The Best School Year Ever

My Oh My! It has been a while...lots of scholastic...and not so scholastic... crazinesss happening in my little corner of the world...feeling like a change is in the air....ehem...the first day of fall...

so now to share a bit of that with you...

We started out the year with Barbara Robinson's The Worst  Best School Year Ever! I love her The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, so I thought this would be the perfect read aloud for starting the year together, and of course introducing them to the Herdmans is always hysterical.

I completed an example using the teacher next door to me, whom I absolutely love and adore! I used a scholastic printable I found on their website where they had to write a paragraph about their classmate! Strangely, and not on purpose, most of the girls were assigned to a boy and vice versa!

I have another AMAZING class this year! Different from last year in that they are a really young group of kiddos. Any reference to abbreviations in grammar such as O.P....cracks them up or reading about the deadly mustard gas from WWI was almost impossible, but I've really been blessed with what I consider the cream of the crop the last 3 years! For those of you with challenging classes this year...my day's a comin'!
They also love our class read aloud time...we just finished Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume...oh my soul! Never in my life did I dream the end of that book would lead to a discussion on how babies are born!!! They had me in stitches! Literally. Tears. Poppin'. Out!

We have written compare and contrast essays on our best friends! I was uber impressed with the thesaurus dedication when it came to revising...words like gallant, towering, elasticity! :)

Had to introduce Compare Contrast with this duo! Adore THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS

Lastly, I'll conclude with some pics with my precious nieces several weeks ago at a dinner celebrating my hubby's ordination into the ministry :)

These two pics sum up my life right now...CRAZAY and FULL !

Can't express how blessed I am! 

Hope your year is as cray and fulfilling as mine so far!

CURRENTLY EXCITED AND EXHAUSTED!

Hey Yall!

Today was my first day back!!! It's been a long and exciting day and I am pooped out from all the procedures...practice...talking...explaining...sharing...and...planning! It was all definitely worth it and I can't wait to share in the lives of the precious 19 that I have this year!
I'll quickly summarize with Farely's Currently...

 Listening....take out says it all! Yes, I went to La Parilla tonight and ordered take out! Since I was starving from eating lunch at 11:00 am....my dinner was gone by the time I got home...so I am now enduring the crunch crunch smacking of my man's dinner!

Loving....day one is over! As exciting as it was, I am so glad that is behind me...whew!

Thinking...I CAN NOT wear a dress or skirt tomorrow...as much as I was on my feet today...this gal's fat thighs just can't handle all that! Pants tomorrow or else I'm wearing my hunny's boxers briefs and loading on some of that monkey butt anti chaffing powder!

Wanting...I've just recently become obsessed with a house that is for sale in my neighborhood...ah....I'd love to buy it! BUT...without a miraculously HUGE love offering....haha! I can forget it!

Needing...I really need to develop all the pics I took for our QOD board tonight...so that can start first thing tomorrow following their normal daily routine! And I need some sleep...goodness me...I really need some sleep!


Happy August!

This isn't my first rodeo!

So...tomorrow, technically, today is my first day back to school with kiddos! I have 19 fifth graders right now and I'm sure they're just as giddy and restless as I am about going back tomorrow! Hopefully they're all snug as bugs and sleepin' tight right now!


I'm ready...but I don't feel ready...I'm over prepared and trying to convince myself that this isn't my first rodeo and that the first day flies by!

I worked on a couple of bts gifts for some special people....first off, I had 2 girls from my class email me each week this summer as a part of working on their writing...so their prize is awaiting them tomorrow if they get a chance to come by and see me!

 Then I worked on a small note for my fifth grade team members! We really are fabulous together and I grew to love and respect them both last year! I got them both a Bath and Body wallflower plugin and scent with a note about life's enjoyments and pleasures! My goal this year REALLY is to be home EVERYDAY by 4:30!!!

During the tax free weekend, I managed to grab a whole bunch of goodies...but these Learning Resources magnets are definitely among my must haves for this school year seeing as how I have two big magnetic doors that smother one of my walls!  They were 10 bucks, but worth the money...best.magnets.ever. They will be getting lots of use tomorrow in my classroom! 

ALSO...I'm sure you know this already...but did you know that they make primary lined mead notebooks?! And how cute are these designs...I resisted on account of they're not a fifth grade thing...but definitely cute and pretty much amazing!

I think I'm gonna try to go figure out what I"m wearing tomorrow and get a couple hours of sleep!
Happy first day tomorrow to many of you!

Q.O.D. and The LIST

Hey Yall!
I've been a little MIA in the blogsphere lately...but in real life this girl has been insanely busy and I know you all have too! We're officially pre-planning this week and there's not a whole lot of time to work in our classrooms...so I'm not quite ready to give you my grand finale pics yet, but I do have a few things that I've actually finished...

This is my question of the day board. I used this last year but styled it a little differently this go round. I found this idea from Ashley Reed's TPT store and let me just tell you my kids LOVE it! $5.00 spent well and it fits my circus theme perfectly...if I forget to change it, first thing they let me know and ask me what the new one is! It was such a hit that this year that I have decided to daily theme my questions...vocab. one day, president 411 another, etc..because the greatest thing about this purchase is it is editable!!! I'll take their pics at open house with a stache on and they simply change their magnets daily to answer the question...

Note: If you are the TYPE A personality..you will notice a lot of unevens...haha! I am an EYEBALLER :) and proud of it! Sorry yall!

 I also got my bts goody bags for open house/meet & greet/orientation....whatever you call it!
 Again...I did these last year but used differently stationary for the note this year.

  Note reads: "WELCOME! You are a smartie who was mint to be in this class! What you make of this year is UP2U." 



 Speaking of being MINT to be in a class...yesterday we got the LIST...you know the one that will change over and over again in the next several days...I had 19 yesterday...today I've got 17...tomorrow I'll probably have 20 (our cap)...and let me just say...I do not envy my principal who has to divvy up all those kids into our classrooms! And then listen to parent, student, and teacher complaints because they didn't get who they wanted...we don't differentiate our grade level...you know as well as I do that we seldom hear the positive, but constantly hear the negative! Remember this truth during  your preparation time, especially regarding your admin...whether the best or the worst!


Happy Planning Peeps!

What a Day!

Hey Yall! So...I know most of you who go back to school the first week in August are already crazy busy with plans, room re-do's, heck if you're as awesome as Kindergals...you've even got your back to school goody bags together...but, yall..." you do know we still have 3 weeks until we go back to school?! "...

That should be plenty of time for all teachers!

Um...NOT!!! At school today someone said this to me while I was working...
"You do know we still have 3 weeks until school starts back?" when I was "asking" for help with the loverly partition that came off of its hinges and set me back today....I probably let this "fly all over me" a little too much but I guess it all comes down to MEN DO NOT understand how much work it takes and especially when the countdown is ehem...21/2 weeks...not 3...really 1 1/2 because of preplanning!  Can I get an AMEN?!

Rant over. 

Meet my new friend...

Mr. Parition!

In the above pic you can see that one "panel" of the partition isn't up...it's a little harder to secure. You can also see all the beautiful chairs that will replace my desks Wed. and Fri. evenings...and then put back up. I'm really not trying to complain...but it will be a pain...but it will work out. (I keep reminding myself)
The middle panel is a magnetic white board so I'm happy about that for housing homework and morning work.
The pic below is what I plan to do to all 6 back partion panels...it's kind of uncertain though so I just did one today...stapling to this thing doesn't work that well...laminating and velcroing all that is a lot of work and pricy...

Below is my library area...I still have lots to organize but the shelf to the far left is full of indoor recess games and educational games...the shelf to the far right holds class sets...of which I need a class set of dictionaries to add to...anyone have suggestions on where to get a nice inexpensive practically free set?! I'm thinking a lamp to top the other two shelves???and the big thing to the left is Mr. Partition all folded up.

Sign above says "Read Under the Big Top"

Here's my other dilemma...
See this big beautiful bulletin board that held all of my jobs, behavior, etc...that use to be seen when you first walked in??? Well it's from my class last year...and this year I don't have a bulletin board at all because Mr. Partition takes the place of that....#comparisonisthethiefofjoy

 

 

Here is what you will see when you walk in now...AND...I can't decorate this wall at all...AT ALL...nothing...NADA...ZIP...GASP! My husband's biggest pet peeve in our house is that every space has to have something...looks like I'm learning a new lesson this year.

I am a firm believer of ask for forgiveness before permission...so I *might* get some small velcro dots and just take stuff down on Wed. and Fri. afternoons from this wall! #that'salotofextrawork
I have convinced them to let me put my desk in the far right corner where my bookshelf currently is...otherwise I was just gonna forgo the desk...and again...notice all the chairs...

What a day! What a day! What a day! 

I love all you ladies and appreciate you sharing my load and small accomplishments :) I have ordered Kim Bearden's Crash Course book...I think with a year like what is ahead of me just physically...I'm gonna need some encouragement! 

The Partition is here!

A couple of months ago, I would have NEVER gotten excited over the word partition....heck, I didn't even know the word existed and referred to them as "those accordion slide thingies" BUT today, my friends, when I heard my admin. say "The partition is being installed" I was pretty stinking excited...I think I even clapped my hands!!! Mostly because I assumed the worst...that it wouldn't be in until the day before school starts or the day after school starts...and it's here! This installation is wayyy sooner than later yall and I was a teensy bit excited!
Unfortunately...I haven't been able to see it all spread out and stuff or test out the sound proofness of it...but I definitely plan on doing that tomorrow!

There it sits waiting to be installed!

And there it is installed but not completely!

One of the panels is a magnetic whiteboard...which I think I'm gonna use for Morning Work and Homework...and the rest should be easy to velcro to because it's carpet like...the thing is..that dad gum partition  has to slide back twice a week...Wednesdays and Fridays...so EVERY Wednesday and Friday I have to break down my room (Technically, not I, someone is doing it for me...but cough cough...it will be a lot of me if ya know what I mean...because heller...I'm a lil' bit of a control freak!) ...desks and all...so that this can function as one big room on those nights....and my desks have to go in the closet....so yes, I am gaining a closet, but in a way I'm losing the closet and definitely downsizing my room...now to be optimistic...I happen to love and adore the teacher on the other side : ) and I'm thinking we just might have to go ahead and open it up on some of those Wednesdays and Fridays to join our lessons ;)


In other exciting news...this week is pet week for my summer classes and my kids LOVED talking and writing about their pets today :) I started our lessons talking about Blue and Luiz from Rio and how Blu didn't look like a pet...but he was! And Luiz looked like a pet...but he wasn't! Then we all talked about our pets and wrote about them!
These cute little guys were a great incentive today for good behavior!!!

Love using stuffed animals in my class!

 Even more exciting news...Ms. Fultz, over at Ms. Fultz Corner...did a sidebar makeover for me and I am so thankful for this lady...I don't know how she keeps up with all the stuff she does...butttt she does and she does it well! Be sure to follow me on all these different social media apps!! and especially instagram...

 why insta?! Because Blog Hoppin is hostin' a 2014 Scavenger hunt and I am think I am more excited than a class full of kiddos on field trip day!!!!

4 points down.... one hundred and one to go! :)

You know you want to be all up in this koolaid too...and the awesome thing is...it's open to anyone with an instagram account and lots of uhmazin' prizes are up for grabs! :)

  Click the pic below to read from Cara Carroll herself and get all the 411!

Happy Hoppin'!

What I'm Wearing:LAZY!

Today has been a total Laaaayyzayyy day for me....I feel like Shel Silverstein's Lazy Jane...

Lazy Lazy Lazy Lazy Lazy Lazy Jen

She wants some motivation so she types and types and types and types and types

until she pins!

Lazy Jane waiting on the rain!

Seriously though...my day...was spent on my sofa...snuggled up in blankets reading, sleeping, and pinning away! Here's the reality: I'd read some blogs from my feed...check out their newest products...get a little discouraged or overwhelmed at how incredible some of you ladies is...so I'd roll over and nap...then I'd wake up and pin some and repeat!

  I decided to link up with Jivey at Ideas by Jivey for her what I'm wearing Wednesday after reading so many of these today! I just started following her recently after finding out she's a Georgian :) and yes, she is one of those incredible women that make you sick but only in a good way :)

What you might ask could I possibly be wearing worth sharing...

That's right...blankets and my trusty dell...only ALL day long!!!

I do happen to be wearing the same dress that I wore yesterday just minus the cardigan and bra...

don't.judge.me.

Here's a pic of me in what I wore yesterday with my bestie...in the dress that I still happen to be wearing today...
It's a super cute sundress that I got clearanced at Target last year with a peachy cardigan that has gold buttons from Belk and my gold earrings from Paparazzi!

Thankful for lazy days!

July CURRENTLY!

Oh My Goodness Gracious Yall!  Farley's Currently is my absolute favorite link up...and I didn't get to it last month so I'm ecstatic knowing that I'm one of the first to be in the loop this time!!!

Listening...I watch HGTV like seriously ALL the time yall! I love the old LOVE IT or LIST IT's and so does my wonderful other half...but they usually put him to sleep after a long day's work and then he snores!!!

Loving...tomorrow is a day for me and my bestie! I'm super excited because we have lots of catching up to do...I'm sure a pedi is in the schedule for tomorrow and some shopping too!

Thinking...I have a lot going on right now that I can't exactly share but some serious decisions that need to be made...you know the kind that you can't get out of your mind and you think on them all the time...yea...it's one of those...pray for me to give it to the Lord and stop worrying with it! I also need to wake up my mister and go to bed...he won't go upstairs without me...ain't he so sweet...and I know he'd be more comfortable upstairs!

Wanting...and Wishing...that I could lose 30 pounds this month! Ugh. It could happen....


Needing...I still have loads of laundry from last week's youth camp that need to seriously be done...they smell. And clean the garage...it has to be done before school starts back...I guess I really need a flood out there to motivate me :)

Plans...last year my hubby and I went to Savannah for the 4th weekend with my oldest niece! We plan to leave on Thursday and come back Sunday this weekend but still have no idea where we are going...he starts a new job Monday and we have been busy,busy, busy lately! Some R&R is needful and no niece this time for obvi reasons, and she is having her 7th birthday party on the fourth too!


What are you CURRENTLY up to?!

Traveling Circus Member

I must admit that NEVER once at camp last week did I think about the mountainous move that I have to make in less than a month! Moving classrooms is nothing new to me...this will only make the 3rd consecutive year that I've moved in a row and something deep down tells me it won't be my last classroom move ;) I have become a permanent member of the traveling circus for reals! Yet, God is at work in my life.

But now that I'm back in my reality world...My new classroom was suppose to be "move in ready" today...haha! I didn't really think it would be, but that was the plan! If you missed the news...I'm moving from a big beautiful room upstairs in our building to a downstairs dungeon that use to be the band room, but is currently being transformed into 2 classrooms and divided by one of those "mulit purpose space" partitions!

Yep...that's right...lots of before and after pics are in my near future...and I have some restrictions that I've never had before...so this move will be a booger to overcome! It could be worse though...I know some of you teacher buddies of mine that are moving and can't even get in until pre planning!!!



I'm teaching summer camp in my last year classroom so...I was only a bit frustrated to walk in today  and find... tons of big 'ole boxes covering the room that #1Still needs to be packed up and #2That I'm teaching in for summer camp!

The pic is a blur, but it completely captures how I felt this morning!

Somehow I managed to overlook the big boxes and so did all my classes today and we focused on America! We had such a great day talking about what America means to us and reading from some patriotic favs! My K3-Kinder classes learned the Star Spangled Banner and with my 1st-5th kiddos we read the One Nation book. It includes some poetry and counting through America's history and symbols. Unfortunately, our 25 minutes only allotted us enough time for reading and discussing our reads!

I never thought I'd have as much fun with the littles as I have! Especially this one adorable curley headed little cutie who was extremely attached to his pine cone today..he even imagined it the torch for the Statue of Liberty! And had to have a book for posing as Lady Liberty!

Is he not super cute?! Ah..love their creativity!

I don't know about you but I love teaching about our Nation and expressing patriotism for my country!


Oh...and just for rants sake..I am SO SICK of hearing everyone's opinions on the Hobby Lobby Court Ruling...regardless...it is what it is...the Supreme Court has made a lot of rulings I haven't liked and life goes on...I personally LOVE Hobby Lobby and all that it stands for!
 
Thankful for my freedoms!

Joining G-Iron Tutor

So...I have been a little MIA lately...but only in the blog sense! I've been at Camp Canaan with about 120 teenagers soaking up God's Word and being challenged to live a victorious Christian life!

Now that I am no longer in an after camp induced coma, I have something to share with you....


After some prayer and meeting up with this gal, Irma Prosser, I am excited to share that I am embarking upon a new journey with G-Iron Tutor. I will be assisting her as a K-5 Tutor serving south metro Atlanta areas.

Here we are signing our contract and she didn't take this whole expansion thing lightly but rather serious! I'm excited and praying for opportunities to help her! 

Contract signing!

 Please EXCUSE how terrible I look...I had just almost died...seriously though...while grilling some peachy marinated chicken...the grill exploded on me...my hair, eyebrows, and even the terrible stache that sometimes creeps through...you know yours does too...were all singed!!! Had it not been for my makeup...I'd of been fried crispy!!!

Yep...life or death experience right there! And it was wayy worse than it looks!

So...
Why tutor?!
In the five years that I've taught, it never fails that I have at least one student who struggles more than others. This is NOT because they are stupid or can't get it, but because they learn differently. They thrive from one on one. They need materials previewed and they need repetition. They process differently. They need you to slow down and it takes them longer to complete assignments.That is how they learn!
I've also had the complete opposite of the spectrum. Every year there's at least one kiddo in my class that isn't being challenged enough because they're either gifted or extremely academic. While Christian schools provide a God centered, safe, and super education,  we often lack the people and funding needed to help those students. That's my goal in joining G-Iron Tutor; to help the struggling and challenge the gifted!

Why G-Iron?
 Irma, the founder, is an exceptional teacher, mentor, and friend, but most importantly an exceptional Christian! Her testimony is amazing and I know that the Lord is the one who has blessed her business! I don't know if you've tutored students before, but when people find out I'm a teacher, a lot want to know if I tutor...sometimes tutoring means you're just doing someone a favor...but not with G-Iron...tutoring means changing someone's life and making major changes, both academic and spiritual! Tutoring is not only her passion, but it is her career and we all know that good tutors are few and far between! I use to hate recommending a tutor to my parents because sooooo often....it isn't taken serious enough!
I know that working for her will hold me accountable to be the best K-5th tutor and by God's grace and His wisdom, that is what I will be!

Click on the pic below to check out her website and get tutoring details! And don't forget to recommend us!:)

Ain't nothin' sweeter than a Georgia Peach!

Hey Yall!

I'm super excited to be a part of this blog hop, get some amazing teacher created freebies, and enter for a chance to win some serious goodies and you can too! I'm gunna get this party started with 10 fast facts about me and Georgia!

1.I was born and raised in Griffin, Georgia. 

2.It's a po'dunk town...sorry Griffinytes...about 45 minutes south of Atlanta. 

3.I lived there for first 21 years of my life but spent the first 3 years of my childhood in da projects...yes, Georgia has those too...and then moved out to the country with my Aunt and Uncle! 

4.My hubby likes to say he stole the jewel out of Griffin

5. Currently we live on the outskirts of Henry County in Stockbridge.

6. I teach 5th grade at a Christian school in McDonough.

7. My hubby is from Newnan, Georgia and drives there for work everyday! (60 min. west of us)

8. We go to church in Atlanta, Georgia. (45 minutes north of us...yes, we love our church that much!) 

9. I am a Georgia Bulldog fan and ready for football season! 

10. I have a small Georgia accent and "We're fixin' to.." is a daily part of my teaching vocabulary!

That's the town I currently call home :)

Here's a southern recipe for yall too! This sweet dear elderly lady from my church has whipped this up several times for us when we've just randomly stopped by her house for a visit! It's super easy and is made with ingredients that us southerners almost always have on hand...and it's delicious with some icecream served up on top! I have made this many times and it's a go to dessert when having friends or family over! It's a easy to make as it looks...simply add 1 cup of flour, sugar, and milk all together with 1 stick of melted butter and 1 can of peaches...cook on 375 for 35-40 minutes and tada...delicious and comforting dessert!

Now...all you need to do is....

I'm SUPER DEE DOOPER excited to say I've uploaded my first TPT product thanks to all of these Georgia Sweeties for challenging and motivating me! I couldn't have done it without their encouragement and help!
I use this product as a back to school project and then we rewrite it at the end of the year as a 5 para personal essay but it could be used any time during the year. I'd be as pleased as punch if you'd download my first freebie :) and even more pleased if you'd FOLLOW ME on Facebook and Bloglovin to get updates of more to come goodies!

Don't forget that you also have a chance to win some baskets full of great products! You can enter once from each person's blog!        

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

OH...and I can't complete this post without a big shout out to Jayne Gammons over at Smart Kids!  In the last 4 months, this sweet lady has been a vital part of "teaching" me how to do things without even knowing! Thanks for being an amazing educator and sharing your talents with us through meet ups and blog hops! and that my friends is why I love being a Georgia gal! There is definitely something to be said for our southern hospitality!

Happy Hopping!