tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18832721770759124462024-02-18T19:16:27.066-08:00Ramblings of a Happy TeacherRamblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-31511980852598122592014-08-15T09:10:00.002-07:002014-08-15T09:10:57.812-07:00HUGE Giveaway!Just checking in quickly (I say quickly because I have 1 week of summer vacay left and I've got lots to fit in!). I know I'm not the only one who struggles with my work wardrobe. I wasn't born with natural stylist instincts and because of that shopping isn't always my favorite thing to do. That was until I discovered the amazing blog, <a href="http://pinteresttoldmeto.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest Told Me To</a>. Seriously, it has been life changing! I discovered it right before the big Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (lucky me) and was able to grab some amazing deals! <a href="http://pinteresttoldmeto.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sheaffer</a> is like your own personal stylist and so far everything she's suggested has been amazing! Check out her blog today as she is giving away a $500 gift card to Nordstrom - oh yes, that is correct, $500!! What teacher couldn't use this right before the start of a new school year?! And even if you don't win, you'll score tons of fashion advice. To me, that's priceless! <br />
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Happy Shopping!!Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-24454048140463525252014-08-08T15:40:00.001-07:002014-08-08T15:40:05.122-07:00And August is Upon Us...First, let me just say that I am really not sure who gave August permission to sneak up on us! I mean...how in the heck did the summer go by so quickly?! I was just settling in to late nights and mornings spent in pj's sipping coffee and catching up on all of the latest reality TV shows that have filled my DVR. Then...BAM...August appears and ruins it all! ;) Now I find myself waking up to a long to-do list and the stress of trying to fit everything in before I return to work (well...officially return to work since the work has already begun!)<br />
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Oh and now for some exciting news! I won a great giveaway!!! Major thanks to Emily at <a href="http://thirdinhollywood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Third In Hollywood</a>! It was a super giveaway and Emily seems like such a sweet person! Her email to me just made my week! Not only did I win some great products from fellow teachers, but also the dreamy sharpener from Classroom Friendly Supplies that has been on my wishlist for just about ever! Be sure to check out <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Third-In-Hollywood" target="_blank">Emily's TPT Store</a>. Thanks, Emily!!<br />
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We're off to a weekend of soccer for my middle daughter! This will be our 3rd (or 4th?) weekend in a row of soccer tournaments. I LOVE watching my girls play, but I'll be happy to have a weekend off to just relax! </div>
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Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-64824509902779557352014-07-03T09:32:00.001-07:002014-07-03T09:46:09.543-07:00Ahhh.....Summer!Summer has been glorious thus far! We've had great weather (which for me means anything under 85! I can't stand the heat), lots of family fun and a lot of lazy days. The week after school got out was our "work week" at school. Since I teach at a private school that doesn't have a custodial staff, the teachers put in a week of work getting things spruced up at school. I was shocked that my principal actually trusted me with a paint brush (it's not a good thing)! :) I spend the week after work week rearranging my room and de-cluttering. Last year I had a .6 contract and had a great teaching partner. This year I'll be full-time. So, I had the opportunity to redo the entire room. It was fun - but lots of work! I still have about another week of work to do, but for now, I'm happy to put that on hold.<br />
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I have spent a few nights this week doing some online work. I got started on my teacher planner for next year. I chose to use one of the great planners from <a href="http://www.amodernteacher.com/" target="_blank">A Modern Teacher</a>. I used one last year and it worked so well. This year she has some really cute new designs! I have also spent some time going through the great resources that <a href="http://www.4mulafun.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Smith-Sloane</a> has on her website. I'm going to implement interactive notebooks this year and she is the queen! My next step is to order a pencil sharpener from <a href="http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com/" target="_blank">Classroom Friendly Supplies</a>. I've wanted on for a long time and am going to get one for next year. (If you want to win one, head over to <a href="http://misselementary.blogspot.ca/2014/06/sharpener-giveaway.html" target="_blank">Miss Elementary's Blog</a> and enter!)I've heard nothing but great things about them. If anyone has any other must-have resource recommendations, please share!<br />
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Here's wishing you all a great 4th of July! <br />
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MelissaRamblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-5711971590951060182014-05-09T15:21:00.000-07:002014-05-09T15:21:02.516-07:00Well, well, well....I guess my great plans for daily (weekly?) blog posts went right out the window!! What a crazy year it has been! We have 2 1/2 weeks of school left and oh so much to get done. My new plan is to survive May and then begin blogging again as I 1) Job search 2) Plan for next year 3) begin reading A LOT of books on different teaching methodologies! Here's to the end of the school year!!<br />
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-12395534020350042032013-10-12T09:24:00.001-07:002013-10-12T15:18:35.307-07:00Five for Friday (on Saturday!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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WELL...as usual I feel as though I'm always about a day behind. But nonetheless, here is my Five for Friday (on Saturday!).<br />
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#1 - This was an incredibly emotional week for our community. Last weekend there was a tragic accident in our neighborhood that claimed the lives of 2 young girls from our high school. The only survivor was the driver of the vehicle, also a student at the high school. These two girls taught Vacation Bible School at our church, McKenzie played soccer in my daughter's soccer club and the mom of one of the girls was the counselor at my daughter's middle school. It was a week filled with tears but also joy. The community really pulled together and did some great things to honor these two amazing girls. It's just tragic to see loss of life at such a young age. It was also an opportunity for me to talk to my girls about being safe and not taking life for granted. Lots of prayers and love for the families of Josie and McKenzie as well as prayers for healing to Preston and his family.</div>
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#2 - We're continuing on with our author study of Chris VanAllsburg in our classroom. My favorite lesson this week was using Ben's Dream. I used the book to transition into a geography lesson using the landmarks in the book. It was a great lesson...but also one that proved my kids need some extra help being able to differentiate between cities, states, countries and continents. I can't tell you how many times I had to say "No, South Dakota is not a country". Oy!</div>
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#3 - Still very much in love with the Interactive Math Journals packet I purchased from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rundes-Room">Runde's Room</a> on TPT. It has been a great way to incorporate some new, interactive activities into our daily lessons. THANK YOU!</div>
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#4 - I was BLESSED this week at school! Our school began a new program this year that provides parents with an opportunity to "BLESS" teachers throughout the year. This week a family blessed me with Starbucks (enough said!), candy and a gift card to one of our favorite restaurants! After such a difficult week, it was really nice to know others were thinking of me. Thank you!!</div>
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#5 - It's FALL!! The weather is chilly and the days are getting shorter. For me this is EXCITING! I love fall and winter and am probably one of the few people already wishing for snow!! </div>
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-18627143069595790042013-09-29T08:52:00.002-07:002013-09-29T08:52:56.791-07:00Ahhh....Sunday!Normally I would dread Sunday - the day when my focus seems to be on gearing up for the week, catching up on laundry, making a menu of weekly meals, nagging my girls to pick-up so that we can start the week with a clean house....and on and on. But today I'm actually enjoying my Sunday immensley! Why? Because I'm FINALLY getting some planning done! Woo Hoo!! <br />
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I had posted previously about my desire to plan ahead more than one day at a time. It stresses me out and makes me feel like most days I'm just flying by the seat of my pants. I seem to never have time. Today I decided to make the time. It's cold, windy and rainy here and after spending all day in the rain yesterday watching my girls play soccer, I vowed to not leave the house today unless absolutely necessary! So here I sit in front of a warm fire while my girls watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the original - oh yea!) planning my entire week! <br />
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This week will be a week of new ideas and I'm both excited and nervous! I'm introducing my students to an author study this week. We're starting with one of my favorite authors, Chris Van Allsburg! I've mentioned before that I find our reading curriculum a little....dry...so I'm hoping this will jazz it up a bit and get the kids a little more excited about our reading block. I wasn't really sure where to begin, so I spend some time researching online and found two really great resources (and they are free, too!). The first came from <a href="http://www.readingrockets.org/">www.readingrockets.org</a> and the other came from <a href="http://jbuoy.myweb.uga.edu/ChLitPortfolio/VanAllsburg.htm">Jennifer Buoy</a> (love her author study units!). <br />
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Geography is the other subject that's getting a makeover! I wanted to jazz it up a bit, too! I found a great set of lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers (I'm addicted!) from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Triple-Scoop-Lesson-Mapping-Continents-and-Oceans-889950">Meg Anderson</a>. I think it will work really well in my class and provides them with some fun activities to enhance their map skills! The bonus is that it incorporates art, which my class will LOVE! <br />
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Maybe these new and fun lessons will help take the edge off of the fact that we have 3 tests this week! :)<br />
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-50679791550010518792013-09-25T17:49:00.001-07:002013-09-25T17:50:37.246-07:00I'm BAAACK!Oh my goodness! I feel as though I haven't blogged in WEEKS! Oh...wait...it's probably because I haven't blogged in weeks! My fellow teachers will understand how this happens. I feel as though I've been sucked into this crazy place in the universe where time ticks by much more quickly than it should. I feel as though I need a few more hours in the day in order to just stay above water. It's probably also a symptom of being a first year teacher. The only way I was able to carve out time to blog tonight is because I'm doing it in the car here:<br />
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Thank goodness for soccer practice! ;)</div>
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So, here's what I've been up to. </div>
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1) I'm struggling with the fact that I find myself planning the night before the next day of school. I just can't seem to get ahead. I am such a planner that this daily planning is killing me! I hope that I can find a way to remedy this. Any ideas?</div>
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2) I REALLY don't like our reading curriculum. It's pretty dull and the kids think so too! I'm trying to find some supplemental activities to jazz it up a little. I really would love to do an author study, but am not really sure how to begin. Does anyone have any advice?</div>
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3) I also need a serious nap! My class spent two days at a great camp right on the river. It was loads of fun, but I'm exhausted!! They did some super activities like this:</div>
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They (speaking of the boys!) also woke the girls cabin up at 6am! Ugh! Needless to say, I'm tired! :) </div>
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Until next time....</div>
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-38841120351625961732013-09-04T08:15:00.001-07:002013-09-04T08:24:49.585-07:00Happy Fall, Y'All!I may not live in Texas anymore, but who can resist a chance to use "Y'all"? It's one of my favorite southern words! ;) It may not officially be fall yet, but school has started (for me anyway - 1 more day of summer for my girls!), the weather is gradually cooling and college football once again dominates my television! :) In celebration, I'm linking up with <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/">Farley</a> for September's Currently - better late than never! <br />
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-64424147719649468872013-09-02T08:37:00.001-07:002013-09-02T08:37:02.640-07:00Happy Labor Day!Wow - what a whirlwind this last week has been! I survived my first week of school, watched some amazing college football on Saturday and yesterday spend the day at a local water/amusement park with my girls! Can I tell you how glad I am to have this Monday off to just R*E*L*A*X?! So, here I sit on the couch with my coffee, laptop and GMA. It feels good to have no agenda for the day. <br />
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I have to share this FUN activity I did with my class on Friday. I used it as a way to introduce group expectations and to build teamwork. I got the idea from <a href="http://sciencegal-sciencegal.blogspot.com/2012/09/setting-expectations-for-group-work.html">Science Gal</a>. I also used it to introduce our science jobs that we will be using each time we do an experiment. Let me just tell you - it was FUN! The kids loved it! I had them work with their table groups for the first run through. Then I used the Random Student Selector from <a href="http://www.barryfunenglish.com/">Barry Fun English</a> to pick new groups. It was fun to see how different kids worked together.<br />
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I would suggest you head on over to <a href="http://sciencegal-sciencegal.blogspot.com/2012/09/setting-expectations-for-group-work.html">Science Gal</a> and check out the details of this activity!</div>
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-64446334170458271082013-08-28T20:49:00.002-07:002013-08-28T20:50:55.674-07:00Happy First (Half) Day of School!Woo Hoo! We started school today!! I'm partner teaching and only teaching 3 days per week. Today was not my day to teach, but my partner and I wanted to both be there on the first day to emphasize that we are a team and share the same rules. SO...I only had to stay for half of the day. It was a nice way to ease into the year. My kiddos are SUPER (all 11 of them!). I can tell it's going to be a great year. I have 8 boys and 3 girls, which seems crazy to me after spending a year subbing in public schools where class sizes are MUCH larger. I think it's going to be fun having a small group. We are going to be really close I can tell.<br />
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Since I don't have to teach until Friday, I have a day to spend prepping. I need to create a fun intro. science lesson. Of course, I had the perfect lesson in mind - one that we had done in my science methods class. I came home and realized that I hadn't kept the notebook it was in. Oy! Sometimes my purging comes back to bite me! So, I'll be doing some internet surfing to try and find a good replacement.<br />
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Oh - and one last tidbit...we got this cute little gift today from one of our kiddos. I had to laugh when he said "My mom got this on Pinterest...she gets everything off of Pinterest!". <br />
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<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-9489444803985699402013-08-22T08:45:00.002-07:002013-08-22T08:45:34.300-07:00Maybe the earth REALLY is flat!I've been pondering this past week (or two) about the shape of the earth. I think it could quite possibly be flat. Now, before you call for my teaching certificate, let me say that I know the earth is round, but honestly when it comes to blogging, it feels as though I've fallen right off the face of the earth - hence my thinking it really could be flat! :) <br />
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In all seriousness, it's just be a CRAZY (or in the words of my daughters - cray cray) couple of weeks. I had a two day teaching conference at Gonzaga (which was FABULOUS) which led into a crazy busy weekend of barefoot soccer (more on that in a minute), which led into a week of having a painter in the house painting every room upstairs (which meant me - just me - moving EVERY piece of furniture and all of the "goodies" hiding underneath). As if that weren't already enough, we still had 4 soccer practices a week, some back to school shopping, an end of summer basketball party, piano lessons and a couple of meetings at school. Whew....this is my life.<br />
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I'm now trying to savor the last few days of summer. I go back on Monday and Tuesday for staff meetings and then start school with the kids on Wednesday. YIKES! Where did the summer go?! We have had a nice summer, even though it's buzzed by quickly. The girls have done some fun things, including a little Barefoot 3-on-3 soccer tournament. These girls had SO much fun and even won the award for best uniforms! <br />
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These are the fun memories we have to hold on to as summer quickly fades into fall. I'm sad, but really looking forward to crisp days, football games on Saturdays and new fun memories at school!<br />
<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-43450146001840809782013-08-12T16:37:00.000-07:002013-08-12T16:37:52.769-07:00Teacher Week '13: Let's Talk About Me MondayI'm excited to link up with some great bloggers for Teacher Week '13 at <a href="http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/">Blog Hoppin</a>'. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqM9LmOv-Y_4fG5rN9LF9HbObZuYWi_MHotm9Hp-FjEkkZTo2LajzpB9gXlZAZXkH87YnzUlpOevICfmWQBWmm8mQQJd-YJznApAckQ5ogGTLNhGoKLLaK1dxO3gRhyphenhyphenrLNUMuw19wuJdQX/s1600/teacherweek2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqM9LmOv-Y_4fG5rN9LF9HbObZuYWi_MHotm9Hp-FjEkkZTo2LajzpB9gXlZAZXkH87YnzUlpOevICfmWQBWmm8mQQJd-YJznApAckQ5ogGTLNhGoKLLaK1dxO3gRhyphenhyphenrLNUMuw19wuJdQX/s320/teacherweek2.png" width="319" /></a></div>
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There is a new topic each day which means an entire week of blogging FUN!</div>
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So here are a few things About Me!</div>
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1) I'm a wife and mom to 5 girls. I have two step-daughters who are in their 20's and my three littles are 11, 10 and 8. WAIT - I guess that means they aren't so little anymore! My 11 year old will be 12 next month and is entering middle school. How in the heck did that happen?! </div>
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2) I'm a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) football fan! I get so excited for the first weekend of college football. I graduated from Texas A&M (Gig 'Em Aggies!) and got my teaching certificate from Washington State University (GO Cougs!) but I will watch any game just to get my fill of football! I have to constantly remind my husband how lucky he is!</div>
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3) This is my first year teaching! Yes, I got a bit of a late start, but I'm SO excited! After college I obtained my Masters degree in College Student Personnel Administration and worked in Higher Ed before getting married and starting a family. It was important for me to be home with my girls when they were little. In 2010 I decided it was time to go back and get my certification. I spent last year subbing in several local school districts.</div>
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4) I LOVE Pink. I guess having a house full of girls makes it easy! Really, pink just makes me happy!</div>
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5)We have 2 dogs. Belle, who was delivered by Santa Claus 5 years ago and Akita who joined our family a few months ago. I say that Belle is my dog. She is calm, sweet and loves to nap! Akita is my husband's dog. She is wild, strong and loves to play! As you might guess, they don't get along too well! </div>
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6) I hate to admit it, but I'm a fan of Disney Channel shows. I often find myself caught up in an episode of Jessie or Good Luck Charlie and then realize my girls aren't even in the room. </div>
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7) I LOVE to travel! I don't do much anymore, but when I was younger I traveled a lot. In fact, after I graduate from college I applied for a job as a flight attendant! I was actually hired by US Airways but before I was able to go to training, the company implemented a hiring freeze so I decided instead of waiting, I'd go back to graduate school!</div>
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8) I love coconut cake...but have yet to find one that is as good as my grandmother used to make.</div>
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9) I get giddy over school supplies.</div>
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10) I'm currently obsessed with <a href="http://www.schoolgirlstyle.com/">School Girl Style</a>.</div>
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There you have it! A few facts about me. We're off to get 6th grade shots (ouch!) and wade through the bags and bags full of school supplies and new clothes that we shopped for yesterday! FUN!</div>
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Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-2868239379177689472013-08-08T07:45:00.000-07:002013-08-08T20:26:32.997-07:00Lookie, Lookie!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How sweet! I've been nominated for a Liebster Award! Thank you to the oh so sweet Lori from <a href="http://specialeducationlove.blogspot.com/">Special Education Love</a>! I'll admit I was slightly giddy when I first heard the news!<br />
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The Liebster Award is for up and coming blogs that have less than 200 followers (that's me!). So what is a Liebster, you ask? Liebster is a German word that means sweetest, kindest, dearest, cute, endearing, etc. Such a thoughtful award! Here are the rules to accept this award:<br />
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1) Link back to the person that nominated you.<br />
2) Answer the questions from your nominator.<br />
3) Share 11 random facts about yourself.<br />
4) Nominate 5 more blogs with less than 200 followers.<br />
5) Pose questions for you nominees.<br />
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That's it!<br />
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Here we go!<br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">1. When did you decide to become a teacher? </span><span style="color: magenta;">I think I always knew deep down. I went to college and got a degree in Elementary Education, but then chose to work in higher education instead (fraternity & sorority advisor - which at times felt like an elementary school teacher! HA!). I thankfully found my way back and this will be my first teaching job after spending a year as a sub.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">2. What is your favorite meal? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Hmmm...that's a tough one as I LOVE food. I'd have to say anything I eat when I go home to New Mexico. I love green chile on just about everything!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">3. Is this your first blog? </span><span style="color: magenta;">No - I tried to blog during my student teaching, but really between that, my classes and my family I just didn't keep up with it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">4. Do you have any pets? Tell me about them.</span><span style="color: magenta;"> Yes, we have two dogs - His and Hers dogs! MY dog is Belle and she's a "cockachon" or a Cocker/Bichon mix. Santa Claus brought her to us 5 years ago and she truly is my dog. She goes everywhere I go, sleeps on my bed and most of the time seems to think no one else in our house exists! My husband decided HE needed a dog, so we also have a Pitt Bull/Boxer mix named Akita. She's 60 pounds of pure love. She's super smart and so well trained, but she doesn't know her own strength sometimes, so the girls have to be careful not to get her too hyper! Sadly, Belle and Akita aren't BFF's. Belle is older and doesn't put up with Akita's puppy antics.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">5. Name a blog you go to for inspiration.</span><span style="color: magenta;"> I love <a href="http://www.schoolgirlstyle.com/">School Girl Style</a> for classroom inspiration, <a href="http://fifthinthemiddle.blogspot.com/">Fifth In the Middle</a>, <a href="http://www.missmathdork.com/">Miss Math Dork</a> and <a href="http://www.thesciencepenguin.com/">The Science Penguin</a> for teaching ideas. Of course, I have come across some other great blogs, but these are the ones I've spent the most time exploring.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">6. What's your favorite Pinterest creation? </span><span style="color: magenta;">I'm more of a pinner with great intentions than an actual crafter, but I did make <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/33988172158566267/">this</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">7. What lesson are you the most proud of? </span><span style="color: magenta;">WELL...I did some fun things during student teaching, but I think I'll save this one for the end of my first year of teaching! I'm hoping for some great lessons!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">8. What do you teach? </span><span style="color: magenta;">5th grade but my kids switch classes for math, so I'll teach 6th grade math.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">9. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? </span><span style="color: magenta;">Russia...I've always had a fascination with Russian culture and architecture. It's been a dream of mine since I was very young and my grandfather shared his adventures in Russia. I even took a semester of Russian in college!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">10. What has been your favorite summer vacation? </span><span style="color: magenta;">As a child I would say Disneyland. With my kids I'd say South Dakota. It was amazing to see Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">11. What is your number one goal for the upcoming school year? </span><span style="color: magenta;">To survive!! And, to have a little fun along the way!</span></div>
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Random Facts:</div>
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1) I'm an Aggie - GIG 'EM! I L*O*V*E Texas, but don't think I could live there again because of the heat. It will always hold a special place in my heart.</div>
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2)I'm also an Alpha Phi. I love my sorority dearly and wish I had more time to be involved as a volunteer. One day...</div>
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3) I have a bag obsession. I love tote bags of all kinds. Several years ago a friend showed me a <a href="http://www.mythirtyone.com/spokane">Thirty-One </a>catalog and I was hooked. I've been a consultant since 2010. It feeds my addiction! :)</div>
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4) I LOVE PINK</div>
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5) I've attended 6 colleges/universities and have 2 degrees to show for it. </div>
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6) I'm a HUGE sports fan - don't get in front of the television when college football or basketball are on - you might get hurt! ;) </div>
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7) I'm also a WSU Cougar - GO COUGS! </div>
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8) I drive an Expedition named Daisy</div>
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9) I'm a soccer/basketball/softball mom. My girls are SUPER sporty. This summer they played all 3 sports at once which led to some crazy busy days/weeks. I love watching them play!</div>
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10) I'm a technology addict...my Iphone and laptop are never very far away</div>
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11) I don't know what I would do if I didn't live in the land of coffee stands...there is one on nearly every corner and I appreciate that! :)</div>
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I'm nominating:</div>
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1) <a href="http://mrscahillsclass.blogspot.com/">The Hungry Teacher</a></div>
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2) <a href="http://mrsrootteaches.blogspot.com/">Rootin For Third Grade</a></div>
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3) <a href="http://www.thelearningeffect.com/">The Learning Effect</a></div>
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4) <a href="http://lightscamerateach.blogspot.com/">Lights...Camera...Teach!</a></div>
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5)<a href="http://teachertalkwithmrst.blogspot.com/"> Teacher Talk with Mrs. T</a></div>
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Here are your questions!</div>
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1)What is your ideal vacation?</div>
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2)If you had an unlimited budget, what would you purchase for your classroom?</div>
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3)What is your favorite way to de-stress after a long week?</div>
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4)Tell us your most unforgettable student response/comment you've ever had.</div>
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5)What is your favorite season and why?</div>
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6)What is your favorite way to reward your class for excellent behavior?</div>
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7)Sweet or Salty?</div>
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8)When you have time to read for pleasure, what do you read?</div>
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9) Reality TV - yes or no?</div>
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10) Where is your favorite place to buy school clothes?</div>
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Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-91253209883053015072013-08-07T21:15:00.002-07:002013-08-07T21:17:13.290-07:00So this must be what it's like...Since this is my first year with a teaching contract, this is also my first summer experiencing the end of summer blues. I'll admit - I've never been a "summer mom". I go crazy trying to keep my girls busy, trying to stop the fighting that usually starts week 1 and trying to stay out of the heat (how in the HECK did I ever live in Texas?!). Yes, I enjoy the sleeping in and staying up late, but really I could do without much of the rest of what comes with summer. This year, however, I have enjoyed summer more than I ever have . Maybe it's because my girls are older now (gasp...I have a MIDDLE SCHOOLER!) or maybe it's because I've known since June that I would be teaching in August!
SO - now instead of making paper chains to count down the days until school starts I'm instead trying to squeeze in a lot more of this<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKZYUvtWXhn73xDLTo_juN-JSxM6FSgK85co-fT86ALCsTGDfKlmna9ZAZz9eo-p3sybfeeTVYJ39bA7AtkjvsLW5uYZp2Tu2KVd65Bd0m0JJTLdyAwXdwIDngsg3lKU3DNpMkn9T1ZIf/s1600/DSCN0979.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKZYUvtWXhn73xDLTo_juN-JSxM6FSgK85co-fT86ALCsTGDfKlmna9ZAZz9eo-p3sybfeeTVYJ39bA7AtkjvsLW5uYZp2Tu2KVd65Bd0m0JJTLdyAwXdwIDngsg3lKU3DNpMkn9T1ZIf/s320/DSCN0979.JPG" /></a> and this <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMQ7yV7L8jYxqr54F3aaMrUlQWWuQr2cGG33s2nH3zqSKCTNGjfoHldf3Fcj10HyhtNWKL_31aDoEUQ2KCT0R8qsN8Ni7A_7t4sIOGyT-JEVtvgQRdswERYFpGB1x6Te1SttppCkCdH2R/s1600/DSCN0963.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMQ7yV7L8jYxqr54F3aaMrUlQWWuQr2cGG33s2nH3zqSKCTNGjfoHldf3Fcj10HyhtNWKL_31aDoEUQ2KCT0R8qsN8Ni7A_7t4sIOGyT-JEVtvgQRdswERYFpGB1x6Te1SttppCkCdH2R/s320/DSCN0963.JPG" /></a> and frankly, some of this <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiES4tekYAsHI9Ct43McPQhhAm-MNvTYLxEwnkm75ukuXLN9ElyLIpYmKKIYL5zfzj9EyomIHHWAOJWru2ucUrQhQRDQAyl1YPPqAPSzGO1kOujxmfA7NwqEUqvqjHxPLjCE2Hy88RohVcC/s1600/DSCN0960.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiES4tekYAsHI9Ct43McPQhhAm-MNvTYLxEwnkm75ukuXLN9ElyLIpYmKKIYL5zfzj9EyomIHHWAOJWru2ucUrQhQRDQAyl1YPPqAPSzGO1kOujxmfA7NwqEUqvqjHxPLjCE2Hy88RohVcC/s320/DSCN0960.JPG" /></a>.
But, alas, today I had my reality check in the form of an email from my principal listing the required dates for reporting to school. SO, I guess I have to pack it all in before that time comes! Oh, and by the way, I'm <u><b><span style="color: magenta;">SUPER</span></b></u> excited to be teaching so while I may be sad to say good-bye to lazy summer days, I'm also ready to say hello to a classroom full of fifth grade kiddos! <br />
<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-8795253782951811322013-08-02T11:00:00.000-07:002013-08-02T13:10:06.784-07:00My First "Currently"!I feel like I'm now officially a blogger with this first Currently post! I'm linking up with <a href="http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/2013/08/currently-august.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Fjtmhg+%28Oh%27+Boy+4th+Grade%29">Oh Boy, Fourth Grade</a> to do my first post! Woo Hoo! Enjoy!
<a href="http://s778.photobucket.com/user/mghawley/media/Currentlyaug_zps59421dbe.png.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy64/mghawley/Currentlyaug_zps59421dbe.png" border="0" alt=" photo Currentlyaug_zps59421dbe.png"/></a>
For some reason my links got a little messed up (newbie error, I'm sure!). I have to share the link to the <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-About-Me-Project-Back-to-School-Icebreaker-308206#tab_ratings_feedback">Math About Me project</a>. I'll be teaching 5th grade, but 6th grade math (don't ask!). This looks like THE perfect way to start the year!! Not only will I get to know my students, but I can get a feel for where there are academically. Woo Hoo!!
Also - A bit of shameless self promotion! I am in LOVE with <a href="http://www.mythirtyone.com/spokane">Thirty-One's Organizing Utility Tote</a>! It's THE best teacher bag...hands down! I'm doing a Back to School Blitz now and giving away $600 in Thirty-One products. If you want more info, I'd be happy to share!Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-60469310805606607242013-07-25T09:34:00.002-07:002013-07-25T09:34:59.017-07:00Summer Bloggin'...It's hard to believe that July is nearly over (yikes!). I feel as though our summer has consisted of a non-stop series of softball games, soccer tournaments and basketball tournaments. Yes, my girls are SUPER sporty! I love watching them play...BUT...I'm also happy when we get a small break. This weekend is the last tournament until the end of August, so we'll get a little bit of time to relax and enjoy the summer sun. (WHEW!)<br />
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While we've been busy, I have had some time to do some blog surfing! As I enter my first year with my own classroom (woo hoo!), I have found some great inspiration though my blog surfing! I've also come across some great giveaways - and who doesn't love a giveaway?! There is a great giveaway now at Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade blog. She's celebrating her 3rd year of blogging in a big way! Head over to her blog now and enter to win one of 6 TPT gift cards or a gift card to Starbucks or the Loft (my fav!). Don't delay - you only have one more day!! :)<br />
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<center><a href="http://mrswheelerfirst.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_zDUnGoZh-42vcq_hkU8S1-zHqd7nBeJG0k2xNw1Mx8Uz-ERr7I_cXjSQ6d-4GiDkeXgmIhyZg02LsPa-vaVDY5fyER8-JsnHgpSkRBxSxIcBEgwbqIP3x_ZzTtq2Abotr8IWs9knSIT/s1600/button.png" alt="Mrs Wheelers First Grade" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a></center>Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883272177075912446.post-68876053077523752592013-07-09T10:30:00.000-07:002013-07-09T10:30:05.259-07:00My New Blog!Yippee!!! I am LOVIN' my new blog design!! I can't wait to get started sharing my thoughts and ideas as I navigate through my first year as a teacher! But, a little background first. I completed my degree in Elementary Education many (many) years ago. BUT...after graduation, I was given an opportunity to head back to graduate school and work in student affairs. At the time, it was such a passion of mine and I couldn't say no. Skip ahead a few years. I married my husband (and his two daughters) and we started a family. We decided that my primary role would be to stay home with our daughter. <br />
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A few years later and we had a full house! We have 5 girls (ages 23-8) and a crazy hectic daily schedule. Even through all of the craziness at home, I still felt the pull back to the classroom. I decided to head back to school in 2011 and completed the Master In Teaching program at Washington State University (Go Cougs!) <br />
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I spend the last year subbing in a few local districts. While I learned a great deal, I missed being able to form relationships with the kids like a regular classroom teacher would be able to do. I made it my mission not to sub again next year! I feel so blessed that I was offered a teaching job at a local Christian school. So, now my adventure in 5th grade begins! I have an amazing teaching partner who will be teaching 2 days a week while I teach 3 days a week. It will be a great way to ease into teaching (while hopefully keeping up with our girls' crazy schedules!). So, I'm spending my summer reading through curriculum, making plans for my new classroom and trying to wade through my hundreds of teaching pins on Pinterest! <br />
<br />Ramblings of a Happy Teacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07208885729115691553noreply@blogger.com0