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!

Let's Talk About Books!

I'm sure all teachers do, but I cannot express how much I love, Love, LOVE  children's books...like my garage is FULL of them...so is my car...so are my closets... and so is my classroom...I can't ever pass up a copy of one of my favs from the Goodwill or even a new one for that matter. Barnes and Noble/Books a Million are constant companions of mine...a new book ALWAYS makes me happy! Anytime I'm shopping and can't find something to fit or look good or work...a new book never lets me down!
I've loved reading all the book reviews from Deanna Jump's Let's Talk About Books linky and while mine is not a PD book this week...
I've got some favorites that I've used and stumbled upon here lately that I want to share!
Since I'm teaching summer camp at my school....I've read several within the last week...I'm trying to stick with oceany summery vacationy books to make them all feel like they're on summer break!

The Pout Pout fish is for sure one of my absolute favorites! It's about a pouty fish who turns into a kissy fish because of some love and happiness! I love reading that one aloud, go buy it NOW if you don't own it!  The Rainbow fish is a great one too and with an amazing message about sharing! Pig Kahuna was a bookfair book from a couple of years ago...I couldn't pass it up because...hello...pigs out on the ocean?!.. but the illustrations are absolutely adorable in it! The kids especially love the baby pig that puts his ocean treasures in his diaper :)

Barbara Park was an amazing author and definitely had a knack for getting kiddos interested in reading! I've been reading this gem to the 1st-5th graders in the summer camp program and they love her as much as I do! Just recently though, I've really noticed that a lot of her books are funny because of Junie's bad attitude...just wondering if any of you have ever had complaints about this? Don't get me wrong...I LOVE her books!

I also found a great new book in Barnes and Noble last Tuesday that goes perfectly with a circus themed classroom, but really for anyone! I can't wait to add it to my library! It's about this puppy, Jane, who is just plain and ordinary while the rest of her friends and family are extraordinary and have super amazing talents...it sends the message that everyone is extraordinary in an ordinary way and that it's okay to be Just Jane :) I LOVE it! Even though I'm a fifth grade teacher, I will definitely read this one at the beginning of the year! Kids have so much pressure on them to be the best soccer player, piano player, student...etc...and I think sometimes they need to be Just Them...their own fearfully and wonderfully made personality that God gave them! This past year really showed me just how much pressure 5th-6th graders have on them from other students to fit in...I think this book will be a perfect start to our year!

Now finally a book for the 3rd-5th grader...Mary Poppins! Did you even know this was a book?! I, for one, did not! I love Disney's Mary Poppins! It's definitely a favorite to watch, but until watching Saving Mr. Banks...I didn't realize it was a book!!! I bought it last Tuesday and have been reading a couple of chapters each night. The story behind the author's inspiration for the character of Mary Poppins was surprisingly depressing. I plan to incorporate it somehow next year and talk about the author inspiration and purpose.

I hope you invest in some of my favs if you haven't already!

Happy Book Loving!

Rescued my Renovation

From my title you can tell that I've spent a lot of time here lately watching the HGTV channel...oh, the plans that I have for my dream future!!!
My favorite definitely has to be Love It or List It or the house flip shows...can you imagine making $120 thousand in two months...ah, it'd be nice eh?!

This isn't really school related but Sunday School related :) And I can cross something off my summer to do list! 

One space in our life that definitely gets neglected is our Sunday School room at church...better yet, really, our entire church. Our church is in Brookhaven, Atlanta. We, and most of the members, live outside of Atlanta and travel about 40ish minutes to get there on Sundays and Wednesdays. Yes, traffic is always a beast and I NEVER thought I'd drive to Atlanta for church (I'm almost positive that those words came out of my mouth once!)...BUT the Lord has a sense of humor and His plan is perfect!

Shame on us, but we've never put a lot of time or energy into our classroom. We started revamping it last fall but then we just kinda stopped. I sit there every Sunday morning and dream of what the room should look like and what I could do to it...but just dream... up until last week...we both decided to put some time and effort and moneyyy into our class. We had FINALLY decided to go with a red/gray/black scheme. It took us a while to decide or errr...agree! Everything I suggested was too girly and since my man is the youth pastor and a Georgia fan...I let him have the last say SO LONG as he trusted me with the rest!!! I wanted the room to be a "cool" place for the teens, but I also wanted it to reflect us some...mostly him.
With Vinyl, Chalkboard, and Chevron everywhere nowadays we put a spin on all of that combined.
I'll recap what we have so far in 4 pics... I say so far because I'm sure I'll be buying and adding things to it now that I know what we're going for.

We painted this counter a flat gray about a year ago and learned that the cheap paint doesn't last and looks cheap so we repainted it with a glossy and are waiting to add hardware until we find it on sale. The frames above the counter are poster frames from Hobby Lobby with gray paper inside of them and chalkboard vinyl on top. My hubs free-handed the chalk words with a chalk board pen..actually, I did one of these...can you figure out which one?!?
Originally I bought 4 frames from Michaels but when I began adhering the vinyl, I noticed 3 of the 4 frames were cracked in some way..gir! The worst part is Michael's *almost* didn't take them back...it took some persuading and talking with the manager...word to the wise...check yo frames! I was in a hurry and knew what I wanted and where to find them...so I quick grabbed 4 and paid! Thankfully, they reimbursed me and I went to Hob Lob to get new frames! 

This counter top needs some serious scrubbing from some sloppy white wall painting we let the teens do years ago! I wish I had before pics because this room use to have a lime green, orange, and blue wall! 

 This one has to be my MOST favorite! I mean look at that writing...that would be my hubs! Be jelly :) because I am! I was really excited by how much we used his calligraphy and writing to revamp the room. This chalkboard sits in the most awkward spot and use to be green! We added 3 modern red shelves to the left that we got from Lowe's.

Absolutely Beautiful!

 The next pic shows the chevron wall we did last fall! It took some serious planning and execution on the hubs part! My word at all the taping that had to be done! We only have one set of curtains because I wasn't sure I'd like them...I did so I've since added 2 more curtains. All the little frames sittin around are from Michaels $2 deals...and we need to add some pics to them! The couch for this class is in poor condition but it "works"  and has a great story behind it from our first year working with the youth so we plan to keep it, but I'm keeping my eyes open for some cute red or gray accent pillows! The teen girls love it too!







The floor needs some help. We bought the gray rug from Lowe's for $20 bucks, but we really need another one and some carpet pads because it's slick.


This last pic shows that I did hang some girly paper lanterns and fans from the ceiling! It also shows that there's a bulletin board behind the couch...I plan to incorporate our kids some how with chalkboard art. Above it are the words "Let No Man Despise Thy Youth..."

I have to say that this definitely makes me happy to be in this room! We have rescued our reno :) and trust me, there are plenty other rooms in this church that are on my list!

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." Colossians 3:17

"Inn Summmeeerrrrrrrr!"

 I hope you read that title with the best of Olaf in mind!

 I have kinda been relishing in this thing called summer lately and haven't put in the effort to update you alls on what's going on wif me.

My last day with kiddos was Wednesday, the 28th,  2 weeks ago tomorrow!!!

 Our last day was a half day-field day. We all got to wear our shirts that were adorbs! The fifth graders were easy to spot in our neon shirts! The front: "Orange you glad..." The Back: "Fifth Grade is Behind You!" And they were made by the fab SOS Designs and let me just tell you they were awesome at custom designing these because we really wanted an orange on the front with the year 2013-2014...and they made it happen just the way we wanted...well, better than we wanted because I couldn't quite handle drawing an orange!

It was the most organized Field Day I've ever been a part of and as you can see... the teacher's had to do very little! I'm thankful for these precious teammates of mine and our P.E. coach who organized this day!

I had a lot of boys..ehem..young men...

capture my heart this year and I mean really capture! The boys of this class made me laugh daily and were sooo...sweet!!! These are only two of them, but they were all so special to me....including my drama filled girls!

 I also hate to share for those of you who didn't have parents who were good to you this year...but because I had really giving and appreciate parents and I don't know if it will be this way next year...I will be thankful :) Here are some of my year ends:

The bottom was a beach bag full of beachy stuff! I can't wait to use it! I also got a Longhorn gift card, some Bath and Body soap and another beach towel!

Summer is already flying by! I'm patiently waiting for my couple of beach days :) 

For those of you still teaching or post planning, sincerest apologies!

 Thankfully, I was able to wrap things up at school that very next Thursday and didn't go back into the school until a full week later!!!

Why???

 Why did I go back into school a week later? 

Why am I not sleeping in every M, W, F???

Why am I making lesson plans during this summer vacay of mine???

Because this chick agreed to teach summer camp...

oh, yes, I did.

 

My Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays consists of 30 minute literacy classes starting with 5th graders and ending with K3ers :0 It's a lot of work and I definitely feel like I'm earning my $$$, but it gives me a chance to freshen up on strategies for younger kiddos!

I'm trying to spend my June NOT thinking of the classroomed partition move that is inevitable for this upcoming school year...I will stress more about it in July. 

For now I'll spend my summer being a workaholic because I love teaching.

Stay tuned for an exciting addition to my teaching career being posted this week...