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!

Currently in March.....

Yeah My favorite LINKY!!!!

Thank You Meghan...I mean FARLEY

March! I think we have 60 days left of school. In those 60 days we have a few things we 'have' to teach..'Too Good for Violence', that pesky Social Studies Unit on Economics ... Interdependence and oh yeah, Measurement (length, width, capacity, volume, time...even though next year we won't have to worry about capacity and volume)...but instead of doing those lesson plans...here I am on the computer joining a LINKY PARTY!



Have you seen "The Americans" on F/X? OMG... it stars, Keri Russell, and Matthew Rhys as undercover Soviet spies in US near end of Cold War in 1981. You can catch it Wednesdays at 10 pm.

I really don't know why I am waiting for Spring Break, other than having some time away from school. I am not going to Key West or a on a cruise this year...My Sweet Man usually takes me away and we spend an entire week together. But this year he is training and won't be able to take a vacation...I am bummed about that AND the fact that I will be house sitting for my BFF, who is moving to Vancouver BC at the end of the school year. ( I am house sitting so she can find a new house 3,000+ miles away...so sad) So really Spring Break is going to be a self-pity party for me!

I bet you are wondering about those decisions, but they aren't really THaT big, just big to me. More details once I make up my mind!

I really could use another TV in the house....we only have one, in the living room. The real reason I want another DVR is to keep all my shows separated ...a little guilty pleasure!

If you don't know me, then you don’t realize I am truly a procrastinator....I have been needing a brake job since last summer, it is not critical, but it is sure to be soon. I actually have the $$ in the bank, I just need to get off my duff and call! Seriously I am BAD!

Farley HAD to make the last item using your first initial..."N" is the worst!!!!

1. I like new nifty ideas...ideas to make teaching easier and more fun oh and of course ORGANIZED!

2. Loving the COLD weather that the Northern States sent to us....something should freeze out these bugs, but I am not too keen on the sinus destruction of the Northern cold air.

3. Not knowing stinks!!! Not Knowing schedules, Not knowing outcomes, just plain old NOT knowing stinks, especially when you need to know! It's all okay ...I'm sure I needed the practice in patience!

I'll let you know how things turn out as soon as I KNOW!



 

CURRENTLY...the 100 th Day!

WOW..Can you believe it is February already?!

On February 1st we had a fun day. We made some 100th Day glasses, practiced skip counting (yeah I know what we are tackling on Monday!) ...

 

We also had a project due too. I love Read! Write! Think! I found this idea, a few years ago, and have used it every other year since. The children have to write three clues about the 100 objects in their bottle. We have been working on adjectives  and also studying about the properties of Matter...check out these clues...

 

 

After lunch the 100th Day of fun continued..... with Matter Science Centers....

 

...Did I mention only 80 days left?....I love my kids this year, but maybe I just need a little break...or a big break...either way CURRENTLY in February..here's my deal:

 





I have decided that I need a few months to get the Common Core ideas out of my head and into the fire! So much going on, I still need to present some information to my colleagues, then I need to really go through all my "stuff" and decide what stays and what goes according to the CCSS!
(Most of it is file cabinet stuff!-I did a clean sweep of the closet at the end of school last year)

Recently my neighbor at school called me a laminator freak...I laminate almost everything, but in truth I use stuff a lot, math mats, anchor charts, task cards, games...the list goes on, a  lot of little lamination...tho ONLY reason I don't have a laminator is truthfully I don't have the $$ to keep it full! That seems to be the issue with the ink! I need more moola to keep up with all my" Teachers Pay Teachers" trolling!

I need that extra hour to blog, lesson plan, cook, sleep...you know the drill....

I think my pet peeves are self explanatory...can't stand arrogance for no reason, ignorance is not bliss, it's annoying and please please please, do NOT ignore me...it really ticks me off, especially when I am giving you directions/advice  that YOU wanted to know! (rant over!)

On a more positive note...I can't wait for our 3 day break in February...more time with my Sweet Man!

Currently in January!

I love Love LOve LOVe LOVE   CURRENTLY!!!
Farley is one of my favorite Bloggers! Make sure you visit the "mother ship" before you start reading everybody's Currently!

It should always be the first post of the month! I like how it gets me thinking and writing, which leads to more blogging!

One of my 'resolutions' this year is to blog with PICTURES at least once a week...it will be hard to keep, but I am going to include it on my permanent to do list that I keep under glass (in  a frame) on my desk..Thank you Krisitin for that little bit of love!!!

So here we go..............

Is it me or is it the "times"...my son's BFF calls and they get on the computer to virtual play...is this a normal activity or is my kid really as weird as I think he is?

I am so grateful that I don't go back to school until Monday. This gives me a lot of time to actually finish planning and implementing some changes to the routine. I know I want them to have a new morning routine, the one we have now allows a bit too much freedom first thing! It will also give me that extra time I need to relax from my vacation. Little man and I went to Las Vegas to visit my Dad. I know VEGAS BABY!! Truthfully it's not like that for me when I go. We hang out at my Dad's (aka the base of operations) then we visit all the really cool rocks. I know you are impressed! ROCKS!!! I do live in flat Florida, so going out and visiting places like Ash meadows, Death Valley, Mt. Charleston and Valley of Fire is always appealing. The last time we were here (this summer) we visited Zion and the time before that the Grand Canyon...lots of Rocks! Oh and the time before THAT we saw Red Rock Canyon and the Hoover Dam, even took the Dam tour! (had to go there) Who knew the Dam would be so much fun, got a lot of good Dam pictures too!

As you can see we love the desert, we love Las Vegas!

My Dad and I ...Mt. Charleston Christmas Morning!



I want to change a few things in my room, besides the seating chart. I want to implement the Covey habits, and some more Brain Breaks. I want them to be more accountable during the Daily 5, some are taking advantage f the freedom. I really want them to feel like they have entered a new classroom when they get back! Hmmm I have some major restructuring to do!

While I was a my Dad's, I discovered that I actually may be the last person to still have a "regular" coffee maker. My Dad has a new one cup wonder! Really!
So I made a list of people I know and love who have them:
My brother, my dad, my boyfriend's brother, my dear friend and neighbor, my sweet teacher friend and neighbor....my friend on Facebook posted about hers....ok , ok, ok so I have a little "Keeping up with the Jones" thing going on I see...anyway...



I really don't NEED a new coffee maker, but I do need to find an extra $130 a month....could someone give the single mom teacher a break!!!!????
I could really use a raise, a REAL raise....but since we all know that is not an option, I signed up to do some pre-FCAT tutoring at school, that should help a girl out for a bit!


OLW...My One Little Word is TRY....
I like the word TRY, it doesn't sound too forceful, it sounds just about right...
try your best
try to figure it out
I'm trying
go ahead and try to make me smile!

Currently...GOTR and a Trumpet!

I love doing Girls On The Run....

In fact all the running around since January made me sign up for a 5K...

 

I actually ran the 1st mile pretty fast....then got a little tired running around the walkers, the characters, and the lines of people getting autographs from the characters...(yes they had lines of runners getting pictures with the Big Bad Wolf, Jack Sparrow and Brear Fox all the while we ran past them in the mud!) Did I mention that little kids were 'running'. I even heard one Dad say "If you don't keep pace, and quit, we won't be going to the parks today!" Yikes...why didn't they do the Family Fun Run???

 

YEAH!!! I finished...I even got a medal...okay EVERYONE got a medal...but I was just coming off a Z-Pack...does that get me some love?

 

 

I said I was listening to the Big Bang Theory..I was and then guess who shows up 5 minutes after? My Sweet Boy and his......

 



He's just learning, but I have to admit...he's pretty dern good!



One of my ALL TIME favorite authors is Chris Van Allsberg....I love this book it is sooo a FALL favorite in our room!!!!

 

So that is what is currently going on in my life...if you have a good book series that I should start reading, let me know...I really need to find an interesting series to get into and not be able to put down!!!

 

Thanks to Farley over at.....

  



This is my FAVORITE Bloggy thing I do!

 

.........go ahead and sign up on her linky....but remember...

 

 

Farley says

"the rule of 3...
you need to please comment on the 2 links ahead of your link and then come back and comment on the link after your link...
this is a way to spread the love and visit new blogs and well it is just my RULE... and not to mention nice (and my RULE)
and it hurts feelings when you don't give the love (aka you don't follow the rule)... really it does I get the emails that say they didn't get the love :) so RULE of 3 PLEASE "

Currently...one of my FAVORITE BLOGGY things to do!

This one was easy...Farley only said to follow the rule of three:

"Go 2 behind your link and comment and go 1 ahead of yours and comment"

 

I am also currently working on trying to fit Writing into the 90 minute Reading block...once my entire day is scheduled to where I like it to be, I will check in with you and share all the projects and ideas I have been up to this year! I want to share with you more...

Currently in August...plus Vacation pictures

I just got back from the desert and decided I needed something fun to blog about, because tomorrow it will be back to thinking and sharing ideas about what I need to do for school this year! I had  a lot of time to read on the planes  (yes PLANES...from NV to CA to TX to FL) yesterday...a lot of time to reflect too...oh boy I really will need YOUR help over the next few blogs to sort some things out, I hope you will be up for it and have better ideas than me...but now off to the Fun.... I linked up with

and made my 1st Currently.....

I love how other bloggers are so creative...I'll get there ONE DAY!!!!

Okay. so now for some vacation pictures....My dad lives in Las Vegas, so I like to g once or twice a year. No I don't  gamble, I can't imagine just throwing my  money away, but what we usually do is visit Nation Parks and get educated!

                           

We went to Zion in Utah...possibly one of my favorites, I love Grand Canyon in Arizona better, we went there last Christmas. My son is a first timer at all these parks. I've been going since I was 10!

This is me and my Dad! We are at the Temple of Sinawava..the gateway to the Narrows..which is a hike through the Virgin river.




We also stopped at the Court of the Patriarchs and took this quick picture of Abraham, Issac and Jacob Peaks.

Once we got back to Las Vegas I had some fun times with my boy, the only time he has ever been on the Strip was the day I took him to the top of the Stratosphere Tower......

 

We rode BIG SHOT and INSANITY....I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie and I am trying to get him to like it too!

Then at the tail end of my vacation my sweet pilot flew into town and we got the relax at the Mandalay Bay

Do we look as tired as we were???

As usual, we did the whole tourist sightseeing thing! I made him drag me to these places just for the pictures!

 

We didn't go in..there was a line....

 

 I wanted to eat here, just to see who won (it's in my DVR so don't tell me!!!) but $60 for an 8oz. steak...ummmm I'll pass....

 

We did stop in and see the DaVinci exhibit...it was mediocre....however it was inside and AC was cranked up...ah 106 in the shade outside!

All in all we had a great time....I am tired from the non stop fun BUT realize I only have a week left to get my plan of action into place before I start school again...I have to get started...see you tomorrow!!!

~ Natalie