Summer Bucket List

Yesterday, at 4 o'clock, I was trying to decide whether or not to take my morning shower. Mind you, this was 4 pm! Ack!! Trust me, I was busy, just dirty {and probably stinky!}.

So I'm only a week behind on this little linky party, but here it goes anyway:

School: Yes, this is The Year where I really do some exploring on math stuff. I think last year, we were told we were going to do Engage NY, and I didn't really think it would last. But apparently I was wrong, because it's back this year. I have some books, and I know some blogs that do some good things -- I just need to get going on this! 

My daughter told me someone told her my name, Sara Sanders, sounds like a super hero name. So that got me to thinking -- I'm going to see about doing some super hero stuff, keeping in mind, I'm not one who goes all out decorating. 

And I always like to plan through Labor Day -- just helps me A Lot with the first of the year stuff. 

Personal: Yes, cleaning out my basement was why I was dirty and stinky at 4 in the afternoon. Does anyone else's basement just become a catch-all, for everything?  For a while, every summer, my daughter and I would work on the basement... and it would feel like that's all we would do all summer. So then we decide to take just one week and go at it hard. I'm all by myself this year, but I'm halfway through. And doing pretty good with it.

Fun: It hasn't gotten too hot here yet {forecast is for 100 this weekend, though} and my hubby's out of town this week {he doesn't like anything that even comes close to warm!} so I've eaten supper outside -- and loved it. Just relaxing and all my bird friends talking to me. 

And phone a friend - yep - done that twice, no wait, three times. A chance to sit and visit with a friend I haven't seen in a while - terrific!

If you're interested, or want to see what others are doing:

Happy Friday!

Five for Friday - 4/4

I think I can, I think I can... actually write a blog post tonight - LOL!
Here we go....
Our school had "spirit week" for the now not happening state testing our 3rd and 4th graders were supposed to do next week. Kansas has had some glitches, so first our school, and then our district postponed the tests. However, we went ahead and had spirit week this week... culminating in a pep assembly... next week. Yup, makes sense to me, too. 

However, today was 70's day. Yeah, kinda like the 2nd pic on Doodle Bugs' post. And our first grade team, a lovely bunch of ladies, dressed up like that. It was fun to see!

I got this new little guy right after the first 9 weeks. He's one of those kiddos that I'm thinking might have just gotten shuffled around under the guise of "boundaries." He's interesting... he seems to take forever to answer when I ask him a direct question, but then he's always blurting out answers when I'm not wanting him to. What a dichotomy. And today, he was reading this short little story, and I asked him to retell it. And he was doing that... very sloooooooowly. And I teased him just a little, and this little smile appeared. And I was thinking that might be the first smile I've seen all year. Which made my heart smile a little.

My two lowest readers {yes, one of them is my friend right up there under #2} wanted to read poems this week during guided reading. So I told them they had to practice and then read them to the class on Friday. They did. But they were both so fast, and reading right into their paper, and a little soft spoken {even after I made them go to the front of the room and practice 1 word to see if I could hear in the back of the room!}. But my class did me proud. They all clapped for the two boys, just like they had heard every word! Yeah team!!

I decided to see if I can't get a new desk at school. If you have read any of my posts, you've seen a couple where this is a major decision-making undertaking for me - LOL. I don't know how these things are decided but last year I did get the 20 some students desks I requested. 
Along with that, I've been purging, purging, purging my files. Except I started going through my math centers today, and Did Not do a very good job of tossing. 

This is a big yahoo who and praise the Lord for me! Let's see, how did this merry-go-round start? Oh yeah, our art teacher is retiring, so a 3rd grade teacher is moving there. A Kindergarten teacher is taking her place. And a 2nd grade teacher - my co-teacher is moving to Kindergarten. And a 1st grade teacher is moving up to 2nd. While I'll miss my co-worker {well, she'll still be in the building, but you know...} I'm excited to teach with this new gal who seems full of ideas and energy and really cares for her kids. I had thought about trying a different grade level myself, but I think this shaking up our team a little will be the fix I need. 

What about you? What's new, exciting, uplifting, fun, or just worth sharing about in your world?

 

13 for 13 Linky Party

Ahh, the perfect thing to get back into blogging after a week plus of break.

13 - Favorite article of Clothing!

Has got to be my new cordourary shirt I got for Christmas. From Land's End, it's a beautiful green color. Can Not Wait to wear it!

 

 

 (Who doesn't love this teeny-tiny picture? Ha!)

12 - Favorite Movie you watched -

This is a toughie. I have a very difficult time shelling out $$ to go to the movies - and when I do I Have to have popcorn lol. But on Christmas, we watched A Christmas Story - and I have to say, that is one of my favorites of all time!

11 - Favorite TV series -

Man, all my TV shows are getting weird. However, I do still like Major Crimes. It's a kinder, gentler version of its predecessor, Closer.

10 - Favorite Restaurant - 

Has to be Panera - and the sad news, we don't have one here in my little town/city. So I have to get my fix when I'm traveling. Just went to the Big City on Christmas Eve and went there and had potato soup - yum, yum, yum!

9 - Favorite new thing you tried - 

Hmmm, hmmm. Thinking, thinking - - -

I've got it! I took one of my centers and made it a fluency center. First the kids time each other on a passage. It is pretty structured - it's from a book and it has those little numbers so the kids are supposed to put their finger on the last word they read when the timer went off and count how many words and then graph it. After they do that for each other, they get a book they are reading and read a page or a couple paragraphs to a buddy who rates their reading with smiley faces. Then they re-read the same passage. This has been going pretty good.

8 - Favorite gift you got -

My girly got me a seat warmer for my poor little car that doesn't have one! It plugs into the {what used to be called} cigarette lighter. I can't wait to use it! {Of course, we are having a heat wave here - in the 50s!}

7 - Favorite thing you pinned - 

This yummy potato bacon casserole which we had for Christmas breakfast - too yummy and very easy to make. 

6 - Favorite blog post -

This Might Be the Year  I love the optimism in this post {which has, for the most part, remained through the year} and the hopefulness and the feeling that I want to enjoy teaching. 

5 - Best Accomplishment - 

I started my ESOL endorsement. I'm going with the slow and steady method - one course a semester. {I'm not sure that's an accomplishment, because I'm just starting. Or maybe the accomplishment is getting one course under my belt!}

4 - Favorite pic - 

Any that have me and my girly! 

3 - Favorite Memory

My bubby and I took a weekend trip to Denver over Labor Day and it was so fun. And we took a day trip to an area wildlife refuge and it was so fun. Just enjoy being with that guy!

2 - Goal for 2014

Yikes! I don't know!!

1 - One Little Word 

I've never done one little word before - but I'm thinking 

OPEN

I want to be more open to new ideas, more open to what my kids tell me {and not jump to conclusions!}, so just open, open, open!

 

What a great way to end the year! 

Thanksgiving Books

Ooh, I so wanted to join this linky party:

Because this book:

 

Is cracking me up - I mean literally Laugh Out Loud! I was laughing and just about couldn't read. It's the part where the little boy is supposed to have something in his thankful bag, but he forgot, so he says he's thankful for the bag. And the teacher is like, "Really?" So the boy decides he is thankful for his shirt. And then I was just picturing him turning his shirt all around so he could read what was on the tag. 

Really, who couldn't love a book where people are thankful for Exploding Biscuits, Jelly in a Can, Rainbow Sprinkles, and of course, Toilet Paper!

I have a couple others I like - 

We are having a cold, blustery day today - and it's our Thanksgiving meal at school. I'm eating with my kiddos, because nothing says teacher love like sitting in the middle of a bench table eating pressed turkey :)

Ah, really, it's something I wanted to do - and boy, do they love to talk to me when I eat lunch with them! 

Happy Week until Thanksgiving!