Sunday Smorgasbord

Hey ya'll! I'm back again for the THIRD time this week....can you believe it?! Today I'm linking up with Fabulous in First for Sunday Smorgasbord! That's right, be prepared for a post full of random happenings...

First up, I wanted to share my Fourth of July with you. The weather was pretty nice in these parts, so we had ourselves a pool party. Everyone brought their own food to grill and, in true teacher style, my friends and I decided to get a little crafty with our food! We tried our hands at making homemade shish kabobs. I have to say, they were darn good!

That's them before they were cooked. They look pretty tasty right?

The next day was my nieces birthday, so we got to celebrate by seeing Despicable Me 2. I was probably equally as excited as the kids! 

This summer, I've also taken on a few new projects to keep me busy, and one of them was playing tennis. I've had a few lessons for about a month now and let me tell you....I am not good. Practice makes perfect though, right? 

However, my super cute tennis racket makes my lack of tennis skills slightly less noticeable...to me anyway.

 

Did I forget to mention it's pink? 

I've also been doing a whole lot of school supply shopping, and I recently purchased these little stools for my classroom next year. Seating is always pretty tight in my class, so I couldn't pass up these cute little stools at such a steal! I also loved the colors and the reviews were pretty great! I'm not exactly sure where I'll use them this year, but I was thinking they could be good for my small group table...any suggestions?

Welp,that's about all the random-ness going on in my life right now! Be sure to link up with your Sunday Smorgasbord over at Fabulous in First!

Thanks for visiting me today, please check back tomorrow for a post on new products and organization in my classroom. 

Have a GREAT day!

 

Summa Time!

Hello, long lost friends! I sure have missed you!

Let me start off by apologizing for my ridiculously long absence. I got so bogged down with the end of the year, finding/ moving into a new house, and teaching summer school that I thought it was best to take a small hiatus! 

But, I'm back now, and I am ready to party!

Hopefully you're like me, and you are enjoying every second of your summer! That's not to say this girl hasn't been busy, because that would be an outright lie. But I have found some time to do a little of this....

and a little TOO much of this...

I'm definitely still in school mode full force. With a trip to Europe scheduled for the end of July and my birthday almost immediately after, I am trying to spend every free second preparing for my new little friends I'll be meeting on August 12th.

To do so, I've been spending a little time getting know these new friends...

Admittedly, I've had these books for quite a while now, but I am finally finding the time to really get into them. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am! I feel like they are really helping me structure my literacy block in a more effective way.  Yes, one of them still has the wrapper on it. But hey, summer ain't over yet! I still have time, and I fully intend to get every one of those books read by the time August rolls around.

I've also  been working overtime on the curriculum side of things. One of my major goals this summer is to get ahead on all of my units. You know, so I can actually have a weekend every once in a while. My latest pride and joy is definitely my most favorite unit to date! I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics today to share it with you in this week's edition of Monday Made It.

My Johnny Appleseed unit is definitely one of my best memories of the school year. For me, it marks the beginning of fall, my favorite time of year! It's also one of the units that I find my students get into the most, which makes it super fun to teach! Those are the memories I kept in mind while creating this newest unit. If you'd like to take a closer look at everything included in the packet, you can view it in my TPT shop or click the picture below.

And, to celebrate my return to blogging, everything in my shop will be 20% off until Tuesday night. So get your shoppin' on!

I hope to be back very soon with more updates, freebies, and findings for the new school year!

Happy Monday, bloggin' buddies!

The No Good, Very Bad Day

Excuse the title.  There is a chance that I might be acting slightly dramatic, but It's just been one of those days. You know, one of those days that never end? It has knocked me of my confidence and made my first year teacher-ness totally and completely apparent....well, to me at least.

Ok, so it wasn't that bad. But still, it was definitely not my most favorite day of the year. Things have been SO great lately. The kids have been so engaged in their learning and I have seen  a ton of growth from their little brains! I've really loved my time with them at school and I LOVE that I LOVE my job.  It's just funny how the littlest bad things can make me forget all of those huge good things. I find it so easy to get bogged down by all the paperwork and meetings and rules we are required to follow. Sometimes I feel like it completely overshadows the real reason I'm here...the kids. Ya feel me?

Anyway, I hate to be such a Debbie Downer, things truly have been rockin' on the instruction side of my classroom as of late. We wrapped up our camping unit last week and used TONS of activities from the fabulous Cara Carrol's Camping Capers unit. I feel like I should keep a tally of how many times I mention using her activities on here. That woman can do NO wrong! We also threw in some of our very own that they kids adored. I would love to post pictures, but that would require way more of my attention than I am willing to give right now.

I'm also linking up with Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for this month's CURRENTLY...

Listening:

Everyday I have three or four of my littles hang out in my class for a bit waiting for their bus. It's taken a while, but they have finally learned to use this time in productive ways. Meaning...they read instead of playing "fairy princesses" and destroying my classroom.

Loving:

My new lucite tray on Etsy. Have you seen these before? So stinkin' cute! I am moving into a new house in May and have been thinking of its decor since at least January. Nothing wrong with a little anticipation, right?

Thinking:

I should hit the gym after school. Spring break is just a few short weeks away, afterall. Luckily, one of my greatest friends (and fellow teachers) works out with me on the almost daily. It's so awesome to have a bud to keep you motivated!

Wanting:

A vacation! Did I just say spring break? Hallelujah! It is so soon!! I could use a second (or two) to catch my breath.

Needing:

A pedicure...in the worst kind of way. I just got into gel manicures and they are by far the greatest invention on earth. Now, I haven't tried removing one so I may take back my previous comment in the near future. I will definitely be treating myself to some spa time this weekend.

Like, Love, Hate:

Movies. I LOVE cuddling up and watching a new movie. Or even an old one...this girl ain't picky!

Macaroni n' cheese. My kiddos know this is by far my most favorite food. Such a comfort to eat!

Mondays. I dread them by Friday night. Is that sad? I promise I love my job, but Mondays definitely bring be down just a little.

Link up with Farley over at her blog if you haven't already! Please remember the rule of three! :) 

Well, that's about all the sharing I have for you today! I having been working like crazy on my St. Patrick's Day packet o' fun! Trust me...I know it is way past late. I hope to have it posted in the very near future!

Have a wonderful night!!