in different directions we are only able to devote portions of our focus to the task at hand. We think we are being more productive by doing more than one thing at a time, but really productivity comes from focusing on one thing before moving on to the next task. I really enjoyed this post. Please take a few minutes to read the article, Quit Multitasking. This article will really cause you to question your behaviors if you are anything like me!

Five Minute Friday: Learn

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is learn. What is a link-up? Essentially a link-up is when you join other bloggers and write on a similar topic. You share your blog posts with one another and begin conversations via a host site. You can head over to Kate Motaung’s page to check out other entries from inspired bloggers. Here’s my five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited writing on this week’s topic:

As a teacher, I have committed myself to life-long learning. My career isn’t about knowing the answers to everything. It is about figuring out how to continuously learn and to challenge myself to creatively seek after knowledge day after day. When I first began teaching I felt like I needed to have an answer for every question that my students posed, but as my experience in the classroom is growing I have learned to say, “I don’t know” when a student stumps me. This statement used to make me uncomfortable. When I was a first and second year teacher admitting that I didn’t have an answer to a question made me feel inadequate, but now I have learned to finish that statement with, “but I will help you find out the answer.” I’ve learned to take those moments as opportunities to model learning. I walk through the process of research or inquiry with students and they truly appreciate my willingness to take the time to answer their questions. It’s unrealistic to think that anyone can know all there is to know about a subject, and sometimes students think of the coolest and most mind-provoking questions that I’ve never thought of myself. I once dreaded admitting that I wasn’t a walking library on World History or English, but now I embrace each chance I have to become a learner right along with my students. I’m a strong proponent of the saying, “You should learn something new everyday.” What have you learned today?

Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know everything!

Update On My Summer Bucket List

As today is my first day of the school year I decided to take a look at my summer bucket list and see how well I accomplished the goals I had set back in June for my summer. Although I am sad about the end of sleeping in and a schedule that I filled based on what I wanted to do, I am still a little antsy and ready to get back to my normal routine. As I sit here with first day jitters I decided to take the last few moments of summer vacation to reflect on the wonderful summer. My original summer bucket list was posted at the end of last school year here.

This is my evaluation of the bucket list for summer 2015:

Visit the Columbus Zoo– I was able to visit the Columbus Zoo on my 25th birthday this year. It was a great time as a family. Next summer I’d love to purchase a zoo membership so that we could visit more often. It truly is the best zoo in America.
Eat at the Food Trucks in the Columbus Commons- Although I never actually went to the Columbus Commons I did have the opportunity to indulge in some of the finest of food truck delicacies in Columbus. Last week, my school hosted a professional development academy which was catered each day by a different food truck from the Columbus area. I really enjoyed getting to try Mojo Tago, Pitabilities, and Phillybusters.
Read one book a week-ACCOMPLISHED! Below is a picture of most of the books I read this summer. For my review of any of the books I read this summer please use this link: Books.

4. Discover parks I’ve never visited- We visited Fryer Park in Lancaster and briefly saw the Scioto Mile. This summer was pretty rainy so we didn’t get to enjoy as much of the outdoors as we would like. We did, however, visit several new parks in England during our trip there.

5. Five miles of activity per day- On average this occurred 5 out of 7 days a week. The weather definitely impacted this goal as well. Not to mention I made a lot of progress on writing projects which forced me to be a little more sedentary than I had hoped. But still, 5 out of 7 days is pretty decent.

Even though I didn’t hit every single goal I aimed for this summer I would still call this summer a success. I took some time to really focus on my writing and learned how to carve out time for the things that matter most to me in life: family, friends, and personal goals. I feel good about where I am and wish only to improve upon my personal fitness. We were able to really enjoy the summer as a family. During this time my husband secured a job in the same school district where I work and where our daughter will attend in a few short years. Also during this time we went on a nearly three week vacation to England. Arianna was involved in dance class. And my husband joined a summer basketball league in Columbus.

So as I begin to teach for the first time in the 2015-2016 school year I have nothing but positive things to say about summer 2015. I am proud of all we accomplished as a family.

Here’s to a positive start to the new school year. This will be my fifth year teaching at Teays Valley High School. This year my courses are English 9 and Honors World History. The room is arranged and ready for my freshman to enter high school for the very first time. Think of me today as I lay the foundation for hopefully another successful year here at TVHS. Go VIKINGS!