Welcome to another Friday Faces! Today we are featuring our amazing teachers that make up our Intermediate team. I (Wei) have been loving finding out more about each of the special people that make up the community that we call SLOCA. I commiserate with all the least favorite chores and enjoy all the favorite book recommendations. In a period of life where so many things have been distant, I hope that Friday Faces brings a smile to your face and reminds us that we are all human (and we were all once kids!).
What was your favorite childhood book?
Julia: My favorite childhood book was Hatchet by Gary Paulson because I read it with my favorite elementary teacher and it instilled in me my love for nature and outdoor adventures.
Kristina: It’s so hard to choose! I grew up right alongside Harry Potter so that series will always have a special place in my heart. I also enjoyed the Redwall series and any story taking place on the Oregon Trail.
Lisa: So many childhood books/friends! Pearl S Buck wrote a book “Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.” It was about 4 boys living under a bridge, taking care of each other in times of war. This book spoke to me as a child, as it modeled how tragedy in one’s life often makes us more compassionate people, and that even young children can have great impact on the lives of others.
Lisa Ann: 100 Dresses – I loved the idea that a child who couldn’t have real dresses, could create them with art. I think there are great lessons in that book about what we miss out on when we unfairly judge people.
Sarah: Charlotte’s Web. My beloved second grade teacher, Mrs. Scott, read this book to our class and I was so drawn into the characters and the story. I still read it from time to time :).
What was your favorite hobby you picked up during the pandemic?
Julia: Making pasta! I have almost mastered making homemade pasta sauce along with a 4-cheese garlic ravioli. It’s my most time consuming dish but is also the most rewarding.
Kristina: Not so much a hobby, but a group of friends from college started having regular video chats. We never expected to celebrate pregnancies, an engagement, and new babies through a screen but I’m grateful for the technology that allowed us to stay so connected.
Lisa: Not a hobby per se…..but I have always been a walker/hiker, and that increased tremendously during the pandemic because the gyms were closed.
Lisa Ann: Relaxing! I wish I could say I baked bread or learned a new language. For me, the chance to slow down and focus on the present moment was somewhat of a welcomed change.
Sarah: Like so many others I really delved into baking with sourdough. I had let my starter go dormant for a year so I revitalized it and found a new love for homemade sourdough bagels. I already love baking so it was a fun, creative outlet that challenged me in a new way.
If you could eliminate one chore from your life, what would it be?
Julia: Doing dishes. I love to cook but could certainly do without the mess!
Kristina: Cleaning bathrooms. Enough said.
Lisa: Planning dinner and any kind of cooking! I made dinner most nights for more than 35 years when our boys were growing up, and I am so done with cooking!
Lisa Ann: Cleaning the shower!
Sarah: Cleaning the bathroom – 3 boys in my house need I say more :).
The “non human beings” that live in our house and make our world a better place are…
Julia: Fuzzy blankets! There is nothing better than feeling cozy at home.
Kristina: We consider the park behind our home our backyard and do our best to befriend every dog that comes our way. My 14-month-old’s first consistent word was “da” (dog)!
Lisa: It’s no secret that I love all animals! We have a black lab that is always by my side when I’m home. Of course, I have the bearded dragon, Hamilton, who often basks in the sun in my front yard to the delight of passersby. And we have 2 very talkative African Grey parrots who tell the dog to stop barking, greet me by name every morning and say, “You’re gorgeous,” and can count to five in Spanish and English. All animals clearly make my world a better place!
Lisa Ann: Sometimes it feels like a zoo or a farm around here. We have a dog named Spencer who is like my shadow because he is always on my tail. We have two cats, Stella and Pierre. Stella is like a shadow because you are never sure if you’ve seen her or not. On the other hand, Pierre, while not wanting to body shame him, is a little large and you always know when you’ve seen him. We also have a bird named Puzzle and three chickens, who although they live outside, are always trying to come in through the back door!
Sarah: We have a hamster named Humphrey who is super low maintenance that sometimes he’s almost forgotten. We also have a 6 year old corgi/chihuahua dog who the boys named Churro. We got him from Woods Humane Society in February 2020.
Who would be your ideal dinner party guests and what would you serve?
Julia: My ideal dinner party guests would be Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. All amazing female artists who I’d love to know more. I’d also serve them my homemade ravioli, red sauce, and garlic bread!
Kristina: I’m missing my family up north so, if I could have anyone over, it would be my dad and stepmom. We’d order eggplant parmesan from Mary’s Pizza, a favorite from growing up.
Lisa: Ideal dinner guests would be any young family with their children in tow. Preferably a family with many children. I love the laughter, the chatter, the giggles, and even the spilled milk. As for what I would serve….. see above… I hate cooking.
Lisa Ann: They would be people who brought all the food! I’m not a great cook and serving others makes me nervous.
Sarah: Well, since hosting and event planning are two of my least favorite things to do and are very outside of my comfort zone, I think I’d be happiest with a few of my closest friends and family for a dinner party. I would probably serve Danielle Walker’s Beef & Broccoli along with brown rice, and fresh orange slices. Dessert would be homemade dairy free Mint Chocolate Chip icecream or a gluten free/dairy free peach crisp.
For more posts in our Friday Faces series please see:
- Leadership
- Support Staff
- High School (Part I)
- High School (Part II)
- Upper Middle School
- Lower Middle School
Thank you Intermediate team for taking the time to share with our SLOCA community. See you next week for more Friday Faces!
