Out of My Mind

Eleven year old Melody has cerebral palsy. She can't walk, talk, feed herself, chase her dog, play with her sister, talk on the phone with a friend, or do anything else most of us take for granted. Despite all of her limitations, Melody is brilliant. She has a photographic memory and is by far the most intelligent student in her school but no one knows it. My class is currently reading this as a read aloud and we are loving it! Melody is a character like none other: she makes us laugh, she makes us think, and most importantly she makes us feel incredibly grateful for being blessed with bodies that allow us to move and share our thoughts and desires.

Recipe to Read By: Vanilla Milkshake
One of the most memorable scenes in Out of My Mind was when Melody had a hankering for a vanilla shake from McDonald's but was unable to describe to her dad what she wanted.
Here is an easy vanilla shake recipe that you don't even have to leave home for!

Ingredients
4 cups of good quality vanilla ice cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
8 tablespoons of sugar
2 cups of milk (add less for a thicker shake)

Directions
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
*For extra pizazz, add a handful of Oreo cookies, a glob of peanut butter, or a smattering of your favorite candy bar chopped up.

Pour into an icy cold class, top with whipped cream and a cherry, and add a bendy straw. Enjoy!

*Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.