Sunday, June 30, 2013

CURRENTLY in July

WOOT WOOT it's  J U L Y....(well almost)

I am so excited to be apart of Oh'Boy 4th Grade's linky party!

Here we go......

 
Listening:
We (the boy and I) are both in the living room click clacking away...me on the blog, him on Minecraft...he is on that computer everyday with that program...but no worries we go out and do stuff so he doesn't become a 'junkie'!
 

Loving:
WOOT WOOT (again) The boy is going to a Boy Scout Campout for a whole week! I am so excited...I originally planned to clean out the closets then, but I did them last weekend out of sheer boredom...so I really have a WEEK all to myself...hmmm what to do ...oh yeah! Go shopping and a lunch date with my teacher friends, take care of some doctor business (you know the visits you don't like to bring your kid to), get my hair done, so you can't see the greys AND hooray for GROUPON...a $25 mani/pedi is in my future that week, which is good because the next week we start of Vegas Vacation and I will be with my Sweet Man the first part of my vacation!!!

Thinking:
I know, I know, I should be thinking about my vacation and taking care of my Dad once I get to Vegas...but for reasons unknown I am lesson planning and pinning ideas on Pinterest and making lists of things to do this school year. I already drew a map of my classroom plus bulletin board ideas and new ways to group...oh my I have been busy as a BEE!

Wanting:
Ok..so it's summer, I have been slacking and I KNOW I shouldn't. This happened last summer too, I was so good with healthy eating and exercising all school year long and now...ick bad choices, I think I've gained a few lbs. So tomorrow I am hitting the gym as soon as I wake up and going back to walking a 5K every week day! No more excuses! I lost 10lbs since January and I honestly don't want to ruin it in July!

Needing:
So I mentioned I cleaned out the closets...right...I found 'stuff'...from 1990-something...out the door with it...Hey GOODWILL we have games, sheets (sizes that don't match our beds) books (not school appropriate) décor items that no longer work with my house...so you get the picture...we also threw 9 yes NINE bags of trash out and I ended up finally shredding stuff from 1980-something all in all another 5 bags of shredded paper!

Tips, Tricks or Hints
Lists...I love to make them, but sometimes I lose them...so I decided to save files that I want to print out in color, but instead of buying 6 cartridges to get it done I go down to either Staples or Office Max (depends on the best deals or coupons) and I print out items for my classroom. As I am going through each file, I write down the page numbers I want to print out, then I save the file under its original name but with page numbers next to it...like so  "Closereading-3-6" this way when I am at the store I tell the copy clerk just print our the pages I need and not the whole file, so much easier for all involved.

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings...and don't forget to follow my blog on BLOGLOVIN now!

Oh and please remember Farley's rule of THREE!

Friday, June 28, 2013

Summer Shopping

It has started already...the shopping for the cutest classroom décor....but don't worry I'm not going crazy...well not really, my budget is smallish....here is a peek at some new décor items I have gathered so far....
This is fabric, that I am going to put on my bulletin boards...I have two of the flower prints to cover the boards that surround my very large White Board, and the striped one is going on the front board as my NEW and improved CAFE board....



 I found these little cuties on Teachers Pay Teachers, I printed them on half sheets so they will fit under the letters in each column.
I am using 2 inch wide ribbon in yellow for the Café board and black for my 'wing' boards as my border...the big yellow daisies are for the corners to add a little 'pop'!

As I was perusing the Internet I stopped over at the Carson-Delosa store and picked up these BEE-utiful things...
I use the sticky bees to hang up their writing throughout the year...the stickers are my favorite!!! I got the cut out bees plus tons of extras, because as soon as I find a Bee I like, they tend to discontinue it...I really miss my BEE name plates I used to get at CTP...they were perfect, but as soon as I used them for two years...they disappeared...so I'm stocking up on a few Bee items!
 
I cleaned out my closet at home, and after nine bags of trash and 5 bags of papers I shredded, I came across this....
I made this plate (you can tell by the paint smudges) about 10 years ago thinking I would like to re-do my kitchen (that never happened) and voila, I found a cute BEE to add to my classroom's décor!


Did I mention I also ordered new book boxes, since mine were red and blue (décor from my last school) they didn't match at all with my BEE themed room.
I can't wait to get back in my room to decorate and see how it all turns out for the 2013-2014 school year....but first I have a vacation coming up!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Summer Bummer?

I am torn...I LOVE having Summer to rejuvenate to regroup and come up with wonderful plans, better organization techniques and of course finding NEW decorations that I can't live without...BUT a week in, I find that I am bored a little, I am restless, the fridge calls my name way too often, my goal is to shower by 2 pm (at least)...summer is kind of a bummer at times.

I do a lot of waiting...waiting for lunch time, waiting for the stores to open (so not good), waiting for my son's activities to kick in (camp, various Dr's appts.) waiting for my own real vacation to 'jet' out of Dodge...I am not patient and dare admit a little impulsive (a terrible mix, y'all) it can lead to some really bad choices...ugh Summer can be a bummer!

Here's the boy...he's going to have to learn to deal with the beach here soon!!!!


So as I impatiently sit here, waiting for "Summer"(vacation) to begin, I am also trying to come up with unique ideas for TpT...as a group we tend to repeat each other and I don't know if you have noticed, but there are A LOT of super talented OVER ACHIEVING teachers that make a ton of cute stuff, I get down on myself because I want to contribute but I feel like it's useless, seriously why compete with perfection...oh, another Summer Bummer!

I hope I am not the only one feeling this way...I see my teacher friends on Facebook , going to ballgames, the beach, water parks...  I should be doing those things, but my kid doesn't like the beach, nor does he "do" sports....we go to the library, the pool...so less glamorous than my Facebook teacher friends! (can you imagine my boring posts... "Having fun reading the latest Common Core nail biter-near the library #yawn summer bummer")


Maybe it's just JUNE...June is the Summer Bummer...because I do know when JULY gets here I have a 100 things planned, the boy goes to camp for a week...YEAH mommy alone time GNO, anyone? Oh and my Sweet Man has already booked us on the Strip, while I go visit my Dad...but that is the only pleasure in that trip, my Dad is super sick and is in a medical catch-22...Oh Boy! (All I know is we need to find a serious good doctor in the Las Vegas area who can figure out how to cure an acute pancreatitis (he's on a feeding tube now) and a triple A at the same time!) That is the biggest Summer Bummer!

Dad and I last Winter in Las Vegas (Mt. Charleston really!)

But before I know it, AUGUST will be here, and I will be writing a post about how fast Summer went and how I have so much to do before I am ready to go back to school...'gotta' love teachers...we whine about school ending and whine about going back...well maybe whining is the right word more like...frustrated with the options!?

Oh I just remembered another Summer Bummer, my BFF just moved to Vancouver BC....but at least we have Facebook, Talkatone, and JetBlue to keep us together ! (Can't wait for Winter)
I'm in the middle, two of my BFF's...to my left is the Canadian!


Sunday, June 2, 2013

CURRENTLY in June.....

 
CAN you BELIEVE it!!! 3 more days with the kids...then 2 days of post-planning!
Where did the time go?
 
I am hooking up with FARLEY over at "Oh' Boy 4th Grade" for the end of the year CURRENTLY!
 
 
 
 
It's the last "lesson plan" Sunday, you know what I mean...checking your weekly plans to make sure you include ALL the standards and ALL the ELL strategies, and such! But if you are like me, you are already trolling Teachers Pay Teachers for cute stuff for next year! Do you know what grade level you are in yet? Our current Principal is retiring and our Assistant Principal is taking over in July, needless to say I was a little worried if I would stay in the wonderful grade of 2nd...which I am!! (Thanks Sherry!)
 
As I am sitting here, trolling, blogging and checking I am also listening to "Say Yes to the Dress"...in hopes that "Long Island Medium" will come on next..love me some Theresa!
 

I can't wait for SUMMER! I N E E D a L O N G break! I need to get out to the desert and check on my Daddy, he's been very ill this past month, I almost flew out there the first week of May, but God took care of him for me, while I sweated it out in the tropics. I can't wait to see how he's doing in person!
So,  If you have been following my posts, then you know I want out of the renting game...it is so expensive!! I'm seriously trying to find affordable SAFE housing for me and the boy. I am looking here, in the tropics and in the desert! The boy does NOT want to move, but at this point it's up to the money and job powers that be...truthfully moving will suck! But we have to really get out of this apartment!

I am hoping this SUMMER won't turn me into a slug and  stop working out! I am doing 3-4 miles a day in the morning, and need to keep that up, if not extend it to 5-6 miles a morning! I just don't want to get up early anymore...but living in the tropics, beating the heat is half the game! OH I hope my will power succeeds!
Starting tomorrow at school, I will have a parent in everyday to help me clean and pack...well that is the plan...I want to have her help put things in their summer home and label the boxes. That way when Wednesday rolls around the kids will have a cleaned-out classroom to say good bye to! This week they are doing a lot of "Scoot" games, "Quiz, Quiz, Trade" and "Task Cards" to keep them focused as we clean and pack through out the day! I hope my planning actually works!

Happy Vacation to all my Blogging Buddies, don't forget the sunscreen!