President's Day

  What a nice mid-winter break it has been.  I've done lots of - well wait, let me try that again.  I've done a lot of nothing this break and it has been fabulous.  We had conferences for 3 days after school (4-8) 2 weeks ago and it was exhausting so to make up for that time we had Wednesday afternoon, Thursday, Friday, and Monday this week off.  Thursday and Friday I did a lot of nothing - except finishing up Reign on Netflix and starting One Tree Hill.  I still wish I had episodes of Reign to watch. My heart loves it.

  I also got some time to read this break - which has been great.  The Selection is a book you should check out.  It's a mix between The Bachelor and the Hunger Games.  I really like it so far!  Thanks to my very good friend for recommending it.  So, I haven't done just a little update on what our classroom has been up to so I thought I'd fill everyone in.

Since we only had 2 days before we went on break, we dove into Presidents so that my littles really understood why they were getting 3 days off of school.  We read lots of books on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and we even got to pretend that we were the President for the day, and what we would change.  Our school district has bought a subscription to PebbleGo books. As a teacher I LOVE them.  They were simple, made my emergent and early readers, and it reads the books to the kids.  I let the kiddos explore some of the presidents books on their iPads and read more about the Presidents of their choice.  My littles are also obsessed with BrainPOP Jr. Sometimes I'll tell them that we HAVE to watch another Annie and Moby video (and make it sound like a tragedy) and they get all excited - they really love the characters!  Brain pop is usually someplace that I look first thing for topics - they have great introductory videos. After reading about the Presidents we practiced our comparing and contrasting and describing of characters - my littles got together with partners and they did a great job!  They focused on their hair, and clothes, and faces - some of them wrote "they both have wrinkles" and I about died in my seat.

They also have become huge fans of Arthur & Marc Brown books.  When we have indoor recess - and indoor recess that lasts all day, for all 3 recesses mind you - I usually cave on the 2nd or 3rd recess and put on a movie for them.  It's calming and the kids love Arthur. You can find full episodes on YouTube and it is a teacher's DREAM.  I have a browse bin in our classroom that I fill with books on topics we are studying - animals, space, etc. - but I decided since next week we are focusing on point of view I filled up that bin with Arthur books.  My littles were so happy - they dove into them when they were done with their diagrams and read with their friends. It was so cute! 

We also ended our week with a Valentine's day party - load them up with sugar and send them home! We played a relay game, decorated cookies, and made Valentines for our parents.  I had kiddos make Valentine boxes at their homes and bring them to school.  I love seeing home creative they get with their boxes!  We had such a fun party day, and since it was at the end of the day I got to just send them on their way for break!  No better way to end the short week than a party of fun. 

The robot one was so cute!  They took a lot of time with their boxes - and they were so proud of them!  We open Valentines in the last few minutes of the party - it was so cute to see their faces and when they walked up to each other and thank them.  I love my group this year!

Today I'v been running to appointments all around town - doctor, eye, dentist - and getting stuff ready for the week.  Tonight, the husband is taking me on a date for Valentines day!  I'm super lucky to have such a great husband.  He knows I hate crowds so we didn't go out Saturday and he made plans for tonight.  We just enjoyed a nice Saturday night of homemade food and Netflix.  Super blessed to have a husband who loves and cares for me the way he does.

Hope your week goes great! Enjoy your last few hours of break! Until next time.

Sunday Scoop - February 8

I'm linking up with Teaching Trio for the Sunday Scoop. This is a nice little linky that is pretty new to the blogging world but I love reading what everyone is going to be doing on Sunday before the week starts.  We have a short week (HOORAY!) and only have 2.5 days of school before a 5 day break.  I have never been happier.

3 Things I have to do:

  * I have a TON of papers in my teacher bag that need to be graded today.  Reading papers on main idea from last week, opinion writing pieces and some math.  I am however excited to see how my littles have grown in their writing!

  * I just put in our first load of laundry from the week - only 3 more to go!

  * I got up and went grocery shopping and meal planning right away on this Sunday morning.  Went to church last night and the husband is playing drums on worship team this weekend so it was a great morning to grab some coffee and head to a nearly dead grocery store.  I just have a few things to prep - since I'm going to have 3 days off this week I don't feel the need to prep a ton because I will be able to throughout the week. Hooray!

2 Things I Hope to do:

* We have one day of conferences left so I'd like to paint my nails and put on a new Jamberry's so they look cute and professional.  Painting my nails is super relaxing to me. I enjoy it.

  * I started a true/false math product last weekend and haven't been working on it this week at all with conferences and pure exhaustion so I'd like to get back to it today and maybe finish it up.

1 Thing I'm Happy to do:

* Spend time with my handsome husband is on the top of the list.  We've been together all weekend but I love snuggling up on the couch with him on Sunday's for a nap and some DVR and Netflix watching.  He's fabulous and I love him so.

Have a great week!  Join in on the Sunday Scoop all you teacher friends!

Currently: February

Can it be so that I have blogged 2 days in a row?!  Let's see if I can keep up with at least a WEEKLY blog because I know I can't do the whole 2 day thing easily with conferences coming up.  Eesh!  Today I'm amazed that it is already February. Anyone else in shock like I am?  I'm linking up with Oh Boy 4th Grade for the monthly Currently link up.  This one might be one of my favorites to link up with - even if it is just my third month in! :)

Currently Listening: We are right in the middle of a "Winter Storm Warning" in South Dakota and it is just windy as ever out there!  I'm attempting to finish up some laundry and the husband is working and watching SportsCenter.  We're planning on going to a friends house tonight for the Super Bowl but we'll see if that actually happens with this storm.  We may just stay inside! 

Currently Loving: My friend got me hooked on Reign on Netflix. Ryan and I just got it a little over a week ago and I watch it literally every moment I can. The husband is not that into it at all so it's a show all to my self.  I would love to sit today before the football game and watch it for a while - here's hoping I can sneak some time in!

Currently Thinking:  Sunday is usually my food prep day for the week.  I get stuff washed and cut for salads and usually go grocery shopping for our meals.  I ended up grocery shopping yesterday and forgot BUTTER.  I was planning on making these chocolate chip coconut cookie bars for the Superbowl today but we don't have any butter and there is a HUGE drift in front of our house with snow - so I'm really not sure if I'm going to be able to get out and get those made before tonight.  We pay to have someone come and shovel and plow our driveway and they have yet to come - so frustrating.  Husband was going to attempt to shovel it but it's so big anyways that I'm not sure a standard shovel would make a dent.  For now I'll just have to prep salads and what not and wait on the cookie bars.  Crossing my fingers!

Currently Wanting:  This week is going to be brutal at school. We have spring parent teacher conferences on Tuesday and Thursday and the following Monday. These are always such long days at school.  I usually get to school around 715 or so and with conferences we have to stay at school until 8:00pm!  Not only do we have to do a full day of teaching but we also have to be awake and energized enough to talk to parents about their sweet kiddos.  The first night of conferences I go straight from 4:00-7:30 with a new family every 15 minutes.  It's crazy.  The next two nights are a lot lighter so I can get more things done and just kind of relax.  However, be thinking of me on Tuesday. I'm already dreading it. Bring on the soda pop and coffee! After this week of conferences we have 2 days with students the following week, a 1/2 day inservice and then we have 5 days off.  Hallelujah.

Currently Needing:  I look at all these cute teacher blogs out there and mine just isn't doing it for me. I would love to look into having someone do my blog for me and make it cute like everyone else. I wasn't too worried about it at the beginning but now I'm really wanting a "professional" looking blog.  My husband does websites but not with blogger.  If you have someone you'd recommend let me know! I'd love to look into it!

Pageant Title: Before I leave school everyday I have to have my desk and table cleared off, wiped down with a clorox wipe and stuff lined up for tomorrow.  Don't ask me why, it just drives me nuts when there is PILES of stuff on my table.  Last year I had an emergency sub when I came down with strep for the first time and my table was a mess and she wrote on my plans it was hard to find things. I felt awful.  Usually my table and area wouldn't have been like that but I remember leaving the day before just dead sick. Now it's a thing of mine to make sure everything is off my table and desk and in an easy spot to locate incase I have an emergency situation like that. I also carry around my clorox wipes throughout the day and usually wipe off my table 8X throughout our learning.  Therefore, my name would be Queen Orgaclean. And I'm proud of it.

Link up and have some fun! See you next month for the next currently!