Just a little more about Goodreads

Whoo hoo, I just downloaded the Blogger app, so I'm killing 2 birds with one stone: trying out the app and adding these pics I wanted to include.

I think it will show this photo of my list of books I have on Goodreads. I like that I can have different categories of book labels - right now I have Bad Kitty, ocean, math and a couple others.

Ok I can't find the other pix, but I'm excited to see if this app works! Happy rest of your day!

Good Reads

Big Aside to start: OK, for some reason, Blogger doesn't have the menu with different fonts and sizes for me. Am I going to have to be grumpy about this?? We will see! Now for what I really wanted to talk about. (Well, happy day, I can't this silly thing to paste a picture on here. Carrying on....)

Goodreads - it was going to be a lot more dramatic with the Goodreads logo showing, I'm just saying.

Wait, wait, more than one way to skin a cat – I’ll type this in word and then try to paste it into my blog. Let’s see.

Anyway, I downloaded Goodreads onto my phone and then I was able to scan all of my books into it. OK, really, all I’ve scanned are the 9 books I have at home. But I was able to “sort” them so to speak, by topic. So out of my 9 books, I have 5 ocean books. If I’m doing an ocean theme, as I plan to when school starts, I’ll know what books I have available for that.

I know that this is a book recommendation site, and I’m not planning to use it like that. And other book organizing apps will let you see what kids have checked out – I know my books probably disappear. I hardly ever had all of my “Bad Kitty” books in the tub, but if somebody permanently borrowed a book, they must have really liked it. And hopefully will read it over and over and over, and maybe some other books too.

My idea is to scan all of my books – what would that be? I’m sure it’s more than 50 :)  Probably more than 100, and even 200. I really have no idea. Anyway, if I have them scanned, I won’t be tempted to buy “Polar Express” more than once. Or the same Dav Pilkey book again.

Does anybody else do that?

Oh, I just love books so much – so this is a way for me to keep track of what I have, hopefully. How do you keep track of your classroom library?

I’m trying hard to hold off until August 1 to do any major school work. Just doing sorta fun, piddly stuff. But I do have to go to our teacher center and laminate today because she will be closed next week. (What kind of timing is that? Although I really can’t say anything because she is SO nice and SO helpful!)

Happy Thursday – although my week is all messed up because my daughter and I went college exploring and today feels like a Monday.

(OK, ha on me - Blogger is being a stinker this morning. My cut and paste didn't work. Hope you can read this. I'll see if I can't make it pretty later :)
Oh, double haha - it was me. Sheepish grin - I had it on HTML. What a dork :)

Newbie Blog Hop

(I hope I qualify!) I'm joining up with Grade 3 is the Place for Me on a Newbie Blog Hop. Sounds rather fun and easy, so this will be short and sweet.

She has 4 questions to answer; here I go!
1. what state you are in - I live in beautiful, very hot with drought conditions southwest Kansas. I really do think it is beautiful here, but the hot weather and lack of rain are terrible.

2. your current teaching position - I'll be starting my 5th year of 2nd grade in a couple weeks.

3. your teaching experience - I'm a late bloomer. When my daughter started school, I did some substituting. I liked it and went back to school for a 2nd degree in education. When I got done, I got hired at my daughter's school to finish the year with a 3rd grade classroom where the teacher had left. I moved down to 2nd grade after that year and that's where I've been ever since.

4. when you started blogging - I think in February of this year. As of this moment, I have 46 wonderful people who follow me and I enjoy following them back. I like writing and sharing my ideas, thoughts, ponderings and reading what others are thinking.

5. share a blogging tip / blogging resource - Be yourself! Let some of your personality come through in your blog. Share little bits of yourself.

Ok, I'm pretty sure I qualify. I'm excited to look at other newbies - Happy Blogging Hopping to you!

Sara

Flusteration

Or is it flustration - I don't know how to spell it, but I've got it. We went to the Big City for a couple days - took my daughter and a friend to a concert. It was my Big Chance - I told my family I really wanted to go to the Teacher Store. OK, not just any teacher store - the cool one -


So the day after the concert, we take the girls to the mall and my hub-bub to the food court :) and I charge over to the teacher store. As I'm approaching the building, I notice:

Ok, that's not what I noticed but I can't find the real thing. They were offering 20% off! Whoo Hoo what better time to come!!

But as soon as I get into the store, I'm overwhelmed, my brain is in a swirl and I can't think straight. I have swatches of the colors that I want to use in my room and I wanted to get some letters to go with them - but which set of letters, these or these? (no, there's no picture - just in my brain.) And I didn't want to redo my borders (laziness :)

I finally just had to leave. I bought these letters (Creative Teaching Press - Popping Pattern)



And I bought some stars to put students names on for jobs. I also bought some happy birthday stickers for them. And a math game called Math Dice Jr. I think it will be a good problem solving game. The white die in the middle is their goal - they want to use the other dice to add together to make that amount.

I'm flusterated because I really want my room to look nicer, more pulled together, more welcoming - and I was going to do that with colors - but I can't get myself to make a decision on What Colors! So grr to me. 

However, it is Friday and pay day for me. I'm going over to my sister's this evening (she lives an hour a way) and my sister who lives 5 hours away is coming and we're having a sister weekend. Maybe I'll ask them for some help! :)

First Day of School Linky

Ah, thinking of that first day of school, when I'm as excited to meet them as they are to meet me. I have my class list ahead of time, and I've looked in last year's yearbook to see a picture of those that were at our school the previous year.

I still have a month before our first day - but I'm linking up with Psyched to be in 2nd for a First Day of School Linky
.

OK, first day of school is a half day in my district. I sort of hate it because here come all these kiddos, totally loaded down with school supplies. And all they want to do is explore their supplies and all I want to do is get to know them. I usually try to do something to get us all started, and then I go around and look at their supplies - what needs a name, what's community property and (my not-really-a-mentor, but super-next-door teacher/friend told me to do this) I take the extra supplies they bring and put them in a ziploc with their name on it. I put them away until after Christmas and Surprise! they have a whole new set of crayons, pencils, glue, whatever. So thrilling :)

I've taught the first day of 2nd grade for 4 years, and I think I've done something different every year :) But I usually include the book First Day Jitters - I love it because my name is the same as the main character in the book - and we can talk about having jitters.

I also have a big piece of construction paper and I have the kids draw their family. I explain that some of them might have divorced parents - mine were - and whatever, but I ask them to draw their family and then write about it. (We don't get this all done on the first day!) My not-really-a-mentor, but super-next-door teacher/friend gave me this idea, and it Really gives you an idea of where the kids are. And it's a good thing to have hanging on Open House night which is usually sometime during that first week.

I also try to do a theme thing for the start of school - something to get us all excited about school. I did plants one year, and I can't remember what else. Last year I did oceans and I'm going to continue that this year. Last year, I was sort of guided by Scholastic's Ocean Life. This year, I've also purchased Deanna Jump's Ocean Animals - Math & Literacy Fun. I know she teaches K, but for me, she gives me lots of good ideas to get going, and then I spin off from there and add my own things.

So linky up - and enjoying my Sunday. My husband was watching an old movie on TCM and I about fell asleep - that just never happens!
Sara

Happy Birthday

(Well, aren't I a smartie pants? I got me a new email account for my blog and I set up an email button and then didn't check that email! Then I was blog-stalking and I was at Bunting, Books and Bainbridge and found out I won! I won! I won!)

So here's the scoop: Christina Bainbridge at Bunting, Books and Bainbridge has made the most adorable Birthday mini bulletin board - and I was blessed to win it from her! Here is a preview picture:


These little cupcakes are just the cutest!

So this will definitely freshen up my classroom and the tired old birthday graph that I've used for 4 years and was there when I got there! Thanks, thanks, thanks Christina! If you are interested, you can go to TpT - here - and pick up your own.

Christina also has a post with different birthday celebration ideas - hop over here to see those ideas.

So Saturday has zoomed by me. I was trying to download some fonts from Kevin and Amanda and got all sorts of gunk on my computer - has this happened to any one else? I was disappointed because I've heard such good things about them. I may try again - when I have more time and patience!

So, I'd suggest checking out Christina's blog and her birthday cupcakes. They look good enough to eat!
Have a great weekend - Sara

What do I want to do?

Argh! With the 4th of July passing last week, it feels like summer is half over. No, no...I'm not half over relaxing, having my own schedule, doing things on my own timetable, doing kind of what I want.


I have a couple things I Really Want to Get Done before summer gets done. First up:
(source)
I'm thinking that I can make a homemade Welcome sign similar to this one. Instead of doing a class theme, I'm planning on doing class colors, and trying to tie things together that way. So the blue, yellow, pink, green, orange - those are it. Anyway, I really want to do this on the door - I think I'll make it this week's project!


I also saw these at Mrs. Bartel's School Family and she got the idea from Oh, Boy 4th Grade.

I have a blank space, so to speak, above the student's coat hooks and I'd like to do something like this above there. I'd like my pictures to say: Joy, Think, and I don't know... something else encouraging for school. This project will have to wait a week or two, so I have time to think of an idea! Oh, oh, I just hopped over to Farley's blog and she has the words believe and shine on hers. I like that!


This last thing is a super wish list idea:
(source)
I have two shelves... two sets of shelves - how do you say that? Anyway, one was a cheapo thing I got at a garage sale for $5 and the other was sitting outside another teacher's room and I said, "Can I have that?" Both are that beautiful wood laminate. I found a non-teacher blog, Centsational Girl, that told about how to paint over the laminate so the paint would stick. This project's a little scary for me. I don't think I would go quite this crazy/wild with the colors - but something a little more exciting than the plain brown. (I think I should say two bookshelves! what a goof I am!) Don't know that I will get this one done - but I sure would like to!


On the home front - I Really Want to:
1) Repaint my kitchen. We had new cabinets put in last summer and I slapped a coat of an orangish color on. Not liking it - so I found a blue that I'm going to try.
2) Paint the living room. My kitchen and living room are kinda one long room - so I want to repaint the living room to go with my new color I'm going to use in the kitchen.
(Thankfully I have my teenage daughter around, and I can press her into forced labor :)
3) I also want to refinish our kitchen table. I always used to use the Formby's kits when I did that - but I didn't see any at Home Depot when I was there the other day.


Ha, I probably also need to check my Summer Bucket List I did back in May for a linky party. I bet there are things on there I have completely forgotten!


Well, after probably 3 weeks of 100+ weather, woke up this morning to rain! Yeah! I will definitely be enjoying this cooler, if not muggy weather. Have a great Monday (or whatever day it is that you are reading this :)
Sara

Awards

I've gotten two awards this past week - yeah, it is so nice to know that my little corner of the blog world is read!

First up:

From Alyce at Mrs. Bartel's School Family

Isn't that lovely - so sweet, thanks, Alyce!

There are some rules:

Once you receive the award, you have to pass it on to others! Here are the 3 rules to follow:
1. Follow the person who gave you the award.
2. Link back to the person who gave you the award.
3. Pass the award on to 15 new bloggers.

I already follow Alyce, I've already linked back to her --- but I'm not going to do part 3. This summer I'm trying to cautious of how I spend my time (except for laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.). But Alyce, thanks for the award.

Second:

from Heather at the Busy Bee Hive.

OK so here are the rules to this award that I need to follow: 

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you. (yup)

2. Include a link to their site. (yup)

3. Include the award image in your post (yup) 4. Give 7 random facts about yourself. (yup) 5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award. 6. When nominating, include a link to their site. 7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated.

7 Random Facts about me!

1. I just had a birthday on Tuesday - lots of fun!

2. I really want to do some updates to my blog - where does the time go?

3. We've lived in our house for 20 years now.

4. I'm loving my flower gardens this summer.

5. I'm trying to decide whether to leave all the school stuff alone for a couple weeks, or keep doing little piddlying things associated with school.

6. I enjoy swimming, but haven't been to the pool yet this summer (I think I need to talk hubby into a backyard pool!)

7. My daughter is going to be a senior and then it's empty nest time - yikes!

And again, sorry, Heather, but I'm being cautious of my time, so no go on numbers 5, 6, 7. Thanks so much for the award, though.

And now I'm off to mow the lawn - the fun times I have around here!

Have a great Friday,

Sara